TABLETS OF BAHA'U'LLAH REVEALED AFTER THE KITAB-I-AQDAS
(U.S., 1988 pocket-size ed.)
Filename: TB.ZIP (FN)
Filedate: 11-19-93
vii
References to the &Qur'an
In footnotes referring to the &Qur'an the &surihs have been
numbered according to the original, whereas the verse
numbers are those in Rodwell's translation which differ
sometimes from those of the Arabic.
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1
&LAWH-I-KARMIL
(Tablet of Carmel)
+P2
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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 honoured me with Thy footsteps, and
for having quickened my soul through the vitalizing fragrance
of Thy Day and the shrilling voice of Thy 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
+P4
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
dayspring 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 honoured 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
splendour 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 favoured 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
+P5
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 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.
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2
&LAWH-I-AQDAS
(The Most Holy Tablet)+F1
+F1 Sometimes referred to as Tablet to the Christians.
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This is the Most Holy Tablet sent down from the holy kingdom
unto the one who hath set his face towards the Object of the
adoration of the world, He Who hath come from the heaven of
eternity, invested with transcendent glory
In the name of the Lord, the Lord of great glory.
THIS is an Epistle from Our presence unto him
whom the veils of names have failed to keep back
from God, the Creator of earth and heaven, that
his eyes may be cheered in the days of his Lord,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Say, O followers of the Son!+F1 Have ye shut out yourselves
from Me by reason of My Name? Wherefore ponder
ye not in your hearts? Day and night ye have been calling
upon your Lord, the Omnipotent, but when He came
from the heaven of eternity in His great glory, ye turned
aside from Him and remained sunk in heedlessness.
Consider those who rejected the Spirit+F1 when He came
unto them with manifest dominion. How numerous the
Pharisees who had secluded themselves in synagogues in
His name, lamenting over their separation from Him, and
yet when the portals of reunion were flung open and the
divine Luminary shone resplendent from the Dayspring of
Beauty, they disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Mighty.
They failed to attain His presence, notwithstanding that
+F1 Jesus.
+P10
His advent had been promised them in the Book of Isaiah
as well as in the Books of the Prophets and the Messengers.
No one from among them turned his face towards the
Dayspring of divine bounty except such as were destitute of
any power amongst men. And yet, today, every man
endowed with power and invested with sovereignty prideth
himself on His Name. Moreover, call thou to mind the one
who sentenced Jesus to death. He was the most learned of
his age in his own country, whilst he who was only a
fisherman believed in Him. Take good heed and be of them
that observe the warning.
Consider likewise, how numerous at this time are the
monks who have secluded themselves in their churches,
calling upon the Spirit, but when He appeared through the
power of Truth, they failed to draw nigh unto Him and are
numbered with those that have gone far astray. Happy are
they that have abandoned them and set their faces towards
Him Who is the Desire of all that are in the heavens and all
that are on the earth.
They read the Evangel and yet refuse to acknowledge
the All-Glorious Lord, notwithstanding that He hath come
through the potency of His exalted, His mighty and
gracious dominion. We, verily, have come for your sakes,
and have borne the misfortunes of the world for your
salvation. Flee ye the One Who hath sacrificed His life that
ye may be quickened? Fear God, O followers of the Spirit,
and walk not in the footsteps of every divine that hath gone
far astray. Do ye imagine that He seeketh His own interests,
when He hath, at all times, been threatened by the swords
of the enemies; or that He seeketh the vanities of the world,
after He hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of
cities? Be fair in your judgement and follow not the footsteps
of the unjust.
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Open the doors of your hearts. He Who is the Spirit
verily standeth before them. Wherefore keep ye afar from Him
Who hath purposed to draw you nigh unto a Resplendent
Spot? Say: We, in truth, have opened unto you
the gates of the Kingdom. Will ye bar the doors of your
houses in My face? This indeed is naught but a grievous
error. He, verily, hath again come down from heaven,
even as He came down from it the first time. Beware
lest ye dispute that which He proclaimeth, even as the
people before you disputed His utterances. Thus instructeth
you the True One, could ye but perceive it.
The river Jordan is joined to the Most Great Ocean, and
the Son, in the holy vale, crieth out: `Here am I, here am I
O Lord, my God!', whilst Sinai circleth round the House,
and the Burning Bush calleth aloud: `He Who is the
Desired One is come in His transcendent majesty.' Say,
Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised
in the Kingdom is fulfilled! This is the Word which the
Son concealed, when to those around Him He said: `Ye
cannot bear it now.' And when the appointed time was
fulfilled and the Hour had struck, the Word shone forth
above the horizon of the Will of God. Beware, O followers
of the Son, that ye cast it not behind your backs. Take ye
fast hold of it. Better is this for you than all that ye possess.
Verily He is nigh unto them that do good. The Hour
which We had concealed from the knowledge of the
peoples of the earth and of the favoured angels hath come
to pass. Say, verily, He hath testified of Me, and I do testify
of Him. Indeed, He hath purposed no one other than Me.
Unto this beareth witness every fair-minded and understanding
soul.
Though beset with countless afflictions, We summon the
people unto God, the Lord of names. Say, strive ye to
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attain that which ye have been promised in the Books of
God, and walk not in the way of the ignorant. My body
hath endured imprisonment that ye may be released from
the bondage of self. Set your faces then towards His
countenance and follow not the footsteps of every hostile
oppressor. Verily, He hath consented to be sorely abased
that ye may attain unto glory, and yet, ye are disporting
yourselves in the vale of heedlessness. He, in truth, liveth in
the most desolate of abodes for your sakes, whilst ye dwell
in your palaces.
Say, did ye not hearken to the Voice of the Crier, calling
aloud in the wilderness of the &Bayan, bearing unto you the
glad-tidings of the coming of your Lord, the All-Merciful?
Lo! He is come in the sheltering shadow of Testimony,
invested with conclusive proof and evidence, and those
who truly believe in Him regard His presence as the
embodiment of the Kingdom of God. Blessed is the man
who turneth towards Him, and woe betide such as deny or
doubt Him.
Announce thou unto the priests: Lo! He Who is the
Ruler is come. Step out from behind the veil in the name of
thy Lord, He Who layeth low the necks of all men.
Proclaim then unto all mankind the glad-tidings of this
mighty, this glorious Revelation. Verily, He Who is the
Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He
speaketh not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by
Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Say, this is the One Who hath glorified the Son and hath
exalted His Cause. Cast away, O peoples of the earth, that
which ye have and take fast hold of that which ye are
bidden by the All-Powerful, He Who is the Bearer of the
Trust of God. Purge ye your ears and set your hearts
towards Him that ye may hearken to the most wondrous
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Call which hath been raised from Sinai, the habitation of
your Lord, the Most Glorious. It will, in truth, draw you
nigh unto the Spot wherein ye will perceive the splendour
of the light of His countenance which shineth above this
luminous Horizon.
O concourse of priests! Leave the bells, and come forth,
then, from your churches. It behoveth you, in this day, to
proclaim aloud the Most Great Name among the nations.
Prefer ye to be silent, whilst every stone and every tree
shouteth aloud: `The Lord is come in His great glory!'?
Well is it with the man who hasteneth unto Him. Verily,
he is numbered among them whose names will be eternally
recorded and who will be mentioned by the Concourse on
High. Thus hath it been decreed by the Spirit in this
wondrous Tablet. He that summoneth men in My name is,
verily, of Me, and he will show forth that which is beyond
the power of all that are on earth. Follow ye the Way of
the Lord and walk not in the footsteps of them that are sunk
in heedlessness. Well is it with the slumberer who is stirred
by the Breeze of God and ariseth from amongst the dead,
directing his steps towards the Way of the Lord. Verily,
such a man is regarded, in the sight of God, the True One,
as a jewel amongst men and is reckoned with the blissful.
Say: In the East the light of His Revelation hath broken;
in the West have appeared the signs of His dominion.
Ponder this in your hearts, O people, and be not of those
who have turned a deaf ear to the admonitions of
Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised. Let the
Breeze of God awaken you. Verily, it hath wafted over the
world. Well is it with him that hath discovered the
fragrance thereof and been accounted among the well-assured.
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O concourse of bishops! Ye are the stars of the heaven of
My knowledge. My mercy desireth not that ye should fall
upon the earth. My justice, however, declareth: `This is
that which the Son hath decreed.' And whatsoever hath
proceeded out of His blameless, His truth-speaking, trustworthy
mouth, can never be altered. The bells, verily, peal
out My Name, and lament over Me, but My spirit
rejoiceth with evident gladness. The body of the Loved
One yearneth for the cross, and His head is eager for the
spear, in the path of the All-Merciful. The ascendancy of
the oppressor can in no wise deter Him from His purpose.
We have summoned all created things to attain the presence
of thy Lord, the King of all names. Blessed is the man that
hath set his face towards God, the Lord of the Day of
Reckoning.
O concourse of monks! If ye choose to follow Me, I will
make you heirs of My Kingdom; and if ye transgress
against Me, I will, in My long-suffering, endure it patiently,
and I, verily, am the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
O land of Syria! What hath become of thy righteousness?
Thou art, in truth, ennobled by the footsteps of thy
Lord. Hast thou perceived the fragrance of heavenly reunion,
or art thou to be accounted of the heedless?
Bethlehem is astir with the Breeze of God. We hear her
voice saying: `O most generous Lord! Where is Thy great
glory established? The sweet savours of Thy presence have
quickened me, after I had melted in my separation from
Thee. Praised be Thou in that Thou hast raised the veils,
and come with power in evident glory.' We called unto her
from behind the Tabernacle of Majesty and Grandeur: `O
Bethlehem! This Light hath risen in the orient, and travelled
towards the occident, until it reached thee in the evening of
its life. Tell Me then: Do the sons recognize the Father, and
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acknowledge Him, or do they deny Him, even as the
people aforetime denied Him (Jesus)?' Whereupon she
cried out saying: `Thou art, in truth, the All-Knowing, the
Best-Informed.' Verily, We behold all created things
moved to bear witness unto Us. Some know Us and bear
witness, while the majority bear witness, yet know Us not.
Mount Sinai is astir with the joy of beholding Our
countenance. She hath lifted her enthralling voice in glorification
of her Lord, saying: `O Lord! I sense the fragrance
of Thy garment. Methinks Thou art near, invested with the
signs of God. Thou hast ennobled these regions with Thy
footsteps. Great is the blessedness of Thy people, could they
but know Thee and inhale Thy sweet savours; and woe
betide them that are fast asleep.'
Happy art thou who hast turned thy face towards My
countenance, inasmuch as thou hast rent the veils asunder,
hast shattered the idols and recognized thine eternal Lord.
The people of the &Qur'an have risen up against Us without
any clear proof or evidence, tormenting Us at every
moment with a fresh torment. They idly imagine that
tribulations can frustrate Our Purpose. Vain indeed is that
which they have imagined. Verily, thy Lord is the One
Who ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.
I never passed a tree but Mine heart addressed it saying:
`O would that thou wert cut down in My name, and My
body crucified upon thee.' We revealed this passage in the
Epistle to the &Shah that it might serve as a warning to the
followers of religions. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
Let not the things they have perpetrated grieve thee.
Truly they are even as dead, and not living. Leave them
unto the dead, then turn thy face towards Him Who is the
Life-Giver of the world. Beware lest the sayings of the
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heedless sadden thee. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, and
teach the people with consummate wisdom. Thus enjoineth
thee the Ruler of earth and heaven. He is in truth the
Almighty, the Most Generous. Ere long will God exalt thy
remembrance and will inscribe with the Pen of Glory that
which thou didst utter for the sake of His love. He is in
truth the Protector of the doers of good.
Give My remembrance to the one named &Murad and
say: `Blessed art thou, O &Murad, inasmuch as thou didst
cast away the promptings of thine own desire and hast
followed Him Who is the Desire of all mankind.'
Say: Blessed the slumberer who is awakened by My
Breeze. Blessed the lifeless one who is quickened through
My reviving breaths. Blessed the eye that is solaced by
gazing at My beauty. Blessed the wayfarer who directeth
his steps towards the Tabernacle of My glory and majesty.
Blessed the distressed one who seeketh refuge beneath the
shadow of My canopy. Blessed the sore athirst who
hasteneth to the soft-flowing waters of My loving-kindness.
Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth away his selfish
desires for love of Me and taketh his place at the banquet
table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine
bounty for My chosen ones. Blessed the abased one who
layeth fast hold on the cord of My glory; and the needy
one who entereth beneath the shadow of the Tabernacle of
My wealth. Blessed the ignorant one who seeketh the
fountain of My knowledge; and the heedless one who
cleaveth to the cord of My remembrance. Blessed the soul
that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath
and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom.
Blessed the man whom the sweet savours of reunion with
Me have stirred and caused to draw nigh unto the Dayspring
of My Revelation. Blessed the ear that hath heard
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and the tongue that hath borne witness and the eye that
hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great
glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion.
Blessed are they that have attained His presence. Blessed the
man who hath sought enlightenment from the Daystar of
My Word. Blessed he who hath attired his head with the
diadem of My love. Blessed is he who hath heard of My
grief and hath arisen to aid Me among My people. Blessed
is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath
borne manifold hardships for the sake of My name.
Blessed the man who, assured of My Word, hath arisen
from among the dead to celebrate My praise. Blessed is he
that hath been enraptured by My wondrous melodies and
hath rent the veils asunder through the potency of My
might. Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My
Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not
kept back from attaining My Court of holiness. Blessed is
the man who hath detached himself from all else but Me,
hath soared in the atmosphere of My love, hath gained
admittance into My Kingdom, gazed upon My realms of
glory, quaffed the living waters of My bounty, hath drunk
his fill from the heavenly river of My loving providence,
acquainted himself with My Cause, apprehended that
which I concealed within the treasury of My Words, and
hath shone forth from the horizon of divine knowledge
engaged in My praise and glorification. Verily, he is of
Me. Upon him rest My mercy, My loving-kindness, My
bounty and My glory.
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3
&BISHARAT
(Glad-Tidings)
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This is the Call of the All-Glorious which is proclaimed from the
Supreme Horizon in the Prison of &Akka
He is the Expounder, the All-Knowing,
the All-Informed.
GOD, the True One, testifieth and the Revealers of
His names and attributes bear witness that Our
sole purpose in raising the Call and in proclaiming
His sublime Word is that the ear of the entire
creation may, through the living waters of divine utterance,
be purged from lying tales and become attuned to the holy,
the glorious and exalted Word which hath issued forth
from the repository of the knowledge of the Maker of the
Heavens and the Creator of Names. Happy are they that
judge with fairness.
O people of the earth!
The first Glad-Tidings
which the Mother Book hath, in this Most Great Revelation,
imparted unto all the peoples of the world is that the
law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book.
Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Lord of grace abounding,
through Whom the door of heavenly bounty hath been
flung open in the face of all that are in heaven and on
earth.
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The second Glad-Tidings
It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world
associate with one another with joy and radiance. O people!
Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of
friendliness and fellowship. Thus hath the day-star of His
sanction and authority shone forth above the horizon of the
decree of God, the Lord of the worlds.
The third Glad-Tidings
concerneth the study of divers languages. This decree hath
formerly streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High: It
behoveth the sovereigns of the world--may God assist
them--or the ministers of the earth to take counsel together
and to adopt one of the existing languages or a new one to
be taught to children in schools throughout the world, and
likewise one script. Thus the whole earth will come to be
regarded as one country. Well is it with him who hearkeneth
unto His Call and observeth that whereunto he is
bidden by God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.
The fourth Glad-Tidings
Should any of the kings--may God aid them--arise to
protect and help this oppressed people, all must vie with
one another in loving and in serving him. This matter is
incumbent upon everyone. Well is it with them that act
accordingly.
The fifth Glad-Tidings
In every country where any of this people reside, they
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must behave towards the government of that country with
loyalty, honesty and truthfulness. This is that which hath
been revealed at the behest of Him Who is the Ordainer,
the Ancient of Days.
It is binding and incumbent upon the peoples of the
world, one and all, to extend aid unto this momentous
Cause which is come from the heaven of the Will of the
ever-abiding God, that perchance the fire of animosity
which blazeth in the hearts of some of the peoples of the
earth may, through the living waters of divine wisdom
and by virtue of heavenly counsels and exhortations, be
quenched, and the light of unity and concord may shine
forth and shed its radiance upon the world.
We cherish the hope that through the earnest endeavours
of such as are the exponents of the power of God--exalted
be His glory--the weapons of war throughout the world
may be converted into instruments of reconstruction and
that strife and conflict may be removed from the midst of
men.
The sixth Glad-Tidings
is the establishment of the Lesser Peace, details of which
have formerly been revealed from Our Most Exalted Pen.
Great is the blessedness of him who upholdeth it and observeth
whatsoever hath been ordained by God, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
The seventh Glad-Tidings
The choice of clothing and the cut of the beard and its
dressing are left to the discretion of men. But beware, O
people, lest ye make yourselves the playthings of the
ignorant.
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The eighth Glad-Tidings
The pious deeds of the monks and priests among the
followers of the Spirit+F1--upon Him be the peace of God--
are remembered in His presence. In this Day, however, let
them give up the life of seclusion and direct their steps towards
the open world and busy themselves with that which
will profit themselves and others. We have granted them
leave to enter into wedlock that they may bring forth one
who will make mention of God, the Lord of the seen and
the unseen, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.
The ninth Glad-Tidings
When the sinner findeth himself wholly detached and
freed from all save God, he should beg forgiveness and
pardon from Him. Confession of sins and transgressions
before human beings is not permissible, as it hath never
been nor will ever be conducive to divine forgiveness.
Moreover such confession before people results in one's
humiliation and abasement, and God--exalted be His
glory--wisheth not the humiliation of His servants. Verily
He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. The sinner should,
between himself and God, implore mercy from the Ocean
of mercy, beg forgiveness from the Heaven of generosity
and say:
O God, my God! I implore Thee by the blood of Thy
true lovers who were so enraptured by Thy sweet utterance
that they hastened unto the Pinnacle of Glory, the site of the
most glorious martyrdom, and I beseech Thee by the
mysteries which lie enshrined in Thy knowledge and by
+F1 Jesus.
+P25
the pearls that are treasured in the ocean of Thy bounty to
grant forgiveness unto me and unto my father and my
mother. Of those who show forth mercy, Thou art in truth
the Most Merciful. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving,
the All-Bountiful.
O Lord! Thou seest this essence of sinfulness turning
unto the ocean of Thy favour and this feeble one seeking
the kingdom of Thy divine power and this poor creature
inclining himself towards the day-star of Thy wealth. By
Thy mercy and Thy grace, disappoint him not, O Lord,
nor debar him from the revelations of Thy bounty in Thy
days, nor cast him away from Thy door which Thou hast
opened wide to all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thine
earth.
Alas! Alas! My sins have prevented me from approaching
the Court of Thy holiness and my trespasses have
caused me to stray far from the Tabernacle of Thy majesty.
I have committed that which Thou didst forbid me to do
and have put away what Thou didst order me to observe.
I pray Thee by Him Who is the sovereign Lord of
Names to write down for me with the Pen of Thy bounty
that which will enable me to draw nigh unto Thee and will
purge me from my trespasses which have intervened between
me and Thy forgiveness and Thy pardon.
Verily, Thou art the Potent, the Bountiful. No God is
there but Thee, the Mighty, the Gracious.
The tenth Glad-Tidings
As a token of grace from God, the Revealer of this Most
Great Announcement, We have removed from the Holy
Scriptures and Tablets the law prescribing the destruction
of books.
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The eleventh Glad-Tidings
It is permissible to study sciences and arts, but such
sciences as are useful and would redound to the progress
and advancement of the people. Thus hath it been decreed
by Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
The twelfth Glad-Tidings
It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some
form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We
have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to
the rank of worship unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in
your hearts the grace and the blessings of God and render
thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your
time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that
which profiteth yourselves and others. Thus hath it been
decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon the day-star of
wisdom and utterance shineth resplendent.
The most despised of men in the sight of God are those
who sit idly and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of material
means, placing your whole trust in God, the Provider of all
means. When anyone occupieth himself in a craft or trade,
such occupation itself is regarded in the estimation of God
as an act of worship; and this is naught but a token of His
infinite and all-pervasive bounty.
The thirteenth Glad-Tidings
The men of God's House of Justice have been charged
with the affairs of the people. They, in truth, are the
+P27
Trustees of God among His servants and the daysprings of
authority in His countries.
O people of God! That which traineth the world is
Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment.
These two pillars are the sources of life to the world.
Inasmuch as for each day there is a new problem and for
every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should be
referred to the Ministers of the House of Justice that they
may act according to the needs and requirements of the
time. They that, for the sake of God, arise to serve His
Cause, are the recipients of divine inspiration from the unseen
Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be obedient
unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the
House of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed
according to that which God hath revealed in His Book.
O people of &Baha! Ye are the dawning-places of the love
of God and the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile
not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul,
and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly. Set
forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably received,
your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that
soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the
Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord
and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain
true education in the shelter of the tree of His tender
mercies and act in accordance with that which God
desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of
one ocean.
The fourteenth Glad-Tidings
It is not necessary to undertake special journeys to visit
the resting-places of the dead. If people of substance and
+P28
affluence offer the cost of such journeys to the House of
Justice, it will be pleasing and acceptable in the presence of
God. Happy are they that observe His precepts.
The fifteenth Glad-Tidings
Although a republican form of government profiteth all
the peoples of the world, yet the majesty of kingship is one
of the signs of God. We do not wish that the countries of
the world should remain deprived thereof. If the sagacious
combine the two forms into one, great will be their reward
in the presence of God.
In former religions such ordinances as holy war, destruction
of books, the ban on association and companionship
with other peoples or on reading certain books had been
laid down and affirmed according to the exigencies of the
time; however, in this mighty Revelation, in this momentous
Announcement, the manifold bestowals and favours
of God have overshadowed all men, and from the horizon
of the Will of the Ever-Abiding Lord, His infallible decree
hath prescribed that which We have set forth above.
We yield praise unto God--hallowed and glorified be
He--for whatsoever He hath graciously revealed in this
blessed, this glorious and incomparable Day. Indeed if
everyone on earth were endowed with a myriad tongues
and were to continually praise God and magnify His Name
to the end that knoweth no end, their thanksgiving would
not prove adequate for even one of the gracious favours
We have mentioned in this Tablet. Unto this beareth witness
every man of wisdom and discernment, of understanding
and knowledge.
+P29
We earnestly beseech God--exalted be His glory--to
aid the rulers and sovereigns, who are the exponents of
power and the daysprings of glory, to enforce His laws and
ordinances. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful,
He Who is wont to answer the call of men.
+P30
+P31
4
&TARAZAT
(Ornaments)
+P32
+P33
In My Name, which standeth supreme above all names
PRAISE and glory beseem the Lord of Names and
the Creator of the heavens, He, the waves of
Whose ocean of Revelation surge before the
eyes of the peoples of the world. The Day-Star
of His Cause shineth through every veil and His Word of
affirmation standeth beyond the reach of negation. Neither
the ascendancy of the oppressor nor the tyranny of the
wicked hath been able to thwart His Purpose. How glorified
is His sovereignty, how exalted His dominion!
Great God! Although His signs have encompassed the
world and His proofs and testimonies are shining forth and
manifest as the light, yet the ignorant appear heedless, nay
rather, rebellious. Would that they had been content with
opposition. But at all times they are plotting to cut down
the sacred Lote-Tree. Since the dawn of this Revelation the
embodiments of selfishness have, by resorting to cruelty
and oppression, striven to extinguish the Light of divine
manifestation. But God, having stayed their hands, revealed
this Light through His sovereign authority and protected it
through the power of His might until earth and heaven
were illumined by its radiance and brightness. Praise be
unto Him under all conditions.
Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of
the nations, O Thou Who hast become manifest in the
Greatest Name whereby the pearls of wisdom and utterance
+P34
have appeared from the shells of the great sea of Thy knowledge,
and the heavens of divine revelation have been
adorned with the light of the appearance of the Sun of Thy
countenance.
I beg of Thee, by that Word through which Thy proof
was perfected among Thy creatures and Thy testimony was
fulfilled among Thy servants to strengthen Thy people in
that whereby the face of the Cause will radiate in Thy
dominion, the standards of Thy power will be planted
among Thy servants, and the banners of Thy guidance will
be raised throughout Thy dominions.
O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope
of Thy grace and holding fast unto the hem of the mantle
of Thy beneficence. Ordain for them that which may draw
them nearer unto Thee, and withhold them from all else
save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and
Protector of the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever
ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a sea moving by Thy desire,
as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree, shining
from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will. Verily Thou
art the mighty One Whom neither the power of all the
world nor the strength of nations can weaken. There is no
God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the Protector,
the Self-Subsistent.
O thou who hast quaffed the wine of Mine utterance
from the chalice of My knowledge! These sublime words
were heard today from the rustling of the divine Lote-Tree
which the Lord of Names hath, with the hand of celestial
power, planted in the All-Highest Paradise:
The first &Taraz
and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the horizon
+P35
of the Mother Book is that man should know his own
self and recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness,
glory or abasement, wealth or poverty. Having attained
the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man
standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth
through crafts or professions is commendable and praiseworthy
in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially
in the eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the
education of the world and to the edification of its peoples.
They are, in truth, cup-bearers of the life-giving water of
knowledge and guides unto the ideal way. They direct the
peoples of the world to the straight path and acquaint them
with that which is conducive to human upliftment and
exaltation. The straight path is the one which guideth man
to the dayspring of perception and to the dawning-place of
true understanding and leadeth him to that which will redound
to glory, honour and greatness.
We cherish the hope that through the loving-kindness
of the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, obscuring dust may be
dispelled and the power of perception enhanced, that the
people may discover the purpose for which they have been
called into being. In this Day whatsoever serveth to reduce
blindness and to increase vision is worthy of consideration.
This vision acteth as the agent and guide for true knowledge.
Indeed in the estimation of men of wisdom keenness
of understanding is due to keenness of vision. The people of
&Baha must under all circumstances observe that which is
meet and seemly and exhort the people accordingly.
The second &Taraz
is to consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of
friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which the
+P36
Speaker on Sinai hath set forth and to observe fairness in all
matters.
They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness
should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the
earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with
people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity
and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance
of order in the world and to the regeneration of
nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to the cord of kindliness
and tender mercy and are free from animosity and hatred.
This Wronged One exhorteth the peoples of the world
to observe tolerance and righteousness, which are two
lights amidst the darkness of the world and two educators
for the edification of mankind. Happy are they who have
attained thereto and woe betide the heedless.
The third &Taraz
concerneth good character. A good character is, verily, the
best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the
temples of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good
character surpasseth the light of the sun and the radiance
thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted as a jewel
among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world
must needs depend upon it. A goodly character is a means
whereby men are guided to the Straight Path and are led
to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is
adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the
Concourse on High.
It beseemeth you to fix your gaze under all conditions
upon justice and fairness. In The Hidden Words this exalted
utterance hath been revealed from Our Most August Pen:
`O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My
+P37
sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest
Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid
thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the
eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge
and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder
this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice
is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set
it then before thine eyes.'
They that are just and fair-minded in their judgement
occupy a sublime station and hold an exalted rank. The
light of piety and uprightness shineth resplendent from
these souls. We earnestly hope that the peoples and
countries of the world may not be deprived of the splendours
of these two luminaries.
The fourth &Taraz
concerneth trustworthiness. Verily it is the door of security
for all that dwell on earth and a token of glory on the part
of the All-Merciful. He who partaketh thereof hath indeed
partaken of the treasures of wealth and prosperity. Trustworthiness
is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity
and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair
hath depended and doth depend upon it. All the domains of
power, of grandeur and of wealth are illumined by its light.
Not long ago these sublime words were revealed from
the Pen of the Most High:
`We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and
the station thereof in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the
Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of days We repaired
unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its
streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight
playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We
+P38
beheld what the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set
forth that which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed
in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that blest, and
most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on
one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing
on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: "O inmates of
earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance,
and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True
One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and
the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will
cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and station, and
hold fast unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of
the people of &Baha, and the vesture of glory unto all who
are in the kingdom of creation. I am the supreme instrument
for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of
assurance unto all beings." Thus have We sent down for thee
that which will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation.'
O people of &Baha! Trustworthiness is in truth the best of
vestures for your temples and the most glorious crown for
your heads. Take ye fast hold of it at the behest of Him
Who is the Ordainer, the All-Informed.
The fifth &Taraz
concerneth the protection and preservation of the stations of
God's servants. One should not ignore the truth of any
matter, rather should one give expression to that which is
right and true. The people of &Baha should not deny any
soul the reward due to him, should treat craftsmen with
deference, and, unlike the people aforetime, should not
defile their tongues with abuse.
In this Day the sun of craftsmanship shineth above the
horizon of the occident and the river of arts is flowing out
+P39
of the sea of that region. One must speak with fairness and
appreciate such bounty. By the life of God! The word
`Equity' shineth bright and resplendent even as the sun.
We pray God to graciously shed its radiance upon everyone.
He is in truth powerful over all things, He Who is
wont to answer the prayers of all men.
In these days truthfulness and sincerity are sorely
afflicted in the clutches of falsehood, and justice is tormented
by the scourge of injustice. The smoke of corruption
hath enveloped the whole world in such wise that
naught can be seen in any direction save regiments of
soldiers and nothing is heard from any land but the clashing
of swords. We beseech God, the True One, to strengthen
the wielders of His power in that which will rehabilitate
the world and bring tranquillity to the nations.
The sixth &Taraz
Knowledge is one of the wondrous gifts of God. It is
incumbent upon everyone to acquire it. Such arts and
material means as are now manifest have been achieved by
virtue of His knowledge and wisdom which have been
revealed in Epistles and Tablets through His Most Exalted
Pen--a Pen out of whose treasury pearls of wisdom and
utterance and the arts and crafts of the world are brought
to light.
In this Day the secrets of the earth are laid bare before the
eyes of men. The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are
indeed the mirror of the world. They reflect the deeds and
the pursuits of divers peoples and kindreds. They both
reflect them and make them known. They are a mirror
endowed with hearing, sight and speech. This is an amazing
and potent phenomenon. However, it behoveth the
+P40
writers thereof to be purged from the promptings of evil
passions and desires and to be attired with the raiment of
justice and equity. They should enquire into situations as
much as possible and ascertain the facts, then set them down
in writing.
Concerning this Wronged One, most of the things reported
in the newspapers are devoid of truth. Fair speech
and truthfulness, by reason of their lofty rank and position,
are regarded as a sun shining above the horizon of knowledge.
The waves rising from this Ocean are apparent before
the eyes of the peoples of the world and the effusions
of the Pen of wisdom and utterance are manifest everywhere.
It is reported in the press that this Servant hath fled from
the land of &Ta (&Tihran) and gone to &Iraq. Gracious God!
Not even for a single moment hath this Wronged One ever
concealed Himself. Rather hath He at all times remained
steadfast and conspicuous before the eyes of all men. Never
have We retreated, nor shall We ever seek flight. In truth
it is the foolish people who flee from Our presence. We
left Our home country accompanied by two mounted
escorts, representing the two honoured governments of
Persia and Russia until We arrived in &Iraq in the plenitude
of glory and power. Praise be to God! The Cause whereof
this Wronged One is the Bearer standeth as high as
heaven and shineth resplendent as the sun. Concealment
hath no access unto this station, nor is there any occasion
for fear or silence.
The mysteries of Resurrection and the events of the Last
Hour are openly manifest, but the people are sunk in
heedlessness and have suffered themselves to be wrapt in
+P41
veils. `And when the seas shall boil... And when the
Scriptures shall be unrolled.'+F1 By the righteousness of God!
The Dawn hath truly brightened and the light hath shone
forth and the night hath receded. Happy are they that
comprehend. Happy are they that have attained thereunto.
Glorified be God! The Pen is perplexed what to write
and the Tongue wondereth what to utter. Despite unprecedented
hardships and after enduring years of imprisonment,
captivity and woeful trials, We now perceive that
veils thicker than the ones We have already torn asunder
have intervened, obstructing the vision and causing the
light of understanding to be obscured. Moreover We
observe that the fresh calumnies which are now rife are far
more malicious than those of former days.
O people of the &Bayan! Fear ye the merciful Lord.
Consider the people of former times. What were their
deeds and what fruit did they gather? Every thing they
uttered was but imposture and whatever they wrought
hath proved worthless, except for those whom God hath
graciously protected through His power.
I swear by the life of Him Who is the Desire of the
world! Were a man to ponder in his heart he would, free
of all attachment to the world, hasten unto the Most Great
Light and would purge and purify himself from the dust of
vain imaginings and the smoke of idle fancy. What could
have prompted the people of the past to err and by whom
were they misled? They still reject the truth and have
turned towards their own selfish desires. This Wronged
One calleth aloud for the sake of God. Whosoever wisheth,
let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn
away. Verily God can well afford to dispense with all
things, whether of the past or of the future.
+F1 &Qur'an 81:6, 10.
+P42
O people of the &Bayan! It is men like unto &Hadi
&Dawlat-Abadi+F1 who, with turban and staff,+F2 have been the
source of opposition and hindrance and have so grievously
burdened the people with superstitions that even at the
present time they still expect the appearance of a fictitious
person from a fictitious place. Be ye warned, O men of
understanding.
O &Hadi! Give ear unto the Voice of this trustworthy
Counsellor: direct thy steps from the left unto the right,
that is turn away from idle fancy unto certitude. Lead not
the people into error. The divine Luminary shineth, His
Cause is manifest and His signs are all-embracing. Set thy
face towards God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Renounce thy leadership for the sake of God and leave the
people unto themselves. Thou art ignorant of the essential
truth, thou art not acquainted therewith.
O &Hadi! Be thou of one face in the path of God. When
in company with the infidels, thou art an infidel and with
the pious, thou art pious. Reflect thou upon such souls as
offered up their lives and their substance in that land, that
haply thou mayest be admonished and roused from
slumber. Consider: who is to be preferred, he who preserveth
his body, his life and his possessions or the one who
surrendereth his all in the path of God? Judge thou fairly
and be not of the unjust. Take fast hold of justice and
adhere unto equity that perchance thou mayest not, for
selfish motives, use religion as a snare, nor disregard the
truth for the sake of gold. Indeed thine iniquity and the
+F1 &Mirza &Hadi &Dawlat-Abadi, one of the divines of &Isfahan, who
+F1 became a follower of the &Bab, later supported &Mirza &Yahya, and
+F1 was appointed his representative in &Iran and his successor. During
+F1 the persecutions against the &Babis he recanted his faith.
+F2 The insignia of a &mulla.
+P43
iniquity of such people as thyself have waxed so grievous
that the Pen of Glory was moved to make such observations.
Fear thou God. He Who heralded this Revelation
hath declared: `He shall proclaim under all conditions:
"Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there but Me, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."'
O people of the &Bayan! Ye have been forbidden to
contact the loved ones of God. Why hath this ban been
imposed and for what purpose? Be ye fair, I adjure you by
God, and be not of the heedless. Unto such as are endued
with insight, and before the Most Great Beauty, the object
of this ban is known and evident; it is so that no one may
become aware of his (&Hadi's) secrets and deeds.
O &Hadi! Thou hast not been in Our company, thou art
therefore ignorant of the Cause. Act not according to thine
idle imaginings. Aside from these things, scrutinize the
Writings with thine own eyes and ponder upon that which
hath come to pass. Have pity upon thyself and upon the
servants of God and be not the cause of waywardness like
unto the people aforetime. The path is unmistakable and
the proof is evident. Change injustice into justice and
inequity into equity. We cherish the hope that the breaths
of divine inspiration may strengthen thee and that thine
inner ear may be enabled to hear the blessed words: `Say,
it is God, then leave them to entertain themselves with their
cavillings.'+F1 Thou has been there (Cyprus) and hast seen
him (&Mirza &Yahya). Now speak forth with fairness. Do not
misrepresent the matter, neither to thyself nor to the
people. Thou art both ignorant and uninformed. Give ear
unto the Voice of this Wronged One and hasten towards
the ocean of divine knowledge that perchance thou mayest
be adorned with the ornament of comprehension and
+F1 &Qur'an 6:91.
+P44
mayest renounce all else but God. Hearken unto the Voice
of this benevolent Counsellor, calling aloud, unveiled and
manifest, before the faces of kings and their subjects, and
summon the people of the world, one and all, unto Him
Who is the Lord of Eternity. This is the Word from Whose
horizon the day-star of unfailing grace shineth resplendent.
O &Hadi! This Wronged One, rid of all attachment to
the world, hath striven with utmost endeavour to quench the
fire of animosity and hatred which burneth fiercely in the
hearts of the peoples of the earth. It behoveth every just and
fair-minded person to render thanks unto God--exalted be
His glory--and to arise to promote this pre-eminent Cause,
that fire may turn into light, and hatred may give way to
fellowship and love. I swear by the righteousness of God!
This is the sole purpose of this Wronged One. Indeed in
proclaiming this momentous Cause and in demonstrating
its Truth We have endured manifold sufferings, hardships
and tribulations. Thou thyself wouldst bear witness unto
that which We have mentioned, couldst thou but speak
with fairness. Verily God speaketh the truth and leadeth the
Way. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Gracious.
May Our Glory rest upon the people of &Baha whom
neither the tyranny of the oppressor nor the ascendancy of
the aggressor have been able to withhold from God, the
Lord of the worlds.
+P45
5
&TAJALLIYAT
(Effulgences)
+P46
+P47
This is the Epistle of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting
He is the One Who heareth from His Realm of Glory.
GOD testifieth that there is none other God but
Him and that He Who hath appeared is the
Hidden Mystery, the Treasured Symbol, the Most
Great Book for all peoples, and the Heaven
of bounty for the whole world. He is the Most Mighty
Sign amongst men and the Dayspring of the most august
attributes in the realm of creation. Through Him hath
appeared that which had been hidden from time immemorial
and been veiled from the eyes of men. He is the
One Whose Manifestation was announced by the heavenly
Scriptures, in former times and more recently. Whoso
acknowledgeth belief in Him and in His signs and testimonies
hath in truth acknowledged that which the Tongue
of Grandeur uttered ere the creation of earth and heaven
and the revelation of the Kingdom of Names. Through
Him the ocean of knowledge hath surged amidst mankind
and the river of divine wisdom hath gushed out at the
behest of God, the Lord of Days.
Well is it with the man of discernment who hath recognized
and perceived the Truth, and the one possessed of a
hearing ear who hath hearkened unto His sweet Voice, and
the hand that hath received His Book with such resolve as
+P48
is born of God, the Lord of this world and of the next, and
the earnest wayfarer who hath hastened unto His glorious
Horizon, and the one endued with strength whom neither
the overpowering might of the rulers, nor the tumult
raised by the leaders of religion hath been able to shake.
And woe betide him who hath rejected the grace of God
and His bounty, and hath denied His tender mercy and
authority; such a man is indeed reckoned with those who
have throughout eternity repudiated the testimony of God
and His proof.
Great is the blessedness of him who hath in this Day cast
away the things current amongst men and hath clung unto
that which is ordained by God, the Lord of Names and the
Fashioner of all created things, He Who is come from the
heaven of eternity through the power of the Most Great
Name, invested with so invincible an authority that all the
powers of the earth are unable to withstand Him. Unto this
beareth witness the Mother Book, calling from the Most
Sublime Station.
O &Ali-Akbar!+F1 We have repeatedly heard thy voice and
have responded to thee with that which the praise of all
mankind can never rival; from which the sincere ones
inhale the sweet savours of the sayings of the All-Merciful,
and His true lovers perceive the fragrance of heavenly reunion,
and the sore athirst discover the murmuring of the
water that is life indeed. Blessed the man who hath attained
thereto and hath recognized that which is at this moment
being diffused from the Pen of God, the Help in Peril, the
Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
+F1 &Ustad &Ali-Akbar, one of the staunch believers in Yazd. He
+F1 designed the &Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of &Ishqabad and his design was
+F1 approved by &Abdu'l-Baha. &Ustad &Ali-Akbar offered up his life
+F1 as a martyr in Yazd in 1903.
+P49
We testify that thou hast set thy face towards God and
travelled far until thou didst attain His presence and gavest
ear unto the Voice of this Wronged One, Who hath been
cast into prison through the misdeeds of those who have
disbelieved in the signs and testimonies of God and have
denied this heavenly grace through which the whole world
hath been made to shine. Blessed thy face, for it hath
turned unto Him, and thine ear, for it hath heard His Voice,
and thy tongue, for it hath celebrated the praise of God, the
Lord of lords. We pray God to graciously aid thee to become
a standard for the promotion of His Cause and to
enable thee to draw nigh unto Him at all times and under all
conditions.
The chosen ones of God and His loved ones in that land
are remembered by Us, and We give them the joyful tidings
of that which hath been sent down in their honour
from the Kingdom of the utterance of their Lord, the
sovereign Ruler of the Day of Reckoning. Make mention
of Me to them and illumine them with the resplendent
glory of Mine utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Gracious,
the Bountiful.
O thou who dost magnify My praise! Give ear unto that
which the people of tyranny ascribe unto Me in My days.
Some of them say: `He hath laid claim to divinity'; others
say: `He hath devised a lie against God'; still others say:
`He is come to foment sedition'. Base and wretched are
they. Lo! They are, in truth, enslaved to idle imaginings.
We shall now cease using the eloquent language.+F1 Truly
thy Lord is the Potent, the Unconstrained. We would fain
speak in the Persian tongue that perchance the people of
Persia, one and all, may become aware of the utterances of
the merciful Lord, and come forth to discover the Truth.
+F1 Arabic.
+P50
The first &Tajalli
which hath dawned from the Day-Star of Truth is the
knowledge of God--exalted be His glory. And the knowledge
of the King of everlasting days can in no wise be
attained save by recognizing Him Who is the Bearer of the
Most Great Name. He is, in truth, the Speaker on Sinai
Who is now seated upon the throne of Revelation. He is
the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Symbol. All the
former and latter Books of God are adorned with His
praise and extol His glory. Through Him the standard of
knowledge hath been planted in the world and the ensign
of the oneness of God hath been unfurled amidst all peoples.
Attainment unto the Divine Presence can be realized solely
by attaining His presence. Through His potency everything
that hath, from time immemorial, been veiled and
hidden, is now revealed. He is made manifest through the
power of Truth and hath uttered a Word whereby all that
are in the heavens and on the earth have been dumbfounded,
except those whom the Almighty was pleased to
exempt. True belief in God and recognition of Him cannot
be complete save by acceptance of that which He hath
revealed and by observance of whatsoever hath been
decreed by Him and set down in the Book by the Pen of
Glory.
They that immerse themselves in the ocean of His utterances
should at all times have the utmost regard for the
divinely-revealed ordinances and prohibitions. Indeed His
ordinances constitute the mightiest stronghold for the
protection of the world and the safeguarding of its peoples
--a light upon those who acknowledge and recognize the
truth, and a fire unto such as turn away and deny.
+P51
The second &Tajalli
is to remain steadfast in the Cause of God--exalted be His
glory--and to be unswerving in His love. And this can in
no wise be attained except through full recognition of
Him; and full recognition cannot be obtained save by faith
in the blessed words: `He doeth whatsoever He willeth.'
Whoso tenaciously cleaveth unto this sublime word and
drinketh deep from the living waters of utterance which are
inherent therein, will be imbued with such a constancy that
all the books of the world will be powerless to deter him
from the Mother Book. O how glorious is this sublime
station, this exalted rank, this ultimate purpose!
O &Ali-Akbar! Consider how abject is the state of the
disbelievers. They all give utterance to the words: `Verily
He is to be praised in His deeds and is to be obeyed in His
behest.' Nevertheless if We reveal aught which, even to
the extent of a needle's eye, runneth counter to their
selfish ways and desires, they will disdainfully reject it. Say,
none can ever fathom the manifold exigencies of God's
consummate wisdom. In truth, were He to pronounce the
earth to be heaven, no one hath the right to question His
authority. This is that whereunto the Point of the &Bayan
hath testified in all that was sent down unto Him with truth
at the behest of God, He Who hath caused the Dawn to
break.
The third &Tajalli
is concerning arts, crafts and sciences. Knowledge is as
wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition
is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such
+P52
sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the
peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words
and end with words. Great indeed is the claim of scientists
and craftsmen on the peoples of the world. Unto this
beareth witness the Mother Book on the day of His return.
Happy are those possessed of a hearing ear. In truth, knowledge
is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory,
of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto
him. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this
Most Great Prison.
The fourth &Tajalli
is concerning Divinity, Godhead and the like. Were a
man of insight to direct his gaze towards the blessed, the
manifest Lote-Tree and its fruits, he would be so enriched
thereby as to be independent of aught else and to acknowledge
his belief in that which the Speaker on Sinai hath
uttered from the throne of Revelation.
O &Ali-Akbar! Acquaint the people with the holy verses
of thy Lord and make known unto them His straight Path,
His mighty Announcement.
Say: O people, if ye judge fairly and equitably, ye will
testify to the truth of whatsoever hath streamed forth from
the Most Exalted Pen. If ye be of the people of the &Bayan,
the Persian &Bayan will guide you aright and will prove a
sufficient testimony unto you; and if ye be of the people of
the &Qur'an, ponder ye upon the Revelation on Sinai and
the Voice from the Bush which came unto the Son of
&Imran [Moses].
Gracious God! It was intended that at the time of the
manifestation of the One true God the faculty of recognizing
Him would have been developed and matured and
+P53
would have reached its culmination. However, it is now
clearly demonstrated that in the disbelievers this faculty
hath remained undeveloped and hath, indeed, degenerated.
O &Ali! That which they accepted from the Bush they
now refuse to accept from Him Who is the Tree of the
world of existence. Say, O people of the &Bayan, speak not
according to the dictates of passion and selfish desire. Most
of the peoples of the earth attest the truth of the blessed
Word which hath come forth from the Bush.
By the righteousness of God! But for the anthem of
praise voiced by Him Who heralded the divine Revelation,
this Wronged One would never have breathed a word
which might have struck terror into the hearts of the
ignorant and caused them to perish. Dwelling on the
glorification of Him Whom God shall make manifest--
exalted be His Manifestation--the &Bab in the beginning of
the &Bayan saith: `He is the One Who shall proclaim under
all conditions, "Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there
but Me, the Lord of all created things. In truth all others
except Me are My creatures. O, My creatures! Me alone
do ye worship."' Likewise in another instance He, magnifying
the Name of Him Who shall be made manifest, saith:
`I would be the first to adore Him.' Now it behoveth one
to reflect upon the significance of the `Adorer' and the
`Adored One', that perchance the people of the earth may
partake of a dewdrop from the ocean of divine knowledge
and may be enabled to perceive the greatness of this
Revelation. Verily, He hath appeared and hath unloosed
His tongue to proclaim the Truth. Well is it with him who
doth acknowledge and recognize the truth, and woe betide
the froward and the wayward.
O kindreds of the earth! Incline your ears unto the
Voice from the divine Lote-Tree which overshadoweth
+P54
the world and be not of the people of tyranny on earth--
men who have repudiated the Manifestation of God and
His invincible authority and have renounced His favours--
they in truth are reckoned with the contemptible in the
Book of God, the Lord of all mankind.
The Glory which hath dawned above the horizon of
My tender mercy rest upon thee and upon whosoever is
with thee and giveth ear to thy words concerning the
Cause of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.
+P55
6
&KALIMAT-I-FIRDAWSIYYIH
(Words of Paradise)
+P56
+P57
He is the One Who speaketh through the power of Truth in the
Kingdom of Utterance
O YE the embodiments of justice and equity and
the manifestations of uprightness and of heavenly
bounties! In tears and lamenting, this Wronged
One calleth aloud and saith: O God, my God!
Adorn the heads of Thy loved ones with the crown of
detachment and attire their temples with the raiment of
righteousness.
It behoveth the people of &Baha to render the Lord
victorious through the power of their utterance and to
admonish the people by their goodly deeds and character,
inasmuch as deeds exert greater influence than words.
O &Haydar-'Ali!+F1 Upon thee be the praise of God and
His glory. Say: Honesty, virtue, wisdom and a saintly
character redound to the exaltation of man, while dishonesty,
imposture, ignorance and hypocrisy lead to his
abasement. By My life! Man's distinction lieth not in
ornaments or wealth, but rather in virtuous behaviour and
true understanding. Most of the people in Persia are
steeped in deception and idle fancy. How great the difference
between the condition of these people and the station
+F1 &Haji &Mirza &Haydar-'Ali, outstanding Persian &Baha'i teacher and
+F1 author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in &Khartum,
+F1 travelled extensively in &Iran, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy
+F1 Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.
+P58
of such valiant souls as have passed beyond the sea of names
and pitched their tents upon the shores of the ocean of
detachment. Indeed none but a few of the existing generation
hath yet earned the merit of hearkening unto the
warblings of the doves of the all-highest Paradise. `Few of
My servants are truly thankful.'+F1 People for the most part
delight in superstitions. They regard a single drop of the
sea of delusion as preferable to an ocean of certitude. By
holding fast unto names they deprive themselves of the
inner reality and by clinging to vain imaginings they are
kept back from the Dayspring of heavenly signs. God grant
you may be graciously aided under all conditions to shatter
the idols of superstition and to tear away the veils of the
imaginations of men. Authority lieth in the grasp of God,
the Fountainhead of revelation and inspiration and the
Lord of the Day of Resurrection.
We heard that which the person in question hath mentioned
regarding certain teachers of the Faith. Indeed he
hath spoken truly. Some heedless souls roam the lands in
the name of God, actively engaged in ruining His Cause,
and call it promoting and teaching the Word of God; and
this notwithstanding that the qualifications of the teachers
of the Faith, like unto stars, shine resplendent throughout
the heavens of the divine Tablets. Every fair-minded person
testifieth and every man of insight is well aware that the
One true God--exalted be His glory--hath unceasingly set
forth and expounded that which will elevate the station
and will exalt the rank of the children of men.
The people of &Baha burn brightly amidst the gatherings
even as a candle and hold fast unto that which God hath
purposed. This station standeth supreme above all stations.
Well is it with him who hath cast away the things that the
+F1 &Qur'an 34:12.
+P59
people of the world possess, yearning for that which
pertaineth unto God, the Sovereign Lord of eternity.
Say: O God, my God! Thou beholdest me circling
round Thy Will with mine eyes turned towards the horizon
of Thy bounty, eagerly awaiting the revelation of the
effulgent splendours of the sun of Thy favours. I beg of
Thee, O Beloved of every understanding heart and the
Desire of such as have near access unto Thee, to grant that
Thy loved ones may become wholly detached from their
own inclinations, holding fast unto that which pleaseth
Thee. Attire them, O Lord, with the robe of righteousness
and illumine them with the splendours of the light of
detachment. Summon then to their assistance the hosts of
wisdom and utterance that they may exalt Thy Word
amongst Thy creatures and proclaim Thy Cause amidst
Thy servants. Verily, potent art Thou to do what Thou
willest, and within Thy grasp lie the reins of all affairs. No
God is there but Thee, the Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving.
O thou who hast turned thy gaze towards My face! In
these days there occurred that which hath plunged Me into
dire sadness. Certain wrong-doers who profess allegiance to
the Cause of God committed such deeds as have caused the
limbs of sincerity, of honesty, of justice, of equity to quake.
One known individual to whom the utmost kindness and
favour had been extended perpetrated such acts as have
brought tears to the eye of God. Formerly We uttered
words of warning and premonition, then for a number of
years We kept the matter secret that haply he might take
heed and repent. But all to no purpose. In the end he bent
his energies upon vilifying the Cause of God before the
eyes of all men. He tore the veil of fairness asunder and felt
sympathy neither for himself nor for the Cause of God.
Now, however, the deeds of certain individuals have
+P60
brought sorrows far more grievous than those which the
deeds of the former had caused. Beseech thou God, the
True One, that He may graciously enable the heedless to
retract and repent. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful,
the Most Generous.
In these days it is incumbent upon everyone to adhere
tenaciously unto unity and concord and to labour diligently
in promoting the Cause of God, that perchance the wayward
souls may attain that which will lead unto abiding
prosperity.
In brief, dissensions among various sects have opened the
way to weakness. Each sect hath picked out a way for itself
and is clinging to a certain cord. Despite manifest blindness
and ignorance they pride themselves on their insight and
knowledge. Among them are mystics who bear allegiance
to the Faith of &Islam, some of whom indulge in that which
leadeth to idleness and seclusion. I swear by God! It
lowereth man's station and maketh him swell with pride.
Man must bring forth fruit. One who yieldeth no fruit is,
in the words of the Spirit,+F1 like unto a fruitless tree, and a
fruitless tree is fit but for the fire.
That which the aforesaid persons have mentioned concerning
the stations of Divine Unity will conduce in no
small measure to idleness and vain imaginings. These
mortal men have evidently set aside the differences of
station and have come to regard themselves as God, while
God is immeasurably exalted above all things. Every
created being however revealeth His signs which are but
emanations from Him and not His Own Self. All these
signs are reflected and can be seen in the book of existence,
and the scrolls that depict the shape and pattern of the
universe are indeed a most great book. Therein every man
+F1 Jesus.
+P61
of insight can perceive that which would lead to the
Straight Path and would enable him to attain the Great
Announcement. Consider the rays of the sun whose light
hath encompassed the world. The rays emanate from the
sun and reveal its nature, but are not the sun itself. Whatsoever
can be discerned on earth amply demonstrateth the
power of God, His knowledge and the outpourings of His
bounty, while He Himself is immeasurably exalted above
all creatures.
Christ saith: `Thou hast granted to children that whereof
the learned and the wise are deprived.' The sage of &Sabzivar+F1
hath said: `Alas! Attentive ears are lacking, otherwise the
whisperings of the Sinaic Bush could be heard from every
tree.' In a Tablet to a man of wisdom who had made
enquiry as to the meaning of Elementary Reality, We
addressed this famous sage in these words: `If this saying is
truly thine, how is it that thou hast failed to hearken unto
the Call which the Tree of Man hath raised from the
loftiest heights of the world? If thou didst hear the Call yet
fear and the desire to preserve thy life prompted thee to
remain heedless to it, thou art such a person as hath never
been nor is worthy of mention; if thou hast not heard it,
then thou art bereft of the sense of hearing.' In brief, such
men are they whose words are the pride of the world, and
whose deeds are the shame of the nations.
Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none
other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath
swooned away before it, save them whom God pleaseth
to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty,
the Ancient of Days.
Say: O concourse of divines! Pronounce ye censure
+F1 &Haji &Mulla &Hadi &Sabzivari, a renowned philosopher and poet of
+F1 &Iran contemporary with &Baha'u'llah. He passed away in 1873.
+P62
against this Pen unto which, as soon as it raised its shrill
voice, the kingdom of utterance prepared itself to hearken,
and before whose mighty and glorious theme every other
theme hath paled into insignificance? Fear ye God and
follow not your idle fancies and corrupt imaginings, but
rather follow Him Who is come unto you invested with
undeniable knowledge and unshakeable certitude.
Glorified be God! Man's treasure is his utterance, yet this
Wronged One hath withheld His Tongue, for the disbelievers
are lying in ambush; however, protection is
afforded by God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily, in Him
have We placed Our trust and unto Him have We committed
all affairs. All-Sufficient is He for Us and for all
created things. He is the One by Whose leave, and through
the potency of Whose command, the Day-Star of sovereign
might hath shone resplendent above the horizon of the
world. Well is it with him who perceiveth and recognizeth
the Truth and woe betide the froward and the faithless.
This Wronged One hath invariably treated the wise
with affection. By the wise is meant men whose knowledge
is not confined to mere words and whose lives have been
fruitful and have produced enduring results. It is incumbent
upon everyone to honour these blessed souls. Happy are
they that observe God's precepts; happy are they that have
recognized the Truth; happy are they that judge with fairness
in all matters and hold fast to the Cord of My inviolable
Justice.
The people of Persia have turned away from Him Who
is the Protector and the Helper. They are clinging to and
have enmeshed themselves in the vain imaginings of the
foolish. So firmly do they adhere to superstitions that
naught can sever them therefrom save the potent arm of
God--exalted is His glory. Beseech thou the Almighty that
+P63
He may remove with the fingers of divine power the veils
which have shut out the divers peoples and kindreds, that
they may attain the things that are conducive to security,
progress and advancement and may hasten forth towards
the incomparable Friend.
The word of God which the &Abha Pen hath revealed and
inscribed on the
first leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Verily I say: The fear
of God hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold
for all the peoples of the world. It is the chief cause of the
protection of mankind, and the supreme instrument for its
preservation. Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which
deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is
unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense
of shame. This, however, is confined to but a few; all have
not possessed and do not possess it.
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
second leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The Pen of
the Most High exhorteth, at this moment, the manifestations
of authority and the sources of power, namely the
kings, the sovereigns, the presidents, the rulers, the divines
and the wise, and enjoineth them to uphold the cause of
religion, and to cleave unto it. Religion is verily the chief
+P64
instrument for the establishment of order in the world and
of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the
pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish and emboldened
them and made them more arrogant. Verily I
say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous
the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in
the end to chaos and confusion. Hear Me, O men of
insight, and be warned, ye who are endued with discernment!
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
third leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O son of man! If thine
eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit
thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And
if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy
neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself. Humility
exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst
pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.
O people of God! Great is the Day and mighty the Call!
In one of Our Tablets We have revealed these exalted
words: `Were the world of the spirit to be wholly converted
into the sense of hearing, it could then claim to be
worthy to hearken unto the Voice that calleth from the
Supreme Horizon; for otherwise, these ears that are defiled
with lying tales have never been, nor are they now, fit to
hear it.' Well is it with them that hearken; and woe betide
the wayward.
+P65
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
fourth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of
God! Beseech ye the True One--glorified be His Name--
that He may graciously shield the manifestations of
dominion and power from the suggestions of self and
desire and shed the radiance of justice and guidance upon
them.
His Majesty &Muhammad &Shah, despite the excellence of
his rank, committed two heinous deeds. One was the order
to banish the Lord of the Realms of Grace and Bounty, the
Primal Point; and the other, the murder of the Prince of the
City of Statesmanship and Literary Accomplishment.+F1
The faults of kings, like their favours, can be great. A
king who is not deterred by the vainglory of power and
authority from observing justice, nor is deprived of the
splendours of the day-star of equity by luxury, riches, glory
or the marshalling of hosts and legions shall occupy a high
rank and a sublime station amongst the Concourse on high.
It is incumbent upon everyone to extend aid and to manifest
kindness to so noble a soul. Well is it with the king who
keepeth a tight hold on the reins of his passion, restraineth
his anger and preferreth justice and fairness to injustice and
tyranny.
+F1 &Mirza &Abu'l-Qasim &Farahani, the &Qa'im &Maqam, a distinguished
+F1 poet and scholar during the reign of &Fath &Ali &Shah. He was a
+F1 friend of &Mirza Buzurg, father of &Baha'u'llah. &Qa'im &Maqam
+F1 became Prime Minister of Persia in 1821, but in 1835 he was put
+F1 to death by order of &Muhammad &Shah, at the instigation of &Haji
+F1 &Mirza &Aqasi.
+P66
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
fifth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Above all else, the
greatest gift and the most wondrous blessing hath ever been
and will continue to be Wisdom. It is man's unfailing
Protector. It aideth him and strengtheneth him. Wisdom is
God's Emissary and the Revealer of His Name the Omniscient.
Through it the loftiness of man's station is made
manifest and evident. It is all-knowing and the foremost
Teacher in the school of existence. It is the Guide and is
invested with high distinction. Thanks to its educating
influence earthly beings have become imbued with a gem-like
spirit which outshineth the heavens. In the city of
justice it is the unrivalled Speaker Who, in the year nine,
illumined the world with the joyful tidings of this Revelation.
And it was this peerless Source of wisdom that at the
beginning of the foundation of the world ascended the stair
of inner meaning and when enthroned upon the pulpit of
utterance, through the operation of the divine Will, proclaimed
two words. The first heralded the promise of
reward, while the second voiced the ominous warning of
punishment. The promise gave rise to hope and the warning
begat fear. Thus the basis of world order hath been
firmly established upon these twin principles. Exalted is the
Lord of Wisdom, the Possessor of Great Bounty.
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
sixth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of
+P67
men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of
oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the
appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine
wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books
of the world cannot contain its inner significance. Were
mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would
behold the day-star of the utterance, `On that day God will
satisfy everyone out of His abundance,'+F1 shining resplendent
above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of
this utterance; it is a noble fruit that the Tree of the Pen of
Glory hath yielded. Happy is the man that giveth ear unto
it and observeth its precepts. Verily I say, whatever is sent
down from the heaven of the Will of God is the means for
the establishment of order in the world and the instrument
for promoting unity and fellowship among its peoples.
Thus hath the Tongue of this Wronged One spoken from
His Most Great Prison.
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
seventh leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O ye men of wisdom
among nations! Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix
your gaze upon unity. Cleave tenaciously unto that which
will lead to the well-being and tranquillity of all mankind.
This span of earth is but one homeland and one habitation.
It behoveth you to abandon vainglory which causeth
alienation and to set your hearts on whatever will ensure
+F1 cf. &Qur'an 4:129.
+P68
harmony. In the estimation of the people of &Baha man's
glory lieth in his knowledge, his upright conduct, his
praiseworthy character, his wisdom, and not in his
nationality or rank. O people of the earth! Appreciate the
value of this heavenly word. Indeed it may be likened unto
a ship for the ocean of knowledge and a shining luminary
for the realm of perception.
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
eighth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: Schools must
first train the children in the principles of religion, so that
the Promise and the Threat recorded in the Books of God
may prevent them from the things forbidden and adorn
them with the mantle of the commandments; but this in
such a measure that it may not injure the children by
resulting in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry.
It is incumbent upon the Trustees of the House of Justice
to take counsel together regarding those things which have
not outwardly been revealed in the Book, and to enforce
that which is agreeable to them. God will verily inspire
them with whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, is the
Provider, the Omniscient.
We have formerly ordained that people should converse
in two languages, yet efforts must be made to reduce them
to one, likewise the scripts of the world, that men's lives
may not be dissipated and wasted in learning divers
languages. Thus the whole earth would come to be
regarded as one city and one land.
+P69
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
ninth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: In all matters moderation
is desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove
a source of evil. Consider the civilization of the West, how
it hath agitated and alarmed the peoples of the world. An
infernal engine hath been devised, and hath proved so cruel
a weapon of destruction that its like none hath ever witnessed
or heard. The purging of such deeply-rooted and
overwhelming corruptions cannot be effected unless the
peoples of the world unite in pursuit of one common aim
and embrace one universal faith. Incline your ears unto the
Call of this Wronged One and adhere firmly to the Lesser
Peace.
Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they
are hidden from the minds and the understanding of men.
These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere
of the earth and their contamination would prove lethal.
Great God! We have observed an amazing thing. Lightning
or a force similar to it is controlled by an operator and
moveth at his command. Immeasurably exalted is the Lord
of Power Who hath laid bare that which He purposed
through the potency of His weighty and invincible command.
O people of &Baha! Each one of the ordinances We have
revealed is a mighty stronghold for the preservation of the
world of being. Verily, this Wronged One desireth naught
but your security and elevation.
We exhort the men of the House of Justice and command
them to ensure the protection and safeguarding of
+P70
men, women and children. It is incumbent upon them to
have the utmost regard for the interests of the people at all
times and under all conditions. Blessed is the ruler who
succoureth the captive, and the rich one who careth for the
poor, and the just one who secureth from the wrong doer
the rights of the downtrodden, and happy the trustee who
observeth that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days
hath prescribed unto him.
O &Haydar-'Ali! Upon thee be My glory and My praise.
My counsels and admonitions have compassed the world.
Yet, instead of imparting joy and gladness they have caused
grief, because some of those who claim to love Me have
waxed haughty and have inflicted upon Me such tribulations
as neither the followers of former religions nor the
divines of Persia did ever inflict.
We have said: `My imprisonment doeth Me no harm,
nor do the things that have befallen Me at the hands of My
enemies. That which harmeth Me is the conduct of my
loved ones who, though they bear My name, yet commit
that which maketh My heart and My pen to lament.' Such
utterances as these have again and again been revealed, yet
the heedless have failed to profit thereby, since they are
captive to their own evil passions and corrupt desires.
Beseech thou the One true God that He may enable everyone
to repent and return unto Him. So long as one's nature
yieldeth unto evil passions, crime and transgression will
prevail. We cherish the hope that the hand of divine power
and the outpouring of heavenly blessings may sustain all
men, may attire them with the vesture of forgiveness and
bounty and guard them against that which would harm
His Cause among His servants. He is, in truth, the Potent,
the All-Powerful, and He is the Ever-Forgiving, the
Merciful.
+P71
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
tenth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of
the earth! Living in seclusion or practising asceticism is not
acceptable in the presence of God. It behoveth them that
are endued with insight and understanding to observe that
which will cause joy and radiance. Such practices as are
sprung from the loins of idle fancy or are begotten of the
womb of superstition ill beseem men of knowledge. In
former times and more recently some people have been
taking up their abodes in the caves of the mountains while
others have repaired to graveyards at night. Say, give ear
unto the counsels of this Wronged One. Abandon the
things current amongst you and adopt that which the
faithful Counsellor biddeth you. Deprive not yourselves of
the bounties which have been created for your sake.
Charity is pleasing and praiseworthy in the sight of God
and is regarded as a prince among goodly deeds. Consider
ye and call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath
revealed in the &Qur'an: `They prefer them before themselves,
though poverty be their own lot. And with such as
are preserved from their own covetousness shall it be well.'+F1
Viewed in this light, the blessed utterance above is, in
truth, the day-star of utterances. Blessed is he who preferreth
his brother before himself. Verily, such a man is reckoned,
by virtue of the Will of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise,
with the people of &Baha who dwell in the Crimson
Ark.
+F1 &Qur'an 59:9.
+P72
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
eleventh leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: We enjoin upon them
that are the emblems of His names and attributes to firmly
adhere henceforth unto that which hath been set forth in
this Most Great Revelation, not to allow themselves to
become the cause of strife, and, until the end that knoweth
no end, to keep their eyes directed towards the dayspring of
these resplendent words which have been recorded in this
Tablet. Strife leads to bloodshed and provokes commotion
amongst people. Hearken ye unto the Voice of this
Wronged One and deviate not therefrom.
Were anyone to ponder in his heart that which hath, in
this Revelation, streamed forth from the Pen of Glory, he
would be assured that whatever this Wronged One hath
affirmed He hath had no intention of establishing any
position or distinction for Himself. The purpose hath
rather been to attract the souls, through the sublimity of
His words, unto the summit of transcendent glory and to
endow them with the capacity of perceiving that which
will purge and purify the peoples of the world from the
strife and dissension which religious differences provoke.
Unto this bear witness My heart, My Pen, My inner and
My outer Being. God grant that all men may turn unto the
treasuries latent within their own beings.
O people of &Baha! The source of crafts, sciences and arts
is the power of reflection. Make ye every effort that out of
this ideal mine there may gleam forth such pearls of
wisdom and utterance as will promote the well-being and
harmony of all the kindreds of the earth.
Under all conditions, whether in adversity or at ease,
+P73
whether honoured or afflicted, this Wronged One hath
directed all men to show forth love, affection, compassion
and harmony. And yet whenever there was any slight
evidence of progress and advancement, those concealed
behind the veils would sally forth and utter calumnies more
wounding than the sword. They cling unto misleading and
reprehensible words and suffer themselves to be deprived of
the ocean of verses revealed by God.
If these obstructing veils had not intervened Persia
would, in some two years, have been subdued through the
power of utterance, the position of both the government
and the people would have been raised and the Supreme
Goal, unveiled and unconcealed, would have appeared in
the plenitude of glory. In short, sometimes in explicit
language, at other times by allusion, We said whatever had
to be said. Thus, once Persia had been rehabilitated, the
sweet savours of the Word of God would have wafted over
all countries, inasmuch as that which hath streamed forth
from the Most Exalted Pen is conducive to the glory, the
advancement and education of all the peoples and kindreds
of the earth. Indeed it is the sovereign remedy for every
disease, could they but comprehend and perceive it.
Recently the &Afnans and &Amin--upon them be My
glory and loving-kindness--attained Our presence and
beheld Our countenance; likewise &Nabil, the son of &Nabil
and the son of Samandar--upon them rest the glory of
God and His loving-kindness--are present and have drunk
the cup of reunion. We entreat God that He may graciously
ordain for them the good of this world and of the next and
that the outpouring of His blessings and grace may descend
upon them from the heaven of His generosity and the
+P74
clouds of His tender compassion. Verily of those who show
mercy He is the Most Merciful, and He is the Gracious, the
Beneficent.
O &Haydar-'Ali! Thine other letter which thou hadst
forwarded through him who beareth the title of &Jud+F1
(Bounty) hath reached Our holy court. Praised be God! It
was adorned with the light of divine unity and of detachment
and was ablaze with the fire of love and affection.
Pray thou unto God that He may grant keenness to the eyes
and illumine them with a new light, perchance they may
perceive that which hath no parallel nor peer.
In this day the verses of the Mother Book are resplendent
and unmistakable even as the sun. They can in no wise be
mistaken for any of the past or more recent utterances.
Truly this Wronged One desireth not to demonstrate His
Own Cause with proofs produced by others. He is the One
Who embraceth all things, while all else besides Him is
circumscribed. Say, O people, peruse that which is current
amongst you and We will peruse what pertaineth unto Us.
I swear by God! Neither the praise of the peoples of the
world, nor the things that the kindreds of the earth possess
are worthy of mention before the remembrance of His
Name. Unto this beareth witness He Who under all conditions
proclaimeth, `Verily He is God, the sovereign Ruler of
the Day of Reckoning and the Lord of the mighty Throne.'
Glorified be God! One wondereth by what proof or
reason the disbelievers among the people of the &Bayan have
turned away from the Lord of being. In truth the station of
+F1 &Muhammad &Javad-i-Qazvini, upon whom &Baha'u'llah bestowed
+F1 the title &Ismu'llahi'l-Jud (The Name of God, Bounty). He
+F1 transcribed numerous Tablets of &Baha'u'llah during His Ministry,
+F1 but subsequently broke the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages
+F1 247 and 319.)
+P75
this Revelation transcendeth the station of whatever hath
been manifested in the past or will be made manifest in the
future.
Were the Point of the &Bayan present in this day and
should He, God forbid, hesitate to acknowledge this Cause,
then the very blessed words which have streamed forth
from the wellspring of His Own &Bayan would apply to
Him. He saith, and His word is the truth, `Lawful is it for
Him Whom God will make manifest to reject him who is
the greatest on earth.' Say, O ye that are bereft of understanding!
Today that Most Exalted Being is proclaiming:
`Verily, verily, I am the first to adore Him.' How shallow
is the fund of men's knowledge and how feeble their power
of perception. Our Pen of Glory beareth witness to their
abject poverty and to the wealth of God, the Lord of all
worlds.
Lauded and glorified is He Who hath called the creation
into being. He is the sovereign Truth, the Knower of things
unseen. The Mother Book is revealed and the Lord of
Bounty is established upon the most blessed seat of glory.
The Dawn hath broken, yet the people understand not.
The signs have been ushered in, while He Who hath
revealed them is overwhelmed with manifest sorrow.
Indeed I have endured that which hath caused the world of
existence to lament.
Say: O &Yahya (Azal), produce a single verse, if thou dost
possess divinely-inspired knowledge. These words were
formerly spoken by My Herald Who at this hour proclaimeth:
`Verily, verily, I am the first to adore Him.' Be
fair, O My brother. Art thou able to express thyself when
brought face to face with the billowing ocean of Mine
utterance? Canst thou unloose thy tongue when confronted
with the shrill voice of My Pen? Hast thou any power
+P76
before the revelations of Mine omnipotence? Judge thou
fairly, I adjure thee by God, and call to mind when thou
didst stand in the presence of this Wronged One and We
dictated to thee the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting. Beware lest the source of falsehood withhold
thee from the manifest Truth.
O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon My countenance!
Say: O ye heedless ones! By reason of a droplet ye have
deprived yourselves of the ocean of heavenly verses and for
the sake of an insignificant atom ye have shut yourselves
out from the splendours of the Day-Star of Truth. Who
else but &Baha hath the power to speak forth before the face
of mankind? Judge ye fairly and be not of the unjust.
Through Him the oceans have surged, the mysteries have
been divulged and the trees have lifted up their voices
exclaiming: The kingdoms of earth and heaven are God's,
the Revealer of signs, the Fountainhead of clear tokens.
Peruse ye the Persian &Bayan revealed by Him Who
heralded this Revelation and look at it with the eye of
fairness. Verily He will guide you aright to His Path. At
this moment He proclaimeth that which His tongue had
formerly uttered when He was seated upon the throne of
His most exalted Name.
Thou hast made mention of the loved ones in those
regions. Praised be God, each one of them attained the
honour of being remembered by the True One--exalted is
His glory--and the names of them, one and all, flowed
from the Tongue of Grandeur in the kingdom of utterance.
Great indeed is their blessedness and happiness, inasmuch as
they have drunk the choice wine of revelation and inspiration
from the hand of their Lord, the Compassionate, the
Merciful. We beseech God to strengthen them to manifest
inflexible constancy and to summon to their aid the hosts of
+P77
wisdom and utterance. He is in truth the Mighty, the
Omnipotent. Convey my greetings to them and give them
the joyful tidings that the Day-Star of remembrance hath
dawned and shed its radiance from above the horizon of the
bountiful favours of their Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the
All-Merciful.
Thou hast mentioned &Husayn. We have attired his
temple with the robe of forgiveness and adorned his head
with the crown of pardon. It beseemeth him to pride himself
among all men upon this resplendent, this radiant and
manifest bounty. Say: Be not despondent. After the revelation
of this blessed verse it is as though thou hast been born
anew from thy mother's womb. Say: Thou art free from
sin and error. Truly God hath purged thee with the living
waters of His utterance in His Most Great Prison. We
entreat Him--blessed and exalted is He--to graciously
confirm thee in extolling Him and in magnifying His glory
and to strengthen thee through the power of His invisible
hosts. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent.
Thou hast made mention of the people of &Tar.+F1 We have
set Our face toward the servants of God therein and advise
them first to consider that which the Point of the &Bayan
hath revealed concerning this Revelation whereby all names
and titles have been shaken, the idols of vain imaginings
have crumbled and the Tongue of Grandeur hath, from the
realm of glory, proclaimed: By the righteousness of God!
The Hidden Treasure, the Impenetrable Mystery, hath been
uncovered to men's eyes, causing all things, whether of the
past or of the future, to rejoice. He hath said, and His word
is the truth: `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
+F1 A village near &Isfahan.
+P78
Him, nor can any reference to Him in My Book, the
&Bayan, do justice to His Cause.'
Moreover We counsel them to observe justice, equity,
honesty, piety and that whereby both the Word of God
and their own station will be exalted amongst men. Verily
I am the One Who exhorteth with justice. Unto this
beareth witness He from Whose Pen rivers of mercy have
flowed and from Whose utterance fountains of living
waters have streamed forth unto all created things. Immeasurably
exalted is this boundless grace; immensely
blessed is this resplendent favour.
O people of &Tar! Give ear unto the Call of Him Who
doeth whatsoever He willeth. In truth He remindeth you
of that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of
the worlds. He hath turned His face towards you from the
Prison of &Akka and hath revealed for your sakes what will
immortalize your memory and your names in the Book
which cannot be effaced and remaineth unaffected by the
doubts of the froward. Cast away the things current
amongst men and take fast hold on that whereunto ye are
bidden by virtue of the Will of the Ordainer, the Ancient
of Days. This is the Day wherein the divine Lote-Tree
calleth aloud, saying: O people! Behold ye My fruits and
My leaves, incline then your ears unto My rustling. Beware
lest the doubts of men debar you from the light of certitude.
The Ocean of utterance exclaimeth and saith: `O ye
dwellers on the earth! Behold My billowing waters and the
pearls of wisdom and utterance which I have poured forth.
Fear ye God and be not of the heedless.'
In this Day a great festival is taking place in the Realm
above; for whatsoever was promised in the sacred Scriptures
hath been fulfilled. This is the Day of great rejoicing.
It behoveth everyone to hasten towards the court of His
+P79
nearness with exceeding joy, gladness, exultation and
delight and to deliver himself from the fire of remoteness.
O people of &Tar! Through the strengthening power of
My Name seize ye the chalice of knowledge, drink then
your fill in defiance of the people of the world who have
broken the Covenant of God and His Testament, rejected
His proofs and clear tokens, and cavilled at His signs which
have pervaded all that are in heaven and on earth.
The disbelievers among the people of the &Bayan are like
the followers of the &Shi'ih sect and walk in their footsteps.
Leave them to their idle fancies and vain imaginings.
They are in truth accounted with the lost in the Book of
God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The &Shi'ih divines,
one and all, are now engaged in reviling and denouncing
the True One from their pulpits. Gracious God! &Dawlat-Abadi+F1
too hath followed suit. He ascended the pulpit and
gave voice to that which hath caused the Tablet to cry out
in anguish and the Pen to wail. Meditate upon his conduct
and the conduct of &Ashraf+F2--upon him be My glory and
My tender mercy--and likewise consider those loved ones
who hastened to the place of martyrdom in My Name, and
offered up their lives in the path of Him Who is the Desire
of the world.
The Cause is manifest, it shineth resplendent as the sun,
but the people have become veils unto themselves. We
entreat God that He may graciously assist them to return
unto Him. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
O people of &Tar! We send you greetings from this Spot
and beseech God--blessed and exalted is He--to give you
to drink the choice wine of constancy from the hand of
+F1 See footnote 1 on page 42.
+F2 &Mirza &Ashraf, who was martyred in the city of &Isfahan. (See
+F2 God Passes By p. 201.)
+P80
His favour. Verily, He is the Lord of Bounty, the Gracious,
the All-Praised. Leave ye unto themselves the immature
ones of the world--they that are moved by selfish desire
and cling to the exponents of idle fancy. Verily He is your
Helper and Succourer. He is, in truth, potent to do whatsoever
He willeth. No God is there but Him, the One, the
Peerless, the Mighty, the Most Great.
May glory from Our presence rest upon those who have
set their faces toward the Dayspring of His Revelation and
have acknowledged and recognized that which the Tongue
of utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of knowledge in
this blessed, this glorious and incomparable Day.
+P81
7
&LAWH-I-DUNYA
(Tablet of the World)
+P82
+P83
In My Name, calling aloud in the Kingdom
of Utterance
PRAISE and thanksgiving beseem the Lord of
manifest dominion Who hath adorned the
mighty prison with the presence of their honours
&Ali-Akbar and &Amin, and hath illumined it
with the light of certitude, constancy and assurance.+F1 The
glory of God and the glory of all that are in the heavens
and on the earth be upon them.
Light and glory, greeting and praise be upon the Hands
of His Cause, through whom the light of fortitude hath
shone forth and the truth hath been established that the
authority to choose rests with God, the Powerful, the
Mighty, the Unconstrained, through whom the ocean of
bounty hath surged and the fragrance of the gracious
favours of God, the Lord of mankind, hath been diffused.
We beseech Him--exalted is He--to shield them through
the power of His hosts, to protect them through the
potency of His dominion and to aid them through His
indomitable strength which prevaileth over all created
things. Sovereignty is God's, the Creator of the heavens
and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names.
+F1 The two Hands of the Cause of God, &Haji &Mulla &Ali-Akbar
+F1 &Shahmirzadi and &Haji &Abu'l-Hasan &Ardakani, &Amin-i-Ilahi
+F1 (Trustee of &Huququ'llah), were originally arrested in &Tihran,
+F1 imprisoned in &Qazvin in the year 1891, and then transferred to
+F1 prison in &Tihran.
+P84
The Great Announcement proclaimeth: O people of
Persia! In former times ye have been the symbols of mercy
and the embodiments of affection and kindliness. The
regions of the world were illumined and embellished by the
brightness of the light of your knowledge and by the blaze
of your erudition. How is it that you have arisen to destroy
yourselves and your friends with your own hands?
O &Afnan, O thou that has 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, ere long, 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 downtrodden.
Gird up the loins of thine endeavour, 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 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
+P85
clay out of which this perverse generation is moulded. The
mere act of your gathering together is enough to scatter the
forces of these vain and worthless people.
Strife and conflict befit the beasts of the wild. It was
through the grace of God and with the aid of seemly words
and praiseworthy deeds that the unsheathed swords of the
&Babi community were returned to their scabbards. Indeed
through the power of good words, the righteous have
always succeeded in winning command over the meads of
the hearts of men. Say, O ye loved ones! Do not forsake
prudence. Incline your hearts to the counsels given by the
Most Exalted Pen and beware lest your hands or tongues
cause harm unto anyone among mankind.
Referring to the land of &Ta (&Tihran) We have revealed
in the &Kitab-i-Aqdas that which will admonish mankind.
They that perpetrate tyranny in the world have usurped the
rights of the peoples and kindreds of the earth and are
sedulously pursuing their selfish inclinations. The tyrant+F1 of
the land of &Ya (Yazd), committed that which hath caused
the Concourse on High to shed tears of blood.
O thou who hast quaffed from the wine of Mine utterance
and hast fixed thy gaze upon the horizon of My
Revelation! How strange that the people of Persia, who
were unrivalled in sciences and arts, should have sunk to the
lowest level of degradation among the kindreds of the
earth. O people! In this blessed, this glorious Day, deprive
not yourselves of the liberal effusions of bounty which the
Lord of abounding grace hath vouchsafed unto you. In this
Day showers of wisdom and utterance are pouring down
from the clouds of divine mercy. Well is it with them who
judge His Cause with fairness, and woe betide the unjust.
+F1 Prince &Mahmud &Mirza, the &Jalalu'd'Dawlih, Governor of Yazd,
+F1 Persia.
+P86
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 worshippers. 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 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
behaviour. 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 favours 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
+P87
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, 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
+P88
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 obliterated
every trace of restriction and limitation from God's
holy Book.
This Wronged One hath forbidden the people of God to
engage in contention or conflict and hath exhorted them to
righteous deeds and praiseworthy character. In this day the
hosts that can ensure the victory of the Cause are those of
goodly conduct and saintly character. Blessed are they who
firmly adhere unto them and woe betide such as turn away
therefrom.
O people of God! I admonish you to observe courtesy,
for above all else it is the prince of virtues. Well is it with
him who is illumined with the light of courtesy and is
attired with the vesture of uprightness. Whoso is endued
with courtesy hath indeed attained a sublime station. It is
hoped that this Wronged One and everyone else may be
enabled to acquire it, hold fast unto it, observe it, and fix
our gaze upon it. This is a binding command which hath
streamed forth from the Pen of the Most Great Name.
This is the day when the gems of constancy that lie hid
in the mine of men's inner selves should be made manifest.
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,
+P89
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 this promised glory, this wondrous favour.
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.
Whilst in the Prison of &Akka, We revealed in the
Crimson Book that which is conducive to the advancement
of mankind and to the reconstruction of the world. The
utterances set forth therein by the Pen of the Lord of
creation include the following which constitute the fundamental
principles for the administration of the affairs of men:
First: It is incumbent upon the ministers of the House of
Justice to promote the Lesser Peace so that the people of the
earth may be relieved from the burden of exorbitant
expenditures. This matter is imperative and absolutely
essential, inasmuch as hostilities and conflict lie at the root
of affliction and calamity.
Second: Languages must be reduced to one common
language to be taught in all the schools of the world.
+P90
Third: It behoveth man to adhere tenaciously unto that
which will promote fellowship, kindliness and unity.
Fourth: Everyone, whether man or woman, should hand
over to a trusted person a portion of what he or she earneth
through trade, agriculture or other occupation, for the
training and education of children, to be spent for this
purpose with the knowledge of the Trustees of the House
of Justice.
Fifth: Special regard must be paid to agriculture.
Although it hath been mentioned in the fifth place, unquestionably
it precedeth the others. Agriculture is highly
developed in foreign lands, however in Persia it hath so far
been grievously neglected. It is hoped that His Majesty the
&Shah--may God assist him by His grace--will turn his
attention to this vital and important matter.
Were men to strictly observe that which the Pen of the
Most High hath revealed in the Crimson Book, they could
then well afford to dispense with the regulations which
prevail in the world. Certain exhortations have repeatedly
streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High that perchance
the manifestations of power and the dawning-places
of might may, sometime, be enabled to enforce them.
Indeed, were sincere seekers to be found, every emanation
of God's pervasive and irresistible Will would, for the sake
of His love, be revealed. But where are to be found earnest
seekers and inquiring minds? Whither are gone the equitable
and the fair-minded? At present no day passeth without
the fire of a fresh tyranny blazing fiercely, or the sword of
a new aggression being unsheathed. Gracious God! The
great and the noble in Persia glory in acts of such savagery
that one is lost in amazement at the tales thereof.
Day and night this Wronged One yieldeth thanks and
praise unto the Lord of men, for it is witnessed that the
+P91
words of counsel and exhortation We uttered have proved
effective and that this people hath evinced such character
and conduct as are acceptable in Our sight. This is affirmed
by virtue of the event which hath truly cheered the eye of
the world, and is none other than the intercession of the
friends with the high authorities in favour of their enemies.
Indeed one's righteous deeds testify to the truth of one's
words. We cherish the hope that men of piety may
illumine the world through the radiant light of their
conduct, and We entreat the Almighty--glorified and
exalted is He--to grant that everyone may in this Day
remain steadfast in His love and stand firm in His Cause. He
is, in truth, the Protector of those who are wholly devoted
to Him and observe His precepts.
O people of God! Countless are the realms which Our
Pen of Glory hath revealed and manifold the eyes to which
it hath imparted true enlightenment. Yet most of the
people in Persia continue to be deprived of the benefits of
profitable counsels and remain sorely lacking in useful
sciences and arts. Formerly these sublime words were
especially revealed by the Pen of Glory in honour of one
of the faithful, that perchance those that have gone astray
may embrace the Truth and become acquainted with the
subtleties of the Law of God.
The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on
four things: first, the shedding of blood; second, the burning
of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other
religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities
and groups. Now however, through the strengthening
grace and potency of the Word of God these four barriers
have been demolished, these clear injunctions have been
obliterated from the Tablet and brutal dispositions have
been transmuted into spiritual attributes. Exalted is His
+P92
purpose; glorified is His power; magnified is His dominion!
Now let us beseech God--praised be His glory--to
graciously guide aright the followers of the &Shi'ih sect and
to purge them of unseemly conduct. From the lips of the
members of this sect foul imprecations fall unceasingly,
while they invoke the word `&Mal'un' (accursed)--uttered
with a guttural sound of the letter &ayn--as their daily
relish.
O God my God! Thou hearest the sighing of Him Who
is Thy Light (&Baha), hearkenest unto His lamentations in
the daytime and in the night season and knowest that He
desireth naught for Himself but rather seeketh to sanctify
the souls of Thy servants and to deliver them from the fire
with which they are beset at all times. O Lord! The hands
of Thy well-favoured servants are raised towards the
heaven of Thy bounty and those of Thy sincere lovers are
lifted up to the sublime heights of Thy generosity. Disappoint
them not, I entreat Thee, in that which they seek
from the ocean of Thy favour and from the heaven of Thy
grace and the day-star of Thy bounty. Aid them, O Lord,
to acquire such virtues as will exalt their stations among the
peoples of the world. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the
Mighty, the Most Generous.
O people of God! Give ear unto that which, if heeded,
will ensure the freedom, well-being, tranquillity, exaltation
and advancement of all men. Certain laws and principles
are necessary and indispensable for Persia. However, it is
fitting that these measures should be adopted in conformity
with the considered views of His Majesty--may God aid
him through His grace--and of the learned divines and of
the high-ranking rulers. Subject to their approval a place
should be fixed where they would meet. There they should
hold fast to the cord of consultation and adopt and enforce
+P93
that which is conducive to the security, prosperity, wealth
and tranquillity of the people. For were any measure other
than this to be adopted, it could not but result in chaos and
commotion.
According to the fundamental laws which We have
formerly revealed in the &Kitab-i-Aqdas and other Tablets,
all affairs are committed to the care of just kings and
presidents and of the Trustees of the House of Justice.
Having pondered on that which We have enunciated,
every man of equity and discernment will readily perceive,
with his inner and outer eyes, the splendours of the day-star
of justice which radiate therefrom.
The system of government which the British people
have adopted in London appeareth to be good, for it is
adorned with the light of both kingship and of the consultation
of the people.
In formulating the principles and laws a part hath been
devoted to penalties which form an effective instrument
for the security and protection of men. However, dread
of the penalties maketh people desist only outwardly from
committing vile and contemptible deeds, while that which
guardeth and restraineth man both outwardly and inwardly
hath been and still is the fear of God. It is man's true
protector and his spiritual guardian. It behoveth him to
cleave tenaciously unto that which will lead to the appearance
of this supreme bounty. Well is it with him who
giveth ear unto whatsoever My Pen of Glory hath proclaimed
and observeth that whereunto he is bidden by the
Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
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
+P94
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 pre-eminent 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 odour 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 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.
We have ere this uttered these sublime words: Let them
that bear allegiance to this Wronged One be even as a
raining cloud in moments of charity and benevolence and
as a blazing fire in restraining their base and appetitive
natures.
Gracious God! A thing hath recently happened which
caused great astonishment. It is reported that a certain
person+F1 went to the seat of the imperial throne in Persia and
succeeded in winning the good graces of some of the
nobility by his ingratiating behaviour. How pitiful indeed,
how deplorable! One wondereth why those who have
+F1 &Jamalu'd-Din-i-Afghani. (See God Passes By pp. 296, 317.)
+P95
been the symbols of highest glory should now stoop to
boundless shame. What is become of their high resolve?
Whither is gone the sense of dignity and honour? The sun
of glory and wisdom hath unceasingly been shining above
the horizon of Persia, but nowadays it hath sunk to such a
low level that certain dignitaries have allowed themselves
to be treated as playthings in the hands of the foolish. The
aforesaid person hath written such things concerning this
people in the Egyptian press and in the Beirut Encyclopedia
that the well-informed and the learned were astonished.
He proceeded then to Paris where he published a newspaper
entitled &Urvatu'l-Vuthqa [The Sure Handle] and sent
copies thereof to all parts of the world. He also sent a copy
to the Prison of &Akka, and by so doing he meant to show
affection and to make amends for his past actions. In short,
this Wronged One hath observed silence in regard to him.
We entreat God, the True One, to protect him and to shed
upon him the light of justice and fairness. It behoveth him
to say:
O God my God! Thou seest me standing before the door
of Thy forgiveness and benevolence, turning my gaze toward
the horizon of Thy bountiful favours and manifold
blessings. I beg of Thee by Thy sweet accents and by the
shrill voice of Thy Pen, O Lord of all mankind, to graciously
aid Thy servants as it befitteth Thy days and beseemeth
the glory of Thy manifestation and Thy majesty.
Verily potent art Thou to do whatsoever Thou willest. All
they that dwell in the heavens and on the earth bear witness
to Thy power and Thy might, to Thy glory and Thy
bounteousness. Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the worlds
and the Well-Beloved of the heart of every man of understanding!
Thou beholdest, O my God, the essence of poverty
+P96
seeking the ocean of Thy wealth and the substance of
iniquity yearning for the waters of Thy forgiveness and
Thy tender mercy. Grant Thou, O my God, that which
beseemeth Thy great glory and befitteth the loftiness of
Thy boundless grace. Thou art in truth the All-Bountiful,
the Lord of grace abounding, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
No God is there but Thee, the Most Powerful, the All-Compelling,
the Omnipotent.
O people of God! In this day everyone should fix his
eyes upon the horizon of these blessed words: `Alone and
unaided He doeth whatsoever He pleaseth.' Whoso attaineth
this station hath verily attained the light of the
essential unity of God and is enlightened thereby, while all
others are reckoned in the Book of God among the followers
of idle fancy and vain imagination. Incline your
ears to the Voice of this Wronged One and safeguard the
integrity of your stations. It is highly necessary and
imperative that everyone should observe this matter.
Unveiled and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at
all times, proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of
the world that which will serve as the key for unlocking
the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being,
of prosperity and wealth. Neither have the wrongs
inflicted by the oppressors succeeded in silencing the shrill
voice of the Most Exalted Pen, nor have the doubts of the
perverse or of the seditious been able to hinder Him from
revealing the Most Sublime Word. I earnestly beseech God
that He may protect and purge the people of &Baha from the
idle fancies and corrupt imaginings of the followers of the
former Faith.
O people of God! Righteous men of learning who
dedicate themselves to the guidance of others and are freed
and well guarded from the promptings of a base and
+P97
covetous nature are, in the sight of Him Who is the Desire
of the world, stars of the heaven of true knowledge. It is
essential to treat them with deference. They are indeed
fountains of soft-flowing water, stars that shine resplendent,
fruits of the blessed Tree, exponents of celestial power, and
oceans of heavenly wisdom. Happy is he that followeth
them. Verily such a soul is numbered in the Book of God,
the Lord of the mighty Throne, among those with whom it
shall be well.
The glory which proceedeth from God, the Lord of the
Throne on High and of the earth below, rest upon you, O
people of &Baha, O ye the companions of the Crimson Ark,
and upon such as have inclined their ears to your sweet
voices and have observed that whereunto they are bidden
in this mighty and wondrous Tablet.
+P98
+P99
8
&ISHRAQAT
(Splendours)
+P100
+P101
This is the Epistle of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting
He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of wisdom and utterance.
PRAISE be unto God, incomparable in majesty,
power and beauty, peerless in glory, might and
grandeur; too high is He for human imaginations
to comprehend Him or for any peer or
equal to be ascribed unto Him. He hath clearly set forth His
straight Path in words and utterances of highest eloquence.
Verily He is the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted. When
He purposed to call the new creation into being, He sent
forth the Manifest and Luminous Point from the horizon of
His Will; it passed through every sign and manifested itself
in every form until it reached the zenith, as bidden by God,
the Lord of all men.
This Point is the focal centre of the circle of Names and
marketh the culmination of the manifestations of Letters in
the world of creation. Through it have appeared indications
of the impenetrable Mystery, the adorned Symbol,
He Who standeth revealed in the Most Great Name--a
Name which is recorded in the luminous Tablet and is
inscribed in the holy, the blessed, the snow-white Scroll.
And when the Point was joined to the second Letter+F1 which
+F1 i.e., the letter `B', the second letter of the alphabet.
+P102
appeareth in the beginning of the &Mathani,+F1 it traversed the
heavens of exposition and utterance. Then the eternal
Light of God shed its radiance, flared up in the midmost
heart of the firmament of testimony and produced two
Luminaries. Glorified be the Merciful One, unto Whom
no allusion can be made, Whom no expression can define,
nor any assertion reveal, nor any evidence describe. He is
in truth the Ordainer, the All-Bountiful, both in the
beginning and in the end. And He provided for them protectors
and defenders from among the hosts of power and
might. Verily, He is the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.
The preamble of this Epistle is being revealed twice,
even as was the &Mathani+F1
Praise be unto God Who hath manifested the Point,
hath unfolded therefrom the knowledge of all things,
whether of the past or of the future--a Point He hath
chosen to be the Herald of His Name and the Harbinger
of His Great Revelation which hath caused the limbs of all
mankind to quake and the splendour of His light to shine
forth above the horizon of the world. Verily, this is the
Point which God hath ordained to be an ocean of light for
the sincere among His servants and a flame of fire to the
froward amidst His creatures and the impious among His
people--they who bartered away the gift of God for unbelief,
and the celestial food for hypocrisy, and led their
associates to a wretched abode. These are the people who
+F1 The opening chapter of the &Qur'an, which begins with the letter
+F1 `B': &Bismi'llahi'r-Rahmani'r-Rahim (In the Name of God, the
+F1 Compassionate, the Merciful). This chapter of the &Qur'an was
+F1 revealed twice, once in Mecca and once in Medina.
+P103
have manifested sedition throughout the world and have
violated His Covenant on the Day when the immortal
Being mounted His throne and the Crier raised His Voice
from the haven of security and peace in the holy Vale.
O followers of the &Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful.
This is the One Who hath been glorified by &Muhammad,
the Apostle of God, and before Him by the Spirit+F1 and yet
before Him by the One Who discoursed with God.+F2 This
is the Point of the &Bayan calling aloud before the Throne,
saying: `By the righteousness of God, ye have been created
to glorify this Most Great Announcement, this Perfect Way
which lay hid within the souls of the Prophets, which was
treasured in the hearts of the chosen ones of God and was
written down by the glorious Pen of your Lord, the
Possessor of Names.'
Say: Die in your wrath, O malicious ones! Verily He
Whose knowledge nothing escapeth hath appeared. He
Who hath caused the countenance of divine knowledge
to be wreathed in smiles is come. Through Him the kingdom
of utterance is embellished, every receptive soul hath
set his face towards the Lord of Revelations, everyone resting
on his knees hath stood up, and every indolent one hath
rushed forth to attain the Sinai of assurance. This is the Day
that God hath ordained to be a blessing unto the righteous,
a retribution for the wicked, a bounty for the faithful and a
fury of His wrath for the faithless and the froward. Verily
He hath been made manifest, invested by God with invincible
sovereignty. He hath revealed that wherewith
naught on the earth or in the heavens can compare.
Fear ye the All-Merciful, O people of the &Bayan, and
commit not that which the followers of the &Qur'an have
+F1 Jesus.
+F2 Moses.
+P104
committed--they who in the daytime and in the night
season professed belief in the Faith of God, yet when the
Lord of all men did appear, turned aside from Him and
pronounced so cruel a sentence against Him that, on the
Day of Return, the Mother Book sorely bewailed His
plight. Call ye to mind and ponder upon their deeds
and words, their stations and merits and the things they
brought to pass when He Who conversed on Sinai unloosed
His tongue, when there was a blast on the Trumpet,
whereupon all that are in heaven and on earth swooned
away except such as are reckoned among the letters of
affirmation.
O people of the &Bayan! Abandon your idle fancies and
vain imaginings, then with the eye of fairness look at the
Dayspring of His Revelation and consider the things He
hath manifested, the words He hath divinely revealed and
the sufferings that have befallen Him at the hands of His
enemies. He is the One Who hath willingly accepted every
manner of tribulation for the proclamation of His Cause
and the exaltation of His Word. At one time He suffered
imprisonment in the land of &Ta (&Tihran), at another in the
land of &Mim (&Mazindaran), then once again in the former
land, for the sake of the Cause of God, the Maker of the
heavens. In His love for the Cause of God, the Almighty,
the All-Bountiful, He was subjected there to chains and
fetters.
O people of the &Bayan! Have ye forgotten My exhortations,
which My Pen hath revealed and My tongue hath
uttered? Have ye bartered away My certitude in exchange
for your idle fancies and My Way for your selfish desires?
Have ye cast away the precepts of God and His remembrance
and have ye forsaken His laws and ordinances? Fear
ye God and abandon vain imaginings to the begetters
+P105
thereof and leave superstitions to the devisers thereof and
misgivings to the breeders thereof. Advance ye then with
radiant faces and stainless hearts towards the horizon above
which the Day-Star of certitude shineth resplendent at the
bidding of God, the Lord of Revelations.
Praise be unto God Who hath made the Most Great
Infallibility the shield for the temple of His Cause in the
realm of creation, and hath assigned unto no one a share of
this lofty and sublime station--a station which is a vesture
which the fingers of transcendent power have woven for
His august Self. It befitteth no one except Him Who is
seated upon the mighty throne of `He doeth what He
pleaseth'. Whoso accepteth and recognizeth that which is
written down at this moment by the Pen of Glory is indeed
reckoned in the Book of God, the Lord of the beginning
and the end, among the exponents of divine unity,
they that uphold the concept of the oneness of God.
When the stream of words reached this stage, the sweet
savours of true knowledge were shed abroad and the day-star
of divine unity shone forth above the horizon of His
holy utterance. Blessed is he whom His Call hath attracted
to the summit of glory, who hath drawn nigh to the ultimate
Purpose, and who hath recognized through the shrill
voice of My Pen of Glory that which the Lord of this
world and of the next hath willed. Whoso faileth to quaff
the choice wine which We have unsealed through the
potency of Our Name, the All-Compelling, shall be unable
to discern the splendours of the light of divine unity
or to grasp the essential purpose underlying the Scriptures
of God, the Lord of heaven and earth, the sovereign Ruler
of this world and of the world to come. Such a man shall
be accounted among the faithless in the Book of God, the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
+P106
O thou honoured enquirer!+F1 We bear witness that thou
didst firmly adhere unto seemly patience during the days
when the Pen was held back from movement and the
Tongue hesitated to set forth an explanation regarding the
wondrous sign, the Most Great Infallibility. Thou hast
asked this Wronged One to remove for thee its veils and
coverings, to elucidate its mystery and character, its state
and position, its excellence, sublimity and exaltation. By
the life of God! Were We to unveil the pearls of testimony
which lie hid within the shells of the ocean of knowledge
and assurance or to let the beauties of divine mystery which
are hidden within the chambers of utterance in the Paradise
of true understanding, step out of their habitation, then
from every direction violent commotion would arise
among the leaders of religion and thou wouldst witness the
people of God held fast in the teeth of such wolves as have
denied God both in the beginning and in the end. Therefore
We restrained the Pen for a considerable lapse of time
in accordance with divine wisdom and for the sake of protecting
the faithful from those who have bartered away
heavenly blessings for disbelief and have chosen for their
people the abode of perdition.+F2
O thou seeker who art gifted with keen insight. I swear
by Him Who attracted the Concourse on High through
the potency of His most sublime Word! Verily, the birds
abiding within the domains of My Kingdom and the doves
dwelling in the rose-garden of My wisdom utter such
melodies and warblings as are inscrutable to all but God,
the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven; and were
these melodies to be revealed even to an extent smaller than
+F1 This Tablet was addressed to &Jalil-i-Khu'i, one of the early
+F1 believers in &Adhirbayjan, Persia. After the Ascension of &Baha'u'llah
+F1 he broke the Covenant.
+F2 cf. &Qur'an 14:33.
+P107
a needle's eye, the people of tyranny would utter such
calumnies as none among former generations hath ever
uttered, and would commit such deeds as no one in past
ages and centuries hath ever committed. They have rejected
the bounty of God and His proofs and have repudiated the
testimony of God and His signs. They have gone astray and
have caused the people to go astray, yet perceive it not.
They worship vain imaginings but know it not. They
have taken idle fancies for their lords and have neglected
God, yet understand not. They have abandoned the most
great Ocean and are hastening towards the pool, but comprehend
not. They follow their own idle fancies while
turning aside from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Say, by the righteousness of God! The All-Merciful is
come invested with power and sovereignty. Through His
power the foundations of religions have quaked and the
Nightingale of Utterance hath warbled its melody upon the
highest branch of true understanding. Verily, He Who was
hidden in the knowledge of God and is mentioned in the
Holy Scriptures hath appeared. Say, this is the Day when
the Speaker on Sinai hath mounted the throne of Revelation
and the people have stood before the Lord of the
worlds. This is the Day wherein the earth hath told out her
tidings and hath laid bare her treasures; when the oceans
have brought forth their pearls and the divine Lote-Tree
its fruit; when the Sun hath shed its radiance and the
Moons have diffused their lights, and the Heavens have
revealed their stars, and the Hour its signs, and the Resurrection
its dreadful majesty; when the pens have unloosed
their outpourings and the spirits have laid bare their
mysteries. Blessed is the man who recognizeth Him and
attaineth His presence, and woe betide such as deny Him
+P108
and turn aside from Him. I beseech God to aid His servants
to return unto Him. Verily He is the Pardoner, the Forgiving,
the Merciful.
O thou who hast set thy face towards the Realm on High
and hast quaffed My sealed wine from the hand of bounteousness!
Know thou that the term `Infallibility' hath
numerous meanings and divers stations. In one sense it is
applicable to the One Whom God hath made immune
from error. Similarly it is applied to every soul whom God
hath guarded against sin, transgression, rebellion, impiety,
disbelief and the like. However, the Most Great Infallibility
is confined to the One Whose station is immeasurably
exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is sanctified
from errors and omissions. Indeed He is a Light which is
not followed by darkness and a Truth not overtaken by
error. Were He to pronounce water to be wine or heaven
to be earth or light to be fire, He speaketh the truth and no
doubt would there be about it; and unto no one is given
the right to question His authority or to say why or wherefore.
Whosoever raiseth objections will be numbered with
the froward in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.
`Verily He shall not be asked of His doings but all others
shall be asked of their doings.'+F1 He is come from the
invisible heaven, bearing the banner `He doeth whatsoever
He willeth' and is accompanied by hosts of power and
authority while it is the duty of all besides Him to strictly
observe whatever laws and ordinances have been enjoined
upon them, and should anyone deviate therefrom, even to
the extent of a hair's breadth, his work would be brought
to naught.
Consider thou and call to mind the time when &Muhammad
appeared. He said, and His word is the truth:
+F1 cf. &Qur'an 21:23.
+P109
`Pilgrimage to the House+F1 is a service due to God.'+F2 And
likewise are the daily prayer, fasting, and the laws which
shone forth above the horizon of the Book of God, the
Lord of the World and the true Educator of the peoples and
kindreds of the earth. It is incumbent upon everyone to
obey Him in whatsoever God hath ordained; and whosoever
denieth Him hath disbelieved in God, in His verses, in
His Messengers and in His Books. Were He to pronounce
right to be wrong or denial to be belief, He speaketh the
truth as bidden by God. This is a station wherein sins or
trespasses neither exist nor are mentioned. Consider thou
the blessed, the divinely-revealed verse in which pilgrimage
to the House is enjoined upon everyone. It devolved
upon those invested with authority after Him+F3 to observe
whatever had been prescribed unto them in the Book.
Unto no one is given the right to deviate from the laws and
ordinances of God. Whoso deviateth therefrom is reckoned
with the trespassers in the Book of God, the Lord of the
Mighty Throne.
O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon the Dawning-Place
of the Cause of God! Know thou for a certainty that
the Will of God is not limited by the standards of the
people, and God doth not tread in their ways. Rather is it
incumbent upon everyone to firmly adhere to God's
straight Path. Were He to pronounce the right to be the
left or the south to be the north, He speaketh the truth and
there is no doubt of it. Verily He is to be praised in His acts
and to be obeyed in His behests. He hath no associate in His
judgement nor any helper in His sovereignty. He doeth
whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He
+F1 Mecca.
+F2 &Qur'an 3:91.
+F3 &Muhammad.
+P110
pleaseth. Know thou moreover that all else besides Him
have been created through the potency of a word from His
presence, while of themselves they have no motion nor stillness,
except at His bidding and by His leave.
O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of love and
fellowship and hast fixed thy gaze upon the light of the
countenance of thy Lord, the King of creation! Render
thanks unto God, inasmuch as He hath unravelled for thee
that which was hidden and enshrined in His knowledge so
that everyone may become aware that within His realm of
supreme infallibility He hath not taken a partner nor a
counsellor unto Himself. He is in truth the Dayspring of
divine precepts and commandments and the Fountainhead
of knowledge and wisdom, while all else besides Him are
but His subjects and under His rule, and He is the supreme
Ruler, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
As to thyself, whenever thou art enraptured by the
vitalizing breaths of the revealed verses and art carried
away by the pure, life-giving water proffered by the hand
of the bounty of thy Lord, the sovereign Ruler of the Day
of Resurrection, lift up thy voice and say:
O my God! O my God! I yield Thee thanks that Thou
hast directed me towards Thyself, hast guided me unto
Thy horizon, hast clearly set forth for me Thy Path, hast
revealed to me Thy testimony and enabled me to set my
face towards Thee, while most of the doctors and divines
among Thy servants together with such as follow them
have, without the least proof or evidence from Thee,
turned away from Thee. Blessing be unto Thee, O Lord of
Names, and glory be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens,
inasmuch as Thou hast, through the power of Thy Name,
the Self-Subsisting, given me to drink of Thy sealed wine,
hast caused me to draw nigh unto Thee and hast enabled
+P111
me to recognize the Dayspring of Thine utterance, the
Manifestation of Thy signs, the Fountainhead of Thy laws
and commandments and the Source of Thy wisdom and
bestowals. Blessed is the land that hath been ennobled by
Thy footsteps, wherein the throne of Thy sovereignty is
established and the fragrance of Thy raiment is diffused. By
Thy glory and majesty, by Thy might and power, I desire
not my sight save to behold Thy beauty, nor my hearing
save to hearken to Thy call and Thy verses.
O my God! O my God! Debar not the eyes from that
for which Thou hast created them, nor the faces from turning
to Thy horizon, or from paying homage at the portals
of Thy majesty, or from appearing in the presence of Thy
throne, or from bowing down before the splendours of the
Day-Star of Thy bounty.
I am the one, O Lord, whose heart and soul, whose
limbs, whose inner and outer tongue testify to Thy unity
and Thy oneness, and bear witness that Thou art God and
that there is no God but Thee. Thou didst bring mankind
into being to know Thee and to serve Thy Cause, that their
station might thereby be elevated upon Thine earth and
their souls be uplifted by virtue of the things Thou hast
revealed in Thy Scriptures, Thy Books and Thy Tablets.
Yet no sooner didst Thou manifest Thyself and reveal Thy
signs than they turned away from Thee and repudiated
Thee and rejected that which Thou didst unveil before
their eyes through the potency of Thy might and Thy
power. They rose up to inflict harm upon Thee, to
extinguish Thy light and to put out the flame that blazeth
in Thy Burning Bush. Their iniquity waxed so grievous
that they conspired to shed Thy blood and to violate
Thy honour. And likewise acted he+F1 whom Thou hadst
+F1 &Mirza &Yahya.
+P112
nurtured with the hand of Thy loving-kindness, hadst
protected from the mischief of the rebellious among Thy
creatures and the froward amidst Thy servants, and whom
Thou hadst set the task of writing Thy holy verses before
Thy throne.
Alas! Alas! for the things he perpetrated in Thy days to
such an extent that he violated Thy Covenant and Thy
Testament, rejected Thy holy Writ, rose up in rebellion
and committed that which caused the denizens of Thy
Kingdom to lament. Then no sooner had he found his
hopes shattered and had perceived the odour of utter
failure than he raised his voice and gave tongue to that
which caused Thy chosen ones, who are nigh unto Thee,
and the inmates of the pavilion of glory, to be lost in
bewilderment.
Thou seest me, O my God, writhing in anguish upon
the dust, like unto a fish. Deliver me, have mercy upon
me, O Thou Whose aid is invoked by all men, O Thou
within Whose grasp lie the reins of power over all men and
women. Whenever I ponder my grievous shortcomings
and my great trespasses, despair assaileth me from every
direction, and whenever I pause to meditate upon the ocean
of Thy bounteousness and the heaven of Thy grace and the
day-star of Thy tender compassion, I inhale the fragrance
of hope diffused from right and left, from north and south,
as if every created thing imparteth unto me the joyous
tidings that the clouds of the heaven of Thy mercy will
pour down their rain upon me. By Thy might, O Thou
Who art the Mainstay of the sincere ones and the Desire of
them that enjoy near access unto Thee! Thy manifold
favours and blessings and the revelations of Thy grace and
loving-kindness have truly emboldened me. How, otherwise,
can utter nothingness magnify the Name of Him
+P113
Who hath, by a word, brought creation into being, and
how can an evanescent creature extol Him Who hath
demonstrated that no description can ever express Him and
no word of praise magnify His glory? He hath from everlasting
been immeasurably exalted above the understanding
of His creatures and sanctified from the conceptions of
His servants.
O Lord! Thou beholdest this lifeless one before Thy
face; suffer him, through Thy generosity and bountiful
favour, not to be deprived of the chalice of immortal life.
And Thou seest this afflicted one standing before Thy throne;
turn him not away from the ocean of Thy healing. I entreat
Thee to enable me at all times and under all conditions
to remember Thee, to magnify Thy Name and to serve
Thy Cause, though I am well aware that whatever proceedeth
from a servant cannot transcend the limitations of
his soul, nor beseem Thy Lordship, nor be worthy of the
court of Thy glory and Thy majesty.
Thy might beareth me witness! Were it not to celebrate
Thy praise, my tongue would be of no use to me, and were
it not for the sake of rendering service to Thee, my existence
would avail me not. But for the pleasure of beholding
the splendours of Thy realm of glory, why should I cherish
sight? And but for the joy of giving ear to Thy most sweet
voice, of what use is hearing?
Alas! Alas! I know not, O my God, my Mainstay, my
heart's Desire, whether Thou hast ordained for me that
which shall bring solace to mine eyes, gladden my bosom
and rejoice my heart, or whether Thine irrevocable decree,
O King of eternity and the sovereign Lord of all nations,
will debar me from presenting myself before Thy throne.
I swear by Thy glory and majesty and by Thy dominion
and power, the darkness of my remoteness from Thee hath
+P114
destroyed me. What hath become of the light of Thy nearness,
O Desire of every understanding heart? The tormenting
agony of separation from Thee hath consumed me.
Where is the effulgent light of Thy reunion, O Well-Beloved
of such as are wholly devoted to Thee?
Thou seest, O my God, what hath befallen me in Thy
Path at the hand of those who have denied Thy Truth,
have violated Thy Covenant, cavilled at Thy signs, rejected
the blessings Thou didst vouchsafe, disbelieved the verses
Thou didst send down and have refused to acknowledge the
testimony Thou didst fulfil.
O Lord! The tongue of my tongue and the heart of my
heart and the spirit of my spirit and my outward and inmost
beings bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness,
Thy power and Thine omnipotence, Thy grandeur and
Thy sovereignty, and attest Thy glory, loftiness and
authority. I testify that Thou art God and that there is none
other God besides Thee. From everlasting Thou hast been
a treasure hidden from the sight and minds of men and
shalt continue to remain the same for ever and ever. The
powers of earth can never frustrate Thee, nor can the might
of the nations alarm Thee. Thou art the One Who hath
unlocked the door of knowledge before the faces of Thy
servants that they may recognize Him Who is the Day-Star
of Thy Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thy signs,
the Heaven of Thy manifestation and the Sun of Thy
divine beauty. In Thy holy Books, in Thy Scriptures and
Thy Scrolls Thou hast promised all the peoples of the
world that Thou Thyself shalt appear and shalt remove the
veils of glory from Thy face, even as Thou didst announce
in Thy words unto Thy Friend+F1 through Whom the Day-Star
of Revelation shone brightly above the horizon of
+F1 &Muhammad.
+P115
&Hijaz, and the dawning light of divine Truth shed its
radiance among all men, proclaiming: `The Day when
mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.'+F1 And
before &Muhammad Thou didst impart this glad-tiding
unto Him Who conversed with Thee,+F2 saying: `Bring
forth thy people from the darkness into the light and remind
them of the days of God.'+F3 Moreover Thou didst proclaim
this truth unto the Spirit+F4 and unto Thy Prophets and Thy
Messengers, whether of the remote or more recent past. If
all that which Thou hast sent down in glorification of this
Most Great Remembrance, this Great Announcement,
were to stream forth from the wellspring of Thy most
august Pen, the inmates of the cities of knowledge and
understanding would be dumbfounded, except such as
Thou wouldst deliver through the potency of Thy might
and wouldst protect as a token of Thy bountiful favour and
Thy grace. I bear witness that Thou hast in truth fulfilled
Thy pledge and hast made manifest the One Whose advent
was foretold by Thy Prophets, Thy chosen ones and by
them that serve Thee. He hath come from the heaven of
glory and power, bearing the banners of Thy signs and the
standards of Thy testimonies. Through the potency of
Thine indomitable power and strength, He stood up before
the faces of all men and summoned all mankind to the
summit of transcendent glory and unto the all-highest
Horizon, in such wise that neither the oppression of the
ecclesiastics nor the onslaught of the rulers was able to
deter Him. He arose with inflexible resolve and, unloosing
His tongue, proclaimed in ringing tones: `He Who is the
+F1 &Qur'an 83:6.
+F2 Moses.
+F3 &Qur'an 14:5.
+F4 Jesus.
+P116
All-Bountiful is come, riding aloft on the clouds. Advance,
O people of the earth, with shining faces and radiant
hearts!'
Great indeed is the blessedness of him who attaineth Thy
presence, drinketh the wine of reunion proffered by the
hand of Thy bounteousness, inhaleth the fragrance of Thy
signs, unlooseth his tongue in celebrating Thy praise,
soareth high in Thy heavens, is carried away by the sweetness
of Thy Voice, gaineth admittance into the most
exalted Paradise and attaineth the station of revelation and
vision before the throne of Thy majesty.
I beg of Thee by the Most Great Infallibility which Thou
hast chosen to be the dayspring of Thy Revelation, and by
Thy most sublime Word through whose potency Thou
didst call the creation into being and didst reveal Thy
Cause, and by this Name which hath caused all other
names to groan aloud and the limbs of the sages to quake,
I beg of Thee to make me detached from all else save Thee,
in such wise that I may move not but in conformity with
the good-pleasure of Thy Will, and speak not except at the
bidding of Thy Purpose, and hear naught save the words
of Thy praise and Thy glorification.
I magnify Thy Name, O my God, and offer thanksgiving
unto Thee, O my Desire, inasmuch as Thou hast
enabled me to clearly perceive Thy straight Path, hast
unveiled Thy Great Announcement before mine eyes and
hast aided me to set my face towards the Dayspring of Thy
Revelation and the Fountainhead of Thy Cause, whilst Thy
servants and Thy people turned away from Thee. I entreat
Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of eternity, by the
shrill voice of the Pen of Glory, and by the Burning Fire
which calleth aloud from the verdant Tree, and by the Ark
which Thou hast specially chosen for the people of &Baha,
+P117
to grant that I may remain steadfast in my love for Thee,
be well pleased with whatsoever Thou hast prescribed for
me in Thy Book and may stand firm in Thy service and in
the service of Thy loved ones. Graciously assist then Thy
servants, O my God, to do that which will serve to exalt
Thy Cause and will enable them to observe whatsoever
Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.
Verily Thou art the Lord of Strength, Thou art potent
to ordain whatsoever Thou willest and within Thy grasp
Thou holdest the reins of all created things. No God is
there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.
O &Jalil! We have unveiled to thine eyes the sea and the
waves thereof, the sun and the radiance thereof, the
heavens and the stars thereof, the shells and the pearls
thereof. Render thou thanks unto God for so great a
bounty, so gracious a favour that hath pervaded the whole
world.
O thou who hast set thy face towards the splendours of
My Countenance! Vague fancies have encompassed the
dwellers of the earth and debarred them from turning towards
the Horizon of Certitude, and its brightness, and its
manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings have withheld
them from Him Who is the Self-Subsisting. They
speak as prompted by their own caprices, and understand
not. Among them are those who have said: `Have the
verses been sent down?' Say `Yea, by Him Who is the
Lord of the heavens!' `Hath the Hour come?' `Nay, more;
it hath passed, by Him Who is the Revealer of clear
tokens! Verily, the Inevitable is come, and He, the True
One, hath appeared with proof and testimony. The Plain is
disclosed, and mankind is sore vexed and fearful. Earthquakes
have broken loose, and the tribes have lamented,
+P118
for fear of God, the Lord of Strength, the All-Compelling.'
Say: `The stunning trumpet-blast hath been loudly raised,
and the Day is God's, the One, the Unconstrained.' And
they say: `Hath the Catastrophe come to pass?' Say: `Yea,
by the Lord of Lords!' `Is the Resurrection come?' `Nay,
more; He Who is the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with
the Kingdom of His signs.' `Seest thou men laid low?' `Yea,
by my Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious!' `Have
the tree-stumps been uprooted?' `Yea, more; the mountains
have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of
attributes!' They say: `Where is Paradise, and where is
Hell?' Say: `The one is reunion with Me; the other thine
own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God
and doubtest.' They say: `We see not the Balance.' Say:
`Surely, by my Lord, the God of Mercy! None can see it
except such as are endued with insight.' They say: `Have
the stars fallen?' Say: `Yea, when He Who is the Self-Subsisting
dwelt in the Land of Mystery.+F1 Take heed, ye
who are endued with discernment!' All the signs appeared
when We drew forth the Hand of Power from the bosom
of majesty and might. Verily, the Crier hath cried out,
when the promised time came, and they that have recognized
the splendours of Sinai have swooned away in the
wilderness of hesitation, before the awful majesty of thy
Lord, the Lord of creation. The trumpet asketh: `Hath the
Bugle been sounded?' Say: `Yea, by the King of Revelation!
when He mounted the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful.'
Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning
light of the mercy of thy Lord, the Source of all light. The
breeze of the All-Merciful hath wafted, and the souls have
been quickened in the tombs of their bodies. Thus hath the
decree been fulfilled by God, the Mighty, the Beneficent.
+F1 Adrianople.
+P119
They who reject the truth have said: `When were the
heavens cleft asunder?' Say: `While ye lay in the graves of
waywardness and error.' Among the faithless is he who
rubbeth his eyes, and looketh to the right and to the left.
Say: `Blinded art thou. No refuge hast thou to flee to.' And
among them is he who saith: `Have men been gathered together?'
Say: `Yea, by My Lord! whilst thou didst lie in
the cradle of idle fancies.' And among them is he who
saith: `Hath the Book been sent down through the power
of the true Faith?' Say: `The true Faith itself is astounded.
Fear ye, O ye men of understanding heart!' And among
them is he who saith: `Have I been assembled with others,
blind?' Say: `Yea, by Him that rideth upon the clouds!'
Paradise is decked with mystic roses, and hell hath been
made to blaze with the fire of the impious. Say: `The light
hath shone forth from the horizon of Revelation, and the
whole earth hath been illumined at the coming of Him
Who is the Lord of the Day of the Covenant!' The
doubters have perished, whilst he that turned, guided by
the light of assurance, unto the Dayspring of Certitude
hath prospered. Blessed art thou, who hast fixed thy gaze
upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent down for
thee--a Tablet which causeth the souls of men to soar.
Commit it to memory, and recite it. By My life! It is a
door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is it with him that
reciteth it at eventide and at dawn. We, verily, heard thy
praise of this Cause, through which the mountain of knowledge
was crushed, and men's feet have slipped. My glory
be upon thee and upon whomsoever hath turned unto the
Almighty, the All-Bounteous. The Tablet is ended, but the
theme is unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is patient.
These are verses We sent down previously, and We
have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be acquainted
+P120
with what their lying tongues have spoken, when God
came unto them with might and sovereignty. The foundations
of idle fancies have trembled, and the heaven of vain
imaginings hath been cleft asunder, and yet the people are
in doubt and in contention with Him. They have denied
the testimony of God and His proof, after He came from
the heaven of power with the kingdom of His signs. They
have cast away what had been prescribed, and perpetrated
what had been forbidden them in the Book. They have
abandoned their God, and clung unto their desires. They
truly have strayed and are in error. They read the verses
and deny them. They behold the clear tokens and turn
aside. They truly are lost in strange doubt.
We have admonished Our loved ones to fear God, a
fear which is the fountainhead of all goodly deeds and
virtues. It is the commander of the hosts of justice in the
city of &Baha. Happy the man that hath entered the shadow
of its luminous standard, and laid fast hold thereon. He,
verily, is of the Companions of the Crimson Ark, which
hath been mentioned in the &Qayyum-i-Asma.
Say: O people of God! Adorn your temples with the
adornment of trustworthiness and piety. Help, then, your
Lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a praiseworthy
character. We have forbidden you dissension and conflict
in My Books, and My Scriptures, and My Scrolls, and My
Tablets, and have wished thereby naught else save your
exaltation and advancement. Unto this testify the heavens
and the stars thereof, and the sun and the radiance thereof,
and the trees and the leaves thereof, and the seas and the
waves thereof, and the earth and the treasures thereof. We
pray God to assist His loved ones, and aid them in that
which beseemeth them in this blest, this mighty, and
wondrous station. Moreover We beseech Him to graciously
+P121
enable those who surround Me to observe that which My
Pen of Glory hath enjoined upon them.
O &Jalil! Upon thee be My glory and My loving providence.
Verily We have enjoined the people to do what is
meet and seemly and yet they have committed such things
as have caused My heart and My Pen to lament. Incline
thine ear to that which is sent down from the heaven of
My Will and the realm of My good-pleasure. I sorrow not
for My captivity, nor for the things that have befallen Me
at the hand of Mine enemies. Nay, My sorrows are occasioned
by those who claim to be related to Me and yet
commit that which causeth the voice of My lamentations
to be lifted up and My tears to flow. We have exhorted
them at length in various Tablets and beseech God to
graciously assist them, to enable them to draw nigh unto
Him and to confirm them in that which would bring peace
to the hearts and tranquillity to the souls and would stay
their hands from whatsoever ill-beseemeth His days.
Say, O My loved ones in My lands! Give ye ear unto the
counsels of Him Who admonisheth you for the sake of
God. He hath in truth created you, hath revealed before
your eyes that which exalteth you and promoteth your
interests. He hath made known unto you His straight
Path and hath acquainted you with His Great Announcement.
O &Jalil! Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear
is the chief commander of the army of thy Lord. Its hosts
are a praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Through
it have the cities of men's hearts been opened throughout
the ages and centuries, and the standards of ascendancy and
triumph raised above all other standards.
We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and
the station thereof in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the
+P122
Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of days We repaired
unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its
streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight
playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We
beheld what the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set
forth that which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed
in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that blest, and
most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on
one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing
on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: `O inmates of
earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance,
and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True
One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and
the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave
unto Me, and recognize My rank and station, and hold fast
unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of the people
of &Baha, and the vesture of glory unto all who are in the
kingdom of creation. I am the supreme instrument for the
prosperity of the world, and the horizon of assurance unto
all beings.' Thus have We sent down for thee that which
will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation.
The Pen of the Most High turneth from the eloquent
language+F1 to the luminous one+F2 that thou, O &Jalil, mayest
appreciate the tender mercy of thy Lord, the Incomparable
One and mayest be of them that are truly grateful.
O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon the all-glorious
Horizon! The Call is raised but hearing ears are numbered,
nay non-existent. This Wronged One findeth himself in
the maw of the serpent, yet He faileth not to make mention
of the loved ones of God. So grievous have been Our
sufferings in these days that the Concourse on High are
+F1 Arabic.
+F2 Persian.
+P123
moved to tears and to lamentation. Neither the adversities
of the world nor the harm inflicted by its nations could
deter Him Who is the King of Eternity from voicing His
summons or frustrate His purpose. When those who had
for years been hiding behind the veils perceived that the
horizon of the Cause was resplendent and that the Word of
God was all-pervasive, they rushed forth and with swords
of malice inflicted such harm as no pen can portray nor any
tongue describe.
They that judge with fairness testify that since the early
days of the Cause this Wronged One hath arisen, unveiled
and resplendent, before the faces of kings and commoners,
before the rulers and the divines, and hath, in ringing
tones, summoned all men unto the straight Path. He hath
had no helper save His Pen, nor any succourer other than
Himself.
Those who are ignorant or heedless of the motivating
purpose of the Cause of God have rebelled against Him.
Such men are the foreboders of evil, whom God hath mentioned
in His Book and Tablets and against whose influence,
clamour and deception He hath warned His people.
Well is it with those who, in the face of the remembrance
of the Lord of Eternity, regard the peoples of the world as
utter nothingness, as a thing forgotten, and hold fast to the
firm handle of God in such wise that neither doubts nor
insinuations, nor swords, nor cannon could hold them back
or deprive them of His presence. Blessed are the steadfast;
blessed are they that stand firm in His Faith.
In response to thy request the Pen of Glory hath graciously
described the stations and grades of the Most Great
Infallibility. The purpose is that all should know of a
certainty that the Seal of the Prophets+F1--may the souls of
+F1 &Muhammad.
+P124
all else but Him be offered up for His sake--is without likeness,
peer or partner in His Own station. The Holy Ones+F1
--may the blessings of God be upon them--were created
through the potency of His Word, and after Him they were
the most learned and the most distinguished among the
people and abide in the utmost station of servitude. The
divine Essence, sanctified from every comparison and likeness,
is established in the Prophet, and God's inmost Reality,
exalted above any peer or partner, is manifest in Him.
This is the station of true unity and of veritable singleness. The
followers of the previous Dispensation grievously failed to
acquire an adequate understanding of this station. The Primal
Point+F2--may the life of all else but Him be offered up
for His sake--saith: `If the Seal of the Prophets had not
uttered the word "Successorship", such a station would not
have been created.'
The people aforetime joined partners with God, though
they professed belief in His unity; and although they were
the most ignorant amongst men, they considered themselves
the most accomplished. But, as a token of divine
retribution upon those heedless ones, their erroneous beliefs
and pursuits have, in this Day of Judgement, been made
clear and evident to every man of discernment and
understanding.
Beseech thou God, the True One, that He may graciously
shield the followers of this Revelation from the idle
fancies and corrupt imaginings of such as belong to the
former Faith, and may not deprive them of the effulgent
splendours of the day-star of true unity.
O &Jalil! He Whom the world hath wronged now proclaimeth:
The light of Justice is dimmed, and the sun of
+F1 The &Imams.
+F2 The &Bab.
+P125
Equity veiled from sight. The robber occupieth the seat of
the protector and guard, and the position of the faithful is
seized by the traitor. A year ago an oppressor ruled over
this city, and at every instant caused fresh harm. By the
righteousness of the Lord! He wrought that which cast
terror into the hearts of men. But to the Pen of Glory the
tyranny of the world hath never been nor will it ever be a
hindrance. In the abundance of Our grace and loving-kindness
We have revealed specially for the rulers and
ministers of the world that which is conducive to safety and
protection, tranquillity and peace; haply the children of
men may rest secure from the evils of oppression. He,
verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the Giver of victory. It
is incumbent upon the men of God's House of Justice to
fix their gaze by day and by night upon that which hath
shone forth from the Pen of Glory for the training of
peoples, the upbuilding of nations, the protection of man
and the safeguarding of his honour.
The first &Ishraq
When the Day-Star of Wisdom rose above the horizon
of God's Holy Dispensation it voiced this all-glorious
utterance: They that are possessed of wealth and invested
with authority and power must show the profoundest
regard for religion. In truth, religion is a radiant light and
an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare
of the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth
man to hold fast to that which is good, and shun all evil.
Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion
will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of
tranquillity and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear
witness every man of true understanding.
+P126
The second &Ishraq
We have enjoined upon all mankind to establish the
Most Great Peace--the surest of all means for the protection
of humanity. The sovereigns of the world should, with
one accord, hold fast thereunto, for this is the supreme
instrument that can ensure the security and welfare of all
peoples and nations. They, verily, are the manifestations of
the power of God and the daysprings of His authority. We
beseech the Almighty that He may graciously assist them
in that which is conducive to the well-being of their
subjects. A full explanation regarding this matter hath been
previously set forth by the Pen of Glory; well is it with
them that act accordingly.
The third &Ishraq
It is incumbent upon everyone to observe God's holy
commandments, inasmuch as they are the wellspring of
life unto the world. The heaven of divine wisdom is
illumined with the two luminaries of consultation and
compassion and the canopy of world order is upraised
upon the two pillars of reward and punishment.
The fourth &Ishraq
In this Revelation the hosts that can render it victorious
are the hosts of praiseworthy deeds and upright character.
The leader and commander of these hosts hath ever been
the fear of God, a fear that encompasseth all things and
reigneth over all things.
+P127
The fifth &Ishraq
Governments should fully acquaint themselves with the
conditions of those they govern, and confer upon them
positions according to desert and merit. It is enjoined upon
every ruler and sovereign to consider this matter with the
utmost care that the traitor may not usurp the position of
the faithful, nor the despoiler rule in the place of the trustworthy.
Among the officials who in the past have governed
in this Most Great Prison some, praise be to God, were
adorned with justice, but as to others, We take refuge with
God. We beseech the One true God to guide them one and
all, that haply they may not be deprived of the fruit of
faith and trustworthiness, nor be withheld from the light of
equity and justice.
The sixth &Ishraq
is union and concord amongst the children of men. From
the beginning of time the light of unity hath shed its divine
radiance upon the world, and the greatest means for the
promotion of that unity is for the peoples of the world to
understand one another's writing and speech. In former
Epistles We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House
of Justice either to choose one language from among those
now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to
select a common script, both of which should be taught in
all the schools of the world. Thus will the earth be regarded
as one country and one home. The most glorious fruit of
the tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are
all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves. Let not man
glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory
+P128
in this that he loveth his kind. Concerning this We have previously
revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction
of the world and the unity of nations. Blessed are they
that attain thereunto. Blessed are they that act accordingly.
The seventh &Ishraq
The Pen of Glory counselleth everyone regarding the
instruction and education of children. Behold that which
the Will of God hath revealed upon Our arrival in the
Prison City and recorded in the Most Holy Book.+F1 Unto
every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son
and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all
that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet. He that
putteth away that which is commanded unto him, the
Trustees are then to take from him that which is required
for their instruction, if he be wealthy, and if not the matter
devolveth upon the House of Justice. Verily, have We
made it a shelter for the poor and needy. He that bringeth
up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath
brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My
Loving-Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the
world.
The eighth &Ishraq
This passage, now written by the Pen of Glory, is
accounted as part of the Most Holy Book: The men of
God's House of Justice have been charged with the affairs
of the people. They, in truth, are the Trustees of God among
His servants and the daysprings of authority in His countries.
O people of God! That which traineth the world is
+F1 &Kitab-i-Aqdas.
+P129
Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment.
These two pillars are the sources of life to the world.
Inasmuch as for each day there is a new problem and for
every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should be
referred to the House of Justice that the members thereof
may act according to the needs and requirements of the
time. They that, for the sake of God, arise to serve His
Cause, are the recipients of divine inspiration from the unseen
Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be obedient
unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the
House of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed
according to that which God hath revealed in His Book.
O people of &Baha! Ye are the dawning-places of the love
of God and the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile
not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul,
and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly. Set
forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably received,
your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that
soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the
Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord
and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain
true education in the shelter of the tree of His tender
mercies and act in accordance with that which God desireth.
Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.
The ninth &Ishraq
The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of
God's holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst
the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension
and strife. The religion of God and His divine law are the
most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the
dawning of the light of unity amongst men. The progress
+P130
of the world, the development of nations, the tranquillity
of peoples, and the peace of all who dwell on earth are
among the principles and ordinances of God. Religion bestoweth
upon man the most precious of all gifts, offereth
the cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and showereth
imperishable benefits upon mankind. It behoveth the chiefs
and rulers of the world, and in particular the Trustees of
God's House of Justice, to endeavour to the utmost of their
power to safeguard its position, promote its interests and
exalt its station in the eyes of the world. In like manner it is
incumbent upon them to enquire into the conditions of
their subjects and to acquaint themselves with the affairs
and activities of the divers communities in their dominions.
We call upon the manifestations of the power of God--the
sovereigns and rulers on earth--to bestir themselves and
do all in their power that haply they may banish discord
from this world and illumine it with the light of concord.
It is incumbent upon everyone to firmly adhere to and
observe that which hath streamed forth from Our Most
Exalted Pen. God, the True One, beareth Me witness, and
every atom in existence is moved to testify that such means
as lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the
protection and the regeneration of the peoples of the earth
have been clearly set forth by Us and are revealed in the
Holy Books and Tablets by the Pen of Glory.
We entreat God to graciously aid His servants. What this
Wronged One doth expect from everyone is justice and
fairness. Let no one be content with mere hearing; rather
doth it behove everyone to ponder that which this Wronged
One hath revealed. I swear by the Day-Star of utterance,
shining above the horizon of the Kingdom of the All-Merciful,
+P131
had there been any expounder or speaker discernible,
We would not have made Ourself the object of the
censure, ridicule and slander of the people.
Upon Our arrival in &Iraq We found the Cause of God
sunk in deep apathy and the breeze of divine revelation
stilled. Most of the believers were faint and dispirited, nay
utterly lost and dead. Hence there was a second blast on the
Trumpet, whereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered
these blessed words: `We have sounded the Trumpet for the
second time.' Thus the whole world was quickened through
the vitalizing breaths of divine revelation and inspiration.
Certain souls have now sallied forth from behind the
veils, intent on inflicting harm upon this Wronged One.
They have hindered and denied the outpouring of this
priceless bounty.
O ye that judge with fairness! If this Cause is to be denied
then what other cause in this world can be vindicated or
deemed worthy of acceptance?
Such as have turned away from the Cause of God are
diligently seeking to collect the Holy Writings of this
Revelation; and they have already, through gestures of
friendship, managed to secure certain of these Writings
from those who held them in their possession. Moreover,
when they meet the followers of any religion, they hold
themselves out as believers therein. Say, die ye in your
wrath! Verily He hath appeared with so great an authority
that no man of vision, of hearing, of insight, of justice or
of equity can ever deny Him. Unto this beareth witness in
this resplendent Hour the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient
of Days.
O &Jalil! Upon thee be My glory. We exhort the loved
ones of God to perform good deeds that perchance they
may be graciously assisted and may hold fast to that which
+P132
hath been sent down from the heaven of His Revelation.
The benefits arising from this divine utterance shall fall
upon such as observe His precepts. We beseech God to enable
them to do that which is pleasing and acceptable unto
Him, to grant that they may deal equitably and may
observe justice in this all-compelling Cause, to acquaint
them with His Holy Writings and to direct their steps towards
His straight Path.
Our Exalted Herald--may the life of all else besides Him
be offered up for His sake--hath revealed certain laws.
However, in the realm of His Revelation these laws were
made subject to Our sanction, hence this Wronged One
hath put some of them into effect by embodying them in
the &Kitab-i-Aqdas in different words. Others We set aside.
He holdeth in His hand the authority. He doeth what He
willeth and He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth. He is the
Almighty, the All-Praised. There are also ordinances newly
revealed. Blessed are they that attain. Blessed are they that
observe His precepts.
The people of God should make the utmost endeavour
that perchance the fire of hatred and malice which smouldereth
in the breasts of kindreds and peoples may, through
the living waters of utterance and the exhortations of Him
Who is the Desire of the world, be quenched and the trees
of human existence may be adorned with wondrous and
excellent fruit. He is, in truth, the Admonisher, the Compassionate,
the All-Bountiful.
May the brightness of His glory shining above the
horizon of bounty rest upon you, O people of &Baha, upon
every one who standeth firm and steadfast and upon those
that are well grounded in the Faith and are endued with
true understanding.
As to thy question concerning interest and profit on gold
+P133
and silver: Some years ago the following passage was revealed
from the heaven of the All-Merciful in honour of
the one who beareth the name of God, entitled &Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin+F1
--upon him be the glory of the Most Glorious.
He--exalted be His Word--saith: Many people stand in
need of this. Because if there were no prospect for gaining
interest, the affairs of men would suffer collapse or dislocation.
One can seldom find a person who would manifest
such consideration towards his fellow-man, his countryman
or towards his own brother and would show such tender
solicitude for him as to be well-disposed to grant him a
loan on benevolent terms.+F2 Therefore as a token of favour
towards men We have prescribed that interest on money
should be treated like other business transactions that are
current amongst men. Thus, now that this lucid commandment
hath descended from the heaven of the Will of God,
it is lawful and proper to charge interest on money, that the
people of the world may, in a spirit of amity and fellowship
and with joy and gladness, devotedly engage themselves
in magnifying the Name of Him Who is the Well-Beloved
of all mankind. Verily He ordaineth according to
His Own choosing. He hath now made interest on money
lawful, even as He had made it unlawful in the past.
Within His grasp He holdeth the kingdom of authority.
He doeth and ordaineth. He is in truth the Ordainer, the
All-Knowing.
Render thou thanks unto thy Lord, O &Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin,
for this manifest bounty.
+F1 One of the early believers who is best known to the friends for
+F1 his reliable transcriptions of the Tablets of &Baha'u'llah. (See
+F1 Memorials of the Faithful pp. 150-153.)
+F2 Such loans as bear no interest and are repayable whenever the
+F2 borrower pleases.
+P134
Many ecclesiastics in Persia have, through innumerable
designs and devices, been feeding on illicit gains obtained
by usury. They have contrived ways to give its outward
form a fair semblance of lawfulness. They make a plaything
of the laws and ordinances of God, but they understand not.
However, this is a matter that should be practised with
moderation and fairness. Our Pen of Glory hath, as a token
of wisdom and for the convenience of the people, desisted
from laying down its limit. Nevertheless We exhort the
loved ones of God to observe justice and fairness, and to do
that which would prompt the friends of God to evince
tender mercy and compassion towards each other. He is in
truth the Counsellor, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.
God grant that all men may be graciously aided to
observe that which the Tongue of the One true God hath
uttered. And if they put into practice what We have set
forth, God--exalted be His glory--will assuredly double
their portion through the heaven of His bounty. Verily He
is the Generous, the Forgiving, the Compassionate. Praise
be unto God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
Nevertheless the conduct of these affairs hath been entrusted
to the men of the House of Justice that they may
enforce them according to the exigencies of the time and
the dictates of wisdom.
Once again We exhort all believers to observe justice
and fairness and to show forth love and contentment. They
are indeed the people of &Baha, the companions of the
Crimson Ark. Upon them be the peace of God, the Lord
of all Names, the Creator of the heavens.
+P135
9
&LAWH-I-HIKMAT
(Tablet of Wisdom)
This Tablet was addressed to &Aqa &Muhammad, a distinguished
believer from the town of &Qa'in, who was surnamed
&Nabil-i-Akbar (see Memorials of the Faithful pages
1-5). Another distinguished believer of &Qa'in, &Mulla
&Muhammad-'Ali, was known as &Nabil-i-Qa'ini (see
Memorials of the Faithful pages 49-54). In the abjad
notation the name `&Muhammad' has the same numerical
value as `&Nabil'.
+P136
+P137
THIS is an Epistle which the All-Merciful hath
sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. It is
truly a breath of life unto those who dwell in the
realm of creation. Glorified be the Lord of all
worlds! In this Epistle mention is made of him who
magnifieth the Name of God, his Lord, and who is named
&Nabil in a weighty Tablet.
O &Muhammad! Hearken unto the Voice proceeding
out of the Realm of Glory, calling aloud from the celestial
Tree which hath risen above the land of &Za'faran+F1:
Verily, no God is there but Me, the Omniscient, the
Wise. Be thou as the breezes of the All-Merciful for the
trees of the realm of existence and foster their growth
through the potency of the Name of thy Lord, the Just, the
All-Informed. We desire to acquaint thee with that which
will serve as a reminder unto the people, that they may put
away the things current amongst them and set their faces
towards God, the Lord of the sincere.
We exhort mankind in these days when the countenance
of Justice is soiled with dust, when the flames of unbelief
are burning high and the robe of wisdom rent asunder,
when tranquillity and faithfulness have ebbed away and
+F1 In a Tablet &Baha'u'llah states, `The Holy Tree [Sadrat] is, in a
+F1 sense, the Manifestation of the One True God, exalted be He.
+F1 The Blessed Tree in the land of &Za'faran referreth to the land
+F1 which is flourishing, blessed, holy and all-perfumed, where that
+F1 Tree hath been planted.'
+P138
trials and tribulations have waxed severe, when covenants
are broken and ties are severed, when no man knoweth
how to discern light and darkness or to distinguish guidance
from error.
O peoples of the world! Forsake all evil, hold fast that
which is good. Strive to be shining examples unto all mankind,
and true reminders of the virtues of God amidst men.
He that riseth to serve My Cause should manifest My
wisdom, and bend every effort to banish ignorance from
the earth. Be united in counsel, be one in thought. Let each
morn be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its
yesterday. Man's merit lieth in service and virtue and not
in the pageantry of wealth and riches. Take heed that your
words be purged from idle fancies and worldly desires and
your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and suspicion. Dissipate
not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of
evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent
in promoting your personal interest. Be generous in your
days of plenty, and be patient in the hour of loss. Adversity
is followed by success and rejoicings follow woe. Guard
against idleness and sloth, and cling unto that which
profiteth mankind, whether young or old, whether high or
low. Beware lest ye sow tares of dissension among men or
plant thorns of doubt in pure and radiant hearts.
O ye beloved of the Lord! Commit not that which
defileth the limpid stream of love or destroyeth the sweet
fragrance of friendship. By the righteousness of the Lord!
Ye were created to show love one to another and not
perversity and rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves
but in love for your fellow-creatures. Glory not in
love for your country, but in love for all mankind. Let your
eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful and
your heart enlightened. Abase not the station of the learned
+P139
in &Baha and belittle not the rank of such rulers as administer
justice amidst you. Set your reliance on the army of justice,
put on the armour of wisdom, let your adorning be forgiveness
and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of
the well-favoured of God.
By My life! Thy grievances have plunged Me into
sorrow. Regard not the children of the world and all their
doings but fix thy gaze upon God and His never-ending
dominion. Verily, He calleth to thy remembrance that
which is the source of delight for all mankind. Drink thou
the life-giving water of blissful joy from the chalice of
utterance proffered by the Fountainhead of divine Revelation
--He Who hath made mention of thee in this mighty
stronghold. Endeavour to the utmost of thy powers to
establish the word of truth with eloquence and wisdom and
to dispel falsehood from the face of the earth. Thus directeth
thee the Dayspring of divine knowledge from this
luminous horizon.
O thou who speakest in My Name! Consider the people
and the things they have wrought in My days. We revealed
unto one of the rulers that which overpowereth all the
dwellers of the earth, and requested him to bring Us face to
face with the learned men of this age, that We might set
forth for him the testimony of God, His proofs, His glory
and His majesty; and naught did We intend thereby but the
highest good. However, he committed that which hath
caused the inmates of the cities of justice and equity to
lament. Thus hath judgement been given between Me and
him. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Informed. In
such circumstances as thou seest, how can the Celestial
Bird soar into the atmosphere of divine mysteries when its
wings have been battered with the stones of idle fancy and
bitter hatred, and it is cast into a prison built of unyielding
+P140
stone? By the righteousness of God! The people have
perpetrated a grievous injustice.
As regards thine assertions about the beginning of creation,
this is a matter on which conceptions vary by reason
of the divergences in men's thoughts and opinions. Wert
thou to assert that it hath ever existed and shall continue to
exist, it would be true; or wert thou to affirm the same
concept as is mentioned in the sacred Scriptures, no doubt
would there be about it, for it hath been revealed by God,
the Lord of the worlds. Indeed He was a hidden treasure.
This is a station that can never be described nor even
alluded to. And in the station of `I did wish to make
Myself known', God was, and His creation had ever
existed beneath His shelter from the beginning that
hath no beginning, apart from its being preceded by a
Firstness which cannot be regarded as firstness and
originated by a Cause inscrutable even unto all men of
learning.
That which hath been in existence had existed before,
but not in the form thou seest today. The world of existence
came into being through the heat generated from the
interaction between the active force and that which is its
recipient. These two are the same, yet they are different.
Thus doth the Great Announcement inform thee about this
glorious structure. Such as communicate the generating
influence and such as receive its impact are indeed created
through the irresistible Word of God which is the Cause
of the entire creation, while all else besides His Word are
but the creatures and the effects thereof. Verily thy Lord is
the Expounder, the All-Wise.
Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God--exalted
be His glory--is higher and far superior to that which the
senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or
+P141
substance. It transcendeth the limitations of known elements
and is exalted above all the essential and recognized
substances. It became manifest without any syllable or
sound and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth
all created things. It hath never been withheld from
the world of being. It is God's all-pervasive grace, from
which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity far removed
above all that hath been and shall be.
We are loath to enlarge on this subject, inasmuch as the
unbelievers have inclined their ears towards Us in order to
hear that which might enable them to cavil against God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. And since they are unable
to attain to mysteries of knowledge and wisdom from
what hath been unravelled by the Source of divine
splendour, they rise in protest and burst into clamour. But
it is true to say that they object to that which they comprehend,
not to the expositions given by the Expounder, nor
the truths imparted by the One true God, the Knower of
things unseen. Their objections, one and all, turn upon
themselves, and I swear by thy life that they are devoid of
understanding.
Every thing must needs have an origin and every building
a builder. Verily, the Word of God is the Cause which
hath preceded the contingent world--a world which is
adorned with the splendours of the Ancient of Days, yet is
being renewed and regenerated at all times. Immeasurably
exalted is the God of Wisdom Who hath raised this sublime
structure.
Look at the world and ponder a while upon it. It unveileth
the book of its own self before thine eyes and
revealeth that which the Pen of thy Lord, the Fashioner, the
All-Informed, hath inscribed therein. It will acquaint thee
with that which is within it and upon it and will give thee
+P142
such clear explanations as to make thee independent of
every eloquent expounder.
Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My
Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are
diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are
signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is
its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a
dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the
All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God
as manifested in the world of being, no one should question
this assertion. It is endowed with a power whose reality
men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can
perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendour of
Our Name, the Creator. Say: This is an existence which
knoweth no decay, and Nature itself is lost in bewilderment
before its revelations, its compelling evidences and its
effulgent glory which have encompassed the universe.
It ill beseemeth thee to turn thy gaze unto former or
more recent times. Make thou mention of this Day and
magnify that which hath appeared therein. It will in truth
suffice all mankind. Indeed expositions and discourses in
explanation of such things cause the spirits to be chilled. It
behoveth thee to speak forth in such wise as to set the hearts
of true believers ablaze and cause their bodies to soar.
Whoso firmly believeth today in the rebirth of man and
is fully conscious that God, the Most Exalted, wieldeth
supreme ascendancy and absolute authority over this new
creation, verily such a man is reckoned with them that are
endued with insight in this most great Revelation. Unto
this beareth witness every discerning believer.
Walk thou high above the world of being through the
power of the Most Great Name, that thou mayest become
aware of the immemorial mysteries and be acquainted with
+P143
that wherewith no one is acquainted. Verily, thy Lord is
the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou
as a throbbing artery, pulsating in the body of the entire
creation, that through the heat generated by this motion
there may appear that which will quicken the hearts of
those who hesitate.
At the time when We were hidden behind countless
veils of light thou didst commune with Me and didst witness
the luminaries of the heaven of My wisdom and the billows
of the ocean of Mine utterance. Verily thy Lord is the
Truthful, the Faithful. Great indeed is the blessedness of
him who hath attained the liberal effusions of this ocean in
the days of his Lord, the Most Bountiful, the All-Wise.
During Our sojourn in &Iraq when We were at the
house of one named &Majid, We set forth clearly for thee
the mysteries of creation and the origin, the culmination
and the cause thereof. However since Our departure We
have limited Ourself to this affirmation: `Verily, no God is
there but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Bountiful.'
Teach thou the Cause of God with an utterance which
will cause the bushes to be enkindled, and the call `Verily,
there is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Unconstrained'
to be raised therefrom. Say: Human utterance is an essence
which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation.
As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement
which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached
and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined
with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures
and Tablets. Meditate upon that which hath streamed forth
from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, He Who is the
Source of all grace, that thou mayest grasp the intended
meaning which is enshrined in the sacred depths of the
Holy Writings.
Those who have rejected God and firmly cling to
+P144
Nature as it is in itself are, verily, bereft of knowledge and
wisdom. They are truly of them that are far astray. They
have failed to attain the lofty summit and have fallen short
of the ultimate purpose; therefore their eyes were shut and
their thoughts differed, while the leaders among them have
believed in God and in His invincible sovereignty. Unto
this beareth witness thy Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
When the eyes of the people of the East were captivated
by the arts and wonders of the West, they roved distraught
in the wilderness of material causes, oblivious of the One
Who is the Causer of Causes, and the Sustainer thereof,
while such men as were the source and the wellspring of
Wisdom never denied the moving Impulse behind these
causes, nor the Creator or the Origin thereof. Thy Lord
knoweth, yet most of the people know not.
Now We have, for the sake of God, the Lord of Names,
set Ourself the task of mentioning in this Tablet some
accounts of the sages,+F1 that the eyes of the people may be
opened thereby and that they may become fully assured
that He is in truth the Maker, the Omnipotent, the Creator,
the Originator, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Although it is recognized that the contemporary men of
learning are highly qualified in philosophy, arts and crafts,
yet were anyone to observe with a discriminating eye he
would readily comprehend that most of this knowledge
hath been acquired from the sages of the past, for it is they
who have laid the foundation of philosophy, reared its
structure and reinforced its pillars. Thus doth thy Lord, the
Ancient of Days, inform thee. The sages aforetime acquired
+F1 In many of the passages that follow concerning the Greek
+F1 philosophers, &Baha'u'llah quotes verbatim from the works of
+F1 such Muslim historians as &Abu'l-Fath-i-Shahristani (1076-1153
+F1 A.D.) and &Imadu'd-Din &Abu'l-Fida (1273-1331 A.D.).
+P145
their knowledge from the Prophets, inasmuch as the latter
were the Exponents of divine philosophy and the Revealers
of heavenly mysteries. Men quaffed the crystal, living
waters of Their utterance, while others satisfied themselves
with the dregs. Everyone receiveth a portion according to
his measure. Verily He is the Equitable, the Wise.
Empedocles, who distinguished himself in philosophy,
was a contemporary of David, while Pythagoras lived in
the days of Solomon, son of David, and acquired Wisdom
from the treasury of prophethood. It is he who claimed to
have heard the whispering sound of the heavens and to
have attained the station of the angels. In truth thy Lord
will clearly set forth all things, if He pleaseth. Verily, He is
the Wise, the All-Pervading.
The essence and the fundamentals of philosophy have
emanated from the Prophets. That the people differ concerning
the inner meanings and mysteries thereof is to be
attributed to the divergence of their views and minds. We
would fain recount to thee the following: One of the
Prophets once was communicating to his people that with
which the Omnipotent Lord had inspired Him. Truly, thy
Lord is the Inspirer, the Gracious, the Exalted. When the
fountain of wisdom and eloquence gushed forth from the
wellspring of His utterance and the wine of divine knowledge
inebriated those who had sought His threshold, He
exclaimed: `Lo! All are filled with the Spirit.' From among
the people there was he who held fast unto this statement
and, actuated by his own fancies, conceived the idea that
the spirit literally penetrateth or entereth into the body, and
through lengthy expositions he advanced proofs to vindicate
this concept; and groups of people followed in his footsteps.
To mention their names at this point, or to give thee a
detailed account thereof, would lead to prolixity, and
would depart from the main theme. Verily, thy Lord is the
+P146
All-Wise, the All-Knowing. There was also he who partook
of the choice wine whose seal had been removed by the
Key of the Tongue of Him Who is the Revealer of the
Verses of thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Generous.
Verily, the philosophers have not denied the Ancient of
Days. Most of them passed away deploring their failure to
fathom His mystery, even as some of them have testified.
Verily, thy Lord is the Adviser, the All-Informed.
Consider Hippocrates, the physician. He was one of the
eminent philosophers who believed in God and acknowledged
His sovereignty. After him came Socrates who was
indeed wise, accomplished and righteous. He practised self-denial,
repressed his appetites for selfish desires and turned
away from material pleasures. He withdrew to the mountains
where he dwelt in a cave. He dissuaded men from
worshipping idols and taught them the way of God, the
Lord of Mercy, until the ignorant rose up against him. They
arrested him and put him to death in prison. Thus relateth
to thee this swift-moving Pen. What a penetrating vision
into philosophy this eminent man had! He is the most
distinguished of all philosophers and was highly versed in
wisdom. We testify that he is one of the heroes in this field
and an outstanding champion dedicated unto it. He had a
profound knowledge of such sciences as were current
amongst men as well as of those which were veiled from
their minds. Methinks he drank one draught when the
Most Great Ocean overflowed with gleaming and life-giving
waters. He it is who perceived a unique, a tempered,
and a pervasive nature in things, bearing the closest likeness
to the human spirit, and he discovered this nature to be
distinct from the substance of things in their refined form.
He hath a special pronouncement on this weighty theme.
Wert thou to ask from the worldly wise of this generation
+P147
about this exposition, thou wouldst witness their incapacity
to grasp it. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth but most
people comprehend not.
After Socrates came the divine Plato who was a pupil of
the former and occupied the chair of philosophy as his
successor. He acknowledged his belief in God and in His
signs which pervade all that hath been and shall be. Then
came Aristotle, the well-known man of knowledge. He it
is who discovered the power of gaseous matter. These men
who stand out as leaders of the people and are pre-eminent
among them, one and all acknowledged their belief in the
immortal Being Who holdeth in His grasp the reins of all
sciences.
I will also mention for thee the invocation voiced by
&Balinus who was familiar with the theories put forward by
the Father of Philosophy regarding the mysteries of creation
as given in his chrysolite tablets, that everyone may be
fully assured of the things We have elucidated for thee in
this manifest Tablet, which, if pressed with the hand of
fairness and knowledge, will yield the spirit of life for the
quickening of all created things. Great is the blessedness of
him who swimmeth in this ocean and celebrateth the praise
of his Lord, the Gracious, the Best-Beloved. Indeed the
breezes of divine revelation are diffused from the verses of
thy Lord in such wise that no one can dispute its truth,
except those who are bereft of hearing, of vision, of understanding
and of every human faculty. Verily thy Lord
beareth witness unto this, yet the people understand not.
This man hath said: `I am &Balinus, the wise one, the performer
of wonders, the producer of talismans.' He surpassed
everyone else in the diffusion of arts and sciences and
soared unto the loftiest heights of humility and supplication.
Give ear unto that which he hath said, entreating the
+P148
All-Possessing, the Most Exalted: `I stand in the presence
of my Lord, extolling His gifts and bounties and praising
Him with that wherewith He praiseth His Own Self, that
I may become a source of blessing and guidance unto such
men as acknowledge my words.' And further he saith: `O
Lord! Thou art God and no God is there but Thee. Thou
art the Creator and no creator is there except Thee. Assist
me by Thy grace and strengthen me. My heart is seized
with alarm, my limbs tremble, I have lost my reason and
my mind hath failed me. Bestow upon me strength and
enable my tongue to speak forth with wisdom.' And still
further he saith: `Thou art in truth the Knowing, the Wise,
the Powerful, the Compassionate.' It was this man of
wisdom who became informed of the mysteries of creation
and discerned the subtleties which lie enshrined in the
Hermetic writings.+F1
We have no wish to mention anything further but We
shall utter that which the Spirit hath instilled into My
heart. In truth there is no God but Him, the Knowing, the
Mighty, the Help in Peril, the Most Excellent, the All-Praised.
By My life! In this Day the celestial Tree is loath
to proclaim aught else to the world but this affirmation:
+F1 In one of His Tablets &Baha'u'llah wrote: `The first person who
+F1 devoted himself to philosophy was &Idris. Thus was he named.
+F1 Some called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special
+F1 name. He it is who hath set forth in every branch of philosophy
+F1 thorough and convincing statements. After him &Balinus derived
+F1 his knowledge and sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most
+F1 of the philosophers who followed him made their philosophical
+F1 and scientific discoveries from his words and statements...'. In
+F1 the &Qur'an, &Sura 19, verses 57 and 58, is written: `And commemorate
+F1 &Idris in the Book; for he was a man of truth, a Prophet;
+F1 And we uplifted him to a place on high.'
+P149
`Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Peerless, the
All-Informed.'
Had it not been for the love I cherish for thee, I would
not have uttered a single word of what hath been mentioned.
Appreciate the value of this station and preserve it
as thou wouldst thine eye and be of them that are truly
thankful.
Thou knowest full well that We perused not the books
which men possess and We acquired not the learning
current amongst them, and yet whenever We desire to
quote the sayings of the learned and of the wise,+F1 presently
there will appear before the face of thy Lord in the form of
a tablet all that which hath appeared in the world and is
revealed in the Holy Books and Scriptures. Thus do We
set down in writing that which the eye perceiveth. Verily
His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the heavens.
This is a Tablet wherein the Pen of the Unseen hath
inscribed the knowledge of all that hath been and shall be--
a knowledge that none other but My wondrous Tongue can
interpret. Indeed My heart as it is in itself hath been purged
by God from the concepts of the learned and is sanctified
from the utterances of the wise. In truth naught doth it
mirror forth but the revelations of God. Unto this beareth
witness the Tongue of Grandeur in this perspicuous Book.
Say, O people of the earth! Beware lest any reference to
wisdom debar you from its Source or withhold you from
the Dawning-Place thereof. Fix your hearts upon your
Lord, the Educator, the All-Wise.
For every land We have prescribed a portion, for every
occasion an allotted share, for every pronouncement an
appointed time and for every situation an apt remark. Consider
Greece. We made it a Seat of Wisdom for a prolonged
+F1 See footnote on p. 144.
+P150
period. However, when the appointed hour struck, its
throne was subverted, its tongue ceased to speak, its light
grew dim and its banner was hauled down. Thus do We
bestow and withdraw. Verily thy Lord is He Who giveth
and divesteth, the Mighty, the Powerful.
In every land We have set up a luminary of knowledge,
and when the time foreordained is at hand, it will shine
resplendent above its horizon, as decreed by God, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise. If it be Our Will We are fully
capable of describing for thee whatever existeth in every
land or hath come to pass therein. Indeed the knowledge
of thy Lord pervadeth the heavens and the earth.
Know thou, moreover, that the people aforetime have
produced things which the contemporary men of knowledge
have been unable to produce. We recall unto thee
&Murtus who was one of the learned. He invented an
apparatus which transmitted sound over a distance of sixty
miles. Others besides him have also discovered things which
no one in this age hath beheld. Verily thy Lord revealeth in
every epoch whatsoever He pleaseth as a token of wisdom
on His part. He is in truth the supreme Ordainer, the All-Wise.
A true philosopher would never deny God nor His
evidences, rather would he acknowledge His glory and
overpowering majesty which overshadow all created
things. Verily We love those men of knowledge who have
brought to light such things as promote the best interests of
humanity, and We aided them through the potency of Our
behest, for well are We able to achieve Our purpose.
Beware, O My loved ones, lest ye despise the merits of
My learned servants whom God hath graciously chosen to
be the exponents of His Name `the Fashioner' amidst mankind.
Exert your utmost endeavour that ye may develop
+P151
such crafts and undertakings that everyone, whether young
or old, may benefit therefrom. We are quit of those
ignorant ones who fondly imagine that Wisdom is to give
vent to one's idle imaginings and to repudiate God, the
Lord of all men; even as We hear some of the heedless
voicing such assertions today.
Say: The beginning of Wisdom and the origin thereof is
to acknowledge whatsoever God hath clearly set forth, for
through its potency the foundation of statesmanship, which
is a shield for the preservation of the body of mankind,
hath been firmly established. Ponder a while that ye may
perceive what My most exalted Pen hath proclaimed in
this wondrous Tablet. Say, every matter related to state
affairs which ye raise for discussion falls under the shadow
of one of the words sent down from the heaven of His
glorious and exalted utterance. Thus have We recounted
unto thee that which will exhilarate thy heart, will bring
solace to thine eyes and will enable thee to arise for the
promotion of His Cause amidst all peoples.
O My &Nabil! Let nothing grieve thee, rather rejoice
with exceeding gladness inasmuch as I have mentioned thy
name, have turned My heart and My face towards thee and
have conversed with thee through this irrefutable and
weighty exposition. Ponder in thy heart upon the tribulations
I have sustained, the imprisonment and the captivity
I have endured, the sufferings that have befallen Me and the
accusations that the people have levelled against Me. Behold,
they are truly wrapped in a grievous veil.
When the discourse reached this stage, the dawn of
divine mysteries appeared and the light of utterance was
quenched. May His glory rest upon the people of wisdom
as bidden by One Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised.
Say: Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I
+P152
beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the splendour
of the light of wisdom shone resplendent when the heavens
of divine utterance were set in motion amidst mankind, to
graciously aid me by Thy heavenly confirmations and enable
me to extol Thy Name amongst Thy servants.
O Lord! Unto Thee have I turned my face, detached
from all save Thee and holding fast to the hem of the robe
of Thy manifold blessings. Unloose my tongue therefore to
proclaim that which will captivate the minds of men and
will rejoice their souls and spirits. Strengthen me then in
Thy Cause in such wise that I may not be hindered by the
ascendancy of the oppressors among Thy creatures nor
withheld by the onslaught of the disbelievers amidst those
who dwell in Thy realm. Make me as a lamp shining
throughout Thy lands that those in whose hearts the light
of Thy knowledge gloweth and the yearning for Thy love
lingereth may be guided by its radiance.
Verily, potent art Thou to do whatsoever Thou willest,
and in Thy grasp Thou holdest the kingdom of creation.
There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
+P153
10
&ASL-I-KULLU'L-KHAYR
(Words of Wisdom)
+P154
+P155
In the Name of God, the Exalted, the Most High
THE source of all good is trust in God, submission
unto His command, and contentment with His
holy will and pleasure.
The essence of wisdom is the fear of God, the
dread of His scourge and punishment, and the apprehension
of His justice and decree.
The essence of religion is to testify unto that which the
Lord hath revealed, and follow that which He hath
ordained in His mighty Book.
The source of all glory is acceptance of whatsoever the
Lord hath bestowed, and contentment with that which God
hath ordained.
The essence of love is for man to turn his heart to the
Beloved One, and sever himself from all else but Him, and
desire naught save that which is the desire of his Lord.
True remembrance is to make mention of the Lord, the
All-Praised, and forget aught else beside Him.
True reliance is for the servant to pursue his profession
and calling in this world, to hold fast unto the Lord, to seek
naught but His grace, inasmuch as in His Hands is the
destiny of all His servants.
The essence of detachment is for man to turn his face towards
the courts of the Lord, to enter His Presence, behold
His Countenance, and stand as witness before Him.
The essence of understanding is to testify to one's
+P156
poverty, and submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign,
the Gracious, the All-Powerful.
The source of courage and power is the promotion of
the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love.
The essence of charity is for the servant to recount the
blessings of his Lord, and to render thanks unto Him at all
times and under all conditions.
The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance
of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his
death is better than his life.
The essence of true safety is to observe silence, to look at
the end of things and to renounce the world.
The beginning of magnanimity is when man expendeth
his wealth on himself, on his family and on the poor among
his brethren in his Faith.
The essence of wealth is love for Me; whoso loveth Me
is the possessor of all things, and he that loveth Me not is
indeed of the poor and needy. This is that which the
Finger of Glory and Splendour hath revealed.
The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his
Lord and set his heart on things ungodly.
The most burning fire is to question the signs of God, to
dispute idly that which He hath revealed, to deny Him and
carry one's self proudly before Him.
The source of all learning is the knowledge of God,
exalted be His Glory, and this cannot be attained save
through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation.
The essence of abasement is to pass out from under the
shadow of the Merciful and seek the shelter of the Evil One.
The source of error is to disbelieve in the One true God,
rely upon aught else but Him, and flee from His Decree.
True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter
ignorance of his self.
+P157
The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is
Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and
imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious
handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye.
Thus have We instructed thee, manifested unto thee
Words of Wisdom, that thou mayest be thankful unto the
Lord, thy God, and glory therein amidst all peoples.
+P158
+P159
11
&LAWH-I-MAQSUD
(Tablet of &Maqsud)
Out of respect, the &Baha'is, rather than addressing
&Baha'u'llah directly, would write to His amanuensis,
&Mirza &Aqa &Jan, surnamed `Servant of God' and `Servant-in-Attendance'.
The reply would be in the form of a
letter from &Mirza &Aqa &Jan quoting words of &Baha'u'llah,
but would, in fact, be dictated in its entirety by &Baha'u'llah.
Thus all parts of the Tablet, even those which ostensibly
are the words of &Mirza &Aqa &Jan himself, are Sacred
Scripture revealed by &Baha'u'llah. The Tablet of &Maqsud
is in this form. It was addressed to &Mirza &Maqsud, one of
the early believers living at that time in Damascus and
Jerusalem.
+P160
+P161
He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of Majesty and Power
A PRAISE which is exalted above every mention or
description beseemeth the Adored One, the
Possessor of all things visible and invisible, Who
hath enabled the Primal Point to reveal countless
Books and Epistles and Who, through the potency of
His sublime Word, hath called into being the entire creation,
whether of the former or more recent generations.
Moreover He hath in every age and cycle, in conformity
with His transcendent wisdom, sent forth a divine Messenger
to revive the dispirited and despondent souls with
the living waters of His utterance, One Who is indeed the
Expounder, the true Interpreter, inasmuch as man is unable
to comprehend that which hath streamed forth from
the Pen of Glory and is recorded in His heavenly Books.
Men at all times and under all conditions stand in need of
one to exhort them, guide them and to instruct and teach
them. Therefore He hath sent forth His Messengers, His
Prophets and chosen ones that they might acquaint the
people with the divine purpose underlying the revelation
of Books and the raising up of Messengers, and that everyone
may become aware of the trust of God which is latent
in the reality of every soul.
Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education
hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth
inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the
+P162
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.'+F1
Blessing and peace be upon Him+F2 through Whose
advent &Batha+F3 is wreathed in smiles, and the sweet savours
of Whose raiment have shed fragrance upon all mankind--
He Who came to protect men from that which would
harm them in the world below. Exalted, immensely
+F1 &Qur'an 20:106.
+F2 &Muhammad.
+F3 Mecca.
+P163
exalted is His station above the glorification of all beings
and sanctified from the praise of the entire creation.
Through His advent the tabernacle of stability and order
was raised throughout the world and the ensign of knowledge
hoisted among the nations. May blessings rest also
upon His kindred and His companions through whom the
standard of the unity of God and of His singleness was uplifted
and the banners of celestial triumph were unfurled.
Through them the religion of God was firmly established
among His creatures and His Name magnified amidst His
servants. I entreat Him--exalted is He--to shield His Faith
from the mischief of His enemies who tore away the veils,
rent them asunder and finally caused the banner of &Islam to
be reversed amongst all peoples.
Thy letter from which the fragrance of reunion was
inhaled hath been received. Praised be God that following
the firm decree of separation, the breeze of nearness and
communion hath been stirred and the soil of the heart is
refreshed with the waters of joy and gladness. We offer
thanksgiving unto God in all circumstances and cherish the
hope that He--exalted be His glory--may through His
gracious providence guide all who dwell on earth towards
that which is acceptable and pleasing unto Him.
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 behaviour! No two men can be found
+P164
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 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. And in another
connection He hath uttered the following in the eloquent
tongue:+F1 Justice hath a mighty force at its command. It is
none other than reward and punishment for the deeds of
men. By the power of this force the tabernacle of order is
established throughout the world, causing the wicked to
restrain their natures for fear of 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. I, verily, affirm that there is not, and
hath never been, a host more mighty than that 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
+F1 Arabic.
+P165
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.
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.
Likewise He saith: Among the things which are conducive
to unity and concord and will cause the whole
earth to be regarded as one country is that the divers
languages be reduced to one language and in like manner
the scripts used in the world be confined to a single script.
It is incumbent upon all nations to appoint some men of
understanding and erudition to convene a gathering and
+P166
through joint consultation choose one language from
among the varied existing languages, or create a new
one, to be taught to the children in all the schools of the
world.
The day is approaching when all the peoples of the
world will have adopted one universal language 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.
In these days the tabernacle of justice hath fallen into the
clutches of tyranny and oppression. Beseech ye the One
true God--exalted be His glory--not to deprive mankind
of the ocean of true understanding, for were men but to
take heed they would readily appreciate that whatever
hath streamed from and is set down by the Pen of Glory is
even as the sun for the whole world and that therein lie the
welfare, security and true interests of all men; otherwise
the earth will be tormented by a fresh calamity every day
and unprecedented commotions will break out. God grant
that the people of the world may be graciously aided to
preserve the light of His loving counsels within the globe
of wisdom. We cherish the hope that everyone may be
adorned with the vesture of true wisdom, the basis of the
government of the world.
The Great Being saith: The heaven of statesmanship is
made luminous and resplendent by the brightness of the
light of these blessed words which hath dawned from the
dayspring of the Will of God: It behoveth every ruler to
weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and
justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to
+P167
do that which would direct their steps unto the path of
wisdom and understanding. This is the cornerstone of
statesmanship and the essence thereof. From these words
every enlightened man of wisdom will readily perceive
that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and
protection of mankind and the safety of human lives. Were
men of insight to quaff their fill from the ocean of inner
meanings which lie enshrined in these words and become
acquainted therewith, they would bear witness to the
sublimity and the excellence of this utterance. If this lowly
one were to set forth that which he perceiveth, all would
testify unto God's consummate wisdom. The secrets of
statesmanship and that of which the people are in need lie
enfolded within these words. This lowly servant earnestly
entreateth the One true God--exalted be His glory--to
illumine the eyes of the people of the world with the
splendour of the light of wisdom that they, one and all,
may recognize that which is indispensable in this day.
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.
Such exhortations to union and concord as are inscribed
in the Books of the Prophets by the Pen of the Most High
bear reference unto specific matters; not a union that would
lead to disunity or a concord which would create discord.
This is the station where measures are set unto everything, a
station where every deserving soul shall be given his due.
Well is it with them that appreciate the meaning and grasp
+P168
the intent of these words, and woe betide the heedless.
Unto this all the evidences of nature, in their very essences,
bear ample testimony. Every discerning man of wisdom is
well acquainted with that which We have mentioned, but
not those who have strayed far from the living fountain of
fairmindedness and are roving distraught in the wilderness
of ignorance and blind fanaticism.
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 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.
The Great Being saith: The heaven of divine wisdom is
illumined with the two luminaries of consultation and
compassion. Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch
as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth
the way, and is the bestower of understanding.
At the outset of every endeavour, it is incumbent to look
to the end of it. Of all the arts and sciences, set the children
to studying those which will result in advantage to man,
will ensure his progress and elevate his rank. Thus the
noisome odours of lawlessness will be dispelled, and thus
+P169
through the high endeavours of the nation's leaders, all will
live cradled, secure and in peace.
The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must
direct the people to acquire those branches of knowledge
which are of use, that both the learned themselves and the
generality of mankind may derive benefits therefrom. Such
academic pursuits as begin and end in words alone have
never been and will never be of any worth. The majority
of Persia's learned doctors devote all their lives to the study
of a philosophy the ultimate yield of which is nothing but
words.
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 favourably regard them, they will, if
carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon
men.
If this point were to be expounded an elaborate explanation
would be required which, it is feared, might become
tedious. It is the ardent hope of this lowly one that God--
exalted be His glory--may grant all men that which is
good. For he who is endowed therewith is the possessor of
all things. The Great Being saith: The Tongue of Wisdom
proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is bereft of all things.
Turn ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else
but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of
Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the
guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the royal
Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping
wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight.
And likewise He saith: The heaven of true understanding
+P170
shineth resplendent with the light of two luminaries:
tolerance and righteousness.
O my friend! Vast oceans lie enshrined within this brief
saying. Blessed are they who appreciate its value, drink
deep therefrom and grasp its meaning, and woe betide the
heedless. This lowly one entreateth the people of the world
to observe fairness, that their tender, their delicate and
precious hearing which hath been created to hearken unto
the words of wisdom may be freed from impediments and
from such allusions, idle fancies or vain imaginings as
`cannot fatten nor appease the hunger', so that the true
Counsellor may be graciously inclined to set forth that
which is the source of blessing for mankind and of the
highest good for all nations.
At present the light of reconciliation is dimmed in most
countries and its radiance extinguished while the fire of
strife and disorder hath been kindled and is blazing fiercely.
Two great powers who regard themselves as the founders
and leaders of civilization and the framers of constitutions
have risen up against the followers of the Faith associated
with Him Who conversed with God.+F1 Be ye warned, O
men of understanding. It ill beseemeth the station of man
to commit tyranny; rather it behoveth him to observe
equity and be attired with the raiment of justice under all
conditions. Beseech ye the One true God that He may,
through the power of the hand of loving-kindness and
spiritual education, purge and purify certain souls from the
defilement of evil passions and corrupt desires, that they
may arise and unloose their tongues for the sake of God,
that perchance the evidences of injustice may be blotted out
and the splendour of the light of justice may shed its
radiance upon the whole world. The people are ignorant,
+F1 Moses.
+P171
and they stand in need of those who will expound the
truth.
The Great Being saith: The man of consummate learning
and the sage endowed with penetrating wisdom are the two
eyes to the body of mankind. God willing, the earth shall
never be deprived of these two greatest gifts. That which
hath been set forth and will be revealed in the future is but
a token of this Servant's ardent desire to dedicate Himself
to the service of all the kindreds of the earth.
O my friend! In all circumstances one should seize upon
every means which will promote security and tranquillity
among the peoples of the world. The Great Being saith: In
this glorious Day whatever will purge you from corruption
and will lead you towards peace and composure, is indeed
the Straight Path.
Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the
result of the high endeavours 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?
This humble servant is filled with wonder, inasmuch as
all men are endowed with the capacity to see and hear, yet
we find them deprived of the privilege of using these
faculties. This servant hath been prompted to pen these
lines by virtue of the tender love he cherisheth for thee.
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
+P172
peoples of the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct
may be profitable unto them, and aid them to
accomplish that which beseemeth their station.
Were man to appreciate the greatness of his station and
the loftiness of his destiny he would manifest naught save
goodly character, pure deeds, and a seemly and praiseworthy
conduct. If the learned and wise men of goodwill
were to impart guidance unto the people, the whole earth
would be regarded as one country. Verily this is the undoubted
truth. This servant appealeth to every diligent and
enterprising soul to exert his utmost endeavour and arise to
rehabilitate the conditions in all regions and to quicken the
dead with the living waters of wisdom and utterance, by
virtue of the love he cherisheth for God, the One, the
Peerless, the Almighty, the Beneficent.
No man of wisdom can demonstrate his knowledge save
by means of words. This showeth the significance of the
Word as is affirmed in all the Scriptures, whether of former
times or more recently. For it is through its potency and
animating spirit that the people of the world have attained
so eminent a position. Moreover words and utterances
should be both impressive and penetrating. However, no
word will be infused with these two qualities unless it be
uttered wholly for the sake of God and with due regard
unto the exigencies of the occasion and the people.
The Great Being saith: Human utterance is an essence
which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation.
As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement
which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached
and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined
with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures
and Tablets.
Every word is endowed with a spirit, therefore the
+P173
speaker or expounder should carefully deliver his words at
the appropriate time and place, for the impression which
each word maketh is clearly evident and perceptible. The
Great Being saith: One word may be likened unto fire,
another unto light, and the influence which both exert is
manifest in the world. Therefore an enlightened man of
wisdom should primarily speak with words as mild as milk,
that the children of men may be nurtured and edified
thereby and may attain the ultimate goal of human existence
which is the station of true understanding and nobility.
And likewise He saith: One word is like unto springtime
causing the tender saplings of the rose-garden of knowledge
to become verdant and flourishing, while another word is
even as a deadly poison. It behoveth a prudent man of
wisdom to speak with utmost leniency and forbearance so
that the sweetness of his words may induce everyone to
attain that which befitteth man's station.
O friend of mine! The Word of God is the king of
words and its pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath
ever dominated and will continue to dominate the realm of
being. The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key
for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the
doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of
heaven, are unlocked. No sooner had but a glimmer of its
effulgent splendour shone forth upon the mirror of love
than the blessed word `I am the Best-Beloved' was reflected
therein. It is an ocean inexhaustible in riches, comprehending
all things. Every thing which can be perceived is but an
emanation therefrom. High, immeasurably high is this
sublime station, in whose shadow moveth the essence of
loftiness and splendour, wrapt in praise and adoration.
Methinks people's sense of taste hath, alas, been sorely
affected by the fever of negligence and folly, for they are
+P174
found to be wholly unconscious and deprived of the sweetness
of His utterance. How regrettable indeed that man
should debar himself from the fruits of the tree of wisdom
while his days and hours pass swiftly away. Please God, the
hand of divine power may safeguard all mankind and direct
their steps towards the horizon of true understanding.
Verily our Lord of Mercy is the Helper, the Knowing,
the Wise.
I would like to add that thy second letter which had been
sent from Jerusalem hath been received and that which thou
hadst written and set forth therein was perused and read in
His presence. He bade me write as follows:
O &Maqsud! We have heard thy voice and perceived the
sighing and lamentation thou didst raise in thy longing and
eagerness. Praised be God! The sweet savours of love could
be inhaled from every word thereof. Please God, this
bounty may last for ever. The Servant-in-Attendance
recited the verses thou hast composed. Thy name is often
mentioned in the presence of this Wronged One and the
glances of Our loving-kindness and compassion are directed
towards thee.
Great is the station of man. Great must also be his
endeavours for the rehabilitation of the world and the well-being
of nations. I beseech the One true God to graciously
confirm thee in that which beseemeth man's station.
Be thou guided by wisdom under all conditions, inasmuch
as persons who harbour evil motives have been and
are still diligently engaged in intriguing. Gracious God!
Unto that immeasurably exalted Being Who seeketh
naught but to foster the spirit of love and fellowship
amongst men, and to revive the world and ennoble its life,
they have imputed such charges as the tongue and the pen
are ashamed to recount.
+P175
We have remembered thee and make mention of thee
now. We entreat Him--exalted is His glory--to protect
thee with the hands of might and power and enable thee to
recognize that which will serve thy best interests both in
this world and in the next. He is the Lord of Mankind, the
Possessor of the Throne on High and of the world below.
No God is there besides Him, the Omnipotent, the Powerful.
God grant that this Wronged One may observe fidelity.
He hath not forgotten nor will He ever forget thee.
Thou hast mentioned thine intention to stay in Damascus
until spring, then to proceed to Mosul, should the means be
forthcoming. This lowly servant entreateth God--exalted
is His glory--to provide such means as is deemed expedient,
and to aid thee. He is Potent and Powerful.
Although all the inhabitants of this region have been
treated with the utmost kindness, yet no evidence of fellowship
can be discerned from them. Thou shouldst observe
much tact and wisdom, for they seek at all times to cavil at and
deny the Cause. May the One true God grant them equity.
Concerning thine own affairs, if thou wouldst content
thyself with whatever might come to pass it would be
praiseworthy. To engage in some profession is highly commendable,
for when occupied with work one is less likely
to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life. God willing thou
mayest experience joy and radiance, gladness and exultation
in any city or land where thou mayest happen to sojourn.
This lowly servant will never forget that distinguished and
kind friend. He hath remembered and will continue to
remember thee. The decree lieth with God, the Lord of all
worlds. I fain would hope He may vouchsafe divine assistance
and grant confirmation in that which is pleasing and
acceptable unto Him.
Every word of thy poetry is indeed like unto a mirror in
+P176
which the evidences of the devotion and love thou cherishest
for God and His chosen ones are reflected. Well is it with
thee who hast quaffed the choice wine of utterance and
partaken of the soft flowing stream of true knowledge.
Happy is he who hath drunk his fill and attained unto Him
and woe betide the heedless. Its perusal hath truly proved
highly impressive, for it was indicative of both the light of
reunion and the fire of separation.
Far be it from us to despair at any time of the incalculable
favours of God, for if it were His wish He could cause a
mere atom to be transformed into a sun and a single drop
into an ocean. He unlocketh thousands of doors, while man
is incapable of conceiving even a single one.
So heedless is this servant that with words such as these
he seeketh to vindicate the supreme power of God--
exalted be His glory. I implore pardon of God, the Most
Great, for these assertions and affirm that this servant at all
times recognizeth his grievous trespasses and misdeeds. He
entreateth remission of his sins from the ocean of the
forgiveness of his Lord, the Most Exalted, and beggeth for
that which will make him wholly devoted to God and
enable him to utter His praise, turn himself toward Him
and to put his whole trust in Him. Verily He is the Potent,
the Forgiving, the Merciful. Praised be God, the Almighty,
the All-Knowing.
This lowly one hath read the descriptions of the dialogue
with the traveller which thou hast recounted in thy letter to
my Lord, may my life be offered up for His sake. The
explanations which were set forth awaken the people from
the slumber of heedlessness. Indeed the actions of man
himself breed a profusion of satanic power. For were men
to abide by and observe the divine teachings, every trace of
evil would be banished from the face of the earth. However,
+P177
the widespread differences that exist among mankind and
the prevalence of sedition, contention, conflict and the like
are the primary factors which provoke the appearance of
the satanic spirit. Yet the Holy Spirit hath ever shunned
such matters. A world in which naught can be perceived
save strife, quarrels and corruption is bound to become the
seat of the throne, the very metropolis, of Satan.
How vast the number of the loved and chosen ones of
God who have lamented and moaned by day and by night
that haply a sweet and fragrant breeze might blow from the
court of His good-pleasure and dispel altogether the loathsome
and foul-smelling odours from the world. However,
this ultimate goal could not be attained, and men were
deprived thereof by virtue of their evil deeds, which
brought upon them the retribution of God, in accordance
with the basic principles of His divine rule. Ours is the duty
to remain patient in these circumstances until relief be
forthcoming from God, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord of all beings and
Desire of all created things! I beseech Thee, by the Word
which hath caused the Burning Bush to lift up its Voice and
the Rock to cry out, whereby the well-favoured have
hastened to attain the court of Thy presence and the pure
in heart the dayspring of the light of Thy countenance, and
by the sighing of Thy true lovers in their separation from
Thy chosen ones and by the lamentation of them that long
to behold Thy face before the dawning splendour of the
light of Thy Revelation, to graciously enable Thy servants
to recognize what Thou hast ordained for them by Thy
bounty and Thy grace. Prescribe for them then through
Thy Pen of Glory that which will direct their steps to the
ocean of Thy generosity and will lead them unto the living
waters of Thy heavenly reunion.
+P178
O Lord! Look not at the things they have wrought,
rather look unto the loftiness of Thy celestial bounty which
hath preceded all created things, visible and invisible. O
Lord! Illumine their hearts with the effulgent light of Thy
knowledge and brighten their eyes with the shining
splendour of the day-star of Thy favours.
I entreat Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of the
heavens, by the blood spilt in Thy Path, and by the heads
carried aloft on spears for the sake of Thy love, and by the
souls that have melted in their separation from Thy loved
ones, and by the hearts broken for the exaltation of Thy
Word, to grant that the dwellers of Thy realm may unite
together in their allegiance to Thine incomparable Word
so that they may all acknowledge Thy unity and Thy oneness.
There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Most
Exalted, the Knowing, the Wise.
I fain would hope that He Who is the All-Sufficing, the
Inaccessible, may heed the solicitation of this lowly servant,
may attire the people of the world with the raiment of
goodly deeds and purge them from evil inclinations. He is
the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise, the All-Perceiving.
He heareth and seeth; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
+P179
12
&SURIY-I-VAFA+F1
(Tablet to &Vafa)
+F1 &Muhammad &Husayn, one of the early believers of &Shiraz, surnamed
+F1 `&Vafa' (Fidelity) by &Baha'u'llah.
+P180
+P181
He is the All-Knowing
O &VAFA! Render thanks unto thy Lord for having
aided thee to embrace His Cause, enabled thee
to recognize the Manifestation of His Own
Self and raised thee up to magnify Him Who is
the Most Great Remembrance in this glorious Announcement.
Blessed art thou O &Vafa, inasmuch as thou hast been
faithful to the Covenant of God and His Testament at a
time when all men have violated it and have repudiated the
One in Whom they had believed, and this notwithstanding
that He hath appeared invested with every testimony, and
hath dawned from the horizon of Revelation clothed with
undoubted sovereignty.
It behoveth thee, however, to exert thine utmost to
attain the very essence of fidelity. This implieth to be well
assured in thy heart and to testify with thy tongue to that
whereunto God hath testified for His Own exalted Self,
proclaiming: `Verily, self-subsisting am I within the Realm
of Glory.' Whoso is enabled in these days to solemnly affirm
this truth, hath attained unto all good, and the heavenly
Spirit shall descend upon him in the daytime and in the
night season, shall graciously assist him to glorify the
Name of his Lord and suffer him to unloose his tongue and
uphold with his words the Cause of his Lord, the Merciful,
the Compassionate. And none can ever achieve this except
+P182
he who hath purged his heart from whatsoever is created
between heaven and earth, and hath entirely detached himself
from all but God, the sovereign Lord, the Almighty,
the Gracious.
Arise thou to serve the Cause and say: I swear by the
righteousness of God! Verily this is the Primal Point,
arrayed in His new attire and manifested in His glorious
Name. He at present beholdeth everything from this
Horizon. Indeed He is supreme over all things. Amongst
the Concourse on High He is known as the Most Great
Announcement and in the Realms of Eternity as the
Ancient Beauty, and before the Throne by this Name+F1
which hath caused the footsteps of them that are endued
with understanding to slip.
Say, I swear by God! In this Revelation even before a
single verse was sent down from the realm of holiness and
sublimity, the supreme testimony of God had been fulfilled
for all the inmates of heaven and the dwellers on earth;
moreover, We have revealed the equivalent of whatsoever
was sent down in the Dispensation of the &Bayan. Fear ye
God and suffer not your deeds to be rendered vain and be
not of them that are sunk in heedlessness. Open your eyes
that ye may behold the Ancient Beauty from this shining
and luminous station.
Say, God is my witness! The Promised One Himself
hath come down from heaven, seated upon the crimson
cloud with the hosts of revelation on His right, and the
angels of inspiration on His left, and the Decree hath been
fulfilled at the behest of God, the Omnipotent, the
Almighty. Thereupon the footsteps of everyone have
slipped except such as God hath protected through His
tender mercy and numbered with those who have recognized
+F1 The Most Great Name.
+P183
Him through His Own Self and detached themselves
from all that pertaineth to the world.
Hearken thou unto the Words of thy Lord and purify
thy heart from every illusion so that the effulgent light of
the remembrance of thy Lord may shed its radiance upon
it, and it may attain the station of certitude.
Know thou moreover that thy letter reached Our
presence and We perceived and perused its contents. We
noted the questions thou hast asked and will readily answer
thee. It behoveth everyone in this Day to ask God that
which he desireth, and thy Lord will heed his petition with
wondrous and undeniable verses.
Thou hast asked regarding the subject of the return.
Know thou that the end is like unto the beginning. Even as
thou dost consider the beginning, similarly shouldst thou
consider the end, and be of them that truly perceive. Nay,
rather consider the beginning as the end itself, and so conversely,
that thou mayest acquire a clear perception. Know
thou moreover that every created thing is continually
brought forth and returned at the bidding of thy Lord, the
God of power and might.
As to the Return, as God hath purposed in His sacred and
exalted Tablets wherein He hath made this theme known
unto His servants; by this is meant the return of all created
things in the Day of Resurrection, and this is indeed the
essence of the Return as thou hast witnessed in God's own
days and thou art of them that testify to this truth.
Verily God is fully capable of causing all names to appear
in one name, and all souls in one soul. Surely powerful and
mighty is He. And this Return is realized at His behest in
whatever form He willeth. Indeed He is the One Who
doeth and ordaineth all things. Moreover, thou shouldst not
perceive the fulfilment of the Return and the Resurrection
+P184
save in the Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
For instance, were He to take a handful of earth
and declare it to be the One Whom ye have been following
in the past, it would undoubtedly be just and true, even as
His real Person, and to none is given the right to question
His authority. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth
whatsoever He pleaseth. Moreover, in this station take thou
heed not to turn thy gaze unto limitations and allusions, but
rather unto that whereby the Revelation itself hath been
fulfilled and be of them that are discerning. Thus do We
explain for thee in a lucid and explicit language that thou
mayest comprehend that which thou didst seek from thine
ancient Lord.
Consider thou the Day of Resurrection. Were God to
pronounce the lowliest of creatures among the faithful to
be the First One to believe in the &Bayan, thou shouldst have
no misgivings about it and must be of them that truly
believe. In this station look not upon human limitations
and names but rather upon that whereby the rank of the
First One to believe is vindicated, which is faith in God,
and recognition of His Being and assurance in the fulfilment
of His irresistible and binding command.
Consider thou the Revelation of the Point of the &Bayan
--exalted is His glory. He pronounced the First One+F1 to
believe in Him to be &Muhammad, the Messenger of God.
Doth it beseem a man to dispute with Him by saying that
this man is from Persia, the Other from Arabia, or this one
was called &Husayn while the Other bore the name of
&Muhammad? Nay, I swear by God's holy Being, the
Exalted, the Most Great. Surely no man of intelligence and
insight would ever pay attention unto limitations or names,
but rather unto that with which &Muhammad was invested,
+F1 &Mulla &Husayn.
+P185
which was none other than the Cause of God. Such a
man of insight would likewise consider &Husayn and the
position he occupied in the Cause of God, the Omnipotent,
the Exalted, the Knowing, the Wise. And since the First
One to believe in God in the Dispensation of the &Bayan
was invested with command similar to that with which
&Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was invested, therefore
the &Bab pronounced him to be the latter, namely His
return and resurrection. This station is sanctified from every
limitation or name, and naught can be seen therein but
God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing.
Know thou moreover that in the Day of Revelation
were He to pronounce one of the leaves to be the manifestation
of all His excellent titles, unto no one is given the right
to utter why or wherefore, and should one do so he would
be regarded as a disbeliever in God and be numbered with
such as have repudiated His Truth.
Beware, beware lest thou behave like unto the people of
the &Bayan. For indeed they erred grievously, misguided the
people, ignored the Covenant of God and His Testament
and joined partners with Him, the One, the Incomparable,
the All-Knowing. Verily they failed to recognize the Point
of the &Bayan, for had they recognized Him they would not
have rejected His manifestation in this luminous and
resplendent Being. And since they fixed their eyes on
names, therefore when He replaced His Name `the Most
Exalted' by `the Most Glorious' their eyes were dimmed.
They have failed to recognize Him in these days and are
reckoned with those that perish. Indeed, had they known
Him through His own Self or by virtue of that which He
hath revealed, they would not have repudiated Him when
He appeared in this glorious and incomparable Name, which
God hath ordained to be the Sword of His Revelation
+P186
between heaven and earth, and through which truth is
separated from error, even from now until the Day when
mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.
Know thou moreover that in the Day of His Manifestation
all things besides God shall be brought forth and placed
equally, irrespective of their rank being high or low. The
Day of Return is inscrutable unto all men until after the
divine Revelation hath been fulfilled. He is in truth the
One Who ordaineth whatsoever He willeth. When the
Word of God is revealed unto all created things whoso
then giveth ear and heedeth the Call is, indeed, reckoned
among the most distinguished souls, though he be a carrier
of ashes. And he who turneth away is accounted as
the lowliest of His servants, though he be a ruler amongst
men and the possessor of all the books that are in the heavens
and on earth.
It behoveth thee to look with divine insight upon the
things We have revealed and sent unto thee and not
towards the people and that which is current amongst
them. They are in this day like unto a blind man who,
while moving in the sunshine, demandeth: Where is the
sun? Is it shining? He would deny and dispute the truth,
and would not be of them that perceive. Never shall he be
able to discern the sun or to understand that which hath
intervened between him and it. He would object within
himself, voice protests, and would be among the rebellious.
Such is the state of this people. Leave them unto themselves,
saying: Unto you be that which ye desire and unto
us that which we desire. Wretched indeed is the plight of
the ungodly.
Know thou moreover that the former Manifestation
affirmed that the return and rising of the spirits would occur
on the Day of Resurrection, while in truth there is a return
+P187
and resurrection for every created thing. However We do
not wish to mention aught that is not set forth in the &Bayan,
lest perchance the people of malice raise a great outcry. O
would that that which interveneth between the children of
men and their Creator were dispelled that they might be
enabled to behold God's invincible sovereignty and dominion,
quaff from the wellspring of His heavenly streams, be
sprinkled with the outpourings of the ocean of true understanding
and be purged from the defilements of the ungodly
and the suspicious.
As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know
thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their
number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or
comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Consider thy state when asleep. Verily, I say, this
phenomenon is the most mysterious of the signs of God
amongst men, were they to ponder it in their hearts.
Behold how the thing which thou hast seen in thy dream is,
after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had the
world in which thou didst find thyself in thy dream been
identical with the world in which thou livest, it would have
been necessary for the event occurring in that dream to
have transpired in this world at the very moment of its
occurrence. Were it so, you yourself would have borne
witness unto it. This being not the case, however, it must
necessarily follow that the world in which thou livest is
different and apart from that which thou hast experienced
in thy dream. This latter world hath neither beginning nor
end. It would be true if thou wert to contend that this same
world is, as decreed by the All-Glorious and Almighty God,
within thy proper self and is wrapped up within thee. It
would equally be true to maintain that thy spirit, having
transcended the limitations of sleep and having stripped
+P188
itself of all earthly attachment, hath, by the act of God,
been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the
innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation of
God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures
apart from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath
ordained things which none can search except Himself, the
All-Searching, the All-Wise. Do thou meditate on that
which We have revealed unto thee, that thou mayest
discover the purpose of God, thy Lord, and the Lord of all
worlds. In these words the mysteries of Divine Wisdom
have been treasured. We have refrained from dwelling
upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath encompassed
Us from the actions of them that have been created
through Our words, if ye be of them that will hearken
unto Our Voice.
Where is the one who can help Me and shield Me from
the swords of these faithless souls? Where is the man of
insight who will behold the Words of God with his own
eyes and rid himself of the opinions and notions of the
peoples of the earth?
O servant! Warn thou the servants of God not to reject
that which they do not comprehend. Say, implore God to
open to your hearts the portals of true understanding that
ye may be apprised of that of which no one is apprised.
Verily, He is the Giver, the Forgiving, the Compassionate.
Thou hast moreover asked Me concerning the ordinances
of God. Know thou of a truth that whatsoever hath been
prescribed in the Book is indeed the truth, no doubt is
there about it, and it is incumbent upon everyone to
observe that which hath been sent down by Him Who is
the Revealer, the All-Knowing. Were a man to put them
away despite his being aware thereof, God would truly be
clear of such a one and We too would be clear of him,
+P189
inasmuch as His ordinances constitute the fruits of the
divine Tree and none other than the heedless and the
wayward will deviate therefrom.
As to Paradise: It is a reality and there can be no doubt
about it, and now in this world it is realized through love
of Me and My good-pleasure. Whosoever attaineth unto
it God will aid him in this world below, and after death
He will enable him to gain admittance into Paradise whose
vastness is as that of heaven and earth. Therein the Maids
of glory and holiness will wait upon him in the daytime
and in the night season, while the day-star of the unfading
beauty of his Lord will at all times shed its radiance upon
him and he will shine so brightly that no one shall bear
to gaze at him. Such is the dispensation of Providence,
yet the people are shut out by a grievous veil. Likewise
apprehend thou the nature of hell-fire and be of them that
truly believe. For every act performed there shall be a
recompense according to the estimate of God, and unto
this the very ordinances and prohibitions prescribed by
the Almighty amply bear witness. For surely if deeds were
not rewarded and yielded no fruit, then the Cause of God
--exalted is He--would prove futile. Immeasurably high
is He exalted above such blasphemies! However, unto them
that are rid of all attachments a deed is, verily, its own
reward. Were We to enlarge upon this theme numerous
Tablets would need to be written.
I swear by the righteousness of the One true God! The
Pen is unable to move by reason of that which hath befallen
its Lord, and it weepeth sore, and so do I weep, and likewise
weepeth the eye of Him Who is the Essence of
Grandeur behind the Tabernacle of Names while seated on
the Throne of His glorious Name.
Purge thou thy heart that We may cause fountains of
+P190
wisdom and utterance to gush out therefrom, thus enabling
thee to raise thy voice among all mankind. Unloose thy
tongue and proclaim the truth for the sake of the remembrance
of thy merciful Lord. Be not afraid of anyone,
place thy whole trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
Say, O people, fulfil whatever ye understand of
the Persian &Bayan and whatever ye understand not ask this
unerring Remembrance that He may set forth clearly that
which God hath intended in His Book, for in truth He
knoweth that which is enshrined in the &Bayan by virtue of
the Will of Him Who is the Omnipotent, the Powerful.
Thou hast enquired about the warning We gave to the
people at the time of Our departure from &Iraq to the effect
that when the Sun disappeareth from sight, birds of darkness
will be in motion and the standards of &Samiri+F1 will be
reared high. I swear by God! Those birds have stirred in
these days and &Samiri hath raised his clamour. Well is it
with him who recognizeth and is numbered with men of
understanding. We have also warned them against the
appearance of the calf. God is My witness! All Our warnings
have come to pass, as indeed, they are bound to,
inasmuch as they have issued from the fingers of glory and
might. Beseech thou God to protect thee from the mischief
of these men and to purify thee from the insinuations of the
froward. Strengthen thy loins then for the promotion of
the Cause and pay no attention unto the words uttered by
the people of the &Bayan, for they are truly incapable of
understanding and have failed to comprehend the essence
of the Cause as is revealed in this august, this Most Great
Announcement. Thus have We inspired thee, and infused
into thy heart that which will make thee independent of the
allusions of mankind.
+F1 The maker of the Golden Calf. See &Qur'an 20:87-98.
+P191
The glory of God be upon thee and upon them that give
ear unto the words thou dost utter for the love of God, thy
Lord, and remain steadfast in His Cause. All praise be unto
God, the Lord of the worlds.
+P192
+P193
13
&LAWH-I-SIYYID-I-MIHDIY-I-DAHAJI
(Tablet to Siyyid &Mihdiy-i-Dahaji)
+P194
+P195
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted,
the Most High
O MY Name!+F1 Yield thou praise unto God for
having graciously chosen thee to be a shower of
bounty for that which We have sown in the pure
and blessed soil and enabled thee to serve as a
springtime of tender mercy for the wondrous and sublime
trees We have planted. Indeed so great is this favour that of
all created things in the world of existence, none can ever
hope to rival it. We have moreover given thee to drink the
choice wine of utterance from the chalice of the heavenly
bestowals of thy merciful Lord, which is none other than
this Tongue of holiness--a Tongue that, as soon as it was
unloosed, quickened the entire creation, set in motion all
beings and caused the Nightingale to pour forth its
melodies. This is the Fountain of living water for all that
dwell in the realm of being.
Oftentimes have We wafted upon thee the sweet savours
of the All-Merciful from this Branch which moveth over
the Tablet of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. By
the righteousness of the One true God! Were all created
things, visible and invisible, to direct themselves towards
+F1 Siyyid &Mihdiy-i-Dahaji, to whom this Tablet was addressed,
+F1 had been given by &Baha'u'llah the title &Ismu'llahi'l-Mihdi, `The
+F1 Name of God, &Mihdi'. He later broke the Covenant. (See God
+F1 Passes By, page 319.)
+P196
Him, thou wouldst find them winging their flight unto the
Supreme Goal, the Spot wherein the divine Lote-Tree
exclaimeth: Verily, no God is there but Me, the Almighty,
the All-Bountiful.
Great is thy blessedness, inasmuch as thou hast been
journeying throughout the lands of God, and been the
embodiment of joy and assurance for the people of &Baha
who have renounced all else but Him, and set their hearts
towards this Court which hath shed its radiance upon all
realms, and sprinkled them with the surging waters of this
Ocean wherewith thou thyself hast been sprinkled--an
Ocean which hath encompassed all created things.
Indeed thou didst grasp the significance of rendering
assistance unto God and didst arise to achieve this through
the power of wisdom and utterance. Say: To assist Me is to
teach My Cause. This is a theme with which whole Tablets
are laden. This is the changeless commandment of God,
eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Comprehend this,
O ye men of insight. They that have passed beyond the
bounds of wisdom fail to understand the meaning of assisting
God as set forth in the Book. Say: Fear ye God and sow
not the seeds of dissension amongst men. Observe ye that
which hath been enjoined upon you by your Lord, the
Almighty, the All-Knowing. He knoweth the reality of
victory and hath taught it to you with an utterance that the
vain imaginings of them that rove distraught in the wilderness
of doubt can never corrupt.
O My Name! Suffer all created things to quaff once
again from this chalice which hath caused the seas to rise.
Kindle then in the hearts the blazing fire which this
crimson Tree hath ignited, that they may arise to extol and
magnify His Name amidst the adherents of all Faiths.
Numerous letters from thee have been presented before
+P197
Our Throne. We have perused them as a token of grace on
Our part, and for each name thou didst mention therein
We have revealed that which will stir the minds of men and
will cause the spirits to soar. Moreover We have repeatedly
enabled thee to hearken unto the warblings of the birds of
heaven and to incline thine ear to the songs of the nightingales
pouring forth their melodies upon the branches. Thus
was the Pen of God set in motion in thy remembrance that
thou mightest admonish men through the power of this
utterance which is divinely ordained to be the revealer of
the signs of His glory.
Blessed is the spot wherein the anthem of His praise is
raised, and blessed the ear that hearkeneth unto that which
hath been sent down from the heaven of the loving-kindness
of thy Lord, the All-Merciful.
Exhort thou the servants of God unto that whereunto
We have exhorted thee that they may abstain from whatsoever
is forbidden them in the Mother Book. Those who
perpetrate deeds that would create turmoil among the
people have indeed strayed far from helping God and His
Cause and are numbered with the mischief-makers in the
Tablet which God hath designated to be the dawning-place
of all Tablets.
Say: If it be Our pleasure We shall render the Cause
victorious through the power of a single word from Our
presence. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the All-Compelling.
Should it be God's intention, there would appear out
of the forests of celestial might the lion of indomitable
strength whose roaring is like unto the peals of thunder
reverberating in the mountains. However, since Our loving
providence surpasseth all things, We have ordained that
complete victory should be achieved through speech and
utterance, that Our servants throughout the earth may
+P198
thereby become the recipients of divine good. This is but a
token of God's bounty vouchsafed unto them. Verily thy
Lord is the All-Sufficing, the Most Exalted.
Say: Fear ye God and commit not such deeds as would
cause My loved ones on earth to lament. Thus biddeth you
this Pen which hath set the Pen of Glory in motion within
the arena of wisdom and true understanding.
Convey My greetings unto those whose faces mirror
forth the radiance of &Baha, then mention to them this
utterance which cheereth the eyes of the righteous. The
glory of God rest upon thee and upon such as have firmly
clung to the Cord of God, the Revealer of verses....
Restrain thou the inhabitants of those regions from
provocative acts, from strife, dissension or aught else that
would create trouble. That which is praiseworthy in these
days is the promotion of the Cause. For instance if those
people who pursue certain aims were to dedicate themselves
to the teaching of the Cause, all the dwellers of those
regions would, ere long, be invested with the mantle of
faith.
Should anyone perceive the sweetness of the following
passage in the Tablet revealed in honour of &Nabil of
&Qa'in,+F1 he would readily comprehend the significance of
assistance: Human utterance is an essence which aspireth to
exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its
influence, this is conditional upon refinement, which in
turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure.
As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact
and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and
Tablets.
O My Name! Utterance must needs possess penetrating
power. For if bereft of this quality it would fail to exert
+F1 &Nabil-i-Akbar. See p. 135.
+P199
influence. And this penetrating influence dependeth on the
spirit being pure and the heart stainless. Likewise it needeth
moderation, without which the hearer would be unable to
bear it, rather he would manifest opposition from the very
outset. And moderation will be obtained by blending
utterance with the tokens of divine wisdom which are
recorded in the sacred Books and Tablets. Thus when the
essence of one's utterance is endowed with these two
requisites it will prove highly effective and will be the prime
factor in transforming the souls of men. This is the station
of supreme victory and celestial dominion. Whoso attaineth
thereto is invested with the power to teach the Cause of
God and to prevail over the hearts and minds of men.
O My Name! The Day-Star of utterance, shining
resplendent from the dayspring of divine Revelation, hath
so illumined the Scrolls and Tablets that the kingdom of
utterance and the exalted dominion of understanding
vibrate with joy and ecstasy and shine forth with the
splendour of His light, yet the generality of mankind
comprehend not.
The reason why the subject of aid and assistance hath
time and again streamed and will continue to stream from
the Pen of Providence is to warn the friends of God lest
they engage in activities that would give rise to strife and
turmoil. It is incumbent upon them, one and all, to
diligently seek ways to help the Cause of God in such
manner as We have explained. This is but a token of His
grace especially conferred upon His loved ones that every
one of them may attain the station characterized by the
words: `Whoso quickeneth a soul hath verily quickened
all mankind.'
Temporal ascendancy hath been and will continue to be
under the shadow of this station. Its appointed hour is pre-ordained
+P200
in the Book of God. He is truly cognizant thereof
and it will be manifested through the potency of His might.
Verily He is the Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Omnipotent,
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their
hearts regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of
the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize
phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that
in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses
whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy
verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest
talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will
have no cause for vacillation. I swear by My life! This
Revelation is endowed with such a power that it will act as
the lodestone for all nations and kindreds of the earth.
Should one pause to meditate attentively he would
recognize that no place is there, nor can there be, for anyone
to flee to.
In such manner hath the &Kitab-i-Aqdas been revealed
that it attracteth and embraceth all the divinely appointed
Dispensations. Blessed those who peruse it. Blessed those
who apprehend it. Blessed those who meditate upon it.
Blessed those who ponder its meaning. So vast is its range
that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it.
Ere long will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence
and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth.
Verily, thy God is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
O My Name! Hearken thou unto My Voice coming
from the direction of My Throne. He wisheth to make
mention of thy name at all times inasmuch as thou hast
proved thyself steadfast in extolling His virtues amongst
men. Indeed thy Lord loveth fidelity as found in the realm
of creation, and He hath given it precedence over most of
+P201
the praiseworthy qualities. Verily, He is Potent and
Powerful.
Know thou moreover that We have heard the praise
thou hast uttered in thy communion with God, thy Lord,
the Exalted, the Gracious. Great indeed is the blessedness
awaiting thee, inasmuch as thou hast curtailed thine own
affairs in favour of this inviolable, this mighty and enlightened
Cause. We entreat God to make thy call a magnet
which will attract the embodiments of names in the world
of existence that all beings may spontaneously hasten to
heed it. No God is there besides Him, the Exalted, the
Pre-Eminent, the Ever-Blessed, the Sublime, the Most
August, the Most Glorious, the Most Bountiful, the All-Knowing,
the All-Informed.
+P202
+P203
14
&LAWH-I-BURHAN
(Tablet of the Proof)
This Tablet was revealed after the martyrdom of the King
of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs (see God Passes By
pages 200-201) and was addressed to &Shaykh &Muhammad
&Baqir, denounced by &Baha'u'llah as the `Wolf'. In this
Tablet &Baha'u'llah refers to &Mir &Muhammad &Husayn, the
&Imam Jum'ih of &Isfahan, surnamed the `She-Serpent', who
was &Shaykh &Muhammad &Baqir's accomplice in the persecution
of the &Baha'is. (See God Passes By, pages 198, 200-201
and 219). The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf was
addressed to &Shaykh &Muhammad &Taqiy-i-Najafi, the son
of &Shaykh &Muhammad &Baqir.
+P204
+P205
HE is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!
The winds of hatred have encompassed
the Ark of &Batha,+F1 by reason of that which the
hands of the oppressors have wrought. O &Baqir!
Thou hast pronounced sentence against them for whom the
books of the world have wept, and in whose favour the
scriptures of all religions have testified. Thou, who art gone
far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick veil. By God Himself!
Thou hast pronounced judgement against them through
whom the horizon of faith hath been illumined. Unto this
bear witness They Who are the Dawning-Places of Revelation
and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy Lord, the
Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that
They possessed in His straight Path. The Faith of God hath
cried everywhere, by reason of thy tyranny, and yet thou
disportest thyself and art of them that exult. There is no
hatred in Mine heart for thee nor for anyone. Every man of
learning beholdeth thee, and such as are like thee, engulfed
in evident folly. Hadst thou realized that which thou hast
done, thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire, or
abandoned thine home and fled into the mountains, or
wouldst have groaned until thou hadst returned unto the
place destined for thee by Him Who is the Lord of strength
and of might. O thou who art even as nothing! Rend thou
asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings, that
thou mayest behold the Day-Star of knowledge shining
+F1 Mecca.
+P206
from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a
remnant of the Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou
hadst helped the Faith of God. Thus hath thy soul prompted
thee, and thou art truly one of the heedless. Thine act hath
consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high, and those
of such as have circled round the Cause of God, the Lord
of the worlds. The soul of the Chaste One+F1 melted, by
reason of thy cruelty, and the inmates of Paradise wept sore
in that blessed Spot.
Judge thou fairly, I adjure thee by God. What proof did
the Jewish doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him
Who was the Spirit of God,+F2 when He came unto them
with truth? What could have been the evidence produced
by the Pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify their
denial of &Muhammad, the Apostle of God when He came
unto them with a Book that judged between truth and
falsehood with a justice which turned into light the darkness
of the earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as had
known Him? Indeed thou hast produced, in this day, the
same proofs which the foolish divines advanced in that age.
Unto this testifieth He Who is the King of the realm of
grace in this great Prison. Thou hast, truly, walked in their
ways, nay, hast surpassed them in their cruelty, and hast
deemed thyself to be helping the Faith and defending the
Law of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By Him
Who is the Truth! Thine iniquity hath made Gabriel to
groan, and hath drawn tears from the Law of God, through
which the breezes of justice have been wafted over all who
are in heaven and on earth. Hast thou fondly imagined that
the judgement thou didst pronounce hath profited thee?
Nay, by Him Who is the King of all Names! Unto thy loss
+F1 &Fatimih, daughter of &Muhammad.
+F2 Jesus.
+P207
testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all things as
recorded in the preserved Tablet. When thou didst pen thy
judgement, thou wast accused by thy very pen. Unto this
doth bear witness the Pen of God, the Most High, in His
inaccessible station.
O thou who hast gone astray! Thou hast neither seen
Me, nor associated with Me, nor been My companion for
the fraction of a moment. How is it, then, that thou hast
bidden men to curse Me? Didst thou, in this, follow the
promptings of thine own desires, or didst thou obey thy
Lord? Produce thou a sign, if thou art one of the truthful.
We testify that thou hast cast behind thy back the Law of
God, and laid hold on the dictates of thy passions. Nothing,
in truth, escapeth His knowledge; He, verily, is the Incomparable,
the All-Informed. O heedless one! Hearken
unto that which the Merciful hath revealed in the &Qur'an:
`Say not to every one who meeteth you with a greeting,
"Thou art not a believer."'+F1 Thus hath He decreed in
Whose grasp are the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation,
if thou be of them that hearken. Thou hast set aside
the commandment of God, and clung unto the promptings
of thine own desire. Woe, then, unto thee, O careless one
that doubtest! If thou deniest Me, by what proof canst
thou vindicate the truth of that which thou dost possess?
Produce it, then, O thou who hast joined partners with
God, and turned aside from His sovereignty that hath encompassed
the worlds!
O foolish one! Know thou that he is truly learned who
hath acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the
Ocean of My knowledge, and soared in the atmosphere of
My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and taken firm
hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom
+F1 &Qur'an 4:96.
+P208
of My wondrous utterance. He, verily, is even as an eye
unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all
creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened
him, and caused him to arise and serve His great
and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is blessed by the
Concourse on high, and by them who dwell within the
Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine
in My Name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. O
&Baqir! If thou be of them that occupy such a sublime
station, produce then a sign from God, the Creator of the
heavens. And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do
thou rein in thy passions, and return unto thy Lord, that
perchance He may forgive thee thy sins which have caused
the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree to be burnt up, and the
Rock to cry out, and the eyes of men of understanding to
weep. Because of thee the Veil of Divinity was rent
asunder, and the Ark foundered, and the She-Camel was
hamstrung, and the Spirit+F1 groaned in His sublime retreat.
Disputest thou with Him Who hath come unto thee with
the testimonies of God and His signs which thou possessest
and which are in the possession of them that dwell on
earth? Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold this
Wronged One shining forth above the horizon of the will
of God, the Sovereign, the Truth, the Resplendent. Unstop,
then, the ear of thine heart that thou mayest hearken
unto the speech of the Divine Lote-Tree that hath been
raised up in truth by God, the Almighty, the Beneficent.
Verily, this Tree, notwithstanding the things that befell it
by reason of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such
as are like thee, calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto
the &Sadratu'l-Muntaha+F2 and the Supreme Horizon. Blessed
+F1 Jesus.
+F2 The Sacred Lote-Tree, the Tree beyond which there is no
+F2 passing (See &Qur'an 53:8-18). A symbol of the Manifestation of
+F2 God. (See God Passes By p. 94.)
+P209
is the soul that hath gazed on the Most Mighty Sign, and
the ear that hath heard His most sweet Voice, and woe to
whosoever hath turned aside and done wickedly.
O thou who hast turned away from God! Wert thou to
look with the eye of fairness upon the Divine Lote-Tree,
thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy sword on its
boughs, and its branches, and its leaves, notwithstanding
that God created thee for the purpose of recognizing and
of serving it. Reflect, that haply thou mayest recognize
thine iniquity and be numbered with such as have repented.
Thinkest thou that We fear thy cruelty? Know thou and
be well assured that from the first day whereon the voice of
the Most Sublime Pen was raised betwixt earth and heaven
We offered up Our souls, and Our bodies, and Our sons,
and Our possessions in the path of God, the Exalted, the
Great, and We glory therein amongst all created things and
the Concourse on high. Unto this testify the things which
have befallen Us in this straight Path. By God! Our hearts
were consumed, and Our bodies were crucified, and Our
blood was spilt, while Our eyes were fixed on the horizon
of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness, the All-Seeing.
The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed
the love of the people of &Baha. Unto their sincerity hath
borne witness what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the
&Qur'an. He saith: `Wish ye, then, for death, if ye are
sincere.'+F1 Who is to be preferred, he that hath sheltered
himself behind curtains, or he that hath offered himself in
the path of God? Judge thou fairly, and be not of them that
rove distraught in the wilderness of falsehood. So carried
+F1 &Qur'an 2:88.
+P210
away have they been by the living waters of the love of the
Most Merciful, that neither the arms of the world nor the
swords of the nations have deterred them from setting their
faces towards the ocean of the bounty of their Lord, the
Giver, the Generous.
By God! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and the
repudiation of the divines hath been powerless to weaken
Me. I have spoken, and still speak forth before the face of
men: `The door of grace hath been unlocked and He Who
is the Dayspring of Justice is come with perspicuous signs
and evident testimonies, from God, the Lord of strength
and of might!' Present thyself before Me that thou mayest
hear the mysteries which were heard by the Son of &Imran+F1
upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus commandeth thee He
Who is the Dawning-Place of the Revelation of thy Lord,
the God of Mercy, from His great Prison.
Hath leadership made thee proud? Peruse thou what God
hath revealed to the Sovereign ruler, the &Sultan of Turkey,
who hath incarcerated Me in this fortified stronghold, so
that thou mayest be informed of the condition of this
Wronged One, as decreed by God, the One, the Single,
the All-Informed. Art thou happy to see the abject and
worthless as thy followers? They support thee as did a
people before them, they that followed Annas, who, without
clear proof and testimony, pronounced judgement
against the Spirit.+F2
Peruse thou the &Kitab-i-Iqan and that which the All-Merciful
hath sent down unto the King of Paris+F3 and to
such as are like him, that thou mayest be made aware of the
things that have happened in the past, and be persuaded
+F1 Moses.
+F2 Jesus.
+F3 Napoleon III.
+P211
that We have not sought to spread disorder in the land
after it had been well-ordered. We exhort, wholly for the
sake of God, His servants. Let him who wisheth turn unto
Him, and him who wisheth turn aside. Our Lord, the
Merciful, is verily the All-Sufficing, the All-Praised. O
concourse of divines! This is the day whereon nothing
amongst all things, nor any name amongst all names, can
profit you save through this Name which God hath made
the Manifestation of His Cause and the Dayspring of His
Most Excellent Titles unto all who are in the kingdom of
creation. Blessed is that man that hath recognized the
fragrance of the All-Merciful and been numbered with the
steadfast. Your sciences shall not profit you in this day, nor
your arts, nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them all
behind your backs, and set your faces towards the Most
Sublime Word through which the Scriptures and the
Books and this lucid Tablet have been distinctly set forth.
Cast away, O concourse of divines, the things ye have
composed with the pens of your idle fancies and vain
imaginings. By God! The Day-Star of Knowledge hath
shone forth above the horizon of certitude.
O &Baqir! Read and call thou to mind that which was
said of old by a believer of thy stock: `Will ye slay a man
because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already
come to you with signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on
him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what
he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not
him who is a transgressor, a liar.'+F1
O thou who art gone astray! If thou hast any doubt
concerning Our conduct, know thou that We bear witness
unto that whereunto God hath Himself borne witness ere
the creation of the heavens and of the earth, that there is
+F1 &Qur'an 40:29.
+P212
none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.
We testify that He is One in His Essence, One in His attributes.
He hath none to equal Him in the whole universe,
nor any partner in all creation. He hath sent forth His
Messengers, and sent down His Books, that they may
announce unto His creatures the Straight Path.
Hath the &Shah been informed, and chosen to close his
eyes to thine acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the
howling of a pack of wolves who have cast the Path of God
behind their backs and followed in thy way without any
clear proof or Book? We have heard that the provinces of
Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice.
When We observed closely, however, We found them to
be the dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice.
We behold justice in the clutches of tyranny. We
beseech God to set it free through the power of His might
and His sovereignty. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is
in the heavens and on earth. To none is given the right to
protest against anyone concerning that which hath befallen
the Cause of God. It behoveth whosoever hath set his face
towards the Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously
unto the cord of patience, and to put his reliance in God,
the Help in Peril, the Unconstrained. O ye loved ones of
God! Drink your fill from the well-spring of wisdom, and
walk ye in the garden of wisdom, and soar ye in the
atmosphere of wisdom, and speak forth with wisdom and
eloquence. Thus biddeth you your Lord, the Almighty, the
All-Knowing.
O &Baqir! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou
art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top.
Soon will it fade away, as decreed by God, the All-Possessing,
the Most High. Thy glory and the glory of such
as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is
+P213
what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the
Mother Tablet. Where is he to be found who contended
with God, and whither is gone he that gainsaid His signs,
and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are they
who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His
holy ones? Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the
breaths of thine acts, O foolish doubter! Because of you
the Apostle+F1 lamented, and the Chaste One+F2 cried out, and
the countries were laid waste, and darkness fell upon all
regions. O concourse of divines! Because of you the people
were abased, and the banner of &Islam was hauled down,
and its mighty throne subverted. Every time a man of
discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which
would exalt &Islam, ye raised a clamour, and thereby was he
deterred from achieving his purpose, while the land remained
fallen in clear ruin.
Consider the &Sultan of Turkey! He did not want war,
but those like you desired it. When its fires were enkindled
and its flames rose high, the government and the people
were thereby weakened. Unto this beareth witness every
man of equity and perception. Its calamities waxed so great
that the smoke thereof surrounded the Land of Mystery+F3
and its environs, and what had been revealed in the Tablet
of the &Sultan was made manifest. Thus hath it been decreed
in the Book, at the behest of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.
O My Supreme Pen! Leave Thou the mention of the
Wolf, and call Thou to remembrance the She-Serpent+F4
whose cruelty hath caused all created things to groan, and
+F1 &Muhammad.
+F2 &Fatimih, daughter of &Muhammad.
+F3 Adrianople.
+F4 The &Imam-Jum'ih of &Isfahan, see page 203.
+P214
the limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth Thee the
Lord of all names, in this glorious station. The Chaste One+F1
hath cried out by reason of thine iniquity, and yet thou
dost imagine thyself to be of the family of the Apostle of
God! Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, O thou who hast
withdrawn thyself from God, the Lord of all that hath
been and shall be. Judge thou equitably, O She-Serpent!
For what crime didst thou sting the children+F2 of the
Apostle of God, and pillage their possessions? Hast thou
denied Him Who created thee by His command `be, and
it was'? Thou hast dealt with the children of the Apostle of
God as neither &Ad hath dealt with &Hud, nor &Thamud with
&Salih, nor the Jews with the Spirit of God,+F3 the Lord of all
being. Gainsayest thou the signs of thy Lord which no
sooner were sent down from the heaven of His Cause than
all the books of the world bowed down before them?
Meditate, that thou mayest be made aware of thine act, O
heedless outcast! Ere long will the breaths of chastisement
seize thee, as they seized others before thee. Wait, O thou
who hast joined partners with God, the Lord of the visible
and the invisible. This is the day which God hath announced
through the tongue of His Apostle. Reflect, that thou
mayest apprehend what the All-Merciful hath sent down
in the &Qur'an and in this inscribed Tablet. This is the day
whereon He Who is the Dayspring of Revelation hath
come with clear tokens which none can number. This is the
day whereon every man endued with perception hath discovered
the fragrance of the breeze of the All-Merciful in
the world of creation, and every man of insight hath
hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of His Lord,
+F1 &Fatimih.
+F2 The King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
+F3 Jesus.
+P215
the King of Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice+F1
hath been retold, and he who was to be offered up
hath directed his steps towards the place of sacrifice, and
returned not, by reason of that which thy hand hath
wrought, O perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that
martyrdom could abase this Cause? Nay, by Him Whom
God hath made to be the Repository of His Revelation, if
thou be of them that comprehend. Woe betide thee, O
thou who hast joined partners with God, and woe betide
them that have taken thee as their leader, without a clear
token or a perspicuous Book. How numerous the oppressors
before thee who have arisen to quench the light of
God, and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged
until the hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of
their cruelty! The sun of justice hath been obscured, inasmuch
as the embodiment of tyranny hath been stablished
upon the throne of hatred, and yet the people understand
not. The children of the Apostle have been slain and their
possessions pillaged. Say: Was it, in thine estimation, their
possessions or themselves that denied God? Judge fairly, O
ignorant one that hath been shut out as by a veil from God.
Thou hast clung to tyranny and cast away justice; whereupon
all created things have lamented, and still thou art
among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the aged, and
plundered the young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume
that which thine iniquity hath amassed? Nay, by
Myself! Thus informeth thee He Who is cognizant of all.
By God! The things thou possessest shall profit thee not,
nor what thou hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this
beareth witness Thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Thou hast
arisen to put out the light of this Cause; ere long will thine
own fire be quenched, at His behest. He, verily, is the Lord
+F1 Ishmael.
+P216
of strength and of might. The changes and chances of the
world, and the powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him.
He doeth what He pleaseth, and ordaineth what He willeth
through the power of His sovereignty. Consider the she-camel.
Though but a beast, yet hath the All-Merciful
exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the earth
made mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily,
overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. No
God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Great. Thus have
We adorned the heaven of Our Tablet with the suns of Our
words. Blessed the man that hath attained thereunto and
been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as
have turned aside, and denied Him, and strayed far from
Him. Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds!
+P217
15
&KITAB-I-'AHD
(Book of the Covenant)
+P218
+P219
ALTHOUGH the Realm of Glory hath none of the
vanities of the world, yet within the treasury of
trust and resignation We have bequeathed to Our
heirs an excellent and priceless heritage. Earthly
treasures We have not bequeathed, nor have We added
such cares as they entail. By God! In earthly riches fear is
hidden and peril is concealed. Consider ye and call to mind
that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the &Qur'an:
`Woe betide every slanderer and defamer, him that layeth
up riches and counteth them.'+F1 Fleeting are the riches of the
world; all that perisheth and changeth is not, and hath
never been, worthy of attention, except to a recognized
measure.
The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and
tribulations, in revealing the Holy Verses and in demonstrating
proofs hath been naught but to quench the flame of
hate and enmity, that the horizon of the hearts of men may
be illumined with the light of concord and attain real peace
and tranquillity. From the dawning-place of the divine
Tablet the day-star of this utterance shineth resplendent,
and it behoveth everyone to fix his gaze upon it: We
exhort you, O peoples of the world, to observe that which
will elevate your station. Hold fast to the fear of God and
firmly adhere to what is right. Verily I say, the tongue is
for mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly
talk. God hath forgiven what is past. Henceforward everyone
+F1 &Qur'an 104:1-2.
+P220
should utter that which is meet and seemly, and should
refrain from slander, abuse and whatever causeth sadness in
men. Lofty is the station of man! Not long ago this exalted
Word streamed forth from the treasury of Our Pen of
Glory: Great and blessed is this Day--the Day in which all
that lay latent in man hath been and will be made manifest.
Lofty is the station of man, were he to hold fast to righteousness
and truth and to remain firm and steadfast in the
Cause. In the eyes of the All-Merciful a true man appeareth
even as a firmament; its sun and moon are his sight and
hearing, and his shining and resplendent character its stars.
His is the loftiest station, and his influence educateth the
world of being.
Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the
fragrance of His garment and hath, with a pure heart, set
his face towards the all-glorious Horizon is reckoned
among the people of &Baha in the Crimson Book. Grasp ye,
in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink
then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.
O ye that dwell on earth! The religion of God is for love
and unity; make it not the cause of enmity or dissension.
In the eyes of men of insight and the beholders of the Most
Sublime Vision, whatsoever are the effective means for
safeguarding and promoting the happiness and welfare of
the children of men have already been revealed by the Pen
of Glory. But the foolish ones of the earth, being nurtured
in evil passions and desires, have remained heedless of the
consummate wisdom of Him Who is, in truth, the All-Wise,
while their words and deeds are prompted by idle
fancies and vain imaginings.
O ye the loved ones and the trustees of God! Kings are
the manifestations of the power, and the daysprings of the
might and riches, of God. Pray ye on their behalf. He hath
+P221
invested them with the rulership of the earth and hath
singled out the hearts of men as His Own domain.
Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in
His Book. This is a decree of God in this Most Great Revelation.
It is divinely preserved from annulment and is invested
by Him with the splendour of His confirmation. Verily He
is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
It is incumbent upon everyone to aid those daysprings
of authority and sources of command who are adorned
with the ornament of equity and justice. Blessed are the
rulers and the learned among the people of &Baha. They are
My trustees among My servants and the manifestations
of My commandments amidst My people. Upon them rest
My glory, My blessings and My grace which have pervaded
the world of being. In this connection the utterances
revealed in the &Kitab-i-Aqdas are such that from the
horizon of their words the light of divine grace shineth
luminous and resplendent.
O ye My Branches! A mighty force, a consummate
power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze
upon it and upon its unifying influence, and not upon the
differences which appear from it.
The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent
upon the &Aghsan, the &Afnan and My Kindred to turn, one
and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider
that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy
Book: `When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and
the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward
Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched
from this Ancient Root.' The object of this sacred verse is
none other except the Most Mighty Branch [&Abdu'l-Baha].
Thus have We graciously revealed unto you Our
potent Will, and I am verily the Gracious, the All-Powerful.
+P222
Verily God hath ordained the station of the
Greater Branch [&Muhammad &Ali] to be beneath that of
the Most Great Branch [&Abdu'l-Baha]. He is in truth the
Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have chosen `the Greater' after
`the Most Great', as decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing,
the All-Informed.
It is enjoined upon everyone to manifest love towards the
&Aghsan, but God hath not granted them any right to the
property of others.
O ye My &Aghsan, My &Afnan and My Kindred! We
exhort you to fear God, to perform praiseworthy deeds and
to do that which is meet and seemly and serveth to exalt
your station. Verily I say, fear of God is the greatest commander
that can render the Cause of God victorious, and
the hosts which best befit this commander have ever been
and are an upright character and pure and goodly deeds.
Say: O servants! Let not the means of order be made the
cause of confusion and the instrument of union an occasion
for discord. We fain would hope that the people of &Baha
may be guided by the blessed words: `Say: all things are of
God.' This exalted utterance is like unto water for quenching
the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within
the hearts and breasts of men. By this single utterance contending
peoples and kindreds will attain the light of true
unity. Verily He speaketh the truth and leadeth the way.
He is the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Gracious.
It is incumbent upon everyone to show courtesy to, and
have regard for the &Aghsan, that thereby the Cause of God
may be glorified and His Word exalted. This injunction
hath time and again been mentioned and recorded in the
Holy Writ. Well is it with him who is enabled to achieve
that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days hath prescribed
for him. Ye are bidden moreover to respect the
+P223
members of the Holy Household, the &Afnan and the
kindred. We further admonish you to serve all nations and
to strive for the betterment of the world.
That which is conducive to the regeneration of the
world and the salvation of the peoples and kindreds of the
earth hath been sent down from the heaven of the utterance
of Him Who is the Desire of the world. Give ye a
hearing ear to the counsels of the Pen of Glory. Better is
this for you than all that is on the earth. Unto this beareth
witness My glorious and wondrous Book.
+P224
+P225
16
&LAWH-I-ARD-I-BA
(Tablet of the Land of &Ba)
+P226
+P227
PRAISE be to Him Who hath honoured the Land
of &Ba+F1 through the presence of Him round
Whom all names revolve. All the atoms of the
earth have announced unto all created things
that from behind the gate of the Prison-city there hath
appeared and above its horizon there hath shone forth the
Orb of the beauty of the great, the Most Mighty Branch of
God--His ancient and immutable Mystery--proceeding
on its way to another land. Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped
this Prison-city, whilst another land rejoiceth.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted is our Lord, the Fashioner
of the heavens and the Creator of all things, He through
Whose sovereignty the doors of the prison were opened,
thereby causing what was promised aforetime in the
Tablets to be fulfilled. He is verily potent over what He
willeth, and in His grasp is the dominion of the entire
creation. He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps
have trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the
beauty of His countenance, the ear that hath been honoured
by hearkening to His call, the heart that hath tasted the
sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through
+F1 Beirut. This Tablet is `a letter dictated by &Baha'u'llah and
+F1 addressed by &Mirza &Aqa &Jan, His amanuensis, to &Abdu'l-Baha
+F1 while the latter was on a visit to Beirut.' (The World Order of
+F1 &Baha'u'llah, p. 136.)
+P228
His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the
scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings. We
beseech God--blessed and exalted be He--that He may
honour us with meeting Him soon. He is, in truth, the All-Hearing,
the All-Powerful, He Who is ready to answer.
+P229
17
EXCERPTS FROM OTHER
TABLETS
+P230
+P231
GOD testifieth that there is none other God but
Him and that He Who hath come from the
heaven of divine revelation is the Hidden Secret,
the Impenetrable Mystery, Whose advent hath
been foretold in the Book of God and hath been heralded
by His Prophets and Messengers. Through Him the
mysteries have been unravelled, the veils rent asunder and
the signs and evidences disclosed. Lo! He hath now been
made manifest. He bringeth to light whatsoever He
willeth, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, invested
with transcendent majesty and power.
Blessed is that strong one who will shatter the gods of
vain imaginings through the potency of the Name of his
Lord, He Who ruleth over all men.
O My &Afnan! We would fain mention thy name as a
token of grace on Our part, that the sweet savours of
My remembrance may attract thee unto My Kingdom
and draw thee nigh unto the Tabernacle of My majesty
which hath been hoisted through the power of this
Name--a Name which hath caused every foundation to
tremble.
Say: O peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of
God! Whatever ye have been promised in the Books of
your Lord, the Ruler of the Day of Return, hath appeared
and been made manifest. Beware lest the changes and
chances of the world hold you back from Him Who is the
Sovereign Truth. Ere long will everything visible perish
+P232
and only that which hath been revealed by God, the Lord
of lords, shall endure.
Say: This is the Day of meritorious deeds, did ye but
know it. This is the Day of the glorification of God and of
the exposition of His Word, could ye but perceive it.
Abandon the things current amongst men and hold fast
unto that which God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting,
hath enjoined upon you. The day is fast approaching when
all the treasures of the earth shall be of no profit to you.
Unto this beareth witness the Lord of Names, He Who
proclaimeth: Verily, no God is there besides Him, the
Sovereign Truth, the Knower of things unseen.
Well is it with thee, O My &Afnan, inasmuch as thou
wert honoured to receive My Holy Verses, hast inhaled the
sweet savours of My Revelation and responded to My Call
at a time when My servants and My creatures, casting the
Mother Book behind their backs and, clinging to the
dictates of the exponents of idle fancy and vain imaginings,
have denounced Me. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur
spoken in the kingdom of utterance at the bidding of God,
the Lord of Creation.
Persevere thou conscientiously in the service of the
Cause and, through the power of the Name of thy Lord,
the Possessor of all things visible and invisible, preserve the
station conferred upon thee. I swear by the righteousness of
God! Were anyone apprised of that which is veiled from
the eyes of men, he would become so enraptured as to wing
his flight unto God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall
be.
May His glory rest upon thee and upon such as have
drawn nigh unto Him and apprehended the meaning of
that which the exalted Pen of God, the Almighty, the All-Loving,
hath recorded in this Tablet.
+P233
ALL praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch as Thou
hast adorned the world with the splendour of the dawn
following the night wherein was born the One Who
heralded the Manifestation of Thy transcendent sovereignty,
the Dayspring of Thy divine Essence and the Revelation of
Thy supreme Lordship. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the
heavens and Fashioner of names, to graciously aid those
who have sheltered beneath the shadow of Thine abounding
mercy and have raised their voices amidst the peoples of the
world for the glorification of Thy Name.
O my God! Thou beholdest the Lord of all mankind
confined in His Most Great Prison, calling aloud Thy
Name, gazing upon Thy face, proclaiming that which hath
enraptured the denizens of Thy kingdoms of revelation
and of creation. O my God! I behold Mine own Self
captive in the hands of Thy servants, yet the light of Thy
sovereignty and the revelations of Thine invincible power
shine resplendent from His face, enabling all to know of a
certainty that Thou art God, and that there is none other
God but Thee. Neither can the power of the powerful
frustrate Thee, nor the ascendancy of the rulers prevail
against Thee. Thou doest whatsoever Thou willest by
virtue of Thy sovereignty which encompasseth all created
things, and ordainest that which Thou pleasest through
the potency of Thy behest which pervadeth the entire
creation.
I implore Thee by the glory of Thy Manifestation and
by the power of Thy might, Thy sovereignty and Thine
exaltation to render victorious those who have arisen to
serve Thee, who have aided Thy Cause and humbled themselves
before the splendour of the light of Thy face. Make
them then, O my God, triumphant over Thine enemies
+P234
and cause them to be steadfast in Thy service, that through
them the evidences of Thy dominion may be established
throughout Thy realms and the tokens of Thine indomitable
power be manifested in Thy lands. Verily Thou art
potent to do what Thou willest; no God is there but Thee,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
This glorious Tablet hath been revealed on the Anniversary
of the Birth [of the &Bab] that thou mayest recite it
in a spirit of humility and supplication and give thanks
unto thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Make
thou every effort to render service unto God, that from
thee may appear that which will immortalize thy memory
in His glorious and exalted heaven.
Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I implore Thee by
the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and by the Revealer of
Thy clear tokens to grant that I may, under all conditions,
hold fast the cord of Thy loving providence and cling
tenaciously to the hem of Thy generosity. Reckon me then
with those whom the changes and chances of the world
have failed to deter from serving Thee and from bearing
allegiance unto Thee, whom the onslaught of the people
hath been powerless to hinder from magnifying Thy Name
and celebrating Thy praise. Graciously assist me, O my
Lord, to do whatever Thou lovest and desirest. Enable me
then to fulfil that which will exalt Thy Name and will set
ablaze the fire of Thy love.
Thou art, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
O &HUSAYN! God grant thou shalt ever be bright and
radiant, beaming with the light of the Sun of Truth, and
+P235
mayest unloose thy tongue in magnifying the Name of
God, which is the most laudable of all acts.
Consider the multitude of souls who seemed to be intensely
eager and athirst, yet when the Ocean of living
waters did surge forth in the world of being, they remained
deprived thereof, inasmuch as they failed to relinquish idle
fancy and to become consciously aware of Him Who is the
Object of all knowledge. This failure is in recompense for
the deeds their hands had formerly wrought.
Render thou thanks unto the Beloved of the world for
having graciously aided thee to attain confirmation in this
glorious Cause. Entreat Him moreover to make His loved
ones steadfast therein, for the inflammatory writings of the
mischief-makers are widespread and the clamour of the
foreboders of evil is raised high. Happy are they that have
cast behind their backs all else save God and have held fast
unto that which the Lord of strength and power hath enjoined
upon them.
His Glory be upon thee and upon such as have been enabled
to recognize and embrace this mighty Cause.
THIS is a Tablet which the Lord of all being hath sent
down from His glorious station in honour of him who hath
believed in God, the Almighty, the All-Loving.
Blessed is the wayfarer who hath recognized the Desired
One, and the seeker who hath heeded the Call of Him Who
is the intended Aim of all mankind, and the learned one
who hath believed in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
How vast the number of the learned who have turned
+P236
aside from the way of God and how numerous the men
devoid of learning who have apprehended the truth and
hastened unto Him, saying, `Praised be Thou, O Lord of
all things, visible and invisible.'
By the righteousness of God! The world's horizon is
resplendent with the light of the Most Great Luminary, yet
the generality of mankind perceive it not. Verily He Who
is the Sovereign Truth moveth before the eyes of all men.
Unto this beareth witness the One Who is proclaiming in
the midmost heart of the world, `In truth no God is there
but Me, Omnipotent over all things, whether of the past
or of the future.'
Great is the blessedness of the believer who hath directed
himself towards Him and hath gained admittance into His
presence, and woe betide every disbeliever who hath
turned away from God and followed the wayward and the
outcast.
O FRIEND! In the &Bayan We directed everyone in this
Most Great Revelation to see with his own eyes and hear
with his own ears. However when the horizon of the
world was illumined with the resplendent light of this
Revelation, many people forgot this divine commandment,
lost sight of this heavenly exhortation and immersed
themselves in the vain imaginings which their minds had
devised. Indeed the face of the sun of justice and fairness is
hidden behind the clouds of idle fancy which the foolish
ones have conceived. Therefore it is not to be wondered at
that the movements of the birds of darkness attract attention.
Through the potency of the Name of the Best-Beloved,
invite thou the receptive souls unto God's holy
+P237
court, that perchance they may not remain deprived of the
heavenly Fountain of living water. He is in truth the
Gracious, the Forgiving.
The gaze of the loving-kindness of God--exalted and
glorified is He--hath everlastingly been directed towards
His beloved friends; verily He is the One Who knoweth
and remembereth.
O &JAVAD! Such is the greatness of this Day that the Hour
itself is seized with perturbation, and all heavenly Scriptures
bear evidence to its overpowering majesty. In this Day the
Book solemnly testifieth to His glory and the Balance is
moved to lift up its voice. This is the Day wherein the
&Sirat calleth aloud: `I am the straight Path', and Mount
Sinai exclaimeth: `Verily the Lord of Revelation is come.'
Being overcome by the drunkenness of corrupt inclinations,
the people of the earth find themselves in a state of
stupor. They are, therefore, debarred from the wondrous
signs of God, are prevented from attaining the ultimate
goal and are deprived of the liberal effusions of divine
grace.
It behoveth the people of God to be forbearing. They
should impart the Word of God according to the hearer's
particular measure of understanding and capacity, that
perchance the children of men may be roused from heedlessness
and set their faces towards this Horizon which is
immeasurably exalted above every horizon.
O &Javad! The manifold bounties of God have ever been
and will continue to be vouchsafed unto thee. Praised be
God! Thou hast been shielded from the most great terror
+P238
and hast succeeded in drawing nigh unto the Most Great
Bounty at a time when all men were prevented from
recognizing the eternal King by the interposition of the
veils of outward glory, namely the divines of this day.
Cherish thou as dearly as thine own life this testimony pronounced
by the All-Glorious Pen and strive with all thy
might to preserve it by the potency of the Name of Him
Who is the Beloved One of the entire creation, that this
sublime honour may be proof against the eyes and the
hands of robbers. Verily thy Lord is the Expounder, the
All-Knowing.
Convey the greetings of this Wronged One unto all the
beloved friends in that region and call to their minds Our
wondrous and exalted remembrances, that haply they may
forsake the things current amongst them, may set their
hearts on that which pertaineth unto God and remain
purged from unseemly deeds and pursuits.
May the glory of the Almighty, the All-Wise, be upon
thee and upon such as are related unto thee.
WE make mention of him who hath been attracted by Our
Call when it was raised from the summit of transcendent
glory and hath set his face towards God, the Lord of creation.
He is numbered with such as have heard and responded
to the summons of their Lord at a time when the peoples of
the world are wrapt in palpable veils. He testifieth unto
that whereunto God hath testified, and acknowledgeth his
belief in that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered.
Unto this beareth witness the Lord of Names in this
wondrous Tablet.
+P239
O My exalted Pen! Bring him, on My behalf, the joyful
tidings concerning the things that God, the Powerful, the
Omnipotent, hath reserved for him. Indeed he hath, for
most of the time, been hemmed in by manifold sorrows,
and verily his merciful Lord is the One Who seeth and
knoweth all things. Rejoice thou with exceeding gladness
inasmuch as this Wronged One hath turned His face towards
thee, hath mentioned thy name aforetime and doth
mention it at this very moment.
Unto My loved friends give thou remembrances in My
Name and convey to them the tidings of the gracious
bounties of their Lord, the Giver, the All-Generous. From
this exalted station We send Our greetings unto such
believers as have taken fast hold on the Sure Handle and
quaffed the choice wine of constancy from the hand of
favour of their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised.
In this Day the faculty of hearing exclaimeth, `This is my
Day, wherein I hearken unto the wondrous Voice coming
from the precincts of the Prison of my Lord, the Perspicuous,
the Hearing.' And the faculty of sight calleth aloud,
`Verily this is my Day, for I behold the Dayspring of glory
shining resplendent at the bidding of Him Who is the
Ordainer, the All-Powerful.' Blessed the ear that hath
heard the call, `Behold, and thou shalt see Me.'+F1 and happy
the eye that hath gazed upon the most wondrous Sign,
dawning from this luminous horizon.
Say: O concourse of the rulers and of the learned and the
wise! The Promised Day is come and the Lord of Hosts
hath appeared. Rejoice ye with great joy by reason of this
supreme felicity. Aid Him then through the power of
wisdom and utterance. Thus biddeth you the One Who
+F1 &Qur'an 7:139.
+P240
hath ever proclaimed, `Verily, no God is there but Me, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'
May His glory rest upon thee and upon those who are
with thee and such ones as cherish thee and give ear to the
words thou utterest in glorification of this mighty, this
transcendent Revelation.
O THOU who bearest My Name, &Jud+F1 [Bounty]! Upon
thee be My Glory. Give ear unto that which thou didst
hear aforetime when the Day-Star of testimony was
shining resplendent above the horizon of &Iraq, when
&Baghdad served as the Seat of the Throne of thy Lord, the
Exalted, the Mighty.
I bear witness that thou hast hearkened unto the melody
of God and His sweet accents, inclined thine ear to the cooing
of the Dove of divine Revelation and hast heard the
Nightingale of fidelity pouring forth its notes upon the
Branch of Glory: Verily there is none other God but Me,
the Incomparable, the All-Informed.
O thou who bearest My Name! The glances of the
loving-kindness of God have been and continue to be
directed towards thee. While in His presence, thou hast
heard the Voice of the One true God--exalted be His glory
--and hast beheld the unveiled splendour of the Light of
divine knowledge. Ponder a while! How sublime is the
Utterance of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth and how
abject are the idle contentions of the people! The accumulations
of vain fancy have obstructed men's ears and stopped
them from hearing the Voice of God, and the veils of
+F1 See footnote p. 74.
+P241
human learning and false imaginings have prevented their
eyes from beholding the splendour of the light of His
countenance. With the arm of might and power We have
rescued a number of souls from the slough of impending
extinction and enabled them to attain the Dayspring of
glory. Moreover We have laid bare the divine mysteries
and in most explicit language foretold future events, that
neither the doubts of the faithless, nor the denials of the
froward, nor the whisperings of the heedless may keep
back the seekers of truth from the Source of the light of the
One true God. Nevertheless some people seem to have
been seized with epilepsy, others are torn up even as
hollow tree-stumps. They abandon God, the Most Exalted
--He before Whose revelation of a single verse, all the
Scriptures of the past and of more recent times pale into
lowliness and insignificance--and set their hearts on lying
tales and follow empty words.
Thou hast surely quaffed from the ocean of Mine utterance
and hast witnessed the effulgent splendour of the orb
of My wisdom. Thou hast also heard the sayings of the
infidels who neither are acquainted with the fundamentals
of the Faith, nor have tasted this choice Wine whose seal
hath been broken through the power of My Name, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Beseech thou God that
the believers who are endued with true understanding may
be graciously enabled to do that which is pleasing unto
Him.
How strange that despite this ringing Call, despite the
appearance of this most wondrous Revelation, We notice
that men, for the most part, have fixed their hearts on the
vanities of the world and are sorely dismayed and troubled
by reason of prevailing doubts and evil suggestions. Say:
This is the Day of God Himself; fear ye God and be not of
+P242
them that have disbelieved in Him. Cast the idle tales behind
your backs and behold My Revelation through Mine
eyes. Unto this have ye been exhorted in heavenly Books
and Scriptures, in the Scrolls and Tablets.
Arise thou to serve the Cause of thy Lord; then give
the people the joyful tidings concerning this resplendent
Light whose revelation hath been announced by God
through His Prophets and Messengers. Admonish everyone
moreover to observe prudence as ordained by Him, and in
the Name of God advise them, saying: It behoveth every
one in this Day of God to dedicate himself to the teaching
of the Cause with utmost prudence and steadfastness.
Should he discover a pure soil, let him sow the seed of the
Word of God, otherwise it would be preferable to observe
silence.
Not long ago this most sublime Word was revealed in
the Crimson Book by the All-Glorious Pen: `The heaven
of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation
and compassion'. Please God, everyone may be
enabled to observe this weighty and blessed word.
Certain people seem to be entirely bereft of understanding.
By clinging to the cord of idle fancy they have debarred
themselves from the Sure Handle. I swear by My
life! Were they to reflect a while with fairness on that
which the All-Merciful hath sent down, they would, one
and all, spontaneously give utterance to these words,
`Verily Thou art the Truth, the manifest Truth.'
It behoveth thee to turn thy gaze in all circumstances
unto the One true God, and seek diligently to serve His
Cause. Call thou to mind when thou wert in My company,
within the Tabernacle of Glory, and didst hear from Me
that which He Who conversed with God [Moses] heard
upon the Sinai of divine knowledge. Thus did We
+P243
graciously aid thee, enabled thee to recognize the truth and
cautioned thee, that thou mightest render thanks unto thy
bountiful Lord. Thou shouldst safeguard this sublime
station through the potency of My Name, the Omnipotent,
the Faithful.
Convey greetings on My behalf to My loved ones and
suffer them to hearken unto My sweet Voice. Thus biddeth
thee the One Who hath bidden thee in the past; I am in
truth the Ordainer, the All-Informed. Glory be upon thee
and upon those who give ear to thy words concerning this
momentous Cause and who love thee for the sake of God,
the Lord of the worlds.
O &HAYDAR!+F1 This Wronged One hath heard thy voice
raised in the service of the Cause of God and is well aware
of the feeling of joy which His love hath roused in thy
heart and of thy pangs of anguish at that which hath befallen
His loved ones. I swear by the Lord of mercy! The
whole world is overwhelmed with sorrow whilst mankind
is perplexed with doubts and dissensions. The people of
God, the Lord of Names, are so grievously beset by
enemies that the supreme Paradise hath lamented and the
inmates of highest Heaven and those who, day and night,
circle round the Throne have groaned aloud.
O &Ali! Woes and sorrows are powerless to restrain thy
Lord, the All-Merciful. Indeed He hath risen to champion
the Cause of God in such wise that neither the overpowering
might of the world nor the tyranny of the nations can
ever alarm Him. He calleth aloud betwixt earth and
+F1 See footnote 1 on page 57.
+P244
heaven, saying: The Promised Day is come. The Lord of
creation proclaimeth: Verily, there is no God besides Me,
the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
O &Ali! The immature wish to put out the light of God
with their mouths and to extinguish by their acts the flame
in the Burning Bush. Say, wretched indeed is your plight,
O ye embodiments of delusion. Fear ye God and reject not
the heavenly grace which hath shed radiance upon all
regions. Say, He Who is the Exponent of the hidden Name
hath appeared, did ye but know it. He Whose advent hath
been foretold in the heavenly Scriptures is come, could ye
but understand it. The world's horizon is illumined by the
splendours of this Most Great Revelation. Haste ye with
radiant hearts and be not of them that are bereft of understanding.
The appointed Hour hath struck and mankind is
laid low. Unto this bear witness the honoured servants of
God.
O &Haydar-'Ali! I swear by the righteousness of God!
The Blast hath been blown on the Trumpet of the &Bayan
as decreed by the Lord, the Merciful, and all that are in the
heavens and on the earth have swooned away except such
as have detached themselves from the world, cleaving fast
unto the Cord of God, the Lord of mankind. This is the
Day in which the earth shineth with the effulgent light of
thy Lord, but the people are lost in error and have been
shut out as by a veil. We desire to regenerate the world, yet
they have resolved to put an end to My life. Thus have their
hearts prompted them in this Day--a Day which hath been
made bright by the radiant light of the countenance of its
Lord, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Unconstrained.
The Mother Book hath lifted up its Voice, but the people
are bereft of hearing. The Preserved Tablet hath been
revealed with truth, yet the generality of mankind peruse
+P245
it not. They have denied the gracious favour of God after it
hath been sent down unto them and have turned away
from God, the Knower of things unseen. They firmly cling
to the hem of idle fancies, turning their backs on the hidden
Name of the Almighty.
Say, O concourse of divines! Be fair in your judgement,
I adjure you by God. Produce then whatever proofs and
testimonies ye possess, if ye are to be reckoned among the
inmates of this glorious habitation. Set your hearts towards
the Dayspring of divine Revelation that We may disclose
before your eyes the equivalent of all such verses, proofs,
testimonies, affirmations and evidences as ye and other
kindreds of the earth possess. Fear ye God and be not of
them that well deserve the chastisement of God, the Lord
of creation.
This is the Day in which the Ocean of knowledge hath
lifted up its Voice and hath brought forth its pearls. Would
that ye knew it! The heaven of the &Bayan hath been raised
up in truth at the behest of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
I swear by God! The Essence of knowledge
exclaimeth and saith: Lo! He Who is the Object of all
knowledge is come and through His advent the sacred
Books of God, the Gracious, the Loving, have been
embellished. Every revelation of grace, every evidence of
goodly gifts emanateth from Him and unto Him doth it
return.
Fear ye God, O concourse of the foolish, and do not
inflict tribulations upon those who have willed naught but
that which God hath willed. Moreover, if ye heed my call,
follow not your selfish desires. The day is approaching
when everything now discernible will have faded away
and ye shall weep for having failed in your duty towards
God. Unto this testifieth this inscribed Tablet.
+P246
Rejoice thou with great joy that We have remembered
thee both now and in the past. Indeed the sweet savours of
this remembrance shall endure and shall not change
throughout the eternity of the Names of God, the Lord of
mankind. We have graciously accepted thy devotions, thy
praise, thy teaching work and the services thou hast
rendered for the sake of this mighty Announcement. We
have also hearkened unto that which thy tongue hath
uttered at the meetings and gatherings. Verily thy Lord
heareth and observeth all things. We have attired thee with
the vesture of My good-pleasure in My heavenly Kingdom,
and from the Divine Lote-Tree which is raised on the
borders of the vale of security and peace, situate in the
luminous Spot beyond the glorious City, We call aloud
unto thee saying: In truth there is no God but Me, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have brought thee into
being to serve Me, to glorify My Word and to proclaim
My Cause. Centre thine energies upon that wherefor thou
hast been created by virtue of the Will of the supreme
Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
At this moment We call to remembrance Our loved ones
and bring them the joyous tidings of God's unfailing grace
and of the things that have been provided for them in
My lucid Book. Ye have tolerated the censure of the
enemies for the sake of My love and have steadfastly
endured in My Path the grievous cruelties which the ungodly
have inflicted upon you. Unto this I Myself bear
witness, and I am the All-Knowing. How vast the number
of places that have been ennobled with your blood for the
sake of God. How numerous the cities wherein the voice of
your lamentation hath been raised and the wailing of your
anguish uplifted. How many the prisons into which ye have
been cast by the hosts of tyranny. Know ye of a certainty
+P247
that He will render you victorious, will exalt you among
the peoples of the world and will demonstrate your high
rank before the gaze of all nations. Surely He will not suffer
the reward of His favoured ones to be lost.
Take heed lest the deeds wrought by the embodiments
of idle fancy sadden you or the acts committed by every
wayward oppressor grieve you. Seize ye the chalice of
constancy through the power of His Name, quaff then
therefrom by virtue of the sovereignty of God, the
Powerful, the Omnipotent. Thus hath the Day-Star of My
tender compassion and loving-kindness shone forth above
the horizon of this Tablet that ye may render thanks unto
your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
The glory that hath dawned resplendent from the
heaven of Mine utterance rest upon thee and upon them
that have directed themselves towards thee and inclined
their ears to the words which thy mouth hath uttered
concerning this glorious, this august Revelation.
BY the righteousness of God! The Mother Book is made
manifest, summoning mankind unto God, the Lord of the
worlds, while the seas proclaim: The Most Great Ocean
hath appeared, from whose waves one can hear the thundering
cry: `Verily, no God is there but Me, the Peerless, the
All-Knowing.' And the trees raising their clamour exclaim:
O people of the world! The voice of the Divine Lote-Tree
is clearly sounding and the shrill cry of the Pen of Glory is
ringing loud: Give ye ear and be not of the heedless. The
sun is calling out: O concourse of the divines! The heaven
of religions is split and the moon cleft asunder and the
+P248
peoples of the earth are brought together in a new resurrection.
Fear ye God and follow not the promptings of
your passions, rather follow Him unto Whom have testified
the Scriptures of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
The episode of Sinai hath been re-enacted in this Revelation
and He Who conversed upon the Mount is calling
aloud: Verily, the Desired One is come, seated upon the
throne of certitude, could ye but perceive it. He hath
admonished all men to observe that which is conducive to
the exaltation of the Cause of God and will guide mankind
unto His Straight Path.
How vast the number of the down-trodden who have
been enraptured by the Call of God! How numerous the
potentates who have risen up to commit acts of aggression
that have caused the inmates of the all-highest Paradise to
lament and the dwellers of this glorious habitation to wail
with grief! How great the multitude of the poor who have
quaffed the choice wine of divine revelation and how many
the rich who have turned away, repudiated the truth and
voiced their disbelief in God, the Lord of this blessed and
wondrous Day!
Say: Fear ye God, then observe equity in your judgement
of this Great Announcement before which, as soon as
it shone forth, every momentous announcement bowed
low in adoration. Say: O concourse of the foolish! If ye
reject Him, by what evidence can ye prove your allegiance
to the former Messengers of God or vindicate your belief
in that which He hath sent down from His mighty and
exalted Kingdom? What benefit do your possessions
bestow upon you? What protection can your treasures
afford you? None, I swear by the Spirit of God that
pervadeth all that are in the heavens and on the earth. Cast
away that which ye have put together with the hands of
+P249
idle fancy and vain imaginings and take fast hold of the
Book of God which hath been sent down by virtue of
His all-compelling and inviolable authority.
Thy letter was presented before this Wronged One and
in thine honour have We revealed this Tablet from which
the fragrance of the gracious favour of thy Lord, the
Compassionate, the Bountiful, is diffused. We beseech God
to make thee as a banner upraised in the city of His
remembrance, and to exalt thy station in this Cause--a
Cause beneath whose shadow the sincere ones of God shall
behold the peoples and kindreds of the earth seeking shelter.
Verily, thy Lord knoweth and informeth. Moreover We
entreat Him to nourish thee with the best of what hath
been treasured in His Book. He is in truth the One Who
doth hear and answer the call.
Persevere thou in helping His Cause through the
strengthening power of the hosts of wisdom and utterance.
Thus hath it been decreed by God, the Gracious, the All-Praised.
Blessed is the believer who hath in this Day
embraced the Truth and the man of fixed resolve whom
the hosts of tyranny have been powerless to affright.
The glory which hath shone forth above the horizon of
utterance be upon thee and upon such believers as have
seized the chalice of His sealed wine through the power of
His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and drunk deep despite
those that have rejected the One in Whom they had
formerly professed belief--they that have disputed the
truth of this Great Announcement whereunto God hath
testified in His precious and ancient Book.
+P250
O &MUHAMMAD &Husayn! Be thou prepared to receive the
outpourings of the loving-kindness of God, the Lord of the
worlds. The All-Merciful hath deigned to bestow upon
thee pearls of knowledge from the Ocean of the grace of
God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted.
Where is the man of insight who will recognize and
perceive the truth? Where is to be found the man of hearing
who will hearken unto My wondrous Voice calling from
the realm of glory? Where is the soul who will set his face
towards the Divine Lote-Tree in such wise that neither the
overpowering might of the kings, nor the violent commotions
of their subjects may frustrate him, lifting up his
voice amidst the entire creation through the power of
wisdom and utterance and testifying unto that whereunto
hath testified God, that verily no God is there besides Him,
the Powerful, the Invincible, the Omnipotent, the Knowing,
the Wise.
O &Husayn! Thy name hath been mentioned in the Most
Great Prison before this Wronged One and We have
revealed for thee that with which none of the books of
the world can compare. Unto this beareth witness the King
of eternity; yet the generality of mankind are numbered
among the heedless. From the dawning-place of testimony
We have raised the Call unto all that dwell in the realm of
creation. Amongst men there are those who have been
carried away by the fragrance of the utterance of their Lord
in such manner that they have forsaken everything which
pertaineth unto men in their eagerness to attain the court of
the presence of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. There
are also those who are sore perplexed and wavering. Others
have made haste, winged their way to answer the Call of
their Lord, the Ancient of Days. Still others have turned
+P251
aside, rejected the truth and eventually disbelieved in God,
the Almighty, the All-Praised. And there are yet others
who have pronounced judgement against Him with such
cruelty that every wise and discerning soul hath been
moved to lament. We have graciously summoned them
unto the river that is life indeed, while they have, with
manifest injustice, decreed the shedding of My blood. Thus
hath the Day-Star of wisdom shone forth from above the
horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful.
Shouldst thou attain unto its light, it behoveth thee to
magnify the praise of thy Lord and say, I yield Thee thanks,
O God of the worlds.
Blessed art thou and are they whom the world and its
vanities have failed to deter from this luminous Horizon.
Convey greetings on My behalf unto My loved ones.
We exhort them to observe wisdom as decreed in My
wondrous Book.
O MY handmaiden and My leaf! Rejoice with great joy
inasmuch as thy call hath ascended unto the Divine Lote-Tree
and is answered from the all-glorious Horizon. Verily,
no God is there but Me, the Wronged One, the Exile.
We have revealed Ourself unto men, have unveiled the
Cause, guided all mankind towards God's Straight Path,
promulgated the laws and have enjoined upon everyone
that which shall truly profit them both in this world and in
the next; yet they have pronounced judgement to shed My
blood, whereat the Maid of Heaven hath wept sore, Sinai
hath lamented and the Faithful Spirit was made to sigh
with grief.
+P252
In these days the people have debarred themselves from
the effusions of divine grace by following in the footsteps of
every ignorant one that hath gone astray. They have cast
the Ocean of divine knowledge behind their backs and
fixed their eyes upon such foolish men as claim to be well
versed in learning without being supported by any evidence
from God, the Lord of mankind.
Well is it with thee inasmuch as thou hast forsaken idle
imaginings and taken fast hold of the Cord of God that no
man can sever. Consider the gracious favour of God--
exalted be His glory. How numerous are the kings and
queens on earth who, despite much yearning, anticipation
and waiting, have been debarred from Him Who is the
Desire of the world, whilst thou didst attain. God willing,
thou mayest accomplish a deed whose fragrance shall
endure as long as the Names of God--exalted be His glory
--will endure. By the righteousness of God! The title `O
My handmaiden' far excelleth aught else that can be seen in
the world. Ere long the eyes of mankind shall be illumined
and cheered by recognizing that which Our Pen of Glory
hath revealed.
Blessed art thou and blessed is the mother that hath
nursed thee. Appreciate the value of this station and arise to
serve His Cause in such wise that the idle fancies and
insinuations of the doubters withhold thee not from this
high resolve. The Day-Star of certitude is shining resplendent
but the people of the world are holding fast unto vain
imaginings. The Ocean of divine knowledge hath risen
high whilst the children of men are clinging to the hem of
the foolish. But for the unfailing grace of God--exalted be
His glory--no antidote could ever cure these inveterate
diseases.
Convey My greetings unto the handmaidens of God in
+P253
that region and give them the joyful tidings that His tender
mercy and grace are vouchsafed unto them. High indeed is
the station We have destined for thee. It behoveth thee to
yield praise and thanksgiving unto thy Lord, the Bountiful,
the Most Generous. Glorified be God, the Exalted, the
Great.
AT one time this sublime Word was heard from the
Tongue of Him Who is the Possessor of all being and the
Lord of the throne on high and of earth below--exalted is
the glory of His utterance--: Piety and detachment are
even as two most great luminaries of the heaven of teaching.
Blessed the one who hath attained unto this supreme
station, this habitation of transcendent holiness and
sublimity.
THIS is a Tablet sent down by the All-Merciful from the
Kingdom of utterance unto all that dwell on earth. Happy
is the man who hearkeneth and heedeth and woe betide
him who hath erred and doubted. This is the Day that hath
been illumined by the effulgent light of the Countenance
of God--the Day when the Tongue of Grandeur is calling
aloud: The Kingdom is God's, the Lord of the Day of
Resurrection.
Thy name hath been mentioned in Our Presence and We
have deigned to reveal for thee that which the tongue of no
one among the peoples of the world can recount. Rejoice
+P254
with exceeding joy inasmuch as thou hast been remembered
in the Most Great Prison and the Countenance of the
Ancient of Days hath turned towards thee from this exalted
habitation.
We have truly revealed the signs, demonstrated the
irrefutable testimonies and have summoned all men unto
the straight Path. Among the people there are those who
have turned away and repudiated the truth, others have
pronounced judgement against Us without any proof or
evidence. The first to turn away from Us have been the
world's spiritual leaders in this age--they that call upon
Us in the daytime and in the night season and mention My
Name while resting on their lofty thrones. However, when
I revealed Myself unto men they rose against Me in such
wise that even the stones groaned and lamented bitterly.
Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast hearkened
unto His Voice, set thy face towards Him and heeded the
Call of thy Lord when He came invested with invincible
power and sovereignty.
O MY handmaiden, O My leaf! Render thou thanks unto
the Best-Beloved of the world for having attained this
boundless grace at a time when the world's learned and
most distinguished men have remained deprived thereof.
We have designated thee `a leaf' that thou mayest, like unto
leaves, be stirred by the gentle wind of the Will of God--
exalted be His glory--even as the leaves of the trees are
stirred by onrushing winds. Yield thou thanks unto thy
Lord by virtue of this brilliant utterance. Wert thou to
perceive the sweetness of the title `O My handmaiden' thou
+P255
wouldst find thyself detached from all mankind, devoutly
engaged day and night in communion with Him Who is
the sole Desire of the world.
In words of incomparable beauty We have made fitting
mention of such leaves and handmaidens as have quaffed
from the living waters of heavenly grace and have kept
their eyes directed towards God. Happy and blessed are
they indeed. Ere long shall God reveal their station whose
loftiness no word can befittingly express nor any description
adequately describe.
We admonish thee to do that which will serve to
promote the interests of the Cause of God amongst men
and women. He doth hear the call of the friends and
beholdeth their actions. Verily, He is the Hearing and the
Seeing.
Upon thee and upon them be the glory of God, the
Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O HANDMAID of God! Hearken unto the Voice of the
Lord of Names, Who from His Prison hath directed His
gaze towards thee and is making mention of thee.
He hath extended assistance to every wayfarer, hath
graciously responded to every petitioner and granted admittance
to every seeker after truth. In this Day the Straight
Path is made manifest, the Balance of divine justice is set
and the light of the sun of His bounty is resplendent, yet the
oppressive darkness of the people of tyranny hath, even as
clouds, intervened and caused a grievous obstruction
between the Day-Star of heavenly grace and the people of
the world. Blessed is he who hath rent the intervening veils
+P256
asunder and is illumined by the radiant light of divine
Revelation. Consider how numerous were those who
accounted themselves among the wise and the learned, yet
in the Day of God were deprived of the outpourings of
heavenly bounties.
O My leaf, O My handmaid! Appreciate the value of
this blessing and of this tender mercy which hath encompassed
thee and guided thy steps unto the Dayspring of
glory.
Convey greetings on behalf of this Wronged One to
such handmaidens as worship God and cheer their hearts
with the assurance of His loving providence.
FIX your gaze upon wisdom in all things, for it is an
unfailing antidote. How often hath it turned a disbeliever
into a believer or a foe into a friend? Its observance is
highly essential, inasmuch as this theme hath been set forth
in numerous Tablets revealed from the empyrean of the
Will of Him Who is the Manifestation of the light of divine
unity. Well is it with them that act accordingly.
Centre your attention unceasingly upon that which will
cause the Word of God to be exalted. In this Most Great
Revelation goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character are
regarded as the hosts of God, likewise is His blessed and
holy Word. These hosts are the lodestone of the hearts of
men and the effective means for unlocking doors. Of all the
weapons in the world this is the keenest.
Beseech thou God to graciously assist all men to observe
that which His all-glorious Pen hath recorded in the sacred
Books and Tablets.
+P257
THIS Wronged One doth mention him who hath set his
face toward the Incomparable One, the All-Knowing, him
who beareth witness unto His unity even as the All-Glorious
Pen hath borne witness as it moveth swiftly within
the arena of utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath
recognized its Lord and woe betide him who hath grievously
erred and doubted.
Man is like unto a tree. If he be adorned with fruit, he
hath been and will ever be worthy of praise and commendation.
Otherwise a fruitless tree is but fit for fire. The
fruits of the human tree are exquisite, highly desired and
dearly cherished. Among them are upright character,
virtuous deeds and a goodly utterance. The springtime for
earthly trees occurreth once every year, while the one for
human trees appeareth in the Days of God--exalted be His
glory. Were the trees of men's lives to be adorned in this
divine Springtime with the fruits that have been mentioned,
the effulgence of the light of Justice would, of a certainty,
illumine all the dwellers of the earth and everyone would
abide in tranquillity and contentment beneath the sheltering
shadow of Him Who is the Object of all mankind. The
Water for these trees is the living water of the sacred Words
uttered by the Beloved of the world. In one instant are such
trees planted and in the next their branches shall, through
the outpourings of the showers of divine mercy, have
reached the skies. A dried-up tree, however, hath never
been nor will be worthy of any mention.
Happy is the faithful one who is attired with the vesture
of high endeavour and hath arisen to serve this Cause. Such
a soul hath truly attained the desired Goal and hath apprehended
the Object for which it hath been created. But a
myriad times alas for the wayward who are like unto dried-up
+P258
leaves fallen upon the dust. Ere long mortal blasts shall
carry them away to the place ordained for them. Ignorant
did they arrive, ignorant did they linger and ignorant did
they retire to their abodes.
The world is continually proclaiming these words:
Beware, I am evanescent, and so are all my outward
appearances and colours. Take ye heed of the changes and
chances contrived within me and be ye roused from your
slumber. Nevertheless there is no discerning eye to see, nor
is there a hearing ear to hearken.
In this Day the inner ear exclaimeth and saith: Indeed
well is it with me, today is my day, inasmuch as the Voice
of God is calling aloud. And the essence of vision crieth out:
Blessed am I, this is my day, for the Ancient Beauty is
shining resplendent from the most exalted Horizon.
It behoveth the people of &Baha to invoke and entreat the
Lord of Names that perchance the people of the world may
not be deprived of the effusions of grace in His days.
In the past the divines were perplexed over this question,
a question which He Who is the Sovereign Truth hath,
during the early years of His life, Himself heard them ask
repeatedly: `What is that Word which the &Qa'im will
pronounce whereby the leaders of religion are put to flight?'
Say, that Word is now made manifest and ye have fled ere
ye heard it uttered, although ye perceive it not. And that
blessed, that hidden, that concealed and treasured Word is
this: `"HE" hath now appeared in the raiment of "I". He
Who was hidden from mortal eyes exclaimeth: Lo! I am
the All-Manifest.' This is the Word which hath caused the
limbs of disbelievers to quake. Glorified be God! All the
heavenly Scriptures of the past attest to the greatness of this
Day, the greatness of this Manifestation, the greatness of
His signs, the greatness of His Word, the greatness of His
+P259
constancy, the greatness of His pre-eminent station. Yet
despite all this the people have remained heedless and are
shut out as by a veil. Indeed all the Prophets have yearned
to attain this Day. David saith: `Who will bring me into
the Strong City?'+F1 By Strong City is meant &Akka. Its fortifications
are very strong and this Wronged One is imprisoned
within its walls. Likewise it is revealed in the
&Qur'an: `Bring forth thy people from the darkness into the
light and announce to them the days of God.'+F2
The glory with which this Day is invested hath been
explicitly mentioned and clearly set forth in most heavenly
Books and Scriptures. However, the divines of the age have
debarred men from this transcendent station, and have kept
them back from this Pinnacle of Glory, this Supreme Goal.
Blessed art thou inasmuch as the darkness of vain
imaginings hath been powerless to hinder thee from the
light of certitude, and the onslaught of the people hath
failed to deter thee from the Lord of mankind. Appreciate
thou the value of this high station and beseech God--
exalted is His glory--to graciously enable thee to safeguard
it. Imperishable dominion hath exclusively pertained unto
the One true God and His loved ones and will continue to
pertain unto them everlastingly.
The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of
eternity rest upon thee and upon such as have taken fast
hold of the Cord of God that no man can sever.
HE Who leadeth to true victory is come. By the righteousness
of God! He is fully capable of revolutionizing the
+F1 Psalms 59:9; 108:10.
+F2 &Qur'an 14:5.
+P260
world through the power of a single Word. Having enjoined
upon all men to observe wisdom, He Himself hath
adhered to the cord of patience and resignation.
The clay clods of the world have set forth to visit the
embellished, the luminous, the crimson City of God, and
certain emissaries from Persia are secretly stirring up
mischief, though to outward seeming they pretend to be
gentle and meek. Gracious God! When will this world-afflicting
craftiness be transformed into sincerity? The exhortations
of God, the True One, have compassed the
world, but until now their influence hath not been disclosed.
Men's unseemly deeds have kept them back from
attaining unto Him. We entreat God--exalted and glorified
is He--to pour down, out of the clouds of divine grace, the
overflowing rain of His bounty upon all His servants.
Verily potent is He over all things.
O &Ali &Haydar! O thou who hast risen to serve My
Cause and art engaged in magnifying the praise of God, the
Lord of the mighty throne! Unto the emblems of justice
and the exponents of equity it is indubitably clear and
evident that this Wronged One, strengthened by the
transcendent power of the Kingdom, is seeking to efface
from among the peoples and kindreds of the earth every
evidence of disorder, discord, dissension, differences or
divisions; and it is for no other reason but this great, this
momentous object that He hath again and again been cast
into prison and many a day and a night hath been subjected
to chains and fetters. Blessed are they that judge this
impregnable Cause, this glorious Announcement, with
fairness and equity.
+P261
THIS is a Tablet sent down by the Lord of mercy that the
people of the world may be enabled to draw nigh unto
this Ocean which hath surged through the potency of His
august Name. Amongst men there are those who have
turned away from Him and gainsaid His testimony, while
others have quaffed the wine of assurance in the glory of
His Name which pervadeth all created things. A grievous
loss hath indeed been suffered by those that have inclined
their ears to the croaking of the raven, and refused to
hearken unto the sweet warblings of the Bird of Heaven
singing upon the twigs of the Tree of eternity: Verily there
is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
This is the Day that hath been illumined by the splendours
of the light of Our countenance--the Day around which
all days and nights circle in adoration. Blessed is the man of
insight who hath perceived, and the sore athirst who hath
quaffed from this luminous Fountain. Blessed the man who
acknowledgeth the truth, earnestly striving to serve the
Cause of his Lord, the Powerful, the Almighty.
O servant who hast fixed his gaze upon My face!
Hearken unto the Voice of thy Lord, the All-Glorious,
calling aloud from the dayspring of grandeur and majesty.
Verily His Call will draw thee nigh unto the realm of glory
and will cause thee to extol His praise in such wise that
every created thing will be enraptured, and to magnify His
glory in such manner as to influence the entire creation.
Truly thy Lord is the Protector, the Gracious, the All-Informed.
Gather thou together the friends of God in that land and
acquaint them with My incomparable remembrance. We
have revealed for them a Tablet from which the fragrance
of the All-Merciful hath been wafted upon the realm of
+P262
existence, that they may rejoice with exceeding gladness
and remain steadfast in this wondrous Cause.
While in prison We have revealed a Book which We
have entitled `The Most Holy Book'. We have enacted
laws therein and adorned it with the commandments of thy
Lord, Who exerciseth authority over all that are in the
heavens and on the earth. Say: Take hold of it, O people,
and observe that which hath been sent down in it of the
wondrous precepts of your Lord, the Forgiving, the
Bountiful. It will truly prosper you both in this world and
in the next and will purge you of whatsoever ill beseemeth
you. He is indeed the Ordainer, the Expounder, the Giver,
the Generous, the Gracious, the All-Praised.
Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast been faithful
to the Covenant of God and His Testament and for thy
being honoured with this Tablet through which thy name
is recorded in My Preserved Tablet. Dedicate thyself to the
service of the Cause of thy Lord, cherish His remembrance
in thy heart and celebrate His praise in such wise that every
wayward and heedless soul may thereby be roused from
slumber.
Thus have We deigned to bestow upon thee a token of
favour from Our presence; and I verily am the Forgiving,
the All-Merciful.
WE desire to mention him who hath set his face towards
Us and to let him once again drink deep from the life-giving
waters of Our gracious providence that he may be enabled
to draw nigh unto My Horizon, be adorned with Mine
attributes, soar in Mine atmosphere, be confirmed in that
+P263
which will cause the sanctity of My Cause to be manifested
amongst My people and to celebrate My praise in a manner
that will cause every hesitating soul to hasten, every
motionless creature to wing its flight, every mortal frame
to be consumed, every chilled heart to be stirred with life
and every dejected spirit to surge with delight. Thus doth it
behove him who hath turned his face to Mine, hath
entered beneath the shadow of My loving-kindness and
received My verses which have pervaded the whole world.
O &Ali! He Who is the Dayspring of divine Revelation is
calling unto thee through this most wondrous utterance.
By the righteousness of God! If thou wert present before
My Throne and didst hearken unto the Tongue of might
and grandeur, thou wouldst sacrifice thy body, thy soul,
thine entire being as a token of thy love for God, the
Sovereign, the Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise,
and wouldst so thrill to the fascination of His Voice that
every pen would be powerless to recount thy station and
every eloquent speaker would be confounded in his attempt
to describe it. Ponder a while concerning this Revelation
and its invincible sovereignty; aid it then as it beseemeth
thy Lord, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful. Direct thou the
people unto the Dayspring of glory. Verily it is He Himself
Who is established upon His mighty Throne. Through
Him hath the horizon of this Prison been made to shine and
by Him have all that are in the heavens and on the earth
been illumined.
We have deigned to mention thy name in the past as
well as in this gracious Tablet that thou mayest once again
inhale the sweet fragrance of the All-Merciful. This is but
a token of My favour unto thee. Render thou thanks unto
thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the All-Seeing.
Grieve thou not at men's failure to apprehend the Truth.
+P264
Ere long thou shalt find them turning towards God, the
Lord of all mankind. We have indeed, through the potency
of the Most Sublime Word, encompassed the whole world,
and the time is approaching when God will have subdued
the hearts of all that dwell on earth. He is in truth the
Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.
We also remember thy brother from this land that he
may rejoice at My mention of him and be of them that
reflect.
O friend! The Best-Beloved is calling thee from His
Most Great Prison and exhorteth thee to observe that
which Mine exalted Pen hath revealed in My Most Holy
Book that thou mayest hold fast unto it with such resolve
and power as is born of Me; and I verily am the Ordainer,
the All-Wise.
Great is indeed your blessedness inasmuch as His unfailing
grace hath been vouchsafed unto you and ye have
been aided to recognize this Cause--a Cause through whose
potency the heavens have been folded together and every
lofty and towering mountain hath been scattered in dust.
Moreover through Our boundless grace We make
mention of your mother who hath been privileged to
recognize God. We send her Our greetings from this
glorious station. We remember every one of you, men and
women, and from this Spot--the Scene of incomparable
glory--regard you all as one soul and send you the joyous
tidings of divine blessings which have preceded all created
things, and of My remembrance that pervadeth everyone,
whether young or old. The glory of God rest upon you, O
people of &Baha. Rejoice with exceeding gladness through
My remembrance, for He is indeed with you at all times.
+P265
GIVE ear unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee from
the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, that
His Call may attract thee to the Summit of transcendent
glory and draw thee nigh unto the Station where thou
shalt behold thine entire being set ablaze with the fire of the
love of God in such wise that neither the ascendancy of the
rulers nor the whisperings of their vassals can quench it, and
thou wilt arise amidst the peoples of the world to celebrate
the praise of thy Lord, the Possessor of Names. This is that
which well beseemeth thee in this Day.
We will recount for thee the thing that hath happened
in the past that thou mayest perceive the sweetness of this
utterance and become aware of such events as have transpired
in former times. Verily thy Lord is the Admonisher,
the Gracious, the Best-Beloved.
Call thou to mind the days when He Who conversed
with God tended, in the wilderness, the sheep of Jethro, His
father-in-law. He hearkened unto the Voice of the Lord of
mankind coming from the Burning Bush which had been
raised above the Holy Land, exclaiming, `O Moses! Verily
I am God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' He was so carried away by the
captivating accent of the Voice that He detached Himself
from the world and set out in the direction of Pharaoh and
his people, invested with the power of thy Lord Who
exerciseth sovereignty over all that hath been and shall be.
The people of the world are now hearing that which Moses
did hear, but they understand not.
Say, I swear by the righteousness of God! Ere long the
pomp of the ministers of state and the ascendancy of the
rulers shall pass away, the palaces of the potentates shall be
laid waste and the imposing buildings of the emperors
+P266
reduced to dust, but what shall endure is that which We
have ordained for you in the Kingdom. It behoveth you, O
people, to make the utmost endeavour that your names
may be mentioned before the Throne and ye may bring
forth that which will immortalize your memories throughout
the eternity of God, the Lord of all being.
Remember thou on My behalf the loved ones in that
land, convey My greetings to them and gladden their
hearts with the tidings of that which hath been revealed for
them from this glorious station.
Say, take heed lest the overpowering might of the
oppressors alarm you. The day is approaching when every
emblem of vainglory will have been reduced to nothingness;
then shall ye behold the invincible sovereignty of your
Lord ruling over all things visible and invisible.
Beware lest the veils deter you from the outpourings of
His bounty in this Day. Cast away the things that keep you
back from God and persevere on this far-stretching Way.
We desire naught for you but that which profiteth you as
hath been recorded in His Preserved Tablet. We often
remember Our loved ones; however, We have found them
wanting in that which becometh them at the Court of the
favour of their Lord, the Gracious, the Forgiving, save
those whom God desireth to exempt. Verily, potent is
He to do what He willeth. He giveth and withholdeth.
He is indeed the Eternal Truth, the Knower of things
unseen.
Seize ye, O loved ones of the All-Merciful, the chalice of
eternal life proffered by the hand of the bountiful favours
of your Lord, the Possessor of the entire creation, then
drink ye deep therefrom. I swear by God, it will so enrapture
you that ye shall arise to magnify His Name and
proclaim His utterances amidst the peoples of the earth and
+P267
shall conquer the cities of the hearts of men in the name of
your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised.
Moreover, We announce unto everyone the joyful
tidings concerning that which We have revealed in Our
Most Holy Book--a Book from above whose horizon the
day-star of My commandments shineth upon every
observer and every observed one. Hold ye fast unto it and
fulfil that which is revealed therein. Indeed better is this for
you than whatsoever hath been created in the world, did ye
but know it. Beware lest the transitory things of human life
withhold you from turning unto God, the True One.
Ponder ye in your hearts the world and its conflicts and
changes, so that ye may discern its merit and the station of
those who have set their hearts upon it and have turned
away from that which hath been sent down in Our
Preserved Tablet.
Thus have We revealed these holy verses and sent them
unto thee that thou mayest arise to glorify the Name of
God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The glory of
God be upon thee and upon such as have partaken of this
choice, sealed Wine.
THIS Wronged One hath perused thy letter in the Most
Great Prison and is apprised of thine enquiry concerning the
commandments of God on the subjects of resurrection and
the means of livelihood. Thou hast done well to ask these
questions, for the benefit thereof will be gained by thyself
as well as other servants of God, both outwardly and
inwardly. Verily thy Lord knoweth all things and readily
answereth the call.
+P268
The supreme cause for creating the world and all that is
therein is for man to know God. In this Day whosoever is
guided by the fragrance of the raiment of His mercy to gain
admittance into the pristine Abode, which is the station of
recognizing the Source of divine commandments and the
Dayspring of His Revelation, hath everlastingly attained
unto all good. Having reached this lofty station a twofold
obligation resteth upon every soul. One is to be steadfast in
the Cause with such steadfastness that were all the peoples
of the world to attempt to prevent him from turning to the
Source of Revelation, they would be powerless to do so.
The other is observance of the divine ordinances which
have streamed forth from the wellspring of His heavenly-propelled
Pen. For man's knowledge of God cannot
develop fully and adequately save by observing whatsoever
hath been ordained by Him and is set forth in His heavenly
Book.
A year ago the Most Holy Book was sent down from the
heaven of the bounty of the Lord of Names. God willing,
thou mayest be graciously enabled to fulfil that which hath
been revealed therein.
Concerning the means of livelihood, thou shouldst,
while placing thy whole trust in God, engage in some
occupation. He will assuredly send down upon thee from
the heaven of His favour that which is destined for thee.
He is in truth the God of might and power.
Yield thou thanks unto God that thy letter hath reached
the presence of this Prisoner and from the Seat of divine
authority the answer hath been revealed and is being sent to
thee. This is an incalculable blessing vouchsafed by God.
Although it is not evident at present, it soon shall be. It
behoveth thee to say:
Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I am the one
+P269
who hath turned his face towards Thee and hath placed his
whole reliance in Thee. I implore Thee by Thy Name
whereby the ocean of Thine utterance hath surged and the
breezes of Thy knowledge have stirred, to grant that I may
be graciously aided to serve Thy Cause and be inspired to
remember Thee and praise Thee. Send down then upon me
from the heaven of Thy generosity that which will preserve
me from anyone but Thee and will profit me in all Thy
worlds.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Inaccessible, the
Supreme, the Knowing, the Wise.