After the Persian New Year, the day of the Spring Equinox
originally revealed as "Nuzzila fi al-Yawm ir-Ridván" in 1863
THE DAY OF RIDVAN
1.
The Words of Bahá’u’lláh, exalted be His Glory:
2.
This is the Day in which the Spirit proclaimeth from the zenith of heaven:
3.
“O Concourse of creation!
Verily, the Sovereign of the world hath appeared and all that which was in the Kingdom of my Lord is fulfilled.
4.
Verily, the One Who was the beloved of my heart,
the One who aided me in my Cause, hath come.
5.
Follow Him, and do not be of those who turn away.
6.
This is the Day in which all veils have been lifted
and thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Bountiful hath made His appearance.
7.
Because of His Advent, all that which I promised thee hath been perfected and fulfilled.
8.
Haste ye then to His resplendent, most luminous Beauty!...
9.
“O Priests!
Tell the servants that they should not ring the bells any longer
except in His Name the Gracious, the most Transcendent.
10.
This is the Day in which every thirsty one hath attained unto the river of everlasting life,
and every eager one can behold the Beauty of the All Merciful.
11.
In this Day, every humbled one can attain dignity and every poor one wealth.
12.
The ailing can obtain healing, the deaf can hear His melody, and the blind have obtained sight.
13.
Render thanks unto God and be not of those who join partners with Him.
14.
The kingdom of God circleth around Him
and it is because of His Love that I adorned the cross with my body.
15.
Verily, I rose from the dead to complete my mention of His Name amongst men.
16.
O people of the Gospel!
Do not make mention of Me when you have turned away from my Father, the All- Glorious.
17.
It is His love that transformed the fire to be a light for Abraham.
18.
He that tarrieth after Him is in manifest error.
19.
Haste ye, therefore, to the river of mercy,
flowing from the presence of your Lord, the All-Merciful.
20.
Beware lest ye deprive yourself of this gushing river.
21.
Verily, We have trained you for this Day.
22.
Peruse ye my words so that ye may obtain what my intention was in making mention of Him.
23.
Truly, I did not come except for His cause
and I did not appear except to give the glad tidings of the advent of the Kingdom of God.”
24.
Thus doth command you the Spirit,
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Who sacrificed His spirit to give life to the world and so that He may manifest what the sublime Purpose is.
He, verily, hath appeared in truth.
25.
Follow Him then,
and adhere not to what ye possess of the accounts of ancient times.
Translated by K. Fananapazir
Tablet for the Wife of the Bab (Khadijih Begum) CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
Revealed in 1882
THE WIFE OF THE BAB
1.
He is the Comforter of the Sorrowful!
2.
O Pen!
Verily a great tribulation and mighty calamity hath come upon Thee,
that hath caused the denizens of the Exalted Paradise and the dwellers of the Concourse on High
to shed bitter tears and sorrow to ascend until it reached the hem of the robe of the All-Merciful.
3.
Blessed is the one who sought to serve her during her lifetime
and visited her resting place after her passing,
as she sought to ascend to her eternal abode near her resplendent Lord.
4.
The glory manifest from the horizon of My luminous effulgence
and the light that appears and radiates from the heaven of My glorious Name rest upon thee,
O splendid leaf and fruit of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing.
5.
Thou art the consort of the [One] Whose Manifestation made the kingdom of eternity and the realm of creation to beam forth joyously.
6.
We testify that thou art the first leaf that was revived through quaffing the cup of reunion
and the last fruit that surrendered her soul because of thy separation.
7.
Thou art the one whose essence was consumed, whose heart was set afire,
and whose whole being was inflamed in thy remoteness from
the presence of the One Whom God hath made the dawning-place of His signs,
the dayspring of His testimonies, the manifestation of His names,
the source of His ordinances, and the seat of His throne.
8.
O [My] leaf and the fragrance of the paradise of [My] good-pleasure!
9.
Thou art in the Exalted Kingdom,
and this Wronged One makes mention of thee in the prison of `Akka.
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10.
Thou hast inhaled the fragrance of the Divine Garment before the creation of the world of being, and thou hast beheld His visage, attained His union,
and drunk the sweet wine of His nearness from the hand of His bestowal.
11.
We bear witness that in thee two signs have been combined:
12.
one, the sign of reunion, which hath revived thee;
the other, the sign of separation, which hath caused thy death.
13.
How many a night thy deep sighs ascended high in the love of God
and thy tears flowed at the mention of My Glorious Name.
14.
Verily, He was with thee, and indeed beholds thee consumed by flames,
and thy rapture, thy longing, and thy ecstasy,
and verily He hears the yearning of thy heart and the moaning of thy spirit.
15.
O fruit of [My] [His] Tree!
In thy tribulation the sea of sorrow hath surged and the breezes of forgiveness hath stirred forth.
16.
I bear witness that, as a favor upon thee and as a grace because of thee,
God hath forgiven every servant or maid-servant who hath ascended on the night thou hast ascended to the Abha Horizon and the Exalted Kingdom, or its morrow,
except those who have openly denied the Truth of God and what hath been revealed from Him.
17.
Thus hath God singled thee out, O [My] leaf,
with this most great bounty and this most august and ancient station.
18.
Blessed art thou, and blessed art thy visitors, thy near ones, those who circle around thee,
and whosoever implored and will implore God through thee.
19.
Thou art the one by whose afflictions the Maiden laments
and the leaves of the tree of Manifestation are grieved.
20.
Thou art the one who accepted Him upon hearing the divine Call
uttered from the tongue of the Possessor of the kingdom of names,
and who was attracted to it in such wise that thou didst lose consciousness of thyself.
21.
O [My] Leaf!
O bird soaring in the heaven of [My] love,
turning towards My visage, and speaking My praise!
22.
Verily We have revealed for thee that which neither the affairs of centuries nor the appearance of ages will obliterate.
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23.
By Our Exalted Pen,
We have made eternal thy mention in the crimson books known to none save God,
the Creator of all things.
24.
We have mentioned thee in this Tablet with what the favored Ones make mention of thee,
and the believers in the oneness of God turn towards thy shrine.
25.
Blessed art thou, and the divine paradise be thine and whosoever's that standeth in front of thy grave and chanteth what hath been sent down by the Bestower, the Desired.
Translated by A. Rabbani
Tablet to Hasan of Sháhábadí CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
[HASAN]
1.
He shineth from the Horizon of the Heaven of true Knowledge with Wisdom and Utterance!
2.
O Hasan!
Hearken unto the Call of Husayn [i.e. Baha-ullah] Who hath been incarcerated in the Prison Fortress of ’Akká by reason of that which the hands of the heedless have wrought.
3.
If any were to question them [that are heedless ones],
“by what reason have ye imprisoned Him?”,
they would reply:
4.
“Verily, He hath come with a new Shariah
and this new Shariah doth not accord with the Law under which we have been.
5.
To this matter testifieth our Book which is called the Qur’án,
a Book that is from God, the Lord of all mankind. Qurán 10:37
6.
See that which the All-Merciful hath revealed therein:
7.
‘Verily He (Mohammed) is the Messenger of God, and the Seal of the Prophets.’” Quran 33:40
8.
To this We reply: “Indeed thou speaketh the truth.
9.
We do testify that through Him, (Mohammed)
Messengership and Prophethood have both been sealed
and any one claiming after Him this most exalted station is in manifest error.
10.
Nevertheless, O Questioner!
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11.
Hearken unto My voice which sayeth:
12.
“Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold the Most Great Beauty, (Baha-ullah)
through Whom speaketh the Lord of divine decree.
13.
By God! Through Him the ‘Hour’hath appeared,
and the ‘Resurrection’ hath come to pass,
and the ‘Moon’ hath been cleft asunder
14.
and thou wouldst behold all in a ‘continuing Regeneration’ if thou be of them that possess insight.
15.
“Verily, through His Advent hath come to be fulfilled the Advent
about which glad tidings have been given by the Messengers of God from all eternity
16.
and there hath come to pass about which God hath revealed in the Qur’án:
‘On that Day they shall all rise before the Lord of mankind.’
17.
Truly the Cycle of Prophethood hath been rolled up
and He Who hath sent down the Prophets hath come,
arrayed with a manifest and very clear sovereignty.
18.
He, verily, is the One at Whose Advent all created things have given this utterance:
19.
‘The Kingdom is God’s,
the Sovereign, the Almighty, the All-Praised.’
20.
He is the One for Whom the necks of God’s Chosen Saints have been outstretched
in longing and ardent expectation
and every Prophet hath awaited His Presence in this wondrous Day.
21.
He is the One through Whom the ‘One Unseen and Hidden’ hath been made manifest,
22.
the One Whom no one hath known except He Himself,
the one King over all mankind.
23.
Peruse ye the Qur’án and all God’s Books revealed in the past
that haply ye may recognize this Day, illumined by the Visage of thy Lord,
the Manifest, the Perspicuous One.”
24.
Thus have We illumined the horizon of the firmaments of this Tablet with the Luminary of Our Word,
a Word through which God hath brought into being all creation from all eternity to all eternity.
25.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds!
Translated by K. Fananapazir
Tablet to the Shah of Persia CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
The tablet inserted into the tablet of the kings, sent to the Sháh of Persia.
THE SHAH OF PERSIA
1.
He is God, exalted be His glory!
2.
It is clear and evident that the [only] true God—glorified be His mention!—
is sanctified above the world and all that is therein.
3.
By “rendering assistance unto God”, then,
it is not meant that any soul should fight or contend with another.
4.
That Sovereign Lord Who doeth whatsoever He pleaseth hath entrusted the kingdom of creation, its lands and its seas, into the hands of the kings,
for they are, each according to his degree, the manifestations of His divine power.
5.
Should they enter beneath the shadow of the True One, they will be accounted of God,
and if not, thy Lord, verily, knoweth and observeth all things.
6.
That which God—glorified be His Name!—hath desired for Himself is the hearts of His servants, which are the treasuries of His love and remembrance and the repositories of His knowledge and wisdom.
7.
It hath ever been the wish of the Eternal King to cleanse the hearts of His servants from the things of the world and all that pertaineth thereunto,
that they may be made worthy recipients of the effulgent splendours of Him Who is the King of all names and attributes.
8.
Wherefore must no stranger be allowed in the city of the heart, that the incomparable Friend may enter His abode.
9.
By this is meant the effulgence of His names and attributes, and not His exalted Essence, inasmuch as that peerless King hath ever been, and shall eternally remain, sanctified above ascent and descent.
10.
It followeth, therefore, that rendering assistance unto God, in this day, doth not and shall never consist in contending or disputing with any soul;
11.
nay rather, what is preferable in the sight of God is that the cities of men’s hearts, which are ruled by the hosts of self and passion, should be subdued by the sword of utterance, of wisdom and of understanding.
12.
Thus, whoso seeketh to assist God must, before all else, conquer, with the sword of inner meaning and explanation, the city of his own heart
13.
and guard it from the remembrance of all save God,
and only then set out to subdue the cities of the hearts of others.
14.
Such is the true meaning of rendering assistance unto God.
15.
Sedition hath never been pleasing unto God, nor were the acts committed in the past by certain foolish ones acceptable in His sight.
16.
Know ye that to be killed in the path of His good pleasure is better for you than to kill.
17.
The beloved of the Lord must, in this day, behave in such wise amidst His servants that they may by their very deeds and actions guide all men unto the paradise of the All-Glorious.
18.
By Him Who shineth above the Dayspring of Sanctity!
The friends of God have not, nor will they ever, set their hopes upon the world and its ephemeral possessions.
19.
The one true God hath ever regarded the hearts of men as His own, His exclusive possession—
20.
and this too but as an expression of His all-surpassing mercy,
that haply mortal souls may be purged and sanctified from all that pertaineth to the world of dust and gain admittance into the realms of eternity.
21.
For otherwise that ideal King is, in Himself and by Himself, sufficient unto Himself and independent of all things.
22.
Neither doth the love of His creatures profit Him, nor can their malice harm Him.
23.
All have issued forth from abodes of dust, and unto dust shall they return, while the one true God, alone and single, is established upon His Throne,
a Throne which is beyond the reaches of time and space, is sanctified above all utterance or expression, intimation, description and definition, and is exalted beyond all notion of abasement and glory.
24.
And none knoweth this save Him and those with whom is the knowledge of the Book.
25.
No God is there but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
Tablet of Visitation for Vahid'i Darabi CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
VAHID
1.
For his holiness Vahid hath this been revealed,
he who beheld the Countenance of God, the All-Glorious, the Almighty,
2.
and who, in His path sacrificed himself,
arose to serve His Cause,
and quaffed his fill of the draught of certitude from the Hand of his Lord, the Munificent.
3.
"He is supreme over His Cause
and powerful over His creation."
4.
The first wave of exaltation from the ocean of grace of thy Lord, the Compassionate,
be upon thee [Vahid] who art the essence of the Qur'an
and possessor of the mysteries of the Bayan.
5.
I testify that thou drank of the choice wine of His Revelation from the hand of His favor and grace, and attained the presence of Him Who was the Promised [One]
in all the sacred books, scriptures, and tablets.
6.
Thou didst hearken unto the divine Call when it was raised
7.
and perceived its manifestation above the Exalted horizon
on a Day when all the dwellers of the mortal kingdom rejected the Creator of the heavens.
8.
Thou hast, moreover, discerned the Most Great Announcement
and inhaled the fragrance of the garment of the Lord of Days.
9.
I testify that thou rendered victorious the Faith of God and His Cause
through thy pen, thy tongue and thy hand
10.
until thou didst surrender thy life in His path
and quaffed from the Kawthar (heavenly fountain) of renunciation, in His name.
11.
Thou wast intoxicated from the spring of His Recognition
and hath soared with the wings of certitude in the heaven of the murmur of thy God,
the Lord of Grandeur.
12.
Over thy sufferings have all the atoms of the earth cried and the eye of creation wept.
13.
I testify that because of thee all the treasures of earth appeared
and all the pearls of sea were revealed.
14.
Through thee, the pinnacle of understanding was adorned with the crown of revelation.
15.
Thou art the one who accepted the choice sealed wine in the presence of all
and drank thy fill in the Name of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days.
16.
May the resplendent glory which hath dawned from the horizon of divine grace,
and effulgent light from the heaven of sanctified justice,
rest upon thee and upon those who have assisted thee.
17.
For they accepted the [One] that thou had accepted
and repudiated those who had risen against thee.
18.
With thee and under thy shadow,
they rendered the Cause victorious, having beheld thee and circled around thee.
19.
O God, my God, creator of my being and of the heavens, I beseech Thee
20.
by the pearls of the ocean of Thy Oneness,
and by the mysteries of Thy Book,
21.
and by lamentation of Thy loved ones in their separation from Thee,
and by the tears of the pure ones on their remoteness from Thee,
22.
I invoke thee, O Thou Lord of indomitable Strength,
by this sacred Tomb and by this exalted Shrine [Vahid's],
23.
to forgive me and my father,
and all those who for Thy sake have approach these sacred remains,
and all those who have come and will come on pilgrimage to this spot.
24.
O my God,
I beseech Thee by him [Vahid] and those who have suffered martyrdom in Thy path
to grant me and to those who remain faithful in Thy Covenant, the necessities of life.
25.
Thou art the All-knowing, the All-wise, Sovereign of creation.
Translated by A. Rabbani
1st Tablet to Hájí Mírzá Haydar-'Alí CHAPTER ONE
Divsions 1-[25]
Revealed in Adrianople
Excerpt
Balyuzí indicates that the text was revealed in Adrianople. The two known Tablets to Haydar-’Alí were both written in ’Ákká. This third tablet could therefore possibly be the earliest known to Haydar-’Alí. Haydar-’Alí seems to give a summation of this Tablet in Faizí’s book, Stories from the Delight of Hearts: The Memoirs of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-’Alí, p. 33.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
We hear thy cry and supplication at thy remoteness from the Dawning-Place of Light.
7.
Be patient and do not bewail thy plight.
8.
Be content with that which God hath ordained for thee.
9.
He verily, payeth the due recompense of those who are patient.
10.
Hast thou not seen My incarceration, My affliction, My injury, and My suffering?
11.
Follow, then, the ways of thy Lord,
and among His methods is the suffering of His well-favoured servants.
12.
Let nothing grieve thee.
13.
Put thy trust in thy Lord.
14.
He shall verily confirm thee, draw thee nigh unto Him and grant thee victory.
15.
Should affliction overtake thee in My path and abasement in My name,
rejoice and be of the thankful.
16.
Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth
so that when calamities descend upon thee, thy feet may not slip
and thou shalt be as firm and steadfast as a mountain in the Cause of thy Lord.
17.
18.
19.
20.
[25.]
Translated by H. Balyuzi
[The tablet of the Primal Point] CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
The tablet for Hasan & Husayn Nahri
THE PRIMAL POINT
1.
He is [the] Glorious in the Kingdom of Eternity.
2.
This is the tablet of the Primal Point for him who hath taken God as his protector,
who, when he perceived the Sun of Holiness from the horizon of that holy garment,
lowered his gaze and fell to the ground.
3.
Verily, those who have believed in God and in the return of His Primal Point in this Manifestation have been sanctified by God of all that is unseemly,
and their Lord has enwrapped them in His mercy without bound.
4.
Say: "O people, fear God and follow not those who have fought Him, denied His testimony,
and away from Him have turned."
5.
Fear Him who is the Revealer of His Cause in this day,
arise to help Him who created you and fear not those who have disbelieved.
6.
Say: "O people, do you still take your vain desires as your lord
while casting aside Him of whom every atom in creation testifieth
'there is no God but He, the One, the Only'?"
7.
O thou who bearest my name, listen to what the dove in eternity's midst doth say,
and turn not toward those in whose hearts is hatred for this Beauty, so faithful and exalted.
8.
The sweet scents of the Rizvan of the All Merciful
have captivated those who have believed and stood fast,
and from the loving kindness of the Spirit they are nurtured.
9.
Praise be to Him who hath revealed Himself so gloriously
that His light has through all creation shined.
10.
Those endowed with spiritual insight testify that there is no God but He,
the Peerless, the Everlasting,
for to them His light as proof of His cause hath sufficed.
11.
He hath revealed His verses as he willeth and desireth
and in such wise that the sweet fragrances of His spirit have encompassed every horizon,
which none can deny save those in whose hearts is envy and hatred.
12.
Say "O people, fear God and turn a just eye to the testimonies of the Prophets and the Messengers.
13.
Beware lest ye deprive your own souls of the holy threshold."
14.
Do not dare to refute the Truth with what knowledge you possess,
for through My command was the Truth created.
15.
This is known only to those with sight refined.
And whosoever would deny the bounty of this Day hath nothing.
They are those whose sight has died.
16.
Say "O people, the mirrors of your hearts ye must purify,
and your vision ye must rectify, [clarify]
ere you lose your way on this long and holy road."
17.
And it is for this that we have given thee inspiration and revealed to thee our verses,
that that mayest show thy mettle in the Cause of thy Lord,
calling mankind to this path, for thee to be of those who are well guided.
18.
Know then, that we have fallen beneath the sword of inequity
brandished by those who have indeed replaced God with their vain desires,
and so they have been scourged by One who is wise and well aided.
19.
Thou must separate thyself from them and desire not their friendship.
20.
Seek for thyself, under the protection of thy Lord, a shelter fortified.
21.
Do not consort with those who have disbelieved and denied what they had accepted.
22.
Woe to the one who once believed and then rejected.
23.
Rid thyself of all allusions
that thou mayest speak plainly about the Possessor of all names and attributes.
24.
Well it is with them whom the veils of creation hindereth not from hearing the word of God,
so the dove of the Spirit has warbled.
25.
Upon thee be the Spirit of God and His might,
and also upon all who have taken a lofty place within the shadow of their Lord.
Translation by J. Price
Tablet to Mihrabán CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-15 [25]
Passages
MIHRABIN
1.
In the Name of God, the Loving! Mihrabán is translated here as “the Loving”
2.
O Mihrabán!
The luminary of true understanding adorns this day the firmament of knowledge;
3.
well is it with him that beholds and turns thereunto.
4.
All that hath been foretold is made manifest in this day.
5.
Say,
O friends!
choose not to stay afar from the ocean of God’s forgiveness,
for lo! He is so nigh unto you.
6.
He who was hidden from sight is come and now appears in all His glory.
7.
In one hand, He bears the water of life,
in the other He brings the message of true liberty.
8.
Lay down and hold fast:
9.
lay down all that pertains to this earth,
hold fast unto that which His generous hand doth bestow.
10.
He, the like of whom the eyes of the world have not seen, is now come.
11.
O friends!
hasten, hasten unto Him;
hearken, hearken to His call.
12.
The doings of the divines have turned the people away from God,
and in the place of pious devotion malice reigns.
13.
They have strayed from God’s holy way;
they have erred grievously and still claim to lead the way.
14.
We have instructed those leaders,
[and] called upon them to bear witness unto this day,
and lead the servants unto God, the Most Holy.
15.
Say,
O ye divines!
Awake from your slumber, shake off your heedlessness,
and be straightway mindful.
16. - [25.]
Translated by S. Effendi
There is additional material following this address that was omitted by translator Shoghi Effendi
Tablet of the Saddle (Tablet of the Light) CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-25
Written to Aqa Mirza Muhammad `Ali Sarraj 'the Saddler' in 1867
Translation in progress
Otherwise named the Tablet of Siraj,
or the Tablet of Light (Siraj = `Light').
THE SADDLE
1.
He is the Beloved,(the Answerer).
2.
In reply to the questions of `Ali Muhammad Sarrāj Iṣfahānī.
3.
The letter of that revered one was presented before the (Divine) Throne
and arrived unto the locale the nature of which none knoweth other than He Himself.
4.
The contents thereof were observed with the perception of God.
5.
It had been enquired as to how it can possibly be that "elevated (sublime) letters" (of souls)
can be transformed into "debased letters”([or,] souls)"
or (the condition of) faith-affirmation be altered into one of (faith-negation;
6.
how the choice fruit can be abstracted from the spiritual subtleties
or the (station of the polished) Mirror be witheld from
the splendours of the lights of the Sun of Mystic Meaning.
7.
So yea indeed, unto what thou hast asked,
for thou art such as pose questions.
8.
Thou hast submitted numerous questions,
for in this (eschatological) Day it is (perfectly) legitimate for every soul that is troubled
to enquire after the mystical (gnosic) aspects of the enigmatic divine realities
from the (Embodiment of) the Law of Lordly Knowledge
and the All-Enduring Euphrates [River] of Wisdom
9.
and expectently (hopefully) become a recipient of
a (revelational) sprinkling forth from the (Divine) Fountainhead
and thus experience beatitude upon the carpet of tranquility and certitude.
10.
We supplicate God that He may enable thee to ascend unto a station
in which thou shalt witness the Ancient Beauty with thine (own) eye
and be abstracted from the sight of the worldly realms,
11.
and shalt hear His (divine) melodies with thine own ear
and be detached from the (variations) of the hearts
of whomsoever lieth within either the heavens or the earth(s).
12.
There is no God except Him.
13.
The Supreme Visage (of the Bāb) is certainly His Bahā [of glory] within the Supreme Concourse,
His very Brilliance between earth and heaven,
His Grandeur unto whomsoever liveth within the Kingdom of the Command and the Creation.
14.
The same do all things cry out,
(as thou wouldst realize) if thou be in possession of a hearing ear.
15.
This in that (this eschatological) Day it is encumbent upon every soul before God
to investigate and ponder upon His Cause with their very eye, ear, and heart.
16.
Ponder the reason why all the people were witheld from the Encounter (Meeting) with God
and are occupied with [other devices].
17.
It is because of vain fancies,
and being veiled by the likenesses of their own being.
18.
The Cause shines resplendent, yet their faculties are veiled by words of the people.
19.
Bābī believers must consider the Power of God,
and the Testimony of past religionists who failed.
20.
Be warned.
21.
Don't make same mistake.
22.
Don't imagine (like the Jews of ages past)
that "the hand(s) of God are chained up" Quran 5:64, 48:1
23.
As the Quran says,
"Nay! Outstretched are both his hands!"
(Through the continuity of prophetic revelation. God doeth what he pleaseth.)
24.
"Thus it was, that with the advent of the year 60,
all the people were witheld from (the) Reality (of the Bāb),
from both knowledge and [awareness of] ignorance [of knowledge],
by virtue of meaningless worldly constraints.
25.
Persons were returned,
transformed from the eternal beauty to the infernal destruction that they were.
Translated by S. Lambden
Tablet of the Garden of Ridván CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
originally revealed as "Lawh-i-Bágh-i-Ridván"
Written at the end of the Akka years, near the end of Bahaullahs life in 1892. (aged 75)
GARDEN OF RIDVAN
1.
He is God, Glorified be He;
Grandeur and Might are His!
2.
On the morning of the blessed Friday we proceeded from the Mansion and entered the Garden.
3.
Every tree uttered a word, and every leaf sang a melody.
4.
The trees proclaimed:
‘Behold the evidences of God’s Mercy’
and the twin streams recited in the eloquent tongue the sacred verse
‘From us all things were made alive’.
5.
Glorified be God!
Mysteries were voiced by them, which provoked wonderment.
6.
Methought:
in which school were they educated, and from whose presence had they acquired their learning?
7.
Yea! This Wronged [Servant] knoweth and He saith:
‘From God, the All-Encompassing, the Independent.’
8.
Upon Our being seated, Rádíyih (glory be upon her) entered Our presence on God's behalf,
setting the table of God’s bounty, and in the name of God she waited on all that were present.
9.
Food that stimulateth the appetite and pleaseth the eye was served,
10.
and indeed [music] which delighteth the ear could also be heard
as the green leaves of Spring were stirred by the Will of God,
11.
and from this movement a refreshing voice was raised,
as if uttering a blissful call inviting the absent to this Feast.
12.
God’s power and the perfection of His handiwork could enjoyably be seen
in the blossoms, the fruits, the trees, the leaves, and the streams.
13.
Praised be God who hath thus confirmed thee and her.
14.
In brief, all in the garden were recipients of the choicest foods
and in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their God.
15.
O, that all God’s beloved would have been present on this day!
16.
We beseech God, (exalted be He) to cause to shine upon thee at every moment,
a blessing and a mercy, and a measure of divine grace from His presence.
17.
He is the Forgiving, the All-Glorious.
18.
We send greetings to His loved ones,
and supplicate for each one of them that which is worthy of mention
and is acceptable in His presence.
19.
Peace be upon thee, and upon God’s sincere servants.
20.
Praise be to Him, the Lord of all mankind.
The Mist of the Unknown CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
A poetic introduction to the themes of the writings of Baha-ullah. The name of the poem, taken from the first line, affirms the virginity of the virgin, and the mystical spirit of God that rests on them. (It could also warn with subtlety about not seeing what is unknown, that is to say, God, Heaven, religion, morality, reincarnation, and the laws of karma. Note also the idea of the 'fog of the unknown') Poetry is usually abstract and sets forth doctrines that may or may not hold up to examination, and that might overlook other paths of logic. The canonical eligibility of the poetry of Baha-ullah remains a question.
[Translated into English with rhyming couplets that could gloss over some details]
THE MIST OF THE UNKNOWN
1.
Our charm bids waft the Mist of the Unknown, [the mist of that which is unseen, nor beheld]
Mystery of fidelity thus flows from Our tone.
2.
The east wind, musk-laden, from Cathay whirls,
Its scent so sweet streams forth from Our curls.
3.
The ornamented sun from the True [Lord] hath risen,
Mystery of reality from Our visage doth blazon.
4.
The sea of purity roars from waves of rapture,
This gift bestowed from His essence We capture.
5.
Love's treasures lie hid in the bosom of Fars,
Out this treasure-trove Pearls of Fidelity pours.
6.
Delight of wine evinced when All was manifested,
To songs of providence this Sublime Token attested.
7.
A blast on the trumpet, the attraction divine,
These two in one blow flow from the Exalted Clime.
8.
Confessed Our face to the cycle of: "I am He",
Baha is brimming with the epoch of: "He is He"
9.
The river of life shimmers in the closet of the heart,
This sweet wine the ruby lips of Baha doth part.
10.
The day of God by the Lord's splendor is complete,
The warbling in Tehran from these novel words is replete.
11.
Glory overflowing, behold! Misty unknowing, behold!
All this from one melody thy Lord doth sing, behold!
12.
Lo! The immortal Perfect Mystic, the Pristine Dawn,
The Pure Breast from the Highest Throne out drawn.
13.
Lo! The Tree of Paradise, harken the Nightingale's song,
This Glorious warbling from the Light of Purity hath sprung.
14.
Hearken the Persian melody, the Arabian tambourine,
Hearken the 'No' rhythm from the Hand of Divine.
15.
See dawning of the Godhead, the Maid of Paradise,
How mystery of Unknown from earthly appearance doth arise.
16.
Lo! Remnant's Countenance, Cupbearer's Face,
Lo! The translucent glass pouring out from Our Chalice.
17.
Behold the Burning Bush, see the Hand so white,
Behold Mount Sinai radiating from the Palm so bright.
18.
Hear his intoxicated moans, see the mystic ecstatic,
In the precincts of rapture3 all living beings are charismatic.
19.
From His peek, observe the amorous glance of Baha,
From His reed, hearken the Farsi melody of Baha.
20.
Emergence of Revelation 'tis, Effusion of Purity 'tis,
Warbling of Nightingales 'tis, that pours out of Nothingness!
Tablet of the Divine Presence CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
The first translation was published within 1928's Bahá’í Scriptures compilation.
DIVINE PRESENCE
1.
He is the Everlasting Being!
2.
This is a message which We have appointed
as Our meeting for those who advance toward God in this Day in which all nations are changed.
3.
The person who reads that which is revealed
in this Tablet from the direction of the Throne [of God]
and doubts the reality of Bahá-ulláh’s Tablet of the Divine Presence, of meeting his Lord;
4.
verily, he is of those who deny God who causeth the mornings to break forth!
5.
O birds of Paradise!
Hear the voice of the Beloved in these days wherein the feet of the people deviate.
6.
On account of your advancement the Supreme Concourse hath rejoiced;
yet because of your not having attained the meeting,
and being thirsty while near the ocean,
the cry of mourning and weeping has been raised by the inhabitants of the cities of eternity.
[for your persecution or martyrdom]
7.
This is indeed good;
that this rejoicing and sorrow seem to unite and to embrace one another in the Day of God,
the Omnipresent, the Dear, the Chosen!
8.
The bellies of the polytheists are burned by that which We have uttered aforetime,
and for this reason they dissemble day and night against My soul.
9.
Blessed are you, since ye have entered the city
and attained that which your Lord, the Dear, the Giver, desireth.
10
It is incumbent upon you that gladness and exultation shall be manifest in your faces;
so that every soul may find you in submission [to God with] and patient.
11.
Thus it is preordained from the Pen of El-Abha. [“God”-“glory”, or, “glory of God”]
12.
Verily, your Lord the Merciful is the knower of that which is secret and manifest!
13.
Ye are in the shadow of My providence and under the Dome of My mercy.
14.
Verily, the sight of God is directed toward you,
O ye possessors of clear insight.
15.
Blessed are ye;
[and blessed are] those who love you, and those who advance toward you sincerely,
for the sake of God, the Dear, the Almighty!
16.
God beareth witness, and those who are encircling the Throne,
that ye have victoriously attained His meeting,
and have circulated around the Holy of Holies of His Cause,
and were present before His Face.
17.
Verily, He is the powerful over all that He wisheth!
18.
There is no God but He, the Dear, the Bestower!
19.
By Myself! [By God!]
We have accepted from you that which ye desired,
and We will be with you in all times.
20.
El-Bahá be upon you on the part of the Dear, the Helper!
Translator unknown
Tablet of the Divine Presence CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
The newest provisional translation
DIVINE PRESENCE
1.
He is the Eternal!
2.
Lo, We made this epistle to be the attainment of Our presence
for such as have turned unto God in these days,
wherein the nations have been made to tremble.
3.
Whosoever gazeth upon that which hath been sent down from the Throne of glory in this Tablet
and findeth himself in doubt as to whether he hath attained the presence of his Lord,
4.
he is of them who have turned away from God,
the One Who causeth the dawn to break.
5.
O ye birds of the most exalted paradise!
Give ear unto the call of the Beloved in these days wherein the feet of men have slipped.
6.
The Concourse on high have rejoiced by reason of your acceptance of this Cause,
and the voice of the citizens of the cities of eternity hath been raised aloud
in grief and lamentation by virtue of your remoteness from Him and your burning thirst,
notwithstanding your nearness to the Ocean of His presence!
7.
O how glorious is this blissful joy, this bitter anguish! [of persecuton or martyrdom]
8.
Methinks both [the concourse and the martyrs] have embraced in the Day of God,
the Powerful, the Almighty, and the Omnipotent!
9.
The hearts of the infidels have been set ablaze by that which We have revealed aforetime,
and still they plot against Me day and night!
10.
Blessed are ye for having entered the city
and attained unto that which hath been ordained by your Lord,
the Mighty, and the Bestower.
11.
It behooveth you to show forth from your visage utmost joy and bliss
that all may discern in you the tokens of resignation and submission.
12.
Thus hath it been decreed by the pen of Glory;
13.
verily, your Lord is the Most Merciful,
the Knower of the unseen and the seen.
14.
O men of insight!
Ye are beneath the shadow of My loving kindness and the canopy of My mercy,
thus is the gaze of God fixed upon you.
15.
Blessed are ye
and whosoever loveth you and turneth unto you wholly for the sake of God,
the Almighty, the All-Compelling.
16.
God and such as have circled round the Throne
make witness that ye have attained unto His presence,
circumambulated the Kaaba of His command, and beheld His countenance.
17.
Potent is He over whatsoever He willeth.
18.
No God is there but Him, the Mighty, the Munificent!
19.
By My life!
We have granted that which ye have desired,
and We are with you at all times.
20.
[May] The glory of Him Who is the Almighty and the Helper rest upon you!
Tablet for Maryam on Sorrow and Love CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
SORROW AND LOVE
1.
O Maryam,
The Spirit of life ascended to the domain of placelessness;
the Cage of Being was bereft of its Ever-blessed Cageling;
the Bird of eternity took its flight to the wilds of evanescence;
and the Divine Nightingale let out its cry on the Celestial Tree.
2.
The Tabernacle of Glory was rent asunder;
and the Phoenix of Grandeur winged its way from the boughs of delight.
3.
Spheres, lofty and transcendent, descended on the darksome dust;
and ailing hearts let out clamours of affliction.
4.
Wholesome waters were turned into blood,
and with blood was tinged the Courtyard of the All-highest Paradise.
5.
Yea, the gleaming hearts of the friends are alone befitting of the darts of His decree,
and the throats of those that love Him are alone yearning for the mesh of limitless anguish.
6.
Wherever a spear flies, it strikes the breasts of the friends;
and wherever sorrow is dispelled, it descends on the hearts of the companions.
7.
Wells of tears are the eyes of the lovers,
whilst charming indifference is the response of the objects of their desires.
Shouldst the lover cry out with pain hundreds of times over,
the beloved shall only add to the anguish of the lover.
8.
Shoudst thou desire to drink of the Cup of Reunion, thou must submit to evanescence;
and if thou wishest to partake of the Wine of His beauty,
thou must enter the valley of privation.
9.
O Maryam,
taste thou joy in sorrow and drink thou anguish from the cup of gladness.
10.
Shouldst thou desire to advance into the wilderness of search,
endure patiently and do not tear away at thy face.
11.
Shed thou not tears from thine eyes and be not of the anxious ones.
12.
Put on the robe of submission and quaff from the wine of acquiescence;
and sell the entire world for a mere derham. [dollar]
13.
Give thy heart to God's irrevocable decree
and submit to that which hath been ordained for thee.
14.
Open thine eyes of discernment and turn away from all else but the Friend,
for erelong we shall gather round together at the Court of Eternal Holiness
and gain admittance to the Presence of the Lord of Mercy.
15.
We shall hear the Harp-Player of Persia sing out in the melodious language of Hijaz,
and come together with the Friend.
16.
We shall speak of the unspoken, behold the unseen,
and give ear to that which is unheard.
17.
We shall bring to dance the Tabernacle of Spirit with the hymns of light
and array the sanctuary of the heart with a delightful feast.
18.
We shall obtain the Chalice of Beauty from the Cupbearer of Glory
and drink from its Matchless Wine in the memory of the Countenance of the Lord of Majesty.
19.
Dry up thy tears then, sanctify thy soul from sorrow,
ree thy heart from anguish, and sing out with thy melodious voice:
20.
Should there be swords raining down in the path to the abode of the all Beauteous;
Our necks we shall offer on their edges at the behest of the all Glorious!
Translated provisionally by G. Yazdani
Tablet of Samsun CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
Tablet of the Travelling Bed
Written by Baha-ullah in 1863 in the Ottoman port city of Samsun, on his way from Baghdad to Istanbul. Appended to the Tablet of Tribulation
Having intimated the full measure of his claim to independent Manifestationhood unto a few of his trusted devotees, Bahā'-Allāh left Baghdad for Constantinople / Istanbul on May 3rd 1863 accompanied by certain members of his family and disciples.
Having passed through Kirkuk, Mosul, and Diyabakir, the Bābī exiles arrived at Sāmsūn, a port on the shore of the Black Sea, in early August 1863. It was on sighting the Black Sea in the vicinity Sāmsūn that the Lawḥ-i Sāmsūn was written by Bahā'-ullāh.
Bahā'-ullāh was carried on a travellers bed, or litter, (Persian howdah) during this stage of the journey to the Ottoman capital, that he revealed the tablet. At the sighting of the Black Sea from the howdah the tablet was communicated. The tablet of Sāmsūn is said to have been revealed by Bahā'-ullāh at the request of his amanuensis and scribe Mīrzā Āqā Jān Kāshānī.
"Sighting from His howdah the Black Sea, as He approached the port of Sámsun, Bahá'u'lláh, at the request of Mírzá Áqá Ján, revealed a Tablet, designated Lawh-i-Hawdaj (Tablet of the Howdah), which by such allusions as the "Divine Touchstone," "the grievous and tormenting Mischief," reaffirmed and supplemented the dire predictions recorded in the recently revealed Tablet of the Holy Mariner."
SAMSUN
1.
These are verses which were disclosed in the Pavilion of Eternity and the Howdah of Holiness
at the moment when the Greatest Name arrived at the precinct of majesty in the land of Sāmsūn,
at the shore of a mighty ocean.
2.
Then did the hosts of the inspiration of God descend, so splendidly ornamented,
that all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck thereat.
3.
Before them did the Sun of the Divine Beauty radiate forth in an holy, ethereal Temple
and addressed the Ark, the like of that which had streamed forth from the Pen of God aforetime,
4.
in a Tablet in which We addressed the Holy Mariner with a secret, sorrowful Call,
and in accordance with what hath this moment been sent down in this Tablet from an holy, luminous Pen.
5.
And whomsoever desires to comprehendthe mysteries of the Command
on the part of [a Lord] Wise, All-Knowing,
let such an one consider these two tablets
and thus become cognizant of the mysteries of God;
their eyes solaced thereby and [servants] numbered among such as are possessed of certainty.
6.
The times of reclining in the Howdah of Holiness hath been completed
and the Beauty of the Divine Essence hath emerged unto a mighty, noble panorama.
7.
Say,
`The terrestrial journey hath found completion at the shore of a mighty ocean.'
8.
At this did the Howdah of Immortality weep,
and a luminous Ship of Holiness rejoice.
9.
O Holy Mariner!
The promise hath come to pass just as We promised thee through a sure and knowing Tongue.
10.
So be of good cheer within thine heart that the Logos-Person of God,
which is nothing except Him,
might embark upon the Ark through this novel yet ancient Command.
11.
Before thee shall be made manifest all that We, in very truth, promised thee,
if thou art patient.
12.
We announced unto thee aforetime all that hath come to pass
and none in all the worlds hath been privy thereto.
13.
We made them to be heedless thereof on account of that which their hands hath wrought,
and this certainly is merely manifest justice.
14.
O Fathomless Deep of the Divine Might!
Be exhilarated within thy spirit for the Fathomless Deep of God,
the Most-Elevated, the Mighty, the Powerful, hath compassed thee about.
15.
So be thou gladdened, for about thee are transported those that are near unto God.
16.
And at this moment hath all atoms reoriented [their gaze],
risen up in thine atmosphere, and are of such as look on,
for the Breezes of Holiness passeth over them from the Shore of the Divine Union,
from this Enshrouded, Veiled, Concealed, Manifest, Apparent, and Hidden Riḍwān.
17.
So blessed be they and such as hath entered beneath His shadow,
been ennobled with the Meeting with Him,
drunk deep of His Cup, [of the holy teachings that inebriate the reader]
and taken hold on His strong and Firm Cord.
18.
In this manner have We graciously conferred divine favor upon those of former and of latter times, and sent down from the Clouds of Holiness
that which serves to purify the hearts of such as are possessed of divine knowledge.
19.
And We have decreed the Robe of Guidance for all things
should they give assent to Him and be of the truly pious.
20.
Thus hath been decreed in the Heaven of the Divine Command
that which is the cause of the enrichment of all the worlds.
Translated by S. Lambden
Transcription in progress
Tablet to Hasan of Sháhábadí CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
HASAN OF SHÁHÁBADÍ
1.
He shineth from the Horizon of the Heaven of true Knowledge with Wisdom and Utterance!
2.
O Hasan!
Hearken unto the Call of Husayn Who hath been incarcerated in the Prison Fortress of ’Akká by reason of that which the hands of the heedless have wrought.
3.
If one were to question them, “by what reason have ye imprisoned Him?”,
they would reply:
4.
“Verily, He hath come with a new Shariah
and this new Shariah doth not accord with the Law under which we have been.
5.
To this matter testifieth our Book which is called the Qur’án,
a Book that is from God, the Lord of all mankind.
6.
See that which the All-Merciful hath revealed therein:
7.
‘Verily He is the Messenger of God, and the Seal of the Prophets.’”
8.
To this We reply:
“Indeed thou speaketh the truth.
9.
We do testify that through Him, Messengership and Prophethood have both been sealed
and any one claiming after Him this most exalted station is in manifest error.
10.
Nevertheless, O Questioner!
Hearken unto My voice which sayeth:
“Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold the Most Great Beauty,
through Whom speaketh the Lord of divine decree.
11.
By God! Through Him the ‘Hour’ hath appeared,
and the ‘Resurrection’ hath come to pass,
and the ‘Moon’ hath been cleft asunder
and thou wouldst behold all in a ‘continuing Regeneration’ if thou be of them that possess insight.
12.
“Verily, through His Advent hath come to be fulfilled
the Advent about which glad tidings have been given by the Messengers of God from all eternity
and there hath come to pass about which God hath revealed in the Qur’án:
13.
‘On that Day they shall all rise before the Lord of mankind.’
14.
Truly the Cycle of Prophethood hath been rolled up
and He Who hath sent down the Prophets hath come,
arrayed with a manifest and very clear sovereignty.
15.
He, verily, is the One at Whose Advent all created things have given this utterance:
15.
‘The Kingdom is God’s, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the All-Praised.’
16.
He is the One for Whom the [hands] of God’s Chosen Saints have been outstretched
in longing and ardent expectation
and every Prophet hath awaited His Presence in this wondrous Day.
17.
He is the One through Whom the ‘One Unseen and Hidden’ hath been made manifest,
the One Whom no one hath known save He Himself,
the one King over all mankind.
18.
Peruse ye the Qur’án and all God’s Books revealed in the past
that haply ye may recognize this Day,
illumined by the visage of thy Lord, the Manifest, the Very Clear [Instructor].”
19.
Thus have We illumined the horizon of the firmaments of this Tablet
with the Luminary of Our Word,
a Word through which God hath brought into being all creation from all eternity to all eternity.
20.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds!
Translated by K. Fananapazir
TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION
Bahá’u’lláh, exalted be His Glory, in the early days of His Ministry, had revealed on the subject of the Seal of the Prophets in the most celebrated Íqán:
Why should Muhammad, that immortal Beauty, Who hath said: “I am the first Adam” be incapable of saying also: “I am the last Adam”? For even as He regarded Himself to be the “First of the Prophets” - that is Adam - in like manner, the “Seal of the Prophets” is also applicable unto that Divine Beauty. It is admittedly obvious that being the “First of the Prophets,” He likewise is their “Seal.”
The mystery of this theme hath, in this Dispensation, been a sore test unto all mankind. Behold, how many are those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved Him Who is their true Revealer. (Bahá’u’lláh: Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 162)
In the later period of His Ministry Bahá’u’lláh had revealed:
It is evident that every age in which a Manifestation of God hath lived is divinely ordained, and may, in a sense, be characterized as God’s appointed Day. This Day, however, is unique, and is to be distinguished from those that have preceded it. The designation “Seal of the Prophets” fully revealeth its high station. The Prophetic Cycle hath, verily, ended. The Eternal Truth is now come. He hath lifted up the Ensign of Power, and is now shedding upon the world the unclouded splendor of His Revelation. (Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings, p. 60)
This servant came across a Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh revealed in the late period of His Revelation in ’Akká which discloses even more fully His explanation and elucidation of this most mighty and challenging theme.
It has not so far been translated and as usual this servant’s translation is provisional and as near as my unschooled mind is capable of close to the traditional devotional style. Help by the most learned Frank and the unique Moojan Momen et al. in improving it will be appreciated.
The printed text is available in the Arabic. It is recorded in the book Istimrár by the recent great martyr of the Faith Dr. Kamálu’d-Dín Bakhtávar and this servant has also a photocopy of the facsimile of the original manuscript.
It is a blessing to remember the great Bakhtávar who was such a great Scholar and who suffered so much during the post revolutionary period and who was then martyred and who first brought the attention of the friends to this Tablet.
May what is left of my fast fleeting and unworthy days be a sacrifice to his and other martyrs undying love for the Speaker on Sinai!
Tablet to Sheik Kazim of Samandar the 2nd CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
SHEIK KAZIM OF SAMANDER
1.
He is the Consoler in this Sublime, Supreme Station!
2.
O Samandar!
Verily, He, Who is the Supreme Ordainer,
consoleth Himself for that which came upon Him
from those who took to oppression and turned their backs on justice,
following the path of satanic souls who aspire to evil ways.
3.
Verily, the people of ’çd and Thamúd meted unto Sálih and Húd
that which caused the Sadratu’l-Muntahá to lament and the Concourse on high to wail.
4.
Unto that beareth witness this Wronged One, sorrowful and exiled.
5.
By God, they crucified the Spirit, [of the Son], (Jesus)
hamstrung the She-Camel and smashed the Ark of the Covenant.
6.
Thy Lord well knoweth and expoundeth this unto thee.
7.
He eulogizeth His chosen ones and consoleth His loved Ones
on this affliction which hath caused justice to moan and the Faithful Spirit to wail.
8.
Thus hath the decree been fulfilled and yet most of the people are of the heedless.
9.
O Samandar!
Verily, We have seen the beloved Joseph caught by the fangs of wolves,
and Husayn captive in the claws of tyrants.
10.
By God, this nation hath done what the Jews did not do to the Spirit [of the Son]
nor Abú Jahl to Muhammad, My Apostle,
Whom We adorned with the mantle of the ‘Seal’,
and sent unto the denizens of heaven and earth.
11.
They have, verily, committed that which no one in the world had committed,
and to that beareth witness the Lord of Eternity from this Scene of transcendent glory.
12.
After Hasan and Husayn had attained their station, and some days passed,
We laid hands on the source of tyranny and oppression, through Our Sovereignty.
Verily, thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
13.
Great is the blessedness of those who drew nigh unto them and visited their resting-places.
14.
They are, verily, the people of God in the kingdom of creation.
15.
Thus did the Most Exalted Pen decree in this glorious, incomparable Book.
16.
Woe betide them who have cast the Tablet of God behind them
and followed everyone who hath been a worker of iniquity and hath gone far astray.
17.
Ponder, O My Samandar,
My patience and forbearance notwithstanding My power and might,
and My silence in spite of the penetrative influence of My word
which standeth supreme over all worlds.
18.
Should We have wished,
We could have seized those who have wronged Us outwardly
with the hand of one of the servants of God,
or through the intervention of well-favoured angels.
19.
We act according to the dictates of wisdom
which We have set to be a guiding light for My people and the denizens of My Kingdom.
Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the Wise.
20.
Ere long, We shall take hold of those who have acted with tyranny
as We seized others before them.
Verily, thy Lord commandeth what He willeth.
Translated by H. M. Balyuzi
Tablet to The Times of London CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
1891
The seven martyrs were executed less than a month after the imprisonment of 'Mullá-'Alí-Akbar and Hájí Amín. Bahá-ulláh wrote a Tablet in which He describes the two events. Because He addresses The Times of London in this Tablet, it is referred to as the 'Tablet to The Times'.
In the opening paragraph Bahá-ulláh states that the martyrdom of the seven and the imprisonment of the two have created the most joyous jubilation among the Concourse on High. He describes in glowing terms the festive mood among the inmates of the highest paradise as they rejoice and celebrate with exceeding gladness the victory of the triumphant martyrs over their adversaries. Neither the onslaught of the bloodthirsty tyrant nor the fury of the beastly oppressor had succeeded in dampening their faith and enthusiasm or extinguishing the fire of the love of their Lord within their hearts. Their steadfastness in the face of such brutal treatment had endowed the Faith with enormous potentialities.
In this Tablet, Bahá-ulláh describes the circumstances of the martyrdom of the seven in detail, and recounts the story of each. Of Múllá 'Alíy-i-Sabzavarí, one of the seven, Bahá-ulláh says that this great man of God proclaimed the Cause of God at the very moment of martyrdom, and testified to its truth with his own life-blood.
Just before he was beheaded, he cried aloud to the teeming multitudes who had assembled around him, these soul-stirring words: 'At the time of his martyrdom on the plane of Karbilá, Imám Husayn, the Prince of Martyrs, called out to those around him: "Is there any one capable of helping, to help me." And I say to you: Is there any one capable of beholding, to behold me!' Bahá-ulláh showers His praise and blessings upon him for these words.
This Tablet is significant for its portrayal of the sufferings and persecutions which the people of Persia inflicted upon the believers.
Introduction by A. Taherzadeh's
THE TIMES OF LONDON
1.
[ ]
2.
O 'Times',
O thou endowed with the power of utterance!
O dawning place of news!
3.
Spend an hour with the oppressed of Irán,
and witness how the exemplars of justice and equity are sorely tried beneath the sword of tyrants.
4.
Infants have been deprived of milk,
and women and children have fallen captive to the lawless.
5.
The blood of God's lovers hath dyed the earth red,
and the sighs of His near ones have set the universe ablaze.
6.
O assemblage of rulers,
ye are the manifestations of power and might,
and the fountainheads of the glory, greatness, and authority of God Himself.
7.
Gaze upon the plight of the wronged ones.
8.
O daysprings of justice,
the fierce gales of rancour and hatred have extinguished the lamps of virtue and piety.
9.
At dawn, the gentle breeze of divine compassion hath wafted over charred and cast-out bodies,
whispering these exalted words:
10.
'Woe, woe unto you, O people of Irán!
11.
Ye have spilled the blood of your own friends and yet remain in ignorance of what ye have done.
12.
Should ye become aware of the deeds ye have perpetrated,
ye would flee to the desert and bewail your crimes and tyranny.'
13.
O misguided ones,
what sin have the little children committed?
14.
Hath anyone, in these days, had pity on the dependants of the oppressed?
15.
A report hath reached Us that the followers of the Spirit (Christ)--
may the peace of God and His mercy be upon Him —
secretly sent them provisions and befriended them out of utmost sympathy.
16.
We beseech God the Eternal Truth,
to confirm all in accomplishing that which is pleasing to Him.
17.
O newspapers published throughout the cities and countries of the world!
18.
Have ye heard the groan of the downtrodden,
and have their cries of anguish reached your ears?
19.
Or have these remained concealed?
20.
It is hoped that ye will investigate the truth of what hath occurred and vindicate it.
Edited by M. Wolf
Tablet of the Meeting with God CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-20
Arabic
THE MEETING WITH GOD
1.
“He is (God), the Eternal.”
2.
This is a book which We made to be the Meeting with Us,
3.
for them that have drawn near to God during these days
in which lands have been changed through attaining to that which was revealed
from before the throne mentioned in this tablet.
4.
It is for such as find themselves in doubt about the meeting with his Lord.
5.
Such persons are among those who have turned away from God,
exalted be He, the Dawn- Breaker (the Cleaver of Dawns).
6.
O ye birds of paradise!
Since thou hearkened unto the Call of the Beloved [Lord[ in these days,
in which footsteps have attained unto proximity with thee,
the citizens of the Supreme Concourse rejoice.
7.
This despite thy being debarred from attaining unto the Meeting with God
and thy thirst for nearness unto the Ocean (of attainment).
8.
Wherefore also was upraised the lamentation of weeping
from the citizens of the Cities of Eternity.
9.
How wonderful is this happiness and this sadness,
for the both of them have been realized on the Day of God,
the Powerful, the Mighty, the Chosen [Lord].
10.
Indeed, the haughtiness of the infidels hath been inflamed,
on account of that which We set forth aforetime.
11.
Thus did they delude themselves in prayer before My Being
at both eventide and in the early morning.
12.
Blessed be unto thee
in that thou hast entered into the city (Acre)
and hast attained that which was intended by thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.
13.
He will appear before thee
since there hath been made manifest from thy visage Glad-Tidings and Radiant-Joy. Quran75:22
14.
This to the end that thou might find every soul among you
accepted, saluted, and within contentment.
15.
Wherefore was decreed through the Pen of al-Bahā’
that thy Lord, the All-Merciful is indeed the [Lord] especially aware
of both what is secreted away and that which is publically known.
16.
Thou art in the shadow of My Providence and the building of My Mercy
since God hath circumambulated about thee!
17.
O ye possessors of insight!
Blessed be unto thee and unto whomsoever loveth thee and hath proceeded towards thee,
singled out (present) before the Face (for the sake) of God,
the Mighty, the Compelling.
18.
God beareth witness unto him and unto such as have attained the Meeting with Him (Bahā-ullāh)
and have circumambulated about the Ka`ba of His Cause
and have attained unto His Visage
for He is indeed Powerful to accomplish whatsoever He willeth,
no God is there except Him, the Mighty, and the Bountiful.
19.
By my Life! We received from thee that which thou wished for
and is with thee under all situations.
20.
May the Glory [of God] be upon thee,
by virtue of part of the Mighty God, He who lends help.
Translated by S. Lambden
Edit in Progress
Tablet of the Sun of Reality CHAPTER ONE
Divisions 1-18
THE SUN OF REALITY
1.
O He [is He who is He]!
2.
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