WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ABDU'L-BAHA, THE
(U.S., 1990 reprint)
Filename: WT.ZIP
Filedate: 02/19/94
+P3
[PART ONE]
Herein Follow the Tablets and
Testament of &Abdu'l-Baha
ALL-PRAISE TO HIM Who, by the Shield of His Covenant,
hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the
darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath
preserved the Sanctuary of His most Beneficent Law and protected
His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught
of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened
to subvert His Divine Edifice; Who hath watched over
His Mighty Stronghold and All-Glorious Faith, through the
aid of men whom the slander of the slanderer affect not, whom
no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the
Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His
clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-Glorious
Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet.
Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that
primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree, grown out,
blest, tender, verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy
Trees; the most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth
gleam from out the Twin surging seas; upon the offshoots of
the Tree of Holiness, the twigs of the Celestial Tree, they that
in the Day of the Great Dividing have stood fast and firm in the
Covenant; upon the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God that
have diffused widely the Divine Fragrances, declared His
Proofs, proclaimed His Faith, published abroad His Law, detached
themselves from all things but Him, stood for righteousness
in this world, and kindled the Fire of the Love of God in
the very hearts and souls of His servants; upon them that have
believed, rested assured, stood steadfast in His Covenant and
followed the Light that after my passing shineth from the
Dayspring of Divine Guidance--for behold! he is the blest and
sacred bough that hath branched out from the Twin Holy Trees.
Well is it with him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that
shadoweth all mankind.
+P4
O ye beloved of the Lord! The greatest of all things is the
protection of the True Faith of God, the preservation of His
Law, the safeguarding of His Cause and service unto His Word.
Ten thousand souls have shed streams of their sacred blood in
this path, their precious lives they offered in sacrifice unto Him,
hastened wrapt in holy ecstasy unto the glorious field of
martyrdom, upraised the Standard of God's Faith and writ with
their life-blood upon the Tablet of the world the verses of His
Divine Unity. The sacred breast of His Holiness, the Exalted
One (may my life be a sacrifice unto Him), was made a target
to many a dart of woe, and in &Mazindaran, the blessed feet of
the &Abha Beauty (may my life be offered up for His loved ones)
were so grievously scourged as to bleed and be sore wounded.
His neck also was put into captive chains and His feet made fast
in the stocks. In every hour, for a period of fifty years, a new
trial and calamity befell Him and fresh afflictions and cares
beset Him. One of them: after having suffered intense vicissitudes,
He was made homeless and a wanderer and fell a victim
to still new vexations and troubles. In &Iraq, the Day-Star of
the world was so exposed to the wiles of the people of malice as
to be eclipsed in splendor. Later on He was sent an exile to
the Great City (Constantinople) and thence to the Land of
Mystery (Adrianople), whence, grievously wronged, He was
eventually transferred to the Most Great Prison (&Akka). He
Whom the world hath wronged (may my life be offered up for
His loved ones) was four times banished from city to city, till
at last, condemned to perpetual confinement, He was incarcerated
in this prison, the prison of highway robbers, of brigands and of
man-slayers. All this is but one of the trials that have afflicted
the Blessed Beauty, the rest being even as grievous as this.
And still another of His trials was the hostility, the flagrant
injustice, the iniquity and rebellion of &Mirza &Yahya. Although
that Wronged One, that Prisoner, had through His loving-kindness
nurtured him in His own bosom ever since his early
years, had showered at every moment His tender care upon him,
exalted his name, shielded him from every misfortune, endeared
him to them of this world and the next, and despite the firm
exhortations and counsels of His Holiness, the Exalted One
(the &Bab) and His clear and conclusive warning;--"Beware,
beware, lest the Nineteen Letters of the Living and that which
hath been revealed in the &Bayan veil thee!" yet notwithstanding
+P5
this, &Mirza &Yahya denied Him, dealt falsely with Him, believed
Him not, sowed the seeds of doubt, closed his eyes to His manifest
verses and turned aside therefrom. Would that he had been
content therewith! Nay, he even attempted to shed the sacred
blood (of &Baha'u'llah) and then raised a great clamor and
tumult around him, attributing unto &Baha'u'llah malevolence
and cruelty towards himself. What sedition he stirred up and
what a storm of mischief he raised whilst in the Land of Mystery
(Adrianople)! At last, he wrought that which caused the Day-Star
of the world to be sent an exile to this, the Most Great
Prison, and sorely wronged, and in the West of this Great Prison
He did set.
O ye that stand fast and firm in the Covenant! The Center
of Sedition, the Prime Mover of mischief, &Mirza &Muhammad
&Ali, hath passed out from under the shadow of the Cause, hath
broken the Covenant, hath falsified the Holy Text, hath inflicted
a grievous loss upon the true Faith of God, hath scattered
His people, hath with bitter rancor endeavored to hurt &Abdu'l-Baha
and hath assailed with the utmost enmity this servant of
the Sacred Threshold. Every dart he seized and hurled to
pierce the breast of this wronged servant, no wound did he
neglect to grievously inflict upon me, no venom did he spare
but he poisoned therewith the life of this hapless one. I swear
by the most holy &Abha Beauty and by the Light shining from
His Holiness, the Exalted One (may my soul be a sacrifice for
Their lowly servants), that because of this iniquity the dwellers
in the Pavilion of the &Abha Kingdom have bewailed, the Celestial
Concourse is lamenting, the Immortal Maids of Heaven in the
All-Highest Paradise have raised their plaintive cries and the
angelic company sighed and uttered their moanings. So grievous
the deeds of this iniquitous person became that he struck with
his axe at the root of the Blessed Tree, dealt a heavy blow at
the Temple of the Cause of God, deluged with tears of blood
the eyes of the loved ones of the Blessed Beauty, cheered and
encouraged the enemies of the One True God, by his repudiation
of the Covenant turned many a seeker after Truth aside from
the Cause of God, revived the blighted hopes of &Yahya's following,
made himself detested, caused the enemies of the Greatest
Name to become audacious and arrogant, put aside the firm and
conclusive verses and sowed the seeds of doubt. Had not the
promised aid of the Ancient Beauty been graciously vouchsafed
+P6
at every moment to this one, unworthy though he be, he surely
would have destroyed, nay exterminated the Cause of God and
utterly subverted the Divine Edifice. But, praised be the Lord,
the triumphant assistance of the &Abha Kingdom was received,
the hosts of the Realm above hastened to bestow victory. The
Cause of God was promoted far and wide, the call of the True
One was noised abroad, ears in all regions were inclined to the
Word of God, His standard was unfurled, the ensigns of Holiness
gloriously waved aloft and the verses celebrating His Divine
Unity were chanted. Now, that the true Faith of God may be
shielded and protected, His Law guarded and preserved and
His Cause remain safe and secure, it is incumbent upon everyone
to hold fast unto the Text of the clear and firmly established
blessed verse, revealed about him. None other transgression
greater than his can be ever imagined. He (&Baha'u'llah)
sayeth, glorious and holy is His Word:--"My foolish loved ones
have regarded him even as my partner, have kindled sedition in
the land and they verily are of the mischief-makers." Consider,
how foolish are the people! They that have been in His
(&Baha'u'llah's) Presence and beheld His Countenance, have
nevertheless noised abroad such idle talk, until, exalted be His
explicit words, He said:--"Should he for a moment pass out
from under the shadow of the Cause, he surely shall be brought
to naught." Reflect! What stress He layeth upon one moment's
deviation: that is, were he to incline a hair's breadth to the right
or to the left, his deviation would be clearly established and his
utter nothingness made manifest. And now ye are witnessing
how the wrath of God hath from all sides afflicted him and how
day by day he is speeding towards destruction. Ere long will ye
behold him and his associates, outwardly and inwardly, condemned
to utter ruin.
What deviation can be greater than breaking the Covenant
of God! What deviation can be greater than interpolating
and falsifying the words and verses of the Sacred Text, even
as testified and declared by &Mirza &Badi'u'llah! What deviation
can be greater than calumniating the Center of the Covenant
himself! What deviation can be more glaring than spreading
broadcast false and foolish reports touching the Temple of God's
Testament! What deviation can be more grievous than decreeing
the death of the Center of the Covenant, supported by the
holy verse:--"He that layeth a claim ere the passing of a
+P7
thousand years...," whilst he (&Muhammad &Ali) without
shame in the days of the Blessed Beauty had advanced such
a claim as this and been confuted by Him in the aforementioned
manner, the text of his claim being still extant in his own handwriting
and bearing his own seal. What deviation can be more
complete than falsely accusing the loved ones of God! What
deviation can be more evil than causing their imprisonment and
incarceration! What deviation can be more severe than delivering
into the hands of the government the Holy Writings
and Epistles, that haply they (the government) might arise
intent upon the death of this wronged one! What deviation
can be more violent than threatening the ruin of the Cause
of God, forging and slanderously falsifying letters and documents
so that this might perturb and alarm the government
and lead to the shedding of the blood of this wronged one,--
such letters and documents being now in the possession of the
government! What deviation can be more odious than his
iniquity and rebellion! What deviation can be more shameful
than dispersing the gathering of the people of salvation! What
deviation can be more infamous than the vain and feeble interpretations
of the people of doubt! What deviation can be
more wicked than joining hands with strangers and with the
enemies of God!
A few months ago, in concert with others, he that hath
broken the Covenant, hath prepared a document teeming with
calumny and slander wherein, the Lord forbid, among many
similar slanderous charges, &Abdu'l-Baha is deemed a deadly
enemy, the ill-wisher of the Crown. They so perturbed the
minds of the members of the Imperial Government that at
last a Committee of Investigation was sent from the seat of His
Majesty's Government which, violating every rule of justice
and equity that befit His Imperial Majesty, nay, with the
most glaring injustice, proceeded with its investigations. The
ill-wishers of the One True God surrounded them on every
side and explained and excessively enlarged upon the text of
the document whilst they (the members of the Committee)
in their turn blindly acquiesced. One of their many calumnies
was that this servant had raised aloft a banner in this city,
had summoned the people together under it, had established
a new sovereignty for himself, had erected upon Mount Carmel
a mighty stronghold, had rallied around him all the peoples of
+P8
the land and made them obedient to him, had caused disruption
in the Faith of &Islam, had covenanted with the following of
Christ and, God forbid, had purposed to cause the gravest
breach in the mighty power of the Crown. May the Lord
protect us from such atrocious falsehoods!
According to the direct and sacred command of God we
are forbidden to utter slander, are commanded to show forth
peace and amity, are exhorted to rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness
and harmony with all the kindreds and peoples
of the world. We must obey and be the well-wishers of the
governments of the land, regard disloyalty unto a just king
as disloyalty to God Himself and wishing evil to the government
a transgression of the Cause of God. With these final and
decisive words, how can it be that these imprisoned ones should
indulge in such vain fancies; incarcerated, how could they show
forth such disloyalty! But alas! The Committee of Investigation
hath approved and confirmed these calumnies of my
brother and ill-wishers and submitted them to the presence of
His Majesty the Sovereign. Now at this moment a fierce storm
is raging around this prisoner who awaiteth, be it favorable or
unfavorable, the gracious will of His Majesty, may the Lord
aid him by His grace to be just. In whatsoever condition he
may be, with absolute calm and quietness, &Abdu'l-Baha is ready
for self-sacrifice and is wholly resigned and submitted to His
Will. What transgression can be more abominable, more odious,
more wicked than this!
In like manner, the focal Center of Hate, hath purposed
to put &Abdu'l-Baha to death and this is supported by the testimony
written by &Mirza &Shu'a'u'llah himself and is here
enclosed. It is evident and indisputable that they are privily
and with the utmost subtlety engaged in conspiring against me.
The following are his very words written by him in this letter:--
"I curse at every moment him that hath kindled this discord,
imprecate in these words `Lord! have no mercy upon him' and
I hope ere long God will make manifest the one that shall have
no pity on him, who now weareth another garb and about
whom I cannot any more explain." Reference he doth make by
these words to the sacred verse that beginneth as follows:--"He
that layeth a claim ere the passing of a thousand years..."
Reflect! How intent they are upon the death of &Abdu'l-Baha!
Ponder in your hearts upon the phrase "I cannot any more
+P9
explain" and realize what schemes they are devising for this
purpose. They fear lest, too fully explained, the letter might
fall into alien hands and their schemes be foiled and frustrated.
The phrase is only foretelling good tidings to come, namely
that regarding this all requisite arrangements have been made.
O God, my God! Thou seest this wronged servant of
Thine, held fast in the talons of ferocious lions, of ravening
wolves, of bloodthirsty beasts. Graciously assist me, through
my love for Thee, that I may drink deep of the chalice that
brimmeth over with faithfulness to Thee and is filled with Thy
bountiful Grace; so that, fallen upon the dust, I may sink
prostrate and senseless whilst my vesture is dyed crimson with
my blood. This is my wish, my heart's desire, my hope, my
pride, my glory. Grant, O Lord my God, and my Refuge,
that in my last hour, my end may even as musk shed its
fragrance of glory! Is there a bounty greater than this? Nay,
by Thy Glory! I call Thee to witness that no day passeth but
that I quaff my fill from this cup, so grievous are the misdeeds
wrought by them that have broken the Covenant, kindled discord,
showed their malice, stirred sedition in the land and
dishonored Thee amidst Thy servants. Lord! Shield Thou
from these Covenant-breakers the mighty Stronghold of Thy
Faith and protect Thy secret Sanctuary from the onslaught of
the ungodly. Thou art in truth the Mighty, the Powerful, the
Gracious, the Strong.
In short, O ye beloved of the Lord! The Center of Sedition,
&Mirza &Muhammad &Ali, in accordance with the decisive words
of God and by reason of his boundless transgression, hath
grievously fallen and been cut off from the Holy Tree. Verily,
we wronged them not, but they have wronged themselves!
O God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the
evils of self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye
of Thy loving kindness from all rancor, hate and envy, shelter
them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy care and, safe from
the darts of doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy
glorious Signs, illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed
from the Dayspring of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts
with the verses revealed from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen
their loins by Thy all-swaying power that cometh from Thy
Realm of Glory. Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Protector, the
Almighty, the Gracious!
+P10
O ye that stand fast in the Covenant! When the hour
cometh that this wronged and broken-winged bird will have
taken its flight into the Celestial Concourse, when it will have
hastened to the Realm of the Unseen and its mortal frame will
have been either lost or hidden neath the dust, it is incumbent
upon the &Afnan, that are steadfast in the Covenant of God and
have branched from the Tree of Holiness; the Hands, (pillars)
of the Cause of God (the glory of the Lord rest upon them),
and all the friends and loved ones, one and all to bestir themselves
and arise with heart and soul and in one accord, to diffuse the
sweet savors of God, to teach His Cause and to promote His
Faith. It behooveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to
seek repose. They must disperse themselves in every land, pass
by every clime, and travel throughout all regions. Bestirred,
without rest, and steadfast to the end, they must raise in every
land the triumphal cry "&Ya &Baha'u'l-Abha!" (O Thou the Glory
of Glories), must achieve renown in the world wherever
they go, must burn brightly even as a candle in every meeting
and must kindle the flame of Divine love in every assembly;
that the light of truth may rise resplendent in the midmost
heart of the world, that throughout the East and throughout
the West a vast concourse may gather under the shadow of the
Word of God, that the sweet savors of holiness may be diffused,
that faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled with the Divine
spirit and souls be made heavenly.
In these days, the most important of all things is the
guidance of the nations and peoples of the world. Teaching
the Cause is of utmost importance for it is the head corner-stone
of the foundation itself. This wronged servant has spent his
days and nights in promoting the Cause and urging the peoples
to service. He rested not a moment, till the fame of the Cause
of God was noised abroad in the world and the celestial strains
from the &Abha Kingdom roused the East and the West. The
beloved of God must also follow the same example. This is the
secret of faithfulness, this is the requirement of servitude to
the Threshold of &Baha!
The disciples of Christ forgot themselves and all earthly
things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged themselves
of self and passion, and with absolute detachment scattered
far and wide and engaged in calling the peoples of the
world to the divine guidance; till at last they made the world
+P11
another world, illumined the surface of the earth, and even
to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that
beloved One of God. Finally in various lands they suffered
glorious martyrdom. Let them that are men of action follow
in their footsteps!
O my loving friends! After the passing away of this
wronged one, it is incumbent upon the &Aghsan (Branches), the
&Afnan (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of
the Cause of God and the loved ones of the &Abha Beauty to
turn unto Shoghi Effendi--the youthful branch branched from
the two hallowed and sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown
from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness,--
as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the
Cause of God, he unto whom all the &Aghsan, the &Afnan, the
Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He
is the Interpreter of the Word of God and after him will succeed
the first-born of his lineal descendents.
The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the
Cause of God, as well as the Universal House of Justice to be
universally elected and established, are both under the care
and protection of the &Abha Beauty, under the shelter and unerring
guidance of the Exalted One (may my life
be offered up for them both). Whatsoever they decide is of
God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not
obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them
hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed
God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God;
whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso
denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath
disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and
turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself
and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation,
the vengeance of God rest upon him! The mighty stronghold
shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to
him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent
upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the &Aghsan,
the &Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience,
submissiveness and subordination unto the Guardian of the
Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before him. He
that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a
breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His Word and will
+P12
become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition. Beware,
beware, lest the days after the ascension (of &Baha'u'llah) be
repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and
rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself
and perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vainglorious
one that purposeth dissension and discord will not
openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure
gold, will he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts
that he may separate the gathering of the people of &Baha. My
object is to show that the Hands of the Cause of God must be
ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to
oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God,
cast him out from the congregation of the people of &Baha and
in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often hath grievous
error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the
seeds of doubt in the hearts of men!
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the
Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time
him that shall become his successor, that differences may not
arise after his passing. He that is appointed must manifest in
himself detachment from all worldly things, must be the essence
of purity, must show in himself the fear of God, knowledge,
wisdom and learning. Thus, should the first-born of the
Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth
of the words:--"The child is the secret essence of its sire,"
that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the
Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be
matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian
of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him.
The Hands of the Cause of God must elect from their own
number nine persons that shall at all times be occupied in the
important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of
God. The election of these nine must be carried either unanimously
or by majority from the company of the Hands of the
Cause of God and these, whether unanimously or by a majority
vote, must give their assent to the choice of the one whom the
Guardian of the Cause of God hath chosen as his successor.
This assent must be given in such wise as the assenting and dissenting
voices may not be distinguished (i.e., secret ballot).
O friends! The Hands of the Cause of God must be
nominated and appointed by the Guardian of the Cause of God.
+P13
All must be under his shadow and obey his command. Should
any, within or without the company of the Hands of the Cause
of God disobey and seek division, the wrath of God and His
vengeance will be upon him, for he will have caused a breach
in the true Faith of God.
The obligations of the Hands of the Cause of God are to
diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to
promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to
be, at all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached
from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by
their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words.
This body of the Hands of the Cause of God is under the
direction of the Guardian of the Cause of God. He must continually
urge them to strive and endeavor to the utmost of their
ability to diffuse the sweet savors of God, and to guide all the
peoples of the world, for it is the light of Divine Guidance that
causeth all the universe to be illumined. To disregard, though
it be for a moment, this absolute command which is binding
upon everyone, is in no wise permitted, that the existent world
may become even as the &Abha Paradise, that the surface of the
earth may become heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst
peoples, kindreds, nations and governments may disappear, that
all the dwellers on earth may become one people and one race,
that the world may become even as one home. Should differences
arise, they shall be amicably and conclusively settled by
the Supreme Tribunal, that shall include members from all the
governments and peoples of the world.
O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation,
conflict and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor
deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon
everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness
and sincere kindliness unto all the peoples and
kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense
must be the spirit of love and loving kindness, that the stranger
may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference
whatsoever existing between them. For universality is of
God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that
his reality may manifest virtues and perfections, the light
whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun
shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine
Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth
+P14
every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain
their share and portion at His heavenly board. In like manner,
the affections and loving kindness of the servants of the One
True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all
mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no
wise permitted.
Wherefore, O my loving friends! Consort with all the
peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost
truthfulness, uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and
friendliness, that all the world of being may be filled with the
holy ecstasy of the grace of &Baha, that ignorance, enmity, hate
and rancor may vanish from the world and the darkness of
estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may
give way to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and
nations be unfaithful to you show your fidelity unto them,
should they be unjust toward you show justice towards them,
should they keep aloof from you attract them to yourselves,
should they show their enmity be friendly towards them, should
they poison your lives, sweeten their souls, should they inflict a
wound upon you, be a salve to their sores. Such are the attributes
of the sincere! Such are the attributes of the truthful.
And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath
ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it
must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers.
Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings
of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in
God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. By this House
is meant the Universal House of Justice, that is, in all countries
a secondary House of Justice must be instituted, and these
secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the
Universal one. Unto this body all things must be referred.
It enacteth all ordinances and regulations that are not to be
found in the explicit Holy Text. By this body all the difficult
problems are to be resolved and the Guardian of the Cause of
God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of
that body. Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he
must appoint one to represent him. Should any of the members
commit a sin, injurious to the common weal, the Guardian of the
Cause of God hath at his own discretion the right to expel him,
whereupon the people must elect another one in his stead. This
House of Justice enacteth the laws and the government enforceth
+P15
them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the
executive must aid and assist the legislative body so that through
the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation
of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the
regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
O Lord, my God! Assist Thy loved ones to be firm in Thy
Faith, to walk in Thy ways, to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Give
them Thy grace to withstand the onslaught of self and passion,
to follow the light of Divine Guidance. Thou art the Powerful,
the Gracious, the Self-Subsisting, the Bestower, the Compassionate,
the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
O friends of &Abdu'l-Baha! The Lord, as a sign of His
infinite bounties, hath graciously favored His servants by providing
for a fixed money offering (&Huquq), to be dutifully
presented unto Him, though He, the True One and His servants
have been at all times independent of all created things, and God
verily is the All-Possessing, exalted above the need of any
gift from His creatures. This fixed money offering, however,
causeth the people to become firm and steadfast and draweth
Divine increase upon them. It is to be offered through the
Guardian of the Cause of God, that it may be expended for the
diffusion of the Fragrances of God and the exaltation of His
Word, for benevolent pursuits and for the common weal.
O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon you to be
submissive to all monarchs that are just and to show your fidelity
to every righteous king. Serve ye the sovereigns of the world
with utmost truthfulness and loyalty. Show obedience unto
them and be their well-wishers. Without their leave and permission
do not meddle with political affairs, for disloyalty to
the just sovereign is disloyalty to God Himself.
This is my counsel and the commandment of God unto you.
Well is it with them that act accordingly.
-------------------
(This written paper hath for a long time been preserved
under ground, damp having affected it. When brought
forth to the light it was observed that certain parts of it were
injured by the damp, and the Holy Land being sorely agitated
it was left untouched.)
+P16
+P17
[PART TWO]
He Is God
O MY LORD, my heart's Desire, Thou Whom I ever invoke,
Thou Who art my Aider and my Shelter, my Helper and
my Refuge! Thou seest me submerged in an ocean of calamities
that overwhelm the soul, of afflictions that oppress the heart, of
woes that disperse Thy gathering, of ills and pains that scatter
Thy flock. Sore trials have compassed me round and perils have
from all sides beset me. Thou seest me immersed in a sea of
unsurpassed tribulation, sunk into a fathomless abyss, afflicted
by mine enemies and consumed with the flame of their hate, enkindled
by my kinsmen with whom Thou didst make Thy strong
Covenant and Thy firm Testament, wherein Thou biddest them
turn their hearts to this wronged one, to keep away from me the
foolish, the unjust, and refer unto this lonely one all that about
which they differ in Thy Holy Book, so that the Truth may be
revealed unto them, their doubts may be dispelled and Thy
manifest Signs be spread abroad.
Yet now Thou seest them, O Lord, my God! with Thine eye
that sleepeth not, how that they have broken Thy Covenant and
turned their backs thereon, how with hate and rebelliousness
they have erred from Thy Testament and have arisen intent
upon malice.
Adversities have waxed still more severe as they rose with
unbearable cruelty to overpower and crush me, as they scattered
far and wide their scrolls of doubt and in utter falsehood hurled
their calumnies upon me. Not content with this, their chief,
O my God, hath dared to interpolate Thy Book, to fraudulently
alter Thy decisive Holy Text and falsify that which hath been
revealed by Thy All-Glorious Pen. He did also maliciously
insert that which Thou didst reveal for the one that hath
wrought the most glaring cruelty upon Thee, disbelieved in
Thee and denied Thy wondrous Signs, into what Thou didst
reveal for this servant of Thine that hath been wronged in this
world. All this he did that he might beguile the souls of men
and breathe his evil whisperings into the hearts of Thy devoted
+P18
ones. Thereunto did their second chief testify, confessing it in
his own handwriting, setting thereupon his seal and spreading
it throughout all regions. O my God! Could there be a more
grievous injustice than this? And still they rested not, but
further strove with stubbornness, falsehood and slander, with
scorn and calumny to stir up sedition in the midst of the government
of this land and elsewhere, causing them to deem me a
sower of sedition and filling the minds with things that the ear
abhorreth to hear. The government was thus alarmed, fear fell
upon the sovereign, and the suspicion of the nobility was
aroused. Minds were troubled, affairs were upset, souls were
perturbed, the fire of anguish and sorrow was kindled within the
breasts, the Holy Leaves (of the Household) were convulsed
and shaken, their eyes rained with tears, their sighs and lamentations
were raised and their hearts burned within them as they
bewailed this wronged servant of Thine, fallen a victim into
the hands of these, his kindred, nay, his very enemies!
Lord! Thou seest all things weeping over Me and My kindred
rejoicing in My woes. By Thy Glory, O my God! Even amongst
mine enemies, some have lamented my troubles and my distress,
and of the envious ones a number have shed tears because of
my cares, my exile and my afflictions. They did this because
they found naught in me but affection and care and witnessed
naught but kindliness and mercy. As they saw me swept into
the flood of tribulation and adversity and exposed even as a
target to the arrows of fate, their hearts were moved with
compassion, tears came to their eyes and they testified declaring:
--"The Lord is our witness; naught have we seen from
him but faithfulness, generosity and extreme compassion." The
Covenant-breakers, foreboders of evil, however, waxed fiercer in
their rancor, rejoiced as I fell a victim to the most grievous
ordeal, bestirred themselves against me and made merry over
the heartrending happenings around me.
I call upon Thee, O Lord my God! with my tongue and
with all my heart, not to requite them for their cruelty and their
wrong-doings, their craft and their mischief, for they are foolish
and ignoble and know not what they do. They discern not
good from evil, neither do they distinguish right from wrong,
nor justice from injustice. They follow their own desires and
walk in the footsteps of the most imperfect and foolish amongst
them. O my Lord! Have mercy upon them, shield them from
+P19
all afflictions in these troubled times and grant that all trials
and hardships may be the lot of this Thy servant that hath fallen
into this darksome pit. Single me out for every woe and make
me a sacrifice for all Thy loved ones. O Lord, Most High!
May my soul, my life, my being, my spirit, my all be offered
up for them. O God, my God! Lowly, suppliant and fallen
upon my face, I beseech Thee with all the ardor of my invocation
to pardon whosoever hath hurt me, forgive him that
hath conspired against me and offended me, and wash away the
misdeeds of them that have wrought injustice upon me. Vouchsafe
unto them Thy goodly gifts, give them joy, relieve them
from sorrow, grant them peace and prosperity, give them Thy
bliss and pour upon them Thy bounty.
Thou art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Help in Peril,
the Self-Subsisting!
O dearly beloved friends! I am now in very great danger
and the hope of even an hour's life is lost to me. I am thus
constrained to write these lines for the protection of the Cause of
God, the preservation of His Law, the safeguarding of His
Word and the safety of His Teachings. By the Ancient Beauty!
This wronged one hath in no wise borne nor doth he bear a
grudge against any one; towards none doth he entertain any
ill-feeling and uttereth no word save for the good of the world.
My supreme obligation, however, of necessity, prompteth me
to guard and preserve the Cause of God. Thus, with the
greatest regret, I counsel you saying: Guard ye the Cause of
God, protect His law and have the utmost fear of discord.
This is the foundation of the belief of the people of &Baha
(may my life be offered up for them): "His Holiness, the
Exalted One (the &Bab), is the Manifestation of the Unity and
Oneness of God and the Forerunner of the Ancient Beauty. His
Holiness the &Abha Beauty (may my life be a sacrifice for His
steadfast friends) is the Supreme Manifestation of God and
the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence. All others are
servants unto Him and do His bidding." Unto the Most Holy
Book every one must turn, and all that is not expressly recorded
therein must be referred to the Universal House of Justice.
That which this body, whether unanimously or by a majority
doth carry, that is verily the truth and the purpose of God
Himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that
love discord, hath shown forth malice, and turned away from
+P20
the Lord of the Covenant. By this House is meant that Universal
House of Justice which is to be elected from all countries,
that is from those parts in the East and West where the loved
ones are to be found, after the manner of the customary elections
in Western countries such as those of England.
It is incumbent upon these members (of the Universal
House of Justice) to gather in a certain place and deliberate
upon all problems which have caused difference, questions that
are obscure and matters that are not expressly recorded in the
Book. Whatsoever they decide has the same effect as the Text
itself. Inasmuch as the House of Justice hath power to
enact laws that are not expressly recorded in the Book and bear
upon daily transactions, so also it hath power to repeal the
same. Thus for example, the House of Justice enacteth today a
certain law and enforceth it, and a hundred years hence, circumstances
having profoundly changed and the conditions having
altered, another House of Justice will then have power, according
to the exigencies of the time, to alter that law. This it can
do because these laws form no part of the divine explicit Text.
The House of Justice is both the initiator and the abrogator of
its own laws.
And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles
of the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the
Covenant-breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of
God, exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts
exerted in the past. O friends! It behooveth you to call to mind
with tenderness the trials of His Holiness, the Exalted One,
and show your fidelity to the Ever-Blest Beauty. The utmost
endeavor must be exerted lest all these woes, trials and afflictions,
all this pure and sacred blood that hath been shed so
profusely in the Path of God, may prove to be in vain. Ye
know well what the hands of the Center of Sedition, &Mirza
&Muhammad &Ali, and his associates have wrought. Among
his doings, one of them is the corruption of the Sacred Text
whereof ye are all aware, the Lord be praised, and know that
it is evident, proven and confirmed by the testimony of his
brother, &Mirza &Badi'u'llah, whose confession is written in his
own handwriting, beareth his seal, is printed and spread abroad.
This is but one of his misdeeds. Can a transgression be imagined
more glaring than this, the interpolation of the Holy Text?
Nay, by the righteousness of the Lord! His transgressions are
+P21
writ and recorded in a leaflet by itself. Please God, ye will
peruse it.
In short, according to the explicit Divine Text the least
transgression shall make of this man a fallen creature, and
what transgression is more grievous than attempting to destroy
the Divine Edifice, breaking the Covenant, erring from the
Testament, falsifying the Holy Text, sowing the seeds of doubt,
calumniating &Abdu'l-Baha, advancing claims for which God
hath sent down no warrant, kindling mischief and striving to
shed the very blood of &Abdu'l-Baha, and many other things
whereof ye are all aware! It is thus evident that should this
man succeed in bringing disruption into the Cause of God, he
will utterly destroy and exterminate it. Beware lest ye approach
this man, for to approach him is worse than approaching fire!
Gracious God! After &Mirza &Badi'u'llah had declared in
his own handwriting that this man (&Muhammad &Ali) had
broken the Covenant and had proclaimed his falsification of the
Holy Text, he realized that to return to the True Faith and pay
allegiance to the Covenant and Testament would in no wise
promote his selfish desires. He thus repented and regretted
the thing he had done and attempted privily to gather in his
printed confessions, plotted darkly with the Center of Sedition
against me and informed him daily of all the happenings within
my household. He has even taken a leading part in the
mischievous deeds that have of late been committed. Praise
be to God affairs recovered their former stability and the loved
ones obtained partial peace. But ever since the day he entered
again into our midst, he began afresh to sow the seeds of sore
sedition. Some of his machinations and intrigues will be recorded
in a separate leaflet.
My purpose is, however, to show that it is incumbent upon
the friends that are fast and firm in the Covenant and Testament
to be ever wakeful lest after this wronged one is gone this
alert and active worker of mischief may cause disruption, privily
sow the seeds of doubt and sedition and utterly root out the
Cause of God. A thousand times shun his company. Take
heed and be on your guard. Watch and examine; should anyone,
openly or privily, have the least connection with him, cast him
out from your midst, for he will surely cause disruption and
mischief.
+P22
O ye beloved of the Lord! Strive with all your heart to
shield the Cause of God from the onslaught of the insincere,
for souls such as these cause the straight to become crooked and
all benevolent efforts to produce contrary results.
O God, my God! I call Thee, Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers,
Thy Saints and Thy Holy Ones, to witness that I have
declared conclusively Thy Proofs unto Thy loved ones and
set forth clearly all things unto them, that they may watch over
Thy Faith, guard Thy Straight Path and protect Thy Resplendent
Law. Thou art, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!
+P23
[PART THREE]
He Is the Witness, the All-Sufficing
O MY GOD! my Beloved, my heart's Desire! Thou knowest,
Thou seest that which hath befallen this servant of Thine,
that hath humbled himself at Thy Door, and Thou knowest the
sins committed against him by the people of malice, they that
have broken Thy Covenant and turned their backs on Thy Testament.
In the day-time they afflicted me with the arrows of hate
and in the night-season they privily conspired to hurt me. At dawn
they committed that which the Celestial Concourse did lament
and at eventide they unsheathed against me the sword of
tyranny and hurled in the presence of the ungodly their darts
of calumny upon me. Notwithstanding their misdeeds, this
lowly servant of Thine was patient and did endure every
affliction and trial at their hands, though by Thy power and
might he could have destroyed their words, quenched their fire
and stayed the flame of their rebelliousness.
Thou seest, O my God! how my long-suffering, my forbearance
and silence have increased their cruelty, their arrogance
and their pride. By Thy Glory, O Beloved One! They have
misbelieved in Thee and rebelled against Thee in such wise that
they left me not a moment of rest and quiet, that I might arise
as it is meet and seemly, to exalt Thy Word amidst mankind,
and might serve at Thy Threshold of Holiness with a heart that
overfloweth with the joy of the dwellers of the &Abha Kingdom.
Lord! My cup of woe runneth over, and from all sides
blows are fiercely raging upon me. The darts of affliction have
compassed me round and the arrows of distress have rained
upon me. Thus tribulation overwhelmed me and my strength,
because of the onslaught of the foemen, became weakness within
me, while I stood alone and forsaken in the midst of my woes.
Lord! Have mercy upon me, lift me up unto Thyself and make
me to drink from the Chalice of Martyrdom, for the wide world
with all its vastness can no longer contain me.
Thou art, verily, the Merciful, the Compassionate, the
Gracious, the All-Bountiful!
+P24
O ye the true, the sincere, the faithful friends of this
wronged one! Everyone knoweth and believeth what calamities
and afflictions have befallen this wronged one, this prisoner, at
the hands of those who have broken the Covenant at the time
when, after the setting of the Day-Star of the world, his heart
was consumed with the flame of His bereavement.
When, in all parts of the earth, the enemies of God profiting
by the passing away of the Sun of Truth, suddenly and with
all their might launched their attack; at such a time and in the
midst of so great a calamity, the Covenant-breakers arose with
the utmost cruelty, intent upon harm and the stirring up of the
spirit of enmity. At every moment a misdeed they did commit
and bestirred themselves to sow the seeds of grievous sedition,
and to ruin the edifice of the Covenant. But this wronged one,
this prisoner, did his utmost to hide and veil their doings, that
haply they might regret and repent. His long-suffering and
forbearance of these evil deeds, however, made the rebellious
ones still more arrogant and daring; until, through leaflets
written with their own hands, they sowed the seeds of doubt,
printing these leaflets and scattering them broadcast throughout
the world, believing that such foolish doings would bring to
naught the Covenant and the Testament.
Thereupon the loved ones of the Lord arose, inspired with
the greatest confidence and constancy and aided by the power
of the Kingdom, by Divine Strength, by heavenly Grace, by the
unfailing help and Celestial Bounty, they withstood the enemies
of the Covenant in well-nigh three score and ten treatises and
supported by conclusive proofs, unmistakable evidences and clear
texts from the Holy Writ, they refuted their scrolls of doubt
and mischief-kindling leaflets. The Center of Sedition was thus
confounded in his craftiness, afflicted by the wrath of God, sunk
into a degradation and infamy that shall be lasting until the
Day of Doom. Base and wretched is the plight of the people
of evil deeds, they that are in grievous loss!
And as they lost their cause, grew hopeless in their efforts
against the loved ones of God, saw the Standard of His Testament
waving throughout all regions and witnessed the power
of the Covenant of the Merciful One, the flame of envy so
blazed within them as to be beyond recounting. With the utmost
vigor, exertion, rancor and enmity, they followed another
path, walked in another way, devised another plan: that of
+P25
kindling the flame of sedition in the heart of the very government
itself, and thus cause this wronged one, this prisoner to
appear as a mover of strife, inimical to the government and a
hater and opponent of the Crown. Perchance &Abdu'l-Baha may
be put to death and his name be made to perish whereby an
arena may be opened unto the enemies of the Covenant wherein
they may advance and spur on their charger, inflict a grievous
loss upon everyone and subvert the very foundations of the
edifice of the Cause of God. For so grievous is the conduct
and behavior of this false people that they are become even
as an axe striking at the very root of the Blessed Tree. Should
they be suffered to continue they would, in but a few days' time,
exterminate the Cause of God, His Word, and themselves.
Hence, the beloved of the Lord must entirely shun them,
avoid them, foil their machinations and evil whisperings, guard
the Law of God and His religion, engage one and all in diffusing
widely the sweet savors of God and to the best of their
endeavor proclaim His Teachings.
Whosoever and whatsoever meeting becometh a hindrance
to the diffusion of the Light of Faith, let the loved ones give
them counsel and say: "Of all the gifts of God the greatest is
the gift of Teaching. It draweth unto us the Grace of God and
is our first obligation. Of such a gift how can we deprive ourselves?
Nay, our lives, our goods, our comforts, our rest, we
offer them all as a sacrifice for the &Abha Beauty and teach the
Cause of God." Caution and prudence, however, must be observed
even as recorded in the Book. The veil must in no wise
be suddenly rent asunder. The Glory of Glories rest upon you.
O ye the faithful loved ones of &Abdu'l-Baha! It is incumbent
upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi, the
twig that hath branched from and the fruit given forth by the
two hallowed and Divine Lote-Trees, that no dust of despondency
and sorrow may stain his radiant nature, that day by day
he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spirituality, and
may grow to become even as a fruitful tree.
For he is, after &Abdu'l-Baha, the Guardian of the Cause
of God, the &Afnan, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause and the
beloved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He
that obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth
away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth
him, hath denied the True One. Beware lest anyone falsely interpret
+P26
these words, and like unto them that have broken the
Covenant after the Day of Ascension (of &Baha'u'llah) advance
a pretext, raise the standard of revolt, wax stubborn and open
wide the door of false interpretation. To none is given the right
to put forth his own opinion or express his particular conviction.
All must seek guidance and turn unto the Center of the Cause
and the House of Justice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever
else is indeed in grievous error.
The Glory of Glories rest upon you!