The Sun of Reality is the Divine Word
which is for the instruction of the denizens of the domains of spiritual meaning and exposition.
3.
It is centered in Him for He is the Spirit of Reality
and the celestial “Water” of mystic meaning
which hath ever been and will forever remain, by virtue of His assistance and beneficence,
the “Life” [energy] of everything.
4.
And His manifested appearance, as evident in every “mirror”,
is expressive of His own [reflected] “color“.
5.
For example, in the “mirrors” of the hearts of wise sages,
He made evident a theological manifestation expressive of divine Wisdom.
6.
It is likewise in the “mirrors” of the hearts of the mystic knowers,
that the manifestation is similarly realized by virtue of the wonders of [mystical knowledge]
and the realities of evidential proofs.
7.
All the peoples of the world, and whatsoever is evident therein,
are actualized through the rising up of that divine man.
8.
From Him things become manifest.
9.
By virtue of the Sun of the Lordly Word, the Divine Man is found to exist,
for the “Most Beautiful Divine Names” and the Most Elevated Divine Attributes
hath ever and will for evermore circumambulate around His Word.
10.
He is the Divine “Fire”!
11.
And it is on this account,
that whatsoever is other than of God is burned away
from within the inmost depths of the hearts of such yearning lovers
as them that are consumed by this “Fire”.
12.
This is so on account of the conflagration precipitated by this “Fire”.
13.
Indeed, it is the very reality of the [celestial] “Water”
which is evident in the form of this “Fire”.
14.
Its outer reality is “Fire”,
while its inmost depth is “Light”.
15.
It is on account of this “Water” that all things hath eternally remained
and will for evermore exist, [as the Qurān says]:
“Through water are all things living.” Quran 21:30
16.
We beseech God that we may drink of this divinely sweet “Water” through this spiritual Salsabīl
[a Fount of Paradise, see Qur’an 76:18]
17.
and we may be detached from the world and its inhabitants
upon the Pathway of His Love.
18.
And may the Glory [of God] be upon the people of Glory.
Translated by S. Lambden, first edition
Tablet of the Land of Bá CHAPTER ONE
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Divisions 1-14
A letter of Bahá-ulláh, to his Turkish son Abdul-Bahá when he was visiting Beirut.
The land of Ba is Beruit, and/or Lebanon. 'Baha' translates to 'glory'. Lebanon is said to be Eden.
LAND OF BA
1.
Praise be to Him Who hath honoured the Land of Bá
through the presence of Him round Whom all names revolve.
2.
All the atoms of the earth have announced unto all created things
that from behind the gate of the prison-city [the fortress Akka]
there hath appeared, and above its horizon there hath shone forth,
3.
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.
4.
Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped this prison-city,
whilst another land rejoiceth.
5.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted is our Lord,
the Fashioner of the heavens and the Creator of all things,
6.
He through Whose sovereignty the doors of the prison were opened,
thereby causing what was promised aforetime in the Tablets to be fulfilled.
7.
He is verily potent over what He willeth,
and in His grasp is the dominion of the entire creation.
8.
He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
9.
Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden,
10.
the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His countenance,
the ear that hath been honoured by hearkening to His call,
11.
the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love,
the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance,
12.
the pen that hath voiced His praise,
the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings.
13.
We beseech God—blessed and exalted be He—
that He may honour us with meeting Him soon.
14.
He is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Powerful,
He Who is ready to answer.
Tablet to Áqá Mírzá Áqá Afnan CHAPTER ONE
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Divisions 1-14
The nephew of the Bab's wife
Among many other tablets, the Tablet of the World was revealed in his honour in 1891.
AFNAN
1.
He is the Comforter, the All-Knowing!
2.
O My Afnán!
That which thou hadst repeatedly sent to Our Name Mihdí was read in Our presence,
3.
and from it We sensed the fragrance of sorrow caused by this calamity
which hath robed the Temple of Grandeur with the garment of grief.
4.
Thy Lord is, in truth, the Source of praise, the All-Knowing.
5.
Verily, over this supreme affliction,
My Most Exalted Pen hath lamented.
6.
To this beareth witness what the Maker of the heavens hath sent down in His manifest Book.
7.
Well is it with him who recalleth those who met a martyr‘s death in the path of God,
whether in former or in recent times, or in these days,
and readeth what was sent down for them from God, the Lord of the worlds.
8.
O My Afnán!
Verily the divine Lote-Tree hath moaned and the Rock hath cried out,
yet the evil-doers are deep in slumber.
Peter the Apostle, and the Holy Rock of the Kaaba at Mecca
9.
Ere long, the scourge of the wrath of thy Lord shall make them aware.
10.
Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
11.
O My Afnán!
It is incumbent on everyone who hath drunk of the wine of the love of God to share,
with the citizens of the Supreme Concourse, in this supreme affliction and great calamity,
12.
for they mourn as they see the utmost sorrow of this Wronged One
- the evidence of His grace, His fidelity and His bounty.
13.
Verily, He is the Gracious, the Ancient of Days.
14.
Nevertheless, thou and all the other beloved ones of God should evince
the utmost resignation, acquiescence, patience, and submissiveness to the will of God.
Translated by H. M. Balyuzi
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[There appears to be merely 14 lines to this tablet, yet there could be more]
INTRODUCTION
Áqá Mírzá Áqáy-i-Afnán (1842 - 1905).
His mother was a sister of Khadíjih Bagum, the wife of the Báb. She acquainted Mírzá Áqá with the mission of the Báb when he was only 13, and from that time on, he was a devoted Bábí. It was due to the efforts of the youth that Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad, the eldest maternal uncle of the Báb, went to Baghdád to seek the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and inquire from Him the proofs of his Nephew’s Mission. It was in response to these queries that Bahá’u’lláh revealed the Kitáb-i-Íqán. Soon after, when Nabíl was sent to Persia, proclaiming to the Bábís the advent of ‘Him Whom God shall make manifest’, Mírzá Áqá immediately recognized Bahá’u’lláh. He was soon teaching the Faith in Shíráz, and about 50 souls became Bahá’ís. He was a close friend and business associate of the two brothers, Mírzá Muhammad Husayn and Mírzá Muhammad Hasan, the Beloved of Martyrs and the King of Martyrs. The deaths of his dearest friends, and the danger in which these events placed him, forced Áqá Mírzá Áqá to leave Shíráz and establish a trading house in Bombay. He later arose to teach the Faith in Egypt and Beirut. During the Ministry of ’Abdu’l-Bahá’, Áqá Mírzá Áqá tended to the restoration of the House of the Báb, overseeing the rebuilding of two rooms which had been destroyed during the time it was occupied by Khadíjih Bagum. Among many other Tablets, the Lawh-i-Dunyá (Tablet of the World) was revealed in his honour in 1891.
Ismu’lláhu’l-Mihdí, Siyyid Mihdíy-i-Dahají of Yazd.
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He was known among the believers to be a great teacher of the Faith, acquiring fame throughout the community, but he was actually vain and egotistical. Following the passing of Bahá’u’lláh, he broke the Covenant and rebelled against ’Abdu’l-Bahá’ in the hope of becoming head of the Faith in Persia. There is a Tablet addressed to him within the tablets of Bah-’ulláh. As testified by Shoghi Effendi, he died in obscurity and poverty, along with his wife and sons
The calamity refers to the martyrdom of Mírzá Muhammad Husayn and Mírzá Muhammad Hasan, the Beloved of Martyrs and the King of Martyrs. Describing this incident, Shoghi Effendi writes:
A month later occurred in that same city the tragedy of the two famous brothers Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan and Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, the “twin shining lights,” respectively surnamed “Sultánu’sh-Shuhadá” (King of Martyrs) and “Mahbúbu’sh-Shuhadá” (Beloved of Martyrs), who were celebrated for their generosity, trustworthiness, kindliness and piety. Their martyrdom was instigated by the wicked and dishonest Mír Muhammad-Husayn, the Imám-Jum’ih, stigmatized by Bahá’u’lláh as the “she-serpent,” who, in view of a large debt he had incurred in his transactions with them, schemed to nullify his obligations by denouncing them as Bábís, and thereby encompassing their death. Their richly-furnished houses were plundered, even to the trees and flowers in their gardens, all their remaining possessions were confiscated; Shaykh Muhammad-Báqir, denounced by Bahá’u’lláh as the “wolf,” pronounced their death-sentence; the Zillu’s-Sultán ratified the decision, after which they were put in chains, decapitated, dragged to the Maydan-i-Sháh, and there exposed to the indignities heaped upon them by a degraded and rapacious populace.
Tablet of Baha'u'llah to Ibn-i Asdaq CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-11
Against Absolute Power of Monarchies
Tablet of Reason
AGAINST ABSOLUTE MONARCHIES
Baha-ullah to Ibn-i Asdaq,
1.
[He is God, etc. ]
2.
O Pen, mention when we dispatched our Tablet entitled "the Cry" to the leader of the people.
3.
He sent it to those renowned for their knowledge,
and once they had read it they were bewildered
and spoke forth according to their selfish passions.
In truth, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Encompassing.
4.
One among them said,
"He desires absolute power!"
5.
Say:
Woe be to you, who are heedless and remote from God!
6.
We have commanded even the monarchs to toss it behind them,
and to advance toward God, the Glorious, the Beauteous.
7.
We affirm the appearance of Reason among all human beings.
8.
Therefore, you will see absolutism discarded upon the dust,
nor will any approach it.
9.
Thus was the matter decreed in a manifest tablet.
10.
Say:
It [absolute totalitarian monarchy] is the most degraded of stations in my view,
though you might see it as the most exalted station.
11.
Open your eyes,
so that you might recognize the one whose Pen rules over all who are in the heavens and the earth.
Translation by J. R. Cole
Tablet of the Night of Power CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-[10]
The 'night of power' was when the prophet Mohammad received prophecy during the holy month of Ramadan (near the end of the month).
1.
[He is] the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Transcendent.
Arabic
2.
We did indeed ornament the (Night of Destiny [Power]) with the Letter "H" (ha' = 5)
to the result that the people of Baha' might be certain about this Greatest, Mighty Name
[= Baha' = "[The] Splendor [of God]").
3.
With it the Quran was ornamented aforetime. Quran 97:1
4.
When it was complemented with the letter "w" (waw) the [number] six (sitta)
[= the numerical value of the letter "W", waw)
was made manifest [as thou should realize] if thou would be numbered among the mystic knowers.
5.
Blessed be such as have taken firm hold of thereof,
detatched from all the worlds.
6.
Such is certainly the Concealed Mystery with which the sacred books of God,
the Powerful, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Noble,
have been ornamented.
7.
Wherefore, hath He ordained the measures of all things in the scriptural tablets [the Surah]
and hath differentiated every Wise Decree.
8.
Them that reject this [clear evidence] should be numbered among the heedless
and them that do draw nigh on this account,
should be accounted the [precious] gemstones of the world of creation.
9.
We indeed do bear witness that the latter should be deemed
among them who are near unto God [the Cherubim].
10.
Should ye but apprehend this, O My loved ones,
We would assuredly, through a Bounty which cometh from Us,
reckon thee to be numbered amongst such as are truly grateful.
Translated by S. Lambden
Edit in progress
[Tablet of Mohammad] CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-9
[MOHAMMAD]
1.
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
2.
Praised be to God hath ever been alone Eternally Existent
through the Eternality of His own Being,
alone Ever-Permanent through the Continuance of His Pre-Eternality,
3.
Who created all existence through a Word of His Command
and Who caused to be made manifest the realms of possibility
for the theophany of the Lights of His Love. [for the souls of God's favored children]
4.
He is the [Lord] Who made the hearts of His chosen [sevant]s
to be a throne for the enthronement of the Beauty of His union
and mirrors for the announcement of the Glory of His Sovereignty.
5.
Peace and blessing be upon the First-Primal Point
made manifest from the unseen dimension of the realm of the Divine Union,
6.
the first Letter by means of which the comprehensive Logos-Word was completed;
the Primal Light which shed splendour from the Dawn of the Divine Ipseity;
7.
the First Breeze which hath wafted forth from the Divine Garden
that God fashioned in the world of the Logos-Command
to be a Manifestation for the theophany of the totality of His Names and His Attributes.
8.
In the world of creation He named him Muhammad, amongst His servants.
9.
And upon him, his family and his companions,
be peace and many expressions of peaceful greeting.
[Tablet of the Believer] CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-9
[THE BELIEVER]
1.
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.
2.
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-Subsistent.
3.
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,
4.
‘Praised be Thou, O Lord of all things, visible and invisible.’
5.
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.
6.
Verily He Who is the Sovereign Truth moveth before the eyes of all men.
7.
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.’
8.
Great is the blessedness of the believer who hath directed himself towards Him
and hath gained admittance into His presence,
9.
and woe betide every disbeliever who hath turned away from God
and followed the wayward and the outcast.
Tablet of the Preserver
An Arabic tablet of the Adrianople-Edirne period. It might pertain to the period surrounding the break with Mirza Yahya Nuri, that has been characterized as the "days of stress".
The break with Mirza Yahya Nuri and his Azali followers during the mid Adrianople-Edirne period (1866) was one of the most profoundly calamitous periods for Baha-ullah and the emergent Bahai dispensation. It marked the split with middle Babism centered upon the leadership role of Mirza Yahya, the initial nominee of the Bab who was the half-brother of Baha'-Allah.
Next Baha'-Allah exhorts the recipient to "Mention of Name of thy Lord, His servant Jawad, who hath come to faith and been guided aright". The person Jawad referred to here could indicate any one of a number of followers of the Bab. Among them the Babi-Baha'i Hajji Mirza Muh. Jawad Qazvini. that, after the passing of the prophet Baha'-ullah, sided with the prophet's younger son Mirza Muhamnmad `Ali, the half-brother of `Abd al-Baha'.
THE PRESERVER
1.
This is the chapter of the Preserver.
2.
It was certainly sent down [revealed] from the Heaven of the Calamitous Stress.
3.
"He is the Beloved, the Treasured Up [Hidden]".
4.
Make mention of the Name of thy lord, His servant Jawad,
who came to faith and was guided aright.
5.
And he was established in His [Babi/Bahai] Cause on the [eschatological] Day
in which even the footsteps of the mystic knowers were made to slip,
for they disbelieved in God, their Lord, the Lord of the era to come and of times primordial.
6.
So hearken ye unto that which he hath revealed for thee
regarding the partition [division] of the horizons [of reality].
7.
This perchance thou might be attracted by the Breezes of Divine Inspiration
regarding the possibility of a cleaving asunder
and thou might draw near unto the [reality of the] covenantal authorization
regarding the establishment of thy Lord, the Glorious, the All-Glorious.
8
We have indeed bestowed Our favour upon thee, (Jawad)
time after time then again during these latter days [of the eschatological era].
Translated by S. Lambden
Tablet of the Child CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-7
The prophet Baha-ullah recounts his distress at reading when a child the episode in a book by the medieval Muslim scholar Majlisi.
Inferrered is the age when a child should start to read. The Bible teaches of piercing the ears of the children at the age of seven.
THE CHILD
1.
When this wronged [servant of God] was a child,
he read about the subjugation of the Banu-Qurayza in a book attributed to Mulla Baqir Majlisi,
2.
and immediately became so grieved and saddened that the Pen is unable to recount it,
even though what occurred was the command of God
and had no purpose except to cut the roots of the oppressors.
3.
Despite this, with the ocean of forgiveness and boundless mercy before his eyes,
in those days he beseeched the [Eternal] True God, exalted be His glory,
4.
for whatever would be the cause of universal love, fellowship,
and the unity of all the peoples of the earth –
5.
until before sunrise on the second day of the month of His birth,
all his manners, speech and thought were thrown into confusion,
a tumult that gave glad tidings of exaltation.
6.
This tumult was sent down and manifest repeatedly, without interruption, for 12 days,
7.
after which the waves of the sea of utterance became manifest
and the rays of the sun of assurance dawned,
until it culminated in the moment of Manifestation.
Translation by S. McGlinn
Tablet of Marriage CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-7
A letter about marriage and divorce
MARRIAGE
1.
Thou hast asked concerning the laws of marriage and divorce.
2.
That which was sent down previously on this matter in the Book of the Most Holy
hath been forwarded. Tablet of [ ]
3.
Likewise, a sermon hath been sent down from the heaven of divine oneness
in this connection. Tablet of [ ]
4.
After the consent of the two parties and the consent of the parents,
they should present themselves in a gathering of the pious
and recite this blessed sermon with the greatest joy and fragrance.
5.
After reading the khutba, [bridal dowery]
the two beloved in one place should read these two blessed verses mentioned in the Bayán.
[ ]
6.
The two verses mentioned in the Bayán should be written down,
after which the husband should hand the dowry to the wife
and both of them should put their seals upon a sheet of paper, and the witnesses likewise.
7.
And if it be a place where the people are unable to read the sermon, it is no matter;
the reading of the two verses is sufficient.
Translated by D. MacEoin
Tablet of the Prayer of Forever CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-7
A prayerful invocation in Arabic, that is uttered during the Islamic prayer ritual and other contexts, for example, Sufi Dhikr. ("Remembrance" [of God]) The prayer appears to acknoweldge the ancient nature and the hereafter nature of certain holy prayers.
A formal way to start and finish reciting prayers that are basically written transcripts of doctrine.
FOREVER
1.
The Spirit within the Horizon of Holiness,
from the apex of the two wells, hath indeed shone forth.
2.
O Letter of Forever!
Put ye on the two sandals of detchment Quran 20:12
then walk forth upon the Most Elevated Heights!
3.
Then praised be He Who created for Me this land of Forever and ever,
whereupon there did not even tread the feet of anybody among the chosen [servants] [of God].
4.
Therefore,
Praised be my Lord, the Most Elevated!
The tablet finishes with
5.
This is that which was inscribed upon the Tablet of Forever by the Supreme Pen.
6.
Then glorified be He Who created Me,
He in whom is a Wisdom expressive of the Mysteries
which hath neither been witnessed nor envisaged .
7.
Therefore,
Praised be my Lord, the Most High!
Passage Source The entire Tablet of Carmel Bahá’u’lláh.
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XI.
“We, verily, have come …” to “… hath gone far astray.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, God's Vicar on Earth.
“Open the doors doors of your heart .…” to “… grievous error.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, God's Vicar on Earth.
“O concourse of priests!…” to “… His great glory!” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“He that summoneth …” to “… that are on earth” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“Let the Breeze of God …” to “… among the wellassured.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“O concourse of bishops …” to “… from His Purpose.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“O concourse of monks…” to “… the AllMerciful.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“Bethlehem is astir …” to “… the Best-Informed” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“I never passed…” to “… crucified upon thee.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, Let the Oppressor Desist.
“behave towards…” to “… honesty and truthfulness.” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“O people of God! …” to “… life to the world.” Shoghi Effendi. The Advent of Divine Justice.
“A good character…” to “… and the radiance thereof.” Shoghi Effendi. The Advent of Divine Justice.
“‘O Son of Spirit,’ …” to “… before thine eyes.’” Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 2.
“‘We will now mention…” to “… Lord of creation.’” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“swiftly appearing newspapers” and “the mirror of the world” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“an amazing and potent phenomenon” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“Knowledge is as wings…” to “… witness the Mother Book” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“In truth, knowledge is …” to “… gladness unto him.” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“Verily I say: The fear of God …” to “… do not possess it.” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“The pen of the Most High…” to “… endued with discernment!” Bahá’u’lláh.
EXCERPTS FROM OTHER TABLETS
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.
from Gleanings
1.
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.
2.
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.
3.
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 that hath enraptured the denizens of Thy kingdoms of revelation and of creation.
4.
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 except Thee.
5.
Neither can the power of the powerful frustrate Thee,
nor the ascendancy of the rulers prevail against Thee.
6.
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.
7.
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.
8.
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.
9.
Verily Thou art potent to do what Thou willest;
no God is there except Thee, the Help in Peril, the Independent.
10.
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.
11.
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.
12.
Say,
Glorified art Thou, O my God!
13.
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.
14.
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,
15.
whom the onslaught of the people hath been powerless to hinder
from magnifying Thy Name and celebrating Thy praise.
16.
Graciously assist me, O my Lord, to do whatever Thou lovest and desirest.
17.
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.
17 Excerpts from Other Tablets
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 unraveled, 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 savors of My remembrance may attract thee unto My Kingdom and draw thee near
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 honored to receive My Holy Verses,
hast inhaled the sweet savors 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 hast adorned the world with the splendor 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 splendor 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 AllKnowing, 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 fulfill 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 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 clamor of the foreboders of evil is raised high. Happy are they that have cast behind their backs all else save God and have held fast unto that which the Lord of strength and power hath enjoined upon them. His Glory be upon thee and upon such as have been enabled to recognize and embrace this mighty Cause. This is a Tablet which the Lord of all being hath sent down from His glorious station in honor 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 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 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 behooveth 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 honor may be proof against the eyes and the hands of robbers. Verily thy Lord is the Expounder, the All-Knowing. Convey the greetings of this Wronged One unto all the beloved friends in that region and call to their minds Our wondrous and exalted remembrances, that haply they may forsake the things current amongst them, may set their hearts on that which pertaineth unto God and remain purged from unseemly deeds and pursuits. May the glory of the Almighty, the All-Wise, be upon thee and upon such as are related unto thee. We make mention of him who hath been attracted by Our Call when it was raised from the summit of transcendent glory and hath set his face towards God, the Lord of creation. He is numbered with such as have heard and responded to the summons of their Lord at a time when the peoples of the world are wrapt in palpable veils. He testifieth unto that whereunto God hath testified, and acknowledgeth his belief in that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered. Unto this beareth witness the Lord of Names in this wondrous Tablet. 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 favor 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.”1 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, Júd1 [Bounty]! Upon thee be My Glory. Give ear unto that which thou didst hear aforetime when the Daystar 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 splendor 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 splendor 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 splendor 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 behooveth 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 behooveth 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!1 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 splendors 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 honored 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 favor 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 judgment, 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 savors 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 goodpleasure 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. Center 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 favored 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 Daystar 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 AllBountiful. The glory that hath dawned resplendent from the heaven of Mine utterance rest upon thee and upon them that have directed themselves towards thee and inclined their ears to the words which thy mouth hath uttered concerning this glorious, this august Revelation. By the righteousness of God! The Mother Book is made manifest, summoning mankind unto God, the Lord of the worlds, while the seas proclaim: The Most Great Ocean hath appeared, from whose waves one can hear the thundering cry: “Verily, no God is there but Me, the Peerless, the AllKnowing.” And the trees raising their clamor 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 reenacted 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 downtrodden 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 judgment 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 honor have We revealed this Tablet from which the fragrance of the gracious favor 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 SelfSubsisting, 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 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 judgment 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 Daystar of wisdom shone forth from above the horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the AllMerciful. Shouldst thou attain unto its light, it behooveth thee to magnify the praise of thy Lord and say, I yield Thee thanks, O God of the worlds. Blessed art thou and are they whom the world and its vanities have failed to deter from this luminous Horizon. Convey greetings on My behalf unto My loved ones. We exhort them to observe wisdom as decreed in My wondrous Book. O My handmaiden and My leaf! Rejoice with great joy inasmuch as thy call hath ascended unto the Divine Lote-Tree and is answered from the all-glorious Horizon. Verily, no God is there but Me, the Wronged One, the Exile. We have revealed Ourself unto men, have unveiled the Cause, guided all mankind towards God’s Straight Path, promulgated the laws and have enjoined upon everyone that which shall truly profit them both in this world and in the next; yet they have pronounced judgment 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 favor 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 Daystar 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 behooveth thee to yield praise and thanksgiving unto thy Lord, the Bountiful, the Most Generous. Glorified be God, the Exalted, the Great. At one time this sublime Word was heard from the Tongue of Him Who is the Possessor of all being and the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below—exalted is the glory of His utterance—: Piety and detachment are even as two most great luminaries of the heaven of teaching. Blessed the one who hath attained unto this supreme station, this habitation of transcendent holiness and sublimity. This is a Tablet sent down by the All-Merciful from the Kingdom of utterance unto all that dwell on earth. Happy is the man who hearkeneth and heedeth and woe betide him who hath erred and doubted. This is the Day that hath been illumined by the effulgent light of the Countenance of God—the Day when the Tongue of Grandeur is calling aloud: The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection. Thy name hath been mentioned in Our Presence and We have deigned to reveal for thee that which the tongue of no one among the peoples of the world can recount. Rejoice 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 judgment against Us without any proof or evidence. The first to turn away from Us have been the world’s spiritual leaders in this age—they that call upon Us in the daytime and in the night season and mention My Name while resting on their lofty thrones. However, when I revealed Myself unto men they rose against Me in such wise that even the stones groaned and lamented bitterly. Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto His Voice, set thy face towards Him and heeded the Call of thy Lord when He came invested with invincible power and sovereignty. O My handmaiden, O My leaf! Render thou thanks unto the Best-Beloved of the world for having attained this boundless grace at a time when the world’s learned and most distinguished men have remained deprived thereof. We have designated thee “a leaf” that thou mayest, like unto leaves, be stirred by the gentle wind of the Will of God—exalted be His glory—even as the leaves of the trees are stirred by onrushing winds. Yield thou thanks unto thy Lord by virtue of this brilliant utterance. Wert thou to perceive the sweetness of the title “O My handmaiden” thou wouldst find thyself detached from all mankind, devoutly engaged day and night in communion with Him Who is the sole Desire of the world. In words of incomparable beauty We have made fitting mention of such leaves and handmaidens as have quaffed from the living waters of heavenly grace and have kept their eyes directed towards God. Happy and blessed are they indeed. Ere long shall God reveal their station whose loftiness no word can befittingly express nor any description adequately describe. We admonish thee to do that which will serve to promote the interests of the Cause of God amongst men and women. He doth hear the call of the friends and beholdeth their actions. Verily, He is the Hearing and the Seeing. Upon thee and upon them be the glory of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O handmaid of God! Hearken unto the Voice of the Lord of Names, Who from His Prison hath directed His gaze towards thee and is making mention of thee. He hath extended assistance to every wayfarer, hath graciously responded to every petitioner and granted admittance to every seeker after truth. In this Day the Straight Path is made manifest, the Balance of divine justice is set and the light of the sun of His bounty is resplendent, yet the oppressive darkness of the people of tyranny hath, even as clouds, intervened and caused a grievous obstruction between the Daystar 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 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. Center 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 face toward the Incomparable One, the AllKnowing, 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 tranquility 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 endeavor 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 colors. 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 behooveth 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 AllManifest.” 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 preeminent 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?”1 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.”2 The glory with which this Day is invested hath been explicitly mentioned and clearly set forth in most heavenly Books and Scriptures. However, the divines of the age have debarred men from this transcendent station, and have kept them back from this Pinnacle of Glory, this Supreme Goal. Blessed art thou inasmuch as the darkness of vain imaginings hath been powerless to hinder thee from the light of certitude, and the onslaught of the people hath failed to deter thee from the Lord of mankind. Appreciate thou the value of this high station and beseech God—exalted is His glory—to graciously enable thee to safeguard it. Imperishable dominion hath exclusively pertained unto the One true God and His loved ones and will continue to pertain unto them everlastingly. The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity rest upon thee and upon such as have taken fast hold of the Cord of God that no man can sever. He Who leadeth to true victory is come. By the righteousness of God! He is fully capable of revolutionizing the 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 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 splendors 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 AllGlorious, 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 honored 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 favor from Our presence; and I verily am the Forgiving, the All-Merciful. We desire to mention him who hath set his face towards Us and to let him once again drink deep from the life-giving waters of Our gracious providence that he may be enabled to draw nigh unto My Horizon, be adorned with Mine attributes, soar in Mine atmosphere, be confirmed in that 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 behoove 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 AllWise, 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 favor 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 AllWise. 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 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 behooveth you, O people, to make the utmost endeavor 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 favor 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 favors 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 daystar of My commandments shineth upon every observer and every observed one. Hold ye fast unto it and fulfill that which is revealed therein. Indeed better is this for you than whatsoever hath been created in the world, did ye but know it. Beware lest the transitory things of human life withhold you from turning unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in your hearts the world and its conflicts and changes, so that ye may discern its merit and the station of those who have set their hearts upon it and have turned away from that which hath been sent down in Our Preserved Tablet. Thus have We revealed these holy verses and sent them unto thee that thou mayest arise to glorify the Name of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The glory of God be upon thee and upon such as have partaken of this choice, sealed Wine. This Wronged One hath perused thy letter in the Most Great Prison and is apprised of thine inquiry 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 fulfill 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 favor 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 behooveth 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.
• • • Passages Translated by Shoghi Effendi
Wherever possible, translations made by Shoghi Effendi have been used in preparing this book. In many instances his renderings of individual phrases have been incorporated, but these are too numerous to list. Below are listed two categories of translation that have been used. One is a direct translation of the actual Tablet concerned, or of excerpts therefrom. The second category is slightly less direct: in a number of His later Writings Bahá’u’lláh used to quote passages from His own Tablets, but when doing so He often modified the passage from which He was quoting. Thus, when Shoghi Effendi’s translations of such quoted passages—as, for example, in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf—have been used, they have had to be adjusted to agree with the passage as it appeared in the Tablet from which Bahá’u’lláh was quoting, as it is these original Tablets that are here translated. Such adjustments are slight and have not been specially noted, but will be apparent to anyone who compares the passages as they appear in this book with the volumes from which Shoghi Effendi’s translations are taken.
Passage Source The entire Tablet of Carmel Bahá’u’lláh.
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XI.
“We, verily, have come …” to “… hath gone far astray.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, God's Vicar on Earth.
“Open the doors of your hearts.…” to “… grievous error.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, God's Vicar on Earth.
“O concourse of priests!…” to “… His great glory!” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“He that summoneth …” to “… that are on earth” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“Let the Breeze of God …” to “… among the wellassured.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“O concourse of bishops …” to “… from His Purpose.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“O concourse of monks…” to “… the AllMerciful.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“Bethlehem is astir …” to “… the Best-Informed” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, His Messages to Christian Leaders.
“I never passed…” to “… crucified upon thee.” Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come, Let the Oppressor Desist.
“behave towards…” to “… honesty and truthfulness.” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“O people of God! …” to “… life to the world.” Shoghi Effendi. The Advent of Divine Justice.
“A good character…” to “… and the radiance thereof.” Shoghi Effendi. The Advent of Divine Justice.
“‘O Son of Spirit,’ …” to “… before thine eyes.’” Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 2.
“‘We will now mention…” to “… Lord of creation.’” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“swiftly appearing newspapers” and “the mirror of the world” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“an amazing and potent phenomenon” Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By, Chapter XII.
“Knowledge is as wings…” to “… witness the Mother Book” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“In truth, knowledge is …” to “… gladness unto him.” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“Verily I say: The fear of God …” to “… do not possess it.” Bahá’u’lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
“The pen of the Most High…” to “… endued with discernment!” Bahá’u’lláh.
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