Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah

GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH
(U.S., 1990 pocket-size ed.)
Filename: GWB.ZIP
Filedate: 11-19-93



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I. Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord, my
God! How can I make mention of Thee, assured as
I am that no tongue, however deep its wisdom, can
befittingly magnify Thy name, nor can the bird of
the human heart, however great its longing, ever
hope to ascend into the heaven of Thy majesty and
knowledge.
If I describe Thee, O my God, as Him Who is the
All-Perceiving, I find myself compelled to admit that
They Who are the highest Embodiments of perception
have been created by virtue of Thy behest. And
if I extol Thee as Him Who is the All-Wise, I, likewise,
am forced to recognize that the Well Springs of
wisdom have themselves been generated through the
operation of Thy Will. And if I proclaim Thee as
the Incomparable One, I soon discover that they
Who are the inmost essence of oneness have been sent
down by Thee and are but the evidences of Thine
handiwork. And if I acclaim Thee as the Knower of
all things, I must confess that they Who are the
Quintessence of knowledge are but the creation and
instruments of Thy Purpose.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted, art Thou above the
strivings of mortal man to unravel Thy mystery, to

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describe Thy glory, or even to hint at the nature of
Thine Essence. For whatever such strivings may accomplish,
they never can hope to transcend the limitations
imposed upon Thy creatures, inasmuch as
these efforts are actuated by Thy decree, and are begotten
of Thine invention. The loftiest sentiments
which the holiest of saints can express in praise of
Thee, and the deepest wisdom which the most learned
of men can utter in their attempts to comprehend
Thy nature, all revolve around that Center Which is
wholly subjected to Thy sovereignty, Which adoreth
Thy Beauty, and is propelled through the movement
of Thy Pen.
Nay, forbid it, O my God, that I should have uttered
such words as must of necessity imply the existence
of any direct relationship between the Pen of
Thy Revelation and the essence of all created things.
Far, far are They Who are related to Thee above the
conception of such relationship! All comparisons and
likenesses fail to do justice to the Tree of Thy Revelation,
and every way is barred to the comprehension
of the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Day Spring
of Thy Beauty.
Far, far from Thy glory be what mortal man can
affirm of Thee, or attribute unto Thee, or the praise
with which he can glorify Thee! Whatever duty
Thou hast prescribed unto Thy servants of extolling
to the utmost Thy majesty and glory is but a token
of Thy grace unto them, that they may be enabled

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to ascend unto the station conferred upon their own
inmost being, the station of the knowledge of their
own selves.
No one else besides Thee hath, at any time, been
able to fathom Thy mystery, or befittingly to extol
Thy greatness. Unsearchable and high above the
praise of men wilt Thou remain for ever. There is
none other God but Thee, the Inaccessible, the Omnipotent,
the Omniscient, the Holy of Holies.

II. The beginning of all things is the knowledge
of God, and the end of all things is strict observance
of whatsoever hath been sent down from the empyrean
of the Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in
the heavens and all that is on the earth.

III. The Revelation which, from time immemorial,
hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise
of all the Prophets of God, and the most cherished
Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the
pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible
bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such
a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred
Scriptures. Behold how, notwithstanding such an announcement,
mankind hath strayed from its path
and shut out itself from its glory.
Say: O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that
ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe
befittingly His precepts. This is a Revelation, under

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which, if a man shed for its sake one drop of blood,
myriads of oceans will be his recompense. Take
heed, O friends, that ye forfeit not so inestimable
a benefit, or disregard its transcendent station.
Consider the multitude of lives that have been, and
are still being, sacrificed in a world deluded by a
mere phantom which the vain imaginations of its peoples
have conceived. Render thanks unto God, inasmuch
as ye have attained unto your heart's Desire,
and been united to Him Who is the Promise of
all nations. Guard ye, with the aid of the one true
God--exalted be His glory--the integrity of the
station which ye have attained, and cleave to that
which shall promote His Cause. He, verily, enjoineth
on you what is right and conducive to the exaltation
of man's station. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the
Revealer of this wondrous Tablet.

IV. This is the Day in which God's most excellent
favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in
which His most mighty grace hath been infused into
all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples
of the world to reconcile their differences, and,
with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow
of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness.
It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this
Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations,
and to the promotion of their best interests. Happy
are those whom the all-glorious Pen was moved to remember,

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and blessed are those men whose names, by
virtue of Our inscrutable decree, We have preferred
to conceal.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men
may be graciously assisted to fulfil that which is acceptable
in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order
be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead.
Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the
Knower of things unseen.

V. This is the Day whereon the Ocean of God's
mercy hath been manifested unto men, the Day in
which the Day Star of His loving-kindness hath shed
its radiance upon them, the Day in which the clouds
of His bountiful favor have overshadowed the
whole of mankind. Now is the time to cheer and refresh
the down-cast through the invigorating breeze
of love and fellowship, and the living waters of
friendliness and charity.
They who are the beloved of God, in whatever
place they gather and whomsoever they may meet,
must evince, in their attitude towards God, and in
the manner of their celebration of His praise and
glory, such humility and submissiveness that every
atom of the dust beneath their feet may attest the
depth of their devotion. The conversation carried by
these holy souls should be informed with such power
that these same atoms of dust will be thrilled by its
influence. They should conduct themselves in such

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manner that the earth upon which they tread may
never be allowed to address to them such words as
these: "I am to be preferred above you. For witness,
how patient I am in bearing the burden which the
husbandman layeth upon me. I am the instrument
that continually imparteth unto all beings the blessings
with which He Who is the Source of all grace
hath entrusted me. Notwithstanding the honor conferred
upon me, and the unnumbered evidences of
my wealth--a wealth that supplieth the needs of all
creation--behold the measure of my humility, witness
with what absolute submissiveness I allow myself
to be trodden beneath the feet of men...."
Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one
another. Should any one among you be incapable of
grasping a certain truth, or be striving to comprehend
it, show forth, when conversing with him, a
spirit of extreme kindliness and good-will. Help him
to see and recognize the truth, without esteeming
yourself to be, in the least, superior to him, or to be
possessed of greater endowments.
The whole duty of man in this Day is to attain
that share of the flood of grace which God poureth
forth for him. Let none, therefore, consider the largeness
or smallness of the receptacle. The portion of
some might lie in the palm of a man's hand, the portion
of others might fill a cup, and of others even a
gallon-measure.
Every eye, in this Day, should seek what will best

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promote the Cause of God. He, Who is the Eternal
Truth, beareth Me witness! Nothing whatever can,
in this Day, inflict a greater harm upon this Cause
than dissension and strife, contention, estrangement
and apathy, among the loved ones of God. Flee them,
through the power of God and His sovereign aid, and
strive ye to knit together the hearts of men, in His
Name, the Unifier, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that ye may
taste the savor of such deeds as are performed in
His path, and partake of the sweetness of such humility
and submissiveness as are shown for His sake. Forget
your own selves, and turn your eyes towards
your neighbor. Bend your energies to whatever may
foster the education of men. Nothing is, or can ever
be, hidden from God. If ye follow in His way, His incalculable
and imperishable blessings will be showered
upon you. This is the luminous Tablet, whose
verses have streamed from the moving Pen of Him
Who is the Lord of all worlds. Ponder it in your
hearts, and be ye of them that observe its precepts.

VI. Behold, how the divers peoples and kindreds
of the earth have been waiting for the coming of the
Promised One. No sooner had He, Who is the Sun of
Truth, been made manifest, than, lo, all turned away
from Him, except them whom God was pleased to
guide. We dare not, in this Day, lift the veil that
concealeth the exalted station which every true believer

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can attain, for the joy which such a revelation
must provoke might well cause a few to faint away
and die.
He Who is the Heart and Center of the &Bayan hath
written: "The 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 all those who follow Me." And, again, He
saith: "Of all the tributes I have paid to Him Who
is to come after Me, the greatest is this, My written
confession, that no words of Mine can adequately describe
Him, nor can any reference to Him in My
Book, the &Bayan, do justice to His Cause."
Whoso hath searched the depths of the oceans that
lie hid within these exalted words, and fathomed their
import, can be said to have discovered a glimmer of
the unspeakable glory with which this mighty, this
sublime, and most holy Revelation hath been endowed.
From the excellence of so great a Revelation
the honor with which its faithful followers must
needs be invested can be well imagined. By the
righteousness of the one true God! The very breath
of these souls is in itself richer than all the treasures
of the earth. Happy is the man that hath attained
thereunto, and woe betide the heedless.

VII. Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind
can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the
Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and

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the light of His countenance hath been lifted up
upon men. It behoveth every man to blot out the
trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart,
and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the
signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission,
and the tokens of His glory.
Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it
in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest
its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God,
of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this
wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth
have, likewise, yearned to attain it. No sooner, however,
had the Day Star of His Revelation manifested
itself in the heaven of God's Will, than all,
except those whom the Almighty was pleased to
guide, were found dumbfounded and heedless.
O thou that hast remembered Me! The most grievous
veil hath shut out the peoples of the earth from
His glory, and hindered them from hearkening to
His call. God grant that the light of unity may envelop
the whole earth, and that the seal, "the Kingdom
is God's", may be stamped upon the brow of
all its peoples.

VIII. By the righteousness of God! These are the
days in which God hath proved the hearts of the entire
company of His Messengers and Prophets, and
beyond them those that stand guard over His sacred
and inviolable Sanctuary, the inmates of the celestial

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Pavilion and dwellers of the Tabernacle of Glory.
How severe, therefore, the test to which they who
join partners with God must needs be subjected!

IX. O &Husayn! Consider the eagerness with which
certain peoples and nations have anticipated the return
of &Imam-Husayn, whose coming, after the appearance
of the &Qa'im, hath been prophesied, in days
past, by the chosen ones of God, exalted be His glory.
These holy ones have, moreover, announced that
when He Who is the Day Spring of the manifold
grace of God manifesteth Himself, all the Prophets
and Messengers, including the &Qa'im, will gather together
beneath the shadow of the sacred Standard
which the Promised One will raise. That hour is now
come. The world is illumined with the effulgent glory
of His countenance. And yet, behold how far its peoples
have strayed from His path! None have believed
in Him except them who, through the power of the
Lord of Names, have shattered the idols of their vain
imaginings and corrupt desires and entered the city
of certitude. The seal of the choice Wine of His
Revelation hath, in this Day and in His Name, the
Self-Sufficing, been broken. Its grace is being poured
out upon men. Fill thy cup, and drink in, in His
Name, the Most Holy, the All-Praised.

X. The time foreordained unto the peoples and
kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of

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God, as recorded in the holy Scriptures, have all been
fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of
God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof,
are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is
the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath
been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril,
the Self-Subsisting. Meditate upon this, O ye beloved
of God, and let your ears be attentive unto His Word,
so that ye may, by His grace and mercy, drink your
fill from the crystal waters of constancy, and become
as steadfast and immovable as the mountain in
His Cause.
In the Book of Isaiah it is written: "Enter into the
rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord,
and for the glory of His majesty." No man that
meditateth upon this verse can fail to recognize the
greatness of this Cause, or doubt the exalted character
of this Day--the Day of God Himself. This same
verse is followed by these words: "And the Lord alone
shall be exalted in that Day." This is the Day which
the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the
holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth
not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no Book
that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most
exalted theme. Were We to make mention of all that
hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and holy
Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet
would assume impossible dimensions. It is incumbent
in this Day, upon every man to place his whole trust

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in the manifold bounties of God, and arise to disseminate,
with the utmost wisdom, the verities of
His Cause. Then, and only then, will the whole earth
be enveloped with the morning light of His Revelation.

XI. All glory be to this Day, the Day in which the
fragrances of mercy have been wafted over all created
things, a Day so blest that past ages and centuries
can never hope to rival it, a Day in which the countenance
of the Ancient of Days hath turned towards
His holy seat. Thereupon the voices of all created
things, and beyond them those of the Concourse on
high, were heard calling aloud: "Haste thee, O Carmel,
for lo, the light of the countenance of God, the
Ruler of the Kingdom of Names and Fashioner of
the heavens, hath been lifted upon thee."
Seized with transports of joy, and raising high her
voice, she thus exclaimed: "May my life be a sacrifice
to Thee, inasmuch as Thou hast fixed Thy gaze
upon me, hast bestowed upon me Thy bounty, and
hast directed towards me Thy steps. Separation from
Thee, O Thou Source of everlasting life, hath well
nigh consumed me, and my remoteness from Thy
presence hath burned away my soul. All praise be to
Thee for having enabled me to hearken to Thy call,
for having honored me with Thy footsteps, and for
having quickened my soul through the vitalizing
fragrance of Thy Day and the shrilling voice of Thy

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Pen, a voice Thou didst ordain as Thy trumpet-call
amidst Thy people. And when the hour at which Thy
resistless Faith was to be made manifest did strike,
Thou didst breathe a breath of Thy spirit into Thy
Pen, and lo, the entire creation shook to its very
foundations, unveiling to mankind such mysteries
as lay hidden within the treasuries of Him Who is the
Possessor of all created things."
No sooner had her voice reached that most exalted
Spot than We made reply: "Render thanks unto thy
Lord, O Carmel. The fire of thy separation from Me
was fast consuming thee, when the ocean of My presence
surged before thy face, cheering thine eyes and
those of all creation, and filling with delight all things
visible and invisible. Rejoice, for God hath in this Day
established upon thee His throne, hath made thee the
dawning-place of His signs and the day spring of the
evidences of His Revelation. Well is it with him that
circleth around thee, that proclaimeth the revelation
of thy glory, and recounteth that which the bounty
of the Lord thy God hath showered upon thee. Seize
thou the Chalice of Immortality in the name of thy
Lord, the All-Glorious, and give thanks unto Him,
inasmuch as He, in token of His mercy unto thee,
hath turned thy sorrow into gladness, and transmuted
thy grief into blissful joy. He, verily, loveth the spot
which hath been made the seat of His throne, which
His footsteps have trodden, which hath been honored

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by His presence, from which He raised His call, and
upon which He shed His tears.
"Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful
tidings: He that was hidden from mortal eyes
is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest;
His all-encompassing splendor is revealed. Beware lest
thou hesitate or halt. Hasten forth and circumambulate
the City of God that hath descended from heaven,
the celestial Kaaba round which have circled in
adoration the favored of God, the pure in heart, and
the company of the most exalted angels. Oh, how I
long to announce unto every spot on the surface of
the earth, and to carry to each one of its cities, the
glad-tidings of this Revelation--a Revelation to
which the heart of Sinai hath been attracted, and in
whose name the Burning Bush is calling: `Unto God,
the Lord of Lords, belong the kingdoms of earth and
heaven.' Verily this is the Day in which both land
and sea rejoice at this announcement, the Day for
which have been laid up those things which God,
through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or
heart, hath destined for revelation. Ere long will God
sail His Ark upon thee, and will manifest the people
of &Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of
Names."
Sanctified be the Lord of all mankind, at the mention
of Whose name all the atoms of the earth have
been made to vibrate, and the Tongue of Grandeur
hath been moved to disclose that which had been

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wrapt in His knowledge and lay concealed within the
treasury of His might. He, verily, through the potency
of His name, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the
Most High, is the ruler of all that is in the heavens
and all that is on earth.

XII. Bestir yourselves, O people, in anticipation of
the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is
now come. Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import
and be accounted among the erring.

XIII. Consider the past. How many, both high and
low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent
of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons
of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected
His coming, how frequently have they prayed
that the breeze of Divine mercy might blow, and the
promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of
concealment, and be made manifest to all the world.
And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and
the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind,
and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon
of celestial might, they all denied Him, and
turned away from His face--the face of God Himself....
Reflect, what could have been the motive for such
deeds? What could have prompted such behavior
towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious?
Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause

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of the denial and opposition of those people hath now
led to the perversity of the people of this age. To
maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete,
that it hath therefore been the cause of the
denial of the people, is but open blasphemy. How far
from the grace of the All-Bountiful and from His
loving providence and tender mercies it is to single
out a soul from amongst all men for the guidance of
His creatures, and, on one hand, to withhold from
Him the full measure of His divine testimony, and,
on the other, inflict severe retribution on His people
for having turned away from His chosen One! Nay,
the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have,
at all times, through the Manifestations of His Divine
Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell
therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld,
nor have the showers of His loving-kindness
ceased to rain upon mankind. Consequently, such behavior
can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness
of such souls as tread the valley of arrogance
and pride, are lost in the wilds of remoteness,
walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow the
dictates of the leaders of their faith. Their chief concern
is mere opposition; their sole desire is to ignore
the truth. Unto every discerning observer it is evident
and manifest that had these people in the days
of each of the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth
sanctified their eyes, their ears, and their hearts from
whatever they had seen, heard, and felt, they surely

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would not have been deprived of beholding the
beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations
of glory. But having weighed the testimony of God
by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned
from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and
found it at variance with their limited understanding,
they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts....
Consider Moses! Armed with the rod of celestial
dominion, adorned with the white hand of Divine
knowledge, and proceeding from the &Paran of the
love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and
everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai
of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples
and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity,
and invited them to partake of the fruit of the
tree of faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce
opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the
stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast
upon that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and
his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor
to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and
denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the
truth that no earthly water can quench the flames of
Divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp
of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot
but intensify the burning of the flame, and such
blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp,
were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and
walk in the way of God's holy will and pleasure....

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And when the days of Moses were ended, and the
light of Jesus, shining forth from the Day Spring of
the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of
Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamored
that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must
needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses,
whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to
the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the
laws of divorce and of the sabbath day--the most
weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of
the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These
people of Israel are even unto the present day still
expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath
foretold! How many Manifestations of Holiness, how
many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared
since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt
in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings,
is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork
will appear with such signs as she herself hath
conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them for their
sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith,
and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost
fire. And this for no other reason except that
Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such
words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning
the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never
grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming,
such events never came to pass, she, therefore,
remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus

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and of beholding the Face of God. And they still
await His coming! From time immemorial even unto
this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have
clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and
thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters
streaming from the springs of purity and holiness....
To them that are endowed with understanding, it
is clear and manifest that, when the fire of the love
of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and
His authority was made apparent and partially enforced,
He, the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing
one day His disciples, referred unto His passing,
and, kindling in their hearts the fire of
bereavement, said unto them: "I go away and come
again unto you." And in another place He said: "I
go and another will come, Who will tell you all that
I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I have
said." Both these sayings have but one meaning, were
ye to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity
of God with Divine insight.
Every discerning observer will recognize that in
the Dispensation of the &Qur'an both the Book and
the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter
of names, &Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am
Jesus." He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies,
and words of Jesus, and testified that they were
all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus
nor His writings hath differed from that of &Muhammad
and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have

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championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise,
and revealed His commandments. Thus it is that
Jesus, Himself, declared: "I go away and come again
unto you." Consider the sun. Were it to say now, "I
am the sun of yesterday," it would speak the truth.
And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind,
claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak
the truth. In like manner, if it be said that all the
days are but one and the same, it is correct and true.
And if it be said, with respect to their particular
names and designations, that they differ, that again is
true. For though they are the same, yet one doth
recognize in each a separate designation, a specific
attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly
the distinction, variation, and unity characteristic
of the various Manifestations of holiness, that
thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the
Creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries
of distinction and unity, and discover the answer to
thy question as to why that everlasting Beauty should
have, at sundry times, called Himself by different
names and titles....
When the Unseen, the Eternal, the Divine Essence,
caused the Day Star of &Muhammad to rise above the
horizon of knowledge, among the cavils which the
Jewish divines raised against Him was that after
Moses no Prophet should be sent of God. Yea, mention
hath been made in the Scriptures of a Soul Who
must needs be made manifest and Who will advance

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the Faith, and promote the interests of the people of
Moses, so that the Law of the Mosaic Dispensation
may encompass the whole earth. Thus hath the King
of eternal glory referred in His Book to the words uttered
by those wanderers in the vale of remoteness
and error: "`The hand of God,' say the Jews, `is
chained up.' Chained up be their own hands; And
for that which they have said, they were accursed.
Nay, outstretched are both His hands!" "The hand
of God is above their hands." Although the commentators
of the &Qur'an have related in divers manners
the circumstances attending the revelation of this
verse, yet thou shouldst endeavor to apprehend the
purpose thereof. He saith: How false is that which
the Jews have imagined! How can the hand of Him
Who is the King in truth, Who caused the countenance
of Moses to be made manifest, and conferred
upon Him the robe of Prophethood--how can the
hand of such a One be chained and fettered? How
can He be conceived as powerless to raise up yet another
Messenger after Moses? Behold the absurdity
of their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path
of knowledge and understanding! Observe how in
this Day also, all these people have occupied themselves
with such foolish absurdities. For over a thousand
years they have been reciting this verse, and unwittingly
pronouncing their censure against the Jews,
utterly unaware that they themselves, openly and
privily, are voicing the sentiments and belief of the

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Jewish people! Thou art surely aware of their idle
contention, that all Revelation is ended, that the
portals of Divine mercy are closed, that from the
day springs of eternal holiness no Sun shall rise again,
that the Ocean of everlasting bounty is forever
stilled, and that out of the Tabernacle of ancient
glory the Messengers of God have ceased to be made
manifest. Such is the measure of the understanding
of these small-minded, contemptible people. These
people have imagined that the flow of God's all-encompassing
grace and plenteous mercies, the cessation
of which no mind can contemplate, has been
halted. From every side they have risen and girded
up the loins of tyranny, and exerted the utmost endeavor
to quench with the bitter waters of their vain
fancy the flame of God's Burning Bush, oblivious that
the globe of power shall, within its own mighty
stronghold, protect the Lamp of God....
Behold how the sovereignty of &Muhammad, the
Messenger of God, is today apparent and manifest
amongst the people. You are well aware of what befell
His Faith in the early days of His Dispensation.
What woeful sufferings did the hand of the infidel
and erring, the divines of that age and their associates,
inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most pure
and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars
which they have strewn over His path! It is evident
that that wretched generation, in their wicked and
satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal

+P25
Being as a means to the attainment of an abiding
felicity; inasmuch as the recognized divines of that
age, such as &Abdu'llah-i-Ubayy, &Abu'Amir, the hermit,
&Ka'b-ibn-i-Ashraf, and &Nadr-ibn-i-Harith, all
treated Him as an impostor, and pronounced Him a
lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore accusations they
brought against Him that in recounting them God
forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the
page to bear them. These malicious imputations provoked
the people to arise and torment Him. And how
fierce that torment, if the divines of the age be its
chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers,
cast Him out from their midst, and declare
Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this
Servant, and been witnessed by all?
For this reason did &Muhammad cry out: "No
Prophet of God hath suffered such harm as I have
suffered." And in the &Qur'an are recorded all the
calumnies and reproaches uttered against Him, as
well as all the afflictions which He suffered. Refer ye
thereunto, that haply ye may be informed of that
which hath befallen His Revelation. So grievous was
His plight, that for a time all ceased to hold intercourse
with Him and His companions. Whoever associated
with Him fell a victim to the relentless
cruelty of His enemies....
Consider, how great is the change today! Behold,
how many are the Sovereigns who bow the knee before
His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms

+P26
who have sought the shelter of His shadow,
who bear allegiance to His Faith, and pride themselves
therein! From the pulpit-top there ascendeth
today the words of praise which, in utter lowliness,
glorify His blessed name; and from the heights of
minarets there resoundeth the call that summoneth
the concourse of His people to adore Him. Even those
Kings of the earth who have refused to embrace His
Faith and to put off the garment of unbelief, none-the-less
confess and acknowledge the greatness and
overpowering majesty of that Day Star of loving-kindness.
Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences
of which thou dost on every side behold. This
sovereignty must needs be revealed and established
either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God
or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the
realms above....
It is evident that the changes brought about in
every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds
that intervene between the eye of man's understanding
and the Divine Luminary which shineth
forth from the day spring of the Divine Essence.
Consider how men for generations have
been blindly imitating their fathers, and have
been trained according to such ways and manners
as have been laid down by the dictates of
their Faith. Were these men, therefore, to discover
suddenly that a Man, Who hath been living in their
midst, Who, with respect to every human limitation

+P27
hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every established
principle imposed by their Faith--principles by
which for centuries they have been disciplined, and
every opposer and denier of which they have come to
regard as infidel, profligate and wicked,--they would
of a certainty be veiled and hindered from acknowledging
His truth. Such things are as "clouds" that
veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not
tasted the &Salsabil of detachment, nor drunk from
the &Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such men,
when acquainted with those circumstances, become
so veiled that, without the least question, they pronounce
the Manifestation of God as infidel, and sentence
Him to death. You must have heard of such
things taking place all down the ages, and are now
observing them in these days.
It behoveth us, therefore, to make the utmost endeavor,
that, by God's invisible assistance, these dark
veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder
us from beholding the beauty of His shining
Countenance, and that we may recognize Him only
by His own Self.

XIV. The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted
Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast
approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the
entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His
praise, in such wise that all created things may be
regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy

+P28
peace. The day star of blissfulness shineth above the
horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the
kingdom of the name of God hath been adorned with
the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator
of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth,
and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great
Name, and be not of those who tarry.
Methinks that thou hast halted and movest not
upon My Tablet. Could the brightness of the Divine
Countenance have bewildered thee, or the idle talk
of the froward filled thee with grief and paralyzed
thy movement? Take heed lest anything deter thee
from extolling the greatness of this Day--the Day
whereon the Finger of majesty and power hath
opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called
all who are in the heavens and all who are on the
earth. Preferrest thou to tarry when the breeze announcing
the Day of God hath already breathed over
thee, or art thou of them that are shut out as by a
veil from Him?
No veil whatever have I allowed, O Lord of all
names and Creator of the heavens, to shut me from
the recognition of the glories of Thy Day--the Day
which is the lamp of guidance unto the whole world,
and the sign of the Ancient of Days unto all them
that dwell therein. My silence is by reason of the veils
that have blinded Thy creatures' eyes to Thee, and
my muteness is because of the impediments that have
hindered Thy people from recognizing Thy truth.

+P29
Thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what
is in Thee. Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
By Thy name that excelleth all other names!
If Thy overruling and all-compelling behest should
ever reach me, it would empower me to revive the
souls of all men, through Thy most exalted Word,
which I have heard uttered by Thy Tongue of power
in Thy Kingdom of glory. It would enable me to
announce the revelation of Thy effulgent countenance
wherethrough that which lay hidden from the
eyes of men hath been manifested in Thy name, the
Perspicuous, the sovereign Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
Canst thou discover any one but Me, O Pen, in
this Day? What hath become of the creation and the
manifestations thereof? What of the names and their
kingdom? Whither are gone all created things,
whether seen or unseen? What of the hidden secrets
of the universe and its revelations? Lo, the entire
creation hath passed away! Nothing remaineth except
My Face, the Ever-Abiding, the Resplendent,
the All-Glorious.
This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except
the splendors of the Light that shineth from the face
of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful. Verily,
We have caused every soul to expire by virtue of
Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty. We
have, then, called into being a new creation, as a

+P30
token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful,
the Ancient of Days.
This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth
out: "Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast
been made the foot-stool of thy God, and been chosen
as the seat of His mighty throne." The realm of glory
exclaimeth: "Would that my life could be sacrificed
for thee, for He Who is the Beloved of the All-Merciful
hath established His sovereignty upon thee,
through the power of His Name that hath been
promised unto all things, whether of the past or of
the future." This is the Day whereon every sweet
smelling thing hath derived its fragrance from the
smell of My garment--a garment that hath shed its
perfume upon the whole of creation. This is the Day
whereon the rushing waters of everlasting life have
gushed out of the Will of the All-Merciful. Haste
ye, with your hearts and souls, and quaff your fill, O
Concourse of the realms above!
Say: He it is Who is the Manifestation of Him
Who is the Unknowable, the Invisible of the Invisibles,
could ye but perceive it. He it is Who hath
laid bare before you the hidden and treasured Gem,
were ye to seek it. He it is Who is the one Beloved of
all things, whether of the past or of the future.
Would that ye might set your hearts and hopes upon
Him!
We have heard the voice of thy pleading, O Pen,

+P31
and excuse thy silence. What is it that hath so sorely
bewildered thee?
The inebriation of Thy presence, O Well-Beloved
of all worlds, hath seized and possessed me.
Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the
tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed
His steps towards the &Ridvan and entered it.
Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight
which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise.
We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet,
whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all
mankind.
Say: This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine
of utterance hath imprinted the testimony: "He that
was hidden from the eyes of men is revealed, girded
with sovereignty and power!" This is the Paradise,
the rustling of whose leaves proclaims: "O ye that
inhabit the heavens and the earth! There hath appeared
what hath never previously appeared. He
Who, from everlasting, had concealed His Face from
the sight of creation is now come." From the whispering
breeze that wafteth amidst its branches there
cometh the cry: "He Who is the sovereign Lord of
all is made manifest. The Kingdom is God's," while
from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur:
"All eyes are gladdened, for He Whom none hath
beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered, hath
lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the countenance
of Beauty."

+P32
Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its
loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried
out and shouted: "Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms
above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient
of Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious,
the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the
heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the
cup of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your
fill. Drink with healthy relish, O ye that are the very
incarnations of longing, ye who are the embodiments
of vehement desire!"
This is the Day whereon He Who is the Revealer
of the names of God hath stepped out of the Tabernacle
of glory, and proclaimed unto all who are in
the heavens and all who are on the earth: "Put away
the cups of Paradise and all the life-giving waters
they contain, for lo, the people of &Baha have entered
the blissful abode of the Divine Presence, and quaffed
the wine of reunion, from the chalice of the beauty
of their Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High."
Forget the world of creation, O Pen, and turn thou
towards the face of thy Lord, the Lord of all names.
Adorn, then, the world with the ornament of the
favors of thy Lord, the King of everlasting days.
For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon
He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon
the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendor
of the light of His most excellent names, and
enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries

+P33
of His most gracious favors--favors which none can
reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent Protector
of the entire creation.
Look not upon the creatures of God except with
the eye of kindliness and of mercy, for Our loving
providence hath pervaded all created things, and Our
grace encompassed the earth and the heavens. This is
the Day whereon the true servants of God partake of
the life-giving waters of reunion, the Day whereon
those that are nigh unto Him are able to drink of the
soft-flowing river of immortality, and they who
believe in His unity, the wine of His Presence,
through their recognition of Him Who is the Highest
and Last End of all, in Whom the Tongue of Majesty
and Glory voiceth the call: "The Kingdom is Mine.
I, Myself, am, of Mine own right, its Ruler."
Attract the hearts of men, through the call of Him,
the one alone Beloved. Say: This is the Voice of God,
if ye do but hearken. This is the Day Spring of the
Revelation of God, did ye but know it. This is the
Dawning-Place of the Cause of God, were ye to recognize
it. This is the Source of the commandment of
God, did ye but judge it fairly. This is the manifest
and hidden Secret; would that ye might perceive it.
O peoples of the world! Cast away, in My name that
transcendeth all other names, the things ye possess,
and immerse yourselves in this Ocean in whose depths
lay hidden the pearls of wisdom and of utterance, an
ocean that surgeth in My name, the All-Merciful.

+P34
Thus instructeth you He with Whom is the Mother
Book.
The Best-Beloved is come. In His right hand is the
sealed Wine of His name. Happy is the man that
turneth unto Him, and drinketh his fill, and exclaimeth:
"Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the signs
of God!" By the righteousness of the Almighty!
Every hidden thing hath been manifested through the
power of truth. All the favors of God have been sent
down, as a token of His grace. The waters of everlasting
life have, in their fullness, been proffered unto
men. Every single cup hath been borne round by the
hand of the Well-Beloved. Draw near, and tarry not,
though it be for one short moment.
Blessed are they that have soared on the wings of
detachment and attained the station which, as ordained
by God, overshadoweth the entire creation,
whom neither the vain imaginations of the learned,
nor the multitude of the hosts of the earth have succeeded
in deflecting from His Cause. Who is there
among you, O people, who will renounce the world,
and draw nigh unto God, the Lord of all names?
Where is he to be found who, through the power of
My name that transcendeth all created things, will
cast away the things that men possess, and cling, with
all his might, to the things which God, the Knower
of the unseen and of the seen, hath bidden him observe?
Thus hath His bounty been sent down unto
men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone

+P35
forth above the Horizon of mercy. Rich is the prize
that shall be won by him who hath believed and exclaimed:
"Lauded art Thou, O Beloved of all worlds!
Magnified be Thy name, O Thou the Desire of every
understanding heart!"
Rejoice with exceeding gladness, O people of &Baha,
as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity,
the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of
Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House,
proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the
whole of creation the splendors of His name, the All-Merciful.
God is Our witness. Were We to reveal the
hidden secrets of that Day, all they that dwell on
earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die,
except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty,
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God
upon Him Who is the Revealer of His undoubted
proofs, that His Pen can move no longer. With these
words He concludeth His Tablet: "No God is there
but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the
Most Excellent, the All-Knowing."

XV. The Pen of Revelation exclaimeth: "On this
Day the Kingdom is God's!" The Tongue of Power is
calling: "On this Day all sovereignty is, in very deed,
with God!" The Phoenix of the realms above crieth
out from the immortal Branch: "The glory of all
greatness belongeth to God, the Incomparable, the

+P36
All-Compelling!" The Mystic Dove proclaimeth
from its blissful bower, in the everlasting Paradise:
"The source of all bounty is derived, in this Day,
from God, the One, the Forgiving!" The Bird of the
Throne warbleth its melody in its retreats of holiness:
"Supreme ascendancy is to be attributed, this
Day, to none except God, Him Who hath no peer nor
equal, Who is the Most Powerful, the All-Subduing!"
The inmost essence of all things voiceth in all things
the testimony: "All forgiveness floweth, in this Day,
from God, Him to Whom none can compare, with
Whom no partners can be joined, the Sovereign Protector
of all men, and the Concealer of their sins!"
The Quintessence of Glory hath lifted up its voice
above My head, and crieth from such heights as
neither pen nor tongue can in any degree describe:
"God is my witness! He, the Ancient of everlasting
days is come, girded with majesty and power. There
is none other God but Him, the All-Glorious, the Almighty,
the All-Highest, the All-Wise, the All-Pervading,
the All-Seeing, the All-Informed, the Sovereign
Protector, the Source of eternal light!"
O My servant, who hast sought the good-pleasure
of God and clung to His love on the Day when all
except a few who were endued with insight have
broken away from Him! May God, through His
grace, recompense thee with a generous, an incorruptible
and everlasting reward, inasmuch as thou
hast sought Him on the Day when eyes were blinded.

+P37
Know thou that if We reveal to thee but a sprinkling
of the showers which, through God's decree, and at
the hands of the envious and the malicious, have
rained upon Us, thou wouldst weep with a great
weeping, and wouldst bewail day and night Our
plight. Oh, would that a discerning and fair-minded
soul could be found who would recognize the wonders
of this Revelation--wonders that proclaim the
sovereignty of God and the greatness of its power.
Would that such a man might arise and, wholly for
the sake of God, admonish, privately and openly, the
people, that haply they may bestir themselves and aid
this wronged One Whom the workers of iniquity
have so sorely afflicted.
Methinks that I hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit
calling from behind Me saying: Vary Thou Thy
theme, and alter Thy tone, lest the heart of him who
hath fixed his gaze upon Thy face be saddened. Say:
I have through the grace of God and His might besought
the help of no one in the past, neither will I
seek the help of any one in the future. He it is Who
aided Me, through the power of truth, during the
days of My banishment in &Iraq. He it is Who overshadowed
Me with His protection at a time when
the kindreds of the earth were contending with Me.
He it is Who enabled Me to depart out of the city,
clothed with such majesty as none, except the denier
and the malicious, can fail to admit.

+P38
Say: My army is My reliance on God; My people,
the force of My confidence in Him. My love is My
standard, and My companion the remembrance of
God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful,
the All-Glorious, the Unconditioned.
Arise, O wayfarer in the path of the Love of God,
and aid thou His Cause. Say: Barter not away this
Youth, O people, for the vanities of this world or
the delights of heaven. By the righteousness of the
one true God! One hair of Him excelleth all that is
in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Beware,
O men, lest ye be tempted to part with Him in exchange
for the gold and silver ye possess. Let His love
be a storehouse of treasure for your souls, on the
Day when naught else but Him shall profit you, the
Day when every pillar shall tremble, when the very
skins of men shall creep, when all eyes shall stare up
with terror. Say: O people! Fear ye God, and turn
not away disdainfully from His Revelation. Fall prostrate
on your faces before God, and celebrate His
praise in the daytime and in the night season.
Let thy soul glow with the flame of this undying
Fire that burneth in the midmost heart of the world,
in such wise that the waters of the universe shall be
powerless to cool down its ardor. Make, then, mention
of thy Lord, that haply the heedless among Our
servants may be admonished through thy words, and
the hearts of the righteous be gladdened.

+P39
XVI. Say: O men! This is a matchless Day.
Matchless must, likewise, be the tongue that celebrateth
the praise of the Desire of all nations, and matchless
the deed that aspireth to be acceptable in His
sight. The whole human race hath longed for this
Day, that perchance it may fulfil that which well beseemeth
its station, and is worthy of its destiny.
Blessed is the man whom the affairs of the world have
failed to deter from recognizing Him Who is the
Lord of all things.
So blind hath become the human heart that neither
the disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the
mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth,
can shake off its torpor. The allusions made in the
Scriptures have been unfolded, and the signs recorded
therein have been revealed, and the prophetic cry is
continually being raised. And yet all, except such as
God was pleased to guide, are bewildered in the
drunkenness of their heedlessness!
Witness how the world is being afflicted with a
fresh calamity every day. Its tribulation is continually
deepening. From the moment the &Suriy-i-Ra'is
(Tablet to &Ra'is) was revealed until the present day,
neither hath the world been tranquillized, nor have
the hearts of its peoples been at rest. At one time it
hath been agitated by contentions and disputes, at
another it hath been convulsed by wars, and fallen a
victim to inveterate diseases. Its sickness is approaching
the stage of utter hopelessness, inasmuch as the

+P40
true Physician is debarred from administering the
remedy, whilst unskilled practitioners are regarded
with favor, and are accorded full freedom to act.
...The dust of sedition hath clouded the hearts of
men, and blinded their eyes. Erelong, they will perceive
the consequences of what their hands have
wrought in the Day of God. Thus warneth you He
Who is the All-Informed, as bidden by One Who is
the Most Powerful, the Almighty.

XVII. By Him Who is the Great Announcement!
The All-Merciful is come invested with undoubted
sovereignty. The Balance hath been appointed, and
all them that dwell on earth have been gathered together.
The Trumpet hath been blown, and lo, all
eyes have stared up with terror, and the hearts of all
who are in the heavens and on the earth have trembled,
except them whom the breath of the verses of
God hath quickened, and who have detached themselves
from all things.
This is the Day whereon the earth shall tell out her
tidings. The workers of iniquity are her burdens,
could ye but perceive it. The moon of idle fancy hath
been cleft, and the heaven hath given out a palpable
smoke. We see the people laid low, awed with the
dread of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
The Crier hath cried out, and men have been torn
away, so great hath been the fury of His wrath. The
people of the left hand sigh and bemoan. The people

+P41
of the right abide in noble habitations: they quaff
the Wine that is life indeed, from the hands of the
All-Merciful, and are, verily, the blissful.
The earth hath been shaken, and the mountains
have passed away, and the angels have appeared,
rank on rank, before Us. Most of the people are bewildered
in their drunkenness and wear on their faces
the evidences of anger. Thus have We gathered together
the workers of iniquity. We see them rushing
on towards their idol. Say: None shall be secure this
Day from the decree of God. This indeed is a grievous
Day. We point out to them those that led them
astray. They see them, and yet recognize them not.
Their eyes are drunken; they are indeed a blind people.
Their proofs are the calumnies they uttered;
condemned are their calumnies by God, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The Evil One hath stirred
up mischief in their hearts, and they are afflicted
with a torment that none can avert. They hasten
to the wicked, bearing the register of the workers
of iniquity. Such are their doings.
Say: The heavens have been folded together, and
the earth is held within His grasp, and the corrupt
doers have been held by their forelock, and still they
understand not. They drink of the tainted water, and
know it not. Say: The shout hath been raised, and
the people have come forth from their graves, and
arising, are gazing around them. Some have made
haste to attain the court of the God of Mercy, others

+P42
have fallen down on their faces in the fire of Hell,
while still others are lost in bewilderment. The verses
of God have been revealed, and yet they have turned
away from them. His proof hath been manifested,
and yet they are unaware of it. And when they behold
the face of the All-Merciful, their own faces are
saddened, while they are disporting themselves. They
hasten forward to Hell Fire, and mistake it for light.
Far from God be what they fondly imagine! Say:
Whether ye rejoice or whether ye burst for fury, the
heavens are cleft asunder, and God hath come down,
invested with radiant sovereignty. All created things
are heard exclaiming: "The Kingdom is God's, the
Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise."
Know thou, moreover, that We have been cast into
an afflictive Prison, and are encompassed with the
hosts of tyranny, as a result of what the hands of the
infidels have wrought. Such is the gladness, however,
which the Youth hath tasted that no earthly joy can
compare unto it. By God! The harm He suffereth at
the hands of the oppressor can never grieve His heart,
nor can He be saddened by the ascendancy of such as
have repudiated His truth.
Say: Tribulation is a horizon unto My Revelation.
The day star of grace shineth above it, and sheddeth
a light which neither the clouds of men's idle fancy
nor the vain imaginations of the aggressor can obscure.
Follow thou the footsteps of thy Lord, and remember
His servants even as He doth remember thee,

+P43
undeterred by either the clamor of the heedless ones
or the sword of the enemy.... Spread abroad the
sweet savors of thy Lord, and hesitate not, though
it be for less than a moment, in the service of His
Cause. The day is approaching when the victory of
thy Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful,
will be proclaimed.

XVIII. Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine
utterance to proceed out of Our throne, that the
tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may
spring forth from the soil of your hearts. Will ye
not be thankful? They who disdain to worship their
Lord shall be of those who are cast off. And oft as
Our verses are rehearsed unto them, they persist in
proud disdain, and in their gross violation of His
law, and know it not. As for them who have disbelieved
in Him, they shall be in the shadow of a black
smoke. "The Hour" hath come upon them, while
they are disporting themselves. They have been seized
by their forelock, and yet know it not.
The thing that must come hath come suddenly;
behold how they flee from it! The inevitable hath
come to pass; witness how they have cast it behind
their backs! This is the Day whereon every man will
fly from himself, how much more from his kindred,
could ye but perceive it. Say: By God! The blast
hath been blown on the trumpet, and lo, mankind
hath swooned away before us! The Herald hath cried

+P44
out, and the Summoner raised His voice saying: "The
Kingdom is God's, the Most Powerful, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting."
This is the Day on which all eyes shall stare up
with terror, the Day in which the hearts of them that
dwell on earth shall tremble, save them whom thy
Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, pleaseth to
deliver. All faces have turned black except those to
whom the God of Mercy hath vouchsafed a radiant
heart. Drunken are the eyes of those men that have
openly refused to behold the face of God, the All-Glorious,
the All-Praised.
Say: Perused ye not the &Qur'an? Read it, that
haply ye may find the Truth, for this Book is verily
the Straight Path. This is the Way of God unto all
who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth.
If ye have been careless of the &Qur'an, the &Bayan
cannot be regarded to be remote from you. Behold it
open before your eyes. Read ye its verses, that perchance
ye desist from committing that which will
cause the Messengers of God to mourn and lament.
Speed out of your sepulchers. How long will ye
sleep? The second blast hath been blown on the
trumpet. On whom are ye gazing? This is your Lord,
the God of Mercy. Witness how ye gainsay His signs!
The earth hath quaked with a great quaking, and cast
forth her burdens. Will ye not admit it? Say: Will
ye not recognize how the mountains have become like
flocks of wool, how the people are sore vexed at the

+P45
awful majesty of the Cause of God? Witness how
their houses are empty ruins, and they themselves a
drowned host.
This is the Day whereon the All-Merciful hath
come down in the clouds of knowledge, clothed with
manifest sovereignty. He well knoweth the actions
of men. He it is Whose glory none can mistake, could
ye but comprehend it. The heaven of every religion
hath been rent, and the earth of human understanding
been cleft asunder, and the angels of God are
seen descending. Say: This is the Day of mutual
deceit; whither do ye flee? The mountains have
passed away, and the heavens have been folded together,
and the whole earth is held within His grasp,
could ye but understand it. Who is it that can protect
you? None, by Him Who is the All-Merciful! None,
except God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the
Beneficent. Every woman that hath had a burden in
her womb hath cast her burden. We see men drunken
in this Day, the Day in which men and angels have
been gathered together.
Say: Is there any doubt concerning God? Behold
how He hath come down from the heaven of His
grace, girded with power and invested with sovereignty.
Is there any doubt concerning His signs?
Open ye your eyes, and consider His clear evidence.
Paradise is on your right hand, and hath been brought
nigh unto you, while Hell hath been made to blaze.
Witness its devouring flame. Haste ye to enter into

+P46
Paradise, as a token of Our mercy unto you, and
drink ye from the hands of the All-Merciful the
Wine that is life indeed.
Drink with healthy relish, O people of &Baha. Ye
are indeed they with whom it shall be well. This is
what they who have near access to God have attained.
This is the flowing water ye were promised in the
&Qur'an, and later in the &Bayan, as a recompense from
your Lord, the God of Mercy. Blessed are they that
quaff it.
O My servant that hath turned thy face towards
Me! Render thanks unto God for having sent down
unto thee this Tablet in this Prison, that thou mayest
remind the people of the days of thy Lord, the All-Glorious,
the All-Knowing. Thus have We established
for thee, through the waters of Our wisdom and
utterance, the foundations of thy belief. This, verily,
is the water whereon the Throne of thy Lord hath
been raised. "His Throne had stood upon the waters."
Ponder this in thine heart, that thou mayest comprehend
its meaning. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of
all worlds.

XIX. To every discerning and illuminated heart it
is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the
Divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every
human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent
and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His
glory that human tongue should adequately recount

+P47
His praise, or that human heart comprehend His
fathomless mystery. He is, and hath ever been, veiled
in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain
in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the
sight of men. "No vision taketh in Him, but He
taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving."...
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days
being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source
of infinite grace, according to His saying, "His grace
hath transcended all things; My grace hath encompassed
them all," hath caused those luminous Gems
of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit,
in the noble form of the human temple, and be made
manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto
the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being,
and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence.
These sanctified Mirrors, these Day Springs of
ancient glory, are, one and all, the Exponents on
earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe,
its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed
their knowledge and power; from Him is derived
their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance
is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation
a sign of His deathless glory. They are the Treasuries
of Divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial
wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace that is
infinite, and by them is revealed the Light that can
never fade.... These Tabernacles of Holiness,

+P48
these Primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading
glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the
Invisible of the Invisibles. By the revelation of these
Gems of Divine virtue all the names and attributes
of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty
and dominion, mercy and wisdom, glory, bounty,
and grace, are made manifest.
These attributes of God are not, and have never
been, vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and
withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God,
His well-favored, His holy and chosen Messengers
are, without exception, the bearers of His names, and
the embodiments of His attributes. They only differ
in the intensity of their revelation, and the comparative
potency of their light. Even as He hath revealed:
"Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the
others."
It hath, therefore, become manifest and evident
that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and
chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names
and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even
though the light of some of these attributes may or
may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous
Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute
of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these
Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that
they who are the Day Springs of God's attributes
and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually
possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these

+P49
beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of
them, been endowed with all the attributes of God,
such as sovereignty, dominion, and the like, even
though to outward seeming they be shorn of all
earthly majesty....

XX. Know thou of a certainty that the Unseen
can in no wise incarnate His Essence and reveal it
unto men. He is, and hath ever been, immensely
exalted beyond all that can either be recounted or
perceived. From His retreat of glory His voice is ever
proclaiming: "Verily, I am God; there is none other
God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I
have manifested Myself unto men, and have sent
down Him Who is the Day Spring of the signs of My
Revelation. Through Him I have caused all creation
to testify that there is none other God except Him,
the Incomparable, the All-Informed, the All-Wise."
He Who is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men
can never be known except through His Manifestation,
and His Manifestation can adduce no greater
proof of the truth of His Mission than the proof of
His own Person.

XXI. O &Salman! The door of the knowledge of
the Ancient Being hath ever been, and will continue
for ever to be, closed in the face of men. No man's
understanding shall ever gain access unto His holy
court. As a token of His mercy, however, and as a

+P50
proof of His loving-kindness, He hath manifested
unto men the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the
Symbols of His divine unity, and hath ordained the
knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical
with the knowledge of His own Self. Whoso recognizeth
them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth
to their call, hath hearkened to the Voice of God, and
whoso testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath
testified to the truth of God Himself. Whoso turneth
away from them, hath turned away from God, and
whoso disbelieveth in them, hath disbelieved in God.
Every one of them is the Way of God that connecteth
this world with the realms above, and the
Standard of His Truth unto every one in the kingdoms
of earth and heaven. They are the Manifestations
of God amidst men, the evidences of His Truth,
and the signs of His glory.

XXII. The Bearers of the Trust of God are made
manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents
of a new Cause and the Revealers of a new
Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the celestial
Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will
of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible
Faith, they, therefore, are regarded as one soul
and the same person. For they all drink from the one
Cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit
of the same Tree of Oneness.
These Manifestations of God have each a twofold

+P51
station. One is the station of pure abstraction and
essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them
all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same
attributes, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even
as He hath revealed: "No distinction do We make between
any of His Messengers." For they, one and all,
summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the
unity of God, and herald unto them the &Kawthar of
an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested
with the robe of prophethood, and are honored
with the mantle of glory. Thus hath &Muhammad,
the Point of the &Qur'an, revealed: "I am all the
Prophets." Likewise, He saith: "I am the first Adam,
Noah, Moses, and Jesus." Similar statements have
been made by &Imam &Ali. Sayings such as these,
which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents
of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels
of God's immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of
the gems of Divine knowledge, and have been recorded
in the Scriptures. These Countenances are the
recipients of the Divine Command, and the Day
Springs of His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted
above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of
number. Thus He saith: "Our Cause is but One."
Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents
thereof also must needs be one and the same.
Likewise, the &Imams of the &Muhammadan Faith,
those lamps of certitude, have said: "&Muhammad is
our first, &Muhammad is our last, &Muhammad our all."

+P52
It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets
are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have
appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe
with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold Them all
abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same
heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the
same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is
the unity of those Essences of Being, those Luminaries
of infinite and immeasurable splendor! Wherefore,
should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim
saying: "I am the return of all the Prophets,"
He, verily, speaketh the truth. In like manner, in
every subsequent Revelation, the return of the
former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is
firmly established....
The other station is the station of distinction, and
pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations
thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of
God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed
mission, a predestined revelation, and specially
designated limitations. Each one of them is known
by a different name, is characterized by a special
attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted
with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith:
"Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the
others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath
raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We
gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with
the Holy Spirit."

+P53
It is because of this difference in their station and
mission that the words and utterances flowing from
these Well Springs of Divine knowledge appear to
diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them
that are initiated into the mysteries of Divine wisdom,
all their utterances are, in reality, but the
expressions of one Truth. As most of the people have
failed to appreciate those stations to which We have
referred, they, therefore, feel perplexed and dismayed
at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations
that are essentially one and the same.
It hath ever been evident that all these divergencies
of utterance are attributable to differences of station.
Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness
and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead,
Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence,
have been, and are applicable to those Essences of
Being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of
Divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat
of Divine Concealment. Through their appearance
the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their
countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it
is that the accents of God Himself have been heard
uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being.
Viewed in the light of their second station--the
station of distinction, differentiation, temporal limitations,
characteristics and standards--they manifest
absolute servitude, utter destitution, and complete

+P54
self-effacement. Even as He saith: "I am the servant
of God. I am but a man like you."...
Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of
God to declare: "I am God," He, verily, speaketh the
truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath
been repeatedly demonstrated that through their
Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation
of God, His names and His attributes, are made
manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed:
"Those shafts were God's, not Thine." And also He
saith: "In truth, they who plighted fealty unto Thee,
really plighted that fealty unto God." And were any
of them to voice the utterance, "I am the Messenger
of God," He, also, speaketh the truth, the indubitable
truth. Even as He saith: "&Muhammad is not the
father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger
of God." Viewed in this light, they are all but
Messengers of that ideal King, that unchangeable
Essence. And were they all to proclaim, "I am the
Seal of the Prophets," they, verily, utter but the
truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they
are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being,
one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the
"Beginning" and the "End," the "First" and the
"Last," the "Seen" and the "Hidden"--all of which pertain
to Him Who is the Innermost Spirit of Spirits
and Eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to
say, "We are the Servants of God," this also is a
manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been

+P55
made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a
servitude the like of which no man can possibly
attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of
Being were deep immersed beneath the oceans of
ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared
to the loftiest summits of Divine mysteries, they
claimed their utterances to be the Voice of Divinity,
the Call of God Himself.
Were the eye of discernment to be opened, it
would recognize that in this very state, they have
considered themselves utterly effaced and non-existent
in the face of Him Who is the All-Pervading,
the Incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded
themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their
mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the
slightest whispering of self within such a Court is
an evidence of self-assertion and independent existence.
In the eyes of them that have attained unto that
Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression.
How much more grievous would it be, were
aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were
man's heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be
busied with any one but the Well-Beloved, were his
eyes to behold any countenance other than His
beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but
His Voice, and were his feet to tread any way but
His way....
By virtue of this station they have claimed for
themselves the Voice of Divinity and the like, whilst

+P56
by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have
declared themselves the Messengers of God. In every
instance they have voiced an utterance that would
conform to the requirements of the occasion, and
have ascribed all these declarations to Themselves,
declarations ranging from the realm of Divine Revelation
to the realm of creation, and from the domain
of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly
existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance,
whether it pertain to the realm of Divinity,
Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship,
Apostleship, or Servitude, all is true, beyond the
shadow of a doubt. Therefore these sayings which We
have quoted in support of Our argument must be
attentively considered, that the divergent utterances
of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Day Springs
of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex
the mind.

XXIII. Consider the former generations. Witness
how every time the Day Star of Divine bounty hath
shed the light of His Revelation upon the world, the
people of His Day have arisen against Him, and repudiated
His truth. They who were regarded as the
leaders of men have invariably striven to hinder their
followers from turning unto Him Who is the Ocean
of God's limitless bounty.
Behold how the people, as a result of the verdict
pronounced by the divines of His age, have cast

+P57
Abraham, the Friend of God, into fire; how Moses,
He Who held converse with the Almighty, was denounced
as liar and slanderer. Reflect how Jesus, the
Spirit of God, was, notwithstanding His extreme
meekness and perfect tender-heartedness, treated by
His enemies. So fierce was the opposition which He,
the Essence of Being and Lord of the visible and invisible,
had to face, that He had nowhere to lay His
head. He wandered continually from place to place,
deprived of a permanent abode. Ponder that which
befell &Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, may the
life of all else be a sacrifice unto Him. How severe the
afflictions which the leaders of the Jewish people and
of the idol-worshipers caused to rain upon Him,
Who is the sovereign Lord of all, in consequence of
His proclamation of the unity of God and of the
truth of His Message! By the righteousness of My
Cause! My Pen groaneth, and all created things weep
with a great weeping, as a result of the woes He
suffered at the hands of them that have broken the
Covenant of God, violated His Testament, rejected
His proofs, and disputed His signs. Thus recount We
unto thee the tale of that which happened in days
past, haply thou mayest comprehend.
Thou hast known how grievously the Prophets of
God, His Messengers and Chosen Ones, have been
afflicted. Meditate a while on the motive and reason
which have been responsible for such a persecution.
At no time, in no Dispensation, have the Prophets of

+P58
God escaped the blasphemy of their enemies, the
cruelty of their oppressors, the denunciation of the
learned of their age, who appeared in the guise of
uprightness and piety. Day and night they passed
through such agonies as none can ever measure, except
the knowledge of the one true God, exalted be
His glory.
Consider this wronged One. Though the clearest
proofs attest the truth of His Cause; though the
prophecies He, in an unmistakable language, hath
made have been fulfilled; though, in spite of His
not being accounted among the learned, His being
unschooled and inexperienced in the disputations
current among the divines, He hath rained upon men
the showers of His manifold and Divinely-inspired
knowledge; yet, behold how this generation hath
rejected His authority, and rebelled against Him! He
hath, during the greater part of His life, been sore-tried
in the clutches of His enemies. His sufferings
have now reached their culmination in this afflictive
Prison, into which His oppressors have so unjustly
thrown Him. God grant that, with a penetrating
vision and radiant heart, thou mayest observe the
things that have come to pass and are now happening,
and, pondering them in thine heart, mayest
recognize that which most men have, in this Day,
failed to perceive. Please God, He may enable thee to
inhale the sweet fragrance of His Day, to partake of
the limitless effusions of His grace, to quaff thy fill,

+P59
through His gracious favor, from the most great
Ocean that surgeth in this Day in the name of the
Ancient King, and to remain firm and immovable as
the mountain in His Cause.
Say: Glory be to Thee Who hast caused all the
holy Ones to confess their helplessness before the
manifold revelations of Thy might, and every
Prophet to acknowledge His nothingness at the
effulgence of Thine abiding glory. I beseech Thee, by
Thy name that hath unlocked the gates of Heaven
and filled with ecstasy the Concourse on high, to
enable me to serve Thee, in this Day, and to
strengthen me to observe that which Thou didst prescribe
in Thy Book. Thou knowest, O my Lord, what
is in me; but I know not what is in Thee. Thou art
the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

XXIV. Beware, O believers in the Unity of God,
lest ye be tempted to make any distinction between
any of the Manifestations of His Cause, or to discriminate
against the signs that have accompanied
and proclaimed their Revelation. This indeed is the
true meaning of Divine Unity, if ye be of them that
apprehend and believe this truth. Be ye assured,
moreover, that the works and acts of each and every
one of these Manifestations of God, nay whatever
pertaineth unto them, and whatsoever they may
manifest in the future, are all ordained by God, and
are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Whoso

+P60
maketh the slightest possible difference between their
persons, their words, their messages, their acts and
manners, hath indeed disbelieved in God, hath repudiated
His signs, and betrayed the Cause of His
Messengers.

XXV. It is evident that every age in which a Manifestation
of God hath lived is divinely ordained, and
may, in a sense, be characterized as God's appointed
Day. This Day, however, is unique, and is to be distinguished
from those that have preceded it. The
designation "Seal of the Prophets" fully revealeth its
high station. The Prophetic Cycle hath, verily, ended.
The Eternal Truth is now come. He hath lifted up
the Ensign of Power, and is now shedding upon the
world the unclouded splendor of His Revelation.

XXVI. Praise be to God, the All-Possessing, the
King of incomparable glory, a praise which is immeasurably
above the understanding of all created
things, and is exalted beyond the grasp of the minds
of men. None else besides Him hath ever been able
to sing adequately His praise, nor will any man succeed
at any time in describing the full measure of
His glory. Who is it that can claim to have attained
the heights of His exalted Essence, and what mind
can measure the depths of His unfathomable mystery?
From each and every revelation emanating
from the Source of His glory, holy and never-ending

+P61
evidences of unimaginable splendor have appeared,
and out of every manifestation of His invincible
power oceans of eternal light have outpoured. How
immensely exalted are the wondrous testimonies of
His almighty sovereignty, a glimmer of which, if it
but touched them, would utterly consume all that are
in the heavens and in the earth! How indescribably
lofty are the tokens of His consummate power, a
single sign of which, however inconsiderable, must
transcend the comprehension of whatsoever hath,
from the beginning that hath no beginning, been
brought into being, or will be created in the future
till the end that hath no end. All the Embodiments
of His Names wander in the wilderness of search,
athirst and eager to discover His Essence, and all the
Manifestations of His Attributes implore Him, from
the Sinai of Holiness, to unravel His mystery.
A drop of the billowing ocean of His endless mercy
hath adorned all creation with the ornament of existence,
and a breath wafted from His peerless Paradise
hath invested all beings with the robe of His sanctity
and glory. A sprinkling from the unfathomed deep
of His sovereign and all-pervasive Will hath, out of
utter nothingness, called into being a creation which
is infinite in its range and deathless in its duration.
The wonders of His bounty can never cease, and the
stream of His merciful grace can never be arrested.
The process of His creation hath had no beginning,
and can have no end.

+P62
In every age and cycle He hath, through the splendorous
light shed by the Manifestations of His
wondrous Essence, recreated all things, so that whatsoever
reflecteth in the heavens and on the earth the
signs of His glory may not be deprived of the outpourings
of His mercy, nor despair of the showers
of His favors. How all-encompassing are the wonders
of His boundless grace! Behold how they have pervaded
the whole of creation. Such is their virtue that
not a single atom in the entire universe can be found
which doth not declare the evidences of His might,
which doth not glorify His holy Name, or is not
expressive of the effulgent light of His unity. So
perfect and comprehensive is His creation that no
mind nor heart, however keen or pure, can ever grasp
the nature of the most insignificant of His creatures;
much less fathom the mystery of Him Who is the
Day Star of Truth, Who is the invisible and unknowable
Essence. The conceptions of the devoutest
of mystics, the attainments of the most accomplished
amongst men, the highest praise which human tongue
or pen can render are all the product of man's finite
mind and are conditioned by its limitations. Ten
thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck
upon the Sinai of their search at His forbidding
voice, "Thou shalt never behold Me!"; whilst a
myriad Messengers, each as great as Jesus, stand
dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction,
"Mine Essence thou shalt never apprehend!"

+P63
From time immemorial He hath been veiled in
the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will
everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable
mystery of His unknowable Essence. Every
attempt to attain to an understanding of His inaccessible
Reality hath ended in complete bewilderment,
and every effort to approach His exalted Self and
envisage His Essence hath resulted in hopelessness and
failure.
How bewildering to me, insignificant as I am, is
the attempt to fathom the sacred depths of Thy
knowledge! How futile my efforts to visualize the
magnitude of the power inherent in Thine handiwork
--the revelation of Thy creative power! How
can mine eye, which hath no faculty to perceive
itself, claim to have discerned Thine Essence, and how
can mine heart, already powerless to apprehend the
significance of its own potentialities, pretend to have
comprehended Thy nature? How can I claim to have
known Thee, when the entire creation is bewildered
by Thy mystery, and how can I confess not to have
known Thee, when, lo, the whole universe proclaimeth
Thy Presence and testifieth to Thy truth?
The portals of Thy grace have throughout eternity
been open, and the means of access unto Thy Presence
made available, unto all created things, and the
revelations of Thy matchless Beauty have at all times
been imprinted upon the realities of all beings, visible
and invisible. Yet, notwithstanding this most gracious

+P64
favor, this perfect and consummate bestowal, I am
moved to testify that Thy court of holiness and glory
is immeasurably exalted above the knowledge of all
else besides Thee, and the mystery of Thy Presence
is inscrutable to every mind except Thine own. No
one except Thyself can unravel the secret of Thy
nature, and naught else but Thy transcendental
Essence can grasp the reality of Thy unsearchable
being. How vast the number of those heavenly and
all-glorious beings who, in the wilderness of their
separation from Thee, have wandered all the days of
their lives, and failed in the end to find Thee! How
great the multitude of the sanctified and immortal
souls who were lost and bewildered while seeking in
the desert of search to behold Thy face! Myriad are
Thine ardent lovers whom the consuming flame of
remoteness from Thee hath caused to sink and perish,
and numberless are the faithful souls who have willingly
laid down their lives in the hope of gazing on
the light of Thy countenance. The sighs and moans of
these longing hearts that pant after Thee can never
reach Thy holy court, neither can the lamentations of
the wayfarers that thirst to appear before Thy face
attain Thy seat of glory.

XXVII. All praise to the unity of God, and all
honor to Him, the sovereign Lord, the incomparable
and all-glorious Ruler of the universe, Who, out of
utter nothingness, hath created the reality of all

+P65
things, Who, from naught, hath brought into being
the most refined and subtle elements of His creation,
and Who, rescuing His creatures from the abasement
of remoteness and the perils of ultimate extinction,
hath received them into His kingdom of incorruptible
glory. Nothing short of His all-encompassing
grace, His all-pervading mercy, could have
possibly achieved it. How could it, otherwise, have
been possible for sheer nothingness to have acquired
by itself the worthiness and capacity to emerge from
its state of non-existence into the realm of being?
Having created the world and all that liveth and
moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of
His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to
confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity
to know Him and to love Him--a capacity that must
needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the
primary purpose underlying the whole of creation....
Upon the inmost reality of each and
every created thing He hath shed the light of one of
His names, and made it a recipient of the glory of
one of His attributes. Upon the reality of man, however,
He hath focused the radiance of all of His
names and attributes, and made it a mirror of His
own Self. Alone of all created things man hath been
singled out for so great a favor, so enduring a bounty.
These energies with which the Day Star of Divine
bounty and Source of heavenly guidance hath endowed
the reality of man lie, however, latent within

+P66
him, even as the flame is hidden within the candle
and the rays of light are potentially present in the
lamp. The radiance of these energies may be obscured
by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be
concealed beneath the dust and dross which cover
the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be
lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can
it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from
its dross. It is clear and evident that until a fire is
kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the
dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it
can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect
its light and glory.
And since there can be no tie of direct intercourse
to bind the one true God with His creation, and no
resemblance whatever can exist between the transient
and the Eternal, the contingent and the Absolute, He
hath ordained that in every age and dispensation a
pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms
of earth and heaven. Unto this subtle, this
mysterious and ethereal Being He hath assigned a
twofold nature; the physical, pertaining to the world
of matter, and the spiritual, which is born of the
substance of God Himself. He hath, moreover, conferred
upon Him a double station. The first station,
which is related to His innermost reality, representeth
Him as One Whose voice is the voice of God Himself.
To this testifieth the tradition: "Manifold and mysterious
is My relationship with God. I am He, Himself,

+P67
and He is I, Myself, except that I am that I am,
and He is that He is." And in like manner, the
words: "Arise, O &Muhammad, for lo, the Lover and
the Beloved are joined together and made one in
Thee." He similarly saith: "There is no distinction
whatsoever between Thee and Them, except that
They are Thy Servants." The second station is the
human station, exemplified by the following verses:
"I am but a man like you." "Say, praise be to my
Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?" These
Essences of Detachment, these resplendent Realities
are the channels of God's all-pervasive grace. Led by
the light of unfailing guidance, and invested with
supreme sovereignty, They are commissioned to use
the inspiration of Their words, the effusions of Their
infallible grace and the sanctifying breeze of Their
Revelation for the cleansing of every longing heart
and receptive spirit from the dross and dust of
earthly cares and limitations. Then, and only then,
will the Trust of God, latent in the reality of man,
emerge, as resplendent as the rising Orb of Divine
Revelation, from behind the veil of concealment, and
implant the ensign of its revealed glory upon the
summits of men's hearts.
From the foregoing passages and allusions it hath
been made indubitably clear that in the kingdoms of
earth and heaven there must needs be manifested a
Being, an Essence Who shall act as a Manifestation
and Vehicle for the transmission of the grace of the

+P68
Divinity Itself, the Sovereign Lord of all. Through
the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man
will advance and develop until he attaineth the station
at which he can manifest all the potential forces
with which his inmost true self hath been endowed.
It is for this very purpose that in every age and dispensation
the Prophets of God and His chosen Ones
have appeared amongst men, and have evinced such
power as is born of God and such might as only the
Eternal can reveal.
Can one of sane mind ever seriously imagine that,
in view of certain words the meaning of which he
cannot comprehend, the portal of God's infinite
guidance can ever be closed in the face of men? Can
he ever conceive for these Divine Luminaries, these
resplendent Lights either a beginning or an end?
What outpouring flood can compare with the stream
of His all-embracing grace, and what blessing can
excel the evidences of so great and pervasive a mercy?
There can be no doubt whatever that if for one
moment the tide of His mercy and grace were to
be withheld from the world, it would completely
perish. For this reason, from the beginning that hath
no beginning the portals of Divine mercy have been
flung open to the face of all created things, and the
clouds of Truth will continue to the end that hath
no end to rain on the soil of human capacity, reality
and personality their favors and bounties. Such hath

+P69
been God's method continued from everlasting to
everlasting.

XXVIII. Happy is the man who will arise to serve
My Cause, and glorify My beauteous Name. Take
hold of My Book with the power of My might, and
cleave tenaciously to whatsoever commandment thy
Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise, hath prescribed
therein. Behold, O &Muhammad, how the sayings and
doings of the followers of &Shi'ih &Islam have dulled
the joy and fervor of its early days, and tarnished the
pristine brilliancy of its light. In its primitive days,
whilst they still adhered to the precepts associated
with the name of their Prophet, the Lord of mankind,
their career was marked by an unbroken chain
of victories and triumphs. As they gradually strayed
from the path of their Ideal Leader and Master, as
they turned away from the Light of God and corrupted
the principle of His Divine unity, and as they
increasingly centered their attention upon them who
were only the revealers of the potency of His Word,
their power was turned into weakness, their glory
into shame, their courage into fear. Thou dost witness
to what a pass they have come. Behold, how they
have joined partners with Him Who is the Focal-Point
of Divine unity. Behold how their evil doings
have hindered them from recognizing, in the Day of
Resurrection, the Word of Truth, exalted be His
glory. We cherish the hope that this people will

+P70
henceforth shield themselves from vain hopes and idle
fancies, and will attain to a true understanding of
the meaning of Divine unity.
The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been
the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in
truth, is the Day Spring of God's most excellent
Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted
Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if
they be regarded as identical with His Person, how
can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is
One and Incomparable, that His Essence is indivisible
and peerless? Meditate on that which We have,
through the power of truth, revealed unto thee, and
be thou of them that comprehend its meaning.

XXIX. The purpose of God in creating man hath
been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his
Creator and to attain His Presence. To this most
excellent aim, this supreme objective, all the heavenly
Books and the divinely-revealed and weighty Scriptures
unequivocally bear witness. Whoso hath recognized
the Day Spring of Divine guidance and entered
His holy court hath drawn nigh unto God and
attained His Presence, a Presence which is the real
Paradise, and of which the loftiest mansions of
heaven are but a symbol. Such a man hath attained
the knowledge of the station of Him Who is "at the
distance of two bows," Who standeth beyond the
&Sadratu'l-Muntaha. Whoso hath failed to recognize

+P71
Him will have condemned himself to the misery of
remoteness, a remoteness which is naught but utter
nothingness and the essence of the nethermost fire.
Such will be his fate, though to outward seeming he
may occupy the earth's loftiest seats and be established
upon its most exalted throne.
He Who is the Day Spring of Truth is, no doubt,
fully capable of rescuing from such remoteness wayward
souls and of causing them to draw nigh unto
His court and attain His Presence. "If God had
pleased He had surely made all men one people." His
purpose, however, is to enable the pure in spirit and
the detached in heart to ascend, by virtue of their
own innate powers, unto the shores of the Most Great
Ocean, that thereby they who seek the Beauty of
the All-Glorious may be distinguished and separated
from the wayward and perverse. Thus hath it been
ordained by the all-glorious and resplendent Pen....
That the Manifestations of Divine justice, the
Day Springs of heavenly grace, have when they
appeared amongst men always been destitute of all
earthly dominion and shorn of the means of worldly
ascendancy, should be attributed to this same principle
of separation and distinction which animateth
the Divine Purpose. Were the Eternal Essence to
manifest all that is latent within Him, were He to
shine in the plentitude of His glory, none would be
found to question His power or repudiate His truth.
Nay, all created things would be so dazzled and

+P72
thunderstruck by the evidences of His light as to be
reduced to utter nothingness. How, then, can the
godly be differentiated under such circumstances
from the froward?
This principle hath operated in each of the previous
Dispensations and been abundantly demonstrated....
It is for this reason that, in every age,
when a new Manifestation hath appeared and a fresh
revelation of God's transcendent power was vouchsafed
unto men, they that misbelieved in Him,
deluded by the appearance of the peerless and everlasting
Beauty in the garb of mortal men, have
failed to recognize Him. They have erred from His
path and eschewed His company--the company of
Him Who is the Symbol of nearness to God. They
have even arisen to decimate the ranks of the faithful
and to exterminate such as believed in Him.
Behold how in this Dispensation the worthless and
foolish have fondly imagined that by such instruments
as massacre, plunder and banishment they can
extinguish the Lamp which the Hand of Divine
power hath lit, or eclipse the Day Star of everlasting
splendor. How utterly unaware they seem to be of
the truth that such adversity is the oil that feedeth
the flame of this Lamp! Such is God's transforming
power. He changeth whatsoever He willeth; He
verily hath power over all things....
Consider at all times the sovereignty exercised by
the Ideal King, and behold the evidences of His

+P73
power and paramount influence. Sanctify your ears
from the idle talk of them that are the symbols of
denial and the exponents of violence and anger. The
hour is approaching when ye will witness the power
of the one true God triumphing over all created
things and the signs of His sovereignty encompassing
all creation. On that day ye will discover how all else
besides Him will have been forgotten and come to
be regarded as utter nothingness.
It should, however, be borne in mind that God and
His Manifestation can, under no circumstances, be
dissociated from the loftiness and sublimity which
They inherently possess. Nay, loftiness and sublimity
are themselves the creations of His Word, if ye choose
to see with My sight not with yours.

XXX. God witnesseth that there is no God but
Him, the Gracious, the Best-Beloved. All grace and
bounty are His. To whomsoever He will He giveth
whatsoever is His wish. He, verily, is the All-Powerful,
the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
We, verily, believe in Him Who, in the
person of the &Bab, hath been sent down by the Will
of the one true God, the King of Kings, the All-Praised.
We, moreover, swear fealty to the One Who,
in the time of &Mustaghath, is destined to be made
manifest, as well as to those Who shall come after
Him till the end that hath no end. We recognize in
the manifestation of each one of them, whether outwardly

+P74
or inwardly, the manifestation of none but
God Himself, if ye be of those that comprehend.
Every one of them is a mirror of God, reflecting
naught else but His Self, His Beauty, His Might and
Glory, if ye will understand. All else besides them are
to be regarded as mirrors capable of reflecting the
glory of these Manifestations Who are themselves the
Primary Mirrors of the Divine Being, if ye be not
devoid of understanding. No one hath ever escaped
them, neither are they to be hindered from achieving
their purpose. These Mirrors will everlastingly succeed
each other, and will continue to reflect the light
of the Ancient of Days. They that reflect their glory
will, in like manner, continue to exist for evermore,
for the Grace of God can never cease from flowing.
This is a truth that none can disprove.

XXXI. Contemplate with thine inward eye the
chain of successive Revelations that hath linked the
Manifestation of Adam with that of the &Bab. I
testify before God that each one of these Manifestations
hath been sent down through the operation of
the Divine Will and Purpose, that each hath been the
bearer of a specific Message, that each hath been
entrusted with a divinely-revealed Book and been
commissioned to unravel the mysteries of a mighty
Tablet. The measure of the Revelation with which
every one of them hath been identified had been
definitely fore-ordained. This, verily, is a token of

+P75
Our favor unto them, if ye be of those that comprehend
this truth.... And when this process of progressive
Revelation culminated in the stage at which
His peerless, His most sacred, and exalted Countenance
was to be unveiled to men's eyes, He chose to
hide His own Self behind a thousand veils, lest profane
and mortal eyes discover His glory. This He did
at a time when the signs and tokens of a divinely-appointed
Revelation were being showered upon Him
--signs and tokens which none can reckon except the
Lord, your God, the Lord of all worlds. And when
the set time of concealment was fulfilled, We sent
forth, whilst still wrapt within a myriad veils, an
infinitesimal glimmer of the effulgent Glory enveloping
the Face of the Youth, and lo, the entire company
of the dwellers of the Realms above were seized with
violent commotion and the favored of God fell down
in adoration before Him. He hath, verily, manifested
a glory such as none in the whole creation hath witnessed,
inasmuch as He hath arisen to proclaim in
person His Cause unto all who are in the heavens
and all who are on the earth.

XXXII. That which thou hast heard concerning
Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the
truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of
God commanded Him to offer up Ishmael as a sacrifice,
so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God
and His detachment from all else but Him may be

+P76
demonstrated unto men. The purpose of God, moreover,
was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and
iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same
honor, Jesus, the Son of Mary, besought the one true
God, exalted be His name and glory, to confer upon
Him. For the same reason was &Husayn offered up as
a sacrifice by &Muhammad, the Apostle of God.
No man can ever claim to have comprehended the
nature of the hidden and manifold grace of God;
none can fathom His all-embracing mercy. Such hath
been the perversity of men and their transgressions,
so grievous have been the trials that have afflicted the
Prophets of God and their chosen ones, that all mankind
deserveth to be tormented and to perish. God's
hidden and most loving providence, however, hath,
through both visible and invisible agencies, protected
and will continue to protect it from the penalty of
its wickedness. Ponder this in thine heart, that the
truth may be revealed unto thee, and be thou steadfast
in His path.

XXXIII. It hath been decreed by Us that the Word
of God and all the potentialities thereof shall be
manifested unto men in strict conformity with such
conditions as have been foreordained by Him Who
is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have, moreover,
ordained that its veil of concealment be none
other except its own Self. Such indeed is Our Power
to achieve Our Purpose. Should the Word be allowed

+P77
to release suddenly all the energies latent within it, no
man could sustain the weight of so mighty a Revelation.
Nay, all that is in heaven and on earth would
flee in consternation before it.
Consider that which hath been sent down unto
&Muhammad, the Apostle of God. The measure of the
Revelation of which He was the bearer had been
clearly foreordained by Him Who is the Almighty,
the All-Powerful. They that heard Him, however,
could apprehend His purpose only to the extent of
their station and spiritual capacity. He, in like
manner, uncovered the Face of Wisdom in proportion
to their ability to sustain the burden of His
Message. No sooner had mankind attained the stage
of maturity, than the Word revealed to men's eyes
the latent energies with which it had been endowed
--energies which manifested themselves in the plenitude
of their glory when the Ancient Beauty
appeared, in the year sixty, in the person of &Ali-Muhammad,
the &Bab.

XXXIV. All praise and glory be to God Who,
through the power of His might, hath delivered His
creation from the nakedness of non-existence, and
clothed it with the mantle of life. From among all
created things He hath singled out for His special
favor the pure, the gem-like reality of man, and
invested it with a unique capacity of knowing
Him and of reflecting the greatness of His glory.

+P78
This twofold distinction conferred upon him hath
cleansed away from his heart the rust of every vain
desire, and made him worthy of the vesture with
which his Creator hath deigned to clothe him. It
hath served to rescue his soul from the wretchedness
of ignorance.
This robe with which the body and soul of man
hath been adorned is the very foundation of his well-being
and development. Oh, how blessed the day
when, aided by the grace and might of the one true
God, man will have freed himself from the bondage
and corruption of the world and all that is therein,
and will have attained unto true and abiding rest
beneath the shadow of the Tree of Knowledge!
The songs which the bird of thine heart had
uttered in its great love for its friends have reached
their ears, and moved Me to answer thy questions,
and reveal to thee such secrets as I am allowed to
unfold. In thine esteemed letter thou hadst inquired
which of the Prophets of God should be regarded as
superior to others. Know thou assuredly that the
essence of all the Prophets of God is one and the
same. Their unity is absolute. God, the Creator, saith:
There is no distinction whatsoever among the Bearers
of My Message. They all have but one purpose; their
secret is the same secret. To prefer one in honor to
another, to exalt certain ones above the rest, is in no
wise to be permitted. Every true Prophet hath regarded
His Message as fundamentally the same as the

+P79
Revelation of every other Prophet gone before Him.
If any man, therefore, should fail to comprehend this
truth, and should consequently indulge in vain and
unseemly language, no one whose sight is keen and
whose understanding is enlightened would ever allow
such idle talk to cause him to waver in his belief.
The measure of the revelation of the Prophets of
God in this world, however, must differ. Each and
every one of them hath been the Bearer of a distinct
Message, and hath been commissioned to reveal Himself
through specific acts. It is for this reason that
they appear to vary in their greatness. Their Revelation
may be likened unto the light of the moon that
sheddeth its radiance upon the earth. Though every
time it appeareth, it revealeth a fresh measure of
its brightness, yet its inherent splendor can never
diminish, nor can its light suffer extinction.
It is clear and evident, therefore, that any apparent
variation in the intensity of their light is not inherent
in the light itself, but should rather be attributed to
the varying receptivity of an ever-changing world.
Every Prophet Whom the Almighty and Peerless
Creator hath purposed to send to the peoples of the
earth hath been entrusted with a Message, and charged
to act in a manner that would best meet the requirements
of the age in which He appeared. God's purpose
in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold.
The first is to liberate the children of men from the
darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light

+P80
of true understanding. The second is to ensure the
peace and tranquillity of mankind, and provide all
the means by which they can be established.
The Prophets of God should be regarded as physicians
whose task is to foster the well-being of the
world and its peoples, that, through the spirit of
oneness, they may heal the sickness of a divided
humanity. To none is given the right to question
their words or disparage their conduct, for they are
the only ones who can claim to have understood the
patient and to have correctly diagnosed its ailments.
No man, however acute his perception, can ever hope
to reach the heights which the wisdom and understanding
of the Divine Physician have attained.
Little wonder, then, if the treatment prescribed by
the physician in this day should not be found to be
identical with that which he prescribed before. How
could it be otherwise when the ills affecting the
sufferer necessitate at every stage of his sickness a
special remedy? In like manner, every time the
Prophets of God have illumined the world with the
resplendent radiance of the Day Star of Divine
knowledge, they have invariably summoned its
peoples to embrace the light of God through such
means as best befitted the exigencies of the age in
which they appeared. They were thus able to scatter
the darkness of ignorance, and to shed upon the world
the glory of their own knowledge. It is towards the
inmost essence of these Prophets, therefore, that the

+P81
eye of every man of discernment must be directed,
inasmuch as their one and only purpose hath always
been to guide the erring, and give peace to the
afflicted.... These are not days of prosperity and
triumph. The whole of mankind is in the grip of
manifold ills. Strive, therefore, to save its life through
the wholesome medicine which the almighty hand of
the unerring Physician hath prepared.
And now concerning thy question regarding the
nature of religion. Know thou that they who are
truly wise have likened the world unto the human
temple. As the body of man needeth a garment to
clothe it, so the body of mankind must needs be
adorned with the mantle of justice and wisdom. Its
robe is the Revelation vouchsafed unto it by God.
Whenever this robe hath fulfilled its purpose, the
Almighty will assuredly renew it. For every age requireth
a fresh measure of the light of God. Every
Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner
that befitted the circumstances of the age in which
it hath appeared.
As to thy question regarding the sayings of the
leaders of past religions. Every wise and praiseworthy
man will no doubt eschew such vain and profitless
talk. The incomparable Creator hath created all men
from one same substance, and hath exalted their
reality above the rest of His creatures. Success or
failure, gain or loss, must, therefore, depend upon
man's own exertions. The more he striveth, the

+P82
greater will be his progress. We fain would hope
that the vernal showers of the bounty of God may
cause the flowers of true understanding to spring
from the soil of men's hearts, and may wash them
from all earthly defilements.

XXXV. Ponder a while. What is it that prompted,
in every Dispensation, the peoples of the earth to
shun the Manifestation of the All-Merciful? What
could have impelled them to turn away from Him
and to challenge His authority? Were men to meditate
on these words which have flowed from the Pen
of the Divine Ordainer, they would, one and all,
hasten to embrace the truth of this God-given, and
ever-enduring Revelation, and would testify to that
which He Himself hath solemnly affirmed. It is the
veil of idle imaginations which, in the days of the
Manifestations of the Unity of God and the Day
Springs of His everlasting glory, hath intervened,
and will continue to intervene, between them and the
rest of mankind. For in those days, He Who is the
Eternal Truth manifesteth Himself in conformity
with that which He Himself hath purposed, and not
according to the desires and expectations of men.
Even as He hath revealed: "So oft, then, as an Apostle
cometh to you with that which your souls desire not,
do ye swell with pride, and treat some as impostors,
and slay others."
There can be no doubt whatever that had these

+P83
Apostles appeared, in bygone ages and cycles, in
accordance with the vain imaginations which the
hearts of men had devised, no one would have repudiated
the truth of these sanctified Beings. Though
such men have been, night and day, remembering the
one true God, and have been devoutly engaged in the
exercise of their devotions, yet they failed in the end
to recognize, and partake of the grace of, the Day
Springs of the signs of God and the Manifestations of
His irrefutable evidences. To this the Scriptures bear
witness. Thou hast, no doubt, heard about it.
Consider the Dispensation of Jesus Christ. Behold,
how all the learned men of that generation, though
eagerly anticipating the coming of the Promised One,
have nevertheless denied Him. Both Annas, the most
learned among the divines of His day, and Caiaphas,
the high priest, denounced Him and pronounced the
sentence of His death.
In like manner, when &Muhammad, the Prophet of
God--may all men be a sacrifice unto Him--
appeared, the learned men of Mecca and Medina
arose, in the early days of His Revelation, against
Him and rejected His Message, while they who were
destitute of all learning recognized and embraced His
Faith. Ponder a while. Consider how &Balal, the
Ethiopian, unlettered though he was, ascended into
the heaven of faith and certitude, whilst &Abdu'llah
Ubayy, a leader among the learned, maliciously strove
to oppose Him. Behold, how a mere shepherd was so

+P84
carried away by the ecstasy of the words of God that
he was able to gain admittance into the habitation
of his Best-Beloved, and was united to Him Who is
the Lord of Mankind, whilst they who prided themselves
on their knowledge and wisdom strayed far
from His path and remained deprived of His grace.
For this reason He hath written: "He that is exalted
among you shall be abased, and he that is abased shall
be exalted." References to this theme are to be found
in most of the heavenly Books, as well as in the sayings
of the Prophets and Messengers of God.
Verily I say, such is the greatness of this Cause that
the father flieth from his son, and the son flieth from
his father. Call ye to mind the story of Noah and
Canaan. God grant that, in these days of heavenly
delight, ye may not deprive yourselves of the sweet
savors of the All-Glorious God, and may partake,
in this spiritual Springtime, of the outpourings of
His grace. Arise in the name of Him Who is the
Object of all knowledge, and, with absolute detachment
from the learning of men, lift up your voices
and proclaim His Cause. I swear by the Day Star of
Divine Revelation! The very moment ye arise, ye will
witness how a flood of Divine knowledge will gush
out of your hearts, and will behold the wonders of
His heavenly wisdom manifested in all their glory
before you. Were ye to taste of the sweetness of the
sayings of the All-Merciful, ye would unhesitatingly

+P85
forsake your selves, and would lay down your lives
for the Well-Beloved.
Who can ever believe that this Servant of God
hath at any time cherished in His heart a desire for
any earthly honor or benefit? The Cause associated
with His Name is far above the transitory things of
this world. Behold Him, an exile, a victim of
tyranny, in this Most Great Prison. His enemies have
assailed Him on every side, and will continue to do
so till the end of His life. Whatever, therefore, He
saith unto you is wholly for the sake of God, that
haply the peoples of the earth may cleanse their hearts
from the stain of evil desire, may rend its veil
asunder, and attain unto the knowledge of the one
true God--the most exalted station to which any
man can aspire. Their belief or disbelief in My Cause
can neither profit nor harm Me. We summon them
wholly for the sake of God. He, verily, can afford to
dispense with all creatures.

XXXVI. Know thou that when the Son of Man
yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation
wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself,
however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created
things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of
the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest
wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest
learning which any mind hath unfolded, the
arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence

+P86
exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but
manifestations of the quickening power released by
His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent
Spirit.
We testify that when He came into the world, He
shed the splendor of His glory upon all created
things. Through Him the leper recovered from the
leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him,
the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His
power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind
were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified.
Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth
between man and the recognition of the Lord,
his God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from
Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered
in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.
We bear witness that through the power of the Word
of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was
healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it
is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who,
with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards
Him.

XXXVII. Blessed is the man that hath acknowledged
his belief in God and in His signs, and recognized
that "He shall not be asked of His doings."
Such a recognition hath been made by God the ornament
of every belief, and its very foundation. Upon
it must depend the acceptance of every goodly deed.

+P87
Fasten your eyes upon it, that haply the whisperings
of the rebellious may not cause you to slip.
Were He to decree as lawful the thing which from
time immemorial had been forbidden, and forbid
that which had, at all times, been regarded as lawful,
to none is given the right to question His authority.
Whoso will hesitate, though it be for less than a
moment, should be regarded as a transgressor.
Whoso hath not recognized this sublime and
fundamental verity, and hath failed to attain this
most exalted station, the winds of doubt will agitate
him, and the sayings of the infidels will distract his
soul. He that hath acknowledged this principle will
be endowed with the most perfect constancy. All
honor to this all-glorious station, the remembrance of
which adorneth every exalted Tablet. Such is the
teaching which God bestoweth on you, a teaching
that will deliver you from all manner of doubt and
perplexity, and enable you to attain unto salvation in
both this world and in the next. He, verily, is the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.

XXXVIII. Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation
the light of Divine Revelation hath been
vouchsafed unto men in direct proportion to their
spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its
rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon.
How gradually its warmth and potency increase as it
approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created

+P88
things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity
of its light. How steadily it declineth until it
reacheth its setting point. Were it, all of a sudden, to
manifest the energies latent within it, it would, no
doubt, cause injury to all created things.... In like
manner, if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal,
at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full
measure of the potencies which the providence of the
Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human
understanding would waste away and be consumed;
for men's hearts would neither sustain the intensity
of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance
of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they
would cease to exist.

XXXIX. Praise be to Thee, O Lord My God, for the
wondrous revelations of Thy inscrutable decree and
the manifold woes and trials Thou hast destined for
Myself. At one time Thou didst deliver Me into the
hands of Nimrod; at another Thou hast allowed Pharaoh's
rod to persecute Me. Thou, alone, canst estimate,
through Thine all-encompassing knowledge
and the operation of Thy Will, the incalculable afflictions
I have suffered at their hands. Again Thou didst
cast Me into the prison-cell of the ungodly, for no
reason except that I was moved to whisper into the
ears of the well-favored denizens of Thy Kingdom
an intimation of the vision with which Thou hadst,
through Thy knowledge, inspired Me, and revealed

+P89
to Me its meaning through the potency of Thy
might. And again Thou didst decree that I be beheaded
by the sword of the infidel. Again I was crucified
for having unveiled to men's eyes the hidden
gems of Thy glorious unity, for having revealed to
them the wondrous signs of Thy sovereign and everlasting
power. How bitter the humiliations heaped
upon Me, in a subsequent age, on the plain of &Karbila!
How lonely did I feel amidst Thy people! To
what a state of helplessness I was reduced in that
land! Unsatisfied with such indignities, My persecutors
decapitated Me, and, carrying aloft My head
from land to land paraded it before the gaze of the
unbelieving multitude, and deposited it on the seats
of the perverse and faithless. In a later age, I was
suspended, and My breast was made a target to the
darts of the malicious cruelty of My foes. My limbs
were riddled with bullets, and My body was torn
asunder. Finally, behold how, in this Day, My treacherous
enemies have leagued themselves against Me,
and are continually plotting to instill the venom of
hate and malice into the souls of Thy servants. With
all their might they are scheming to accomplish their
purpose.... Grievous as is My plight, O God, My
Well-Beloved, I render thanks unto Thee, and My
Spirit is grateful for whatsoever hath befallen me
in the path of Thy good-pleasure. I am well pleased
with that which Thou didst ordain for Me, and welcome,

+P90
however calamitous, the pains and sorrows I
am made to suffer.

XL. O My Well-Beloved! Thou hast breathed Thy
Breath into Me, and divorced Me from Mine own
Self. Thou didst, subsequently, decree that no more
than a faint reflection, a mere emblem of Thy Reality
within Me be left among the perverse and envious.
Behold, how, deluded by this emblem, they have
risen against Me, and heaped upon Me their denials!
Uncover Thy Self, therefore, O My Best-Beloved,
and deliver Me from My plight.
Thereupon a Voice replied: "I love, I dearly cherish
this emblem. How can I consent that Mine eyes,
alone, gaze upon this emblem, and that no heart except
Mine heart recognize it? By My Beauty, which
is the same as Thy Beauty! My wish is to hide Thee
from Mine own eyes: how much more from the eyes
of men!"
I was preparing to make reply, when lo, the Tablet
was suddenly ended, leaving My theme unfinished,
and the pearl of Mine utterance unstrung.

XLI. God is My witness, O people! I was asleep
on My couch, when lo, the Breeze of God wafting
over Me roused Me from My slumber. His quickening
Spirit revived Me, and My tongue was unloosed
to voice His Call. Accuse Me not of having transgressed
against God. Behold Me, not with your eyes

+P91
but with Mine. Thus admonisheth you He Who is
the Gracious, the All-Knowing. Think ye, O people,
that I hold within My grasp the control of God's
ultimate Will and Purpose? Far be it from Me to
advance such claim. To this I testify before God, the
Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Had the ultimate destiny of God's Faith been
in Mine hands, I would have never consented, even
though for one moment, to manifest Myself unto
you, nor would I have allowed one word to fall from
My lips. Of this God Himself is, verily, a witness.

XLII. O Son of Justice! In the night season the
beauty of the immortal Being hath repaired from the
emerald height of fidelity unto the &Sadratu'l-Muntaha,
and wept with such a weeping that the Concourse
on high and the dwellers of the realms above
wailed at His lamenting. Whereupon there was
asked, Why the wailing and weeping? He made reply:
As bidden I waited expectant upon the hill of
faithfulness, yet inhaled not from them that dwell
on earth the fragrance of fidelity. Then summoned
to return I beheld, and lo! certain doves of holiness
were sore tried within the claws of the dogs of earth.
Thereupon the Maid of Heaven hastened forth unveiled
and resplendent from Her mystic mansion,
and asked of their names, and all were told but one.
And when urged, the first letter thereof was uttered,
whereupon the dwellers of the celestial chambers

+P92
rushed forth out of their habitation of glory. And
whilst the second letter was pronounced they fell
down, one and all, upon the dust. At that moment
a voice was heard from the inmost shrine: "Thus far
and no farther." Verily, We bear witness unto that
which they have done, and now are doing.

XLIII. O &Afnan, O thou that hast branched from
Mine ancient Stock! My glory and My loving-kindness
rest upon thee. How vast is the tabernacle of
the Cause of God! It hath overshadowed all the peoples
and kindreds of the earth, and will, erelong,
gather together the whole of mankind beneath its
shelter. Thy day of service is now come. Countless
Tablets bear the testimony of the bounties vouchsafed
unto thee. Arise for the triumph of My Cause,
and, through the power of thine utterance, subdue
the hearts of men. Thou must show forth that which
will ensure the peace and the well-being of the miserable
and the down-trodden. Gird up the loins of thine
endeavor, that perchance thou mayest release the
captive from his chains, and enable him to attain
unto true liberty.
Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and
Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression. The
thick clouds of tyranny have darkened the face of
the earth, and enveloped its peoples. Through the
movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding
of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new

+P93
life into every human frame, and instilled into every
word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the
evidences of this world-wide regeneration. This is the
most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the
Pen of this wronged One to mankind. Wherefore
fear ye, O My well-beloved ones? Who is it that can
dismay you? A touch of moisture sufficeth to dissolve
the hardened clay out of which this perverse
generation is molded. The mere act of your gathering
together is enough to scatter the forces of these
vain and worthless people....
Every man of insight will, in this day, readily admit
that the counsels which the Pen of this wronged
One hath revealed constitute the supreme animating
power for the advancement of the world and the
exaltation of its peoples. Arise, O people, and, by
the power of God's might, resolve to gain the victory
over your own selves, that haply the whole earth may
be freed and sanctified from its servitude to the gods
of its idle fancies--gods that have inflicted such loss
upon, and are responsible for the misery of, their
wretched worshipers. These idols form the obstacle
that impedeth man in his efforts to advance in the path
of perfection. We cherish the hope that the Hand of
Divine power may lend its assistance to mankind,
and deliver it from its state of grievous abasement.
In one of the Tablets these words have been revealed:
O people of God! Do not busy yourselves
in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed

+P94
upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of
mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men.
This can best be achieved through pure and holy
deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior.
Valiant acts will ensure the triumph of this Cause,
and a saintly character will reinforce its power.
Cleave unto righteousness, O people of &Baha! This,
verily, is the commandment which this wronged One
hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained
Will for every one of you.
O friends! It behoveth you to refresh and revive
your souls through the gracious favors which in this
Divine, this soul-stirring Springtime are being showered
upon you. The Day Star of His great glory hath
shed its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His
limitless grace have overshadowed you. How high the
reward of him that hath not deprived himself of so
great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of
his Best-Beloved in this, His new attire. Watch over
yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready
to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked
devices, and, led by the light of the name of the
All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness
that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing,
rather than confined to your own self. The
Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth
the spiritual progress of the children of men.
It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to
hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests,

+P95
and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments.
Through each and every one of the verses
which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the
doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung
open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared
--and Our Word is the truth--: "Consort with the
followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and
fellowship." Whatsoever hath led the children of men
to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and
divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation
of these words, been nullified and abolished. From
the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling
the world of being and of elevating the
minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that
which is the most effective instrument for the education
of the whole human race. The highest essence
and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples
of old have either said or written hath, through
this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the
heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding
God. Of old it hath been revealed: "Love
of one's country is an element of the Faith of God."
The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day
of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to
boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth
the world." Through the power released by these
exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set
a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath

+P96
obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation
from God's holy Book.
O people of Justice! Be as brilliant as the light, and
as splendid as the fire that blazed in the Burning
Bush. The brightness of the fire of your love will no
doubt fuse and unify the contending peoples and
kindreds of the earth, whilst the fierceness of the
flame of enmity and hatred cannot but result in strife
and ruin. We beseech God that He may shield His
creatures from the evil designs of His enemies. He
verily hath power over all things.
All praise be to the one true God--exalted be
His glory--inasmuch as He hath, through the Pen
of the Most High, unlocked the doors of men's
hearts. Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is
a bright and shining portal that discloseth the glories
of a saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds.
The summons and the message which We gave were
never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one
people only. Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere
to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed
unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto
true liberty. The whole earth is illuminated with the
resplendent glory of God's Revelation. In the year
sixty He Who heralded the light of Divine Guidance
--may all creation be a sacrifice unto Him--arose to
announce a fresh revelation of the Divine Spirit, and
was followed, twenty years later, by Him through
Whose coming the world was made the recipient of

+P97
this promised glory, this wondrous favor. Behold how
the generality of mankind hath been endued with the
capacity to hearken unto God's most exalted Word--
the Word upon which must depend the gathering together
and spiritual resurrection of all men....
Incline your hearts, O people of God, unto the
counsels of your true, your incomparable Friend.
The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling,
whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of
men. It is incumbent upon you to foster its growth
through the living waters of wisdom, of sanctified
and holy words, so that its root may become firmly
fixed and its branches may spread out as high as the
heavens and beyond.
O ye that dwell on earth! The distinguishing feature
that marketh the preeminent character of this
Supreme Revelation consisteth in that We have, on
the one hand, blotted out from the pages of God's
holy Book whatsoever hath been the cause of strife,
of malice and mischief amongst the children of men,
and have, on the other, laid down the essential prerequisites
of concord, of understanding, of complete
and enduring unity. Well is it with them that keep
My statutes.
Time and again have We admonished Our beloved
ones to avoid, nay to flee from, anything whatsoever
from which the odor of mischief can be detected.
The world is in great turmoil, and the minds of its
people are in a state of utter confusion. We entreat

+P98
the Almighty that He may graciously illuminate
them with the glory of His Justice, and enable them
to discover that which will be profitable unto them
at all times and under all conditions. He, verily is the
All-Possessing, the Most High.

XLIV. Lay not aside the fear of God, O ye the
learned of the world, and judge fairly the Cause of
this unlettered One to Whom all the Books of God,
the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, have testified.
...Will not the dread of Divine displeasure, the
fear of Him Who hath no peer or equal, arouse you?
He Whom the world hath wronged hath, at no time,
associated with you, hath never studied your writings,
nor participated in any of your disputations.
The garb He weareth, His flowing locks, His headdress,
attest the truth of His words. How long will
ye persist in your injustice? Witness the habitation in
which He, Who is the incarnation of justice, hath
been forced to dwell. Open your eyes, and, beholding
His plight, meditate diligently upon that which
your hands have wrought, that haply ye may not be
deprived of the light of His Divine utterance, nor
remain bereft of your share of the ocean of His
knowledge.
Certain ones among both commoners and nobles
have objected that this wronged One is neither a
member of the ecclesiastical order nor a descendant
of the Prophet. Say: O ye that claim to be just! Reflect

+P99
a little while, and ye shall recognize how infinitely
exalted is His present state above the station
ye claim He should possess. The Will of the Almighty
hath decreed that out of a house wholly devoid of
all that the divines, the doctors, the sages, and scholars
commonly possess His Cause should proceed and
be made manifest.
The Breathings of the Divine Spirit awoke Him,
and bade Him arise and proclaim His Revelation. No
sooner was He roused from His slumber than He
lifted up His voice and summoned the whole of mankind
unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We have been
moved to reveal these words in consideration of the
weakness and frailty of men; otherwise, the Cause
We have proclaimed is such as no pen can ever describe,
nor any mind conceive its greatness. To this
beareth witness He with Whom is the Mother Book.

XLV. The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be
bound with chains that mankind may be released
from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a
prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the
whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath
drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the
peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy,
and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of
your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the
Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered

+P100
manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and
flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole
world, behold, how they that have joined partners
with God have forced Him to dwell within the most
desolate of cities!

XLVI. I sorrow not for the burden of My imprisonment.
Neither do I grieve over My abasement, or
the tribulation I suffer at the hands of Mine enemies.
By My life! They are My glory, a glory wherewith
God hath adorned His own Self. Would that ye know
it!
The shame I was made to bear hath uncovered the
glory with which the whole of creation had been invested,
and through the cruelties I have endured, the
Day Star of Justice hath manifested itself, and shed
its splendor upon men.
My sorrows are for those who have involved themselves
in their corrupt passions, and claim to be associated
with the Faith of God, the Gracious, the All-Praised.
It behoveth the people of &Baha to die to the world
and all that is therein, to be so detached from all
earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may inhale
from their garment the sweet smelling savor of
sanctity, that all the peoples of the earth may recognize
in their faces the brightness of the All-Merciful,
and that through them may be spread abroad the
signs and tokens of God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

+P101
They that have tarnished the fair name of the Cause
of God, by following the things of the flesh--these
are in palpable error!

XLVII. O Jews! If ye be intent on crucifying once
again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for
He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest
unto you. Deal with Me as ye wish, for I have
vowed to lay down My life in the path of God. I
will fear no one, though the powers of earth and
heaven be leagued against Me. Followers of the Gospel!
If ye cherish the desire to slay &Muhammad, the
Apostle of God, seize Me and put an end to My life,
for I am He, and My Self is His Self. Do unto Me
as ye like, for the deepest longing of Mine heart
is to attain the presence of My Best-Beloved in His
Kingdom of Glory. Such is the Divine decree, if ye
know it. Followers of &Muhammad! If it be your wish
to riddle with your shafts the breast of Him Who
hath caused His Book the &Bayan to be sent down
unto you, lay hands on Me and persecute Me, for I
am His Well-Beloved, the revelation of His own
Self, though My name be not His name. I have come
in the shadows of the clouds of glory, and am invested
by God with invincible sovereignty. He, verily,
is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. I,
verily, anticipate from you the treatment ye have
accorded unto Him that came before Me. To this all
things, verily, witness, if ye be of those who hearken.

+P102
O people of the &Bayan! If ye have resolved to shed
the blood of Him Whose coming the &Bab hath proclaimed,
Whose advent &Muhammad hath prophesied,
and Whose Revelation Jesus Christ Himself hath announced,
behold Me standing, ready and defenseless,
before you. Deal with Me after your own desires.

XLVIII. God is my witness! Had it not been in
conflict with that which the Tablets of God have
decreed, I would have gladly kissed the hands of whosoever
attempted to shed my blood in the path of the
Well-Beloved. I would, moreover, have bestowed
upon him a share of such worldly goods as God had
allowed me to possess, even though he who perpetrated
this act would have provoked the wrath of the
Almighty, incurred His malediction, and deserved to
be tormented throughout the eternity of God, the
All-Possessing, the Equitable, the All-Wise.

XLIX. Know verily that whenever this Youth
turneth His eyes towards His own self, he findeth it
the most insignificant of all creation. When He
contemplates, however, the bright effulgences He
hath been empowered to manifest, lo, that self is
transfigured before Him into a sovereign Potency
permeating the essence of all things visible and invisible.
Glory be to Him Who, through the power
of truth, hath sent down the Manifestation of His
own Self and entrusted Him with His message unto
all mankind.

+P103
L. Shake off, O heedless ones, the slumber of
negligence, that ye may behold the radiance which
His glory hath spread through the world. How foolish
are those who murmur against the premature
birth of His light. O ye who are inly blind! Whether
too soon or too late, the evidences of His effulgent
glory are now actually manifest. It behoveth you to
ascertain whether or not such a light hath appeared.
It is neither within your power nor mine to set the
time at which it should be made manifest. God's inscrutable
Wisdom hath fixed its hour beforehand. Be
content, O people, with that which God hath desired
for you and predestined unto you.... O my ill-wishers!
The Day Star of eternal Guidance beareth
me witness: Had it been in my power, I would have,
under no circumstances, consented to distinguish myself
amongst men, for the Name I bear utterly disdaineth
to associate itself with this generation whose
tongues are sullied and whose hearts are false. And
whenever I chose to hold my peace and be still, lo,
the voice of the Holy Ghost, standing on my right
hand, aroused me, and the Supreme Spirit appeared
before my face, and Gabriel overshadowed me, and
the Spirit of Glory stirred within my bosom, bidding
me arise and break my silence. If your hearing be
purged and your ears be attentive, ye will assuredly
perceive that every limb of my body, nay all the
atoms of my being, proclaim and bear witness to this
call: "God, besides Whom is none other God, and He,

+P104
Whose beauty is now manifest, is the reflection of
His glory unto all that are in heaven and on earth."

LI. O people! I swear by the one true God! This
is the Ocean out of which all seas have proceeded,
and with which every one of them will ultimately
be united. From Him all the Suns have been generated,
and unto Him they will all return. Through
His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation have
yielded their fruits, every one of which hath been
sent down in the form of a Prophet, bearing a Message
to God's creatures in each of the worlds whose
number God, alone, in His all-encompassing Knowledge,
can reckon. This He hath accomplished through
the agency of but one Letter of His Word, revealed
by His Pen--a Pen moved by His directing Finger--
His Finger itself sustained by the power of God's
Truth.

LII. Say: O people! Withhold not from yourselves
the grace of God and His mercy. Whoso withholdeth
himself therefrom is indeed in grievous loss. What, O
people! Do ye worship the dust, and turn away from
your Lord, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful? Fear ye
God, and be not of those who perish. Say: The Book
of God hath been sent down in the form of this
Youth. Hallowed, therefore, be God, the most excellent
of makers! Take ye good heed, O peoples of the
world, lest ye flee from His face. Nay, make haste

+P105
to attain His presence, and be of them that have returned
unto Him. Pray to be forgiven, O people, for
having failed in your duty towards God, and for having
trespassed against His Cause, and be not of the
foolish. He it is Who hath created you; He it is Who
hath nourished your souls through His Cause, and enabled
you to recognize Him Who is the Almighty,
the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing. He it is Who
hath unveiled to your eyes the treasures of His
knowledge, and caused you to ascend unto the heaven
of certitude--the certitude of His resistless, His
irrefutable, and most exalted Faith. Beware that ye
do not deprive yourselves of the grace of God, that
ye do not bring to naught your works, and do not
repudiate the truth of this most manifest, this lofty,
this shining, and glorious Revelation. Judge ye fairly
the Cause of God, your Creator, and behold that
which hath been sent down from the Throne on
high, and meditate thereon with innocent and sanctified
hearts. Then will the truth of this Cause appear
unto you as manifest as the sun in its noon-tide glory.
Then will ye be of them that have believed in Him.
Say: The first and foremost testimony establishing
His truth is His own Self. Next to this testimony
is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize
either the one or the other He hath established the
words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and
truth. This is, verily, an evidence of His tender
mercy unto men. He hath endowed every soul with

+P106
the capacity to recognize the signs of God. How
could He, otherwise, have fulfilled His testimony
unto men, if ye be of them that ponder His Cause
in their hearts. He will never deal unjustly with any
one, neither will He task a soul beyond its power.
He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful.
Say: So great is the glory of the Cause of God that
even the blind can perceive it, how much more they
whose sight is sharp, whose vision is pure. The blind,
though unable to perceive the light of the sun, are,
nevertheless, capable of experiencing its continual
heat. The blind in heart, however, among the people
of the &Bayan--and to this God is My witness--are
impotent, no matter how long the Sun may shine
upon them, either to perceive the radiance of its
glory, or to appreciate the warmth of its rays.
Say: O people of the &Bayan! We have chosen you
out of the world to know and recognize Our Self.
We have caused you to draw nigh unto the right side
of Paradise--the Spot out of which the undying Fire
crieth in manifold accents: "There is none other God
besides Me, the All-Powerful, the Most High!" Take
heed lest ye allow yourselves to be shut out as by a
veil from this Day Star that shineth above the dayspring
of the Will of your Lord, the All-Merciful,
and whose light hath encompassed both the small and
the great. Purge your sight, that ye may perceive
its glory with your own eyes, and depend not on the
sight of any one except your self, for God hath

+P107
never burdened any soul beyond its power. Thus hath
it been sent down unto the Prophets and Messengers
of old, and been recorded in all the Scriptures.
Strive, O people, to gain admittance into this vast
Immensity for which God ordained neither beginning
nor end, in which His voice hath been raised, and
over which have been wafted the sweet savors of
holiness and glory. Divest not yourselves of the Robe
of grandeur, neither suffer your hearts to be deprived
of remembering your Lord, nor your ears of hearkening
unto the sweet melodies of His wondrous, His
sublime, His all-compelling, His clear, and most eloquent
voice.

LIII. O &Nasir, O My servant! God, the Eternal
Truth, beareth Me witness. The Celestial Youth hath,
in this Day, raised above the heads of men the glorious
Chalice of Immortality, and is standing expectant
upon His seat, wondering what eye will recognize His
glory, and what arm will, unhesitatingly, be stretched
forth to seize the Cup from His snow-white Hand
and drain it. Only a few have as yet quaffed from
this peerless, this soft-flowing grace of the Ancient
King. These occupy the loftiest mansions of Paradise,
and are firmly established upon the seats of authority.
By the righteousness of God! Neither the mirrors of
His glory, nor the revealers of His names, nor any
created thing, that hath been or will ever be, can ever

+P108
excel them, if ye be of them that comprehend this
truth.
O &Nasir! The excellence of this Day is immensely
exalted above the comprehension of men, however
extensive their knowledge, however profound their
understanding. How much more must it transcend
the imaginations of them that have strayed from its
light, and been shut out from its glory! Shouldst
thou rend asunder the grievous veil that blindeth
thy vision, thou wouldst behold such a bounty as
naught, from the beginning that hath no beginning
till the end that hath no end, can either resemble or
equal. What language should He Who is the Mouthpiece
of God choose to speak, so that they who are
shut out as by a veil from Him can recognize His
glory? The righteous, inmates of the Kingdom on
high, shall drink deep from the Wine of Holiness, in
My name, the all-glorious. None other besides them
will share such benefits.

LIV. By the righteousness of God, my Well-Beloved!
I have never aspired after worldly leadership.
My sole purpose hath been to hand down unto men
that which I was bidden to deliver by God, the Gracious,
the Incomparable, that it may detach them
from all that pertaineth to this world, and cause them
to attain such heights as neither the ungodly can
conceive, nor the froward imagine.

+P109
LV. Call thou to remembrance, O Land of &Ta
(&Tihran), the former days in which thy Lord had
made thee the seat of His throne, and had enveloped
thee with the effulgence of His glory. How vast the
number of those sanctified beings, those symbols of
certitude, who, in their great love for thee, have laid
down their lives and sacrificed their all for thy sake!
Joy be to thee, and blissfulness to them that inhabit
thee. I testify that out of thee, as every discerning
heart knoweth, proceedeth the living breath of Him
Who is the Desire of the world. In thee the Unseen
hath been revealed, and out of thee hath gone forth
that which lay hid from the eyes of men. Which one
of the multitude of thy sincere lovers shall We remember,
whose blood hath been shed within thy
gates, and whose dust is now concealed beneath thy
soil? The sweet savors of God have unceasingly been
wafted, and shall everlastingly continue to be wafted
upon thee. Our Pen is moved to commemorate thee,
and to extol the victims of tyranny, those men and
women that sleep beneath thy dust.
Among them is Our own sister, whom We now
call to mind as a token of Our fidelity, and as proof
of Our loving-kindness, unto her. How piteous was
her plight! In what a state of resignation she returned
to her God! We, alone, in Our all-encompassing
knowledge, have known it.
O Land of &Ta! Thou art still, through the grace
of God, a center around which His beloved ones have

+P110
gathered. Happy are they; happy every refugee that
seeketh thy shelter, in his sufferings in the path of
God, the Lord of this wondrous Day! Blessed are
they that remember the one true God, that magnify
His Name, and seek diligently to serve His Cause.
It is to these men that the sacred Books of old have
referred. On them hath the Commander of the Faithful
lavished his praise, saying: "The blessedness awaiting
them excelleth the blessedness we now enjoy."
He, verily, hath spoken the truth, and to this We
now testify. The glory of their station, however, is as
yet undisclosed. The Hand of Divine power will,
assuredly, lift up the veil, and expose to the sight of
men that which shall cheer and lighten the eye of
the world.
Render thanks unto God, the Eternal Truth, exalted
be His glory, inasmuch as ye have attained so
wondrous a favor, and been adorned with the ornament
of His praise. Appreciate the value of these
days, and cleave to whatsoever beseemeth this Revelation.
He, verily, is the Counsellor, the Compassionate,
the All-Knowing.

LVI. Let nothing grieve thee, O Land of &Ta
(&Tihran), 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

+P111
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.
Rejoice with great joy, for God hath made thee
"the Day Spring 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 Day Star of
grace hath shed its splendor, through which both
earth and heaven have been illumined.
Ere long 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.

LVII. When thou art departed out of the court of
My presence, O &Muhammad, direct thy steps towards
My House (&Baghdad House), and visit it on behalf
of thy Lord. When thou reachest its door, stand thou
before it and say: Whither is the Ancient Beauty
gone, O most great House of God, He through

+P112
Whom God hath made thee the cynosure of an
adoring world, and proclaimed thee to be the sign
of His remembrance unto all who are in the heavens
and all who are on the earth? Oh! for the former days
when thou, O House of God, wert made His footstool,
the days when in ceaseless strains the melody
of the All-Merciful poured forth from thee! What
hath become of thy jewel whose glory hath irradiated
all creation? Whither are gone the days in which
He, the Ancient King, had made thee the throne of
His glory, the days in which He had chosen thee
alone to be the lamp of salvation between earth and
heaven, and caused thee to diffuse, at dawn and at
eventide, the sweet fragrance of the All-Glorious?
Where, O House of God, is the Sun of majesty and
power Who had enveloped thee with the brightness
of His presence? Where is He, the Day Spring of
the tender mercies of thy Lord, the Unconstrained,
Who had established His seat within thy walls? What
is it, O throne of God, that hath altered thy countenance,
and made thy pillars to tremble? What could
have closed thy door to the face of them that eagerly
seek thee? What hath made thee so desolate? Couldst
thou have been told that the Beloved of the world is
pursued by the swords of His enemies? The Lord
bless thee, and bless thy fidelity unto Him, inasmuch
as thou hast remained His companion through all His
sorrows and His sufferings.
I testify that thou art the scene of His transcendent

+P113
glory, His most holy habitation. Out of thee
hath gone forth the Breath of the All-Glorious, a
Breath that hath breathed over all created things,
and filled with joy the breasts of the devout that
dwell in the mansions of Paradise. The Concourse on
high, and they that inhabit the Cities of the Names
of God, weep over thee, and bewail the things that
have befallen thee.
Thou art still the symbol of the names and attributes
of the Almighty, the Point towards which
the eyes of the Lord of earth and heaven are directed.
There hath befallen thee what hath befallen
the Ark in which God's pledge of security had been
made to dwell. Well is it with him that apprehendeth
the intent of these words, and recognizeth the purpose
of Him Who is the Lord of all creation.
Happy are those that inhale from thee the sweet
savors of the Merciful, that acknowledge thine exaltation,
that safeguard thy sanctity, that reverence, at
all times, thy station. We implore the Almighty to
grant that the eyes of those who have turned away
from thee, and failed to appreciate thy worth, may
be opened, that they may truly recognize thee, and
Him Who, through the power of truth, hath raised
thee up on high. Blind, indeed, are they about thee,
and utterly unaware of thee in this day. Thy Lord is,
verily, the Gracious, the Forgiving.
I bear witness that through thee God hath proved
the hearts of His servants. Blessed be the man that

+P114
directeth his steps toward thee, and visiteth thee. Woe
to him that denieth thy right, that turneth away
from thee, that dishonoreth thy name, and profaneth
thy holiness.
Grieve not, O House of God, if the veil of thy
sanctity be rent asunder by the infidels. God hath,
in the world of creation, adorned thee with the jewel
of His remembrance. Such an ornament no man can,
at any time, profane. Towards thee the eyes of thy
Lord shall, under all conditions, remain directed. He,
verily, will incline His ear to the prayer of every one
that visiteth thee, who will circle around thee, and
calleth upon Him in thy name. He, in truth, is the
Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by this House that hath
suffered such change in its separation from Thee,
that bewaileth its remoteness from Thy presence, and
lamenteth Thy tribulation, to forgive me, and my
parents, and my kindred, and such of my brethren as
have believed in Thee. Grant that all my needs be
satisfied, through Thy bounty, O Thou Who art the
King of Names. Thou art the most Bountiful of the
bountiful, the Lord of all worlds.

LVIII. Call thou to mind that which hath been
revealed unto &Mihdi, Our servant, in the first year
of Our banishment to the Land of Mystery (Adrianople).
Unto him have We predicted that which must
befall Our House (&Baghdad House), in the days to

+P115
come, lest he grieve over the acts of robbery and violence
already perpetrated against it. Verily, the Lord,
thy God, knoweth all that is in the heavens and all
that is on the earth.
To him We have written: This is not the first humiliation
inflicted upon My House. In days gone by
the hand of the oppressor hath heaped indignities
upon it. Verily, it shall be so abased in the days to
come as to cause tears to flow from every discerning
eye. Thus have We unfolded to thee things hidden
beyond the veil, inscrutable to all save God, the Almighty,
the All-Praised. In the fullness of time, the
Lord shall, by the power of truth, exalt it in the eyes
of all men. He shall cause it to become the Standard
of His Kingdom, the Shrine round which will circle
the concourse of the faithful. Thus hath spoken the
Lord, thy God, ere the day of lamentation arriveth.
This revelation have We given thee in Our holy
Tablet, lest thou sorrow for what hath befallen Our
House through the assaults of the enemy. All praise
be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

LIX. Every unbiased observer will readily admit
that, ever since the dawn of His Revelation, this
wronged One hath invited all mankind to turn their
faces towards the Day Spring of Glory, and hath forbidden
corruption, hatred, oppression, and wickedness.
And yet, behold what the hand of the oppressor
hath wrought! No pen dare describe his tyranny.

+P116
Though the purpose of Him Who is the Eternal
Truth hath been to confer everlasting life upon all
men, and ensure their security and peace, yet witness
how they have arisen to shed the blood of His
loved ones, and have pronounced on Him the sentence
of death.
The instigators of this oppression are those very
persons who, though so foolish, are reputed the wisest
of the wise. Such is their blindness that, with unfeigned
severity, they have cast into this fortified
and afflictive Prison Him, for the servants of Whose
Threshold the world hath been created. The Almighty,
however, in spite of them and those that
have repudiated the truth of this "Great Announcement,"
hath transformed this Prison House into the
Most Exalted Paradise, the Heaven of Heavens.
We did not refuse such material benefits as could
relieve Us from Our afflictions. Every one of Our
companions, however, will bear Us witness that Our
holy court is sanctified from, and far above, such
material benefits. We have nevertheless accepted,
while confined in this Prison, those things of which
the infidels have striven to deprive Us. If a man be
found willing to rear, in Our name, an edifice of pure
gold or silver, or a house begemmed with stones of
inestimable value, such a wish will no doubt be
granted. He, verily, doeth what He willeth, and ordaineth
that which He pleaseth. Leave hath, moreover,
been given to whosoever may desire to raise,

+P117
throughout the length and breadth of this land, noble
and imposing structures, and dedicate the rich
and sacred territories adjoining the Jordan and its
vicinity to the worship and service of the one true
God, magnified be His glory, that the prophecies recorded
by the Pen of the Most High in the sacred
Scriptures may be fulfilled, and that which God, the
Lord of all worlds, hath purposed in this most exalted,
this most holy, this mighty, and wondrous
Revelation may be made manifest.
We have, of old, uttered these words: Spread thy
skirt, O Jerusalem! Ponder this in your hearts, O people
of &Baha, and render thanks unto your Lord, the
Expounder, the Most Manifest.
Were the mysteries, that are known to none except
God, to be unraveled, the whole of mankind would
witness the evidences of perfect and consummate
justice. With a certitude that none can question, all
men would cleave to His commandments, and would
scrupulously observe them. We, verily, have decreed
in Our Book a goodly and bountiful reward to whosoever
will turn away from wickedness and lead a
chaste and godly life. He, in truth, is the Great
Giver, the All-Bountiful.

LX. My captivity can bring on Me no shame.
Nay, by My life, it conferreth on Me glory. That
which can make Me ashamed is the conduct of such

+P118
of My followers as profess to love Me, yet in fact
follow the Evil One. They, indeed, are of the lost.
When the time set for this Revelation was fulfilled,
and He Who is the Day Star of the world appeared
in &Iraq, He bade His followers observe that
which would sanctify them from all earthly defilements.
Some preferred to follow the desires of a corrupt
inclination, while others walked in the way of
righteousness and truth, and were rightly guided.
Say: He is not to be numbered with the people of
&Baha who followeth his mundane desires, or fixeth
his heart on things of the earth. He is My true follower
who, if he come to a valley of pure gold, will
pass straight through it aloof as a cloud, and will
neither turn back, nor pause. Such a man is, assuredly,
of Me. From his garment the Concourse on high
can inhale the fragrance of sanctity.... And if he
met the fairest and most comely of women, he would
not feel his heart seduced by the least shadow of desire
for her beauty. Such an one, indeed, is the creation
of spotless chastity. Thus instructeth you the
Pen of the Ancient of Days, as bidden by your Lord,
the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

LXI. The world is in travail, and its agitation
waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness
and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that
to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its
perversity will long continue. And when the appointed

+P119
hour is come, there shall suddenly appear
that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake.
Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be
unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its
melody.

LXII. Recall thou to mind My sorrows, My cares
and anxieties, My woes and trials, the state of My
captivity, the tears that I have shed, the bitterness of
Mine anguish, and now My imprisonment in this far-off
land. God, O &Mustafa, beareth Me witness.
Couldst thou be told what hath befallen the Ancient
Beauty, thou wouldst flee into the wilderness, and
weep with a great weeping. In thy grief, thou
wouldst smite thyself on the head, and cry out as
one stung by the sting of the adder. Be thou grateful
to God, that We have refused to divulge unto thee
the secrets of those unsearchable decrees that have
been sent down unto Us from the heaven of the Will
of thy Lord, the Most Powerful, the Almighty.
By the righteousness of God! Every morning I
arose from My bed, I discovered the hosts of countless
afflictions massed behind My door; and every
night when I lay down, lo! My heart was torn with
agony at what it had suffered from the fiendish
cruelty of its foes. With every piece of bread the Ancient
Beauty breaketh is coupled the assault of a
fresh affliction, and with every drop He drinketh is
mixed the bitterness of the most woeful of trials. He

+P120
is preceded in every step He taketh by an army of
unforeseen calamities, while in His rear follow legions
of agonizing sorrows.
Such is My plight, wert thou to ponder it in thine
heart. Let not, however, thy soul grieve over that
which God hath rained down upon Us. Merge thy
will in His pleasure, for We have, at no time, desired
anything whatsoever except His Will, and have
welcomed each one of His irrevocable decrees. Let
thine heart be patient, and be thou not dismayed.
Follow not in the way of them that are sorely agitated.

LXIII. O thou whose face is turned towards Me!
As soon as thine eyes behold from afar My native city
(&Tihran), stand thou and say: I am come to thee
out of the Prison, O Land of &Ta, with tidings from
God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. I announce
unto thee, O mother of the world and fountain
of light unto all its peoples, the tender mercies
of thy Lord, and greet thee in the name of Him Who
is the Eternal Truth, the Knower of things unseen.
I testify that within thee He Who is the Hidden
Name was revealed, and the Unseen Treasure uncovered.
Through thee the secret of all things, be they
of the past or of the future, hath been unfolded.
O Land of &Ta! He Who is the Lord of Names remembereth
thee in His glorious station. Thou wert
the Day Spring of the Cause of God, the fountain of

+P121
His Revelation, the manifestation of His Most Great
Name--a Name that hath caused the hearts and
souls of men to tremble. How vast the number of
those men and women, those victims of tyranny, that
have, within thy walls, laid down their lives in the
path of God, and been buried beneath thy dust with
such cruelty as to cause every honored servant of
God to bemoan their plight.

LXIV. It is Our wish to remember the Abode of
supreme blissfulness (&Tihran), the holy and shining
city--the city wherein the fragrance of the Well-Beloved
hath been shed, wherein His signs have been
diffused, wherein the evidences of His glory have
been revealed, wherein His standards have been
raised, wherein His tabernacle hath been pitched,
wherein each of His wise decrees hath been unfolded.
It is the city in which the sweet savors of reunion
have breathed, which have caused the sincere
lovers of God to draw nigh unto Him, and to gain
access to the Habitation of holiness and beauty.
Happy is the wayfarer that directeth his steps
towards this city, that gaineth admittance into it,
and quaffeth the wine of reunion, through the outpouring
grace of his Lord, the Gracious, the All-Praised.
I am come to thee, O land of the heart's desire,
with tidings from God, and announce to thee His

+P122
gracious favor and mercy, and greet and magnify
thee in His name. He, in truth, is of immense bounteousness
and goodness. Blessed be the man that turneth
his face towards thee, that perceiveth from thee
the fragrance of God's Presence, the Lord of all
worlds. His glory be on thee, and the brightness of
His light envelop thee, inasmuch as God hath made
thee a paradise unto His servants, and proclaimed
thee to be the blest and sacred land of which He,
Himself, hath made mention in the Books which His
Prophets and Messengers have revealed.
Through thee, O land of resplendent glory, the
ensign, "There is none other God but Him," hath
been unfurled, and the standard, "Verily I am the
Truth, the Knower of things unseen," been hoisted.
It behoveth every one that visiteth thee to glory in
thee and in them that inhabit thee, that have
branched from My Tree, who are the leaves thereof,
who are the signs of My glory, who follow Me and
are My lovers, and who, with the most mighty determination,
have turned their faces in the direction
of My glorious station.

LXV. Call Thou to remembrance Thine arrival in
the City (Constantinople), how the Ministers of the
&Sultan thought Thee to be unacquainted with their
laws and regulations, and believed Thee to be one of
the ignorant. Say: Yes, by My Lord! I am ignorant
of all things except what God hath, through His

+P123
bountiful favor, been pleased to teach Me. To this
We assuredly testify, and unhesitatingly confess it.
Say: If the laws and regulations to which ye cleave
be of your own making, We will, in no wise, follow
them. Thus have I been instructed by Him Who is
the All-Wise, the All-Informed. Such hath been My
way in the past, and such will it remain in the future,
through the power of God and His might. This, indeed,
is the true and right way. If they be ordained
by God, bring forth, then, your proofs, if ye be of
them that speak the truth. Say: We have written
down in a Book which leaveth not unrecorded the
work of any man, however insignificant, all that
they have imputed to Thee, and all that they have
done unto Thee.
Say: It behoveth you, O Ministers of State, to keep
the precepts of God, and to forsake your own laws
and regulations, and to be of them who are guided
aright. Better is this for you than all ye possess, did
ye but know it. If ye transgress the commandment
of God, not one jot or one tittle of all your works
shall be acceptable in His sight. Ye shall, erelong, discover
the consequences of that which ye shall have
done in this vain life, and shall be repaid for them.
This, verily, is the truth, the undoubted truth.
How great the number of those who, in bygone
ages, have committed the things ye have committed,
and who, though superior to you in rank, have, in the
end, returned unto dust, and been consigned to their

+P124
inevitable doom! Would that ye might ponder the
Cause of God in your hearts! Ye shall follow in their
wake, and shall be made to enter a habitation wherein
none shall be found to befriend or help you. Ye shall,
of a truth, be asked of your doings, shall be called to
account for your failure in duty with regard to the
Cause of God, and for having disdainfully rejected
His loved ones who, with manifest sincerity, have
come unto you.
It is ye who have taken counsel together regarding
them, ye that have preferred to follow the promptings
of your own desires, and forsaken the commandment
of God, the Help in Peril, the Almighty.
Say: What! Cleave ye to your own devices, and
cast behind your backs the precepts of God? Ye, indeed,
have wronged your own selves and others.
Would that ye could perceive it! Say: If your rules
and principles be founded on justice, why is it, then,
that ye follow those which accord with your corrupt
inclinations and reject such as conflict with your
desires? By what right claim ye, then, to judge fairly
between men? Are your rules and principles such as
to justify your persecution of Him Who, at your
bidding, hath presented Himself before you, your
rejection of Him, and your infliction on Him every
day of grievous injury? Hath He ever, though it be
for one short moment, disobeyed you? All the inhabitants
of &Iraq, and beyond them every discerning
observer, will bear witness to the truth of My words.

+P125
Be fair in your judgment, O ye Ministers of
State! What is it that We have committed that could
justify Our banishment? What is the offense that
hath warranted Our expulsion? It is We Who have
sought you, and yet, behold how ye refused to receive
Us! By God! This is a sore injustice that ye have perpetrated
--an injustice with which no earthly injustice
can measure. To this the Almighty is Himself a
witness....
Know ye that the world and its vanities and its
embellishments shall pass away. Nothing will endure
except God's Kingdom which pertaineth to none but
Him, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Help in Peril, the
All-Glorious, the Almighty. The days of your life
shall roll away, and all the things with which ye are
occupied and of which ye boast yourselves shall
perish, and ye shall, most certainly, be summoned by
a company of His angels to appear at the spot where
the limbs of the entire creation shall be made to
tremble, and the flesh of every oppressor to creep. Ye
shall be asked of the things your hands have wrought
in this, your vain life, and shall be repaid for your
doings. This is the day that shall inevitably come
upon you, the hour that none can put back. To this
the Tongue of Him that speaketh the truth and is
the Knower of all things hath testified.

LXVI. Fear God, ye inhabitants of the City (Constantinople),
and sow not the seeds of dissension

+P126
amongst men. Walk not in the paths of the Evil One.
Walk ye, during the few remaining days of your life,
in the ways of the one true God. Your days shall pass
away as have the days of them who were before you.
To dust shall ye return, even as your fathers of old
did return.
Know ye that I am afraid of none except God. In
none but Him have I placed My trust; to none will
I cleave but Him, and wish for naught except the
thing He hath wished for Me. This, indeed, is My
heart's desire, did ye but know it. I have offered up
My soul and My body as a sacrifice for God, the Lord
of all worlds. Whoso hath known God shall know
none but Him, and he that feareth God shall be
afraid of no one except Him, though the powers of
the whole earth rise up and be arrayed against him.
I speak naught except at His bidding, and follow not,
through the power of God and His might, except His
truth. He, verily, shall recompense the truthful.
Narrate, O Servant, the things Thou didst behold
at the time of Thine arrival in the City, that Thy
testimony may endure amongst men, and serve as a
warning unto them that believe. We found, upon
Our arrival in the City, its governors and elders as
children gathered about and disporting themselves
with clay. We perceived no one sufficiently mature to
acquire from Us the truths which God hath taught
Us, nor ripe for Our wondrous words of wisdom.
Our inner eye wept sore over them, and over their

+P127
transgressions and their total disregard of the thing
for which they were created. This is what We observed
in that City, and which We have chosen to
note down in Our Book, that it may serve as a warning
unto them, and unto the rest of mankind.
Say: If ye be seekers after this life and the vanities
thereof, ye should have sought them while ye were
still enclosed in your mothers' wombs, for at that
time ye were continually approaching them, could ye
but perceive it. Ye have, on the other hand, ever since
ye were born and attained maturity, been all the
while receding from the world and drawing closer to
dust. Why, then, exhibit such greed in amassing the
treasures of the earth, when your days are numbered
and your chance is well-nigh lost? Will ye not, then,
O heedless ones, shake off your slumber?
Incline your ears to the counsels which this Servant
giveth you for the sake of God. He, verily,
asketh no recompense from you and is resigned to
what God hath ordained for Him, and is entirely
submissive to God's Will.
The days of your life are far spent, O people, and
your end is fast approaching. Put away, therefore,
the things ye have devised and to which ye cleave,
and take firm hold on the precepts of God, that haply
ye may attain that which He hath purposed for you,
and be of them that pursue a right course. Delight
not yourselves in the things of the world and its vain
ornaments, neither set your hopes on them. Let your

+P128
reliance be on the remembrance of God, the Most
Exalted, the Most Great. He will, erelong, bring to
naught all the things ye possess. Let Him be your
fear, and forget not His covenant with you, and be
not of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him.
Beware that ye swell not with pride before God,
and disdainfully reject His loved ones. Defer ye
humbly to the faithful, they that have believed in
God and in His signs, whose hearts witness to His
unity, whose tongues proclaim His oneness, and who
speak not except by His leave. Thus do We exhort
you with justice, and warn you with truth, that perchance
ye may be awakened.
Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not
wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one
the things ye would not desire for yourselves. This is
My best counsel unto you, did ye but observe it.
Respect ye the divines and learned amongst you,
they whose conduct accords with their professions,
who transgress not the bounds which God hath fixed,
whose judgments are in conformity with His behests
as revealed in His Book. Know ye that they are the
lamps of guidance unto them that are in the heavens
and on the earth. They who disregard and neglect
the divines and learned that live amongst them--
these have truly changed the favor with which God
hath favored them.
Say: Await ye till God will have changed His
favor unto you. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Him.

+P129
He knoweth the secrets both of the heavens and of
the earth. His knowledge embraceth all things. Rejoice
not in what ye have done, or will do in the
future, nor delight in the tribulation with which ye
have afflicted Us, for ye are unable by such means
as these to exalt your stations, were ye to examine
your works with acute discernment. Neither will ye
be capable of detracting from the loftiness of Our
state. Nay, God will add unto the recompense with
which He shall reward Us, for having sustained with
persevering patience the tribulations We have suffered.
He, verily, shall increase the reward of them
that endure with patience.
Know ye that trials and tribulations have, from
time immemorial, been the lot of the chosen Ones of
God and His beloved, and such of His servants as are
detached from all else but Him, they whom neither
merchandise nor traffic beguile from the remembrance
of the Almighty, they that speak not till He
hath spoken, and act according to His commandment.
Such is God's method carried into effect of
old, and such will it remain in the future. Blessed
are the steadfastly enduring, they that are patient
under ills and hardships, who lament not over anything
that befalleth them, and who tread the path
of resignation....
The day is approaching when God will have raised
up a people who will call to remembrance Our days,

+P130
who will tell the tale of Our trials, who will
demand the restitution of Our rights from them that,
without a tittle of evidence, have treated Us with
manifest injustice. God, assuredly, dominateth the
lives of them that wronged Us, and is well aware of
their doings. He will, most certainly, lay hold on
them for their sins. He, verily, is the fiercest of
avengers.
Thus have We recounted unto you the tales of the
one true God, and sent down unto you the things He
had preordained, that haply ye may ask forgiveness
of Him, may return unto Him, may truly repent,
may realize your misdeeds, may shake off your slumber,
may be roused from your heedlessness, may atone
for the things that have escaped you, and be of them
that do good. Let him who will, acknowledge the
truth of My words; and as to him that willeth not,
let him turn aside. My sole duty is to remind you of
your failure in duty towards the Cause of God, if
perchance ye may be of them that heed My warning.
Wherefore, hearken ye unto My speech, and return
ye to God and repent, that He, through His grace,
may have mercy upon you, may wash away your sins,
and forgive your trespasses. The greatness of His
mercy surpasseth the fury of His wrath, and His
grace encompasseth all who have been called into
being and been clothed with the robe of life, be they
of the past or of the future.

+P131
LXVII. There hath appeared in this Revelation
what hath never appeared before. As to the infidels
that have witnessed what hath been manifested, they
murmur and say: "Verily, this is a sorcerer who hath
devised a lie against God." They are indeed an outcast
people.
Tell out to the nations, O Pen of the Ancient of
Days, the things that have happened in &Iraq. Tell
them of the messenger whom the congregation of the
divines of that land had delegated to meet Us, who,
when attaining Our presence, questioned Us concerning
certain sciences, and whom We answered by
virtue of the knowledge We inherently possess. Thy
Lord is, verily, the Knower of things unseen. "We
testify," said he, "that the knowledge Thou dost
possess is such as none can rival. Such a knowledge,
however, is insufficient to vindicate the exalted station
which the people ascribe to Thee. Produce, if
Thou speakest the truth, what the combined forces
of the peoples of the earth are powerless to produce."
Thus was it irrevocably decreed in the court of the
presence of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Loving.
"Witness! What is it thou seest?" He was dumbfounded.
And when he came to himself, he said: "I
truly believe in God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised."
"Go thou to the people, and tell them:
`Ask whatsoever ye please. Powerful is He to do what
He willeth. Nothing whatsoever, be it of the past or
of the future, can frustrate His Will.' Say: `O ye

+P132
congregation of the divines! Choose any matter ye
desire, and ask your Lord, the God of Mercy, to
reveal it unto you. If He fulfil your wish, by virtue
of His sovereignty, believe ye then in Him, and be
not of those that reject His truth.'" "The dawn of
understanding hath now broken," said he, "and the
testimony of the All-Merciful is fulfilled." He arose
and returned unto them that sent him, at the bidding
of God, the All-Glorious, the Well-Beloved.
Days passed and he failed to come back to Us.
Eventually, there came another messenger who informed
Us that the people had given up what they
originally had purposed. They are indeed a contemptible
people. This is what happened in &Iraq, and
to what I reveal I Myself am witness. This happening
was noised abroad, yet none was found to comprehend
its meaning. Thus did We ordain it. Would
that ye knew this!
By My Self! Whoso hath in bygone ages asked Us
to produce the signs of God, hath, no sooner We
revealed them to him, repudiated God's truth. The
people, however, have, for the most part, remained
heedless. They whose eyes are illumined with the light
of understanding will perceive the sweet savors of
the All-Merciful, and will embrace His truth. These
are they who are truly sincere.

LXVIII. O thou who art the fruit of My Tree and
the leaf thereof! On thee be My glory and My mercy.

+P133
Let not thine heart grieve over what hath befallen
thee. Wert thou to scan the pages of the Book of
Life, thou wouldst, most certainly, discover that
which would dissipate thy sorrows and dissolve thine
anguish.
Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees
of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and
predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be
obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other
is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all
must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and
settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As
the harm that must result from such a change will be
greater than if the decree had remained unaltered,
all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God
hath willed and confidently abide by the same.
The decree that is impending, however, is such
that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it.
God grant that thou who art the fruit of My Tree,
and they that are associated with thee, may be
shielded from its evil consequences.
Say: O God, my God! Thou hast committed into
mine hands a trust from Thee, and hast now according
to the good-pleasure of Thy Will called it back
to Thyself. It is not for me, who am a handmaid of
Thine, to say, whence is this to me or wherefore hath
it happened, inasmuch as Thou art glorified in all
Thine acts, and art to be obeyed in Thy decree.

+P134
Thine handmaid, O my Lord, hath set her hopes on
Thy grace and bounty. Grant that she may obtain
that which will draw her nigh unto Thee, and will
profit her in every world of Thine. Thou art the
Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. There is none other
God but Thee, the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
Vouchsafe Thy blessings, O Lord, my God, unto
them that have quaffed the wine of Thy love before
the face of men, and, in spite of Thine enemies, have
acknowledged Thy unity, testified to Thy oneness,
and confessed their belief in that which hath made
the limbs of the oppressors among Thy creatures to
quake, and the flesh of the proud ones of the earth
to tremble. I bear witness that Thy Sovereignty can
never perish, nor Thy Will be altered. Ordain for
them that have set their faces towards Thee, and for
Thine handmaids that have held fast by Thy Cord,
that which beseemeth the Ocean of Thy bounty and
the Heaven of Thy grace.
Thou art He, O God, Who hath proclaimed Himself
as the Lord of Wealth, and characterized all that
serve Him as poor and needy. Even as Thou hast
written: "O ye that believe! Ye are but paupers in
need of God; but God is the All-Possessing, the All-Praised."
Having acknowledged my poverty, and
recognized Thy wealth, suffer me not to be deprived
of the glory of Thy riches. Thou art, verily, the
Supreme Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

+P135
LXIX. Call thou to mind the behavior of &Ashraf's
mother, whose son laid down his life in the Land of
&Za (&Zanjan). He, most certainly, is in the seat of
truth, in the presence of One Who is the Most
Powerful, the Almighty.
When the infidels, so unjustly, decided to put him
to death, they sent and fetched his mother, that perchance
she might admonish him, and induce him to
recant his faith, and follow in the footsteps of them
that have repudiated the truth of God, the Lord of
all worlds.
No sooner did she behold the face of her son, than
she spoke to him such words as caused the hearts of
the lovers of God, and beyond them those of the
Concourse on high, to cry out and be sore pained
with grief. Truly, thy Lord knoweth what My
tongue speaketh. He Himself beareth witness to My
words.
And when addressing him she said: "My son, mine
own son! Fail not to offer up thyself in the path of
thy Lord. Beware that thou betray not thy faith
in Him before Whose face have bowed down in
adoration all who are in the heavens and all who are
on the earth. Go thou straight on, O my son, and persevere
in the path of the Lord, thy God. Haste thee
to attain the presence of Him Who is the Well-Beloved
of all worlds."
On her be My blessings, and My mercy, and My
praise, and My glory. I Myself shall atone for the loss

+P136
of her son--a son who now dwelleth within the
tabernacle of My majesty and glory, and whose face
beameth with a light that envelopeth with its radiance
the Maids of Heaven in their celestial chambers,
and beyond them the inmates of My Paradise, and the
denizens of the Cities of Holiness. Were any eye to
gaze on his face, he would exclaim: "Lo, this is no
other than a noble angel!"

LXX. The world's equilibrium hath been upset
through the vibrating influence of this most great,
this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath
been revolutionized through the agency of this
unique, this wondrous System--the like of which
mortal eyes have never witnessed.
Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that
ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls
of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that
ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace
the truth of this Cause--a Cause through which the
potentialities of the might of God have been revealed,
and His sovereignty established. With faces beaming
with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless
Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the
future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him
that hath refused to seek it--verily, God is Self-Sufficient,
above any need of His creatures.
Say: This is the infallible Balance which the Hand
of God is holding, in which all who are in the heavens

+P137
and all who are on the earth are weighed, and their
fate determined, if ye be of them that believe and
recognize this truth. Say: Through it the poor have
been enriched, the learned enlightened, and the
seekers enabled to ascend unto the presence of God.
Beware, lest ye make it a cause of dissension amongst
you. Be ye as firmly settled as the immovable mountain
in the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the
Loving.

LXXI. Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world,
when the day star of My beauty is set, and the
heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes.
Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word
amongst men. We are with you at all times, and shall
strengthen you through the power of truth. We are
truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me, will arise
and serve Me with such determination that the
powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat
his purpose.
The peoples of the world are fast asleep. Were they
to wake from their slumber, they would hasten with
eagerness unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
They would cast away everything they possess,
be it all the treasures of the earth, that their Lord
may remember them to the extent of addressing to
them but one word. Such is the instruction given you
by Him Who holdeth the knowledge of things
hidden, in a Tablet which the eye of creation hath

+P138
not seen, and which is revealed to none except His
own Self, the omnipotent protector of all worlds. So
bewildered are they in the drunkenness of their evil
desires, that they are powerless to recognize the Lord
of all being, Whose voice calleth aloud from every
direction: "There is none other God but Me, the
Mighty, the All-Wise."
Say: Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight
they are yours, tomorrow others will possess them.
Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing, the
All-Informed. Say: Can ye claim that what ye own
is lasting or secure? Nay! By Myself, the All-Merciful.
The days of your life flee away as a breath of
wind, and all your pomp and glory shall be folded up
as were the pomp and glory of those gone before you.
Reflect, O people! What hath become of your bygone
days, your lost centuries? Happy the days that
have been consecrated to the remembrance of God,
and blessed the hours which have been spent in praise
of Him Who is the All-Wise. By My life! Neither
the pomp of the mighty, nor the wealth of the rich,
nor even the ascendancy of the ungodly will endure.
All will perish, at a word from Him. He, verily, is
the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Almighty.
What advantage is there in the earthly things which
men possess? That which shall profit them, they have
utterly neglected. Erelong, they will awake from
their slumber, and find themselves unable to obtain
that which hath escaped them in the days of their

+P139
Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Did they but
know it, they would renounce their all, that their
names may be mentioned before His throne. They,
verily, are accounted among the dead.

LXXII. Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people,
when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn,
and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My
presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My
absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but
God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily,
We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall
aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our
Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and
a company of Our favored angels.
O peoples of the earth! God, the Eternal Truth,
is My witness that streams of fresh and soft-flowing
waters have gushed from the rocks, through the
sweetness of the words uttered by your Lord, the
Unconstrained; and still ye slumber. Cast away that
which ye possess, and, on the wings of detachment,
soar beyond all created things. Thus biddeth you the
Lord of creation, the movement of Whose Pen hath
revolutionized the soul of mankind.
Know ye from what heights your Lord, the All-Glorious
is calling? Think ye that ye have recognized
the Pen wherewith your Lord, the Lord of all names,
commandeth you? Nay, by My life! Did ye but
know it, ye would renounce the world, and would

+P140
hasten with your whole hearts to the presence of the
Well-Beloved. Your spirits would be so transported
by His Word as to throw into commotion the
Greater World--how much more this small and
petty one! Thus have the showers of My bounty been
poured down from the heaven of My loving-kindness,
as a token of My grace; that ye may be of the
thankful....
Beware lest the desires of the flesh and of a corrupt
inclination provoke divisions among you. Be ye as
the fingers of one hand, the members of one body.
Thus counselleth you the Pen of Revelation, if ye be
of them that believe.
Consider the mercy of God and His gifts. He enjoineth
upon you that which shall profit you, though
He Himself can well dispense with all creatures.
Your evil doings can never harm Us, neither can your
good works profit Us. We summon you wholly for
the sake of God. To this every man of understanding
and insight will testify.

LXXIII. It is clear and evident that when the veils
that conceal the realities of the manifestations of the
Names and Attributes of God, nay of all created
things visible or invisible, have been rent asunder,
nothing except the Sign of God will remain--a sign
which He, Himself, hath placed within these realities.
This sign will endure as long as is the wish of the
Lord thy God, the Lord of the heavens and of the

+P141
earth. If such be the blessings conferred on all created
things, how superior must be the destiny of the true
believer, whose existence and life are to be regarded
as the originating purpose of all creation. Just as the
conception of faith hath existed from the beginning
that hath no beginning, and will endure till the end
that hath no end, in like manner will the true believer
eternally live and endure. His spirit will everlastingly
circle round the Will of God. He will last as long as
God, Himself, will last. He is revealed through the
Revelation of God, and is hidden at His bidding. It is
evident that the loftiest mansions in the Realm of
Immortality have been ordained as the habitation of
them that have truly believed in God and in His
signs. Death can never invade that holy seat. Thus
have We entrusted thee with the signs of thy Lord,
that thou mayest persevere in thy love for Him, and
be of them that comprehend this truth.

LXXIV. Every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can
instill new life into every human frame, if ye be of
them that comprehend this truth. All the wondrous
works ye behold in this world have been manifested
through the operation of His supreme and
most exalted Will, His wondrous and inflexible
Purpose. Through the mere revelation of the word
"Fashioner," issuing forth from His lips and proclaiming
His attribute to mankind, such power is

+P142
released as can generate, through successive ages, all
the manifold arts which the hands of man can produce.
This, verily, is a certain truth. No sooner is this
resplendent word uttered, than its animating energies,
stirring within all created things, give birth to
the means and instruments whereby such arts can be
produced and perfected. All the wondrous achievements
ye now witness are the direct consequences of
the Revelation of this Name. In the days to come, ye
will, verily, behold things of which ye have never
heard before. Thus hath it been decreed in the Tablets
of God, and none can comprehend it except them
whose sight is sharp. In like manner, the moment the
word expressing My attribute "The Omniscient"
issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing
will, according to its capacity and limitations, be
invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of
the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered
to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding
of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
Know thou of a certainty that the Revelation of
every other Name is accompanied by a similar manifestation
of Divine power. Every single letter proceeding
out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother
letter, and every word uttered by Him Who is the
Well Spring of Divine Revelation is a mother word,
and His Tablet a Mother Tablet. Well is it with them
that apprehend this truth.

+P143
LXXV. Tear asunder, in My Name, the veils that
have grievously blinded your vision, and, through the
power born of your belief in the unity of God,
scatter the idols of vain imitation. Enter, then,
the holy paradise of the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful.
Sanctify your souls from whatsoever is not
of God, and taste ye the sweetness of rest within the
pale of His vast and mighty Revelation, and beneath
the shadow of His supreme and infallible authority.
Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils
of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected
in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence
of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto
men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been,
and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate
the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been
endowed with such a capacity, how could he be
called to account for his failure? If, in the Day when
all the peoples of the earth will be gathered together,
any man should, whilst standing in the presence of
God, be asked: "Wherefore hast thou disbelieved in
My Beauty and turned away from My Self," and if
such a man should reply and say: "Inasmuch as all
men have erred, and none hath been found willing to
turn his face to the Truth, I, too, following their
example, have grievously failed to recognize the
Beauty of the Eternal," such a plea will, assuredly, be
rejected. For the faith of no man can be conditioned
by any one except himself.

+P144
This is one of the verities that lie enshrined in My
Revelation--a verity which I have revealed in all the
heavenly Books, which I have caused the Tongue of
Grandeur to utter, and the Pen of Power to inscribe.
Ponder a while thereon, that with both your inner
and outer eye, ye may perceive the subtleties of
Divine wisdom and discover the gems of heavenly
knowledge which, in clear and weighty language, I
have revealed in this exalted and incorruptible
Tablet, and that ye may not stray far from the
All-Highest Throne, from the Tree beyond which
there is no passing, from the Habitation of everlasting
might and glory.
The signs of God shine as manifest and resplendent
as the sun amidst the works of His creatures. Whatsoever
proceedeth from Him is apart, and will always
remain distinguished, from the inventions of men.
From the Source of His knowledge countless Luminaries
of learning and wisdom have risen, and out of
the Paradise of His Pen the breath of the All-Merciful
hath continually been wafted to the hearts
and souls of men. Happy are they that have recognized
this truth.

LXXVI. Give ear, O My servant, unto that which
is being sent down unto thee from the Throne of thy
Lord, the Inaccessible, the Most Great. There is none
other God but Him. He hath called into being His
creatures, that they may know Him, Who is the

+P145
Compassionate, the All-Merciful. Unto the cities of
all nations He hath sent His Messengers, Whom He
hath commissioned to announce unto men tidings of
the Paradise of His good pleasure, and to draw them
nigh unto the Haven of abiding security, the Seat
of eternal holiness and transcendent glory.
Some were guided by the Light of God, gained
admittance into the court of His presence, and
quaffed, from the hand of resignation, the waters of
everlasting life, and were accounted of them that
have truly recognized and believed in Him. Others
rebelled against Him, and rejected the signs of God,
the Most Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
Ages rolled away, until they attained their consummation
in this, the Lord of days, the Day
whereon the Day Star of the &Bayan manifested itself
above the horizon of mercy, the Day in which the
Beauty of the All-Glorious shone forth in the exalted
person of &Ali-Muhammad, the &Bab. No sooner did
He reveal Himself, than all the people rose up against
Him. By some He was denounced as one that hath
uttered slanders against God, the Almighty, the
Ancient of Days. Others regarded Him as a man
smitten with madness, an allegation which I, Myself,
have heard from the lips of one of the divines. Still
others disputed His claim to be the Mouthpiece of
God, and stigmatized Him as one who had stolen and
used as his the words of the Almighty, who had perverted
their meaning, and mingled them with his

+P146
own. The Eye of Grandeur weepeth sore for the
things which their mouths have uttered, while they
continue to rejoice upon their seats.
"God," said He, "is My witness, O people! I am
come to you with a Revelation from the Lord, your
God, the Lord of your fathers of old. Look not, O
people, at the things ye possess. Look rather at the
things God hath sent down unto you. This, surely,
will be better for you than the whole of creation,
could ye but perceive it. Repeat the gaze, O people,
and consider the testimony of God and His proof
which are in your possession, and compare them unto
the Revelation sent down unto you in this Day, that
the truth, the infallible truth, may be indubitably
manifested unto you. Follow not, O people, the steps
of the Evil One; follow ye the Faith of the All-Merciful,
and be ye of them that truly believe.
What would it profit man, if he were to fail to recognize
the Revelation of God? Nothing whatever. To
this Mine own Self, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient,
the All-Wise, will testify."
The more He exhorted them, the fiercer grew their
enmity, till, at the last, they put Him to death with
shameful cruelty. The curse of God be upon the
oppressors!
A few believed in Him; few of Our servants are
the thankful. These He admonished, in all His
Tablets--nay, in every passage of His wondrous
writings--not to give themselves up in the Day of

+P147
the promised Revelation to anything whatever, be it
in the heaven or in the earth. "O people!" said He,
"I have revealed Myself for His Manifestation, and
have caused My Book, the &Bayan, to descend upon
you for no other purpose except to establish the truth
of His Cause. Fear ye God, and contend not with
Him as the people of the &Qur'an have contended
with Me. At whatever time ye hear of Him, hasten
ye towards Him, and cleave ye to whatsoever He
may reveal unto you. Naught else besides Him can
ever profit you, no, not though ye produce from
first to last the testimonies of all those who were
before you."
And when after the lapse of a few years the heaven
of Divine decree was cleft asunder, and the Beauty
of the &Bab appeared in the clouds of the names of
God, arrayed in a new raiment, these same people
maliciously rose up against Him, Whose light embraceth
all created things. They broke His Covenant,
rejected His truth, contended with Him, caviled at
His signs, treated His testimony as falsehood, and
joined the company of the infidels. Eventually, they
determined to take away His life. Such is the state
of them who are in a far-gone error!
And when they realized their powerlessness to
achieve their purpose, they arose to plot against Him.
Witness how every moment they devise a fresh device
to harm Him, that they may injure and dishonor the
cause of God. Say: Woe be to you! By God! Your

+P148
schemings cover you with shame. Your Lord, the
God of mercy, can well dispense with all creatures.
Nothing whatever can either increase or diminish the
things He doth possess. If ye believe, to your own
behoof will ye believe; and if ye believe not, ye yourselves
will suffer. At no time can the hand of the
infidel profane the hem of His Robe.
O My servant that believest in God! By the righteousness
of the Almighty! Were I to recount to thee
the tale of the things that have befallen Me, the
souls and minds of men would be incapable of sustaining
its weight. God Himself beareth Me witness.
Watch over thyself, and follow not the footsteps of
these people. Meditate diligently upon the Cause of
thy Lord. Strive to know Him through His own Self
and not through others. For no one else besides Him
can ever profit thee. To this all created things will
testify, couldst thou but perceive it.
Emerge from behind the veil, by the leave of thy
Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful, and seize,
before the eyes of those who are in the heavens and
those who are on the earth, the Chalice of Immortality,
in the name of thy Lord, the Inaccessible, the
Most High, and quaff thy fill, and be not of them
that tarry. I swear by God! The moment thou
touchest the Cup with thy lips, the Concourse on
high will acclaim thee saying, "Drink with healthy
relish, O man that hast truly believed in God!" and
the inhabitants of the Cities of Immortality will cry

+P149
out, "Joy be to thee, O thou that hast drained the
Cup of His love!" and the Tongue of Grandeur will
hail thee, "Great is the blessedness that awaiteth thee,
O My servant, for thou hast attained unto that which
none hath attained, except such as have detached
themselves from all that is in the heavens and all that
is on the earth, and who are the emblems of true
detachment."

LXXVII. And now, concerning thy question regarding
the creation of man. Know thou that all
men have been created in the nature made by God,
the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one
hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure, as decreed
in God's mighty and guarded Tablets. All that
which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested
only as a result of your own volition. Your
own acts testify to this truth. Consider, for instance,
that which hath been forbidden, in the &Bayan, unto
men. God hath in that Book, and by His behest,
decreed as lawful whatsoever He hath pleased to
decree, and hath, through the power of His sovereign
might, forbidden whatsoever He elected to forbid.
To this testifieth the text of that Book. Will ye not
bear witness? Men, however, have wittingly broken
His law. Is such a behavior to be attributed to God,
or to their proper selves? Be fair in your judgment.
Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is
from yourselves. Will ye not comprehend? This same

+P150
truth hath been revealed in all the Scriptures, if ye
be of them that understand. Every act ye meditate
is as clear to Him as is that act when already accomplished.
There is none other God besides Him. His is
all creation and its empire. All stands revealed before
Him; all is recorded in His holy and hidden Tablets.
This fore-knowledge of God, however, should not be
regarded as having caused the actions of men, just as
your own previous knowledge that a certain event is
to occur, or your desire that it should happen, is not
and can never be the reason for its occurrence.

LXXVIII. As to thy question concerning the origin
of creation. Know assuredly that God's creation hath
existed from eternity, and will continue to exist forever.
Its beginning hath had no beginning, and its
end knoweth no end. His name, the Creator, presupposeth
a creation, even as His title, the Lord of Men,
must involve the existence of a servant.
As to those sayings, attributed to the Prophets of
old, such as, "In the beginning was God; there was
no creature to know Him," and "The Lord was
alone; with no one to adore Him," the meaning of
these and similar sayings is clear and evident, and
should at no time be misapprehended. To this same
truth bear witness these words which He hath revealed:
"God was alone; there was none else besides
Him. He will always remain what He hath ever
been." Every discerning eye will readily perceive that

+P151
the Lord is now manifest, yet there is none to recognize
His glory. By this is meant that the habitation
wherein the Divine Being dwelleth is far above the
reach and ken of any one besides Him. Whatsoever
in the contingent world can either be expressed or
apprehended, can never transgress the limits which, by
its inherent nature, have been imposed upon it. God,
alone, transcendeth such limitations. He, verily, is
from everlasting. No peer or partner has been, or
can ever be, joined with Him. No name can be compared
with His Name. No pen can portray His
nature, neither can any tongue depict His glory. He
will, for ever, remain immeasurably exalted above
any one except Himself.
Consider the hour at which the supreme Manifestation
of God revealeth Himself unto men. Ere that
hour cometh, the Ancient Being, Who is still unknown
of men and hath not as yet given utterance
to the Word of God, is Himself the All-Knower in
a world devoid of any man that hath known Him.
He is indeed the Creator without a creation. For at
the very moment preceding His Revelation, each and
every created thing shall be made to yield up its soul
to God. This is indeed the Day of which it hath been
written: "Whose shall be the Kingdom this Day?"
And none can be found ready to answer!

LXXIX. As to thy question concerning the worlds
of God. Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God

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are countless in their number, and infinite in their
range. None can reckon or comprehend them except
God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Consider thy
state when asleep. Verily, I say, this phenomenon is
the most mysterious of the signs of God amongst
men, were they to ponder it in their hearts. Behold
how the thing which thou hast seen in thy dream is,
after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had
the world in which thou didst find thyself in thy
dream been identical with the world in which thou
livest, it would have been necessary for the event
occurring in that dream to have transpired in this
world at the very moment of its occurrence. Were it
so, you yourself would have borne witness unto it.
This being not the case, however, it must necessarily
follow that the world in which thou livest is different
and apart from that which thou hast experienced in
thy dream. This latter world hath neither beginning
nor end. It would be true if thou wert to contend
that this same world is, as decreed by the All-Glorious
and Almighty God, within thy proper self and is
wrapped up within thee. It would equally be true to
maintain that thy spirit, having transcended the
limitations of sleep and having stripped itself of all
earthly attachment, hath, by the act of God, been
made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the
innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation
of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and
creatures apart from these creatures. In each of these

+P153
worlds He hath ordained things which none can
search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise.
Do thou meditate on that which We have
revealed unto thee, that thou mayest discover the
purpose of God, thy Lord, and the Lord of all worlds.
In these words the mysteries of Divine Wisdom have
been treasured. We have refrained from dwelling
upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath encompassed
Us from the actions of them that have
been created through Our words, if ye be of them
that will hearken unto Our Voice.

LXXX. Thou hast asked Me whether man, as apart
from the Prophets of God and His chosen ones, will
retain, after his physical death, the self-same individuality,
personality, consciousness, and understanding
that characterize his life in this world. If this
should be the case, how is it, thou hast observed, that
whereas such slight injuries to his mental faculties as
fainting and severe illness deprive him of his understanding
and consciousness, his death, which must
involve the decomposition of his body and the dissolution
of its elements, is powerless to destroy that
understanding and extinguish that consciousness?
How can any one imagine that man's consciousness
and personality will be maintained, when the very
instruments necessary to their existence and function
will have completely disintegrated?
Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above,

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and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind.
That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due
to the hindrances that interpose themselves between
his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth
unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light
of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere
with its radiance, the light itself continueth to
shine with undiminished power. In like manner,
every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment
that preventeth the soul from manifesting its
inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body,
however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal
such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every
pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed
with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with
exceeding gladness.
Consider the lamp which is hidden under a bushel.
Though its light be shining, yet its radiance is concealed
from men. Likewise, consider the sun which
hath been obscured by the clouds. Observe how its
splendor appeareth to have diminished, when in
reality the source of that light hath remained unchanged.
The soul of man should be likened unto this
sun, and all things on earth should be regarded as his
body. So long as no external impediment interveneth
between them, the body will, in its entirety, continue
to reflect the light of the soul, and to be sustained
by its power. As soon as, however, a veil interposeth

+P155
itself between them, the brightness of that light
seemeth to lessen.
Consider again the sun when it is completely
hidden behind the clouds. Though the earth is still
illumined with its light, yet the measure of light
which it receiveth is considerably reduced. Not until
the clouds have dispersed, can the sun shine again in
the plenitude of its glory. Neither the presence of
the cloud nor its absence can, in any way, affect the
inherent splendor of the sun. The soul of man is the
sun by which his body is illumined, and from which
it draweth its sustenance, and should be so regarded.
Consider, moreover, how the fruit, ere it is formed,
lieth potentially within the tree. Were the tree to be
cut into pieces, no sign nor any part of the fruit,
however small, could be detected. When it appeareth,
however, it manifesteth itself, as thou hast observed,
in its wondrous beauty and glorious perfection. Certain
fruits, indeed, attain their fullest development
only after being severed from the tree.

LXXXI. And now concerning thy question regarding
the soul of man and its survival after death.
Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation
from the body, will continue to progress until
it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and
condition which neither the revolution of ages and
centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world,
can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of

+P156
God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will
endure. It will manifest the signs of God and His
attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and
bounty. The movement of My Pen is stilled when it
attempteth to befittingly describe the loftiness and
glory of so exalted a station. The honor with which
the Hand of Mercy will invest the soul is such as no
tongue can adequately reveal, nor any other earthly
agency describe. Blessed is the soul which, at the hour
of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the
vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such a
soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the Will
of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest Paradise.
The Maids of Heaven, inmates of the loftiest mansions,
will circle around it, and the Prophets of God
and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With
them that soul will freely converse, and will recount
unto them that which it hath been made to endure
in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. If any
man be told that which hath been ordained for such
a soul in the worlds of God, the Lord of the throne
on high and of earth below, his whole being will
instantly blaze out in his great longing to attain
that most exalted, that sanctified and resplendent
station.... The nature of the soul after death can
never be described, nor is it meet and permissible to
reveal its whole character to the eyes of men. The
Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down
for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the

+P157
straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their
revelation hath been to educate all men, that they
may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost
purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to
the throne of the Most High. The light which these
souls radiate is responsible for the progress of the
world and the advancement of its peoples. They are
like unto leaven which leaveneth the world of being,
and constitute the animating force through which
the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest.
Through them the clouds rain their bounty upon
men, and the earth bringeth forth its fruits. All
things must needs have a cause, a motive power, an
animating principle. These souls and symbols of
detachment have provided, and will continue to provide,
the supreme moving impulse in the world of
being. The world beyond is as different from this
world as this world is different from that of the
child while still in the womb of its mother. When
the soul attaineth the Presence of God, it will assume
the form that best befitteth its immortality and is
worthy of its celestial habitation. Such an existence
is a contingent and not an absolute existence, inasmuch
as the former is preceded by a cause, whilst the
latter is independent thereof. Absolute existence is
strictly confined to God, exalted be His glory. Well is
it with them that apprehend this truth. Wert thou
to ponder in thine heart the behavior of the Prophets
of God thou wouldst assuredly and readily testify

+P158
that there must needs be other worlds besides this
world. The majority of the truly wise and learned
have, throughout the ages, as it hath been recorded
by the Pen of Glory in the Tablet of Wisdom, borne
witness to the truth of that which the holy Writ
of God hath revealed. Even the materialists have
testified in their writings to the wisdom of these
divinely-appointed Messengers, and have regarded
the references made by the Prophets to Paradise, to
hell fire, to future reward and punishment, to have
been actuated by a desire to educate and uplift the
souls of men. Consider, therefore, how the generality
of mankind, whatever their beliefs or theories, have
recognized the excellence, and admitted the superiority,
of these Prophets of God. These Gems of
Detachment are acclaimed by some as the embodiments
of wisdom, while others believe them to be
the mouthpiece of God Himself. How could such
Souls have consented to surrender themselves unto
their enemies if they believed all the worlds of God
to have been reduced to this earthly life? Would
they have willingly suffered such afflictions and torments
as no man hath ever experienced or witnessed?

LXXXII. Thou hast asked Me concerning the
nature of the soul. Know, verily, that the soul is a
sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most
learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose
mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to

+P159
unravel. It is the first among all created things to
declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to
recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to
bow down in adoration before Him. If it be faithful
to God, it will reflect His light, and will, eventually,
return unto Him. If it fail, however, in its allegiance
to its Creator, it will become a victim to self and
passion, and will, in the end, sink in their depths.
Whoso hath, in this Day, refused to allow the
doubts and fancies of men to turn him away from
Him Who is the Eternal Truth, and hath not suffered
the tumult provoked by the ecclesiastical and secular
authorities to deter him from recognizing His
Message, such a man will be regarded by God, the
Lord of all men, as one of His mighty signs, and
will be numbered among them whose names have
been inscribed by the Pen of the Most High in His
Book. Blessed is he that hath recognized the true
stature of such a soul, that hath acknowledged its
station, and discovered its virtues.
Much hath been written in the books of old concerning
the various stages in the development of the
soul, such as concupiscence, irascibility, inspiration,
benevolence, contentment, Divine good-pleasure, and
the like; the Pen of the Most High, however, is disinclined
to dwell upon them. Every soul that walketh
humbly with its God, in this Day, and cleaveth unto
Him, shall find itself invested with the honor and
glory of all goodly names and stations.

+P160
When man is asleep, his soul can, in no wise, be
said to have been inherently affected by any external
object. It is not susceptible of any change in its
original state or character. Any variation in its functions
is to be ascribed to external causes. It is to these
external influences that any variations in its environment,
its understanding, and perception should be
attributed.
Consider the human eye. Though it hath the
faculty of perceiving all created things, yet the
slightest impediment may so obstruct its vision as to
deprive it of the power of discerning any object
whatsoever. Magnified be the name of Him Who
hath created, and is the Cause of, these causes, Who
hath ordained that every change and variation in the
world of being be made dependent upon them. Every
created thing in the whole universe is but a door
leading into His knowledge, a sign of His sovereignty,
a revelation of His names, a symbol of His
majesty, a token of His power, a means of admittance
into His straight Path....
Verily I say, the human soul is, in its essence, one
of the signs of God, a mystery among His mysteries.
It is one of the mighty signs of the Almighty, the
harbinger that proclaimeth the reality of all the
worlds of God. Within it lieth concealed that which
the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending.
Ponder in thine heart the revelation of the Soul of
God that pervadeth all His Laws, and contrast it with

+P161
that base and appetitive nature that hath rebelled
against Him, that forbiddeth men to turn unto the
Lord of Names, and impelleth them to walk after
their lusts and wickedness. Such a soul hath, in truth,
wandered far in the path of error...
Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the
state of the soul after its separation from the body.
Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul of man hath
walked in the ways of God, it will, assuredly, return
and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved. By the
righteousness of God! It shall attain a station such
as no pen can depict, or tongue describe. The soul
that hath remained faithful to the Cause of God,
and stood unwaveringly firm in His Path shall, after
his ascension, be possessed of such power that all the
worlds which the Almighty hath created can benefit
through him. Such a soul provideth, at the bidding of
the Ideal King and Divine Educator, the pure leaven
that leaveneth the world of being, and furnisheth the
power through which the arts and wonders of the
world are made manifest. Consider how meal needeth
leaven to be leavened with. Those souls that are the
symbols of detachment are the leaven of the world.
Meditate on this, and be of the thankful.
In several of Our Tablets We have referred to this
theme, and have set forth the various stages in the
development of the soul. Verily I say, the human soul
is exalted above all egress and regress. It is still, and
yet it soareth; it moveth, and yet it is still. It is, in

+P162
itself, a testimony that beareth witness to the existence
of a world that is contingent, as well as to the
reality of a world that hath neither beginning nor
end. Behold how the dream thou hast dreamed is,
after the lapse of many years, re-enacted before thine
eyes. Consider how strange is the mystery of the
world that appeareth to thee in thy dream. Ponder in
thine heart upon the unsearchable wisdom of God,
and meditate on its manifold revelations....
Witness the wondrous evidences of God's handiwork,
and reflect upon its range and character. He
Who is the Seal of the Prophets hath said: "Increase
my wonder and amazement at Thee, O God!"
As to thy question whether the physical world is
subject to any limitations, know thou that the comprehension
of this matter dependeth upon the observer
himself. In one sense, it is limited; in another,
it is exalted beyond all limitations. The one true God
hath everlastingly existed, and will everlastingly continue
to exist. His creation, likewise, hath had no
beginning, and will have no end. All that is created,
however, is preceded by a cause. This fact, in itself,
establisheth, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the unity
of the Creator.
Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the
nature of the celestial spheres. To comprehend their
nature, it would be necessary to inquire into the
meaning of the allusions that have been made in the
Books of old to the celestial spheres and the heavens,

+P163
and to discover the character of their relationship to
this physical world, and the influence which they
exert upon it. Every heart is filled with wonder at so
bewildering a theme, and every mind is perplexed by
its mystery. God, alone, can fathom its import. The
learned men, that have fixed at several thousand years
the life of this earth, have failed, throughout the long
period of their observation, to consider either the
number or the age of the other planets. Consider,
moreover, the manifold divergencies that have resulted
from the theories propounded by these men.
Know thou that every fixed star hath its own planets,
and every planet its own creatures, whose number
no man can compute.
O thou that hast fixed thine eyes upon My countenance!
The Day Spring of Glory hath, in this Day,
manifested its radiance, and the Voice of the Most
High is calling. We have formerly uttered these
words: "This is not the day for any man to question
his Lord. It behoveth whosoever hath hearkened to
the Call of God, as voiced by Him Who is the Day
Spring of Glory, to arise and cry out: `Here am I,
here am I, O Lord of all Names; here am I, here am
I, O Maker of the heavens! I testify that, through
Thy Revelation, the things hidden in the Books of
God have been revealed, and that whatsoever hath
been recorded by Thy Messengers in the sacred
Scriptures hath been fulfilled.'"

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LXXXIII. Consider the rational faculty with which
God hath endowed the essence of man. Examine thine
own self, and behold how thy motion and stillness,
thy will and purpose, thy sight and hearing, thy
sense of smell and power of speech, and whatever
else is related to, or transcendeth, thy physical senses
or spiritual perceptions, all proceed from, and owe
their existence to, this same faculty. So closely are
they related unto it, that if in less than the twinkling
of an eye its relationship to the human body be
severed, each and every one of these senses will cease
immediately to exercise its function, and will be
deprived of the power to manifest the evidences of
its activity. It is indubitably clear and evident that
each of these afore-mentioned instruments has depended,
and will ever continue to depend, for its
proper functioning on this rational faculty, which
should be regarded as a sign of the revelation of Him
Who is the sovereign Lord of all. Through its manifestation
all these names and attributes have been
revealed, and by the suspension of its action they are
all destroyed and perish.
It would be wholly untrue to maintain that this
faculty is the same as the power of vision, inasmuch
as the power of vision is derived from it and acteth
in dependence upon it. It would, likewise, be idle to
contend that this faculty can be identified with the
sense of hearing, as the sense of hearing receiveth

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from the rational faculty the requisite energy for
performing its functions.
This same relationship bindeth this faculty with
whatsoever hath been the recipient of these names
and attributes within the human temple. These
diverse names and revealed attributes have been generated
through the agency of this sign of God.
Immeasurably exalted is this sign, in its essence and
reality, above all such names and attributes. Nay, all
else besides it will, when compared with its glory,
fade into utter nothingness and become a thing
forgotten.
Wert thou to ponder in thine heart, from now
until the end that hath no end, and with all the
concentrated intelligence and understanding which
the greatest minds have attained in the past or will
attain in the future, this divinely ordained and subtle
Reality, this sign of the revelation of the All-Abiding,
All-Glorious God, thou wilt fail to comprehend
its mystery or to appraise its virtue. Having
recognized thy powerlessness to attain to an adequate
understanding of that Reality which abideth within
thee, thou wilt readily admit the futility of such
efforts as may be attempted by thee, or by any of
the created things, to fathom the mystery of the
Living God, the Day Star of unfading glory, the
Ancient of everlasting days. This confession of helplessness
which mature contemplation must eventually
impel every mind to make is in itself the acme

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of human understanding, and marketh the culmination
of man's development.

LXXXIV. Regard thou the one true God as One
Who is apart from, and immeasurably exalted above,
all created things. The whole universe reflecteth His
glory, while He is Himself independent of, and
transcendeth His creatures. This is the true meaning
of Divine unity. He Who is the Eternal Truth is the
one Power Who exerciseth undisputed sovereignty
over the world of being, Whose image is reflected in
the mirror of the entire creation. All existence is
dependent upon Him, and from Him is derived the
source of the sustenance of all things. This is what
is meant by Divine unity; this is its fundamental
principle.
Some, deluded by their idle fancies, have conceived
all created things as associates and partners of God,
and imagined themselves to be the exponents of His
unity. By Him Who is the one true God! Such men
have been, and will continue to remain, the victims
of blind imitation, and are to be numbered with them
that have restricted and limited the conception of
God.
He is a true believer in Divine unity who, far from
confusing duality with oneness, refuseth to allow any
notion of multiplicity to becloud his conception of
the singleness of God, who will regard the Divine

+P167
Being as One Who, by His very nature, transcendeth
the limitations of numbers.
The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in
regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and
Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable
Essence as one and the same. By this is
meant that whatever pertaineth to the former, all
His acts and doings, whatever He ordaineth or forbiddeth,
should be considered, in all their aspects,
and under all circumstances, and without any reservation,
as identical with the Will of God Himself.
This is the loftiest station to which a true believer in
the unity of God can ever hope to attain. Blessed is
the man that reacheth this station, and is of them
that are steadfast in their belief.

LXXXV. O My servants! It behoveth you to refresh
and revive your souls through the gracious
favors which, in this Divine, this soul-stirring
Springtime, are being showered upon you. The Day
Star of His great glory hath shed its radiance upon
you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have overshadowed
you. How high the reward of him that
hath not deprived himself of so great a bounty, nor
failed to recognize the beauty of his Best-Beloved in
this, His new attire.
Say: O people! The Lamp of God is burning; take
heed, lest the fierce winds of your disobedience extinguish
its light. Now is the time to arise and

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magnify the Lord, your God. Strive not after bodily
comforts, and keep your heart pure and stainless.
The Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you.
Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led
by the light of the name of the one true God, deliver
yourselves from the darkness that surroundeth you.
Center your thoughts in the Well-Beloved, rather
than in your own selves.
Say: O ye that have strayed and lost your way!
The Divine Messenger, Who speaketh naught but the
truth, hath announced unto you the coming of the
Best-Beloved. Behold, He is now come. Wherefore
are ye downcast and dejected? Why remain despondent
when the Pure and Hidden One hath appeared
unveiled amongst you? He Who is both the Beginning
and the End, He Who is both Stillness and
Motion, is now manifest before your eyes. Behold
how, in this Day, the Beginning is reflected in the
End, how out of Stillness Motion hath been engendered.
This motion hath been generated by the potent
energies which the words of the Almighty have released
throughout the entire creation. Whoso hath
been quickened by its vitalizing power, will find himself
impelled to attain the court of the Beloved; and
whoso hath deprived himself therefrom, will sink
into irretrievable despondency. He is truly wise whom
the world and all that is therein have not deterred
from recognizing the light of this Day, who will not
allow men's idle talk to cause him to swerve from the

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way of righteousness. He is indeed as one dead who,
at the wondrous dawn of this Revelation, hath failed
to be quickened by its soul-stirring breeze. He is
indeed a captive who hath not recognized the
Supreme Redeemer, but hath suffered his soul to be
bound, distressed and helpless, in the fetters of his
desires.
O My servants! Whoso hath tasted of this Fountain
hath attained unto everlasting Life, and whoso
hath refused to drink therefrom is even as the dead.
Say: O ye workers of iniquity! Covetousness hath
hindered you from giving a hearing ear unto the
sweet voice of Him Who is the All-Sufficing. Wash
it away from your hearts, that His Divine secret may
be made known unto you. Behold Him manifest and
resplendent as the sun in all its glory.
Say: O ye that are bereft of understanding! A
severe trial pursueth you, and will suddenly overtake
you. Bestir yourselves, that haply it may pass and
inflict no harm upon you. Acknowledge the exalted
character of the name of the Lord, your God, Who
hath come unto you in the greatness of His glory.
He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Possessing,
the Supreme Protector.

LXXXVI. And now concerning thy question
whether human souls continue to be conscious one
of another after their separation from the body.
Know thou that the souls of the people of &Baha, who

+P170
have entered and been established within the Crimson
Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with
another, and shall be so closely associated in their
lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to
be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who
are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who
are endued with understanding. Thus hath it been
decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
The people of &Baha, who are the inmates of the
Ark of God, are, one and all, well aware of one
another's state and condition, and are united in the
bonds of intimacy and fellowship. Such a state, however,
must depend upon their faith and their conduct.
They that are of the same grade and station
are fully aware of one another's capacity, character,
accomplishments and merits. They that are of a lower
grade, however, are incapable of comprehending
adequately the station, or of estimating the merits, of
those that rank above them. Each shall receive his
share from thy Lord. Blessed is the man that hath
turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly
in His love, until his soul hath winged its flight unto
God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful,
the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
The souls of the infidels, however, shall--and to
this I bear witness--when breathing their last be
made aware of the good things that have escaped
them, and shall bemoan their plight, and shall humble

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themselves before God. They shall continue doing
so after the separation of their souls from their
bodies.
It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their
physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and
realize all that their hands have wrought. I swear by
the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of Divine
power! They that are the followers of the one
true God shall, the moment they depart out of this
life, experience such joy and gladness as would be
impossible to describe, while they that live in error
shall be seized with such fear and trembling, and
shall be filled with such consternation, as nothing
can exceed. Well is it with him that hath quaffed the
choice and incorruptible wine of faith through the
gracious favor and the manifold bounties of Him
Who is the Lord of all Faiths....
This is the Day when the loved ones of God should
keep their eyes directed towards His Manifestation,
and fasten them upon whatsoever that Manifestation
may be pleased to reveal. Certain traditions of bygone
ages rest on no foundations whatever, while
the notions entertained by past generations, and
which they have recorded in their books, have, for
the most part, been influenced by the desires of a
corrupt inclination. Thou dost witness how most of
the commentaries and interpretations of the words of
God, now current amongst men, are devoid of truth.
Their falsity hath, in some cases, been exposed when

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the intervening veils were rent asunder. They themselves
have acknowledged their failure in apprehending
the meaning of any of the words of God.
Our purpose is to show that should the loved ones
of God sanctify their hearts and their ears from the
vain sayings that were uttered aforetime, and turn
with their inmost souls to Him Who is the Day
Spring of His Revelation, and to whatsoever things
He hath manifested, such behavior would be regarded
as highly meritorious in the sight of God....
Magnify His Name, and be thou of the thankful.
Convey My greetings to My loved ones, whom God
hath singled out for His love, and caused them to
achieve their objects. All glory be to God, the Lord
of all worlds.

LXXXVII. And now regarding thy question, "How
is it that no records are to be found concerning the
Prophets that have preceded Adam, the Father of
Mankind, or of the kings that lived in the days of
those Prophets?" Know thou that the absence of any
reference to them is no proof that they did not actually
exist. That no records concerning them are now
available, should be attributed to their extreme remoteness,
as well as to the vast changes which the
earth hath undergone since their time.
Moreover such forms and modes of writing as are
now current amongst men were unknown to the generations
that were before Adam. There was even a

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time when men were wholly ignorant of the art of
writing, and had adopted a system entirely different
from the one which they now use. For a proper exposition
of this an elaborate explanation would be
required.
Consider the differences that have arisen since the
days of Adam. The divers and widely-known languages
now spoken by the peoples of the earth were
originally unknown, as were the varied rules and
customs now prevailing amongst them. The people
of those times spoke a language different from those
now known. Diversities of language arose in a later
age, in a land known as Babel. It was given the name
Babel, because the term signifieth "the place where
the confusion of tongues arose."
Subsequently Syriac became prominent among the
existing languages. The Sacred Scriptures of former
times were revealed in that tongue. Later, Abraham,
the Friend of God, appeared and shed upon the
world the light of Divine Revelation. The language
He spoke while He crossed the Jordan became known
as Hebrew (&Ibrani), which meaneth "the language
of the crossing." The Books of God and the Sacred
Scriptures were then revealed in that tongue, and not
until after a considerable lapse of time did Arabic become
the language of Revelation....
Witness, therefore, how numerous and far-reaching
have been the changes in language, speech, and

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writing since the days of Adam. How much greater
must have been the changes before Him!
Our purpose in revealing these words is to show
that the one true God hath, in His all-highest and
transcendent station, ever been, and will everlastingly
continue to be, exalted above the praise and
conception of all else but Him. His creation hath ever
existed, and the Manifestations of His Divine glory
and the Day Springs of eternal holiness have been
sent down from time immemorial, and been commissioned
to summon mankind to the one true God.
That the names of some of them are forgotten and
the records of their lives lost is to be attributed to
the disturbances and changes that have overtaken the
world.
Mention hath been made in certain books of a
deluge which caused all that existed on earth, historical
records as well as other things, to be destroyed.
Moreover, many cataclysms have occurred which
have effaced the traces of many events. Furthermore,
among existing historical records differences are to
be found, and each of the various peoples of the
world hath its own account of the age of the earth
and of its history. Some trace their history as far
back as eight thousand years, others as far as twelve
thousand years. To any one that hath read the book
of &Juk it is clear and evident how much the accounts
given by the various books have differed.
Please God thou wilt turn thine eyes towards the

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Most Great Revelation, and entirely disregard these
conflicting tales and traditions.

LXXXVIII. Know verily that the essence of justice
and the source thereof are both embodied in the ordinances
prescribed by Him Who is the Manifestation
of the Self of God amongst men, if ye be of them
that recognize this truth. He doth verily incarnate
the highest, the infallible standard of justice unto all
creation. Were His law to be such as to strike terror
into the hearts of all that are in heaven and on earth,
that law is naught but manifest justice. The fears
and agitation which the revelation of this law provokes
in men's hearts should indeed be likened to the
cries of the suckling babe weaned from his mother's
milk, if ye be of them that perceive. Were men to
discover the motivating purpose of God's Revelation,
they would assuredly cast away their fears, and, with
hearts filled with gratitude, rejoice with exceeding
gladness.

LXXXIX. Know assuredly that just as thou firmly
believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory,
endureth for ever, thou must, likewise, believe with
undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted.
They who are its appointed interpreters,
they whose hearts are the repositories of its secrets,
are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its
manifold wisdom. Whoso, while reading the Sacred

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Scriptures, is tempted to choose therefrom whatever
may suit him with which to challenge the authority
of the Representative of God among men, is, indeed,
as one dead, though to outward seeming he may walk
and converse with his neighbors, and share with them
their food and their drink.
Oh, would that the world could believe Me! Were
all the things that lie enshrined within the heart of
&Baha, and which the Lord, His God, the Lord of all
names, hath taught Him, to be unveiled to mankind,
every man on earth would be dumbfounded.
How great the multitude of truths which the garment
of words can never contain! How vast the
number of such verities as no expression can adequately
describe, whose significance can never be unfolded,
and to which not even the remotest allusions
can be made! How manifold are the truths which
must remain unuttered until the appointed time is
come! Even as it hath been said: "Not everything
that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything
that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor
can every timely utterance be considered as suited to
the capacity of those who hear it."
Of these truths some can be disclosed only to the
extent of the capacity of the repositories of the light
of Our knowledge, and the recipients of Our hidden
grace. We beseech God to strengthen thee with His
power, and enable thee to recognize Him Who is the
Source of all knowledge, that thou mayest detach

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thyself from all human learning, for, "what would it
profit any man to strive after learning when he hath
already found and recognized Him Who is the Object
of all knowledge?" Cleave to the Root of Knowledge,
and to Him Who is the Fountain thereof, that
thou mayest find thyself independent of all who
claim to be well versed in human learning, and whose
claim no clear proof, nor the testimony of any enlightening
book, can support.

XC. Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on
the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within
it of the attributes and names of God, inasmuch as
within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear
eloquent testimony to the revelation of that Most
Great Light. Methinks, but for the potency of that
revelation, no being could ever exist. How resplendent
the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an
atom, and how vast the oceans of wisdom that surge
within a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of
man, who, among all created things, hath been invested
with the robe of such gifts, and hath been
singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in
him are potentially revealed all the attributes and
names of God to a degree that no other created being
hath excelled or surpassed. All these names and attributes
are applicable to him. Even as He hath said:
"Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery." Manifold
are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed

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in all the Heavenly Books and the Holy Scriptures,
expressive of this most subtle and lofty theme. Even
as He hath revealed: "We will surely show them Our
signs in the world and within themselves." Again
He saith: "And also in your own selves: will ye not,
then, behold the signs of God?" And yet again He
revealeth: "And be ye not like those who forget God,
and whom He hath therefore caused to forget their
own selves." In this connection, He Who is the eternal
King--may the souls of all that dwell within the
mystic Tabernacle be a sacrifice unto Him--hath
spoken: "He hath known God who hath known himself."
...From that which hath been said it becometh
evident that all things, in their inmost reality, testify
to the revelation of the names and attributes of God
within them. Each according to its capacity, indicateth,
and is expressive of, the knowledge of God.
So potent and universal is this revelation, that it hath
encompassed all things visible and invisible. Thus hath
He revealed: "Hath aught else save Thee a power of
revelation which is not possessed by Thee, that it
could have manifested Thee? Blind is the eye which
doth not perceive Thee." Likewise hath the eternal
King spoken: "No thing have I perceived, except
that I perceived God within it, God before it, or God
after it." Also in the tradition of Kumayl it is written:
"Behold, a light hath shone forth out of the
morn of eternity, and lo, its waves have penetrated

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the inmost reality of all men." Man, the noblest
and most perfect of all created things, excelleth them
all in the intensity of this revelation, and is a fuller
expression of its glory. And of all men, the most accomplished,
the most distinguished, and the most excellent
are the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth.
Nay, all else besides these Manifestations, live by the
operation of Their Will, and move and have their
being through the outpourings of Their grace.

XCI. Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth
of this Revelation is this, that in every age and Dispensation,
whenever the invisible Essence was revealed
in the person of His Manifestation, certain
souls, obscure and detached from all worldly entanglements,
would seek illumination from the Sun of
Prophethood and Moon of Divine guidance, and
would attain unto the Divine Presence. For this reason,
the divines of the age and those possessed of
wealth, would scorn and scoff at these people. Even
as He hath revealed concerning them that erred:
"Then said the chiefs of His people who believed
not, `We see in Thee but a man like ourselves; and
we see not any who have followed Thee except our
meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence
in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you
liars.'" They caviled at those holy Manifestations,
and protested saying: "None hath followed you except
the abject amongst us, those who are worthy of

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no attention." Their aim was to show that no one
amongst the learned, the wealthy, and the renowned
believed in them. By this and similar proofs they
sought to demonstrate the falsity of Him that speaketh
naught but the truth.
In this most resplendent Dispensation, however,
this most mighty Sovereignty, a number of illumined
divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors
of mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court,
drunk the cup of His divine Presence, and been invested
with the honor of His most excellent favor.
They have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the
world and all that is therein....
All these were guided by the light of the Sun of
Divine Revelation, confessed and acknowledged His
truth. Such was their faith, that most of them renounced
their substance and kindred, and cleaved to
the good pleasure of the All-Glorious. They laid
down their lives for their Well-Beloved, and surrendered
their all in His path. Their breasts were made
targets for the darts of the enemy, and their heads
adorned the spears of the infidel. No land remained
which did not drink the blood of these embodiments
of detachment, and no sword that did not bruise their
necks. Their deeds, alone, testify to the truth of their
words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souls,
who have so gloriously risen to offer up their lives
for their Beloved that the whole world marveled
at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the people of

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this day? Is it not sufficient witness against the faithlessness
of those who for a trifle betrayed their faith,
who bartered away immortality for that which perisheth,
who gave up the &Kawthar of the Divine
Presence for salty springs, and whose one aim in life
is to usurp the property of others? Even as thou dost
witness how all of them have busied themselves with
the vanities of the world, and have strayed far from
Him Who is the Lord, the Most High.
Be fair: Is the testimony of those acceptable and
worthy of attention whose deeds agree with their
words, whose outward behavior conforms with their
inner life? The mind is bewildered at their deeds,
and the soul marveleth at their fortitude and bodily
endurance. Or is the testimony of these faithless souls
who breathe naught but the breath of selfish desire,
and who lie imprisoned in the cage of their idle fancies,
acceptable? Like the bats of darkness, they lift
not their heads from their couch except to pursue the
transient things of the world, and find no rest by
night except as they labor to advance the aims of
their sordid life. Immersed in their selfish schemes,
they are oblivious of the Divine decree. In the daytime
they strive with all their soul after worldly
benefits, and in the night season their sole occupation
is to gratify their carnal desires. By what law or
standard could men be justified in cleaving to the
denials of such petty-minded souls and in ignoring
the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake

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of the good pleasure of God, their life and substance,
their fame and renown, their reputation and
honor?...
With what love, what devotion, what exultation
and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the
path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this all witness.
And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation?
Hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings?
If these companions be not the true strivers
after God, who else could be called by this name?
Have these companions been seekers after power or
glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they
cherished any desire except the good pleasure of God?
If these companions, with all their marvelous testimonies
and wondrous works, be false, who then is
worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by
God! Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and
an irrefutable proof unto all the peoples of the earth,
were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries of
Divine Revelation. "And they who act unjustly shall
soon know what lot awaiteth them!"...
Consider these martyrs of unquestionable sincerity,
to whose truthfulness testifieth the explicit text of
the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed,
have sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives,
their children, their all, and ascended unto the loftiest
chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject the testimony
of these detached and exalted beings to the
truth of this pre-eminent and Glorious Revelation,

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and to regard as acceptable the denunciations which
have been uttered against this resplendent Light by
this faithless people, who for gold have forsaken their
faith, and who for the sake of leadership have repudiated
Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind?
This, although their character is now revealed
unto all people who have recognized them as those
who will in no wise relinquish one jot or one tittle
of their temporal authority for the sake of God's
holy Faith, how much less their life, their substance,
and the like.

XCII. The Book of God is wide open, and His
Word is summoning mankind unto Him. No more
than a mere handful, however, hath been found
willing to cleave to His Cause, or to become the
instruments for its promotion. These few have been
endued with the Divine Elixir that can, alone, transmute
into purest gold the dross of the world, and
have been empowered to administer the infallible
remedy for all the ills that afflict the children of men.
No man can obtain everlasting life, unless he embraceth
the truth of this inestimable, this wondrous,
and sublime Revelation.
Incline your ears, O friends of God, to the voice
of Him Whom the world hath wronged, and hold fast
unto whatsoever will exalt His Cause. He, verily,
guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His straight

+P184
Path. This is a Revelation that infuseth strength into
the feeble, and crowneth with wealth the destitute.
With the utmost friendliness and in a spirit of perfect
fellowship take ye counsel together, and dedicate
the precious days of your lives to the betterment
of the world and the promotion of the Cause of Him
Who is the Ancient and Sovereign Lord of all. He,
verily, enjoineth upon all men what is right, and
forbiddeth whatsoever degradeth their station.

XCIII. Know thou that every created thing is a
sign of the revelation of God. Each, according to its
capacity, is, and will ever remain, a token of the Almighty.
Inasmuch as He, the sovereign Lord of all,
hath willed to reveal His sovereignty in the kingdom
of names and attributes, each and every created thing
hath, through the act of the Divine Will, been made
a sign of His glory. So pervasive and general is this
revelation that nothing whatsoever in the whole universe
can be discovered that doth not reflect His
splendor. Under such conditions every consideration
of proximity and remoteness is obliterated....
Were the Hand of Divine power to divest of this
high endowment all created things, the entire universe
would become desolate and void.
Behold, how immeasurably exalted is the Lord your
God above all created things! Witness the majesty
of His sovereignty, His ascendancy, and supreme
power. If the things which have been created by

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Him--magnified be His glory--and ordained to be
the manifestations of His names and attributes,
stand, by virtue of the grace with which they have
been endowed, exalted beyond all proximity and remoteness,
how much loftier must be that Divine
Essence that hath called them into being?...
Meditate on what the poet hath written: "Wonder
not, if my Best-Beloved be closer to me than mine
own self; wonder at this, that I, despite such nearness,
should still be so far from Him."... Considering
what God hath revealed, that "We are closer
to man than his life-vein," the poet hath, in allusion
to this verse, stated that, though the revelation of
my Best-Beloved hath so permeated my being that
He is closer to me than my life-vein, yet, notwithstanding
my certitude of its reality and my recognition
of my station, I am still so far removed from
Him. By this he meaneth that his heart, which is the
seat of the All-Merciful and the throne wherein
abideth the splendor of His revelation, is forgetful
of its Creator, hath strayed from His path, hath shut
out itself from His glory, and is stained with the defilement
of earthly desires.
It should be remembered in this connection that
the one true God is in Himself exalted beyond and
above proximity and remoteness. His reality transcendeth
such limitations. His relationship to His creatures
knoweth no degrees. That some are near and

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others are far is to be ascribed to the manifestations
themselves.
That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation
of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested
by the holy utterances which We have formerly revealed.
Among them is this saying: "Earth and heaven
cannot contain Me; what can alone contain Me
is the heart of him that believeth in Me, and is faithful
to My Cause." How often hath the human heart,
which is the recipient of the light of God and the seat
of the revelation of the All-Merciful, erred from
Him Who is the Source of that light and the Well
Spring of that revelation. It is the waywardness of
the heart that removeth it far from God, and condemneth
it to remoteness from Him. Those hearts,
however, that are aware of His Presence, are close to
Him, and are to be regarded as having drawn nigh
unto His throne.
Consider, moreover, how frequently doth man become
forgetful of his own self, whilst God remaineth,
through His all-encompassing knowledge, aware
of His creature, and continueth to shed upon him
the manifest radiance of His glory. It is evident,
therefore, that, in such circumstances, He is closer
to him than his own self. He will, indeed, so remain
for ever, for, whereas the one true God knoweth all
things, perceiveth all things, and comprehendeth all
things, mortal man is prone to err, and is ignorant
of the mysteries that lie enfolded within him....

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Let no one imagine that by Our assertion that all
created things are the signs of the revelation of God
is meant that--God forbid--all men, be they good
or evil, pious or infidel, are equal in the sight of God.
Nor doth it imply that the Divine Being--magnified
be His name and exalted be His glory--is, under
any circumstances, comparable unto men, or can, in
any way, be associated with His creatures. Such an
error hath been committed by certain foolish ones
who, after having ascended into the heavens of their
idle fancies, have interpreted Divine Unity to mean
that all created things are the signs of God, and that,
consequently, there is no distinction whatsoever between
them. Some have even outstripped them by
maintaining that these signs are peers and partners
of God Himself. Gracious God! He, verily, is one
and indivisible; one in His essence, one in His attributes.
Everything besides Him is as nothing when
brought face to face with the resplendent revelation
of but one of His names, with no more than the
faintest intimation of His glory--how much less
when confronted with His own Self!
By the righteousness of My name, the All-Merciful!
The Pen of the Most High trembleth with a
great trembling and is sore shaken at the revelation
of these words. How puny and insignificant is the
evanescent drop when compared with the waves and
billows of God's limitless and everlasting Ocean, and
how utterly contemptible must every contingent and

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perishable thing appear when brought face to face
with the uncreated, the unspeakable glory of the
Eternal! We implore pardon of God, the All-Powerful,
for them that entertain such beliefs, and give
utterance to such words. Say: O people! How can a
fleeting fancy compare with the Self-Subsisting, and
how can the Creator be likened unto His creatures,
who are but as the script of His Pen? Nay, His
script excelleth all things, and is sanctified from, and
immeasurably exalted above, all creatures.
Furthermore, consider the signs of the revelation
of God in their relation one to another. Can the sun,
which is but one of these signs, be regarded as equal
in rank to darkness? The one true God beareth Me
witness! No man can believe it, unless he be of those
whose hearts are straitened, and whose eyes have become
deluded. Say: Consider your own selves. Your
nails and eyes are both parts of your bodies. Do ye
regard them of equal rank and value? If ye say, yea;
say, then: ye have indeed charged with imposture,
the Lord, my God, the All-Glorious, inasmuch as ye
pare the one, and cherish the other as dearly as your
own life.
To transgress the limits of one's own rank and station
is, in no wise, permissible. The integrity of every
rank and station must needs be preserved. By this
is meant that every created thing should be viewed in
the light of the station it hath been ordained to occupy.

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It should be borne in mind, however, that when
the light of My Name, the All-Pervading, hath shed
its radiance upon the universe, each and every created
thing hath, according to a fixed decree, been endowed
with the capacity to exercise a particular influence,
and been made to possess a distinct virtue.
Consider the effect of poison. Deadly though it is, it
possesseth the power of exerting, under certain conditions,
a beneficial influence. The potency infused
into all created things is the direct consequence of
the revelation of this most blessed Name. Glorified be
He, Who is the Creator of all names and attributes!
Cast into the fire the tree that hath rot and dried up,
and abide under the shadow of the green and goodly
Tree, and partake of the fruit thereof.
The people living in the days of the Manifestations
of God have, for the most part, uttered such unseemly
sayings. These have been set down circumstantially
in the revealed Books and Holy Scriptures.
He is really a believer in the Unity of God who
recognizeth in each and every created thing the sign
of the revelation of Him Who is the Eternal Truth,
and not he who maintaineth that the creature is indistinguishable
from the Creator.
Consider, for instance, the revelation of the
light of the Name of God, the Educator. Behold,
how in all things the evidences of such a revelation
are manifest, how the betterment of all beings dependeth
upon it. This education is of two kinds.

+P190
The one is universal. Its influence pervadeth all things
and sustaineth them. It is for this reason that God
hath assumed the title, "Lord of all worlds." The
other is confined to them that have come under
the shadow of this Name, and sought the shelter of
this most mighty Revelation. They, however, that
have failed to seek this shelter, have deprived themselves
of this privilege, and are powerless to benefit
from the spiritual sustenance that hath been sent
down through the heavenly grace of this Most Great
Name. How great the gulf fixed between the one and
the other! If the veil were lifted, and the full glory
of the station of those that have turned wholly
towards God, and have, in their love for Him, renounced
the world, were made manifest, the entire
creation would be dumbfounded. The true believer
in the Unity of God will, as it hath already been explained,
recognize, in the believer and the unbeliever,
the evidences of the revelation of both of these
Names. Were this revelation to be withdrawn, all
would perish.
Consider, in like manner, the revelation of the light
of the Name of God, the Incomparable. Behold, how
this light hath enveloped the entire creation, how
each and every thing manifesteth the sign of His
Unity, testifieth to the reality of Him Who is the
Eternal Truth, proclaimeth His sovereignty, His oneness,
and His power. This revelation is a token of
His mercy that hath encompassed all created things.

+P191
They that have joined partners with Him, however,
are unaware of such a revelation, and are deprived of
the Faith through which they can draw near unto,
and be united with, Him. Witness how the divers
peoples and kindreds of the earth bear witness to His
unity, and recognize His oneness. But for the sign
of the Unity of God within them, they would have
never acknowledged the truth of the words, "There
is none other God but God." And yet, consider how
grievously they have erred, and strayed from His
path. Inasmuch as they have failed to recognize the
Sovereign Revealer, they have ceased to be reckoned
among those who may be regarded as true believers
in the Unity of God.
This sign of the revelation of the Divine Being in
them that have joined partners with Him may, in a
sense, be regarded as a reflection of the glory with
which the faithful are illumined. None, however, can
comprehend this truth save men endued with understanding.
They that have truly recognized the Unity
of God should be regarded as the primary manifestations
of this Name. It is they who have quaffed the
wine of Divine Unity from the cup which the hand
of God hath proffered unto them, and who have
turned their faces towards Him. How vast the distance
that separateth these sanctified beings from
those men that are so far away from God!...
God grant that, with a penetrating vision, thou
mayest perceive, in all things, the sign of the revelation

+P192
of Him Who is the Ancient King, and recognize
how exalted and sanctified from the whole creation
is that most holy and sacred Being. This, in
truth, is the very root and essence of belief in the
unity and singleness of God. "God was alone; there
was none else besides Him." He, now, is what He
hath ever been. There is none other God but Him,
the One, the Incomparable, the Almighty, the Most
Exalted, the Most Great.

XCIV. And now concerning thy reference to the
existence of two Gods. Beware, beware, lest thou be
led to join partners with the Lord, thy God. He is,
and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without
peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the
future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable,
and self-subsisting. He hath assigned no
associate unto Himself in His Kingdom, no counsellor
to counsel Him, none to compare unto Him,
none to rival His glory. To this every atom of the
universe beareth witness, and beyond it the inmates
of the realms on high, they that occupy the most
exalted seats, and whose names are remembered before
the Throne of Glory.
Bear thou witness in thine inmost heart unto this
testimony which God hath Himself and for Himself
pronounced, that there is none other God but Him,
that all else besides Him have been created by His
behest, have been fashioned by His leave, are subject

+P193
to His law, are as a thing forgotten when compared
to the glorious evidences of His oneness, and are as
nothing when brought face to face with the mighty
revelations of His unity.
He, in truth, hath, throughout eternity, been one
in His Essence, one in His attributes, one in His
works. Any and every comparison is applicable only
to His creatures, and all conceptions of association
are conceptions that belong solely to those that serve
Him. Immeasurably exalted is His Essence above the
descriptions of His creatures. He, alone, occupieth
the Seat of transcendent majesty, of supreme and inaccessible
glory. The birds of men's hearts, however
high they soar, can never hope to attain the heights
of His unknowable Essence. It is He Who hath called
into being the whole of creation, Who hath caused
every created thing to spring forth at His behest.
Shall, then, the thing that was born by virtue of
the word which His Pen hath revealed, and which the
finger of His Will hath directed, be regarded as partner
with Him, or an embodiment of His Self? Far
be it from His glory that human pen or tongue
should hint at His mystery, or that human heart
conceive His Essence. All else besides Him stand poor
and desolate at His door, all are powerless before the
greatness of His might, all are but slaves in His Kingdom.
He is rich enough to dispense with all creatures.
The tie of servitude established between the worshiper
and the adored One, between the creature and

+P194
the Creator, should in itself be regarded as a token
of His gracious favor unto men, and not as an indication
of any merit they may possess. To this testifieth
every true and discerning believer.

XCV. Know thou that, according to what thy
Lord, the Lord of all men, hath decreed in His Book,
the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have
been, and will ever remain, limitless in their range.
First and foremost among these favors, which the
Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of
understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift
is none other except to enable His creature to know
and recognize the one true God--exalted be His glory.
This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth
in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and
helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation. Next
in rank, is the power of vision, the chief instrument
whereby his understanding can function. The senses
of hearing, of the heart, and the like, are similarly
to be reckoned among the gifts with which the human
body is endowed. Immeasurably exalted is the
Almighty Who hath created these powers, and revealed
them in the body of man.
Every one of these gifts is an undoubted evidence
of the majesty, the power, the ascendancy, the all-embracing
knowledge of the one true God--exalted
be His glory. Consider the sense of touch. Witness
how its power hath spread itself over the entire human

+P195
body. Whereas the faculties of sight and of hearing
are each localized in a particular center, the sense
of touch embraceth the whole human frame. Glorified
be His power, magnified be His sovereignty!
These gifts are inherent in man himself. That
which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible
in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself,
is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred
by the Creator upon man, be it material or
spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence,
and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh
down from Heaven. It is God's supreme testimony,
the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign of His
consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing
mercy, the proof of His most loving providence,
the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed,
partaken of this highest gift of God who hath
recognized His Manifestation in this Day.
Render thanks unto thy Lord for having vouchsafed
unto thee so great a bounty. Lift up thy voice
and say: All praise be to Thee, O Thou, the Desire
of every understanding heart!

XCVI. The Pen of the Most High is unceasingly
calling; and yet, how few are those that have inclined
their ear to its voice! The dwellers of the kingdom
of names have busied themselves with the gay
livery of the world, forgetful that every man that

+P196
hath eyes to perceive and ears to hear cannot but
readily recognize how evanescent are its colors.
A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the
peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered
its cause or perceived its motive. Consider the peoples
of the West. Witness how, in their pursuit of
that which is vain and trivial, they have sacrificed,
and are still sacrificing, countless lives for the sake of
its establishment and promotion. The peoples of Persia,
on the other hand, though the repository of a
perspicuous and luminous Revelation, the glory of
whose loftiness and renown hath encompassed the
whole earth, are dispirited and sunk in deep lethargy.
O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with
which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful
of your high destiny. Suffer not your labors to be
wasted through the vain imaginations which certain
hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven
of understanding, the breeze that stirreth at the
break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which
must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed
upon His sacred scroll. With the utmost
unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert
yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that
which beseemeth this Day of God. Verily I say, strife
and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth
are entirely unworthy of his station. Center
your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God.
Whoso is worthy of so high a calling, let him arise

+P197
and promote it. Whoso is unable, it is his duty to
appoint him who will, in his stead, proclaim this
Revelation, whose power hath caused the foundations
of the mightiest structures to quake, every mountain
to be crushed into dust, and every soul to be dumbfounded.
Should the greatness of this Day be revealed
in its fullness, every man would forsake a myriad
lives in his longing to partake, though it be for one
moment, of its great glory--how much more this
world and its corruptible treasures!
Be ye guided by wisdom in all your doings, and
cleave ye tenaciously unto it. Please God ye may all
be strengthened to carry out that which is the Will
of God, and may be graciously assisted to appreciate
the rank conferred upon such of His loved ones as
have arisen to serve Him and magnify His name.
Upon them be the glory of God, the glory of all that
is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and the
glory of the inmates of the most exalted Paradise, the
heaven of heavens.

XCVII. Consider the doubts which they who have
joined partners with God have instilled into the hearts
of the people of this land. "Is it ever possible," they
ask, "for copper to be transmuted into gold?" Say,
Yes, by my Lord, it is possible. Its secret, however,
lieth hidden in Our Knowledge. We will reveal it
unto whom We will. Whoso doubteth Our power,
let him ask the Lord his God, that He may disclose

+P198
unto him the secret, and assure him of its truth. That
copper can be turned into gold is in itself sufficient
proof that gold can, in like manner, be transmuted
into copper, if they be of them that can apprehend
this truth. Every mineral can be made to acquire
the density, form, and substance of each and every
other mineral. The knowledge thereof is with Us in
the Hidden Book.

XCVIII. 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
of the earth 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 people, with snow-white faces and radiant
hearts, unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the
&Sadratu'l-Muntaha is calling: "Verily, there is none
other God beside Me, the Omnipotent Protector, the
Self-Subsisting!"
O ye leaders of religion! 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

+P199
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 Day Spring of
this Light, through Whom every hidden thing hath
been revealed. Could ye but discover the source
whence the splendor of this utterance is diffused,
ye would cast away the peoples of the world and all
that they possess, and would draw nigh unto this
most blessed Seat of glory.
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.

+P200
XCIX. The vitality of men's belief in God is dying
out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome
medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of
ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society;
what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can
cleanse and revive it? Is it within human power, O
&Hakim, to effect in the constituent elements of any
of the minute and indivisible particles of matter so
complete a transformation as to transmute it into
purest gold? Perplexing and difficult as this may appear,
the still greater task of converting satanic
strength into heavenly power is one that We have
been empowered to accomplish. The Force capable
of such a transformation transcendeth the potency
of the Elixir itself. The Word of God, alone, can
claim the distinction of being endowed with the
capacity required for so great and far-reaching a
change.

C. The voice of the Divine Herald, proceeding
out of the throne of God, declareth: O ye My loved
ones! Suffer not the hem of My sacred vesture to be
smirched and mired with the things of this world,
and follow not the promptings of your evil and corrupt
desires. The Day Star of Divine Revelation, that
shineth in the plenitude of its glory in the heaven
of this Prison, beareth Me witness. They whose hearts
are turned towards Him Who is the Object of the
adoration of the entire creation must needs, in this

+P201
Day, pass beyond and be sanctified from all created
things, visible and invisible. If they arise to teach
My Cause, they must let the breath of Him Who is
the Unconstrained, stir them and must spread it
abroad on the earth with high resolve, with minds
that are wholly centered in Him, and with hearts
that are completely detached from and independent
of all things, and with souls that are sanctified from
the world and its vanities. It behoveth them to
choose as the best provision for their journey reliance
upon God, and to clothe themselves with the love
of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious.
If they do so, their words shall influence their hearers.
How great, how very great, the gulf that separateth
Us from them who, in this Day, are occupied
with their evil passions, and have set their hopes on
the things of the earth and its fleeting glory! Many a
time hath the court of the All-Merciful been to outward
seeming so denuded of the riches of this world
that they who lived in close association with Him
suffered from dire want. Despite their sufferings, the
Pen of the Most High hath, at no time, been willing
to refer, nor even to make the slightest allusion, to
the things that pertain to this world and its treasures.
And if, at any time, any gift were presented
to Him, that gift was accepted as a token of His
grace unto him that offered it. Should it ever please
Us to appropriate to Our own use all the treasures
of the earth, to none is given the right to question

+P202
Our authority, or to challenge Our right. It would be
impossible to conceive any act more contemptible
than soliciting, in the name of the one true God, the
riches which men possess.
It is incumbent upon thee, and upon the followers
of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, to summon all
men to whatsoever shall sanctify them from all attachment
to the things of the earth and purge them
from its defilements, that the sweet smell of the raiment
of the All-Glorious may be smelled from all
them that love Him.
They who are possessed of riches, however, must
have the utmost regard for the poor, for great is the
honor destined by God for those poor who are steadfast
in patience. By My life! There is no honor, except
what God may please to bestow, that can compare
to this honor. Great is the blessedness awaiting
the poor that endure patiently and conceal their sufferings,
and well is it with the rich who bestow their
riches on the needy and prefer them before themselves.
Please God, the poor may exert themselves and
strive to earn the means of livelihood. This is a duty
which, in this most great Revelation, hath been prescribed
unto every one, and is accounted in the sight
of God as a goodly deed. Whoso observeth this duty,
the help of the invisible One shall most certainly aid
him. He can enrich, through His grace, whomsoever

+P203
He pleaseth. He, verily, hath power over all
things....
Tell, O &Ali, the loved ones of God that equity is
the most fundamental among human virtues. The
evaluation of all things must needs depend upon it.
Ponder a while on the woes and afflictions which this
Prisoner hath sustained. I have, all the days of My
life, been at the mercy of Mine enemies, and have
suffered each day, in the path of the love of God, a
fresh tribulation. I have patiently endured until the
fame of the Cause of God was spread abroad on the
earth. If any one should now arise and, prompted
by the vain imaginations his heart hath devised, endeavor,
openly or in secret, to sow the seeds of dissension
amongst men--can such a man be said to
have acted with equity? No, by Him Whose might
extendeth over all things! By My life! Mine heart
groaneth and mine eyes weep sore for the Cause of
God and for them that understand not what they say
and imagine what they cannot comprehend.
It beseemeth all men, in this Day, to take firm hold
on the Most Great Name, and to establish the unity
of all mankind. There is no place to flee to, no refuge
that any one can seek, except Him. Should any man
be led to utter such words as will turn away the people
from the shores of God's limitless ocean, and cause
them to fix their hearts on anything except this glorious
and manifest Being, that hath assumed a form
subject to human limitations--such a man, however

+P204
lofty the station he may occupy, shall be denounced
by the entire creation as one that hath deprived himself
of the sweet savors of the All-Merciful.
Say: Observe equity in your judgment, ye men of
understanding heart! He that is unjust in his judgment
is destitute of the characteristics that distinguish
man's station. He Who is the Eternal Truth
knoweth well what the breasts of men conceal. His
long forbearance hath emboldened His creatures, for
not until the appointed time is come will He rend
any veil asunder. His surpassing mercy hath restrained
the fury of His wrath, and caused most people
to imagine that the one true God is unaware of
the things they have privily committed. By Him
Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed! The
mirror of His knowledge reflecteth, with complete
distinctness, precision and fidelity, the doings of all
men. Say: Praise be to Thee, O Concealer of the sins
of the weak and helpless! Magnified be Thy name, O
Thou that forgivest the heedless ones that trespass
against Thee!
We have forbidden men to walk after the imaginations
of their hearts, that they may be enabled to
recognize Him Who is the sovereign Source and Object
of all knowledge, and may acknowledge whatsoever
He may be pleased to reveal. Witness how they
have entangled themselves with their idle fancies and
vain imaginations. By My life! They are themselves
the victims of what their own hearts have devised,

+P205
and yet they perceive it not. Vain and profitless is
the talk of their lips, and yet they understand not.
We beseech God that He may graciously vouchsafe
His grace unto all men, and enable them to attain
the knowledge of Him and of themselves. By
My life! Whoso hath known Him shall soar in the
immensity of His love, and shall be detached from
the world and all that is therein. Nothing on earth
shall deflect him from his course, how much less they
who, prompted by their vain imaginations, speak
those things which God hath forbidden.
Say: This is the Day when every ear must needs
be attentive to His voice. Hearken ye to the Call of
this wronged One, and magnify ye the name of the
one true God, and adorn yourselves with the ornament
of His remembrance, and illumine your hearts
with the light of His love. This is the key that unlocketh
the hearts of men, the burnish that shall
cleanse the souls of all beings. He that is careless of
what hath poured out from the finger of the Will of
God liveth in manifest error. Amity and rectitude of
conduct, rather than dissension and mischief, are the
marks of true faith.
Proclaim unto men what He, Who speaketh the
truth and is the Bearer of the Trust of God, hath bidden
thee observe. My glory be with thee, O thou
that callest upon My name, whose eyes are directed
towards My court, and whose tongue uttereth the
praise of thy Lord, the Beneficent.

+P206
CI. The purpose underlying the revelation of
every heavenly Book, nay, of every divinely-revealed
verse, is to endue all men with righteousness and understanding,
so that peace and tranquillity may be
firmly established amongst them. Whatsoever instilleth
assurance into the hearts of men, whatsoever
exalteth their station or promoteth their contentment,
is acceptable in the sight of God. How lofty
is the station which man, if he but choose to fulfill
his high destiny, can attain! To what depths of degradation
he can sink, depths which the meanest of
creatures have never reached! Seize, O friends, the
chance which this Day offereth you, and deprive not
yourselves of the liberal effusions of His grace. I beseech
God that He may graciously enable every one
of you to adorn himself, in this blessed Day, with
the ornament of pure and holy deeds. He, verily,
doeth whatsoever He willeth.

CII. Give a hearing ear, O people, to that which
I, in truth, say unto you. The one true God, exalted
be His glory, hath ever regarded, and will continue to
regard, the hearts of men as His own, His exclusive
possession. All else, whether pertaining to land or
sea, whether riches or glory, He hath bequeathed
unto the Kings and rulers of the earth. From the beginning
that hath no beginning the ensign proclaiming
the words "He doeth whatsoever He willeth"
hath been unfurled in all its splendor before His

+P207
Manifestation. What mankind needeth in this day
is obedience unto them that are in authority, and a
faithful adherence to the cord of wisdom. The instruments
which are essential to the immediate protection,
the security and assurance of the human race
have been entrusted to the hands, and lie in the grasp,
of the governors of human society. This is the wish of
God and His decree.... We cherish the hope that
one of the kings of the earth will, for the sake of
God, arise for the triumph of this wronged, this oppressed
people. Such a king will be eternally extolled
and glorified. God hath prescribed unto this people
the duty of aiding whosoever will aid them, of serving
his best interests, and of demonstrating to him
their abiding loyalty. They who follow Me must
strive, under all circumstances, to promote the welfare
of whosoever will arise for the triumph of My
Cause, and must at all times prove their devotion
and fidelity unto him. Happy is the man that hearkeneth
and observeth My counsel. Woe unto him that
faileth to fulfil My wish.

CIII. God hath, through His tongue that uttereth
the truth, testified in all His Tablets to these words:
"I am He that liveth in the &Abha Realm of Glory."
By the righteousness of God! He, from the heights
of this sublime, this holy, this mighty, and transcendent
station, seeth all things, heareth all things, and
is, at this hour, proclaiming: Blessed art thou, O

+P208
&Javad, inasmuch as thou hast attained unto that
which no man before thee hath attained. I swear by
Him Who is the Eternal Truth! Through thee the
eyes of the inmates of the Exalted Paradise have been
gladdened. The people, however, are utterly heedless.
Were We to reveal thy station, the hearts of men
would be sorely agitated, their footsteps would slip,
the embodiments of vain-glory would be dumbfounded,
would fall down upon the ground, and
would thrust the fingers of heedlessness into their
ears, for fear of hearing.
Grieve thou not over those that have busied themselves
with the things of this world, and have forgotten
the remembrance of God, the Most Great. By
Him Who is the Eternal Truth! The day is approaching
when the wrathful anger of the Almighty will
have taken hold of them. He, verily, is the Omnipotent,
the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful. He shall
cleanse the earth from the defilement of their corruption,
and shall give it for an heritage unto such
of His servants as are nigh unto Him.
Say: O people! Dust fill your mouths, and ashes
blind your eyes, for having bartered away the Divine
Joseph for the most paltry of prices. Oh, the misery
that resteth upon you, ye that are far astray! Have
ye imagined in your hearts that ye possess the power
to outstrip Him and His Cause? Far from it! To this
He, Himself, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted,
the Most Great, doth testify.

+P209
Soon shall the blasts of His chastisement beat upon
you, and the dust of hell enshroud you. Those men
who, having amassed the vanities and ornaments of
the earth, have turned away disdainfully from God
--these have lost both this world and the world to
come. Ere long, will God, with the Hand of Power,
strip them of their possessions, and divest them of the
robe of His bounty. To this they themselves shall
soon witness. Thou, too, shalt testify.
Say: O people! Let not this life and its deceits deceive
you, for the world and all that is therein is held
firmly in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His
favor on whom He willeth, and from whom He
willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He
chooseth. Had the world been of any worth in His
sight, He surely would never have allowed His enemies
to possess it, even to the extent of a grain of
mustard seed. He hath, however, caused you to be
entangled with its affairs, in return for what your
hands have wrought in His Cause. This, indeed, is a
chastisement which ye, of your own will, have inflicted
upon yourselves, could ye but perceive it. Are
ye rejoicing in the things which, according to the
estimate of God, are contemptible and worthless,
things wherewith He proveth the hearts of the
doubtful?

CIV. O ye peoples of the world! Know, verily,
that an unforeseen calamity is following you, and

+P210
that grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not
the deeds ye have committed have been blotted from
My sight. By My beauty! All your doings hath My
Pen graven with open characters upon tablets of
chrysolite.

CV. O kings of the earth! He Who is the sovereign
Lord of all is come. The Kingdom is God's, the
omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Worship
none but God, and, with radiant hearts, lift up your
faces unto your Lord, the Lord of all names. This is
a Revelation to which whatever ye possess can never
be compared, could ye but know it.
We see you rejoicing in that which ye have
amassed for others and shutting out yourselves from
the worlds which naught except My guarded Tablet
can reckon. The treasures ye have laid up have drawn
you far away from your ultimate objective. This ill
beseemeth you, could ye but understand it. Wash
your hearts from all earthly defilements, and hasten
to enter the Kingdom of your Lord, the Creator of
earth and heaven, Who caused the world to tremble
and all its peoples to wail, except them that have renounced
all things and clung to that which the Hidden
Tablet hath ordained.
This is the Day in which He Who held converse
with God hath attained the light of the Ancient of
Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion from

+P211
this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By
the one true God! Sinai is circling round the Day
Spring of Revelation, while from the heights of the
Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard
proclaiming: "Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of
the earth, and hasten ye unto Him." Carmel hath, in
this Day, hastened in longing adoration to attain His
court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh
the cry: "The promise is fulfilled. That which had
been announced in the holy Writ of God, the most
Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made
manifest."
O kings of the earth! The Most Great Law hath
been revealed in this Spot, this scene of transcendent
splendor. Every hidden thing hath been brought to
light, by virtue of the Will of the Supreme Ordainer,
He Who hath ushered in the Last Hour, through
Whom the Moon hath been cleft, and every irrevocable
decree expounded.
Ye are but vassals, O kings of the earth! He Who
is the King of Kings hath appeared, arrayed in His
most wondrous glory, and is summoning you unto
Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Take
heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source
of Revelation, lest the things of this world shut you
out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of
heaven. Arise, and serve Him Who is the Desire of
all nations, Who hath created you through a word

+P212
from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time, the
emblems of His sovereignty.
By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish
to lay hands on your kingdoms. Our mission is to
seize and possess the hearts of men. Upon them the
eyes of &Baha are fastened. To this testifieth the Kingdom
of Names, could ye but comprehend it. Whoso
followeth his Lord, will renounce the world and all
that is therein; how much greater, then, must be the
detachment of Him Who holdeth so august a station!
Forsake your palaces, and haste ye to gain admittance
into His Kingdom. This, indeed, will profit
you both in this world and in the next. To this testifieth
the Lord of the realm on high, did ye but
know it.
How great the blessedness that awaiteth the king
who will arise to aid My Cause in My Kingdom, who
will detach himself from all else but Me! Such a king
is numbered with the companions of the Crimson
Ark--the Ark which God hath prepared for the people
of &Baha. All must glorify his name, must reverence
his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with
the keys of My Name, the omnipotent Protector of
all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms.
Such a king is the very eye of mankind, the luminous
ornament on the brow of creation, the fountain-head
of blessings unto the whole world. Offer up, O people
of &Baha, your substance, nay your very lives, for
his assistance.

+P213
CVI. The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger
on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease,
and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy.
Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its
particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth
in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as
that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously
concerned with the needs of the age ye live in,
and center your deliberations on its exigencies and
requirements.
We can well perceive how the whole human race
is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions.
We see it languishing on its bed of sickness,
sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated
by self-conceit have interposed themselves between
it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness
how they have entangled all men, themselves included,
in the mesh of their devices. They can neither
discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any
knowledge of the remedy. They have conceived the
straight to be crooked, and have imagined their
friend an enemy.
Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner.
Arise, and lift up your voices, that haply they
that are fast asleep may be awakened. Say: O ye
who are as dead! The Hand of Divine bounty proffereth
unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink
your fill. Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall
never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live.

+P214
CVII. He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful,
cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the
entire human race as one soul and one body. Haste
ye to win your share of God's good grace and mercy
in this Day that eclipseth all other created Days.
How great the felicity that awaiteth the man that
forsaketh all he hath in a desire to obtain the things
of God! Such a man, We testify, is among God's
blessed ones.

CVIII. We have a fixed time for you, O peoples.
If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn towards God,
He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will
cause grievous afflictions to assail you from every
direction. How severe, indeed, is the chastisement
with which your Lord will then chastise you!

CIX. O &Kamal! The heights which, through the
most gracious favor of God, mortal man can attain,
in this Day, are as yet unrevealed to his sight.
The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet
possess the capacity for such a revelation. The day,
however, is approaching when the potentialities of
so great a favor will, by virtue of His behest, be
manifested unto men. Though the forces of the nations
be arrayed against Him, though the kings of
the earth be leagued to undermine His Cause, the
power of His might shall stand unshaken. He, verily,
speaketh the truth, and summoneth all mankind to

+P215
the way of Him Who is the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.
All men have been created to carry forward an
ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth
Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy
of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity
are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness
towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal
stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of
Him Who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake
of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men
in every land may fully recognize the purpose for
which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and
the reason for which they themselves have been created.

CX. The Great Being saith: O ye children of men!
The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of
God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests
and promote the unity of the human race, and to
foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.
Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord,
of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path,
the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is
raised on this foundation, the changes and chances
of the world can never impair its strength, nor will
the revolution of countless centuries undermine its
structure. Our hope is that the world's religious leaders

+P216
and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the
reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its
fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs,
take counsel together and, through anxious and full
deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted
world the remedy it requireth.... It is
incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise
moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth
beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a
beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things
as liberty, civilization and the like. However much
men of understanding may favorably regard them,
they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence
upon men.... Please God, the peoples of the
world may be led, as the result of the high endeavors
exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned
amongst men, to recognize their best interests. How
long will humanity persist in its waywardness? How
long will injustice continue? How long is chaos
and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will
discord agitate the face of society?... The winds of
despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and
the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race
is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions
and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as
the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective.
I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He
may graciously awaken the peoples of the earth, may
grant that the end of their conduct may be profitable

+P217
unto them, and aid them to accomplish that which
beseemeth their station.

CXI. O contending peoples and kindreds of the
earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance
of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together,
and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever
is the source of contention amongst you. Then will
the effulgence of the world's great Luminary envelop
the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the citizens
of one city, and the occupants of one and the
same throne. This wronged One hath, ever since the
early days of His life, cherished none other desire but
this, and will continue to entertain no wish except
this wish. There can be no doubt whatever that the
peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion,
derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source,
and are the subjects of one God. The difference between
the ordinances under which they abide should
be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies
of the age in which they were revealed. All
of them, except a few which are the outcome of
human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a
reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed
with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods
of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension
amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you
together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most
exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent

+P218
down and revealed unto you. To this beareth witness
the Tongue of Grandeur from His habitation of
glory.

CXII. Behold the disturbances which, for many a
long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation
that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been
ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen
calamities. Though the world is encompassed
with misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to
reflect what the cause or source of that may be.
Whenever the True Counsellor uttered a word in admonishment,
lo, they all denounced Him as a mover
of mischief and rejected His claim. How bewildering,
how confusing is such behavior! No two men can
be found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly
united. The evidences of discord and malice
are apparent everywhere, though all were made for
harmony and union. The Great Being saith: O well-beloved
ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been
raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are
the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.
We cherish the hope that the light of justice may
shine upon the world and sanctify it from tyranny.
If the rulers and kings of the earth, the symbols of
the power of God, exalted be His glory, arise and
resolve to dedicate themselves to whatever will promote
the highest interests of the whole of humanity,
the reign of justice will assuredly be established

+P219
amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of
its light will envelop the whole earth. The Great
Being saith: The structure of world stability and
order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be
sustained by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment....
In another passage He hath written: Take
heed, O concourse of the rulers of the world! There
is no force on earth that can equal in its conquering
power the force of justice and wisdom.... Blessed is
the king who marcheth with the ensign of wisdom
unfurled before him, and the battalions of justice
massed in his rear. He verily is the ornament that
adorneth the brow of peace and the countenance of
security. There can be no doubt whatever that if
the day star of justice, which the clouds of tyranny
have obscured, were to shed its light upon men, the
face of the earth would be completely transformed.

CXIII. Dost thou imagine, O Minister of the &Shah
in the City (Constantinople), that I hold within My
grasp the ultimate destiny of the Cause of God?
Thinkest thou that My imprisonment, or the shame
I have been made to suffer, or even My death and
utter annihilation, can deflect its course? Wretched
is what thou hast imagined in thine heart! Thou art
indeed of them that walk after the vain imaginings
which their hearts devise. No God is there but Him.
Powerful is He to manifest His Cause, and to exalt
His testimony, and to establish whatsoever is His

+P220
Will, and to elevate it to so eminent a position that
neither thine own hands, nor the hands of them
that have turned away from Him, can ever touch or
harm it.
Dost thou believe thou hast the power to frustrate
His Will, to hinder Him from executing His judgment,
or to deter Him from exercising His sovereignty?
Pretendest thou that aught in the heavens or
in the earth can resist His Faith? No, by Him Who
is the Eternal Truth! Nothing whatsoever in the
whole of creation can thwart His Purpose. Cast away,
therefore, the mere conceit thou dost follow, for
mere conceit can never take the place of truth. Be
thou of them that have truly repented and returned
to God, the God Who hath created thee, Who hath
nourished thee, and made thee a minister among them
that profess thy faith.
Know thou, moreover, that He it is Who hath,
by His own behest, created all that is in the heavens
and all that is on the earth. How can, then, the
thing that hath been created at His bidding prevail
against Him? High is God exalted above what ye
imagine about Him, ye people of malice! If this
Cause be of God, no man can prevail against it; and
if it be not of God, the divines amongst you, and they
that follow their corrupt desires and such as have rebelled
against Him will surely suffice to overpower it.
Hast thou not heard what a man of the family of
Pharaoh, a believer, hath said of old, and which God

+P221
recounted unto His Apostle, Whom He hath chosen
above all human beings, and entrusted with His Message,
and made the source of His mercy unto all them
that dwell on earth? He said, and He, verily, speaketh
the truth: "Will ye slay a man because he saith my
Lord is God, when he hath already come to you with
proofs of his mission? And if he be a liar, on him will
be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part at least
of what he threateneth will fall upon you." This is
what God hath revealed unto His Well-Beloved One,
in His unerring Book.
And yet, ye have failed to incline your ears unto
His bidding, have disregarded His law, have rejected
His counsel as recorded in His Book, and have been
of them that have strayed far from Him. How many
those who, every year, and every month, have because
of you been put to death! How manifold the
injustices ye have perpetrated--injustices the like of
which the eye of creation hath not seen, which no
chronicler hath ever recorded! How numerous the
babes and sucklings who were made orphans, and the
fathers who lost their sons, because of your cruelty,
O ye unjust doers! How oft hath a sister pined away
and mourned over her brother, and how oft hath a
wife lamented after her husband and sole sustainer!
Your iniquity waxed greater and greater until ye
slew Him Who had never taken His eyes away from
the face of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
Would that ye had put Him to death after the manner

+P222
men are wont to put one another to death! Ye
slew Him, however, in such circumstances as no man
hath ever witnessed. The heavens wept sore over Him,
and the souls of them who are nigh unto God cried
out for His affliction. Was He not a Scion of your
Prophet's ancient House? Had not His fame as a
direct descendant of the Apostle been spread abroad
amongst you? Why, then, did ye inflict upon Him
what no man, however far ye may look back, hath
inflicted upon another? By God! The eye of creation
hath never beheld your like. Ye slay Him Who is a
Scion of your Prophet's House, and rejoice and make
merry while seated on your seats of honor! Ye utter
your imprecations against them who were before you,
and who have perpetrated what ye have perpetrated,
and remain yourselves all the time unaware of your
enormities!
Be fair in your judgment. Did they whom you
curse, upon whom ye invoke evil, act differently
from yourselves? Have they not slain the descendant
of their Prophet as ye have slain the descendant of
your own? Is not your conduct similar to their conduct?
Wherefore, then, claim ye to be different from
them, O ye sowers of dissension amongst men?
And when ye took away His life, one of His followers
arose to avenge His death. He was unknown
of men, and the design he had conceived was unnoticed
by any one. Eventually he committed what
had been preordained. It behoveth you, therefore, to

+P223
attach blame to no one except to yourselves, for the
things ye have committed, if ye but judge fairly.
Who is there on the whole earth who hath done what
ye have done? None, by Him Who is the Lord of all
worlds!
All the rulers and kings of the earth honor and
revere the descendants of their Prophets and holy
men, could ye but perceive it. Ye, on the other hand,
are responsible for such acts as no man hath, at any
time, performed. Your misdeeds have caused every
understanding heart to be consumed with grief. And
yet, ye have remained sunk in your heedlessness, and
failed to realize the wickedness of your actions.
Ye have persisted in your waywardness until ye
rose up against Us, though We had committed nothing
to justify your enmity. Fear ye not God Who
hath created you, and fashioned you, and caused you
to attain your strength, and joined you with them
that have resigned themselves to Him (Muslims)?
How long will ye persist in your waywardness? How
long will ye refuse to reflect? How long ere ye shake
off your slumber and are roused from your heedlessness?
How long will ye remain unaware of the
truth?
Ponder in thine heart. Did ye, notwithstanding
your behavior and the things your hands have
wrought, succeed in quenching the fire of God or in
putting out the light of His Revelation--a light
that hath enveloped with its brightness them that are

+P224
immersed in the billowing oceans of immortality,
and hath attracted the souls of such as truly believe
in and uphold His unity? Know ye not that the Hand
of God is over your hands, that His irrevocable Decree
transcendeth all your devices, that He is supreme
over His servants, that He is equal to His Purpose,
that He doth what He wisheth, that He shall not be
asked of whatever He willeth, that He ordaineth
what He pleaseth, that He is the Most Powerful, the
Almighty? If ye believe this to be the truth, wherefore,
then, will ye not cease from troubling and be at
peace with yourselves?
Ye perpetrate every day a fresh injustice, and treat
Me as ye treated Me in times past, though I never
attempted to meddle with your affairs. At no time
have I opposed you, neither have I rebelled against
your laws. Behold how ye have, at the last, made Me
a prisoner in this far-off land! Know for a certainty,
however, that whatever your hands or the hands of
the infidels have wrought will never, as they never
did of old, change the Cause of God or alter His
ways.
Give heed to My warning, ye people of Persia!
If I be slain at your hands, God will assuredly raise
up one who will fill the seat made vacant through My
death, for such is God's method carried into effect
of old, and no change can ye find in God's method of
dealing. Seek ye to put out God's light that shineth
upon His earth? Averse is God from what ye desire.

+P225
He shall perfect His light, albeit ye abhor it in the
secret of your hearts.
Pause for but a little while and reflect, O Minister,
and be fair in thy judgment. What is it that We have
committed that could justify thee in having slandered
Us unto the King's Ministers, in following thy desires,
in perverting the truth, and in uttering thy
calumnies against Us? We have never met each other
except when We met thee in thy father's house, in
the days when the martyrdom of &Imam &Husayn was
being commemorated. On those occasions no one
could have the chance of making known to others
his views and beliefs in conversation or in discourse.
Thou wilt bear witness to the truth of My words, if
thou be of the truthful. I have frequented no other
gatherings in which thou couldst have learned My
mind or in which any other could have done so. How,
then, didst thou pronounce thy verdict against Me,
when thou hadst not heard My testimony from Mine
own lips? Hast thou not heard what God, exalted be
His glory, hath said: "Say not to every one who
meeteth you with a greeting, `Thou art not a believer'."
"Thrust not away those who cry to their
Lord at morn and even, craving to behold His face."
Thou hast indeed forsaken what the Book of God
hath prescribed, and yet thou deemest thyself to be a
believer!
Despite what thou hast done I entertain--and
to this God is My witness--no ill-will against thee,

+P226
nor against any one, though from thee and others
We receive such hurt as no believer in the unity of
God can sustain. My cause is in the hand of none
except God, and My trust is in no one else but Him.
Erelong shall your days pass away, as shall pass away
the days of those who now, with flagrant pride,
vaunt themselves over their neighbor. Soon shall ye be
gathered together in the presence of God, and shall be
asked of your doings, and shall be repaid for what
your hands have wrought, and wretched the abode
of the wicked doers!
By God! Wert thou to realize what thou hast done,
thou wouldst surely weep sore over thyself, and
wouldst flee for refuge to God, and wouldst pine
away and mourn all the days of thy life, till God will
have forgiven thee, for He, verily, is the Most Generous,
the All-Bountiful. Thou wilt, however, persist,
till the hour of thy death, in thy heedlessness, inasmuch
as thou hast, with all thine heart, thy soul and
inmost being, busied thyself with the vanities of the
world. Thou shalt, after thy departure, discover what
We have revealed unto thee, and shalt find all thy
doings recorded in the Book wherein the works of all
them that dwell on earth, be they greater or less than
the weight of an atom, are noted down. Heed, therefore,
My counsel, and hearken thou, with the hearing
of thine heart, unto My speech, and be not careless
of My words, nor be of them that reject My
truth. Glory not in the things that have been given

+P227
thee. Set before thine eyes what hath been revealed
in the Book of God, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious:
"And when they had forgotten their warnings,
We set open to them the gates of all things,"
even as We did set open to thee and to thy like the
gates of this earth and the ornaments thereof. Wait
thou, therefore, for what hath been promised in the
latter part of this holy verse, for this is a promise
from Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise--
a promise that will not prove untrue.
I know not the path ye have chosen and which ye
tread, O congregation of My ill-wishers! We summon
you to God, We remind you of His Day, We
announce unto you tidings of your reunion with
Him, We draw you nigh unto His court, and send
down upon you tokens of His wondrous wisdom,
and yet lo, behold how ye reject Us, how ye condemn
Us, through the things which your lying
mouths have uttered, as an infidel, how ye devise your
devices against Us! And when We manifest unto you
what God hath, through His bountiful favor, bestowed
upon Us, ye say, "It is but plain magic."
The same words were spoken by the generations that
were before you and were what you are, did ye but
perceive it. Ye have thereby deprived yourselves of
the bounty of God and of His grace, and shall never
obtain them till the day when God will have judged
between Us and you, and He, verily, is the best of
Judges.

+P228
Certain ones among you have said: "He it is Who
hath laid claim to be God." By God! This is a
gross calumny. I am but a servant of God Who hath
believed in Him and in His signs, and in His Prophets
and in His angels. My tongue, and My heart, and
My inner and My outer being testify that there is
no God but Him, that all others have been created
by His behest, and been fashioned through the operation
of His Will. There is none other God but Him,
the Creator, the Raiser from the dead, the Quickener,
the Slayer. I am He that telleth abroad the
favors with which God hath, through His bounty,
favored Me. If this be My transgression, then I am
truly the first of the transgressors. I and My kindred
are at your mercy. Do ye as ye please, and be not of
them that hesitate, that I might return to God My
Lord, and reach the place where I can no longer behold
your faces. This, indeed, is My dearest wish, My
most ardent desire. Of My state God is, verily, sufficiently
informed, observant.
Imagine thyself to be under the eye of God, O
Minister! If thou seest Him not, He, in truth, clearly
seeth thee. Observe, and judge fairly Our Cause.
What is it that We have committed that could have
induced thee to rise up against Us, and to slander Us
to the people, if thou be of them who are just? We
departed out of &Tihran, at the bidding of the King,
and, by his leave, transferred Our residence to &Iraq.
If I had transgressed against him, why, then, did he

+P229
release Me? And if I were innocent of guilt, wherefore
did ye afflict Us with such tribulation as none
among them that profess your faith hath suffered?
Hath any of Mine acts, after Mine arrival in &Iraq,
been such as to subvert the authority of the government?
Who is it that can be said to have detected
any thing reprehensible in Our behavior? Enquire for
thyself of its people, that thou mayest be of them
who have discerned the truth.
For eleven years We dwelt in that land, until the
Minister representing thy government arrived, whose
name Our pen is loth to mention, who was given to
wine, who followed his lusts, and committed wickedness,
and was corrupt and corrupted &Iraq. To this
will bear witness most of the inhabitants of &Baghdad,
wert thou to inquire of them, and be of such as seek
the truth. He it was who wrongfully seized the substance
of his fellow-men, who forsook all the commandments
of God, and perpetrated whatever God
had forbidden. Eventually, he, following his desires,
rose up against Us, and walked in the ways of the
unjust. He accused Us, in his letter to thee, and thou
didst believe him and followed in his way, without
seeking any proof or trustworthy evidence from him.
Thou didst ask for no explanation, nor didst thou
attempt either to investigate or ascertain the matter,
that the truth might be distinguished from falsehood
in thy sight, and that thou mightest be clear in thy
discernment. Find out for thyself the sort of man he

+P230
was by asking those Ministers who were, at that time,
in &Iraq, as well as the Governor of the City (&Baghdad)
and its high Counsellor, that the truth may be
revealed to thee, and that thou mayest be of the
well-informed.
God is Our witness! We have, under no circumstances,
opposed either him, or others. We observed,
under all conditions, the precepts of God, and were
never one of those that wrought disorders. To this he
himself doth testify. His intention was to lay hold
on Us, and send Us back to Persia, that he might
thereby exalt his fame and reputation. Thou hast
committed the same crime, and for the self-same
purpose. Ye both are of equal grade in the sight of
God, the sovereign Lord of all, the All-Knowing.
It is not Our purpose in addressing to thee these
words to lighten the burden of Our woe, or to induce
thee to intercede for Us with any one. No, by Him
Who is the Lord of all worlds! We have set forth the
whole matter before thee, that perchance thou might
realize what thou hast done, might desist from inflicting
on others the hurt thou hast inflicted on Us,
and might be of them that have truly repented to
God, Who created thee and created all things, and
might act with discernment in the future. Better is
this for thee than all thou dost possess, than thy ministry
whose days are numbered.
Beware lest thou be led to connive at injustice. Set
thy heart firmly upon justice, and alter not the

+P231
Cause of God, and be of them whose eyes are directed
towards the things that have been revealed in His
Book. Follow not, under any condition, the promptings
of thine evil desires. Keep thou the law of God,
thy Lord, the Beneficent, the Ancient of Days. Thou
shalt most certainly return to dust, and shalt perish
like all the things in which thou takest delight. This
is what the Tongue of truth and glory hath spoken.
Rememberest thou not God's warning uttered in
times past, that thou mayest be of them that heed
His warning? He said, and He, verily, speaketh the
truth: "From it (earth) have We created you, and
unto it will We return you, and out of it will We
bring you forth a second time." This is what God
ordained unto all them that dwell on earth, be they
high or low. It behoveth not, therefore, him who was
created from dust, who will return unto it, and will
again be brought forth out of it, to swell with pride
before God, and before His loved ones, to proudly
scorn them, and be filled with disdainful arrogance.
Nay, rather it behoveth thee and those like thee to
submit yourselves to them Who are the Manifestations
of the unity of God, and to defer humbly to the
faithful, who have forsaken their all for the sake of
God, and have detached themselves from the things
which engross men's attention, and lead them astray
from the path of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.
Thus do We send down upon you that which

+P232
shall profit you and profit them that have placed
their whole trust and confidence in their Lord.

CXIV. Hearken, O King (&Sultan &Abdu'l-'Aziz),
to the speech of Him that speaketh the truth, Him
that doth not ask thee to recompense Him with the
things God hath chosen to bestow upon thee, Him
Who unerringly treadeth the straight Path. He it is
Who summoneth thee unto God, thy Lord, Who
showeth thee the right course, the way that leadeth
to true felicity, that haply thou mayest be of them
with whom it shall be well.
Beware, O King, that thou gather not around thee
such ministers as follow the desires of a corrupt inclination,
as have cast behind their backs that which
hath been committed into their hands and manifestly
betrayed their trust. Be bounteous to others as God
hath been bounteous to thee, and abandon not the
interests of thy people to the mercy of such ministers
as these. Lay not aside the fear of God, and be thou
of them that act uprightly. Gather around thee those
ministers from whom thou canst perceive the fragrance
of faith and of justice, and take thou counsel
with them, and choose whatever is best in thy sight,
and be of them that act generously.
Know thou for a certainty that whoso disbelieveth
in God is neither trustworthy nor truthful. This, indeed,
is the truth, the undoubted truth. He that
acteth treacherously towards God will, also, act

+P233
treacherously towards his king. Nothing whatever can
deter such a man from evil, nothing can hinder him
from betraying his neighbor, nothing can induce
him to walk uprightly.
Take heed that thou resign not the reins of the
affairs of thy state into the hands of others, and repose
not thy confidence in ministers unworthy of thy
trust, and be not of them that live in heedlessness.
Shun them whose hearts are turned away from thee,
and place not thy confidence in them, and entrust
them not with thine affairs and the affairs of such as
profess thy faith. Beware that thou allow not the
wolf to become the shepherd of God's flock, and surrender
not the fate of His loved ones to the mercy
of the malicious. Expect not that they who violate
the ordinances of God will be trustworthy or sincere
in the faith they profess. Avoid them, and preserve
strict guard over thyself, lest their devices and mischief
hurt thee. Turn away from them, and fix thy
gaze upon God, thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most
Bountiful. He that giveth up himself wholly to God,
God shall, assuredly, be with him; and he that placeth
his complete trust in God, God shall, verily, protect
him from whatsoever may harm him, and shield him
from the wickedness of every evil plotter.
Wert thou to incline thine ear unto My speech
and observe My counsel, God would exalt thee to so
eminent a position that the designs of no man on the
whole earth can ever touch or hurt thee. Observe, O

+P234
King, with thine inmost heart and with thy whole
being, the precepts of God, and walk not in the
paths of the oppressor. Seize thou, and hold firmly
within the grasp of thy might, the reins of the affairs
of thy people, and examine in person whatever pertaineth
unto them. Let nothing escape thee, for
therein lieth the highest good.
Render thanks unto God for having chosen thee
out of the whole world, and made thee king over
them that profess thy faith. It well beseemeth thee to
appreciate the wondrous favors with which God hath
favored thee, and to magnify continually His name.
Thou canst best praise Him if thou lovest His loved
ones, and dost safeguard and protect His servants
from the mischief of the treacherous, that none may
any longer oppress them. Thou shouldst, moreover,
arise to enforce the law of God amongst them, that
thou mayest be of those who are firmly established
in His law.
Shouldst thou cause rivers of justice to spread
their waters amongst thy subjects, God would surely
aid thee with the hosts of the unseen and of the seen,
and would strengthen thee in thine affairs. No God
is there but Him. All creation and its empire are
His. Unto Him return the works of the faithful.
Place not thy reliance on thy treasures. Put thy
whole confidence in the grace of God, thy Lord. Let
Him be thy trust in whatever thou doest, and be of
them that have submitted themselves to His Will.

+P235
Let Him be thy helper and enrich thyself with His
treasures, for with Him are the treasuries of the
heavens and of the earth. He bestoweth them upon
whom He will, and from whom He will He withholdeth
them. There is none other God but Him, the
All-Possessing, the All-Praised. All are but paupers
at the door of His mercy; all are helpless before the
revelation of His sovereignty, and beseech His favors.
Overstep not the bounds of moderation, and deal
justly with them that serve thee. Bestow upon them
according to their needs, and not to the extent that
will enable them to lay up riches for themselves, to
deck their persons, to embellish their homes, to acquire
the things that are of no benefit unto them,
and to be numbered with the extravagant. Deal with
them with undeviating justice, so that none among
them may either suffer want, or be pampered with
luxuries. This is but manifest justice.
Allow not the abject to rule over and dominate
them who are noble and worthy of honor, and suffer
not the high-minded to be at the mercy of the contemptible
and worthless, for this is what We observed
upon Our arrival in the City (Constantinople), and
to it We bear witness. We found among its inhabitants
some who were possessed of an affluent fortune
and lived in the midst of excessive riches, while others
were in dire want and abject poverty. This ill beseemeth
thy sovereignty, and is unworthy of thy
rank.

+P236
Let My counsel be acceptable to thee, and strive
thou to rule with equity among men, that God may
exalt thy name and spread abroad the fame of thy
justice in all the world. Beware lest thou aggrandize
thy ministers at the expense of thy subjects. Fear the
sighs of the poor and of the upright in heart who,
at every break of day, bewail their plight, and be
unto them a benignant sovereign. They, verily, are
thy treasures on earth. It behoveth thee, therefore,
to safeguard thy treasures from the assaults of them
who wish to rob thee. Inquire into their affairs, and
ascertain, every year, nay every month, their condition,
and be not of them that are careless of their
duty.
Set before thine eyes God's unerring Balance and,
as one standing in His Presence, weigh in that Balance
thine actions every day, every moment of thy life.
Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a
reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have
strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the
hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble.
It behoveth every king to be as bountiful as the
sun, which fostereth the growth of all beings, and
giveth to each its due, whose benefits are not inherent
in itself, but are ordained by Him Who is the Most
Powerful, the Almighty. The King should be as generous,
as liberal in his mercy as the clouds, the outpourings
of whose bounty are showered upon every

+P237
land, by the behest of Him Who is the Supreme
Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
Have a care not to entrust thine affairs of state
entirely into another's hands. None can discharge thy
functions better than thine own self. Thus do We
make clear unto thee Our words of wisdom, and send
down upon thee that which can enable thee to pass
over from the left hand of oppression to the right
hand of justice, and approach the resplendent ocean
of His favors. Such is the path which the kings that
were before thee have trodden, they that acted equitably
towards their subjects, and walked in the ways
of undeviating justice.
Thou art God's shadow on earth. Strive, therefore,
to act in such a manner as befitteth so eminent, so
august a station. If thou dost depart from following
the things We have caused to descend upon thee and
taught thee, thou wilt, assuredly, be derogating from
that great and priceless honor. Return, then, and
cleave wholly unto God, and cleanse thine heart from
the world and all its vanities, and suffer not the love
of any stranger to enter and dwell therein. Not until
thou dost purify thine heart from every trace of such
love can the brightness of the light of God shed its
radiance upon it, for to none hath God given more
than one heart. This, verily, hath been decreed and
written down in His ancient Book. And as the human
heart, as fashioned by God, is one and undivided, it
behoveth thee to take heed that its affections be, also,

+P238
one and undivided. Cleave thou, therefore, with the
whole affection of thine heart, unto His love, and
withdraw it from the love of any one besides Him,
that He may aid thee to immerse thyself in the ocean
of His unity, and enable thee to become a true upholder
of His oneness. God is My witness. My sole
purpose in revealing to thee these words is to sanctify
thee from the transitory things of the earth, and aid
thee to enter the realm of everlasting glory, that thou
mayest, by the leave of God, be of them that abide
and rule therein....
I swear by God, O King! It is not My wish to
make My plaint to thee against them that persecute
Me. I only plead My grief and My sorrow to God,
Who hath created Me and them, Who well knoweth
our state and Who watcheth over all things. My wish
is to warn them of the consequences of their actions,
if perchance they might desist from treating others
as they have treated Me, and be of them that heed
My warning.
The tribulations that have touched Us, the destitution
from which We suffer, the various troubles with
which We are encompassed, shall all pass away, as
shall pass away the pleasures in which they delight
and the affluence they enjoy. This is the truth which
no man on earth can reject. The days in which We
have been compelled to dwell in the dust will soon
be ended, as will the days in which they occupied
the seats of honor. God shall, assuredly, judge with

+P239
truth between Us and them, and He, verily, is the
best of judges.
We render thanks unto God for whatsoever hath
befallen Us, and We patiently endure the things He
hath ordained in the past or will ordain in the future.
In Him have I placed My trust; and into His hands
have I committed My Cause. He will, certainly, repay
all them that endure with patience and put their
confidence in Him. His is the creation and its empire.
He exalteth whom He will, and whom He will
He doth abase. He shall not be asked of His doings.
He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the Almighty.
Let thine ear be attentive, O King, to the words
We have addressed to thee. Let the oppressor desist
from his tyranny, and cut off the perpetrators of injustice
from among them that profess thy faith. By
the righteousness of God! The tribulations We have
sustained are such that any pen that recounteth them
cannot but be overwhelmed with anguish. No one
of them that truly believe and uphold the unity of
God can bear the burden of their recital. So great
have been Our sufferings that even the eyes of Our
enemies have wept over Us, and beyond them those
of every discerning person. And to all these trials
have We been subjected, in spite of Our action in
approaching thee, and in bidding the people to enter
beneath thy shadow, that thou mightest be a stronghold
unto them that believe in and uphold the unity
of God.

+P240
Have I, O King, ever disobeyed thee? Have I, at
any time, transgressed any of thy laws? Can any of
thy ministers that represented thee in &Iraq produce
any proof that can establish my disloyalty to thee?
No, by Him Who is the Lord of all worlds! Not for
one short moment did We rebel against thee, or
against any of thy ministers. Never, God willing,
shall We revolt against thee, though We be exposed
to trials more severe than any We suffered in the
past.
In the day time and in the night season, at even
and at morn, We pray to God on thy behalf, that He
may graciously aid thee to be obedient unto Him and
to observe His commandment, that He may shield
thee from the hosts of the evil ones. Do, therefore,
as it pleaseth thee, and treat Us as befitteth thy station
and beseemeth thy sovereignty. Be not forgetful
of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to
achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be
to God, the Lord of all worlds!

CXV. The Pen of Revelation, O &Dhabih, hath, in
most of the divinely-revealed Tablets, recorded these
words: We have admonished all the loved ones of God
to take heed lest the hem of Our sacred vesture be
smirched with the mire of unlawful deeds, or be
stained with the dust of reprehensible conduct. We
have, moreover, exhorted them to fix their gaze upon
whatsoever hath been revealed in Our Tablets. Had

+P241
their inner ears been attentive to the Divine counsels
which have shone forth from the Day Spring of the
Pen of the All-Merciful, and hearkened unto His
Voice, most of the peoples of the earth would have
by now been adorned with the ornament of His guidance.
What had been pre-ordained, however, hath
come to pass.
Once again doth the Tongue of the Ancient of
Days reveal, while in this Most Great Prison, these
words which are recorded in this snow-white Scroll:
O ye the beloved of the one true God! Pass beyond
the narrow retreats of your evil and corrupt desires,
and advance into the vast immensity of the realm of
God, and abide ye in the meads of sanctity and of
detachment, that the fragrance of your deeds may
lead the whole of mankind to the ocean of God's unfading
glory. Forbear ye from concerning yourselves
with the affairs of this world and all that pertaineth
unto it, or from meddling with the activities of those
who are its outward leaders.
The one true God, exalted be His glory, hath bestowed
the government of the earth upon the kings.
To none is given the right to act in any manner that
would run counter to the considered views of them
who are in authority. That which He hath reserved
for Himself are the cities of men's hearts; and of
these the loved ones of Him Who is the Sovereign
Truth are, in this Day, as the keys. Please God they
may, one and all, be enabled to unlock, through the

+P242
power of the Most Great Name, the gates of these
cities. This is what is meant by aiding the one true
God--a theme to which the Pen of Him Who causeth
the dawn to break hath referred in all His Books and
Tablets.
It behoveth, likewise, the loved ones of God to be
forbearing towards their fellow-men, and to be so
sanctified and detached from all things, and to evince
such sincerity and fairness, that all the peoples of the
earth may recognize them as the trustees of God
amongst men. Consider to what lofty heights the injunctions
of the Almighty have soared, and how
abject is the habitation wherein these feeble souls are
now abiding. Blessed are they who, on the wings of
certitude, have flown in the heavens which the Pen
of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, hath spread.
Behold, O &Dhabih, the works which God, the Sovereign
Truth, hath wrought. Say thou: How great,
how very great, is the power of His might that
encompasseth all worlds! Exalted, immeasurably
exalted, is His detachment above the reach and ken
of the entire creation! Glorified, glorified be His
meekness--a meekness that hath melted the hearts of
them that have been brought nigh unto God!
Though afflicted with countless tribulations, which
We have suffered at the hands of Our enemies, We
have proclaimed unto all the rulers of the earth what
God hath willed to proclaim, that all nations may
know that no manner of affliction can deter the Pen

+P243
of the Ancient of Days from achieving its purpose.
His Pen moveth by the leave of God, Who fashioneth
the crumbling and rotten bones.
Considering this most mighty enterprise, it beseemeth
them that love Him to gird up the loins of
their endeavor, and to fix their thoughts on whatever
will ensure the victory of the cause of God, rather
than commit vile and contemptible deeds. Wert thou
to consider, for but a little while, the outward works
and doings of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, thou
wouldst fall down upon the ground, and exclaim: O
Thou Who art the Lord of Lords! I testify that Thou
art the Lord of all creation, and the Educator of all
beings, visible and invisible. I bear witness that Thy
power hath encompassed the entire universe, and that
the hosts of the earth can never dismay Thee, nor can
the dominion of all peoples and nations deter Thee
from executing Thy purpose. I confess that Thou
hast no desire except the regeneration of the whole
world, and the establishment of the unity of its
peoples, and the salvation of all them that dwell
therein.
Reflect a while, and consider how they who are
the loved ones of God must conduct themselves, and
to what heights they must soar. Beseech thou, at all
times, thy Lord, the God of Mercy, to aid them to do
what He willeth. He, verily, is the Most Powerful,
the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing.
The imprisonment inflicted on this wronged One,

+P244
O &Dhabih, did to Him no harm nor can it ever do so;
nor can the loss of all His earthly goods, His exile,
or even His martyrdom and outward humiliation, do
Him any hurt. That which can hurt Him are the evil
deeds which the beloved of God commit, and which
they impute to Him Who is the Sovereign Truth.
This is the affliction from which I suffer, and to this
He, Himself, Who is potent over all things, beareth
Me witness. That which hath sorely hurt Me are the
claims which the people of the &Bayan are advancing
every day. Some have proclaimed their allegiance to
one of My Branches (Sons), while others have asserted
independently their claims, and acted after
their own desires.
O &Dhabih! The Tongue of Grandeur saith: By
Myself that speaketh the truth! In this most mighty
Revelation all the Dispensations of the past have attained
their highest and final consummation. Whoso
layeth claim to a Revelation after Him, such a man is
assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He
may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate
such claim. Should he repent, God will no doubt forgive
him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God
will assuredly send down one who will deal mercilessly
with him. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most
Powerful.
Behold how the people of the &Bayan have utterly
failed to recognize that the sole object of whatsoever
My Previous Manifestation and Harbinger of My

+P245
Beauty hath revealed hath been My Revelation and
the proclamation of My Cause. Never--and to this
He Who is the Sovereign Truth beareth Me witness
--would He have, but for Me, pronounced what He
did pronounce. Witness how this foolish people have
treated the Cause of Him Who is the All-Possessing,
the Inaccessible, as a play and pastime! Their hearts
devise each day a new device, and their fancy leadeth
them to seek a fresh retreat. If what they say be true,
how then can the stability of the Cause of thy Lord
be ensured? Ponder this in thine heart, and be thou of
them who are sharp-sighted, who scan heedfully, who
are steadfast in their purpose and confident in their
belief. Such should be thy certitude that if all mankind
were to advance such claims as no man hath
ever advanced, or any mind conceived, thou wouldst
completely ignore them, wouldst cast them from
thee, and would set thy face towards Him Who is the
Object of the adoration of all worlds.
By the righteousness of Mine own Self! Great, immeasurably
great is this Cause! Mighty, inconceivably
mighty is this Day! Blessed indeed is the man
that hath forsaken all things, and fastened his eyes
upon Him Whose face hath shed illumination upon
all who are in the heavens and all who are on the
earth.
Sharp must be thy sight, O &Dhabih, and adamant
thy soul, and brass-like thy feet, if thou wishest to
be unshaken by the assaults of the selfish desires that

+P246
whisper in men's breasts. This is the firm injunction
which the Pen of the Most Great Name hath, by
virtue of the Will of the Ancient King, been moved
to reveal. Keep it as the apple of thine eye, and be
thou of the thankful. Strive thou day and night to
serve the Cause of Him Who is the Eternal Truth,
and be thou detached from all else but Him. By
Myself! Whatever thou seest in this Day shall perish.
Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest
steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord. Towards Him
are thy busy movements directed, and in Him is thy
final resting-place.

CXVI. O kings of Christendom! Heard ye not the
saying of Jesus, the Spirit of God, "I go away, and
come again unto you"? Wherefore, then, did ye fail,
when He did come again unto you in the clouds of
heaven, to draw nigh unto Him, that ye might behold
His face, and be of them that attained His
Presence? In another passage He saith: "When He,
the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into
all truth." And yet, behold how, when He did bring
the truth, ye refused to turn your faces towards
Him, and persisted in disporting yourselves with your
pastimes and fancies. Ye welcomed Him not, neither
did ye seek His Presence, that ye might hear the
verses of God from His own mouth, and partake of
the manifold wisdom of the Almighty, the All-Glorious,
the All-Wise. Ye have, by reason of your failure,

+P247
hindered the breath of God from being wafted over
you, and have withheld from your souls the sweetness
of its fragrance. Ye continue roving with delight
in the valley of your corrupt desires. Ye, and all ye
possess, shall pass away. Ye shall, most certainly, return
to God, and shall be called to account for your
doings in the presence of Him Who shall gather together
the entire creation...
Twenty years have passed, O kings, during which
We have, each day, tasted the agony of a fresh tribulation.
No one of them that were before Us hath
endured the things We have endured. Would that ye
could perceive it! They that rose up against Us have
put us to death, have shed our blood, have plundered
our property, and violated our honor. Though aware
of most of our afflictions, ye, nevertheless, have failed
to stay the hand of the aggressor. For is it not your
clear duty to restrain the tyranny of the oppressor,
and to deal equitably with your subjects, that your
high sense of justice may be fully demonstrated to
all mankind?
God hath committed into your hands the reins of
the government of the people, that ye may rule with
justice over them, safeguard the rights of the down-trodden,
and punish the wrong-doers. If ye neglect
the duty prescribed unto you by God in His Book,
your names shall be numbered with those of the unjust
in His sight. Grievous, indeed, will be your error.
Cleave ye to that which your imaginations have devised,

+P248
and cast behind your backs the commandments
of God, the Most Exalted, the Inaccessible, the All-Compelling,
the Almighty? Cast away the things ye
possess, and cling to that which God hath bidden you
observe. Seek ye His grace, for he that seeketh it
treadeth His straight Path.
Consider the state in which We are, and behold ye
the ills and troubles that have tried Us. Neglect Us
not, though it be for a moment, and judge ye between
Us and Our enemies with equity. This will,
surely, be a manifest advantage unto you. Thus do
We relate to you Our tale, and recount the things
that have befallen Us, that ye might take off Our ills
and ease Our burden. Let him who will, relieve Us
from Our trouble; and as to him that willeth not,
My Lord is assuredly the best of helpers.
Warn and acquaint the people, O Servant, with
the things We have sent down unto Thee, and let the
fear of no one dismay Thee, and be Thou not of them
that waver. The day is approaching when God will
have exalted His Cause and magnified His testimony
in the eyes of all who are in the heavens and all who
are on the earth. Place, in all circumstances, Thy
whole trust in Thy Lord, and fix Thy gaze upon
Him, and turn away from all them that repudiate
His truth. Let God, Thy Lord, be Thy sufficing succorer
and helper. We have pledged Ourselves to secure
Thy triumph upon earth and to exalt Our Cause

+P249
above all men, though no king be found who would
turn his face towards Thee.

CXVII. The Great Being, wishing to reveal the
prerequisites of the peace and tranquillity of the
world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written:
The time must come when the imperative necessity
for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing
assemblage of men will be universally realized. The
rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it,
and, participating in its deliberations, must consider
such ways and means as will lay the foundations of
the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace
demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for
the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the
earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves.
Should any king take up arms against another, all
should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be
done, the nations of the world will no longer require
any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving
the security of their realms and of maintaining internal
order within their territories. This will ensure the
peace and composure of every people, government
and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and
rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and
almighty name of God, may attain unto this station,
and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny.
...The day is approaching when all the peoples
of the world will have adopted one universal language

+P250
and one common script. When this is achieved,
to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as
if he were entering his own home. These things are
obligatory and absolutely essential. It is incumbent
upon every man of insight and understanding to
strive to translate that which hath been written into
reality and action.... That one indeed is a man
who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the
entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed
and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best
interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In
another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him
to pride himself who loveth his own country, but
rather for him who loveth the whole world. The
earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.

CXVIII. Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of
the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the
bounds which the Almighty hath fixed. Observe the
injunctions laid upon you in His Book, and take good
heed not to overstep their limits. Be vigilant, that ye
may not do injustice to anyone, be it to the extent
of a grain of mustard seed. Tread ye the path of justice,
for this, verily, is the straight path.
Compose your differences, and reduce your armaments,
that the burden of your expenditures may be
lightened, and that your minds and hearts may be
tranquillized. Heal the dissensions that divide you,
and ye will no longer be in need of any armaments

+P251
except what the protection of your cities and territories
demandeth. Fear ye God, and take heed not to
outstrip the bounds of moderation, and be numbered
among the extravagant.
We have learned that you are increasing your outlay
every year, and are laying the burden thereof on
your subjects. This, verily, is more than they can bear,
and is a grievous injustice. Decide justly between
men, and be ye the emblems of justice amongst them.
This, if ye judge fairly, is the thing that behoveth
you, and beseemeth your station.
Beware not to deal unjustly with any one that appealeth
to you, and entereth beneath your shadow.
Walk ye in the fear of God, and be ye of them that
lead a godly life. Rest not on your power, your
armies, and treasures. Put your whole trust and confidence
in God, Who hath created you, and seek ye
His help in all your affairs. Succor cometh from Him
alone. He succoreth whom He will with the hosts of
the heavens and of the earth.
Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in
your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that
ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not
in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly
be called upon to answer for His trust on the day
when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when
unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the
doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be
weighed.

+P252
If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in
peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed
in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you
from every direction, and the sentence of His justice
shall be pronounced against you. On that day ye shall
have no power to resist Him, and shall recognize your
own impotence. Have mercy on yourselves and on
those beneath you. Judge ye between them according
to the precepts prescribed by God in His most
holy and exalted Tablet, a Tablet wherein He hath
assigned to each and every thing its settled measure,
in which He hath given, with distinctness, an explanation
of all things, and which is in itself a monition
unto them that believe in Him.
Examine Our Cause, inquire into the things that
have befallen Us, and decide justly between Us and
Our enemies, and be ye of them that act equitably
towards their neighbor. If ye stay not the hand of
the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of
the down-trodden, what right have ye then to vaunt
yourselves among men? What is it of which ye can
rightly boast? Is it on your food and your drink that
ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in your
treasuries, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments
with which ye deck yourselves? If true glory
were to consist in the possession of such perishable
things, then the earth on which ye walk must needs
vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and
bestoweth upon you, these very things, by the decree

+P253
of the Almighty. In its bowels are contained, according
to what God hath ordained, all that ye possess.
From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your riches.
Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory!
Would that ye could perceive it!
Nay! By Him Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom
of the entire creation! Nowhere doth your true
and abiding glory reside except in your firm adherence
unto the precepts of God, your wholehearted
observance of His laws, your resolution to see that
they do not remain unenforced, and to pursue steadfastly
the right course.

CXIX. O ye rulers of the earth! Wherefore have
ye clouded the radiance of the Sun, and caused it to
cease from shining? Hearken unto the counsel given
you by the Pen of the Most High, that haply both ye
and the poor may attain unto tranquillity and peace.
We beseech God to assist the kings of the earth to
establish peace on earth. He, verily, doth what He
willeth.
O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every
year your expenditures, and laying the burden
thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and
grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this
wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your
peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves;
nay rather choose for them that which ye
choose for yourselves. Thus We unfold to your eyes

+P254
that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your
people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate
the commandments of God, and ye deliver your
wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule,
by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer.
Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How
strange, how very strange!
Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace,
hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye
may in some degree better your own condition and
that of your dependents.
O rulers of the earth! Be reconciled among yourselves,
that ye may need no more armaments save
in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions.
Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the
All-Knowing, the Faithful.
Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will
the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and
your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend.
Should any one among you take up arms
against another, rise ye all against him, for this is
naught but manifest justice.

CXX. O ye the elected representatives of the people
in every land! 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

+P255
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 whenever any one of them hath striven to improve
its condition, his motive hath been his own
gain, whether confessedly so or not; and the unworthiness
of this motive hath limited his power to
heal or cure.
That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign
remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing
of all 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 Physician. This,
verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.

CXXI. Say: O ye that envy Me and seek My hurt!
The fury of your wrath against Me confound you!
Lo, the Day Star of Glory hath risen above the horizon

+P256
of My Revelation, and enveloped with its radiance
the whole of mankind. And yet, behold how ye
have shut out yourselves from its splendor and are
sunk in utter heedlessness. Have mercy upon yourselves,
and repudiate not the claim of Him Whose
truth ye have already recognized, and be not of
them that transgress.
By the righteousness of the one true God! If ye
reject this Revelation, all the nations of the earth
will laugh you to scorn and mock you, for it is you
that have produced, before their eyes, and for the
purpose of vindicating the truth of your Cause, the
testimonies of God, the Sovereign Protector, the Most
Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing. And
yet, no sooner was His subsequent Revelation, clothed
with the glory of an all-compelling sovereignty, sent
down unto you, than ye cast it behind your backs,
O ye that are numbered with the heedless ones!
What! Believe ye in your hearts that ye possess
the power to extinguish the radiance of the Sun, or
to eclipse its splendor? Nay, by My life! Ye will never
and can never achieve your purpose, though ye
summon to your aid all that is in the heavens and all
that is on the earth. Walk ye in the fear of God, and
render not your works vain. Incline your ears to His
words, and be not of them that are shut out as by
a veil from Him. Say: God is My witness! I have
wished nothing whatever for Myself. What I have
wished is the victory of God and the triumph of His

+P257
Cause. He is Himself a sufficient witness between you
and Me. Were ye to cleanse your eyes, ye would readily
perceive how My deeds testify to the truth of My
words, how My words are a guide to My deeds.
Blinded are your eyes! Perceived ye not the greatness
of the power of God and of His sovereignty?
Beheld ye not His majesty and glory? Woe unto
you, ye congregation of the malicious and envious!
Hearken unto My speech, and tarry not though it be
for less than a moment. Thus biddeth you He Who
is the Beauty of the All-Merciful, that haply ye may
detach yourselves from the things ye possess, and ascend
to the heights from which ye can discover the
whole creation sheltered beneath the shadow of His
Revelation.
Say: There is no place of refuge for you, no asylum
to which ye can flee, no one to defend or to protect
you in this Day from the fury of the wrath of God
and from His vehement power, unless and until ye
seek the shadow of His Revelation. This, indeed, is
His Revelation which hath been manifested unto you
in the person of this Youth. Glorified, then, be God
for so effulgent, so precious, so wondrous a vision.
Detach yourselves from all else but Me, and turn
your faces towards My face, for better is this for
you than the things ye possess. The Tongue of God
testifieth to the truth of My words, through Mine
own Word that speaketh the truth, and embraceth
and comprehendeth all things.

+P258
Say: Think ye that your allegiance to His Cause
can ever profit Him, or your repudiation of its truth
cause Him any loss? No, by My Self, the All-Subduing,
the Inaccessible, the Most High! Tear ye asunder
the veils of names and cleave ye their kingdom. By
My Beauty! He Who is the Monarch of all names is
come, He at Whose bidding every single name hath,
from the beginning that hath no beginning, been created,
He Who shall continue to create them as He
pleaseth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.
Beware that ye divest not yourselves of the raiment
of Divine guidance. Drink ye your fill from the Cup
which the Youths of Heaven have raised above your
heads. Thus biddeth you He Who hath more mercy
upon you than your own selves, He Who asketh not
any recompense or thanks from you. His reward is
from Him Who hath, through the power of truth,
sent Him down unto you, and singled Him out
and proclaimed Him as His own Testimony unto the
whole of creation. He it is Who hath empowered
Him to manifest all His signs. Repeat the gaze, that
ye may perceive the things whereunto the Tongue
of the Ancient of Days hath summoned you, that
haply ye may be of them that have apprehended the
truth. Heard it ye ever reported by your fathers of
old, or by the generations that preceded them, even
unto the first Adam, that any one coming in the
clouds of revelation, being invested with manifest

+P259
and transcendent sovereignty, having on his right
hand the Kingdom of God and on his left all the
power and glory of His everlasting dominion, any
one preceded by the hosts of God, the Almighty, the
All-Compelling, the Most Powerful, and uttering
continually verses whose import the minds of the
most learned and wisest of men are powerless to
fathom, should yet be the bearer of a message that is
not of God? Be discerning, then, and speak ye the
truth, the very truth, if ye claim to be honest and
high-minded.
Say: The verses We have revealed are as numerous
as those which, in the preceding Revelation, were sent
down upon the &Bab. Let him that doubteth the words
which the Spirit of God hath spoken seek the court
of Our presence and hear Our divinely-revealed
verses, and be an eye-witness of the clear proof of
Our claim.
Say: By the righteousness of the Almighty! The
measure of the favors of God hath been filled up,
His Word hath been perfected, the light of His countenance
hath been revealed, His sovereignty hath encompassed
the whole of creation, the glory of His
Revelation hath been made manifest, and His bounties
have rained upon all mankind.

CXXII. Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a
proper education hath, however, deprived him of that
which he doth inherently possess. Through a word

+P260
proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called
into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize
the Source of his education; by yet another
word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The
Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in
gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone,
cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind
to benefit therefrom. If any man were to meditate
on that which the Scriptures, sent down from the
heaven of God's holy Will, have revealed, he would
readily recognize that their purpose is that all men
shall be regarded as one soul, so that the seal bearing
the words "The Kingdom shall be God's" may be
stamped on every heart, and the light of Divine
bounty, of grace, and mercy may envelop all mankind.
The one true God, exalted be His glory, hath
wished nothing for Himself. The allegiance of mankind
profiteth Him not, neither doth its perversity
harm Him. The Bird of the Realm of Utterance
voiceth continually this call: "All things have I willed
for thee, and thee, too, for thine own sake." If the
learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to
allow mankind to inhale the fragrance of fellowship
and love, every understanding heart would apprehend
the meaning of true liberty, and discover the
secret of undisturbed peace and absolute composure.
Were the earth to attain this station and be illumined
with its light it could then be truly said of it: "Thou
shall see in it no hollows or rising hills."

+P261
CXXIII. The generations that have gone on before
you--whither are they fled? And those round whom
in life circled the fairest and the loveliest of the land,
where now are they? Profit by their example, O people,
and be not of them that are gone astray.
Others ere long will lay hands on what ye possess,
and enter into your habitations. Incline your ears to
My words, and be not numbered among the foolish.
For every one of you his paramount duty is to
choose for himself that on which no other may infringe
and none usurp from him. Such a thing--and
to this the Almighty is My witness--is the love of
God, could ye but perceive it.
Build ye for yourselves such houses as the rain
and floods can never destroy, which shall protect you
from the changes and chances of this life. This is
the instruction of Him Whom the world hath
wronged and forsaken.

CXXIV. How wondrous is the unity of the Living,
the Ever-Abiding God--a unity which is exalted
above all limitations, that transcendeth the comprehension
of all created things! He hath, from everlasting,
dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness
and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be
enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty
and grandeur. How lofty hath been His incorruptible
Essence, how completely independent of
the knowledge of all created things, and how immensely

+P262
exalted will it remain above the praise of
all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth!
From the exalted source, and out of the essence of
His favor and bounty He hath entrusted every created
thing with a sign of His knowledge, so that none
of His creatures may be deprived of its share in expressing,
each according to its capacity and rank,
this knowledge. This sign is the mirror of His beauty
in the world of creation. The greater the effort exerted
for the refinement of this sublime and noble
mirror, the more faithfully will it be made to reflect
the glory of the names and attributes of God, and reveal
the wonders of His signs and knowledge. Every
created thing will be enabled (so great is this reflecting
power) to reveal the potentialities of its pre-ordained
station, will recognize its capacity and limitations,
and will testify to the truth that "He, verily,
is God; there is none other God besides Him."...
There can be no doubt whatever that, in consequence
of the efforts which every man may consciously
exert and as a result of the exertion of his
own spiritual faculties, this mirror can be so cleansed
from the dross of earthly defilements and purged from
satanic fancies as to be able to draw nigh unto the
meads of eternal holiness and attain the courts of
everlasting fellowship. In pursuance, however, of the
principle that for every thing a time hath been fixed,
and for every fruit a season hath been ordained, the
latent energies of such a bounty can best be released,

+P263
and the vernal glory of such a gift can only be manifested,
in the Days of God. Invested though each
day may be with its pre-ordained share of God's wondrous
grace, the Days immediately associated with
the Manifestation of God possess a unique distinction
and occupy a station which no mind can ever comprehend.
Such is the virtue infused into them that
if the hearts of all that dwell in the heavens and the
earth were, in those days of everlasting delight, to
be brought face to face with that Day Star of unfading
glory and attuned to His Will, each would
find itself exalted above all earthly things, radiant
with His light, and sanctified through His grace.
All hail to this grace which no blessing, however
great, can excel, and all honor to such a loving-kindness
the like of which the eye of creation hath not
seen! Exalted is He above that which they attribute
unto Him or recount about Him!
It is for this reason that, in those days, no man
shall ever stand in need of his neighbor. It hath already
been abundantly demonstrated that in that
divinely-appointed Day the majority of them that
have sought and attained His holy court have revealed
such knowledge and wisdom, a drop of which
none else besides these holy and sanctified souls, however
long he may have taught or studied, hath grasped
or will ever comprehend. It is by virtue of this power
that the beloved of God have, in the days of the
Manifestation of the Day Star of Truth, been exalted

+P264
above, and made independent of, all human learning.
Nay, from their hearts and the springs of their innate
powers hath gushed out unceasingly the inmost
essence of human learning and wisdom.

CXXV. O My brother! When a true seeker determineth
to take the step of search in the path leading
unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must,
before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of
the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the
obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the
allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He
must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the
abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and
sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water
and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments.
He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant
of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that
love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel
him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness
in this Day how most of the people, because of such
love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have
strayed far from the Embodiments of the Divine
mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the
wilderness of oblivion and error.
That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in
God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must
detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave
unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never

+P265
seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away
from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and
vain-glory, must cling unto patience and resignation,
observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the
tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a
deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body,
whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart
and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a
time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.
That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as
grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion,
inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light
of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He
should be content with little, and be freed from all
inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship
of them that have renounced the world, and regard
avoidance of boastful and worldly people a
precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he should
commune with God, and, with all his soul, persevere
in the quest of his Beloved. He should consume
every wayward thought with the flame of His loving
mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass
by all else save Him. He should succor the dispossessed,
and never withhold his favor from the destitute.
He should show kindness to animals, how much
more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed
with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate
to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure

+P266
of the people to turn him away from the Truth.
He should not wish for others that which he doth not
wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth
not fulfil. With all his heart he should avoid fellowship
with evil-doers, and pray for the remission of
their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never
despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own
end shall be. How often hath a sinner attained, at
the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quaffing
the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto
the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout
believer, at the hour of his soul's ascension, been so
changed as to fall into the nethermost fire!
Our purpose in revealing these convincing and
weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that
he should regard all else beside God as transient, and
count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all
adoration, as utter nothingness.
These are among the attributes of the exalted, and
constitute the hall-mark of the spiritually-minded.
They have already been mentioned in connection
with the requirements of the wayfarers that tread
the path of Positive Knowledge. When the detached
wayfarer and sincere seeker hath fulfilled these essential
conditions, then and only then can he be called
a true seeker. Whensoever he hath fulfilled the conditions
implied in the verse: "Whoso maketh efforts
for Us," he shall enjoy the blessings conferred by

+P267
the words: "In Our Ways shall We assuredly guide
him."
Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving,
of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid
love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the
seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness
is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be
dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated,
and the lights of knowledge and certitude
envelop his being. At that hour will the Mystic Herald,
bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine
forth from the City of God resplendent as the morn,
and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will
awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the
slumber of heedlessness. Then will the manifold
favors and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting
Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker
that he will find himself endowed with a new eye,
a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will
contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and
will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing
with the eye of God, he will perceive within every
atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute
certitude. He will discover in all things the mysteries
of Divine Revelation, and the evidences of an
everlasting Manifestation.
I swear by God! Were he that treadeth the path of
guidance and seeketh to scale the heights of righteousness
to attain unto this glorious and exalted station,

+P268
he would inhale, at a distance of a thousand
leagues, the fragrance of God, and would perceive the
resplendent morn of a Divine guidance rising above
the Day Spring of all things. Each and every thing,
however small, would be to him a revelation, leading
him to his Beloved, the Object of his quest. So
great shall be the discernment of this seeker that he
will discriminate between truth and falsehood, even
as he doth distinguish the sun from shadow. If in the
uttermost corners of the East the sweet savors of God
be wafted, he will assuredly recognize and inhale their
fragrance, even though he be dwelling in the uttermost
ends of the West. He will, likewise, clearly distinguish
all the signs of God--His wondrous utterances,
His great works, and mighty deeds--from the
doings, the words and ways of men, even as the jeweler
who knoweth the gem from the stone, or the
man who distinguisheth the spring from autumn,
and heat from cold. When the channel of the human
soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments,
it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the
Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led
by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude.
Therein he will discern the wonders of His ancient
Wisdom, and will perceive all the hidden teachings
from the rustling leaves of the Tree that flourisheth
in that City. With both his inner and outer ear, he
will hear from its dust the hymns of glory and praise

+P269
ascending unto the Lord of Lords, and with his inner
eye will he discover the mysteries of "return" and
"revival."
How unspeakably glorious are the signs, the tokens,
the revelations, and splendors which He, Who is the
King of Names and Attributes, hath destined for
that City! The attainment unto this City quencheth
thirst without water, and kindleth the love of God
without fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined
the mysteries of an inscrutable Wisdom, and
upon every rose-bush a myriad nightingales pour out,
in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous tulips
unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning
Bush, and its sweet savors of holiness breathe the
perfume of the Messianic Spirit. It bestoweth wealth
without gold, and conferreth immortality without
death. In each one of its leaves ineffable delights are
treasured, and within every chamber unnumbered
mysteries lie hidden.
They that valiantly labor in quest of God, will,
when once they have renounced all else but Him, be
so attached and wedded unto that City, that a moment's
separation from it would to them be unthinkable.
They will hearken unto infallible proofs from
the Hyacinth of that assembly, and will receive the
surest testimonies from the beauty of its Rose, and
the melody of its Nightingale. Once in about a thousand
years shall this City be renewed and readorned....

+P270
That City is none other than the Word of God
revealed in every age and dispensation. In the days
of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus,
the Gospel; in the days of &Muhammad, the Messenger
of God, the &Qur'an; in this day, the &Bayan; and in
the Dispensation of Him Whom God will make
manifest, His own Book--the Book unto which all
the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred,
the Book that standeth amongst them all
transcendent and supreme.

CXXVI. To whatever place We may be banished,
however great the tribulation We may suffer, they
who are the people of God must, with fixed resolve
and perfect confidence, keep their eyes directed
towards the Day Spring of Glory, and be busied in
whatever may be conducive to the betterment of the
world and the education of its peoples. All that hath
befallen Us in the past hath advanced the interests
of Our Revelation and blazoned its fame; and all
that may befall Us in the future will have a like result.
Cling ye, with your inmost hearts, to the Cause of
God, a Cause that hath been sent down by Him Who
is the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have, with the
utmost kindliness and mercy, summoned and directed
all peoples and nations to that which shall truly
profit them.
The Day Star of Truth that shineth in its meridian
splendor beareth Us witness! They who are the people

+P271
of God have no ambition except to revive the
world, to ennoble its life, and regenerate its peoples.
Truthfulness and good-will have, at all times, marked
their relations with all men. Their outward conduct
is but a reflection of their inward life, and their inward
life a mirror of their outward conduct. No veil
hideth or obscureth the verities on which their Faith
is established. Before the eyes of all men these verities
have been laid bare, and can be unmistakably
recognized. Their very acts attest the truth of these
words.
Every discerning eye can, in this Day, perceive the
dawning light of God's Revelation, and every attentive
ear can recognize the Voice that was heard from
the Burning Bush. Such is the rushing of the waters
of Divine mercy, that He Who is the Day Spring of
the signs of God and the Revealer of the evidences
of His glory is without veil or concealment associating
and conversing with the peoples of the earth and
its kindreds. How numerous are those who, with
hearts intent upon malice, have sought Our Presence,
and departed from it loyal and loving friends! The
portals of grace are wide open before the face of all
men. In Our outward dealings with them We have
treated alike the righteous and the sinner, that perchance
the evil-doer may attain the limitless ocean of
Divine forgiveness. Our name "the Concealer" hath
shed such a light upon men that the froward hath
imagined himself to be numbered with the pious. No

+P272
man that seeketh Us will We ever disappoint, neither
shall he that hath set his face towards Us be denied
access unto Our court....
O friends! Help ye the one true God, exalted be
His glory, by your goodly deeds, by such conduct
and character as shall be acceptable in His sight. He
that seeketh to be a helper of God in this Day, let
him close his eyes to whatever he may possess, and
open them to the things of God. Let him cease to
occupy himself with that which profiteth him, and
concern himself with that which shall exalt the all-compelling
name of the Almighty. He should cleanse
his heart from all evil passions and corrupt desires,
for the fear of God is the weapon that can render
him victorious, the primary instrument whereby he
can achieve his purpose. The fear of God is the shield
that defendeth His Cause, the buckler that enableth
His people to attain to victory. It is a standard that
no man can abase, a force that no power can rival.
By its aid, and by the leave of Him Who is the Lord
of Hosts, they that have drawn nigh unto God have
been able to subdue and conquer the citadels of the
hearts of men.

CXXVII. If it be your wish, O people, to know
God and to discover the greatness of His might, look,
then, upon Me with Mine own eyes, and not with the
eyes of any one besides Me. Ye will, otherwise, be
never capable of recognizing Me, though ye ponder

+P273
My Cause as long as My Kingdom endureth, and
meditate upon all created things throughout the
eternity of God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Omnipotent,
the Ever-Abiding, the All-Wise. Thus have
We manifested the truth of Our Revelation, that
haply the people may be roused from their heedlessness,
and be of them that understand.
Behold the low estate of these men who know full
well how I have offered up Mine own Self and My
kindred in the path of God and for the preservation
of their faith in Him, who are well aware how Mine
enemies have compassed Me about, in the days when
the hearts of men feared and trembled, the days when
they hid themselves from the eyes of the loved ones
of God and of His enemies, and were busied in ensuring
their own security and peace.
We eventually succeeded in manifesting the Cause
of God, and exalted it to so eminent a position that
all the people, except those who cherished ill-will in
their hearts against this Youth and joined partners
with the Almighty, acknowledged the sovereignty of
God and His mighty dominion. And yet, notwithstanding
this Revelation whose influence hath pervaded
all created things, and despite the brightness
of this Light, the like of which none of them hath
ever beheld, witness how the people of the &Bayan
have denied and contended with Me. Some have
turned away from the Path of God, rejected the authority
of Him in Whom they had believed, and

+P274
acted insolently towards God, the Most Powerful,
the Supreme Protector, the Most Exalted, the Most
Great. Others hesitated and halted in His Path, and
regarded the Cause of the Creator, in its inmost
truth, as invalid unless substantiated by the approval
of him who was created through the operation of My
Will. Thus have their works come to naught, and yet
they failed to perceive it. Among them is he who
sought to measure God with the measure of his own
self, and was so misled by the names of God as to
rise up against Me, who condemned Me as one that
deserved to be put to death, and who imputed to Me
the very offenses of which he himself was guilty.
Wherefore, do I plead My grief and My sorrow
to Him Who created Me and entrusted Me with His
Message. Unto Him do I render thanks and praise
for the things He hath ordained, for My loneliness,
and the anguish I suffer at the hands of these men
who have strayed so far from Him. I have patiently
sustained, and will continue to sustain, the tribulation
that touched Me, and will put My whole trust
and confidence in God. Him will I supplicate saying:
Guide Thy servants, O My Lord, unto the court of
Thy favor and bounty, and suffer them not to be
deprived of the wonders of Thy grace and of Thy
manifold blessings. For they know not what Thou
hast ordained for them by virtue of Thy mercy that
encompasseth the whole of creation. Outwardly, O
Lord, they are weak and helpless; inwardly they are

+P275
but orphans. Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Munificent,
the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Cast not, O
My God, the fury of Thy wrath upon them, and
cause them to tarry until such time when the wonders
of Thy mercy will have been made manifest,
that haply they may return unto Thee, and ask forgiveness
of Thee for the things they have committed
against Thee. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the
All-Merciful.

CXXVIII. Say: Doth it beseem a man while claiming
to be a follower of his Lord, the All-Merciful, he
should yet in his heart do the very deeds of the Evil
One? Nay, it ill beseemeth him, and to this He Who
is the Beauty of the All-Glorious will bear Me witness.
Would that ye could comprehend it!
Cleanse from your hearts the love of worldly
things, from your tongues every remembrance except
His remembrance, from your entire being whatsoever
may deter you from beholding His face, or may
tempt you to follow the promptings of your evil and
corrupt inclinations. Let God be your fear, O people,
and be ye of them that tread the path of righteousness.
Say: Should your conduct, O people, contradict
your professions, how think ye, then, to be able to
distinguish yourselves from them who, though professing
their faith in the Lord their God, have, as
soon as He came unto them in the cloud of holiness,

+P276
refused to acknowledge Him, and repudiated His
truth? Disencumber yourselves of all attachment to
this world and the vanities thereof. Beware that ye
approach them not, inasmuch as they prompt you
to walk after your own lusts and covetous desires,
and hinder you from entering the straight and glorious
Path.
Know ye that by "the world" is meant your unawareness
of Him Who is your Maker, and your absorption
in aught else but Him. The "life to come,"
on the other hand, signifieth the things that give you
a safe approach to God, the All-Glorious, the Incomparable.
Whatsoever deterreth you, in this Day, from
loving God is nothing but the world. Flee it, that ye
may be numbered with the blest. Should a man wish
to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to
wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can
bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing
whatever to intervene between him and God, for
God hath ordained every good thing, whether created
in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants
as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of
the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive
not yourselves from His wondrous bounties.
Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them
that are truly thankful.
O thou that hast fled thy home and sought the
presence of God! Proclaim unto men the Message of
thy Lord, that it may haply deter them from following

+P277
the promptings of their evil and corrupt desires,
and bring them to the remembrance of God, the
Most Exalted, the Most Great. Say: Fear God, O people,
and refrain from shedding the blood of any one.
Contend not with your neighbor, and be ye of them
that do good. Beware that ye commit no disorders
on the earth after it hath been well ordered, and follow
not the footsteps of them that are gone astray.
Whoso ariseth among you to teach the Cause of
his Lord, let him, before all else, teach his own self,
that his speech may attract the hearts of them that
hear him. Unless he teacheth his own self, the words
of his mouth will not influence the heart of the
seeker. Take heed, O people, lest ye be of them that
give good counsel to others but forget to follow it
themselves. The words of such as these, and beyond
the words the realities of all things, and beyond these
realities the angels that are nigh unto God, bring
against them the accusation of falsehood.
Should such a man ever succeed in influencing any
one, this success should be attributed not to him, but
rather to the influence of the words of God, as decreed
by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
In the sight of God he is regarded as a lamp that imparteth
its light, and yet is all the while being consumed
within itself.
Say: Commit not, O people, that which will bring
shame upon you or dishonor the Cause of God in the
eyes of men, and be not of the mischief-makers. Approach

+P278
not the things which your minds condemn.
Eschew all manner of wickedness, for such things are
forbidden unto you in the Book which none touch
except such as God hath cleansed from every taint
of guilt, and numbered among the purified.
Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences
of justice may be revealed, through your
deeds, among Our faithful servants. Beware lest ye
encroach upon the substance of your neighbor. Prove
yourselves worthy of his trust and confidence in you,
and withhold not from the poor the gifts which the
grace of God hath bestowed upon you. He, verily,
shall recompense the charitable, and doubly repay
them for what they have bestowed. No God is there
but Him. All creation and its empire are His. He bestoweth
His gifts on whom He will, and from whom
He will He withholdeth them. He is the Great Giver,
the Most Generous, the Benevolent.
Say: Teach ye the Cause of God, O people of &Baha,
for God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of
proclaiming His Message, and regardeth it as the most
meritorious of all deeds. Such a deed is acceptable
only when he that teacheth the Cause is already a
firm believer in God, the Supreme Protector, the
Gracious, the Almighty. He hath, moreover, ordained
that His Cause be taught through the power of men's
utterance, and not through resort to violence. Thus
hath His ordinance been sent down from the Kingdom
of Him Who is the Most Exalted, the All-Wise.

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Beware lest ye contend with any one, nay, strive to
make him aware of the truth with kindly manner
and most convincing exhortation. If your hearer respond,
he will have responded to his own behoof, and
if not, turn ye away from him, and set your faces
towards God's sacred Court, the seat of resplendent
holiness.
Dispute not with any one concerning the things of
this world and its affairs, for God hath abandoned
them to such as have set their affection upon them.
Out of the whole world He hath chosen for Himself
the hearts of men--hearts which the hosts of revelation
and of utterance can subdue. Thus hath it been
ordained by the Fingers of &Baha, upon the Tablet
of God's irrevocable decree, by the behest of Him
Who is the Supreme Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

CXXIX. O wayfarer in the path of God! Take
thou thy portion of the ocean of His grace, and deprive
not thyself of the things that lie hidden in its
depths. Be thou of them that have partaken of its
treasures. A dewdrop out of this ocean would, if shed
upon all that are in the heavens and on the earth, suffice
to enrich them with the bounty of God, the Almighty,
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. With the
hands of renunciation draw forth from its life-giving
waters, and sprinkle therewith all created things,
that they may be cleansed from all man-made limitations

+P280
and may approach the mighty seat of God,
this hallowed and resplendent Spot.
Be not grieved if thou performest it thyself alone.
Let God be all-sufficient for thee. Commune intimately
with His Spirit, and be thou of the thankful.
Proclaim the Cause of thy Lord unto all who are in
the heavens and on the earth. Should any man respond
to thy call, lay bare before him the pearls of
the wisdom of the Lord, thy God, which His Spirit
hath sent down unto thee, and be thou of them that
truly believe. And should any one reject thine offer,
turn thou away from him, and put thy trust and
confidence in the Lord, thy God, the Lord of all
worlds.
By the righteousness of God! Whoso openeth his
lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name
of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend
upon him from the heaven of My name, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise. On him shall also descend
the Concourse on high, each bearing aloft a
chalice of pure light. Thus hath it been foreordained
in the realm of God's Revelation, by the behest of
Him Who is the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.
There lay concealed within the Holy Veil, and
prepared for the service of God, a company of His
chosen ones who shall be manifested unto men, who
shall aid His Cause, who shall be afraid of no one,
though the entire human race rise up and war against
them. These are the ones who, before the gaze of the

+P281
dwellers on earth and the denizens of heaven, shall
arise and, shouting aloud, acclaim the name of the Almighty,
and summon the children of men to the
path of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised. Walk
thou in their way, and let no one dismay thee. Be of
them whom the tumult of the world, however much
it may agitate them in the path of their Creator,
can never sadden, whose purpose the blame of the
blamer will never defeat.
Go forth with the Tablet of God and His signs,
and rejoin them that have believed in Me, and announce
unto them tidings of Our most holy Paradise.
Warn, then, those that have joined partners with
Him. Say: I am come to you, O people, from the
Throne of glory, and bear you an announcement
from God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the
Most Great. In mine hand I carry the testimony of
God, your Lord and the Lord of your sires of old.
Weigh it with the just Balance that ye possess, the
Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers
of God. If ye find it to be established in truth,
if ye believe it to be of God, beware, then, lest ye
cavil at it, and render your works vain, and be numbered
with the infidels. It is indeed the sign of God
that hath been sent down through the power of
truth, through which the validity of His Cause hath
been demonstrated unto His creatures, and the ensigns
of purity lifted up betwixt earth and heaven.
Say: This is the sealed and mystic Scroll, the repository

+P282
of God's irrevocable Decree, bearing the
words which the Finger of Holiness hath traced, that
lay wrapt within the veil of impenetrable mystery,
and hath now been sent down as a token of the grace
of Him Who is the Almighty, the Ancient of Days.
In it have We decreed the destinies of all the dwellers
of the earth and the denizens of heaven, and written
down the knowledge of all things from first to
last. Nothing whatsoever can escape or frustrate
Him, whether created in the past or to be created in
the future, could ye but perceive it.
Say: The Revelation sent down by God hath most
surely been repeated, and the outstretched Hand of
Our power hath overshadowed all that are in the
heavens and all that are on the earth. We have,
through the power of truth, the very truth, manifested
an infinitesimal glimmer of Our impenetrable
Mystery, and lo, they that have recognized the radiance
of the Sinaic splendor expired, as they caught
a lightening glimpse of this Crimson Light enveloping
the Sinai of Our Revelation. Thus hath He Who
is the Beauty of the All-Merciful come down in the
clouds of His testimony, and the decree accomplished
by virtue of the Will of God, the All-Glorious, the
All-Wise.
Say: Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of
Heaven, inmate of the Exalted Paradise! Drape thyself
in whatever manner pleaseth Thee in the silken
Vesture of Immortality, and put on, in the name of

+P283
the All-Glorious, the broidered Robe of Light. Hear,
then, the sweet, the wondrous accent of the Voice
that cometh from the Throne of Thy Lord, the Inaccessible,
the Most High. Unveil Thy face, and
manifest the beauty of the black-eyed Damsel, and
suffer not the servants of God to be deprived of the
light of Thy shining countenance. Grieve not if Thou
hearest the sighs of the dwellers of the earth, or the
voice of the lamentation of the denizens of heaven.
Leave them to perish on the dust of extinction. Let
them be reduced to nothingness, inasmuch as the
flame of hatred hath been kindled within their breasts.
Intone, then, before the face of the peoples of earth
and heaven, and in a most melodious voice, the anthem
of praise, for a remembrance of Him Who is
the King of the names and attributes of God. Thus
have We decreed Thy destiny. Well able are We to
achieve Our purpose.
Beware that Thou divest not Thyself, Thou Who
art the Essence of Purity, of Thy robe of effulgent
glory. Nay, enrich Thyself increasingly, in the kingdom
of creation, with the incorruptible vestures of
Thy God, that the beauteous image of the Almighty
may be reflected through Thee in all created things
and the grace of Thy Lord be infused in the plenitude
of its power into the entire creation.
If Thou smellest from any one the smell of the
love of Thy Lord, offer up Thyself for him, for We
have created Thee to this end, and have covenanted

+P284
with Thee, from time immemorial, and in the presence
of the congregation of Our well-favored ones,
for this very purpose. Be not impatient if the blind
in heart hurl down the shafts of their idle fancies
upon Thee. Leave them to themselves, for they follow
the promptings of the evil ones.
Cry out before the gaze of the dwellers of heaven
and of earth: I am the Maid of Heaven, the Offspring
begotten by the Spirit of &Baha. My habitation is the
Mansion of His Name, the All-Glorious. Before the
Concourse on high I was adorned with the ornament
of His names. I was wrapt within the veil of an inviolable
security, and lay hidden from the eyes of
men. Methinks that I heard a Voice of divine and
incomparable sweetness, proceeding from the right
hand of the God of Mercy, and lo, the whole Paradise
stirred and trembled before Me, in its longing to hear
its accents, and gaze on the beauty of Him that uttered
them. Thus have We revealed in this luminous
Tablet, and in the sweetest of languages, the verses
which the Tongue of Eternity was moved to utter in
the &Qayyumu'l-Asma'.
Say: He ordaineth as He pleaseth, by virtue of His
sovereignty, and doeth whatsoever He willeth at His
own behest. He shall not be asked of the things it
pleaseth Him to ordain. He, in truth, is the Unrestrained,
the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.
They that have disbelieved in God and rebelled
against His sovereignty are the helpless victims of

+P285
their corrupt inclinations and desires. These shall return
to their abode in the fire of hell: wretched is
the abode of the deniers!

CXXX. 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 of 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
generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.

+P286
CXXXI. The Pen of the Ancient King hath never
ceased to remember the loved ones of God. At one
time, rivers of mercy have streamed from His Pen,
at another, through its movement, God's perspicuous
Book hath been revealed. He is the One to Whom
none can compare, Whose utterance mortal man can
never rival. He it is Who from everlasting hath been
established upon the seat of ascendancy and might,
He from Whose lips have gone out counsels that can
satisfy the needs of the whole of mankind, and admonitions
that can profit them.
The One true God beareth Me witness, and His
creatures will testify, that not for a moment did I
allow Myself to be hidden from the eyes of men,
nor did I consent to shield My person from their injury.
Before the face of all men I have arisen, and
bidden them fulfil My pleasure. My object is none
other than the betterment of the world and the tranquillity
of its peoples. The well-being of mankind,
its peace and security, are unattainable unless and
until its unity is firmly established. This unity can
never be achieved so long as the counsels which the
Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to
pass unheeded.
Through the power of the words He hath uttered
the whole of the human race can be illumined with
the light of unity, and the remembrance of His
Name is able to set on fire the hearts of all men, and
burn away the veils that intervene between them and

+P287
His glory. One righteous act is endowed with a potency
that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to
pass beyond the heaven of heavens. It can tear every
bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the
force that hath spent itself and vanished....
Be pure, O people of God, be pure; be righteous,
be righteous.... Say: O people of God! That
which can ensure the victory of Him Who is the
Eternal Truth, His hosts and helpers on earth, have
been set down in the sacred Books and Scriptures,
and are as clear and manifest as the sun. These hosts
are such righteous deeds, such conduct and character,
as are acceptable in His sight. Whoso ariseth, in
this Day, to aid Our Cause, and summoneth to his
assistance the hosts of a praiseworthy character and
upright conduct, the influence flowing from such an
action will, most certainly, be diffused throughout
the whole world.

CXXXII. The Purpose of the one true God, exalted
be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay
bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of
their true and inmost selves. 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,

+P288
and are the 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
&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 most 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....
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 Day Star 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
ensure 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

+P289
the day star of justice, remain undispelled, it
would be difficult for the glory of this station to be
unveiled to men's eyes....
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 good-will. If it be accepted, if it
fulfil its purpose, your object is attained. If any one
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....

CXXXIII. The ordinances of God have been sent
down from the heaven of His most august Revelation.
All must diligently observe them. Man's supreme
distinction, his real advancement, his final
victory, have always depended, and will continue to
depend, upon them. Whoso keepeth the commandments
of God shall attain everlasting felicity.
A twofold obligation resteth upon him who hath
recognized the Day Spring of the Unity of God, and
acknowledged the truth of Him Who is the Manifestation
of His oneness. The first is steadfastness in
His love, such steadfastness that neither the clamor
of the enemy nor the claims of the idle pretender can

+P290
deter him from cleaving unto Him Who is the Eternal
Truth, a steadfastness that taketh no account of
them whatever. The second is strict observance of
the laws He hath prescribed--laws which He hath
always ordained, and will continue to ordain, unto
men, and through which the truth may be distinguished
and separated from falsehood.

CXXXIV. The first and foremost duty prescribed
unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the
Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His
Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose
minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God. No
act, however meritorious, did or can ever compare
unto it. It is the king of all acts, and to this thy Lord,
the All-Highest, the Most Powerful, will testify....
The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God
are all evident and manifest, and have been mentioned
and described in all the heavenly Books.
Among them are trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity
of heart while communing with God, forbearance,
resignation to whatever the Almighty hath
decreed, contentment with the things His Will hath
provided, patience, nay, thankfulness in the midst of
tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances,
upon Him. These rank, according to the
estimate of God, among the highest and most laudable
of all acts. All other acts are, and will ever remain,
secondary and subordinate unto them....

+P291
The spirit that animateth the human heart is the
knowledge of God, and its truest adorning is the recognition
of the truth that "He doeth whatsoever He
willeth, and ordaineth that which He pleaseth." Its
raiment is the fear of God, and its perfection steadfastness
in His Faith. Thus God instructeth whosoever
seeketh Him. He, verily, loveth the one that
turneth towards Him. There is none other God but
Him, the Forgiving, the Most Bountiful. All praise
be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

CXXXV. O Letter of the Living! The ear of God
hath heard thy cry, and His eyes have beheld thy
written supplication. He is calling thee from His seat
of glory, and is revealing unto thee the verses that
have been sent down by Him Who is the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Blessed art thou for having utterly abolished the
idol of self and of vain imagination, and for having
rent asunder the veil of idle fancy, through the power
of the might of thy Lord, the Supreme Protector,
the Almighty, the one Beloved. Thou art indeed to be
numbered with those Letters that have excelled every
other Letter. Wherefore thou hast been singled out
by God through the tongue of thy Lord, the &Bab, the
brightness of Whose countenance hath enveloped,
and will continue to envelop, the whole of creation.
Render thanks unto the Almighty, and magnify His
name, inasmuch as He hath aided thee to recognize

+P292
a Cause that hath made the hearts of the inhabitants
of the heavens and of the earth to tremble, that hath
caused the denizens of the Kingdoms of creation and
of Revelation to cry out, and through which the hidden
secrets of men's breasts have been searched out
and tested.
Thy Lord, the Most High (the &Bab), addresseth
thee, from His Realm of glory, these words: Great is
the blessedness that awaiteth thee, O Letter of the
Living, for thou hast truly believed in Me, hast refused
to shame Me before the Concourse on high,
hast fulfilled thy pledge, hast cast away the veil of
vain imaginings, and hast fixed thy gaze upon the
Lord, thy God, the Lord of the unseen and the seen,
the Lord of the Frequented Fane. I am well pleased
with thee, inasmuch as I have found thy face beaming
with light on the Day when faces have been made
dismal and turned black.
Say: O people of the &Bayan! Did We not admonish
you, in all Our Tablets and in all Our hidden
Scriptures, not to follow your evil passions and corrupt
inclinations, but to keep your eyes directed
towards the Scene of transcendent glory, on the Day
when the Most Mighty Balance shall be set, the Day
when the sweet melodies of the Spirit of God shall
be poured out from the right hand of the throne of
your Lord, the omnipotent Protector, the All-Powerful,
the Holy of Holies? Did We not forbid you to
cleave to the things that would shut you out from

+P293
the Manifestation of our Beauty, in its subsequent
Revelation, be they the embodiments of the names of
God and all their glory, or the revealers of His attributes
and their dominion? Behold, how, as soon
as I revealed Myself, ye have rejected My truth and
turned away from Me, and been of them that have
regarded the signs of God as a play and pastime!
By My Beauty! Nothing whatsoever shall, in this
Day, be accepted from you, though ye continue to
worship and prostrate yourselves before God
throughout the eternity of His dominion. For all
things are dependent upon His Will, and the worth
of all acts is conditioned upon His acceptance and
pleasure. The whole universe is but a handful of clay
in His grasp. Unless one recognize God and love Him,
his cry shall not be heard by God in this Day. This is
of the essence of His Faith, did ye but know it.
Will ye be content with that which is like the
vapor in a plain, and be willing to forgo the Ocean
Whose waters refresh, by virtue of the Will of God,
the souls of men? Woe unto you, for having repaid
the bounty of God with so vain and contemptible a
thing! Ye are, indeed, of them that have rejected
Me in My previous Revelation. Would that your
hearts could comprehend!
Arise, and, under the eyes of God, atone for your
failures in duty towards Him. This is My commandment
unto you, were ye to incline your ears unto
My commandment. By Mine own Self! Neither the

+P294
people of the &Qur'an, nor the followers of either
the Torah or the Evangel, nor those of any other
Book, have committed that which your hands have
wrought. I, Myself, have dedicated My whole life to
the vindication of the truth of this Faith. I, Myself,
have announced, in all My Tablets, the advent of
His Revelation. And yet, no sooner did He manifest
Himself, in His subsequent Revelation, clothed in
the glory of &Baha and arrayed in the robe of His
grandeur, than ye rebelled against Him Who is the
supreme Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Beware, O
people! Be ye ashamed of that which hath befallen
Me at your hands in the path of God. Take heed that
ye be not of them that have rejected that which hath
been sent down unto them from the Heaven of God's
transcendent glory.
Such, O Letter of the Living, are the words which
thy Lord hath spoken, and addressed unto thee from
the realms above. Proclaim the words of thy Lord
unto His servants, that perchance they may shake off
their slumber, and ask pardon of God, Who hath
formed and fashioned them, and sent down unto
them this most effulgent, this most holy, and manifest
Revelation of His Beauty.

CXXXVI. Say: Deliver your souls, O people, from
the bondage of self, and purify them from all attachment
to anything besides Me. Remembrance of Me
cleanseth all things from defilement, could ye but

+P295
perceive it. Say: Were all created things to be entirely
divested of the veil of worldly vanity and desire,
the Hand of God would in this Day clothe them,
one and all, with the robe "He doeth whatsoever He
willeth in the kingdom of creation," that thereby the
sign of His sovereignty might be manifested in all
things. Exalted then be He, the Sovereign Lord of
all, the Almighty, the Supreme Protector, the All-Glorious,
the Most Powerful.
Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have
been received by thee, as intoned by them who have
drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy
melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the
hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of
his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering
angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the
fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and
shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb.
Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect,
yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him
must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon
his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation
of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him
Who is the Source of power and wisdom.
O &Khalil! God beareth Me witness. Though My
Pen be still moving on My Tablet, yet, in its very
heart, it weepeth and is sore distressed. The lamp
burning before the Throne, likewise, weepeth and
groaneth by reason of the things which the Ancient

+P296
Beauty hath suffered at the hands of them who are
but a creation of His Will. God, Himself, knoweth
and testifieth to the truth of My words. No man that
hath purged his ear from the loud clamor of the infidels,
and inclined it to all created things, can fail
to hear the voice of their lamentation and weeping
over the trouble that hath befallen Us at the hands
of those of Our servants that have disbelieved in, and
rebelled against, Us. Thus have We disclosed to thee
a glimmer of the woes that have come upon us, that
thou mayest be made aware of Our sufferings, and
patiently endure thy sorrows.
Arise to aid thy Lord at all times and in all circumstances,
and be thou one of His helpers. Admonish,
then, the people to lend a hearing ear to the
words which the Spirit of God hath uttered in this
irradiant and resplendent Tablet. Say: Sow not, O
people, the seeds of dissension amongst men, and contend
not with your neighbor. Be patient under all
conditions, and place your whole trust and confidence
in God. Aid ye your Lord with the sword of
wisdom and of utterance. This indeed well becometh
the station of man. To depart from it would be unworthy
of God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Glorified.
The people, however, have been led astray, and
are truly of the heedless.
Unlock, O people, the gates of the hearts of men
with the keys of the remembrance of Him Who is
the Remembrance of God and the Source of wisdom

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amongst you. He hath chosen out of the whole world
the hearts of His servants, and made them each a
seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify
them from every defilement, that the things for
which they were created may be engraven upon them.
This indeed is a token of God's bountiful favor.
Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness,
and adorn your souls with the ornament of
honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously
with any one. Be ye the trustees of God
amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity
amidst His people. They that follow their
lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated
their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost.
Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed
towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be
attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your
souls may rest confidently upon His grace and
bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His
good-pleasure. Such are the counsels which I bequeath
unto you. Would that ye might follow My
counsels!

CXXXVII. Some have regarded it as lawful to infringe
on the integrity of the substance of their
neighbor, and have made light of the injunction of
God as prescribed in His Book. Evil fall upon them,
and the chastisement of God, the All-Powerful, the
Almighty, afflict them! By Him Who shineth above

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the Day Spring of sanctity! If the whole earth were
to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can
be said to have truly ascended into the heaven of
faith and certitude would deign to regard it, much
less to seize and keep it. We have formerly referred
to this subject in passages revealed in the Arabic
tongue, in a language of exquisite beauty. God is Our
witness! Whoever hath tasted the sweetness of those
words will never consent to transgress the bounds
which God hath fixed, neither will he turn his gaze
towards any one except his Well-Beloved. Such a man
will, with his inner eye, readily recognize how altogether
vain and fleeting are the things of this world,
and will set his affections on things above.
Say: Be ashamed, O ye that call yourselves the
lovers of the Ancient Beauty! Be ye admonished by
the tribulation He hath suffered, by the burden of
anguish He hath carried for the sake of God. Let
your eyes be opened. To what purpose hath He
labored, if the manifold trials He hath endured are,
in the end, to result in such contemptible professions,
and such wretched conduct? Every robber, every
worker of iniquity, hath, in the days prior to My
Revelation, uttered these same words, and performed
these same deeds.
Verily I say: Incline your ears to My sweet voice,
and sanctify yourselves from the defilement of your
evil passions and corrupt desires. They who dwell
within the tabernacle of God, and are established

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upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse,
though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their
hands and seize unlawfully the property of their
neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be.
The purpose of the one true God in manifesting
Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness
and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation
and submissiveness to the Will of God, to
forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom.
His object is to array every man with the mantle
of a saintly character, and to adorn him with
the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.
Say: Have mercy on yourselves and on your fellowmen,
and suffer not the Cause of God--a Cause
which is immeasurably exalted above the inmost
essence of sanctity--to be sullied with the stain of
your idle fancies, your unseemly and corrupt imaginations.

CXXXVIII. Thou seest, O God of Mercy, Thou
Whose power pervadeth all created things, these servants
of Thine, Thy thralls, who, according to the
good-pleasure of Thy Will, observe in the daytime
the fast prescribed by Thee, who arise, at the earliest
dawn of day, to make mention of Thy Name, and to
celebrate Thy praise, in the hope of obtaining their
share of the goodly things that are treasured up
within the treasuries of Thy grace and bounty. I
beseech Thee, O Thou that holdest in Thine hands

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the reins of the entire creation, in Whose grasp is
the whole kingdom of Thy names and of Thine attributes,
not to deprive, in Thy Day, Thy servants from
the showers pouring from the clouds of Thy mercy,
nor to hinder them from taking their portion of the
ocean of Thy good-pleasure.
All the atoms of the earth bear witness, O my
Lord, to the greatness of Thy power and of Thy
sovereignty; and all the signs of the universe attest
the glory of Thy majesty and of Thy might. Have
mercy, then, O Thou Who art the sovereign Lord of
all, Who art the King of everlasting days, and Ruler
of all nations, upon these Thy servants, who have
clung to the cord of Thy commandments, who have
bowed their necks to the revelations of Thy laws
which have been sent down from the heaven of Thy
Will.
Behold, O my Lord, how their eyes are lifted up
towards the dawning-place of Thy loving-kindness,
how their hearts are set upon the oceans of Thy
favors, how their voices are lowered before the accents
of Thy most sweet Voice, calling, from the
most sublime Station, in Thy name the All-Glorious.
Help Thou Thy loved ones, O my Lord, them that
have forsaken their all, that they may obtain the
things Thou dost possess, whom trials and tribulations
have encompassed for having renounced the
world and set their affections on Thy realm of glory.
Shield them, I entreat Thee, O my Lord, from the

+P301
assaults of their evil passions and desires, and aid them
to obtain the things that shall profit them in this
present world and in the next.
I pray Thee, O my Lord, by Thy hidden, Thy
treasured Name, that calleth aloud in the kingdom of
creation, and summoneth all peoples to the Tree beyond
which there is no passing, the seat of transcendent
glory, to rain down upon us, and upon Thy
servants, the overflowing rain of Thy mercy, that it
may cleanse us from the remembrance of all else but
Thee, and draw us nigh unto the shores of the ocean
of Thy grace. Ordain, O Lord, through Thy most
exalted Pen, that which will immortalize our souls
in the Realm of glory, will perpetuate our names in
Thy Kingdom, and safeguard our lives in the treasuries
of Thy protection and our bodies in the stronghold
of Thy inviolable fastness. Powerful art Thou
over all things, be they of the past or of the future.
No God is there but Thee, the omnipotent Protector,
the Self-Subsisting.
Thou seest, O Lord, our suppliant hands lifted up
towards the heaven of Thy favor and bounty. Grant
that they may be filled with the treasures of Thy
munificence and bountiful favor. Forgive us, and
our fathers, and our mothers, and fulfil whatsoever
we have desired from the ocean of Thy grace and
Divine generosity. Accept, O Beloved of our hearts,
all our works in Thy path. Thou art, verily, the Most

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Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Incomparable, the
One, the Forgiving, the Gracious.

CXXXIX. Let thine ear be attentive, O &Nabil-i-A'zam,
to the Voice of the Ancient of Days, crying
to thee from the Kingdom of His all-glorious Name.
He it is Who is now proclaiming from the realms
above, and within the inmost essence of all created
things: "I truly am God, there is none other God but
Me. I am He Who, from everlasting, hath been the
Source of all sovereignty and power, He Who shall
continue, throughout eternity, to exercise His kingship
and to extend His protection unto all created
things. My proof is the greatness of My might and
My sovereignty that embraceth the whole of creation."...
Blessed art thou, O My name, inasmuch as thou
hast entered Mine Ark, and art speeding, through
the power of My sovereign and most exalted might,
on the ocean of grandeur, and art numbered with
My favored ones whose names the Finger of God hath
inscribed. Thou hast quaffed the cup which is life
indeed from the hands of this Youth, around Whom
revolve the Manifestations of the All-Glorious, and
the brightness of Whose presence they Who are the
Day Springs of Mercy extol in the day time and in
the night season.
His glory be with thee, inasmuch as thou hast
journeyed from God unto God, and entered within

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the borders of the Court of unfading splendor--the
Spot which mortal man can never describe. Therein
hath the breeze of holiness, laden with the love of
thy Lord, stirred thy spirit within thee, and the
waters of understanding have washed from thee the
stains of remoteness and ungodliness. Thou hast
gained admittance into the Paradise of God's Remembrance,
through thy recognition of Him Who
is the Embodiment of that Remembrance amongst
men.
Wherefore, be thankful to God, for having
strengthened thee to aid His Cause, for having made
the flowers of knowledge and understanding to
spring forth in the garden of thine heart. Thus hath
His grace encompassed thee, and encompassed the
whole of creation. Beware, lest thou allow anything
whatsoever to grieve thee. Rid thyself of all attachment
to the vain allusions of men, and cast behind
thy back the idle and subtle disputations of them
that are veiled from God. Proclaim, then, that which
the Most Great Spirit will inspire thee to utter in the
service of the Cause of thy Lord, that thou mayest
stir up the souls of all men and incline their hearts
unto this most blessed and all-glorious Court....
Know thou that We have annulled the rule of the
sword, as an aid to Our Cause, and substituted for
it the power born of the utterance of men. Thus have
We irrevocably decreed, by virtue of Our grace. Say:
O people! Sow not the seeds of discord among men,

+P304
and refrain from contending with your neighbor, for
your Lord hath committed the world and the cities
thereof to the care of the kings of the earth, and
made them the emblems of His own power, by virtue
of the sovereignty He hath chosen to bestow upon
them. He hath refused to reserve for Himself any
share whatever of this world's dominion. To this He
Who is Himself the Eternal Truth will testify. The
things He hath reserved for Himself are the cities
of men's hearts, that He may cleanse them from all
earthly defilements, and enable them to draw nigh
unto the hallowed Spot which the hands of the infidel
can never profane. Open, O people, the city of the
human heart with the key of your utterance. Thus
have We, according to a pre-ordained measure, prescribed
unto you your duty.
By the righteousness of God! The world and its
vanities, and its glory, and whatever delights it can
offer, are all, in the sight of God, as worthless as, nay,
even more contemptible than, dust and ashes. Would
that the hearts of men could comprehend it! Cleanse
yourselves thoroughly, O people of &Baha, from the
defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth
unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness. The things
of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto
such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon
this most holy and effulgent Vision.
That which beseemeth you is the love of God, and
the love of Him Who is the Manifestation of His

+P305
Essence, and the observance of whatsoever He chooseth
to prescribe unto you, did ye but know it.
Say: Let truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning.
Suffer not yourselves to be deprived of the robe
of forbearance and justice, that the sweet savors of
holiness may be wafted from your hearts upon all
created things. Say: Beware, O people of &Baha, lest
ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from
their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest
to the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and
to mirror forth His commandments. Let your acts
be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of
most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct.
It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish
yourselves from others. Through them the brightness
of your light can be shed upon the whole earth.
Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and
keepeth the precepts prescribed by Him Who is the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

CXL. O &Muhammad-'Ali! Great is the blessedness
awaiting thee, inasmuch as thou hast adorned thine
heart with the ornament of the love of thy Lord, the
All-Glorious, the All-Praised. He that hath attained
this station in this day, all good shall be his.
Pay thou no heed to the humiliation to which the
loved ones of God have in this Day been subjected.
This humiliation is the pride and glory of all temporal
honor and worldly elevation. What greater

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honor can be imagined than the honor conferred by
the Tongue of the Ancient of Days when He calleth
to remembrance His loved ones in His Most Great
Prison? The day is approaching when the intervening
clouds will have been completely dissipated, when
the light of the words, "All honor belongeth unto
God and unto them that love Him," will have appeared,
as manifest as the sun, above the horizon of
the Will of the Almighty.
All men, be they high or low, have sought and are
still seeking so great an honor. All, however, have,
as soon as the Sun of Truth shed its radiance upon
the world, been deprived of its benefits, and have
been shut out as by a veil from its glory, except them
that have clung to the cord of the unfailing providence
of the one true God, and have with complete
detachment from all else but Him turned their faces
towards His holy court.
Render thanks unto Him Who is the Desire of all
worlds for having invested thee with such high honor.
Ere long the world and all that is therein shall be as
a thing forgotten, and all honor shall belong to the
loved ones of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most
Bountiful.

CXLI. A Book sent down in truth unto men of
insight! It biddeth the people to observe justice and
to work righteousness, and forbiddeth them to follow
their corrupt inclinations and carnal desires, if

+P307
perchance the children of men might be roused from
their slumber.
Say: Follow, O people, what hath been prescribed
unto you in Our Tablets, and walk not after the
imaginations which the sowers of mischief have devised,
they that commit wickedness and impute it to
God, the Most Holy, the All-Glorious, the Most
Exalted. Say: We have accepted to be tried by ills and
troubles, that ye may sanctify yourselves from all
earthly defilements. Why, then, refuse ye to ponder
Our purpose in your hearts? By the righteousness of
God! Whoso will reflect upon the tribulations We
have suffered, his soul will assuredly melt away with
sorrow. Thy Lord Himself beareth witness to the
truth of My words. We have sustained the weight of
all calamities to sanctify you from all earthly corruption,
and ye are yet indifferent.
Say: It behoveth every one that holdeth fast to
the hem of Our Robe to be untainted by anything
from which the Concourse on high may be averse.
Thus hath it been decreed by thy Lord, the All-Glorious,
in this His perspicuous Tablet. Say: Set
ye aside My love, and commit what grieveth Mine
heart? What is it that hindereth you from comprehending
what hath been revealed unto you by Him
Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise?
We verily behold your actions. If We perceive
from them the sweet smelling savor of purity and
holiness, We will most certainly bless you. Then will

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the tongues of the inmates of Paradise utter your
praise and magnify your names amidst them who
have drawn nigh unto God.
Cling thou to the hem of the Robe of God, and
take thou firm hold on His Cord, a Cord which none
can sever. Beware that the clamor of them that have
repudiated this Most Great Announcement shall not
deter thee from achieving thy purpose. Proclaim
what hath been prescribed unto thee in this Tablet,
though all the peoples arise and oppose thee. Thy
Lord is, verily, the All-Compelling, the Unfailing
Protector.
My glory be with thee and with those of My loved
ones that associate with thee. These indeed are they
with whom it shall be well.

CXLII. I swear by the beauty of the Well-Beloved!
This is the Mercy that hath encompassed the entire
creation, the Day whereon the grace of God hath
permeated and pervaded all things. The living waters
of My mercy, O &Ali, are fast pouring down, and
Mine heart is melting with the heat of My tenderness
and love. At no time have I been able to reconcile
Myself to the afflictions befalling My loved ones,
or to any trouble that could becloud the joy of their
hearts.
Every time My name "the All-Merciful" was told
that one of My lovers had breathed a word that
runneth counter to My wish, it repaired, grief-stricken

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and disconsolate to its abode; and whenever
My name "the Concealer" discovered that one of My
followers had inflicted any shame or humiliation on
his neighbor, it, likewise, turned back chagrined and
sorrowful to its retreats of glory, and there wept and
mourned with a sore lamentation. And whenever My
name "the Ever-Forgiving" perceived that any one
of My friends had committed any transgression, it
cried out in its great distress, and, overcome with
anguish, fell upon the dust, and was borne away by
a company of the invisible angels to its habitation
in the realms above.
By Myself, the True One, O &Ali! The fire that
hath inflamed the heart of &Baha is fiercer than the
fire that gloweth in thine heart, and His lamentation
louder than thy lamentation. Every time the sin committed
by any one amongst them was breathed in the
Court of His Presence, the Ancient Beauty would be
so filled with shame as to wish He could hide the
glory of His countenance from the eyes of all men,
for He hath, at all times, fixed His gaze on their
fidelity, and observed its essential requisites.
The words thou hadst written have, as soon as they
were read in My Presence, caused the ocean of My
fidelity to surge within Me, and the breeze of My
forgiveness to be wafted over thy soul, and the tree
of My loving-kindness to overshadow thee, and the
clouds of My bounty to rain down upon thee their
gifts. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above

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the horizon of eternity, I sorrow for thee in thy
grief, and lament with thee in thy tribulation....
I bear witness to the services thou hast rendered Me,
and testify to the various troubles thou hast sustained
for My sake. All the atoms of the earth declare My
love for thee.
The call thou didst raise, O &Ali, is highly acceptable
in My sight. Proclaim with both thy pen and
tongue My Cause. Cry out and summon the people
to Him Who is the Sovereign Lord of all worlds, with
such zeal and fervor that all men may be set on fire
by thee.
Say: O my Lord, my Best-Beloved, the Mover of
my actions, the Lode Star of my soul, the Voice that
crieth in mine inmost being, the Object of mine
heart's adoration! Praise be to Thee for having enabled
me to turn my face towards Thee, for having
set my soul ablaze through remembrance of Thee,
for having aided Me to proclaim Thy Name and to
sing Thy praises.
My God, my God! If none be found to stray from
Thy path, how, then, can the ensign of Thy mercy
be unfurled, or the banner of Thy bountiful favor
be hoisted? And if iniquity be not committed, what
is it that can proclaim Thee to be the Concealer of
men's sins, the Ever-Forgiving, the Omniscient, the
All-Wise? May my soul be a sacrifice to the trespasses
of them that trespass against Thee, for upon such
trespasses are wafted the sweet savors of the tender

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mercies of Thy Name, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful.
May my life be laid down for the transgressions
of such as transgress against Thee, for
through them the breath of Thy grace and the fragrance
of Thy loving-kindness are made known and
diffused amongst men. May my inmost being be
offered up for the sins of them that have sinned
against Thee, for it is as a result of such sins that the
Day Star of Thy manifold favors revealeth itself
above the horizon of Thy bounty, and the clouds of
Thy never-failing providence rain down their gifts
upon the realities of all created things.
I am he, O my Lord, that hath confessed to Thee
the multitude of his evil doings, that hath acknowledged
what no man hath acknowledged. I have made
haste to attain unto the ocean of Thy forgiveness,
and have sought shelter beneath the shadow of Thy
most gracious favor. Grant, I beseech Thee, O Thou
Who art the Everlasting King and the Sovereign Protector
of all men, that I may be enabled to manifest
that which shall cause the hearts and souls of men to
soar in the limitless immensity of Thy love, and to
commune with Thy Spirit. Strengthen me through
the power of Thy sovereignty, that I may turn all
created things towards the Day Spring of Thy Manifestation
and the Source of Thy Revelation. Aid me,
O my Lord, to surrender myself wholly to Thy Will,
and to arise and serve Thee, for I cherish this earthly
life for no other purpose than to compass the Tabernacle

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of Thy Revelation and the Seat of Thy Glory.
Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all else but
Thee, and humble and subservient to Thy Will. Deal
with me as it beseemeth Thee, and as it befitteth Thy
highness and great glory.
O &Ali! The bounty of Him Who is the Lord of
all worlds hath been, and is still being, vouchsafed
unto thee. Arm thyself with His strength and power,
and arise to aid His Cause and to magnify His holy
name. Let not thine ignorance in human learning and
thy inability to read or write grieve thine heart. The
doors of His manifold grace are within the mighty
grasp of the power of the one true God. He hath
opened, and will continue to open, them in the face
of all them that serve Him. I fain would hope that
this breeze of Divine sweetness will, at all times, continue
to be wafted from the meadow of thine heart
upon the whole world, in such wise that its effects
may be manifested in every land. He it is that hath
power over all things. He, verily, is the Most Powerful,
the All-Glorious, the Almighty.

CXLIII. Blessed art thou, O My servant, inasmuch
as thou hast recognized the Truth, and withdrawn
from him who repudiated the All-Merciful, and was
condemned as wicked in the Mother Tablet. Walk
thou steadfastly in the love of God, and keep straight
on in His Faith, and aid Him through the power of
thine utterance. Thus biddeth thee the All-Merciful

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Who is suffering imprisonment at the hands of His
oppressors.
If tribulation touch thee for My sake, call thou
to mind My ills and troubles, and remember My
banishment and imprisonment. Thus do We devolve
on thee what hath descended upon Us from Him
Who is the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
By My Self! The day is approaching when We
will have rolled up the world and all that is therein,
and spread out a new order in its stead. He, verily,
is powerful over all things.
Sanctify thine heart, that thou mayest remember
Me; and purge thine ear, that thou mayest hearken
unto My words. Set then thy face towards the Spot
wherein the throne of thy Lord, the God of Mercy,
hath been established, and say: Praise be to Thee,
O my Lord, for having enabled me to recognize the
Manifestation of Thine own Self, and aided me to fix
mine heart on the court of Thy presence, the object
of my soul's adoration. I beseech Thee, by Thy name
that caused the heavens to be rent and the earth to
be cleft asunder, to ordain for me what Thou didst
ordain for them that have turned away from all else
but Thee, and rested their hearts firmly upon Thee.
Grant that I may be seated in Thy presence on the
seat of truth, within the Tabernacle of Glory. Powerful
art Thou to do what Thou willest. There is none
other God but Thee, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

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CXLIV. The Pen of the Most High hath decreed
and imposed upon every one the obligation to teach
this Cause.... God will, no doubt, inspire whosoever
detacheth himself from all else but Him, and
will cause the pure waters of wisdom and utterance
to gush out and flow copiously from his heart. Verily,
thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is powerful to do as He
willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.
Wert thou to consider this world, and realize how
fleeting are the things that pertain unto it, thou
wouldst choose to tread no path except the path of
service to the Cause of thy Lord. None would have
the power to deter thee from celebrating His praise,
though all men should arise to oppose thee.
Go thou straight on and persevere in His service.
Say: O people! The Day, promised unto you in all
the Scriptures, is now come. Fear ye God, and withhold
not yourselves from recognizing the One Who
is the Object of your creation. Hasten ye unto Him.
Better is this for you than the world and all that
is therein. Would that ye could perceive it!

CXLV. If ye meet the abased or the down-trodden,
turn not away disdainfully from them, for the King
of Glory ever watcheth over them and surroundeth
them with such tenderness as none can fathom except
them that have suffered their wishes and desires to be
merged in the Will of your Lord, the Gracious, the
All-Wise. O ye rich ones of the earth! Flee not from

+P315
the face of the poor that lieth in the dust, nay rather
befriend him and suffer him to recount the tale of the
woes with which God's inscrutable Decree hath
caused him to be afflicted. By the righteousness of
God! Whilst ye consort with him, the Concourse on
high will be looking upon you, will be interceding for
you, will be extolling your names and glorifying your
action. Blessed are the learned that pride not themselves
on their attainments; and well is it with the
righteous that mock not the sinful, but rather conceal
their misdeeds, so that their own shortcomings
may remain veiled to men's eyes.

CXLVI. It is Our wish and desire that every one of
you may become a source of all goodness unto men,
and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware
lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix
your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God
amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life
as a ransom for the redemption of the world. He,
verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most
High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold
Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults
of one another for My name's sake and as a token
of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause.
We love to see you at all times consorting in amity
and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure,
and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness
and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship.

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Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful.
We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume
of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice,
for naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth
witness every man of true understanding.

CXLVII. The Most Great Name beareth Me witness!
How sad if any man were, in this Day, to rest
his heart on the transitory things of this world!
Arise, and cling firmly to the Cause of God. Be most
loving one to another. Burn away, wholly for the
sake of the Well-Beloved, the veil of self with the
flame of the undying Fire, and with faces joyous and
beaming with light, associate with your neighbor.
Ye have well observed, in all its aspects, the behavior
of Him Who is the Word of Truth amidst you. Ye
know full well how hard it is for this Youth to
allow, though it be for one night, the heart of any
one of the beloved of God to be saddened by Him.
The Word of God hath set the heart of the world
afire; how regrettable if ye fail to be enkindled with
its flame! Please God, ye will regard this blessed night
as the night of unity, will knit your souls together,
and resolve to adorn yourselves with the ornament of
a goodly and praiseworthy character. Let your principal
concern be to rescue the fallen from the slough
of impending extinction, and to help him embrace
the ancient Faith of God. Your behavior towards
your neighbor should be such as to manifest clearly

+P317
the signs of the one true God, for ye are the first
among men to be re-created by His Spirit, the first
to adore and bow the knee before Him, the first to
circle round His throne of glory. I swear by Him
Who hath caused Me to reveal whatever hath pleased
Him! Ye are better known to the inmates of the
Kingdom on high than ye are known to your own
selves. Think ye these words to be vain and empty?
Would that ye had the power to perceive the things
your Lord, the All-Merciful, doth see--things that
attest the excellence of your rank, that bear witness
to the greatness of your worth, that proclaim the
sublimity of your station! God grant that your desires
and unmortified passions may not hinder you
from that which hath been ordained for you.

CXLVIII. O &Salman! All that the sages and mystics
have said or written have never exceeded, nor can
they ever hope to exceed, the limitations to which
man's finite mind hath been strictly subjected. To
whatever heights the mind of the most exalted of men
may soar, however great the depths which the detached
and understanding heart can penetrate, such
mind and heart can never transcend that which is
the creature of their own conceptions and the product
of their own thoughts. The meditations of the
profoundest thinker, the devotions of the holiest of
saints, the highest expressions of praise from either

+P318
human pen or tongue, are but a reflection of that
which hath been created within themselves, through
the revelation of the Lord, their God. Whoever pondereth
this truth in his heart will readily admit that
there are certain limits which no human being can
possibly transgress. Every attempt which, from the
beginning that hath no beginning, hath been made
to visualize and know God is limited by the exigencies
of His own creation--a creation which He, through
the operation of His own Will and for the purposes
of none other but His own Self, hath called into being.
Immeasurably exalted is He above the strivings
of human mind to grasp His Essence, or of human
tongue to describe His mystery. No tie of direct
intercourse can ever bind Him to the things He hath
created, nor can the most abstruse and most remote
allusions of His creatures do justice to His being.
Through His world-pervading Will He hath brought
into being all created things. He is and hath ever
been veiled in the ancient eternity of His own exalted
and indivisible Essence, and will everlastingly continue
to remain concealed in His inaccessible majesty
and glory. All that is in heaven and all that is in the
earth have come to exist at His bidding, and by His
Will all have stepped out of utter nothingness into
the realm of being. How can, therefore, the creature
which the Word of God hath fashioned comprehend
the nature of Him Who is the Ancient of Days?

+P319
CXLIX. Should any man, in this Day, arise and,
with absolute detachment from all that is in the
heavens and all that is on the earth, set his affections
on Him Who is the Day Spring of God's holy Revelation,
he will, verily, be empowered to subdue all created
things, through the potency of one of the Names
of the Lord, his God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Know thou of a certainty that the Day Star of Truth
hath, in this Day, shed upon the world a radiance, the
like of which bygone ages have never witnessed. Let
the light of His glory, O people, shine upon you, and
be not of the negligent.

CL. When the victory arriveth, every man shall
profess himself as believer and shall hasten to the
shelter of God's Faith. Happy are they who in the
days of world-encompassing trials have stood fast in
the Cause and refused to swerve from its truth.

CLI. Release yourselves, O nightingales of God,
from the thorns and brambles of wretchedness and
misery, and wing your flight to the rose-garden of
unfading splendor. O My friends that dwell upon
the dust! Haste forth unto your celestial habitation.
Announce unto yourselves the joyful tidings: "He
Who is the Best-Beloved is come! He hath crowned
Himself with the glory of God's Revelation, and hath
unlocked to the face of men the doors of His ancient
Paradise." Let all eyes rejoice, and let every ear be
gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty,

+P320
now is the fit time to hearken to His voice. Proclaim
unto every longing lover: "Behold, your Well-Beloved
hath come among men!" and to the messengers
of the Monarch of love impart the tidings: "Lo, the
Adored One hath appeared arrayed in the fullness of
His glory!" O lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish
of your separation from Him into the joy of an
everlasting reunion, and let the sweetness of His
presence dissolve the bitterness of your remoteness
from His court.
Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is
being showered from the clouds of Divine glory,
hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas
in days past every lover besought and searched after
his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is
calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His
presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor;
beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His
grace. Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and
be not content with that which perisheth. Lift up the
veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness
with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on
the naked beauty of the Beloved's face, may behold
that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which
no ear hath heard.
Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of
changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom,
compared to which every other flower is but a thorn,
and before the brightness of Whose glory the very

+P321
essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore,
and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts,
with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor
of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your
entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence,
and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the
incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of
holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume
of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will
break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment
of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire,
and will surrender his soul into the hands of his
Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as
the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and
everlasting nest.
Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded
night, and the hours and moments of your lives have
come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one
instant, consented to detach himself from that which
perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments
that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost.
Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall
pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a
canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can
ye atone for your past failure?
The everlasting Candle shineth in its naked glory.
Behold how it hath consumed every mortal veil. O ye
moth-like lovers of His light! Brave every danger,
and consecrate your souls to its consuming flame. O

+P322
ye that thirst after Him! Strip yourselves of every
earthly affection, and hasten to embrace your Beloved.
With a zest that none can equal make haste to
attain unto Him. The Flower, thus far hidden from
the sight of men, is unveiled to your eyes. In the open
radiance of His glory He standeth before you. His
voice summoneth all the holy and sanctified beings to
come and be united with Him. Happy is he that
turneth thereunto; well is it with him that hath attained,
and gazed on the light of so wondrous a
countenance.

CLII. Thine eye is My trust, suffer not the dust
of vain desires to becloud its luster. Thine ear is a sign
of My bounty, let not the tumult of unseemly motives
turn it away from My Word that encompasseth
all creation. Thine heart is My treasury, allow not
the treacherous hand of self to rob thee of the pearls
which I have treasured therein. Thine hand is a symbol
of My loving-kindness, hinder it not from holding
fast unto My guarded and hidden Tablets.... Unasked,
I have showered upon thee My grace. Unpetitioned,
I have fulfilled thy wish. In spite of thy undeserving,
I have singled thee out for My richest, My
incalculable favors.... O My servants! Be as resigned
and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your
being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and
multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge. Be ablaze
as the fire, that ye may burn away the veils of heedlessness

+P323
and set aglow, through the quickening energies
of the love of God, the chilled and wayward
heart. Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that
ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My
court, My inviolable Sanctuary.

CLIII. O banished and faithful friend! Quench the
thirst of heedlessness with the sanctified waters of
My grace, and chase the gloom of remoteness through
the morning-light of My Divine presence. Suffer not
the habitation wherein dwelleth My undying love for
thee to be destroyed through the tyranny of covetous
desires, and overcloud not the beauty of the heavenly
Youth with the dust of self and passion. Clothe thyself
with the essence of righteousness, and let thine
heart be afraid of none except God. Obstruct not the
luminous spring of thy soul with the thorns and
brambles of vain and inordinate affections, and impede
not the flow of the living waters that stream
from the fountain of thine heart. Set all thy hope in
God, and cleave tenaciously to His unfailing mercy.
Who else but Him can enrich the destitute, and deliver
the fallen from his abasement?
O My servants! Were ye to discover the hidden, the
shoreless oceans of My incorruptible wealth, ye would,
of a certainty, esteem as nothing the world, nay, the
entire creation. Let the flame of search burn with
such fierceness within your hearts as to enable you to
attain your supreme and most exalted goal--the station

+P324
at which ye can draw nigh unto, and be united
with, your Best-Beloved....
O My servants! Let not your vain hopes and idle
fancies sap the foundations of your belief in the All-Glorious
God, inasmuch as such imaginings have been
wholly unprofitable unto men, and failed to direct
their steps unto the straight Path. Think ye, O My
servants, that the Hand of My all-encompassing,
My overshadowing, and transcendent sovereignty is
chained up, that the flow of Mine ancient, My ceaseless,
and all-pervasive mercy is checked, or that the
clouds of My sublime and unsurpassed favors have
ceased to rain their gifts upon men? Can ye imagine
that the wondrous works that have proclaimed My
divine and resistless power are withdrawn, or that the
potency of My will and purpose hath been deterred
from directing the destinies of mankind? If it be not
so, wherefore, then, have ye striven to prevent the
deathless Beauty of My sacred and gracious Countenance
from being unveiled to men's eyes? Why have
ye struggled to hinder the Manifestation of the Almighty
and All-Glorious Being from shedding the
radiance of His Revelation upon the earth? Were ye
to be fair in your judgment, ye would readily recognize
how the realities of all created things are inebriated
with the joy of this new and wondrous Revelation,
how all the atoms of the earth have been
illuminated through the brightness of its glory. Vain

+P325
and wretched is that which ye have imagined and still
imagine!
Retrace your steps, O My servants, and incline
your hearts to Him Who is the Source of your creation.
Deliver yourselves from your evil and corrupt
affections, and hasten to embrace the light of the
undying Fire that gloweth on the Sinai of this mysterious
and transcendent Revelation. Corrupt not the
holy, the all-embracing, and primal Word of God,
and seek not to profane its sanctity or to debase its
exalted character. O heedless ones! Though the wonders
of My mercy have encompassed all created
things, both visible and invisible, and though the
revelations of My grace and bounty have permeated
every atom of the universe, yet the rod with which I
can chastise the wicked is grievous, and the fierceness
of Mine anger against them terrible. With ears that
are sanctified from vain-glory and worldly desires
hearken unto the counsels which I, in My merciful
kindness, have revealed unto you, and with your inner
and outer eyes contemplate the evidences of My marvelous
Revelation....
O My servants! Deprive not yourselves of the unfading
and resplendent Light that shineth within the
Lamp of Divine glory. Let the flame of the love of
God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed
it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it
within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within
the globe of trust and detachment from all else but

+P326
God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may
not extinguish its light. O My servants! My holy, My
divinely ordained Revelation may be likened unto an
ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable
pearls of great price, of surpassing luster. It is the
duty of every seeker to bestir himself and strive to
attain the shores of this ocean, so that he may, in
proportion to the eagerness of his search and the
efforts he hath exerted, partake of such benefits as
have been pre-ordained in God's irrevocable and hidden
Tablets. If no one be willing to direct his steps
towards its shores, if every one should fail to arise
and find Him, can such a failure be said to have
robbed this ocean of its power or to have lessened, to
any degree, its treasures? How vain, how contemptible,
are the imaginations which your hearts have devised,
and are still devising! O My servants! The
one true God is My witness! This most great, this
fathomless and surging Ocean is near, astonishingly
near, unto you. Behold it is closer to you than your
life-vein! Swift as the twinkling of an eye ye can, if
ye but wish it, reach and partake of this imperishable
favor, this God-given grace, this incorruptible gift,
this most potent and unspeakably glorious bounty.
O My servants! Could ye apprehend with what
wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed
to entrust your souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves
of attachment to all created things, and would
gain a true knowledge of your own selves--a knowledge

+P327
which is the same as the comprehension of Mine
own Being. Ye would find yourselves independent of
all else but Me, and would perceive, with your inner
and outer eye, and as manifest as the revelation of My
effulgent Name, the seas of My loving-kindness and
bounty moving within you. Suffer not your idle
fancies, your evil passions, your insincerity and blindness
of heart to dim the luster, or stain the sanctity,
of so lofty a station. Ye are even as the bird which
soareth, with the full force of its mighty wings and
with complete and joyous confidence, through the
immensity of the heavens, until, impelled to satisfy
its hunger, it turneth longingly to the water and clay
of the earth below it, and, having been entrapped in
the mesh of its desire, findeth itself impotent to resume
its flight to the realms whence it came. Powerless
to shake off the burden weighing on its sullied
wings, that bird, hitherto an inmate of the heavens,
is now forced to seek a dwelling-place upon the dust.
Wherefore, O My servants, defile not your wings
with the clay of waywardness and vain desires, and
suffer them not to be stained with the dust of envy
and hate, that ye may not be hindered from soaring
in the heavens of My divine knowledge.
O My servants! Through the might of God and His
power, and out of the treasury of His knowledge and
wisdom, I have brought forth and revealed unto you
the pearls that lay concealed in the depths of His
everlasting ocean. I have summoned the Maids of

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Heaven to emerge from behind the veil of concealment,
and have clothed them with these words of
Mine--words of consummate power and wisdom. I
have, moreover, with the hand of divine power, unsealed
the choice wine of My Revelation, and have
wafted its holy, its hidden, and musk-laden fragrance
upon all created things. Who else but yourselves is to
be blamed if ye choose to remain unendowed with so
great an outpouring of God's transcendent and all-encompassing
grace, with so bright a revelation of
His resplendent mercy?...
O My servants! There shineth nothing else in Mine
heart except the unfading light of the Morn of
Divine guidance, and out of My mouth proceedeth
naught but the essence of truth, which the Lord
your God hath revealed. Follow not, therefore, your
earthly desires, and violate not the Covenant of God,
nor break your pledge to Him. With firm determination,
with the whole affection of your heart, and
with the full force of your words, turn ye unto Him,
and walk not in the ways of the foolish. The world
is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing, bearing
the semblance of reality. Set not your affections
upon it. Break not the bond that uniteth you with
your Creator, and be not of those that have erred and
strayed from His ways. Verily I say, the world is like
the vapor in a desert, which the thirsty dreameth to
be water and striveth after it with all his might, until
when he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere

+P329
illusion. It may, moreover, be likened unto the lifeless
image of the beloved whom the lover hath sought
and found, in the end, after long search and to his
utmost regret, to be such as cannot "fatten nor appease
his hunger."
O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on
this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes
have been ordained and manifested by God, for days
of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in
store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious,
will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by
Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their
benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion
of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of
them you will, no doubt, attain.

CLIV. Warn, O &Salman, the beloved of the one
true God, not to view with too critical an eye the
sayings and writings of men. Let them rather approach
such sayings and writings in a spirit of open-mindedness
and loving sympathy. Those men, however,
who, in this Day, have been led to assail, in their
inflammatory writings, the tenets of the Cause of
God, are to be treated differently. It is incumbent
upon all men, each according to his ability, to refute
the arguments of those that have attacked the Faith
of God. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is
the All-Powerful, the Almighty. He that wisheth to
promote the Cause of the one true God, let him promote

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it through his pen and tongue, rather than have
recourse to sword or violence. We have, on a previous
occasion, revealed this injunction, and We now confirm
it, if ye be of them that comprehend. By the
righteousness of Him Who, in this Day, crieth within
the inmost heart of all created things: "God, there is
none other God besides Me!" If any man were to arise
to defend, in his writings, the Cause of God against
its assailants, such a man, however inconsiderable his
share, shall be so honored in the world to come that
the Concourse on high would envy his glory. No pen
can depict the loftiness of his station, neither can any
tongue describe its splendor. For whosoever standeth
firm and steadfast in this holy, this glorious, and
exalted Revelation, such power shall be given him as
to enable him to face and withstand all that is in
heaven and on earth. Of this God is Himself a witness.
O ye beloved of God! Repose not yourselves on
your couches, nay bestir yourselves as soon as ye
recognize your Lord, the Creator, and hear of the
things which have befallen Him, and hasten to His
assistance. Unloose your tongues, and proclaim unceasingly
His Cause. This shall be better for you than
all the treasures of the past and of the future, if ye
be of them that comprehend this truth.

CLV. The first duty prescribed by God for His
servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Day
Spring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His

+P331
laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the
Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation.
Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all
good; and whoso is deprived thereof, hath gone astray,
though he be the author of every righteous deed. It
behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime
station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe
every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the
world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is
acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed
by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.
They whom God hath endued with insight will
readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God
constitute the highest means for the maintenance of
order in the world and the security of its peoples.
He that turneth away from them, is accounted
among the abject and foolish. We, verily, have commanded
you to refuse the dictates of your evil passions
and corrupt desires, and not to transgress the
bounds which the Pen of the Most High hath fixed,
for these are the breath of life unto all created things.
The seas of Divine wisdom and divine utterance have
risen under the breath of the breeze of the All-Merciful.
Hasten to drink your fill, O men of understanding!
They that have violated the Covenant of God
by breaking His commandments, and have turned
back on their heels, these have erred grievously in
the sight of God, the All-Possessing, the Most High.

+P332
O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that
My commandments are the lamps of My loving
providence among My servants, and the keys of My
mercy for My creatures. Thus hath it been sent down
from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, the Lord
of Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness
of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have
willed to utter, he would, though the treasures of the
earth be in his possession, renounce them one and all,
that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His
commandments, shining above the day spring of His
bountiful care and loving-kindness.
Say: From My laws the sweet smelling savor of
My garment can be smelled, and by their aid the
standards of victory will be planted upon the highest
peaks. The Tongue of My power hath, from the
heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My
creation these words: "Observe My commandments,
for the love of My beauty." Happy is the lover that
hath inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved
from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace
which no tongue can describe. By My life! He who
hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the
hands of My bountiful favor, will circle around My
commandments that shine above the Day Spring of
My creation.
Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere
code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the
choice Wine with the fingers of might and power. To

+P333
this beareth witness that which the Pen of Revelation
hath revealed. Meditate upon this, O men of insight!...
Whenever My laws appear like the sun in the
heaven of Mine utterance, they must be faithfully
obeyed by all, though My decree be such as to cause
the heaven of every religion to be cleft asunder. He
doth what He pleaseth. He chooseth; and none may
question His choice. Whatsoever He, the Well-Beloved,
ordaineth, the same is, verily, beloved. To this
He Who is the Lord of all creation beareth Me witness.
Whoso hath inhaled the sweet fragrance of the
All-Merciful, and recognized the Source of this
utterance, will welcome with his own eyes the shafts
of the enemy, that he may establish the truth of the
laws of God amongst men. Well is it with him that
hath turned thereunto, and apprehended the meaning
of His decisive decree.

CLVI. He Who is the Eternal Truth hath, from
the Day Spring of Glory, directed His eyes towards
the people of &Baha, and is addressing them in these
words: "Address yourselves to the promotion of the
well-being and tranquillity of the children of men.
Bend your minds and wills to the education of the
peoples and kindreds of the earth, that haply the
dissensions that divide it may, through the power of
the Most Great Name, be blotted out from its face,
and all mankind become the upholders of one Order,

+P334
and the inhabitants of one City. Illumine and hallow
your hearts; let them not be profaned by the thorns
of hate or the thistles of malice. Ye dwell in one
world, and have been created through the operation
of one Will. Blessed is he who mingleth with all men
in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love."

CLVII. They that have forsaken their country for
the purpose of teaching Our Cause--these shall the
Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power. A company
of Our chosen angels shall go forth with them,
as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
How great the blessedness that awaiteth him
that hath attained the honor of serving the Almighty!
By My life! No act, however great, can
compare with it, except such deeds as have been
ordained by God, the All-Powerful, the Most Mighty.
Such a service is, indeed, the prince of all goodly
deeds, and the ornament of every goodly act. Thus
hath it been ordained by Him Who is the Sovereign
Revealer, the Ancient of Days.
Whoso ariseth to teach Our Cause must needs detach
himself from all earthly things, and regard, at all
times, the triumph of Our Faith as his supreme objective.
This hath, verily, been decreed in the
Guarded Tablet. And when he determineth to leave
his home, for the sake of the Cause of his Lord, let
him put his whole trust in God, as the best provision
for his journey, and array himself with the robe of

+P335
virtue. Thus hath it been decreed by God, the Almighty,
the All-Praised.
If he be kindled with the fire of His love, if he
forgoeth all created things, the words he uttereth
shall set on fire them that hear him. Verily, thy Lord
is the Omniscient, the All-Informed. Happy is the
man that hath heard Our voice, and answered Our
call. He, in truth, is of them that shall be brought
nigh unto Us.

CLVIII. God hath prescribed unto every one the
duty of teaching His Cause. Whoever ariseth to discharge
this duty, must needs, ere he proclaimeth His
Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright
and praiseworthy character, so that his words
may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his
call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his
hearers.

CLIX. Consider the pettiness of men's minds. They
ask for that which injureth them, and cast away the
thing that profiteth them. They are, indeed, of those
that are far astray. We find some men desiring liberty,
and priding themselves therein. Such men are in the
depths of ignorance.
Liberty must, in the end, lead to sedition, whose
flames none can quench. Thus warneth you He Who
is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Know ye that the
embodiment of liberty and its symbol is the animal.

+P336
That which beseemeth man is submission unto such
restraints as will protect him from his own ignorance,
and guard him against the harm of the mischief-maker.
Liberty causeth man to overstep the
bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity
of his station. It debaseth him to the level of extreme
depravity and wickedness.
Regard men as a flock of sheep that need a shepherd
for their protection. This, verily, is the truth,
the certain truth. We approve of liberty in certain
circumstances, and refuse to sanction it in others.
We, verily, are the All-Knowing.
Say: True liberty consisteth in man's submission
unto My commandments, little as ye know it. Were
men to observe that which We have sent down unto
them from the Heaven of Revelation, they would, of
a certainty, attain unto perfect liberty. Happy is the
man that hath apprehended the Purpose of God in
whatever He hath revealed from the Heaven of His
Will, that pervadeth all created things. Say: The
liberty that profiteth you is to be found nowhere
except in complete servitude unto God, the Eternal
Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse
to barter it for all the dominion of earth and heaven.

CLX. He is indeed a true believer in the unity of
God who, in this Day, will regard Him as One immeasurably
exalted above all the comparisons and
likenesses with which men have compared Him. He

+P337
hath erred grievously who hath mistaken these comparisons
and likenesses for God Himself. Consider the
relation between the craftsman and his handiwork,
between the painter and his painting. Can it ever be
maintained that the work their hands have produced
is the same as themselves? By Him Who is the Lord
of the Throne above and of earth below! They can
be regarded in no other light except as evidences that
proclaim the excellence and perfection of their
author.
O &Shaykh, O thou who hast surrendered thy will
to God! By self-surrender and perpetual union with
God is meant that men should merge their will wholly
in the Will of God, and regard their desires as utter
nothingness beside His Purpose. Whatsoever the
Creator commandeth His creatures to observe, the
same must they diligently, and with the utmost joy
and eagerness, arise and fulfil. They should in no wise
allow their fancy to obscure their judgment, neither
should they regard their own imaginings as the voice
of the Eternal. In the Prayer of Fasting We have
revealed: "Should Thy Will decree that out of Thy
mouth these words proceed and be addressed unto
them, `Observe, for My Beauty's sake, the fast, O
people, and set no limit to its duration,' I swear by
the majesty of Thy glory, that every one of them will
faithfully observe it, will abstain from whatsoever
will violate Thy law, and will continue to do so until
they yield up their souls unto Thee." In this consisteth

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the complete surrender of one's will to the
Will of God. Meditate on this, that thou mayest
drink in the waters of everlasting life which flow
through the words of the Lord of all mankind, and
mayest testify that the one true God hath ever been
immeasurably exalted above His creatures. He, verily,
is the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, the Omniscient,
the All-Wise. The station of absolute self-surrender
transcendeth, and will ever remain exalted
above, every other station.
It behoveth thee to consecrate thyself to the Will
of God. Whatsoever hath been revealed in His Tablets
is but a reflection of His Will. So complete must
be thy consecration, that every trace of worldly desire
will be washed from thine heart. This is the
meaning of true unity.
Do thou beseech God to enable thee to remain
steadfast in this path, and to aid thee to guide the
peoples of the world to Him Who is the manifest
and sovereign Ruler, Who hath revealed Himself in
a distinct attire, Who giveth utterance to a Divine
and specific Message. This is the essence of faith and
certitude. They that are the worshipers of the idol
which their imaginations have carved, and who call
it Inner Reality, such men are in truth accounted
among the heathen. To this hath the All-Merciful
borne witness in His Tablets. He, verily, is the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.

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CLXI. Gird up the loins of thine endeavor, that
haply thou mayest guide thy neighbor to the law of
God, the Most Merciful. Such an act, verily, excelleth
all other acts in the sight of God, the All-Possessing,
the Most High. Such must be thy steadfastness in the
Cause of God, that no earthly thing whatsoever will
have the power to deter thee from thy duty. Though
the powers of earth be leagued against thee, though
all men dispute with thee, thou must remain unshaken.
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the
Message of Him Who hath caused the Dawn of
Divine Guidance to break. Consider, how the wind,
faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth
upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or
desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences
of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It
bloweth in every direction, as bidden by its Creator.
So should be every one that claimeth to be a lover
of the one true God. It behoveth him to fix his gaze
upon the fundamentals of His Faith, and to labor
diligently for its propagation. Wholly for the sake
of God he should proclaim His Message, and with
that same spirit accept whatever response his words
may evoke in his hearer. He who shall accept and
believe, shall receive his reward; and he who shall
turn away, shall receive none other than his own
punishment.
On the eve of Our departure from &Iraq, We have

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warned the faithful to anticipate the appearance of
the Birds of Darkness. There can be no doubt whatever
that the croaking of the Raven shall be raised in
certain lands, as it hath been heard in recent years.
Whatever may betide, seek refuge in the one true
God, that He may shield you from the wiles of the
impostor.
Verily I say, in this most mighty Revelation, all
the Dispensations of the past have attained their
highest, their final consummation. Thus counselleth
you your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

CLXII. The All-Merciful hath conferred upon man
the faculty of vision, and endowed him with the power
of hearing. Some have described him as the "lesser
world," when, in reality, he should be regarded as
the "greater world." The potentialities inherent in
the station of man, the full measure of his destiny on
earth, the innate excellence of his reality, must all
be manifested in this promised Day of God.
The Pen of the Most High hath, at all times and
under all conditions, remembered, with joy and tenderness,
His loved ones, and hath counselled them to
follow in His way. Well is it with him whom the
changes and chances of this world have failed to deter
from recognizing the Day Spring of the Unity of
God, who hath quaffed, with unswerving resolve, and
in the name of the Self-Subsisting, the sealed wine of

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His Revelation. Such a man shall be numbered with
the inmates of Paradise, in the Book of God, the Lord
of all worlds.

CLXIII. All praise be to God Who hath adorned
the world with an ornament, and arrayed it with a
vesture, of which it can be despoiled by no earthly
power, however mighty its battalions, however vast
its wealth, however profound its influence. Say: the
essence of all power is God's, the highest and the last
End of all creation. The source of all majesty is God's,
the Object of the adoration of all that is in the
heavens and all that is on the earth. Such forces as
have their origin in this world of dust are, by their
very nature, unworthy of consideration.
Say: The springs that sustain the life of these birds
are not of this world. Their source is far above the
reach and ken of human apprehension. Who is there
that can put out the light which the snow-white
Hand of God hath lit? Where is he to be found that
hath the power to quench the fire which hath been
kindled through the might of thy Lord, the All-Powerful,
the All-Compelling, the Almighty? It is
the Hand of Divine might that hath extinguished
the flames of dissension. Powerful is He to do that
which He pleaseth. He saith: Be; and it is. Say: The
fierce gales and whirlwinds of the world and its peoples
can never shake the foundation upon which the
rock-like stability of My chosen ones is based. Gracious

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God! What could have prompted these people
to enslave and imprison the loved ones of Him Who
is the Eternal Truth?... The day, however, is approaching
when the faithful will behold the Day Star
of justice shining in its full splendor from the Day
Spring of glory. Thus instructeth thee the Lord of
all being in this, His grievous Prison.

CLXIV. Members of the human race! Hold ye fast
by the Cord which no man can sever. This will, indeed,
profit you all the days of your life, for its
strength is of God, the Lord of all worlds. Cleave ye
to justice and fairness, and turn away from the
whisperings of the foolish, them that are estranged
from God, that have decked their heads with the
ornament of the learned, and have condemned to
death Him Who is the Fountain of wisdom. My name
hath uplifted them to lofty grades, and yet, no sooner
did I reveal Myself to their eyes than they, with
manifest injustice, pronounced the sentence of My
death. Thus hath Our Pen revealed the truth, and yet
the people are sunk in heedlessness.
Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no circumstances,
transgress the limits of moderation. He discerneth
the truth in all things, through the guidance
of Him Who is the All-Seeing. The civilization, so
often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and
sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of
moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth

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you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess,
civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as
it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints
of moderation. Meditate on this, O people,
and be not of them that wander distraught in the
wilderness of error. The day is approaching when its
flame will devour the cities, when the Tongue of
Grandeur will proclaim: "The Kingdom is God's, the
Almighty, the All-Praised!"
All other things are subject to this same principle
of moderation. Render thanks unto thy Lord Who
hath remembered thee in this wondrous Tablet. All-Praise
be to God, the Lord of the glorious throne.
Were any man to ponder in his heart that which
the Pen of the Most High hath revealed and to taste
of its sweetness, he would, of a certainty, find himself
emptied and delivered from his own desires, and
utterly subservient to the Will of the Almighty.
Happy is the man that hath attained so high a station,
and hath not deprived himself of so bountiful
a grace.
In this Day, We can neither approve the conduct
of the fearful that seeketh to dissemble his faith, nor
sanction the behavior of the avowed believer that
clamorously asserteth his allegiance to this Cause.
Both should observe the dictates of wisdom, and
strive diligently to serve the best interests of the
Faith.
Let every man observe and meditate on the conduct

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of this wronged One. We have, ever since the
dawn of this Revelation until the present time, refused
either to hide Ourself from Our enemies, or
to withdraw from the companionship of Our friends.
Though encompassed with a myriad griefs and afflictions,
We have, with mighty confidence, summoned
the peoples of the earth to the Day Spring of Glory.
The Pen of the Most High is disinclined to recount,
in this connection, the woes it hath suffered. To reveal
them would, no doubt, plunge into sorrow the
favored among the faithful, they that truly uphold
the unity of God and are wholly devoted to His
Cause. He, verily, speaketh the truth, and is the All-Hearing,
the All-Knowing. Our life hath, for the
most part, been spent in the midst of Our enemies.
Witness how We are, at present, living in a nest of
serpents.
This Holy Land hath been mentioned and extolled
in all the sacred Scriptures. In it have appeared the
Prophets of God and His chosen Ones. This is the
wilderness in which all the Messengers of God have
wandered, from which their cry, "Here am I, here am
I, O my God" was raised. This is the promised Land
in which He Who is the Revelation of God was
destined to be made manifest. This is the Vale of
God's unsearchable decree, the snow-white Spot, the
Land of unfading splendor. Whatever hath come to
pass in this Day hath been foretold in the Scriptures
of old. These same Scriptures, however, unanimously

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condemn the people that inhabit this land. They
have, at one time, been stigmatized as the "generation
of vipers." Behold how this wronged One is now,
whilst surrounded by a "generation of vipers," calling
aloud and summoning all men to Him Who is
the world's Ultimate Desire, the Summit and Day
Spring of Glory. Happy is the man that hath hearkened
to the voice of Him Who is the Lord of the
Kingdom of Utterance, and woe betide the heedless,
they that have strayed far from His truth.

CLXV. Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept
pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every
direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these
holy words: "Verily, we are God's, and to Him shall
we return." The mysteries of man's physical death
and of his return have not been divulged, and still
remain unread. By the righteousness of God! Were
they to be revealed, they would evoke such fear and
sorrow that some would perish, while others would
be so filled with gladness as to wish for death, and
beseech, with unceasing longing, the one true God--
exalted be His glory--to hasten their end.
Death proffereth unto every confident believer the
cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the
bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting
life.
As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man's
earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one

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true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter
is such as We are unable to describe. The knowledge
thereof is with God, alone, the Lord of all worlds.

CLXVI. Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct
from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years,
such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray
God that He may graciously assist him to retract and
repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no
doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his
error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will
deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in
punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise
than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit
of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all
created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle
fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of your Lord,
the Almighty, the All-Wise.