LAWḤ-I-KARMIL (TABLET OF CARMEL)


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 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 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 Bahá 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.





                  LAWḤ-I-AQDAS (THE MOST HOLY TABLET)(1)


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!(2) 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(3) 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 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.

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 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 Bayán, 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 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.

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 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’án 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 Sháh 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 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 Murád and say: ‘Blessed art thou, O
Murád, 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 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 Day-Star 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.





                         BISHÁRÁT (GLAD-TIDINGS)


This is the Call of the All-Glorious which is proclaimed from the Supreme
Horizon in the Prison of Akká

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.

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 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.

The eighth Glad-Tidings

The pious deeds of the monks and priests among the followers of the
Spirit(4)—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 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.

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 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 Bahá! 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 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.

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.





                           TARAZÁT (ORNAMENTS)


In My Name, which standeth supreme above all names

PRAISE and glory beseem the Lord of Names and the Creator of the heavens,
He, the waves of Whose ocean of Revelation surge before the eyes of the
peoples of the world. The Day-Star of His Cause shineth through every veil
and His Word of affirmation standeth beyond the reach of negation. Neither
the ascendancy of the oppressor nor the tyranny of the wicked hath been
able to thwart His Purpose. How glorified is His sovereignty, how exalted
His dominion!

Great God! Although His signs have encompassed the world and His proofs
and testimonies are shining forth and manifest as the light, yet the
ignorant appear heedless, nay rather, rebellious. Would that they had been
content with opposition. But at all times they are plotting to cut down
the sacred Lote-Tree. Since the dawn of this Revelation the embodiments of
selfishness have, by resorting to cruelty and oppression, striven to
extinguish the Light of divine manifestation. But God, having stayed their
hands, revealed this Light through His sovereign authority and protected
it through the power of His might until earth and heaven were illumined by
its radiance and brightness. Praise be unto Him under all conditions.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of the nations, O Thou
Who hast become manifest in the Greatest Name whereby the pearls of wisdom
and utterance have appeared from the shells of the great sea of Thy
knowledge, and the heavens of divine revelation have been adorned with the
light of the appearance of the Sun of Thy countenance.

I beg of Thee, by that Word through which Thy proof was perfected among
Thy creatures and Thy testimony was fulfilled among Thy servants to
strengthen Thy people in that whereby the face of the Cause will radiate
in Thy dominion, the standards of Thy power will be planted among Thy
servants, and the banners of Thy guidance will be raised throughout Thy
dominions.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope of Thy grace and
holding fast unto the hem of the mantle of Thy beneficence. Ordain for
them that which may draw them nearer unto Thee, and withhold them from all
else save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and Protector of
the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a
sea moving by Thy desire, as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree,
shining from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will. Verily Thou art the
mighty One Whom neither the power of all the world nor the strength of
nations can weaken. There is no God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable,
the Protector, the Self-Subsistent.

O thou who hast quaffed the wine of Mine utterance 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 Taráz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the
horizon 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 Bahá must under all circumstances observe that which is meet and seemly
and exhort the people accordingly.

The second Taráz is to consort with the followers of all religions in a
spirit of friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which the 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 Taráz concerneth good character. A good character is, verily,
the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His
loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light
of the sun and the radiance thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted
as a jewel among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs
depend upon it. A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to
the Straight Path and are led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with
him who is adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the
Concourse on High.

It beseemeth you to fix your gaze under all conditions upon justice and
fairness. In The Hidden Words this exalted utterance hath been revealed
from Our Most August Pen:

‘O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice;
turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may
confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not
through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not
through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in thy heart; how it
behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My
loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.’

They that are just and fair-minded in their judgement occupy a sublime
station and hold an exalted rank. The light of piety and uprightness
shineth resplendent from these souls. We earnestly hope that the peoples
and countries of the world may not be deprived of the splendours of these
two luminaries.

The fourth Taráz concerneth trustworthiness. Verily it is the door of
security for all that dwell on earth and a token of glory on the part of
the All-Merciful. He who partaketh thereof hath indeed partaken of the
treasures of wealth and prosperity. Trustworthiness is the greatest portal
leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people. In truth the
stability of every affair hath depended and doth depend upon it. All the
domains of power, of grandeur and of wealth are illumined by its light.

Not long ago these sublime words were revealed from the Pen of the Most
High:

‘We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof in
the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of
days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its
streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight playing in
their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the pen is
powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the eye of the Lord
of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that
blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on one
of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of
light, and calling aloud saying: “O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye
My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God,
the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the
beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and
recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most
great ornament of the people of Bahá, 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 Bahá! 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 Taráz 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
Bahá should not deny any soul the reward due to him, should treat
craftsmen with deference, and, unlike the people aforetime, should not
defile their tongues with abuse.

In this Day the sun of craftsmanship shineth above the horizon of the
occident and the river of arts is flowing out of the sea of that region.
One must speak with fairness and appreciate such bounty. By the life of
God! The word ‘Equity’ shineth bright and resplendent even as the sun. We
pray God to graciously shed its radiance upon everyone. He is in truth
powerful over all things, He Who is wont to answer the prayers of all men.

In these days truthfulness and sincerity are sorely afflicted in the
clutches of falsehood, and justice is tormented by the scourge of
injustice. The smoke of corruption hath enveloped the whole world in such
wise that naught can be seen in any direction save regiments of soldiers
and nothing is heard from any land but the clashing of swords. We beseech
God, the True One, to strengthen the wielders of His power in that which
will rehabilitate the world and bring tranquillity to the nations.

The sixth Taráz

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 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
Tá (Ṭihrán) and gone to ‘Iráq. 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 ‘Iráq 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 veils. ‘And when the seas shall boil... And when
the Scriptures shall be unrolled.’(5) 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 Bayán! 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.

O people of the Bayán! It is men like unto Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí(6) who, with
turban and staff,(7) 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 Hádí! 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 Hádí! Be thou of one face in the path of God. When in company with the
infidels, thou art an infidel and with the pious, thou art pious. Reflect
thou upon such souls as offered up their lives and their substance in that
land, that haply thou mayest be admonished and roused from slumber.
Consider: who is to be preferred, he who preserveth his body, his life and
his possessions or the one who surrendereth his all in the path of God?
Judge thou fairly and be not of the unjust. Take fast hold of justice and
adhere unto equity that perchance thou mayest not, for selfish motives,
use religion as a snare, nor disregard the truth for the sake of gold.
Indeed thine iniquity and the iniquity of such people as thyself have
waxed so grievous that the Pen of Glory was moved to make such
observations. Fear thou God. He Who heralded this Revelation hath
declared: ‘He shall proclaim under all conditions: “Verily, verily, I am
God, no God is there but Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”’

O people of the Bayán! 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 (Hádí’s)
secrets and deeds.

O Hádí! 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.’(8) Thou has been there
(Cyprus) and hast seen him (Mírzá Yaḥyá). Now speak forth with fairness.
Do not misrepresent the matter, neither to thyself nor to the people. Thou
art both ignorant and uninformed. Give ear unto the Voice of this Wronged
One and hasten towards the ocean of divine knowledge that perchance thou
mayest be adorned with the ornament of comprehension and mayest renounce
all else but God. Hearken unto the Voice of this benevolent Counsellor,
calling aloud, unveiled and manifest, before the faces of kings and their
subjects, and summon the people of the world, one and all, unto Him Who is
the Lord of Eternity. This is the Word from Whose horizon the day-star of
unfailing grace shineth resplendent.

O Hádí! 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 Bahá 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.





                         TAJALLÍYÁT (EFFULGENCES)


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 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 ‘Alí-Akbar!(9) 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.

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.(10) 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.

The first Tajallí 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.

The second Tajallí 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 ‘Alí-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 Bayán 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 Tajallí 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 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 Tajallí 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 ‘Alí-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 Bayán, the Persian Bayán will guide you aright and
will prove a sufficient testimony unto you; and if ye be of the people of
the Qur’án, ponder ye upon the Revelation on Sinai and the Voice from the
Bush which came unto the Son of ‘Imrán [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 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 ‘Alí! 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
Bayán, 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 Báb in the
beginning of the Bayán 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 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.





                KALÍMÁT-I-FIRDAWSÍYYIH (WORDS OF PARADISE)


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 Bahá 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 Ḥaydar-‘Alí!(11) 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 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.’(12) 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 Bahá 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 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 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 Islám, 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,(13) 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 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 Sabzívar(14) 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 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 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 Abhá 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 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.

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 Muḥammad Sháh, 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.(15)

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.

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 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,’(16) 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 harmony. In the estimation of the
people of Bahá 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.

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 Bahá! 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 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 Ḥaydar-‘Alí! 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.

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’án: ‘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.’(17) 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 Bahá who dwell in the
Crimson Ark.

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 Bahá! 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, 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 Afnáns and Amín—upon them be My glory and
loving-kindness—attained Our presence and beheld Our countenance; likewise
Nabíl, the son of Nabíl 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
clouds of His tender compassion. Verily of those who show mercy He is the
Most Merciful, and He is the Gracious, the Beneficent.

O Ḥaydar-‘Alí! Thine other letter which thou hadst forwarded through him
who beareth the title of Júd(18) (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 Bayán have turned away from the Lord of being. In
truth the station of 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 Bayán 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 Bayán 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 Yaḥyá (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 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
Bahá 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 Bayán
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 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 Ḥusayn. 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 Tár.(19) We have set Our face
toward the servants of God therein and advise them first to consider that
which the Point of the Bayán 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 Him, nor can any reference to Him in
My Book, the Bayán, 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 Tár! 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 Akká 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 nearness with exceeding joy, gladness, exultation and delight
and to deliver himself from the fire of remoteness.

O people of Tár! 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 Bayán are like the followers of
the Shí’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 Shí’ih divines, one
and all, are now engaged in reviling and denouncing the True One from
their pulpits. Gracious God! Dawlat-Ábádí(20) 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(21)—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 Tár! 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 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.





                    LAWḤ-I-DUNYÁ (TABLET OF THE WORLD)


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 ‘Alí-Akbar
and Amín, and hath illumined it with the light of certitude, constancy and
assurance.(22) 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.

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 Afnán, 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 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 Bábí 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 Tá (Ṭihrán) We have revealed in the Kitáb-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(23) of the
land of Yá (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.

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 Bahá! 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 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 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, 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 Akká, 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.

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
Sháh—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 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 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 Shí’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’ún’ (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 (Bahá),
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
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
Kitáb-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 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(24) 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 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-Vuthqá [The Sure Handle] and sent copies thereof to all parts of
the world. He also sent a copy to the Prison of Akká, 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 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 Bahá 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 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 Bahá, 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.





                          ISHRÁQÁT (SPLENDOURS)


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(25) which appeareth in the beginning of the Mathání,(26) 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
Mathání(27)

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
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 Bayán! Fear ye the All-Merciful. This is the One Who
hath been glorified by Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him by the
Spirit(28) and yet before Him by the One Who discoursed with God.(29) This
is the Point of the Bayán 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 Bayán, and commit not that which
the followers of the Qur’án have 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 Bayán! 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 Tá (Ṭihrán), at
another in the land of Mím (Mázindarán), 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 Bayán! 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 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.

O thou honoured enquirer!(30) 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.(31)

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 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 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.’(32) 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 Muḥammad appeared. He said,
and His word is the truth: ‘Pilgrimage to the House(33) is a service due
to God.’(34) 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(35) 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 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 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(36) whom Thou hadst 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 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 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(37)
through Whom the Day-Star of Revelation shone brightly above the horizon
of Ḥijáz, 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.’(38) And before Muḥammad Thou didst impart this glad-tiding
unto Him Who conversed with Thee,(39) saying: ‘Bring forth thy people from
the darkness into the light and remind them of the days of God.’(40)
Moreover Thou didst proclaim this truth unto the Spirit(41) 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 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 Bahá, 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 Jalíl! 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, 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.(42) 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. 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 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 Bahá. 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
Qayyúm-i-Asmá.

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 enable those who surround Me to observe that which My Pen of
Glory hath enjoined upon them.

O Jalíl! 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 Jalíl! Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear is the chief
commander of the army of thy Lord. Its hosts are a praiseworthy character
and goodly deeds. Through it have the cities of men’s hearts been opened
throughout the ages and centuries, and the standards of ascendancy and
triumph raised above all other standards.

We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof in
the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of
days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its
streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight playing in
their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the pen is
powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the eye of the Lord
of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that
blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on one
of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of
light, and calling aloud saying: ‘O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye
My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God,
the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the
beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and
recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most
great ornament of the people of Bahá, 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(43) to the
luminous one(44) that thou, O Jalíl, 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 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(45)—may the
souls of all else but Him be offered up for His sake—is without likeness,
peer or partner in His Own station. The Holy Ones(46)—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(47)—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 Jalíl! He Whom the world hath wronged now proclaimeth: The light of
Justice is dimmed, and the sun of 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 Ishráq

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.

The second Ishráq

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 Ishráq

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 Ishráq

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.

The fifth Ishráq

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 Ishráq 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 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 Ishráq

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.(48) 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 Ishráq

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 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 Bahá! 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 Ishráq

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 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, 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 ‘Iráq 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 Jalíl! 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 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
Kitáb-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 Bahá, 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 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-Muqarrabín(49)—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.(50) 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-Muqarrabín, for this manifest
bounty.

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 Bahá, the
companions of the Crimson Ark. Upon them be the peace of God, the Lord of
all Names, the Creator of the heavens.





                     LAWḤ-I-HIKMAT (TABLET OF WISDOM)


    _This Tablet was addressed to Áqá Muḥammad, a distinguished
    believer from the town of Qá’in, who was surnamed Nabíl-i-Akbar
    (see Memorials of the Faithful pages 1–5). Another distinguished
    believer of Qá’in, Mullá Muḥammad-‘Alí, was known as
    Nabíl-i-Qá’iní (see Memorials of the Faithful pages 49–54). In the
    abjad notation the name ‘Muḥammad’ has the same numerical value as
    ‘Nabíl’._


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 Nabíl in a weighty Tablet.

O Muḥammad! 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’farán(51): 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 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 in Bahá 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 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 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 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 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 ‘Iráq when We were at the house of one named Majíd,
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 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,(52) 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 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
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 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 Bálinus 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 Bálinus, 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
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.(53)

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: ‘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,(54) 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 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 Murtús 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
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 Nabíl! 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 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.





                  ASL-I-KULLU’L-KHAYR (WORDS OF WISDOM)


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 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.

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.





                     LAWḤ-I-MAQSÚD (TABLET OF MAQSÚD)


    _Out of respect, the Bahá’ís, rather than addressing Bahá’u’lláh
    directly, would write to His amanuensis, Mírzá Áqá Ján, surnamed
    ‘Servant of God’ and ‘Servant-in-Attendance’. The reply would be
    in the form of a letter from Mírzá Áqá Ján quoting words of
    Bahá’u’lláh, but would, in fact, be dictated in its entirety by
    Bahá’u’lláh. Thus all parts of the Tablet, even those which
    ostensibly are the words of Mírzá Áqá Ján himself, are Sacred
    Scripture revealed by Bahá’u’lláh. The Tablet of Maqsúd is in this
    form. It was addressed to Mírzá Maqsúd, one of the early believers
    living at that time in Damascus and Jerusalem._


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 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.’(55)

Blessing and peace be upon Him(56) through Whose advent Bathá(57) 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 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
Islám 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 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:(58) 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 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 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 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 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
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 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.(59) 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, 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 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 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 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 Maqsúd! 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.

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 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, 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.

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.





                    SÚRIY-I-VAFÁ(60) (TABLET TO VAFÁ)


He is the All-Knowing

O VAFÁ! 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 Vafá, inasmuch as thou hast been faithful to the
Covenant of God and His Testament at a time when all men have violated it
and have repudiated the One in Whom they had believed, and this
notwithstanding that He hath appeared invested with every testimony, and
hath dawned from the horizon of Revelation clothed with undoubted
sovereignty.

It behoveth thee, however, to exert thine utmost to attain the very
essence of fidelity. This implieth to be well assured in thy heart and to
testify with thy tongue to that whereunto God hath testified for His Own
exalted Self, proclaiming: ‘Verily, self-subsisting am I within the Realm
of Glory.’ Whoso is enabled in these days to solemnly affirm this truth,
hath attained unto all good, and the heavenly Spirit shall descend upon
him in the daytime and in the night season, shall graciously assist him to
glorify the Name of his Lord and suffer him to unloose his tongue and
uphold with his words the Cause of his Lord, the Merciful, the
Compassionate. And none can ever achieve this except he who hath purged
his heart from whatsoever is created between heaven and earth, and hath
entirely detached himself from all but God, the sovereign Lord, the
Almighty, the Gracious.

Arise thou to serve the Cause and say: I swear by the righteousness of
God! Verily this is the Primal Point, arrayed in His new attire and
manifested in His glorious Name. He at present beholdeth everything from
this Horizon. Indeed He is supreme over all things. Amongst the Concourse
on High He is known as the Most Great Announcement and in the Realms of
Eternity as the Ancient Beauty, and before the Throne by this Name(61)
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 Bayán. Fear ye God and suffer not your
deeds to be rendered vain and be not of them that are sunk in
heedlessness. Open your eyes that ye may behold the Ancient Beauty from
this shining and luminous station.

Say, God is my witness! The Promised One Himself hath come down from
heaven, seated upon the crimson cloud with the hosts of revelation on His
right, and the angels of inspiration on His left, and the Decree hath been
fulfilled at the behest of God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. Thereupon
the footsteps of everyone have slipped except such as God hath protected
through His tender mercy and numbered with those who have recognized Him
through His Own Self and detached themselves from all that pertaineth to
the world.

Hearken thou unto the Words of thy Lord and purify thy heart from every
illusion so that the effulgent light of the remembrance of thy Lord may
shed its radiance upon it, and it may attain the station of certitude.

Know thou moreover that thy letter reached Our presence and We perceived
and perused its contents. We noted the questions thou hast asked and will
readily answer thee. It behoveth everyone in this Day to ask God that
which he desireth, and thy Lord will heed his petition with wondrous and
undeniable verses.

Thou hast asked regarding the subject of the return. Know thou that the
end is like unto the beginning. Even as thou dost consider the beginning,
similarly shouldst thou consider the end, and be of them that truly
perceive. Nay, rather consider the beginning as the end itself, and so
conversely, that thou mayest acquire a clear perception. Know thou
moreover that every created thing is continually brought forth and
returned at the bidding of thy Lord, the God of power and might.

As to the Return, as God hath purposed in His sacred and exalted Tablets
wherein He hath made this theme known unto His servants; by this is meant
the return of all created things in the Day of Resurrection, and this is
indeed the essence of the Return as thou hast witnessed in God’s own days
and thou art of them that testify to this truth.

Verily God is fully capable of causing all names to appear in one name,
and all souls in one soul. Surely powerful and mighty is He. And this
Return is realized at His behest in whatever form He willeth. Indeed He is
the One Who doeth and ordaineth all things. Moreover, thou shouldst not
perceive the fulfilment of the Return and the Resurrection save in the
Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. For instance, were He to
take a handful of earth and declare it to be the One Whom ye have been
following in the past, it would 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
Bayán, 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 Bayán—exalted is His
glory. He pronounced the First One(62) to believe in Him to be Muḥammad,
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 Ḥusayn while the Other bore the name of Muḥammad? 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 Muḥammad was invested, which was
none other than the Cause of God. Such a man of insight would likewise
consider Ḥusayn 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 Bayán was invested with command
similar to that with which Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, was invested,
therefore the Báb 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 Bayán. 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 Bayán, for had they recognized Him they would not have rejected His
manifestation in this luminous and resplendent Being. And since they fixed
their eyes on names, therefore when He replaced His Name ‘the Most
Exalted’ by ‘the Most Glorious’ their eyes were dimmed. They have failed
to recognize Him in these days and are reckoned with those that perish.
Indeed, had they known Him through His own Self or by virtue of that which
He hath revealed, they would not have repudiated Him when He appeared in
this glorious and incomparable Name, which God hath ordained to be the
Sword of His Revelation between heaven and earth, and through which truth
is separated from error, even from now until the Day when mankind shall
stand before the Lord of the worlds.

Know thou moreover that in the Day of His Manifestation all things besides
God shall be brought forth and placed equally, irrespective of their rank
being high or low. The Day of Return is inscrutable unto all men until
after the divine Revelation hath been fulfilled. He is in truth the One
Who ordaineth whatsoever He willeth. When the Word of God is revealed unto
all created things whoso then giveth ear and heedeth the Call is, indeed,
reckoned among the most distinguished souls, though he be a carrier of
ashes. And he who turneth away is accounted as the lowliest of His
servants, though he be a ruler amongst men and the possessor of all the
books that are in the heavens and on earth.

It behoveth thee to look with divine insight upon the things We have
revealed and sent unto thee and not towards the people and that which is
current amongst them. They are in this day like unto a blind man who,
while moving in the sunshine, demandeth: Where is the sun? Is it shining?
He would deny and dispute the truth, and would not be of them that
perceive. Never shall he be able to discern the sun or to understand that
which hath intervened between him and it. He would object within himself,
voice protests, and would be among the rebellious. Such is the state of
this people. Leave them unto themselves, saying: Unto you be that which ye
desire and unto us that which we desire. Wretched indeed is the plight of
the ungodly.

Know thou moreover that the former Manifestation affirmed that the return
and rising of the spirits would occur on the Day of Resurrection, while in
truth there is a return and resurrection for every created thing. However
We do not wish to mention aught that is not set forth in the Bayán, lest
perchance the people of malice raise a great outcry. O would that that
which interveneth between the children of men and their Creator were
dispelled that they might be enabled to behold God’s invincible
sovereignty and dominion, quaff from the wellspring of His heavenly
streams, be sprinkled with the outpourings of the ocean of true
understanding and be purged from the defilements of the ungodly and the
suspicious.

As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know thou of a truth that
the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their
range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. Consider thy state when asleep. Verily, I say, this phenomenon
is the most mysterious of the signs of God amongst men, were they to
ponder it in their hearts. Behold how the thing which thou hast seen in
thy dream is, after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had the
world in which thou didst find thyself in thy dream been identical with
the world in which thou livest, it would have been necessary for the event
occurring in that dream to have transpired in this world at the very
moment of its occurrence. Were it so, you yourself would have borne
witness unto it. This being not the case, however, it must necessarily
follow that the world in which thou livest is different and apart from
that which thou hast experienced in thy dream. This latter world hath
neither beginning nor end. It would be true if thou wert to contend that
this same world is, as decreed by the All-Glorious and Almighty God,
within thy proper self and is wrapped up within thee. It would equally be
true to maintain that thy spirit, having transcended the limitations of
sleep and having stripped itself of all earthly attachment, hath, by the
act of God, been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the
innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation of God
embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart from these
creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained things which none can
search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise. Do thou meditate
on that which We have revealed unto thee, that thou mayest discover the
purpose of God, thy Lord, and the Lord of all worlds. In these words the
mysteries of Divine Wisdom have been treasured. We have refrained from
dwelling upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath encompassed Us from
the actions of them that have been created through Our words, if ye be of
them that will hearken unto Our Voice.

Where is the one who can help Me and shield Me from the swords of these
faithless souls? Where is the man of insight who will behold the Words of
God with his own eyes and rid himself of the opinions and notions of the
peoples of the earth?

O servant! Warn thou the servants of God not to reject that which they do
not comprehend. Say, implore God to open to your hearts the portals of
true understanding that ye may be apprised of that of which no one is
apprised. Verily, He is the Giver, the Forgiving, the Compassionate.

Thou hast moreover asked Me concerning the ordinances of God. Know thou of
a truth that whatsoever hath been prescribed in the Book is indeed the
truth, no doubt is there about it, and it is incumbent upon everyone to
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,
inasmuch as His ordinances constitute the fruits of the divine Tree and
none other than the heedless and the wayward will deviate therefrom.

As to Paradise: It is a reality and there can be no doubt about it, and
now in this world it is realized through love of Me and My good-pleasure.
Whosoever attaineth unto it God will aid him in this world below, and
after death He will enable him to gain admittance into Paradise whose
vastness is as that of heaven and earth. Therein the Maids of glory and
holiness will wait upon him in the daytime and in the night season, while
the day-star of the unfading beauty of his Lord will at all times shed its
radiance upon him and he will shine so brightly that no one shall bear to
gaze at him. Such is the dispensation of Providence, yet the people are
shut out by a grievous veil. Likewise apprehend thou the nature of
hell-fire and be of them that truly believe. For every act performed there
shall be a recompense according to the estimate of God, and unto this the
very ordinances and prohibitions prescribed by the Almighty amply bear
witness. For surely if deeds were not rewarded and yielded no fruit, then
the Cause of God—exalted is He—would prove futile. Immeasurably high is He
exalted above such blasphemies! However, unto them that are rid of all
attachments a deed is, verily, its own reward. Were We to enlarge upon
this theme numerous Tablets would need to be written.

I swear by the righteousness of the One true God! The Pen is unable to
move by reason of that which hath befallen its Lord, and it weepeth sore,
and so do I weep, and likewise weepeth the eye of Him Who is the Essence
of Grandeur behind the Tabernacle of Names while seated on the Throne of
His glorious Name.

Purge thou thy heart that We may cause fountains of wisdom and utterance
to gush out therefrom, thus enabling thee to raise thy voice among all
mankind. Unloose thy tongue and proclaim the truth for the sake of the
remembrance of thy merciful Lord. Be not afraid of anyone, place thy whole
trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Say, O people, fulfil
whatever ye understand of the Persian Bayán 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 Bayán 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 ‘Iráq to the effect that when the Sun disappeareth from
sight, birds of darkness will be in motion and the standards of Samírí(63)
will be reared high. I swear by God! Those birds have stirred in these
days and Samírí 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 Bayán, for they are truly incapable of understanding and have failed
to comprehend the essence of the Cause as is revealed in this august, this
Most Great Announcement. Thus have We inspired thee, and infused into thy
heart that which will make thee independent of the allusions of mankind.

The glory of God be upon thee and upon them that give ear unto the words
thou dost utter for the love of God, thy Lord, and remain steadfast in His
Cause. All praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.





    LAWḤ-I-SÍYYID-I-MIHDÍY-I-DAHÁJÍ (TABLET TO SIYYID MIHDÍY-I-DAHÁJÍ)


He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most High

O MY Name!(64) 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 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 Bahá 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 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 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
Bahá, 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 Nabíl of Qá’in,(65) 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 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 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 Kitáb-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 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.





                   LAWḤ-I-BURHÁN (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 Muḥammad Báqir, denounced by
    Bahá’u’lláh as the ‘Wolf’. In this Tablet Bahá’u’lláh refers to
    Mír Muḥammad Ḥusayn, the Imám Jum’ih of Iṣfáhán, surnamed the
    ‘She-Serpent’, who was Shaykh Muḥammad Báqir’s accomplice in the
    persecution of the Bahá’ís. (See God Passes By, pages 198, 200–201
    and 219). The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf was addressed to
    Shaykh Muḥammad Taqíy-i-Najafí, the son of Shaykh Muḥammad Báqir._


HE is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The winds of hatred
have encompassed the Ark of Bathá,(66) by reason of that which the hands
of the oppressors have wrought. O Báqir! Thou hast pronounced sentence
against them for whom the books of the world have wept, and in whose
favour the scriptures of all religions have testified. Thou, who art gone
far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick veil. By God Himself! Thou hast
pronounced judgement against them through whom the horizon of faith hath
been illumined. Unto this bear witness They Who are the Dawning-Places of
Revelation and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy Lord, the Most
Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that They possessed in
His straight Path. The Faith of God hath cried everywhere, by reason of
thy tyranny, and yet thou disportest thyself and art of them that exult.
There is no hatred in Mine heart for thee nor for anyone. Every man of
learning beholdeth thee, and such as are like thee, engulfed in evident
folly. Hadst thou realized that which thou hast done, thou wouldst have
cast thyself into the fire, or abandoned thine home and fled into the
mountains, or wouldst have groaned until thou hadst returned unto the
place destined for thee by Him Who is the Lord of strength and of might. O
thou who art even as nothing! Rend thou asunder the veils of idle fancies
and vain imaginings, that thou mayest behold the Day-Star of knowledge
shining from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a remnant
of the Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst helped the Faith of
God. Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, and thou art truly one of the
heedless. Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high, and
those of such as have circled round the Cause of God, the Lord of the
worlds. The soul of the Chaste One(67) 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,(68) 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
Muḥammad, 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 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’án: ‘Say not to every one who
meeteth you with a greeting, “Thou art not a believer.”’(69) 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 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 Báqir! 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(70) 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-Muntahá(71) and the Supreme Horizon. Blessed is the
soul that hath gazed on the Most Mighty Sign, and the ear that hath heard
His most sweet Voice, and woe to whosoever hath turned aside and done
wickedly.

O thou who hast turned away from God! Wert thou to look with the eye of
fairness upon the Divine Lote-Tree, thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy
sword on its boughs, and its branches, and its leaves, notwithstanding
that God created thee for the purpose of recognizing and of serving it.
Reflect, that haply thou mayest recognize thine iniquity and be numbered
with such as have repented. Thinkest thou that We fear thy cruelty? Know
thou and be well assured that from the first day whereon the voice of the
Most Sublime Pen was raised betwixt earth and heaven We offered up Our
souls, and Our bodies, and Our sons, and Our possessions in the path of
God, the Exalted, the Great, and We glory therein amongst all created
things and the Concourse on high. Unto this testify the things which have
befallen Us in this straight Path. By God! Our hearts were consumed, and
Our bodies were crucified, and Our blood was spilt, while Our eyes were
fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness,
the All-Seeing. The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed the love
of the people of Bahá. Unto their sincerity hath borne witness what the
All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’án. He saith: ‘Wish ye, then, for
death, if ye are sincere.’(72) Who is to be preferred, he that hath
sheltered himself behind curtains, or he that hath offered himself in the
path of God? Judge thou fairly, and be not of them that rove distraught in
the wilderness of falsehood. So carried away have they been by the living
waters of the love of the Most Merciful, that neither the arms of the
world nor the swords of the nations have deterred them from setting their
faces towards the ocean of the bounty of their Lord, the Giver, the
Generous.

By God! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and the repudiation of the
divines hath been powerless to weaken Me. I have spoken, and still speak
forth before the face of men: ‘The door of grace hath been unlocked and He
Who is the Dayspring of 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 ‘Imrán(73) 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 Sulṭán 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.(74)

Peruse thou the Kitáb-i-Íqán and that which the All-Merciful hath sent
down unto the King of Paris(75) and to such as are like him, that thou
mayest be made aware of the things that have happened in the past, and be
persuaded that We have not sought to spread disorder in the land after it
had been well-ordered. We exhort, wholly for the sake of God, His
servants. Let him who wisheth turn unto Him, and him who wisheth turn
aside. Our Lord, the Merciful, is verily the All-Sufficing, the
All-Praised. O concourse of 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 Báqir! 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.’(76)

O thou who art gone astray! If thou hast any doubt concerning Our conduct,
know thou that We bear witness unto that whereunto God hath Himself borne
witness ere the creation of the heavens and of the earth, that there is
none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. We testify that
He is One in His Essence, One in His attributes. He hath none to equal Him
in the whole universe, nor any partner in all creation. He hath sent forth
His Messengers, and sent down His Books, that they may announce unto His
creatures the Straight Path.

Hath the Sháh 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 Báqir! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou art even as the last
trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away, as
decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Thy glory and the glory
of such as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is what
hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where is he
to be found who contended with God, and whither is gone he that gainsaid
His signs, and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are they who have
slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His holy ones? Reflect, that
haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts, O foolish doubter!
Because of you the Apostle(77) lamented, and the Chaste One(78) 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 Islám was hauled down, and its mighty throne subverted. Every
time a man of discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which would
exalt Islám, ye raised a clamour, and thereby was he deterred from
achieving his purpose, while the land remained fallen in clear ruin.

Consider the Sulṭán 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(79) and its environs, and
what had been revealed in the Tablet of the Sulṭán 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(80) whose cruelty hath caused all created
things to groan, and the limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth
Thee the Lord of all names, in this glorious station. The Chaste One(81)
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(82) 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 ‘Ád hath dealt with Húd, nor Thámúd with Ṣáliḥ, nor the Jews
with the Spirit of God,(83) 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’án and in this inscribed
Tablet. This is the day whereon He Who is the Dayspring of Revelation hath
come with clear tokens which none can number. This is the day whereon
every man endued with perception hath discovered the fragrance of the
breeze of the All-Merciful in the world of creation, and every man of
insight hath hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of His Lord, the
King of Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice(84) hath been
retold, and he who was to be offered up hath directed his steps towards
the place of sacrifice, and returned not, by reason of that which thy hand
hath wrought, O perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that martyrdom could
abase this Cause? Nay, by Him Whom God hath made to be the Repository of
His Revelation, if thou be of them that comprehend. Woe betide thee, O
thou who hast joined partners with God, and woe betide them that have
taken thee as their leader, without a clear token or a perspicuous Book.
How numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen to quench the
light of God, and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged until the
hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their cruelty! The sun of
justice hath been obscured, inasmuch as the embodiment of tyranny hath
been stablished upon the throne of hatred, and yet the people understand
not. The children of the Apostle have been slain and their possessions
pillaged. Say: Was it, in thine estimation, their possessions or
themselves that denied God? Judge fairly, O ignorant one that hath been
shut out as by a veil from God. Thou hast clung to tyranny and cast away
justice; whereupon all created things have lamented, and still thou art
among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the aged, and plundered the
young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that which thine iniquity hath
amassed? Nay, by Myself! Thus informeth thee He Who is cognizant of all.
By God! The things thou possessest shall profit thee not, nor what thou
hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this beareth witness Thy Lord, the
All-Knowing. Thou hast arisen to put out the light of this Cause; ere long
will thine own fire be quenched, at His behest. He, verily, is the Lord of
strength and of might. The changes and chances of the world, and the
powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him. He doeth what He pleaseth,
and ordaineth what He willeth through the power of His sovereignty.
Consider the she-camel. Though but a beast, yet hath the All-Merciful
exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the earth made
mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily, overshadoweth all
that is in the heavens and on earth. No God is there but Him, the
Almighty, the Great. Thus have We adorned the heaven of Our Tablet with
the suns of Our words. Blessed the man that hath attained thereunto and
been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as have turned aside,
and denied Him, and strayed far from Him. Praised be God, the Lord of the
worlds!





                   KITÁB-I-‘AHD (BOOK OF THE COVENANT)


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’án: ‘Woe
betide every slanderer and defamer, him that layeth up riches and counteth
them.’(85) 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 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 Bahá 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 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 Bahá.
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 Kitáb-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 Aghsán,
the Afnán 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-Bahá]. Thus have We
graciously revealed unto you Our potent Will, and I am verily the
Gracious, the All-Powerful. Verily God hath ordained the station of the
Greater Branch [Muḥammad ‘Alí] to be beneath that of the Most Great Branch
[‘Abdu’l-Bahá]. 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 Aghsán, but God
hath not granted them any right to the property of others.

O ye My Aghsán, My Afnán 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 Bahá 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
Aghsán, 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 members of the Holy Household, the Afnán 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.





                LAWḤ-I-ARD-I-BÁ (TABLET OF THE LAND OF BÁ)


PRAISE be to Him Who hath honoured the Land of Bá(86) 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 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.





                       EXCERPTS FROM OTHER TABLETS




           “GOD testifieth that there is none other God but...”


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 Afnán! 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 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 Afnán, 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.




          “ALL praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch as Thou...”


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 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 Báb] 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 ḤUSAYN! God grant thou shalt ever be bright and...”


O ḤUSAYN! God grant thou shalt ever be bright and radiant, beaming with
the light of the Sun of Truth, and 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...”


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 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 Bayán We directed everyone in this...”


O FRIEND! In the Bayán 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
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 JAVÁD! Such is the greatness of this Day that the Hour...”


O JAVÁD! 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 Ṣiraṭ 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 Javád! 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 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...”


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.

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.’(87) 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 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, Júd [Bounty]! Upon...”


O THOU who bearest My Name, Júd(88) [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 ‘Iráq, when Baghdád
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 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 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 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 ḤAYDAR! This Wronged One hath heard thy voice...”


O ḤAYDAR!(89) 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 ‘Alí! 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 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 ‘Alí! 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 Ḥaydar-‘Alí! I swear by the righteousness of God! The Blast hath been
blown on the Trumpet of the Bayán 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 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 Bayán 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.

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 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...”


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 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
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.




         “O MUḤAMMAD ḤUSAYN! Be thou prepared to receive the...”


O MUḤAMMAD ḤUSAYN! 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 Ḥusayn! 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 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...”


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.

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 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...”


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...”


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 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...”


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 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...”


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 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...”


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.




         “THIS Wronged One doth mention him who hath set his...”


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 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 Bahá 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
Qá’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 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?’(90) By Strong City is
meant Akká. Its fortifications are very strong and this Wronged One is
imprisoned within its walls. Likewise it is revealed in the Qur’án: ‘Bring
forth thy people from the darkness into the light and announce to them the
days of God.’(91)

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...”


HE Who leadeth to true victory is come. By the righteousness of God! He is
fully capable of revolutionizing the 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 ‘Alí Ḥaydar! 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.




      “THIS is a Tablet sent down by the Lord of mercy that the...”


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
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...”


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 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 ‘Alí! 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. 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 Bahá. Rejoice
with exceeding gladness through My remembrance, for He is indeed with you
at all times.




    “GIVE ear unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee from...”


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 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 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...”


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.

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 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.






FOOTNOTES


    1 Sometimes referred to as Tablet to the Christians.

    2 Jesus.

    3 Jesus.

    4 Jesus.

    5 Qur’án 81:6, 10.

    6 Mírzá Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí, one of the divines of Iṣfáhán, who became a
      follower of the Báb, later supported Mírzá Yaḥyá, and was appointed
      his representative in Írán and his successor. During the
      persecutions against the Bábís he recanted his faith.

    7 The insignia of a mullá.

    8 Qur’án 6:91.

    9 Ustád ‘Alí-Akbar, one of the staunch believers in Yazd. He designed
      the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of Ishqábád and his design was approved by
      ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Ustád ‘Alí-Akbar offered up his life as a martyr in
      Yazd in 1903.

   10 Arabic.

   11 Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí, outstanding Persian Bahá’í teacher and
      author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in Khártúm,
      travelled extensively in Írán, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy
      Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.

   12 Qur’án 34:12.

   13 Jesus.

   14 Ḥájí Mullá Hádí Sabzívarí, a renowned philosopher and poet of Írán
      contemporary with Bahá’u’lláh. He passed away in 1873.

   15 Mírzá Abu’l-Qásim Faráhání, the Qá’im Maqám, a distinguished poet
      and scholar during the reign of Fatḥ ‘Alí Sháh. He was a friend of
      Mírzá Buzurg, father of Bahá’u’lláh. Qá’im Maqám became Prime
      Minister of Persia in 1821, but in 1835 he was put to death by order
      of Muḥammad Sháh, at the instigation of Ḥájí Mírzá Aqásí.

   16 cf. Qur’án 4:129.

   17 Qur’án 59:9.

   18 Muḥammad Javád-i-Qazvíní, upon whom Bahá’u’lláh bestowed the title
      Ismu’lláhi’l-Júd (The Name of God, Bounty). He transcribed numerous
      Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh during His Ministry, but subsequently broke
      the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages 247 and 319.)

   19 A village near Iṣfáhán.

   20 Mírzá Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí, one of the divines of Iṣfáhán, who became a
      follower of the Báb, later supported Mírzá Yaḥyá, and was appointed
      his representative in Írán and his successor. During the
      persecutions against the Bábís he recanted his faith.

   21 Mírzá Ashraf, who was martyred in the city of Iṣfáhán. (See God
      Passes By p. 201.)

   22 The two Hands of the Cause of God, Ḥájí Mullá ‘Alí-Akbar Sháhmírzádí
      and Ḥájí Abu’l-Ḥasan Ardakání, Amín-i-Iláhí (Trustee of
      Ḥuqúqu’lláh), were originally arrested in Ṭihrán, imprisoned in
      Qazvín in the year 1891, and then transferred to prison in Ṭihrán.

   23 Prince Maḥmúd Mírzá, the Jalálu’d’Dawlih, Governor of Yazd, Persia.

   24 Jamálu’d-Dín-i-Afghání. (See God Passes By pp. 296, 317.)

   25 i.e., the letter ‘B’, the second letter of the alphabet.

   26 The opening chapter of the Qur’án, which begins with the letter ‘B’:
      Bismi’lláhi’r-Rahmáni’r-Raḥím (In the Name of God, the
      Compassionate, the Merciful). This chapter of the Qur’án was
      revealed twice, once in Mecca and once in Medina.

   27 The opening chapter of the Qur’án, which begins with the letter ‘B’:
      Bismi’lláhi’r-Rahmáni’r-Raḥím (In the Name of God, the
      Compassionate, the Merciful). This chapter of the Qur’án was
      revealed twice, once in Mecca and once in Medina.

   28 Jesus.

   29 Moses.

   30 This Tablet was addressed to Jalíl-i-Khú’í, one of the early
      believers in Ádhirbayján, Persia. After the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh
      he broke the Covenant.

   31 cf. Qur’án 14:33.

   32 cf. Qur’án 21:23.

   33 Mecca.

   34 Qur’án 3:91.

   35 Muḥammad.

   36 Mírzá Yaḥyá.

   37 Muḥammad.

   38 Qur’án 83:6.

   39 Moses.

   40 Qur’án 14:5.

   41 Jesus.

   42 Adrianople.

   43 Arabic.

   44 Persian.

   45 Muḥammad.

   46 The Imáms.

   47 The Báb.

   48 Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

   49 One of the early believers who is best known to the friends for his
      reliable transcriptions of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. (See
      Memorials of the Faithful pp. 150–153.)

   50 Such loans as bear no interest and are repayable whenever the
      borrower pleases.

   51 In a Tablet Bahá’u’lláh states, ‘The Holy Tree [Sadrat] is, in a
      sense, the Manifestation of the One True God, exalted be He. The
      Blessed Tree in the land of Za’farán referreth to the land which is
      flourishing, blessed, holy and all-perfumed, where that Tree hath
      been planted.’

   52 In many of the passages that follow concerning the Greek
      philosophers, Bahá’u’lláh quotes verbatim from the works of such
      Muslim historians as Abu’l-Fatḥ-i-Sháhristání (1076–1153 A.D.) and
      Imádu’d-Dín Abu’l-Fidá (1273–1331 A.D.).

   53 In one of His Tablets Bahá’u’lláh wrote: ‘The first person who
      devoted himself to philosophy was Ídrís. Thus was he named. Some
      called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special name. He
      it is who hath set forth in every branch of philosophy thorough and
      convincing statements. After him Bálinus derived his knowledge and
      sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most of the philosophers who
      followed him made their philosophical and scientific discoveries
      from his words and statements...’. In the Qur’án, Súrá 19, verses 57
      and 58, is written: ‘And commemorate Ídrís in the Book; for he was a
      man of truth, a Prophet; And we uplifted him to a place on high.’

   54 In many of the passages that follow concerning the Greek
      philosophers, Bahá’u’lláh quotes verbatim from the works of such
      Muslim historians as Abu’l-Fatḥ-i-Sháhristání (1076–1153 A.D.) and
      Imádu’d-Dín Abu’l-Fidá (1273–1331 A.D.).

   55 Qur’án 20:106.

   56 Muḥammad.

   57 Mecca.

   58 Arabic.

   59 Moses.

   60 Muḥammad Ḥusayn, one of the early believers of Shíráz, surnamed
      ‘Vafá (Fidelity) by Bahá’u’lláh.

   61 The Most Great Name.

   62 Mullá Ḥusayn.

   63 The maker of the Golden Calf. See Qur’án 20:87–98.

   64 Siyyid Mihdíy-i-Dahájí, to whom this Tablet was addressed, had been
      given by Bahá’u’lláh the title Ismu’lláhi’l-Mihdí, ‘The Name of God,
      Mihdí. He later broke the Covenant. (See God Passes By, page 319.)

   65 Nabíl-i-Akbar. See p. 135.

   66 Mecca.

   67 Fátimih, daughter of Muḥammad.

   68 Jesus.

   69 Qur’án 4:96.

   70 Jesus.

   71 The Sacred Lote-Tree, the Tree beyond which there is no passing (See
      Qur’án 53:8–18). A symbol of the Manifestation of God. (See God
      Passes By p. 94.)

   72 Qur’án 2:88.

   73 Moses.

   74 Jesus.

   75 Napoleon III.

   76 Qur’án 40:29.

   77 Muḥammad.

   78 Fátimih, daughter of Muḥammad.

   79 Adrianople.

   80 The Imám-Jum’ih of Iṣfáhán, see page 203.

   81 Fátimih.

   82 The King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.

   83 Jesus.

   84 Ishmael.

   85 Qur’án 104:1–2.

   86 Beirut. This Tablet is ‘a letter dictated by Bahá’u’lláh and
      addressed by Mírzá Áqá Ján, His amanuensis, to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while
      the latter was on a visit to Beirut.’ (The World Order of
      Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136.)

   87 Qur’án 7:139.

   88 Muḥammad Javád-i-Qazvíní, upon whom Bahá’u’lláh bestowed the title
      Ismu’lláhi’l-Júd (The Name of God, Bounty). He transcribed numerous
      Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh during His Ministry, but subsequently broke
      the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages 247 and 319.)

   89 Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí, outstanding Persian Bahá’í teacher and
      author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in Khártúm,
      travelled extensively in Írán, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy
      Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.

   90 Psalms 59:9; 108:10.

   91 Qur’án 14:5.





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