LAWḤ-I-KARMIL (Tablet of Carmel)

All glory be to this Day,
the Day in which the fragrances of mercy have been wafted over all
created things, a Day so blest that past ages and centuries can never
hope to rival it, a Day in which the countenance of the Ancient of Days
hath turned towards His holy seat. Thereupon the voices of all created
things, and beyond them those of the Concourse on High, were heard
calling aloud: ‘Haste thee, O Carmel, for lo, the light of the
countenance of God, the Ruler of the Kingdom of Names and Fashioner of
the heavens, hath been lifted upon thee.’

Seized with transports of joy, and raising high her voice, she thus
exclaimed: ‘May my life be a sacrifice to Thee, inasmuch as Thou hast
fixed Thy gaze upon me, hast bestowed upon me Thy bounty, and hast
directed towards me Thy steps. Separation from Thee, O Thou Source of
everlasting life, hath well nigh consumed me, and my remoteness from Thy
presence hath burned away my soul. All praise be to Thee for having
enabled me to hearken to Thy call, for having honoured me with Thy
footsteps, and for having quickened my soul through the vitalizing
fragrance of Thy Day and the shrilling voice of Thy Pen, a voice Thou
didst ordain as Thy trumpet-call amidst Thy people. And when the hour at
which Thy resistless Faith was to be made manifest did strike, Thou
didst breathe a breath of Thy spirit into Thy Pen, and lo, the entire
creation shook to its very foundations, unveiling to mankind such
mysteries as lay hidden within the treasuries of Him Who is the
Possessor of all created things.’

No sooner had her voice reached that most exalted Spot than We made
reply: ‘Render thanks unto thy Lord, O Carmel. The fire of thy
separation from Me was fast consuming thee, when the ocean of My
presence surged before thy face, cheering thine eyes and those of all
creation, and filling with delight all things visible and invisible.
Rejoice, for God hath in this Day established upon thee His throne, hath
made thee the dawning-place of His signs and the dayspring of the
evidences of His Revelation. Well is it with him that circleth around
thee, that proclaimeth the revelation of thy glory, and recounteth that
which the bounty of the Lord thy God hath showered upon thee. Seize thou
the Chalice of Immortality in the name of thy Lord, the All-Glorious,
and give thanks unto Him, inasmuch as He, in token of His mercy unto
thee, hath turned thy sorrow into gladness, and transmuted thy grief
into blissful joy. He, verily, loveth the spot which hath been made the
seat of His throne, which His footsteps have trodden, which hath been
honoured by His presence, from which He raised His call, and upon which
He shed His tears.

‘Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: He that
was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is
manifest; His all-encompassing splendour is revealed. Beware lest thou
hesitate or halt. Hasten forth and circumambulate the City of God that
hath descended from heaven, the celestial Kaaba round which have circled
in adoration the favoured of God, the pure in heart, and the company of
the most exalted angels. Oh, how I long to announce unto every spot on
the surface of the earth, and to carry to each one of its cities, the
glad-tidings of this Revelation—a Revelation to which the heart of Sinai
hath been attracted, and in whose name the Burning Bush is calling:
“Unto God, the Lord of Lords, belong the kingdoms of earth and heaven.”
Verily this is the Day in which both land and sea rejoice at this
announcement, the Day for which have been laid up those things which
God, through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or heart, hath
destined for revelation. Ere long will God sail His Ark upon thee, and
will manifest the people of Bahá who have been mentioned in the Book of
Names.’

Sanctified be the Lord of all mankind, at the mention of Whose name
all the atoms of the earth have been made to vibrate, and the Tongue of
Grandeur hath been moved to disclose that which had been wrapt in His
knowledge and lay concealed within the treasury of His might. He,
verily, through the potency of His name, the Mighty, the All-Powerful,
the Most High, is the ruler of all that is in the heavens and all that
is on earth.

LAWḤ-I-AQDAS (The Most Holy Tablet)1

This is the Most Holy Tablet sent down from the holy kingdom unto the
one who hath set his face towards the Object of the adoration of the
world, He Who hath come from the heaven of eternity, invested with
transcendent glory

In the name of the Lord, the Lord of great glory.

This is an Epistle from Our
presence unto him whom the veils of names have failed to keep back from
God, the Creator of earth and heaven, that his eyes may be cheered in
the days of his Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Say, O followers of the Son!2
Have ye shut out yourselves from Me by reason of My Name? Wherefore
ponder ye not in your hearts? Day and night ye have been calling upon
your Lord, the Omnipotent, but when He came from the heaven of eternity
in His great glory, ye turned aside from Him and remained sunk in
heedlessness.

Consider those who rejected the Spirit3 when He came unto them with manifest
dominion. How numerous the Pharisees who had secluded themselves in
synagogues in His name, lamenting over their separation from Him, and
yet when the portals of reunion were flung open and the divine Luminary
shone resplendent from the Dayspring of Beauty, they disbelieved in God,
the Exalted, the Mighty. They failed to attain His presence,
notwithstanding that His advent had been promised them in the Book of
Isaiah as well as in the Books of the Prophets and the Messengers. No
one from among them turned his face towards the Dayspring of divine
bounty except such as were destitute of any power amongst men. And yet,
today, every man endowed with power and invested with sovereignty
prideth himself on His Name. Moreover, call thou to mind the one who
sentenced Jesus to death. He was the most learned of his age in his own
country, whilst he who was only a fisherman believed in Him. Take good
heed and be of them that observe the warning.

Consider likewise, how numerous at this time are the monks who have
secluded themselves in their churches, calling upon the Spirit, but when
He appeared through the power of Truth, they failed to draw nigh unto
Him and are numbered with those that have gone far astray. Happy are
they that have abandoned them and set their faces towards Him Who is the
Desire of all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth.

They read the Evangel and yet refuse to acknowledge the All-Glorious
Lord, notwithstanding that He hath come through the potency of His
exalted, His mighty and gracious dominion. We, verily, have come for
your sakes, and have borne the misfortunes of the world for your
salvation. Flee ye the One Who hath sacrificed His life that ye may be
quickened? Fear God, O followers of the Spirit, and walk not in the
footsteps of every divine that hath gone far astray. Do ye imagine that
He seeketh His own interests, when He hath, at all times, been
threatened by the swords of the enemies; or that He seeketh the vanities
of the world, after He hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of
cities? Be fair in your judgement and follow not the footsteps of the
unjust.

Open the doors of your hearts. He Who is the Spirit verily standeth
before them. Wherefore keep ye afar from Him Who hath purposed to draw
you nigh unto a Resplendent Spot? Say: We, in truth, have opened unto
you the gates of the Kingdom. Will ye bar the doors of your houses in My
face? This indeed is naught but a grievous error. He, verily, hath again
come down from heaven, even as He came down from it the first time.
Beware lest ye dispute that which He proclaimeth, even as the people
before you disputed His utterances. Thus instructeth you the True One,
could ye but perceive it.

The river Jordan is joined to the Most Great Ocean, and the Son, in
the holy vale, crieth out: ‘Here am I, here am I O Lord, my God!’,
whilst Sinai circleth round the House, and the Burning Bush calleth
aloud: ‘He Who is the Desired One is come in His transcendent majesty.’
Say, Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the
Kingdom is fulfilled! This is the Word which the Son concealed, when to
those around Him He said: ‘Ye cannot bear it now.’ And when the
appointed time was fulfilled and the Hour had struck, the Word shone
forth above the horizon of the Will of God. Beware, O followers of the
Son, that ye cast it not behind your backs. Take ye fast hold of it.
Better is this for you than all that ye possess. Verily He is nigh unto
them that do good. The Hour which We had concealed from the knowledge of
the peoples of the earth and of the favoured angels hath come to pass.
Say, verily, He hath testified of Me, and I do testify of Him. Indeed,
He hath purposed no one other than Me. Unto this beareth witness every
fair-minded and understanding soul.

Though beset with countless afflictions, We summon the people unto
God, the Lord of names. Say, strive ye to attain that which ye have been
promised in the Books of God, and walk not in the way of the ignorant.
My body hath endured imprisonment that ye may be released from the
bondage of self. Set your faces then towards His countenance and follow
not the footsteps of every hostile oppressor. Verily, He hath consented
to be sorely abased that ye may attain unto glory, and yet, ye are
disporting yourselves in the vale of heedlessness. He, in truth, liveth
in the most desolate of abodes for your sakes, whilst ye dwell in your
palaces.

Say, did ye not hearken to the Voice of the Crier, calling aloud in
the wilderness of the Bayán, bearing unto you the glad-tidings of the
coming of your Lord, the All-Merciful? Lo! He is come in the sheltering
shadow of Testimony, invested with conclusive proof and evidence, and
those who truly believe in Him regard His presence as the embodiment of
the Kingdom of God. Blessed is the man who turneth towards Him, and woe
betide such as deny or doubt Him.

Announce thou unto the priests: Lo! He Who is the Ruler is come. Step
out from behind the veil in the name of thy Lord, He Who layeth low the
necks of all men. Proclaim then unto all mankind the glad-tidings of
this mighty, this glorious Revelation. Verily, He Who is the Spirit of
Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted
by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.

Say, this is the One Who hath glorified the Son and hath exalted His
Cause. Cast away, O peoples of the earth, that which ye have and take
fast hold of that which ye are bidden by the All-Powerful, He Who is the
Bearer of the Trust of God. Purge ye your ears and set your hearts
towards Him that ye may hearken to the most wondrous Call which hath
been raised from Sinai, the habitation of your Lord, the Most Glorious.
It will, in truth, draw you nigh unto the Spot wherein ye will perceive
the splendour of the light of His countenance which shineth above this
luminous Horizon.

O concourse of priests! Leave the bells, and come forth, then, from
your churches. It behoveth you, in this day, to proclaim aloud the Most
Great Name among the nations. Prefer ye to be silent, whilst every stone
and every tree shouteth aloud: ‘The Lord is come in His great glory!’?
Well is it with the man who hasteneth unto Him. Verily, he is numbered
among them whose names will be eternally recorded and who will be
mentioned by the Concourse on High. Thus hath it been decreed by the
Spirit in this wondrous Tablet. He that summoneth men in My name is,
verily, of Me, and he will show forth that which is beyond the power of
all that are on earth. Follow ye the Way of the Lord and walk not in the
footsteps of them that are sunk in heedlessness. Well is it with the
slumberer who is stirred by the Breeze of God and ariseth from amongst
the dead, directing his steps towards the Way of the Lord. Verily, such
a man is regarded, in the sight of God, the True One, as a jewel amongst
men and is reckoned with the blissful.

Say: In the East the light of His Revelation hath broken; in the West
have appeared the signs of His dominion. Ponder this in your hearts, O
people, and be not of those who have turned a deaf ear to the
admonitions of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised. Let the Breeze
of God awaken you. Verily, it hath wafted over the world. Well is it
with him that hath discovered the fragrance thereof and been accounted
among the well-assured.

O concourse of bishops! Ye are the stars of the heaven of My
knowledge. My mercy desireth not that ye should fall upon the earth. My
justice, however, declareth: ‘This is that which the Son hath decreed.’
And whatsoever hath proceeded out of His blameless, His truth-speaking,
trustworthy mouth, can never be altered. The bells, verily, peal out My
Name, and lament over Me, but My spirit rejoiceth with evident gladness.
The body of the Loved One yearneth for the cross, and His head is eager
for the spear, in the path of the All-Merciful. The ascendancy of the
oppressor can in no wise deter Him from His purpose. We have summoned
all created things to attain the presence of thy Lord, the King of all
names. Blessed is the man that hath set his face towards God, the Lord
of the Day of Reckoning.

O concourse of monks! If ye choose to follow Me, I will make you
heirs of My Kingdom; and if ye transgress against Me, I will, in My
long-suffering, endure it patiently, and I, verily, am the
Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

O land of Syria! What hath become of thy righteousness? Thou art, in
truth, ennobled by the footsteps of thy Lord. Hast thou perceived the
fragrance of heavenly reunion, or art thou to be accounted of the
heedless?

Bethlehem is astir with the Breeze of God. We hear her voice saying:
‘O most generous Lord! Where is Thy great glory established? The sweet
savours of Thy presence have quickened me, after I had melted in my
separation from Thee. Praised be Thou in that Thou hast raised the
veils, and come with power in evident glory.’ We called unto her from
behind the Tabernacle of Majesty and Grandeur: ‘O Bethlehem! This Light
hath risen in the orient, and travelled towards the occident, until it
reached thee in the evening of its life. Tell Me then: Do the sons
recognize the Father, and acknowledge Him, or do they deny Him, even as
the people aforetime denied Him (Jesus)?’ Whereupon she cried out
saying: ‘Thou art, in truth, the All-Knowing, the Best-Informed.’
Verily, We behold all created things moved to bear witness unto Us. Some
know Us and bear witness, while the majority bear witness, yet know Us
not.

Mount Sinai is astir with the joy of beholding Our countenance. She
hath lifted her enthralling voice in glorification of her Lord, saying:
‘O Lord! I sense the fragrance of Thy garment. Methinks Thou art near,
invested with the signs of God. Thou hast ennobled these regions with
Thy footsteps. Great is the blessedness of Thy people, could they but
know Thee and inhale Thy sweet savours; and woe betide them that are
fast asleep.’

Happy art thou who hast turned thy face towards My countenance,
inasmuch as thou hast rent the veils asunder, hast shattered the idols
and recognized thine eternal Lord. The people of the Qur’án have risen
up against Us without any clear proof or evidence, tormenting Us at
every moment with a fresh torment. They idly imagine that tribulations
can frustrate Our Purpose. Vain indeed is that which they have imagined.
Verily, thy Lord is the One Who ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.

I never passed a tree but Mine heart addressed it saying: ‘O would
that thou wert cut down in My name, and My body crucified upon thee.’ We
revealed this passage in the Epistle to the Sháh that it might serve as
a warning to the followers of religions. Verily, thy Lord is the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Let not the things they have perpetrated grieve thee. Truly they are
even as dead, and not living. Leave them unto the dead, then turn thy
face towards Him Who is the Life-Giver of the world. Beware lest the
sayings of the heedless sadden thee. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, and
teach the people with consummate wisdom. Thus enjoineth thee the Ruler
of earth and heaven. He is in truth the Almighty, the Most Generous. Ere
long will God exalt thy remembrance and will inscribe with the Pen of
Glory that which thou didst utter for the sake of His love. He is in
truth the Protector of the doers of good.

Give My remembrance to the one named Murád and say: ‘Blessed art
thou, O Murád, inasmuch as thou didst cast away the promptings of thine
own desire and hast followed Him Who is the Desire of all mankind.’

Say: Blessed the slumberer who is awakened by My Breeze. Blessed the
lifeless one who is quickened through My reviving breaths. Blessed the
eye that is solaced by gazing at My beauty. Blessed the wayfarer who
directeth his steps towards the Tabernacle of My glory and majesty.
Blessed the distressed one who seeketh refuge beneath the shadow of My
canopy. Blessed the sore athirst who hasteneth to the soft-flowing
waters of My loving-kindness. Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth
away his selfish desires for love of Me and taketh his place at the
banquet table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine bounty
for My chosen ones. Blessed the abased one who layeth fast hold on the
cord of My glory; and the needy one who entereth beneath the shadow of
the Tabernacle of My wealth. Blessed the ignorant one who seeketh the
fountain of My knowledge; and the heedless one who cleaveth to the cord
of My remembrance. Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life
through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly
Kingdom. Blessed the man whom the sweet savours of reunion with Me have
stirred and caused to draw nigh unto the Dayspring of My Revelation.
Blessed the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath borne witness
and the eye that hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great
glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion. Blessed are they
that have attained His presence. Blessed the man who hath sought
enlightenment from the Day-Star of My Word. Blessed he who hath attired
his head with the diadem of My love. Blessed is he who hath heard of My
grief and hath arisen to aid Me among My people. Blessed is he who hath
laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold hardships for the
sake of My Name. Blessed the man who, assured of My Word, hath arisen
from among the dead to celebrate My praise. Blessed is he that hath been
enraptured by My wondrous melodies and hath rent the veils asunder
through the potency of My might. Blessed is he who hath remained
faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept
back from attaining My Court of holiness. Blessed is the man who hath
detached himself from all else but Me, hath soared in the atmosphere of
My love, hath gained admittance into My Kingdom, gazed upon My realms of
glory, quaffed the living waters of My bounty, hath drunk his fill from
the heavenly river of My loving providence, acquainted himself with My
Cause, apprehended that which I concealed within the treasury of My
Words, and hath shone forth from the horizon of divine knowledge engaged
in My praise and glorification. Verily, he is of Me. Upon him rest My
mercy, My loving-kindness, My bounty and My glory.

BISHÁRÁT (Glad-Tidings)

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

He is the Expounder, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

God, the True One,
testifieth and the Revealers of His names and attributes bear witness
that Our sole purpose in raising the Call and in proclaiming His sublime
Word is that the ear of the entire creation may, through the living
waters of divine utterance, be purged from lying tales and become
attuned to the holy, the glorious and exalted Word which hath issued
forth from the repository of the knowledge of the Maker of the Heavens
and the Creator of Names. Happy are they that judge with fairness.

O people of the earth!

The first Glad-Tidings which the Mother Book hath, in this Most Great
Revelation, imparted unto all the peoples of the world is that the law
of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book. Glorified be the
All-Merciful, the Lord of grace abounding, through Whom the door of
heavenly bounty hath been flung open in the face of all that are in
heaven and on earth.

The second Glad-Tidings

It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world associate
with one another with joy and radiance. O people! Consort with the
followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.
Thus hath the day-star of His sanction and authority shone forth above
the horizon of the decree of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The third Glad-Tidings concerneth the study of divers languages. This
decree hath formerly streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High: It
behoveth the sovereigns of the world—may God assist them—or the
ministers of the earth to take counsel together and to adopt one of the
existing languages or a new one to be taught to children in schools
throughout the world, and likewise one script. Thus the whole earth will
come to be regarded as one country. Well is it with him who hearkeneth
unto His Call and observeth that whereunto he is bidden by God, the Lord
of the Mighty Throne.

The fourth Glad-Tidings

Should any of the kings—may God aid them—arise to protect and help
this oppressed people, all must vie with one another in loving and in
serving him. This matter is incumbent upon everyone. Well is it with
them that act accordingly.

The fifth Glad-Tidings

In every country where any of this people reside, they must behave
towards the government of that country with loyalty, honesty and
truthfulness. This is that which hath been revealed at the behest of Him
Who is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.

It is binding and incumbent upon the peoples of the world, one and
all, to extend aid unto this momentous Cause which is come from the
heaven of the Will of the ever-abiding God, that perchance the fire of
animosity which blazeth in the hearts of some of the peoples of the
earth may, through the living waters of divine wisdom and by virtue of
heavenly counsels and exhortations, be quenched, and the light of unity
and concord may shine forth and shed its radiance upon the world.

We cherish the hope that through the earnest endeavours of such as
are the exponents of the power of God—exalted be His glory—the weapons
of war throughout the world may be converted into instruments of
reconstruction and that strife and conflict may be removed from the
midst of men.

The sixth Glad-Tidings is the establishment of the Lesser Peace,
details of which have formerly been revealed from Our Most Exalted Pen.
Great is the blessedness of him who upholdeth it and observeth
whatsoever hath been ordained by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The seventh Glad-Tidings

The choice of clothing and the cut of the beard and its dressing are
left to the discretion of men. But beware, O people, lest ye make
yourselves the playthings of the ignorant.

The eighth Glad-Tidings

The pious deeds of the monks and priests among the followers of the
Spirit4—upon Him be the peace of
God—are remembered in His presence. In this Day, however, let them give
up the life of seclusion and direct their steps towards the open world
and busy themselves with that which will profit themselves and others.
We have granted them leave to enter into wedlock that they may bring
forth one who will make mention of God, the Lord of the seen and the
unseen, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.

The ninth Glad-Tidings

When the sinner findeth himself wholly detached and freed from all
save God, he should beg forgiveness and pardon from Him. Confession of
sins and transgressions before human beings is not permissible, as it
hath never been nor will ever be conducive to divine forgiveness.
Moreover such confession before people results in one’s humiliation and
abasement, and God—exalted be His glory—wisheth not the humiliation of
His servants. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. The sinner
should, between himself and God, implore mercy from the Ocean of mercy,
beg forgiveness from the Heaven of generosity and say:

O God, my God! I implore Thee by the blood of Thy true lovers who
were so enraptured by Thy sweet utterance that they hastened unto the
Pinnacle of Glory, the site of the most glorious martyrdom, and I
beseech Thee by the mysteries which lie enshrined in Thy knowledge and
by the pearls that are treasured in the ocean of Thy bounty to grant
forgiveness unto me and unto my father and my mother. Of those who show
forth mercy, Thou art in truth the Most Merciful. No God is there but
Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

O Lord! Thou seest this essence of sinfulness turning unto the ocean
of Thy favour and this feeble one seeking the kingdom of Thy divine
power and this poor creature inclining himself towards the day-star of
Thy wealth. By Thy mercy and Thy grace, disappoint him not, O Lord, nor
debar him from the revelations of Thy bounty in Thy days, nor cast him
away from Thy door which Thou hast opened wide to all that dwell in Thy
heaven and on Thine earth.

Alas! Alas! My sins have prevented me from approaching the Court of
Thy holiness and my trespasses have caused me to stray far from the
Tabernacle of Thy majesty. I have committed that which Thou didst forbid
me to do and have put away what Thou didst order me to observe.

I pray Thee by Him Who is the sovereign Lord of Names to write down
for me with the Pen of Thy bounty that which will enable me to draw nigh
unto Thee and will purge me from my trespasses which have intervened
between me and Thy forgiveness and Thy pardon.

Verily, Thou art the Potent, the Bountiful. No God is there but Thee,
the Mighty, the Gracious.

The tenth Glad-Tidings

As a token of grace from God, the Revealer of this Most Great
Announcement, We have removed from the Holy Scriptures and Tablets the
law prescribing the destruction of books.

The eleventh Glad-Tidings

It is permissible to study sciences and arts, but such sciences as
are useful and would redound to the progress and advancement of the
people. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the
All-Wise.

The twelfth Glad-Tidings

It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of
occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously
exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God,
the True One. Ponder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of
God and render thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your
time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth
yourselves and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from
whose horizon the day-star of wisdom and utterance shineth
resplendent.

The most despised of men in the sight of God are those who sit idly
and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of material means, placing your
whole trust in God, the Provider of all means. When anyone occupieth
himself in a craft or trade, such occupation itself is regarded in the
estimation of God as an act of worship; and this is naught but a token
of His infinite and all-pervasive bounty.

The thirteenth Glad-Tidings

The men of God’s House of Justice have been charged with the affairs
of the people. They, in truth, are the Trustees of God among His
servants and the daysprings of authority in His countries.

O people of God! That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is
upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the
sources of life to the world. Inasmuch as for each day there is a new
problem and for every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should
be referred to the Ministers of the House of Justice that they may act
according to the needs and requirements of the time. They that, for the
sake of God, arise to serve His Cause, are the recipients of divine
inspiration from the unseen Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be
obedient unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the House
of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed according to that which
God hath revealed in His Book.

O people of Bahá! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and
the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the
cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which
is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably
received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that
soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the
Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and
strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the
shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with
that which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops
of one ocean.

The fourteenth Glad-Tidings

It is not necessary to undertake special journeys to visit the
resting-places of the dead. If people of substance and affluence offer
the cost of such journeys to the House of Justice, it will be pleasing
and acceptable in the presence of God. Happy are they that observe His
precepts.

The fifteenth Glad-Tidings

Although a republican form of government profiteth all the peoples of
the world, yet the majesty of kingship is one of the signs of God. We do
not wish that the countries of the world should remain deprived thereof.
If the sagacious combine the two forms into one, great will be their
reward in the presence of God.

In former religions such ordinances as holy war, destruction of
books, the ban on association and companionship with other peoples or on
reading certain books had been laid down and affirmed according to the
exigencies of the time; however, in this mighty Revelation, in this
momentous Announcement, the manifold bestowals and favours of God have
overshadowed all men, and from the horizon of the Will of the
Ever-Abiding Lord, His infallible decree hath prescribed that which We
have set forth above.

We yield praise unto God—hallowed and glorified be He—for whatsoever
He hath graciously revealed in this blessed, this glorious and
incomparable Day. Indeed if everyone on earth were endowed with a myriad
tongues and were to continually praise God and magnify His Name to the
end that knoweth no end, their thanksgiving would not prove adequate for
even one of the gracious favours We have mentioned in this Tablet. Unto
this beareth witness every man of wisdom and discernment, of
understanding and knowledge.

We earnestly beseech God—exalted be His glory—to aid the rulers and
sovereigns, who are the exponents of power and the daysprings of glory,
to enforce His laws and ordinances. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the
All-Powerful, He Who is wont to answer the call of men.

TARAZÁT (Ornaments)

In My Name, which standeth supreme above all names

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

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

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

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

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

O thou who hast quaffed the wine of Mine utterance from the chalice
of My knowledge! These sublime words were heard today from the rustling
of the divine Lote-Tree which the Lord of Names hath, with the hand of
celestial power, planted in the All-Highest Paradise:

The first Taráz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the
horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and
recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or
abasement, wealth or poverty. Having attained the stage of fulfilment
and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth, and such
wealth as he acquireth through crafts or professions is commendable and
praiseworthy in the estimation of men of wisdom, and especially in the
eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the education of the world
and to the edification of its peoples. They are, in truth, cup-bearers
of the life-giving water of knowledge and guides unto the ideal way.
They direct the peoples of the world to the straight path and acquaint
them with that which is conducive to human upliftment and exaltation.
The straight path is the one which guideth man to the dayspring of
perception and to the dawning-place of true understanding and leadeth
him to that which will redound to glory, honour and greatness.

We cherish the hope that through the loving-kindness of the All-Wise,
the All-Knowing, obscuring dust may be dispelled and the power of
perception enhanced, that the people may discover the purpose for which
they have been called into being. In this Day whatsoever serveth to
reduce blindness and to increase vision is worthy of consideration. This
vision acteth as the agent and guide for true knowledge. Indeed in the
estimation of men of wisdom keenness of understanding is due to keenness
of vision. The people of Bahá must under all circumstances observe that
which is meet and seemly and exhort the people accordingly.

The second Taráz is to consort with the followers of all religions in
a spirit of friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which the
Speaker on Sinai hath set forth and to observe fairness in all
matters.

They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate
with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance,
inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to
promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the
maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.
Blessed are such as hold fast to the cord of kindliness and tender mercy
and are free from animosity and hatred.

This Wronged One exhorteth the peoples of the world to observe
tolerance and righteousness, which are two lights amidst the darkness of
the world and two educators for the edification of mankind. Happy are
they who have attained thereto and woe betide the heedless.

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station
thereof in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty
Throne. One day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our
arrival, We beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the
sunlight playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We
beheld what the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that
which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified,
that most sublime, that blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to
the left We gazed on one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise,
standing on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: “O inmates of
earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance, and My
revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True One! I am
Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I
will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and
station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of the
people of Bahá, and the vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom
of creation. I am the supreme instrument for the prosperity of the
world, and the horizon of assurance unto all beings.” Thus have We sent
down for thee that which will draw men nigh unto the Lord of
creation.’

O people of Bahá! Trustworthiness is in truth the best of vestures
for your temples and the most glorious crown for your heads. Take ye
fast hold of it at the behest of Him Who is the Ordainer, the
All-Informed.

The fifth Taráz concerneth the protection and preservation of the
stations of God’s servants. One should not ignore the truth of any
matter, rather should one give expression to that which is right and
true. The people of Bahá should not deny any soul the reward due to him,
should treat craftsmen with deference, and, unlike the people aforetime,
should not defile their tongues with abuse.

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

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

The sixth Taráz

Knowledge is one of the wondrous gifts of God. It is incumbent upon
everyone to acquire it. Such arts and material means as are now manifest
have been achieved by virtue of His knowledge and wisdom which have been
revealed in Epistles and Tablets through His Most Exalted Pen—a Pen out
of whose treasury pearls of wisdom and utterance and the arts and crafts
of the world are brought to light.

In this Day the secrets of the earth are laid bare before the eyes of
men. The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of
the world. They reflect the deeds and the pursuits of divers peoples and
kindreds. They both reflect them and make them known. They are a mirror
endowed with hearing, sight and speech. This is an amazing and potent
phenomenon. However, it behoveth the writers thereof to be purged from
the promptings of evil passions and desires and to be attired with the
raiment of justice and equity. They should enquire into situations as
much as possible and ascertain the facts, then set them down in
writing.

Concerning this Wronged One, most of the things reported in the
newspapers are devoid of truth. Fair speech and truthfulness, by reason
of their lofty rank and position, are regarded as a sun shining above
the horizon of knowledge. The waves rising from this Ocean are apparent
before the eyes of the peoples of the world and the effusions of the Pen
of wisdom and utterance are manifest everywhere.

It is reported in the press that this Servant hath fled from the land
of Tá (Ṭihrán) and gone to ‘Iráq. Gracious God! Not even for a single
moment hath this Wronged One ever concealed Himself. Rather hath He at
all times remained steadfast and conspicuous before the eyes of all men.
Never have We retreated, nor shall We ever seek flight. In truth it is
the foolish people who flee from Our presence. We left Our home country
accompanied by two mounted escorts, representing the two honoured
governments of Persia and Russia until We arrived in ‘Iráq in the
plenitude of glory and power. Praise be to God! The Cause whereof this
Wronged One is the Bearer standeth as high as heaven and shineth
resplendent as the sun. Concealment hath no access unto this station,
nor is there any occasion for fear or silence.

The mysteries of Resurrection and the events of the Last Hour are
openly manifest, but the people are sunk in heedlessness and have
suffered themselves to be wrapt in veils. ‘And when the seas shall
boil… And when the Scriptures shall be unrolled.’5 By the righteousness of God!
The Dawn hath truly brightened and the light hath shone forth and the
night hath receded. Happy are they that comprehend. Happy are they that
have attained thereunto.

Glorified be God! The Pen is perplexed what to write and the Tongue
wondereth what to utter. Despite unprecedented hardships and after
enduring years of imprisonment, captivity and woeful trials, We now
perceive that veils thicker than the ones We have already torn asunder
have intervened, obstructing the vision and causing the light of
understanding to be obscured. Moreover We observe that the fresh
calumnies which are now rife are far more malicious than those of former
days.

O people of the Bayán! Fear ye the merciful Lord. Consider the people
of former times. What were their deeds and what fruit did they gather?
Every thing they uttered was but imposture and whatever they wrought
hath proved worthless, except for those whom God hath graciously
protected through His power.

I swear by the life of Him Who is the Desire of the world! Were a man
to ponder in his heart he would, free of all attachment to the world,
hasten unto the Most Great Light and would purge and purify himself from
the dust of vain imaginings and the smoke of idle fancy. What could have
prompted the people of the past to err and by whom were they misled?
They still reject the truth and have turned towards their own selfish
desires. This Wronged One calleth aloud for the sake of God. Whosoever
wisheth, let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn away.
Verily God can well afford to dispense with all things, whether of the
past or of the future.

O people of the Bayán! It is men like unto Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí6 who,
with turban and staff,7 have been the source of opposition and hindrance and
have so grievously burdened the people with superstitions that even at
the present time they still expect the appearance of a fictitious person
from a fictitious place. Be ye warned, O men of understanding.

O Hádí! Give ear unto the Voice of this trustworthy Counsellor:
direct thy steps from the left unto the right, that is turn away from
idle fancy unto certitude. Lead not the people into error. The divine
Luminary shineth, His Cause is manifest and His signs are all-embracing.
Set thy face towards God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Renounce thy leadership for the sake of God and leave the people unto
themselves. Thou art ignorant of the essential truth, thou art not
acquainted therewith.

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

O people of the Bayán! Ye have been forbidden to contact the loved
ones of God. Why hath this ban been imposed and for what purpose? Be ye
fair, I adjure you by God, and be not of the heedless. Unto such as are
endued with insight, and before the Most Great Beauty, the object of
this ban is known and evident; it is so that no one may become aware of
his (Hádí’s) secrets and deeds.

O Hádí! Thou hast not been in Our company, thou art therefore
ignorant of the Cause. Act not according to thine idle imaginings. Aside
from these things, scrutinize the Writings with thine own eyes and
ponder upon that which hath come to pass. Have pity upon thyself and
upon the servants of God and be not the cause of waywardness like unto
the people aforetime. The path is unmistakable and the proof is evident.
Change injustice into justice and inequity into equity. We cherish the
hope that the breaths of divine inspiration may strengthen thee and that
thine inner ear may be enabled to hear the blessed words: ‘Say, it is
God, then leave them to entertain themselves with their
cavillings.’8 Thou has been
there (Cyprus) and hast seen him (Mírzá Yaḥyá). Now speak forth with
fairness. Do not misrepresent the matter, neither to thyself nor to the
people. Thou art both ignorant and uninformed. Give ear unto the Voice
of this Wronged One and hasten towards the ocean of divine knowledge
that perchance thou mayest be adorned with the ornament of comprehension
and mayest renounce all else but God. Hearken unto the Voice of this
benevolent Counsellor, calling aloud, unveiled and manifest, before the
faces of kings and their subjects, and summon the people of the world,
one and all, unto Him Who is the Lord of Eternity. This is the Word from
Whose horizon the day-star of unfailing grace shineth resplendent.

O Hádí! This Wronged One, rid of all attachment to the world, hath
striven with utmost endeavour to quench the fire of animosity and hatred
which burneth fiercely in the hearts of the peoples of the earth. It
behoveth every just and fair-minded person to render thanks unto
God—exalted be His glory—and to arise to promote this pre-eminent Cause,
that fire may turn into light, and hatred may give way to fellowship and
love. I swear by the righteousness of God! This is the sole purpose of
this Wronged One. Indeed in proclaiming this momentous Cause and in
demonstrating its Truth We have endured manifold sufferings, hardships
and tribulations. Thou thyself wouldst bear witness unto that which We
have mentioned, couldst thou but speak with fairness. Verily God
speaketh the truth and leadeth the Way. He is the Powerful, the Mighty,
the Gracious.

May Our Glory rest upon the people of Bahá whom neither the tyranny
of the oppressor nor the ascendancy of the aggressor have been able to
withhold from God, the Lord of the worlds.

TAJALLÍYÁT (Effulgences)

This is the Epistle of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting

He is the One Who heareth from His Realm of Glory.

God testifieth that there is
none other God but Him and that He Who hath appeared is the Hidden
Mystery, the Treasured Symbol, the Most Great Book for all peoples, and
the Heaven of bounty for the whole world. He is the Most Mighty Sign
amongst men and the Dayspring of the most august attributes in the realm
of creation. Through Him hath appeared that which had been hidden from
time immemorial and been veiled from the eyes of men. He is the One
Whose Manifestation was announced by the heavenly Scriptures, in former
times and more recently. Whoso acknowledgeth belief in Him and in His
signs and testimonies hath in truth acknowledged that which the Tongue
of Grandeur uttered ere the creation of earth and heaven and the
revelation of the Kingdom of Names. Through Him the ocean of knowledge
hath surged amidst mankind and the river of divine wisdom hath gushed
out at the behest of God, the Lord of Days.

Well is it with the man of discernment who hath recognized and
perceived the Truth, and the one possessed of a hearing ear who hath
hearkened unto His sweet Voice, and the hand that hath received His Book
with such resolve as is born of God, the Lord of this world and of the
next, and the earnest wayfarer who hath hastened unto His glorious
Horizon, and the one endued with strength whom neither the overpowering
might of the rulers, nor the tumult raised by the leaders of religion
hath been able to shake. And woe betide him who hath rejected the grace
of God and His bounty, and hath denied His tender mercy and authority;
such a man is indeed reckoned with those who have throughout eternity
repudiated the testimony of God and His proof.

Great is the blessedness of him who hath in this Day cast away the
things current amongst men and hath clung unto that which is ordained by
God, the Lord of Names and the Fashioner of all created things, He Who
is come from the heaven of eternity through the power of the Most Great
Name, invested with so invincible an authority that all the powers of
the earth are unable to withstand Him. Unto this beareth witness the
Mother Book, calling from the Most Sublime Station.

O ‘Alí-Akbar!9 We have repeatedly
heard thy voice and have responded to thee with that which the praise of
all mankind can never rival; from which the sincere ones inhale the
sweet savours of the sayings of the All-Merciful, and His true lovers
perceive the fragrance of heavenly reunion, and the sore athirst
discover the murmuring of the water that is life indeed. Blessed the man
who hath attained thereto and hath recognized that which is at this
moment being diffused from the Pen of God, the Help in Peril, the
Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

We testify that thou hast set thy face towards God and travelled far
until thou didst attain His presence and gavest ear unto the Voice of
this Wronged One, Who hath been cast into prison through the misdeeds of
those who have disbelieved in the signs and testimonies of God and have
denied this heavenly grace through which the whole world hath been made
to shine. Blessed thy face, for it hath turned unto Him, and thine ear,
for it hath heard His Voice, and thy tongue, for it hath celebrated the
praise of God, the Lord of lords. We pray God to graciously aid thee to
become a standard for the promotion of His Cause and to enable thee to
draw nigh unto Him at all times and under all conditions.

The chosen ones of God and His loved ones in that land are remembered
by Us, and We give them the joyful tidings of that which hath been sent
down in their honour from the Kingdom of the utterance of their Lord,
the sovereign Ruler of the Day of Reckoning. Make mention of Me to them
and illumine them with the resplendent glory of Mine utterance. Verily
thy Lord is the Gracious, the Bountiful.

O thou who dost magnify My praise! Give ear unto that which the
people of tyranny ascribe unto Me in My days. Some of them say: ‘He hath
laid claim to divinity’; others say: ‘He hath devised a lie against
God’; still others say: ‘He is come to foment sedition’. Base and
wretched are they. Lo! They are, in truth, enslaved to idle
imaginings.

We shall now cease using the eloquent language.10 Truly thy Lord is the Potent, the
Unconstrained. We would fain speak in the Persian tongue that perchance
the people of Persia, one and all, may become aware of the utterances of
the merciful Lord, and come forth to discover the Truth.

The first Tajallí which hath dawned from the Day-Star of Truth is the
knowledge of God—exalted be His glory. And the knowledge of the King of
everlasting days can in no wise be attained save by recognizing Him Who
is the Bearer of the Most Great Name. He is, in truth, the Speaker on
Sinai Who is now seated upon the throne of Revelation. He is the Hidden
Mystery and the Treasured Symbol. All the former and latter Books of God
are adorned with His praise and extol His glory. Through Him the
standard of knowledge hath been planted in the world and the ensign of
the oneness of God hath been unfurled amidst all peoples. Attainment
unto the Divine Presence can be realized solely by attaining His
presence. Through His potency everything that hath, from time
immemorial, been veiled and hidden, is now revealed. He is made manifest
through the power of Truth and hath uttered a Word whereby all that are
in the heavens and on the earth have been dumbfounded, except those whom
the Almighty was pleased to exempt. True belief in God and recognition
of Him cannot be complete save by acceptance of that which He hath
revealed and by observance of whatsoever hath been decreed by Him and
set down in the Book by the Pen of Glory.

They that immerse themselves in the ocean of His utterances should at
all times have the utmost regard for the divinely-revealed ordinances
and prohibitions. Indeed His ordinances constitute the mightiest
stronghold for the protection of the world and the safeguarding of its
peoples—a light upon those who acknowledge and recognize the truth, and
a fire unto such as turn away and deny.

The second Tajallí is to remain steadfast in the Cause of God—exalted
be His glory—and to be unswerving in His love. And this can in no wise
be attained except through full recognition of Him; and full recognition
cannot be obtained save by faith in the blessed words: ‘He doeth
whatsoever He willeth.’ Whoso tenaciously cleaveth unto this sublime
word and drinketh deep from the living waters of utterance which are
inherent therein, will be imbued with such a constancy that all the
books of the world will be powerless to deter him from the Mother Book.
O how glorious is this sublime station, this exalted rank, this ultimate
purpose!

O ‘Alí-Akbar! Consider how abject is the state of the disbelievers.
They all give utterance to the words: ‘Verily He is to be praised in His
deeds and is to be obeyed in His behest.’ Nevertheless if We reveal
aught which, even to the extent of a needle’s eye, runneth counter to
their selfish ways and desires, they will disdainfully reject it. Say,
none can ever fathom the manifold exigencies of God’s consummate wisdom.
In truth, were He to pronounce the earth to be heaven, no one hath the
right to question His authority. This is that whereunto the Point of the
Bayán hath testified in all that was sent down unto Him with truth at
the behest of God, He Who hath caused the Dawn to break.

The third Tajallí is concerning arts, crafts and sciences. Knowledge
is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition
is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however,
should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those
which begin with words and end with words. Great indeed is the claim of
scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world. Unto this beareth
witness the Mother Book on the day of His return. Happy are those
possessed of a hearing ear. In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure
for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of
cheer and gladness unto him. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in
this Most Great Prison.

The fourth Tajallí is concerning Divinity, Godhead and the like. Were
a man of insight to direct his gaze towards the blessed, the manifest
Lote-Tree and its fruits, he would be so enriched thereby as to be
independent of aught else and to acknowledge his belief in that which
the Speaker on Sinai hath uttered from the throne of Revelation.

O ‘Alí-Akbar! Acquaint the people with the holy verses of thy Lord
and make known unto them His straight Path, His mighty Announcement.

Say: O people, if ye judge fairly and equitably, ye will testify to
the truth of whatsoever hath streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen.
If ye be of the people of the Bayán, the Persian Bayán will guide you
aright and will prove a sufficient testimony unto you; and if ye be of
the people of the Qur’án, ponder ye upon the Revelation on Sinai and the
Voice from the Bush which came unto the Son of ‘Imrán [Moses].

Gracious God! It was intended that at the time of the manifestation
of the One true God the faculty of recognizing Him would have been
developed and matured and would have reached its culmination. However,
it is now clearly demonstrated that in the disbelievers this faculty
hath remained undeveloped and hath, indeed, degenerated.

O ‘Alí! That which they accepted from the Bush they now refuse to
accept from Him Who is the Tree of the world of existence. Say, O people
of the Bayán, speak not according to the dictates of passion and selfish
desire. Most of the peoples of the earth attest the truth of the blessed
Word which hath come forth from the Bush.

By the righteousness of God! But for the anthem of praise voiced by
Him Who heralded the divine Revelation, this Wronged One would never
have breathed a word which might have struck terror into the hearts of
the ignorant and caused them to perish. Dwelling on the glorification of
Him Whom God shall make manifest—exalted be His Manifestation—the Báb in
the beginning of the Bayán saith: ‘He is the One Who shall proclaim
under all conditions, “Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there but Me,
the Lord of all created things. In truth all others except Me are My
creatures. O, My creatures! Me alone do ye worship.”’ Likewise in
another instance He, magnifying the Name of Him Who shall be made
manifest, saith: ‘I would be the first to adore Him.’ Now it behoveth
one to reflect upon the significance of the ‘Adorer’ and the ‘Adored
One’, that perchance the people of the earth may partake of a dewdrop
from the ocean of divine knowledge and may be enabled to perceive the
greatness of this Revelation. Verily, He hath appeared and hath unloosed
His tongue to proclaim the Truth. Well is it with him who doth
acknowledge and recognize the truth, and woe betide the froward and the
wayward.

O kindreds of the earth! Incline your ears unto the Voice from the
divine Lote-Tree which overshadoweth the world and be not of the people
of tyranny on earth—men who have repudiated the Manifestation of God and
His invincible authority and have renounced His favours—they in truth
are reckoned with the contemptible in the Book of God, the Lord of all
mankind.

The Glory which hath dawned above the horizon of My tender mercy rest
upon thee and upon whosoever is with thee and giveth ear to thy words
concerning the Cause of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

KALÍMÁT-I-FIRDAWSÍYYIH (Words of Paradise)

He is the One Who speaketh through the power of Truth in the Kingdom
of Utterance

O ye the embodiments of
justice and equity and the manifestations of uprightness and of heavenly
bounties! In tears and lamenting, this Wronged One calleth aloud and
saith: O God, my God! Adorn the heads of Thy loved ones with the crown
of detachment and attire their temples with the raiment of
righteousness.

It behoveth the people of Bahá to render the Lord victorious through
the power of their utterance and to admonish the people by their goodly
deeds and character, inasmuch as deeds exert greater influence than
words.

O Ḥaydar-‘Alí!11 Upon thee be the praise of God and His glory.
Say: Honesty, virtue, wisdom and a saintly character redound to the
exaltation of man, while dishonesty, imposture, ignorance and hypocrisy
lead to his abasement. By My life! Man’s distinction lieth not in
ornaments or wealth, but rather in virtuous behaviour and true
understanding. Most of the people in Persia are steeped in deception and
idle fancy. How great the difference between the condition of these
people and the station of such valiant souls as have passed beyond the
sea of names and pitched their tents upon the shores of the ocean of
detachment. Indeed none but a few of the existing generation hath yet
earned the merit of hearkening unto the warblings of the doves of the
all-highest Paradise. ‘Few of My servants are truly thankful.’12 People for the most part
delight in superstitions. They regard a single drop of the sea of
delusion as preferable to an ocean of certitude. By holding fast unto
names they deprive themselves of the inner reality and by clinging to
vain imaginings they are kept back from the Dayspring of heavenly signs.
God grant you may be graciously aided under all conditions to shatter
the idols of superstition and to tear away the veils of the imaginations
of men. Authority lieth in the grasp of God, the Fountainhead of
revelation and inspiration and the Lord of the Day of Resurrection.

We heard that which the person in question hath mentioned regarding
certain teachers of the Faith. Indeed he hath spoken truly. Some
heedless souls roam the lands in the name of God, actively engaged in
ruining His Cause, and call it promoting and teaching the Word of God;
and this notwithstanding that the qualifications of the teachers of the
Faith, like unto stars, shine resplendent throughout the heavens of the
divine Tablets. Every fair-minded person testifieth and every man of
insight is well aware that the One true God—exalted be His glory—hath
unceasingly set forth and expounded that which will elevate the station
and will exalt the rank of the children of men.

The people of Bahá burn brightly amidst the gatherings even as a
candle and hold fast unto that which God hath purposed. This station
standeth supreme above all stations. Well is it with him who hath cast
away the things that the people of the world possess, yearning for that
which pertaineth unto God, the Sovereign Lord of eternity.

Say: O God, my God! Thou beholdest me circling round Thy Will with
mine eyes turned towards the horizon of Thy bounty, eagerly awaiting the
revelation of the effulgent splendours of the sun of Thy favours. I beg
of Thee, O Beloved of every understanding heart and the Desire of such
as have near access unto Thee, to grant that Thy loved ones may become
wholly detached from their own inclinations, holding fast unto that
which pleaseth Thee. Attire them, O Lord, with the robe of righteousness
and illumine them with the splendours of the light of detachment. Summon
then to their assistance the hosts of wisdom and utterance that they may
exalt Thy Word amongst Thy creatures and proclaim Thy Cause amidst Thy
servants. Verily, potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and within
Thy grasp lie the reins of all affairs. No God is there but Thee, the
Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving.

O thou who hast turned thy gaze towards My face! In these days there
occurred that which hath plunged Me into dire sadness. Certain
wrong-doers who profess allegiance to the Cause of God committed such
deeds as have caused the limbs of sincerity, of honesty, of justice, of
equity to quake. One known individual to whom the utmost kindness and
favour had been extended perpetrated such acts as have brought tears to
the eye of God. Formerly We uttered words of warning and premonition,
then for a number of years We kept the matter secret that haply he might
take heed and repent. But all to no purpose. In the end he bent his
energies upon vilifying the Cause of God before the eyes of all men. He
tore the veil of fairness asunder and felt sympathy neither for himself
nor for the Cause of God. Now, however, the deeds of certain individuals
have brought sorrows far more grievous than those which the deeds of the
former had caused. Beseech thou God, the True One, that He may
graciously enable the heedless to retract and repent. Verily He is the
Forgiving, the Bountiful, the Most Generous.

In these days it is incumbent upon everyone to adhere tenaciously
unto unity and concord and to labour diligently in promoting the Cause
of God, that perchance the wayward souls may attain that which will lead
unto abiding prosperity.

In brief, dissensions among various sects have opened the way to
weakness. Each sect hath picked out a way for itself and is clinging to
a certain cord. Despite manifest blindness and ignorance they pride
themselves on their insight and knowledge. Among them are mystics who
bear allegiance to the Faith of Islám, some of whom indulge in that
which leadeth to idleness and seclusion. I swear by God! It lowereth
man’s station and maketh him swell with pride. Man must bring forth
fruit. One who yieldeth no fruit is, in the words of the Spirit,13 like unto a fruitless tree, and a
fruitless tree is fit but for the fire.

That which the aforesaid persons have mentioned concerning the
stations of Divine Unity will conduce in no small measure to idleness
and vain imaginings. These mortal men have evidently set aside the
differences of station and have come to regard themselves as God, while
God is immeasurably exalted above all things. Every created being
however revealeth His signs which are but emanations from Him and not
His Own Self. All these signs are reflected and can be seen in the book
of existence, and the scrolls that depict the shape and pattern of the
universe are indeed a most great book. Therein every man of insight can
perceive that which would lead to the Straight Path and would enable him
to attain the Great Announcement. Consider the rays of the sun whose
light hath encompassed the world. The rays emanate from the sun and
reveal its nature, but are not the sun itself. Whatsoever can be
discerned on earth amply demonstrateth the power of God, His knowledge
and the outpourings of His bounty, while He Himself is immeasurably
exalted above all creatures.

Christ saith: ‘Thou hast granted to children that whereof the learned
and the wise are deprived.’ The sage of Sabzívar14 hath said: ‘Alas! Attentive ears are lacking, otherwise
the whisperings of the Sinaic Bush could be heard from every tree.’ In a
Tablet to a man of wisdom who had made enquiry as to the meaning of
Elementary Reality, We addressed this famous sage in these words: ‘If
this saying is truly thine, how is it that thou hast failed to hearken
unto the Call which the Tree of Man hath raised from the loftiest
heights of the world? If thou didst hear the Call yet fear and the
desire to preserve thy life prompted thee to remain heedless to it, thou
art such a person as hath never been nor is worthy of mention; if thou
hast not heard it, then thou art bereft of the sense of hearing.’ In
brief, such men are they whose words are the pride of the world, and
whose deeds are the shame of the nations.

Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none other than My Pen of
Glory, and lo, mankind hath swooned away before it, save them whom God
pleaseth to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty,
the Ancient of Days.

Say: O concourse of divines! Pronounce ye censure against this Pen
unto which, as soon as it raised its shrill voice, the kingdom of
utterance prepared itself to hearken, and before whose mighty and
glorious theme every other theme hath paled into insignificance? Fear ye
God and follow not your idle fancies and corrupt imaginings, but rather
follow Him Who is come unto you invested with undeniable knowledge and
unshakeable certitude.

Glorified be God! Man’s treasure is his utterance, yet this Wronged
One hath withheld His Tongue, for the disbelievers are lying in ambush;
however, protection is afforded by God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily,
in Him have We placed Our trust and unto Him have We committed all
affairs. All-Sufficient is He for Us and for all created things. He is
the One by Whose leave, and through the potency of Whose command, the
Day-Star of sovereign might hath shone resplendent above the horizon of
the world. Well is it with him who perceiveth and recognizeth the Truth
and woe betide the froward and the faithless.

This Wronged One hath invariably treated the wise with affection. By
the wise is meant men whose knowledge is not confined to mere words and
whose lives have been fruitful and have produced enduring results. It is
incumbent upon everyone to honour these blessed souls. Happy are they
that observe God’s precepts; happy are they that have recognized the
Truth; happy are they that judge with fairness in all matters and hold
fast to the Cord of My inviolable Justice.

The people of Persia have turned away from Him Who is the Protector
and the Helper. They are clinging to and have enmeshed themselves in the
vain imaginings of the foolish. So firmly do they adhere to
superstitions that naught can sever them therefrom save the potent arm
of God—exalted is His glory. Beseech thou the Almighty that He may
remove with the fingers of divine power the veils which have shut out
the divers peoples and kindreds, that they may attain the things that
are conducive to security, progress and advancement and may hasten forth
towards the incomparable Friend.

The word of God which the Abhá Pen hath revealed and inscribed on
the

first leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Verily I say: The fear of God
hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold for all the peoples
of the world. It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind, and
the supreme instrument for its preservation. Indeed, there existeth in
man a faculty which deterreth him from, and guardeth him against,
whatever is unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense of
shame. This, however, is confined to but a few; all have not possessed
and do not possess it.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

second leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The Pen of the Most
High exhorteth, at this moment, the manifestations of authority and the
sources of power, namely the kings, the sovereigns, the presidents, the
rulers, the divines and the wise, and enjoineth them to uphold the cause
of religion, and to cleave unto it. Religion is verily the chief
instrument for the establishment of order in the world and of
tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the pillars of
religion hath strengthened the foolish and emboldened them and made them
more arrogant. Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the
more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in
the end to chaos and confusion. Hear Me, O men of insight, and be
warned, ye who are endued with discernment!

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

third leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O son of man! If thine eyes be
turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit thee and cleave
unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards
justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for
thyself. Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst
pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.

O people of God! Great is the Day and mighty the Call! In one of Our
Tablets We have revealed these exalted words: ‘Were the world of the
spirit to be wholly converted into the sense of hearing, it could then
claim to be worthy to hearken unto the Voice that calleth from the
Supreme Horizon; for otherwise, these ears that are defiled with lying
tales have never been, nor are they now, fit to hear it.’ Well is it
with them that hearken; and woe betide the wayward.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

fourth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of God!
Beseech ye the True One—glorified be His Name—that He may graciously
shield the manifestations of dominion and power from the suggestions of
self and desire and shed the radiance of justice and guidance upon
them.

His Majesty Muḥammad Sháh, despite the excellence of his rank,
committed two heinous deeds. One was the order to banish the Lord of the
Realms of Grace and Bounty, the Primal Point; and the other, the murder
of the Prince of the City of Statesmanship and Literary
Accomplishment.15

The faults of kings, like their favours, can be great. A king who is
not deterred by the vainglory of power and authority from observing
justice, nor is deprived of the splendours of the day-star of equity by
luxury, riches, glory or the marshalling of hosts and legions shall
occupy a high rank and a sublime station amongst the Concourse on high.
It is incumbent upon everyone to extend aid and to manifest kindness to
so noble a soul. Well is it with the king who keepeth a tight hold on
the reins of his passion, restraineth his anger and preferreth justice
and fairness to injustice and tyranny.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

fifth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Above all else, the greatest
gift and the most wondrous blessing hath ever been and will continue to
be Wisdom. It is man’s unfailing Protector. It aideth him and
strengtheneth him. Wisdom is God’s Emissary and the Revealer of His Name
the Omniscient. Through it the loftiness of man’s station is made
manifest and evident. It is all-knowing and the foremost Teacher in the
school of existence. It is the Guide and is invested with high
distinction. Thanks to its educating influence earthly beings have
become imbued with a gem-like spirit which outshineth the heavens. In
the city of justice it is the unrivalled Speaker Who, in the year nine,
illumined the world with the joyful tidings of this Revelation. And it
was this peerless Source of wisdom that at the beginning of the
foundation of the world ascended the stair of inner meaning and when
enthroned upon the pulpit of utterance, through the operation of the
divine Will, proclaimed two words. The first heralded the promise of
reward, while the second voiced the ominous warning of punishment. The
promise gave rise to hope and the warning begat fear. Thus the basis of
world order hath been firmly established upon these twin principles.
Exalted is the Lord of Wisdom, the Possessor of Great Bounty.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

sixth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of men is
Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and
tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.
The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the
books of the world cannot contain its inner significance. Were mankind
to be adorned with this raiment, they would behold the day-star of the
utterance, ‘On that day God will satisfy everyone out of His
abundance,’16 shining
resplendent above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of
this utterance; it is a noble fruit that the Tree of the Pen of Glory
hath yielded. Happy is the man that giveth ear unto it and observeth its
precepts. Verily I say, whatever is sent down from the heaven of the
Will of God is the means for the establishment of order in the world and
the instrument for promoting unity and fellowship among its peoples.
Thus hath the Tongue of this Wronged One spoken from His Most Great
Prison.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

seventh leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O ye men of wisdom among
nations! Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix your gaze upon unity.
Cleave tenaciously unto that which will lead to the well-being and
tranquillity of all mankind. This span of earth is but one homeland and
one habitation. It behoveth you to abandon vainglory which causeth
alienation and to set your hearts on whatever will ensure harmony. In
the estimation of the people of Bahá man’s glory lieth in his knowledge,
his upright conduct, his praiseworthy character, his wisdom, and not in
his nationality or rank. O people of the earth! Appreciate the value of
this heavenly word. Indeed it may be likened unto a ship for the ocean
of knowledge and a shining luminary for the realm of perception.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

eighth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: Schools must first
train the children in the principles of religion, so that the Promise
and the Threat recorded in the Books of God may prevent them from the
things forbidden and adorn them with the mantle of the commandments; but
this in such a measure that it may not injure the children by resulting
in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry.

It is incumbent upon the Trustees of the House of Justice to take
counsel together regarding those things which have not outwardly been
revealed in the Book, and to enforce that which is agreeable to them.
God will verily inspire them with whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily,
is the Provider, the Omniscient.

We have formerly ordained that people should converse in two
languages, yet efforts must be made to reduce them to one, likewise the
scripts of the world, that men’s lives may not be dissipated and wasted
in learning divers languages. Thus the whole earth would come to be
regarded as one city and one land.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

ninth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: In all matters moderation is
desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of
evil. Consider the civilization of the West, how it hath agitated and
alarmed the peoples of the world. An infernal engine hath been devised,
and hath proved so cruel a weapon of destruction that its like none hath
ever witnessed or heard. The purging of such deeply-rooted and
overwhelming corruptions cannot be effected unless the peoples of the
world unite in pursuit of one common aim and embrace one universal
faith. Incline your ears unto the Call of this Wronged One and adhere
firmly to the Lesser Peace.

Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are hidden
from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of
changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and their contamination would
prove lethal. Great God! We have observed an amazing thing. Lightning or
a force similar to it is controlled by an operator and moveth at his
command. Immeasurably exalted is the Lord of Power Who hath laid bare
that which He purposed through the potency of His weighty and invincible
command.

O people of Bahá! Each one of the ordinances We have revealed is a
mighty stronghold for the preservation of the world of being. Verily,
this Wronged One desireth naught but your security and elevation.

We exhort the men of the House of Justice and command them to ensure
the protection and safeguarding of men, women and children. It is
incumbent upon them to have the utmost regard for the interests of the
people at all times and under all conditions. Blessed is the ruler who
succoureth the captive, and the rich one who careth for the poor, and
the just one who secureth from the wrong doer the rights of the
downtrodden, and happy the trustee who observeth that which the
Ordainer, the Ancient of Days hath prescribed unto him.

O Ḥaydar-‘Alí! Upon thee be My glory and My praise. My counsels and
admonitions have compassed the world. Yet, instead of imparting joy and
gladness they have caused grief, because some of those who claim to love
Me have waxed haughty and have inflicted upon Me such tribulations as
neither the followers of former religions nor the divines of Persia did
ever inflict.

We have said: ‘My imprisonment doeth Me no harm, nor do the things
that have befallen Me at the hands of My enemies. That which harmeth Me
is the conduct of my loved ones who, though they bear My name, yet
commit that which maketh My heart and My pen to lament.’ Such utterances
as these have again and again been revealed, yet the heedless have
failed to profit thereby, since they are captive to their own evil
passions and corrupt desires. Beseech thou the One true God that He may
enable everyone to repent and return unto Him. So long as one’s nature
yieldeth unto evil passions, crime and transgression will prevail. We
cherish the hope that the hand of divine power and the outpouring of
heavenly blessings may sustain all men, may attire them with the vesture
of forgiveness and bounty and guard them against that which would harm
His Cause among His servants. He is, in truth, the Potent, the
All-Powerful, and He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

tenth leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of the earth!
Living in seclusion or practising asceticism is not acceptable in the
presence of God. It behoveth them that are endued with insight and
understanding to observe that which will cause joy and radiance. Such
practices as are sprung from the loins of idle fancy or are begotten of
the womb of superstition ill beseem men of knowledge. In former times
and more recently some people have been taking up their abodes in the
caves of the mountains while others have repaired to graveyards at
night. Say, give ear unto the counsels of this Wronged One. Abandon the
things current amongst you and adopt that which the faithful Counsellor
biddeth you. Deprive not yourselves of the bounties which have been
created for your sake.

Charity is pleasing and praiseworthy in the sight of God and is
regarded as a prince among goodly deeds. Consider ye and call to mind
that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’án: ‘They prefer
them before themselves, though poverty be their own lot. And with such
as are preserved from their own covetousness shall it be well.’17 Viewed in this light, the
blessed utterance above is, in truth, the day-star of utterances.
Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself. Verily, such a
man is reckoned, by virtue of the Will of God, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise, with the people of Bahá who dwell in the Crimson Ark.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the

eleventh leaf

of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: We enjoin upon them that are
the emblems of His names and attributes to firmly adhere henceforth unto
that which hath been set forth in this Most Great Revelation, not to
allow themselves to become the cause of strife, and, until the end that
knoweth no end, to keep their eyes directed towards the dayspring of
these resplendent words which have been recorded in this Tablet. Strife
leads to bloodshed and provokes commotion amongst people. Hearken ye
unto the Voice of this Wronged One and deviate not therefrom.

Were anyone to ponder in his heart that which hath, in this
Revelation, streamed forth from the Pen of Glory, he would be assured
that whatever this Wronged One hath affirmed He hath had no intention of
establishing any position or distinction for Himself. The purpose hath
rather been to attract the souls, through the sublimity of His words,
unto the summit of transcendent glory and to endow them with the
capacity of perceiving that which will purge and purify the peoples of
the world from the strife and dissension which religious differences
provoke. Unto this bear witness My heart, My Pen, My inner and My outer
Being. God grant that all men may turn unto the treasuries latent within
their own beings.

O people of Bahá! The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the
power of reflection. Make ye every effort that out of this ideal mine
there may gleam forth such pearls of wisdom and utterance as will
promote the well-being and harmony of all the kindreds of the earth.

Under all conditions, whether in adversity or at ease, whether
honoured or afflicted, this Wronged One hath directed all men to show
forth love, affection, compassion and harmony. And yet whenever there
was any slight evidence of progress and advancement, those concealed
behind the veils would sally forth and utter calumnies more wounding
than the sword. They cling unto misleading and reprehensible words and
suffer themselves to be deprived of the ocean of verses revealed by
God.

If these obstructing veils had not intervened Persia would, in some
two years, have been subdued through the power of utterance, the
position of both the government and the people would have been raised
and the Supreme Goal, unveiled and unconcealed, would have appeared in
the plenitude of glory. In short, sometimes in explicit language, at
other times by allusion, We said whatever had to be said. Thus, once
Persia had been rehabilitated, the sweet savours of the Word of God
would have wafted over all countries, inasmuch as that which hath
streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen is conducive to the glory, the
advancement and education of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
Indeed it is the sovereign remedy for every disease, could they but
comprehend and perceive it.

Recently the Afnáns and Amín—upon them be My glory and
loving-kindness—attained Our presence and beheld Our countenance;
likewise Nabíl, the son of Nabíl and the son of Samandar—upon them rest
the glory of God and His loving-kindness—are present and have drunk the
cup of reunion. We entreat God that He may graciously ordain for them
the good of this world and of the next and that the outpouring of His
blessings and grace may descend upon them from the heaven of His
generosity and the clouds of His tender compassion. Verily of those who
show mercy He is the Most Merciful, and He is the Gracious, the
Beneficent.

O Ḥaydar-‘Alí! Thine other letter which thou hadst forwarded through
him who beareth the title of Júd18 (Bounty)
hath reached Our holy court. Praised be God! It was adorned with the
light of divine unity and of detachment and was ablaze with the fire of
love and affection. Pray thou unto God that He may grant keenness to the
eyes and illumine them with a new light, perchance they may perceive
that which hath no parallel nor peer.

In this day the verses of the Mother Book are resplendent and
unmistakable even as the sun. They can in no wise be mistaken for any of
the past or more recent utterances. Truly this Wronged One desireth not
to demonstrate His Own Cause with proofs produced by others. He is the
One Who embraceth all things, while all else besides Him is
circumscribed. Say, O people, peruse that which is current amongst you
and We will peruse what pertaineth unto Us. I swear by God! Neither the
praise of the peoples of the world, nor the things that the kindreds of
the earth possess are worthy of mention before the remembrance of His
Name. Unto this beareth witness He Who under all conditions proclaimeth,
‘Verily He is God, the sovereign Ruler of the Day of Reckoning and the
Lord of the mighty Throne.’

Glorified be God! One wondereth by what proof or reason the
disbelievers among the people of the Bayán have turned away from the
Lord of being. In truth the station of this Revelation transcendeth the
station of whatever hath been manifested in the past or will be made
manifest in the future.

Were the Point of the Bayán present in this day and should He, God
forbid, hesitate to acknowledge this Cause, then the very blessed words
which have streamed forth from the wellspring of His Own Bayán would
apply to Him. He saith, and His word is the truth, ‘Lawful is it for Him
Whom God will make manifest to reject him who is the greatest on earth.’
Say, O ye that are bereft of understanding! Today that Most Exalted
Being is proclaiming: ‘Verily, verily, I am the first to adore Him.’ How
shallow is the fund of men’s knowledge and how feeble their power of
perception. Our Pen of Glory beareth witness to their abject poverty and
to the wealth of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Lauded and glorified is He Who hath called the creation into being.
He is the sovereign Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The Mother Book
is revealed and the Lord of Bounty is established upon the most blessed
seat of glory. The Dawn hath broken, yet the people understand not. The
signs have been ushered in, while He Who hath revealed them is
overwhelmed with manifest sorrow. Indeed I have endured that which hath
caused the world of existence to lament.

Say: O Yaḥyá (Azal), produce a single verse, if thou dost possess
divinely-inspired knowledge. These words were formerly spoken by My
Herald Who at this hour proclaimeth: ‘Verily, verily, I am the first to
adore Him.’ Be fair, O My brother. Art thou able to express thyself when
brought face to face with the billowing ocean of Mine utterance? Canst
thou unloose thy tongue when confronted with the shrill voice of My Pen?
Hast thou any power before the revelations of Mine omnipotence? Judge
thou fairly, I adjure thee by God, and call to mind when thou didst
stand in the presence of this Wronged One and We dictated to thee the
verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Beware lest the
source of falsehood withhold thee from the manifest Truth.

O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon My countenance! Say: O ye
heedless ones! By reason of a droplet ye have deprived yourselves of the
ocean of heavenly verses and for the sake of an insignificant atom ye
have shut yourselves out from the splendours of the Day-Star of Truth.
Who else but Bahá hath the power to speak forth before the face of
mankind? Judge ye fairly and be not of the unjust. Through Him the
oceans have surged, the mysteries have been divulged and the trees have
lifted up their voices exclaiming: The kingdoms of earth and heaven are
God’s, the Revealer of signs, the Fountainhead of clear tokens. Peruse
ye the Persian Bayán revealed by Him Who heralded this Revelation and
look at it with the eye of fairness. Verily He will guide you aright to
His Path. At this moment He proclaimeth that which His tongue had
formerly uttered when He was seated upon the throne of His most exalted
Name.

Thou hast made mention of the loved ones in those regions. Praised be
God, each one of them attained the honour of being remembered by the
True One—exalted is His glory—and the names of them, one and all, flowed
from the Tongue of Grandeur in the kingdom of utterance. Great indeed is
their blessedness and happiness, inasmuch as they have drunk the choice
wine of revelation and inspiration from the hand of their Lord, the
Compassionate, the Merciful. We beseech God to strengthen them to
manifest inflexible constancy and to summon to their aid the hosts of
wisdom and utterance. He is in truth the Mighty, the Omnipotent. Convey
my greetings to them and give them the joyful tidings that the Day-Star
of remembrance hath dawned and shed its radiance from above the horizon
of the bountiful favours of their Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the
All-Merciful.

Thou hast mentioned Ḥusayn. We have attired his temple with the robe
of forgiveness and adorned his head with the crown of pardon. It
beseemeth him to pride himself among all men upon this resplendent, this
radiant and manifest bounty. Say: Be not despondent. After the
revelation of this blessed verse it is as though thou hast been born
anew from thy mother’s womb. Say: Thou art free from sin and error.
Truly God hath purged thee with the living waters of His utterance in
His Most Great Prison. We entreat Him—blessed and exalted is He—to
graciously confirm thee in extolling Him and in magnifying His glory and
to strengthen thee through the power of His invisible hosts. Verily, He
is the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

Thou hast made mention of the people of Tár.19 We have set Our face toward the
servants of God therein and advise them first to consider that which the
Point of the Bayán hath revealed concerning this Revelation whereby all
names and titles have been shaken, the idols of vain imaginings have
crumbled and the Tongue of Grandeur hath, from the realm of glory,
proclaimed: By the righteousness of God! The Hidden Treasure, the
Impenetrable Mystery, hath been uncovered to men’s eyes, causing all
things, whether of the past or of the future, to rejoice. He hath said,
and His word is the truth: ‘Of all the tributes I have paid to Him Who
is to come after Me, the greatest is this, My written confession, that
no words of Mine can adequately describe Him, nor can any reference to
Him in My Book, the Bayán, do justice to His Cause.’

Moreover We counsel them to observe justice, equity, honesty, piety
and that whereby both the Word of God and their own station will be
exalted amongst men. Verily I am the One Who exhorteth with justice.
Unto this beareth witness He from Whose Pen rivers of mercy have flowed
and from Whose utterance fountains of living waters have streamed forth
unto all created things. Immeasurably exalted is this boundless grace;
immensely blessed is this resplendent favour.

O people of Tár! Give ear unto the Call of Him Who doeth whatsoever
He willeth. In truth He remindeth you of that which will draw you nigh
unto God, the Lord of the worlds. He hath turned His face towards you
from the Prison of Akká and hath revealed for your sakes what will
immortalize your memory and your names in the Book which cannot be
effaced and remaineth unaffected by the doubts of the froward. Cast away
the things current amongst men and take fast hold on that whereunto ye
are bidden by virtue of the Will of the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
This is the Day wherein the divine Lote-Tree calleth aloud, saying: O
people! Behold ye My fruits and My leaves, incline then your ears unto
My rustling. Beware lest the doubts of men debar you from the light of
certitude. The Ocean of utterance exclaimeth and saith: ‘O ye dwellers
on the earth! Behold My billowing waters and the pearls of wisdom and
utterance which I have poured forth. Fear ye God and be not of the
heedless.’

In this Day a great festival is taking place in the Realm above; for
whatsoever was promised in the sacred Scriptures hath been fulfilled.
This is the Day of great rejoicing. It behoveth everyone to hasten
towards the court of His nearness with exceeding joy, gladness,
exultation and delight and to deliver himself from the fire of
remoteness.

O people of Tár! Through the strengthening power of My Name seize ye
the chalice of knowledge, drink then your fill in defiance of the people
of the world who have broken the Covenant of God and His Testament,
rejected His proofs and clear tokens, and cavilled at His signs which
have pervaded all that are in heaven and on earth.

The disbelievers among the people of the Bayán are like the followers
of the Shí’ih sect and walk in their footsteps. Leave them to their idle
fancies and vain imaginings. They are in truth accounted with the lost
in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Shí’ih divines,
one and all, are now engaged in reviling and denouncing the True One
from their pulpits. Gracious God! Dawlat-Ábádí20 too
hath followed suit. He ascended the pulpit and gave voice to that which
hath caused the Tablet to cry out in anguish and the Pen to wail.
Meditate upon his conduct and the conduct of Ashraf21—upon him be My glory and My
tender mercy—and likewise consider those loved ones who hastened to the
place of martyrdom in My Name, and offered up their lives in the path of
Him Who is the Desire of the world.

The Cause is manifest, it shineth resplendent as the sun, but the
people have become veils unto themselves. We entreat God that He may
graciously assist them to return unto Him. He is, in truth, the
Forgiving, the Merciful.

O people of Tár! We send you greetings from this Spot and beseech
God—blessed and exalted is He—to give you to drink the choice wine of
constancy from the hand of His favour. Verily, He is the Lord of Bounty,
the Gracious, the All-Praised. Leave ye unto themselves the immature
ones of the world—they that are moved by selfish desire and cling to the
exponents of idle fancy. Verily He is your Helper and Succourer. He is,
in truth, potent to do whatsoever He willeth. No God is there but Him,
the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Most Great.

May glory from Our presence rest upon those who have set their faces
toward the Dayspring of His Revelation and have acknowledged and
recognized that which the Tongue of utterance hath spoken in the kingdom
of knowledge in this blessed, this glorious and incomparable Day.

LAWḤ-I-DUNYÁ (Tablet of the World)

In My Name, calling aloud in the Kingdom of Utterance

Praise and thanksgiving
beseem the Lord of manifest dominion Who hath adorned the mighty prison
with the presence of their honours ‘Alí-Akbar and Amín, and hath
illumined it with the light of certitude, constancy and assurance.22
The glory of God and the glory of all that are in the heavens and on the
earth be upon them.

Light and glory, greeting and praise be upon the Hands of His Cause,
through whom the light of fortitude hath shone forth and the truth hath
been established that the authority to choose rests with God, the
Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained, through whom the ocean of
bounty hath surged and the fragrance of the gracious favours of God, the
Lord of mankind, hath been diffused. We beseech Him—exalted is He—to
shield them through the power of His hosts, to protect them through the
potency of His dominion and to aid them through His indomitable strength
which prevaileth over all created things. Sovereignty is God’s, the
Creator of the heavens and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names.

The Great Announcement proclaimeth: O people of Persia! In former
times ye have been the symbols of mercy and the embodiments of affection
and kindliness. The regions of the world were illumined and embellished
by the brightness of the light of your knowledge and by the blaze of
your erudition. How is it that you have arisen to destroy yourselves and
your friends with your own hands?

O Afnán, O thou that has branched from Mine ancient Stock! My glory
and My loving-kindness rest upon thee. How vast is the tabernacle of the
Cause of God! It hath overshadowed all the peoples and kindreds of the
earth, and will, ere long, gather together the whole of mankind beneath
its shelter. Thy day of service is now come. Countless Tablets bear the
testimony of the bounties vouchsafed unto thee. Arise for the triumph of
My Cause, and, through the power of thine utterance, subdue the hearts
of men. Thou must show forth that which will ensure the peace and the
well-being of the miserable and the downtrodden. Gird up the loins of
thine endeavour, that perchance thou mayest release the captive from his
chains, and enable him to attain unto true liberty.

Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth
beneath the yoke of oppression. The thick clouds of tyranny have
darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its peoples. Through the
movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent
Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into
every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of
this world-wide regeneration. This is the most great, the most joyful
tidings imparted by the Pen of this Wronged One to mankind. Wherefore
fear ye, O My well-beloved ones? Who is it that can dismay you? A touch
of moisture sufficeth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which this
perverse generation is moulded. The mere act of your gathering together
is enough to scatter the forces of these vain and worthless people.

Strife and conflict befit the beasts of the wild. It was through the
grace of God and with the aid of seemly words and praiseworthy deeds
that the unsheathed swords of the Bábí community were returned to their
scabbards. Indeed through the power of good words, the righteous have
always succeeded in winning command over the meads of the hearts of men.
Say, O ye loved ones! Do not forsake prudence. Incline your hearts to
the counsels given by the Most Exalted Pen and beware lest your hands or
tongues cause harm unto anyone among mankind.

Referring to the land of Tá (Ṭihrán) We have revealed in the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas that which will admonish mankind. They that perpetrate
tyranny in the world have usurped the rights of the peoples and kindreds
of the earth and are sedulously pursuing their selfish inclinations. The
tyrant23 of the land of Yá (Yazd), committed
that which hath caused the Concourse on High to shed tears of blood.

O thou who hast quaffed from the wine of Mine utterance and hast
fixed thy gaze upon the horizon of My Revelation! How strange that the
people of Persia, who were unrivalled in sciences and arts, should have
sunk to the lowest level of degradation among the kindreds of the earth.
O people! In this blessed, this glorious Day, deprive not yourselves of
the liberal effusions of bounty which the Lord of abounding grace hath
vouchsafed unto you. In this Day showers of wisdom and utterance are
pouring down from the clouds of divine mercy. Well is it with them who
judge His Cause with fairness, and woe betide the unjust.

Every man of insight will, in this day, readily admit that the
counsels which the Pen of this Wronged One hath revealed constitute the
supreme animating power for the advancement of the world and the
exaltation of its peoples. Arise, O people, and, by the power of God’s
might, resolve to gain the victory over your own selves, that haply the
whole earth may be freed and sanctified from its servitude to the gods
of its idle fancies—gods that have inflicted such loss upon, and are
responsible for the misery of their wretched worshippers. These idols
form the obstacle that impedeth man in his efforts to advance in the
path of perfection. We cherish the hope that the Hand of divine power
may lend its assistance to mankind and deliver it from its state of
grievous abasement.

In one of the Tablets these words have been revealed: O people of
God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be
fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and
sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through
pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behaviour.
Valiant acts will ensure the triumph of this Cause, and a saintly
character will reinforce its power. Cleave unto righteousness, O people
of Bahá! This, verily, is the commandment which this Wronged One hath
given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained Will for every
one of you.

O friends! It behoveth you to refresh and revive your souls through
the gracious favours which in this Divine, this soul-stirring Springtime
are being showered upon you. The Day-Star of His great glory hath shed
its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have
overshadowed you. How high the reward of him that hath not deprived
himself of so great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of his
Best-Beloved in this, His new attire. Watch over yourselves, for the
Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against
his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing
God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your
vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The
Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual
progress of the children of men.

It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto
whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all
nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the verses
which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and
unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have
erewhile declared—and Our Word is the truth—: ‘Consort with the
followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.’
Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath
caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the
revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven
of God’s Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and
of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which
is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human
race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the
peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most
potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the
All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed:
‘Love of one’s country is an element of the Faith of God.’ The Tongue of
Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: ‘It
is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the
world.’ Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a
fresh impulse and set a new direction to the birds of men’s hearts, and
hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God’s
holy Book.

This Wronged One hath forbidden the people of God to engage in
contention or conflict and hath exhorted them to righteous deeds and
praiseworthy character. In this day the hosts that can ensure the
victory of the Cause are those of goodly conduct and saintly character.
Blessed are they who firmly adhere unto them and woe betide such as turn
away therefrom.

O people of God! I admonish you to observe courtesy, for above all
else it is the prince of virtues. Well is it with him who is illumined
with the light of courtesy and is attired with the vesture of
uprightness. Whoso is endued with courtesy hath indeed attained a
sublime station. It is hoped that this Wronged One and everyone else may
be enabled to acquire it, hold fast unto it, observe it, and fix our
gaze upon it. This is a binding command which hath streamed forth from
the Pen of the Most Great Name.

This is the day when the gems of constancy that lie hid in the mine
of men’s inner selves should be made manifest. O people of Justice! Be
as brilliant as the light and as splendid as the fire that blazed in the
Burning Bush. The brightness of the fire of your love will no doubt fuse
and unify the contending peoples and kindreds of the earth, whilst the
fierceness of the flame of enmity and hatred cannot but result in strife
and ruin. We beseech God that He may shield His creatures from the evil
designs of His enemies. He verily hath power over all things.

All praise be to the one true God—exalted be His glory—inasmuch as He
hath, through the Pen of the Most High, unlocked the doors of men’s
hearts. Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is a bright and shining
portal that discloseth the glories of a saintly and pious life, of pure
and stainless deeds. The summons and the message which We gave were
never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only.
Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been
revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto
true liberty. The whole earth is illuminated with the resplendent glory
of God’s Revelation. In the year sixty He Who heralded the light of
Divine Guidance—may all creation be a sacrifice unto Him—arose to
announce a fresh revelation of the Divine Spirit, and was followed,
twenty years later, by Him through Whose coming the world was made the
recipient of this promised glory, this wondrous favour. Behold how the
generality of mankind hath been endued with the capacity to hearken unto
God’s most exalted Word—the Word upon which must depend the gathering
together and spiritual resurrection of all men.

Whilst in the Prison of Akká, We revealed in the Crimson Book that
which is conducive to the advancement of mankind and to the
reconstruction of the world. The utterances set forth therein by the Pen
of the Lord of creation include the following which constitute the
fundamental principles for the administration of the affairs of men:

First: It is incumbent upon the ministers of the House of Justice to
promote the Lesser Peace so that the people of the earth may be relieved
from the burden of exorbitant expenditures. This matter is imperative
and absolutely essential, inasmuch as hostilities and conflict lie at
the root of affliction and calamity.

Second: Languages must be reduced to one common language to be taught
in all the schools of the world.

Third: It behoveth man to adhere tenaciously unto that which will
promote fellowship, kindliness and unity.

Fourth: Everyone, whether man or woman, should hand over to a trusted
person a portion of what he or she earneth through trade, agriculture or
other occupation, for the training and education of children, to be
spent for this purpose with the knowledge of the Trustees of the House
of Justice.

Fifth: Special regard must be paid to agriculture. Although it hath
been mentioned in the fifth place, unquestionably it precedeth the
others. Agriculture is highly developed in foreign lands, however in
Persia it hath so far been grievously neglected. It is hoped that His
Majesty the Sháh—may God assist him by His grace—will turn his attention
to this vital and important matter.

Were men to strictly observe that which the Pen of the Most High hath
revealed in the Crimson Book, they could then well afford to dispense
with the regulations which prevail in the world. Certain exhortations
have repeatedly streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High that
perchance the manifestations of power and the dawning-places of might
may, sometime, be enabled to enforce them. Indeed, were sincere seekers
to be found, every emanation of God’s pervasive and irresistible Will
would, for the sake of His love, be revealed. But where are to be found
earnest seekers and inquiring minds? Whither are gone the equitable and
the fair-minded? At present no day passeth without the fire of a fresh
tyranny blazing fiercely, or the sword of a new aggression being
unsheathed. Gracious God! The great and the noble in Persia glory in
acts of such savagery that one is lost in amazement at the tales
thereof.

Day and night this Wronged One yieldeth thanks and praise unto the
Lord of men, for it is witnessed that the words of counsel and
exhortation We uttered have proved effective and that this people hath
evinced such character and conduct as are acceptable in Our sight. This
is affirmed by virtue of the event which hath truly cheered the eye of
the world, and is none other than the intercession of the friends with
the high authorities in favour of their enemies. Indeed one’s righteous
deeds testify to the truth of one’s words. We cherish the hope that men
of piety may illumine the world through the radiant light of their
conduct, and We entreat the Almighty—glorified and exalted is He—to
grant that everyone may in this Day remain steadfast in His love and
stand firm in His Cause. He is, in truth, the Protector of those who are
wholly devoted to Him and observe His precepts.

O people of God! Countless are the realms which Our Pen of Glory hath
revealed and manifold the eyes to which it hath imparted true
enlightenment. Yet most of the people in Persia continue to be deprived
of the benefits of profitable counsels and remain sorely lacking in
useful sciences and arts. Formerly these sublime words were especially
revealed by the Pen of Glory in honour of one of the faithful, that
perchance those that have gone astray may embrace the Truth and become
acquainted with the subtleties of the Law of God.

The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four
things: first, the shedding of blood; second, the burning of books;
third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the
extermination of other communities and groups. Now however, through the
strengthening grace and potency of the Word of God these four barriers
have been demolished, these clear injunctions have been obliterated from
the Tablet and brutal dispositions have been transmuted into spiritual
attributes. Exalted is His purpose; glorified is His power; magnified is
His dominion! Now let us beseech God—praised be His glory—to graciously
guide aright the followers of the Shí’ih sect and to purge them of
unseemly conduct. From the lips of the members of this sect foul
imprecations fall unceasingly, while they invoke the word ‘Mal’ún’
(accursed)—uttered with a guttural sound of the letter ‘ayn—as their
daily relish.

O God my God! Thou hearest the sighing of Him Who is Thy Light
(Bahá), hearkenest unto His lamentations in the daytime and in the night
season and knowest that He desireth naught for Himself but rather
seeketh to sanctify the souls of Thy servants and to deliver them from
the fire with which they are beset at all times. O Lord! The hands of
Thy well-favoured servants are raised towards the heaven of Thy bounty
and those of Thy sincere lovers are lifted up to the sublime heights of
Thy generosity. Disappoint them not, I entreat Thee, in that which they
seek from the ocean of Thy favour and from the heaven of Thy grace and
the day-star of Thy bounty. Aid them, O Lord, to acquire such virtues as
will exalt their stations among the peoples of the world. Verily Thou
art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Most Generous.

O people of God! Give ear unto that which, if heeded, will ensure the
freedom, well-being, tranquillity, exaltation and advancement of all
men. Certain laws and principles are necessary and indispensable for
Persia. However, it is fitting that these measures should be adopted in
conformity with the considered views of His Majesty—may God aid him
through His grace—and of the learned divines and of the high-ranking
rulers. Subject to their approval a place should be fixed where they
would meet. There they should hold fast to the cord of consultation and
adopt and enforce that which is conducive to the security, prosperity,
wealth and tranquillity of the people. For were any measure other than
this to be adopted, it could not but result in chaos and commotion.

According to the fundamental laws which We have formerly revealed in
the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and other Tablets, all affairs are committed to the
care of just kings and presidents and of the Trustees of the House of
Justice. Having pondered on that which We have enunciated, every man of
equity and discernment will readily perceive, with his inner and outer
eyes, the splendours of the day-star of justice which radiate
therefrom.

The system of government which the British people have adopted in
London appeareth to be good, for it is adorned with the light of both
kingship and of the consultation of the people.

In formulating the principles and laws a part hath been devoted to
penalties which form an effective instrument for the security and
protection of men. However, dread of the penalties maketh people desist
only outwardly from committing vile and contemptible deeds, while that
which guardeth and restraineth man both outwardly and inwardly hath been
and still is the fear of God. It is man’s true protector and his
spiritual guardian. It behoveth him to cleave tenaciously unto that
which will lead to the appearance of this supreme bounty. Well is it
with him who giveth ear unto whatsoever My Pen of Glory hath proclaimed
and observeth that whereunto he is bidden by the Ordainer, the Ancient
of Days.

Incline your hearts, O people of God, unto the counsels of your true,
your incomparable Friend. The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling,
whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men. It is incumbent
upon you to foster its growth through the living waters of wisdom, of
sanctified and holy words, so that its root may become firmly fixed and
its branches may spread out as high as the heavens and beyond.

O ye that dwell on earth! The distinguishing feature that marketh the
pre-eminent character of this Supreme Revelation consisteth in that We
have, on the one hand, blotted out from the pages of God’s holy Book
whatsoever hath been the cause of strife, of malice and mischief amongst
the children of men, and have, on the other, laid down the essential
prerequisites of concord, of understanding, of complete and enduring
unity. Well is it with them that keep My statutes.

Time and again have We admonished Our beloved ones to avoid, nay to
flee from, anything whatsoever from which the odour of mischief can be
detected. The world is in great turmoil, and the minds of its people are
in a state of utter confusion. We entreat the Almighty that He may
graciously illuminate them with the glory of His Justice, and enable
them to discover that which will be profitable unto them at all times
and under all conditions. He, verily is the All-Possessing, the Most
High.

We have ere this uttered these sublime words: Let them that bear
allegiance to this Wronged One be even as a raining cloud in moments of
charity and benevolence and as a blazing fire in restraining their base
and appetitive natures.

Gracious God! A thing hath recently happened which caused great
astonishment. It is reported that a certain person24 went to the seat of the imperial throne in Persia and
succeeded in winning the good graces of some of the nobility by his
ingratiating behaviour. How pitiful indeed, how deplorable! One
wondereth why those who have been the symbols of highest glory should
now stoop to boundless shame. What is become of their high resolve?
Whither is gone the sense of dignity and honour? The sun of glory and
wisdom hath unceasingly been shining above the horizon of Persia, but
nowadays it hath sunk to such a low level that certain dignitaries have
allowed themselves to be treated as playthings in the hands of the
foolish. The aforesaid person hath written such things concerning this
people in the Egyptian press and in the Beirut Encyclopedia that the
well-informed and the learned were astonished. He proceeded then to
Paris where he published a newspaper entitled Urvatu’l-Vuthqá [The Sure
Handle] and sent copies thereof to all parts of the world. He also sent
a copy to the Prison of Akká, and by so doing he meant to show affection
and to make amends for his past actions. In short, this Wronged One hath
observed silence in regard to him. We entreat God, the True One, to
protect him and to shed upon him the light of justice and fairness. It
behoveth him to say:

O God my God! Thou seest me standing before the door of Thy
forgiveness and benevolence, turning my gaze toward the horizon of Thy
bountiful favours and manifold blessings. I beg of Thee by Thy sweet
accents and by the shrill voice of Thy Pen, O Lord of all mankind, to
graciously aid Thy servants as it befitteth Thy days and beseemeth the
glory of Thy manifestation and Thy majesty. Verily potent art Thou to do
whatsoever Thou willest. All they that dwell in the heavens and on the
earth bear witness to Thy power and Thy might, to Thy glory and Thy
bounteousness. Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the
Well-Beloved of the heart of every man of understanding!

Thou beholdest, O my God, the essence of poverty seeking the ocean of
Thy wealth and the substance of iniquity yearning for the waters of Thy
forgiveness and Thy tender mercy. Grant Thou, O my God, that which
beseemeth Thy great glory and befitteth the loftiness of Thy boundless
grace. Thou art in truth the All-Bountiful, the Lord of grace abounding,
the Ordainer, the All-Wise. No God is there but Thee, the Most Powerful,
the All-Compelling, the Omnipotent.

O people of God! In this day everyone should fix his eyes upon the
horizon of these blessed words: ‘Alone and unaided He doeth whatsoever
He pleaseth.’ Whoso attaineth this station hath verily attained the
light of the essential unity of God and is enlightened thereby, while
all others are reckoned in the Book of God among the followers of idle
fancy and vain imagination. Incline your ears to the Voice of this
Wronged One and safeguard the integrity of your stations. It is highly
necessary and imperative that everyone should observe this matter.

Unveiled and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at all times,
proclaimed before the face of all the peoples of the world that which
will serve as the key for unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of
knowledge, of well-being, of prosperity and wealth. Neither have the
wrongs inflicted by the oppressors succeeded in silencing the shrill
voice of the Most Exalted Pen, nor have the doubts of the perverse or of
the seditious been able to hinder Him from revealing the Most Sublime
Word. I earnestly beseech God that He may protect and purge the people
of Bahá from the idle fancies and corrupt imaginings of the followers of
the former Faith.

O people of God! Righteous men of learning who dedicate themselves to
the guidance of others and are freed and well guarded from the
promptings of a base and covetous nature are, in the sight of Him Who is
the Desire of the world, stars of the heaven of true knowledge. It is
essential to treat them with deference. They are indeed fountains of
soft-flowing water, stars that shine resplendent, fruits of the blessed
Tree, exponents of celestial power, and oceans of heavenly wisdom. Happy
is he that followeth them. Verily such a soul is numbered in the Book of
God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, among those with whom it shall be
well.

The glory which proceedeth from God, the Lord of the Throne on High
and of the earth below, rest upon you, O people of Bahá, O ye the
companions of the Crimson Ark, and upon such as have inclined their ears
to your sweet voices and have observed that whereunto they are bidden in
this mighty and wondrous Tablet.

ISHRÁQÁT (Splendours)

This is the Epistle of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of wisdom and utterance.

Praise be unto God,
incomparable in majesty, power and beauty, peerless in glory, might and
grandeur; too high is He for human imaginations to comprehend Him or for
any peer or equal to be ascribed unto Him. He hath clearly set forth His
straight Path in words and utterances of highest eloquence. Verily He is
the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted. When He purposed to call the new
creation into being, He sent forth the Manifest and Luminous Point from
the horizon of His Will; it passed through every sign and manifested
itself in every form until it reached the zenith, as bidden by God, the
Lord of all men.

This Point is the focal centre of the circle of Names and marketh the
culmination of the manifestations of Letters in the world of creation.
Through it have appeared indications of the impenetrable Mystery, the
adorned Symbol, He Who standeth revealed in the Most Great Name—a Name
which is recorded in the luminous Tablet and is inscribed in the holy,
the blessed, the snow-white Scroll. And when the Point was joined to the
second Letter25 which appeareth in the beginning of
the Mathání,26
it traversed the heavens of exposition and utterance. Then the eternal
Light of God shed its radiance, flared up in the midmost heart of the
firmament of testimony and produced two Luminaries. Glorified be the
Merciful One, unto Whom no allusion can be made, Whom no expression can
define, nor any assertion reveal, nor any evidence describe. He is in
truth the Ordainer, the All-Bountiful, both in the beginning and in the
end. And He provided for them protectors and defenders from among the
hosts of power and might. Verily, He is the Help in Peril, the Mighty,
the Unconstrained.

The preamble of this Epistle is being revealed twice, even as was the
Mathání27

Praise be unto God Who hath manifested the Point, hath unfolded
therefrom the knowledge of all things, whether of the past or of the
future—a Point He hath chosen to be the Herald of His Name and the
Harbinger of His Great Revelation which hath caused the limbs of all
mankind to quake and the splendour of His light to shine forth above the
horizon of the world. Verily, this is the Point which God hath ordained
to be an ocean of light for the sincere among His servants and a flame
of fire to the froward amidst His creatures and the impious among His
people—they who bartered away the gift of God for unbelief, and the
celestial food for hypocrisy, and led their associates to a wretched
abode. These are the people who have manifested sedition throughout the
world and have violated His Covenant on the Day when the immortal Being
mounted His throne and the Crier raised His Voice from the haven of
security and peace in the holy Vale.

O followers of the Bayán! Fear ye the All-Merciful. This is the One
Who hath been glorified by Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him
by the Spirit28 and yet before Him
by the One Who discoursed with God.29 This is the Point of the Bayán calling
aloud before the Throne, saying: ‘By the righteousness of God, ye have
been created to glorify this Most Great Announcement, this Perfect Way
which lay hid within the souls of the Prophets, which was treasured in
the hearts of the chosen ones of God and was written down by the
glorious Pen of your Lord, the Possessor of Names.’

Say: Die in your wrath, O malicious ones! Verily He Whose knowledge
nothing escapeth hath appeared. He Who hath caused the countenance of
divine knowledge to be wreathed in smiles is come. Through Him the
kingdom of utterance is embellished, every receptive soul hath set his
face towards the Lord of Revelations, everyone resting on his knees hath
stood up, and every indolent one hath rushed forth to attain the Sinai
of assurance. This is the Day that God hath ordained to be a blessing
unto the righteous, a retribution for the wicked, a bounty for the
faithful and a fury of His wrath for the faithless and the froward.
Verily He hath been made manifest, invested by God with invincible
sovereignty. He hath revealed that wherewith naught on the earth or in
the heavens can compare.

Fear ye the All-Merciful, O people of the Bayán, and commit not that
which the followers of the Qur’án have committed—they who in the daytime
and in the night season professed belief in the Faith of God, yet when
the Lord of all men did appear, turned aside from Him and pronounced so
cruel a sentence against Him that, on the Day of Return, the Mother Book
sorely bewailed His plight. Call ye to mind and ponder upon their deeds
and words, their stations and merits and the things they brought to pass
when He Who conversed on Sinai unloosed His tongue, when there was a
blast on the Trumpet, whereupon all that are in heaven and on earth
swooned away except such as are reckoned among the letters of
affirmation.

O people of the Bayán! Abandon your idle fancies and vain imaginings,
then with the eye of fairness look at the Dayspring of His Revelation
and consider the things He hath manifested, the words He hath divinely
revealed and the sufferings that have befallen Him at the hands of His
enemies. He is the One Who hath willingly accepted every manner of
tribulation for the proclamation of His Cause and the exaltation of His
Word. At one time He suffered imprisonment in the land of Tá (Ṭihrán),
at another in the land of Mím (Mázindarán), then once again in the
former land, for the sake of the Cause of God, the Maker of the heavens.
In His love for the Cause of God, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, He
was subjected there to chains and fetters.

O people of the Bayán! Have ye forgotten My exhortations, which My
Pen hath revealed and My tongue hath uttered? Have ye bartered away My
certitude in exchange for your idle fancies and My Way for your selfish
desires? Have ye cast away the precepts of God and His remembrance and
have ye forsaken His laws and ordinances? Fear ye God and abandon vain
imaginings to the begetters thereof and leave superstitions to the
devisers thereof and misgivings to the breeders thereof. Advance ye then
with radiant faces and stainless hearts towards the horizon above which
the Day-Star of certitude shineth resplendent at the bidding of God, the
Lord of Revelations.

Praise be unto God Who hath made the Most Great Infallibility the
shield for the temple of His Cause in the realm of creation, and hath
assigned unto no one a share of this lofty and sublime station—a station
which is a vesture which the fingers of transcendent power have woven
for His august Self. It befitteth no one except Him Who is seated upon
the mighty throne of ‘He doeth what He pleaseth’. Whoso accepteth and
recognizeth that which is written down at this moment by the Pen of
Glory is indeed reckoned in the Book of God, the Lord of the beginning
and the end, among the exponents of divine unity, they that uphold the
concept of the oneness of God.

When the stream of words reached this stage, the sweet savours of
true knowledge were shed abroad and the day-star of divine unity shone
forth above the horizon of His holy utterance. Blessed is he whom His
Call hath attracted to the summit of glory, who hath drawn nigh to the
ultimate Purpose, and who hath recognized through the shrill voice of My
Pen of Glory that which the Lord of this world and of the next hath
willed. Whoso faileth to quaff the choice wine which We have unsealed
through the potency of Our Name, the All-Compelling, shall be unable to
discern the splendours of the light of divine unity or to grasp the
essential purpose underlying the Scriptures of God, the Lord of heaven
and earth, the sovereign Ruler of this world and of the world to come.
Such a man shall be accounted among the faithless in the Book of God,
the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O thou honoured enquirer!30 We bear witness that thou didst firmly adhere unto
seemly patience during the days when the Pen was held back from movement
and the Tongue hesitated to set forth an explanation regarding the
wondrous sign, the Most Great Infallibility. Thou hast asked this
Wronged One to remove for thee its veils and coverings, to elucidate its
mystery and character, its state and position, its excellence, sublimity
and exaltation. By the life of God! Were We to unveil the pearls of
testimony which lie hid within the shells of the ocean of knowledge and
assurance or to let the beauties of divine mystery which are hidden
within the chambers of utterance in the Paradise of true understanding,
step out of their habitation, then from every direction violent
commotion would arise among the leaders of religion and thou wouldst
witness the people of God held fast in the teeth of such wolves as have
denied God both in the beginning and in the end. Therefore We restrained
the Pen for a considerable lapse of time in accordance with divine
wisdom and for the sake of protecting the faithful from those who have
bartered away heavenly blessings for disbelief and have chosen for their
people the abode of perdition.31

O thou seeker who art gifted with keen insight. I swear by Him Who
attracted the Concourse on High through the potency of His most sublime
Word! Verily, the birds abiding within the domains of My Kingdom and the
doves dwelling in the rose-garden of My wisdom utter such melodies and
warblings as are inscrutable to all but God, the Lord of the kingdoms of
earth and heaven; and were these melodies to be revealed even to an
extent smaller than a needle’s eye, the people of tyranny would utter
such calumnies as none among former generations hath ever uttered, and
would commit such deeds as no one in past ages and centuries hath ever
committed. They have rejected the bounty of God and His proofs and have
repudiated the testimony of God and His signs. They have gone astray and
have caused the people to go astray, yet perceive it not. They worship
vain imaginings but know it not. They have taken idle fancies for their
lords and have neglected God, yet understand not. They have abandoned
the most great Ocean and are hastening towards the pool, but comprehend
not. They follow their own idle fancies while turning aside from God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Say, by the righteousness of God! The All-Merciful is come invested
with power and sovereignty. Through His power the foundations of
religions have quaked and the Nightingale of Utterance hath warbled its
melody upon the highest branch of true understanding. Verily, He Who was
hidden in the knowledge of God and is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures
hath appeared. Say, this is the Day when the Speaker on Sinai hath
mounted the throne of Revelation and the people have stood before the
Lord of the worlds. This is the Day wherein the earth hath told out her
tidings and hath laid bare her treasures; when the oceans have brought
forth their pearls and the divine Lote-Tree its fruit; when the Sun hath
shed its radiance and the Moons have diffused their lights, and the
Heavens have revealed their stars, and the Hour its signs, and the
Resurrection its dreadful majesty; when the pens have unloosed their
outpourings and the spirits have laid bare their mysteries. Blessed is
the man who recognizeth Him and attaineth His presence, and woe betide
such as deny Him and turn aside from Him. I beseech God to aid His
servants to return unto Him. Verily He is the Pardoner, the Forgiving,
the Merciful.

O thou who hast set thy face towards the Realm on High and hast
quaffed My sealed wine from the hand of bounteousness! Know thou that
the term ‘Infallibility’ hath numerous meanings and divers stations. In
one sense it is applicable to the One Whom God hath made immune from
error. Similarly it is applied to every soul whom God hath guarded
against sin, transgression, rebellion, impiety, disbelief and the like.
However, the Most Great Infallibility is confined to the One Whose
station is immeasurably exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is
sanctified from errors and omissions. Indeed He is a Light which is not
followed by darkness and a Truth not overtaken by error. Were He to
pronounce water to be wine or heaven to be earth or light to be fire, He
speaketh the truth and no doubt would there be about it; and unto no one
is given the right to question His authority or to say why or wherefore.
Whosoever raiseth objections will be numbered with the froward in the
Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. ‘Verily He shall not be asked of
His doings but all others shall be asked of their doings.’32 He is come from the
invisible heaven, bearing the banner ‘He doeth whatsoever He willeth’
and is accompanied by hosts of power and authority while it is the duty
of all besides Him to strictly observe whatever laws and ordinances have
been enjoined upon them, and should anyone deviate therefrom, even to
the extent of a hair’s breadth, his work would be brought to naught.

Consider thou and call to mind the time when Muḥammad appeared. He
said, and His word is the truth: ‘Pilgrimage to the House33 is a service due to God.’34 And likewise are the daily
prayer, fasting, and the laws which shone forth above the horizon of the
Book of God, the Lord of the World and the true Educator of the peoples
and kindreds of the earth. It is incumbent upon everyone to obey Him in
whatsoever God hath ordained; and whosoever denieth Him hath disbelieved
in God, in His verses, in His Messengers and in His Books. Were He to
pronounce right to be wrong or denial to be belief, He speaketh the
truth as bidden by God. This is a station wherein sins or trespasses
neither exist nor are mentioned. Consider thou the blessed, the
divinely-revealed verse in which pilgrimage to the House is enjoined
upon everyone. It devolved upon those invested with authority after
Him35 to observe whatever had
been prescribed unto them in the Book. Unto no one is given the right to
deviate from the laws and ordinances of God. Whoso deviateth therefrom
is reckoned with the trespassers in the Book of God, the Lord of the
Mighty Throne.

O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon the Dawning-Place of the Cause of
God! Know thou for a certainty that the Will of God is not limited by
the standards of the people, and God doth not tread in their ways.
Rather is it incumbent upon everyone to firmly adhere to God’s straight
Path. Were He to pronounce the right to be the left or the south to be
the north, He speaketh the truth and there is no doubt of it. Verily He
is to be praised in His acts and to be obeyed in His behests. He hath no
associate in His judgement nor any helper in His sovereignty. He doeth
whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth. Know thou
moreover that all else besides Him have been created through the potency
of a word from His presence, while of themselves they have no motion nor
stillness, except at His bidding and by His leave.

O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of love and fellowship and hast
fixed thy gaze upon the light of the countenance of thy Lord, the King
of creation! Render thanks unto God, inasmuch as He hath unravelled for
thee that which was hidden and enshrined in His knowledge so that
everyone may become aware that within His realm of supreme infallibility
He hath not taken a partner nor a counsellor unto Himself. He is in
truth the Dayspring of divine precepts and commandments and the
Fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom, while all else besides Him are but
His subjects and under His rule, and He is the supreme Ruler, the
Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

As to thyself, whenever thou art enraptured by the vitalizing breaths
of the revealed verses and art carried away by the pure, life-giving
water proffered by the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the sovereign
Ruler of the Day of Resurrection, lift up thy voice and say:

O my God! O my God! I yield Thee thanks that Thou hast directed me
towards Thyself, hast guided me unto Thy horizon, hast clearly set forth
for me Thy Path, hast revealed to me Thy testimony and enabled me to set
my face towards Thee, while most of the doctors and divines among Thy
servants together with such as follow them have, without the least proof
or evidence from Thee, turned away from Thee. Blessing be unto Thee, O
Lord of Names, and glory be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens,
inasmuch as Thou hast, through the power of Thy Name, the
Self-Subsisting, given me to drink of Thy sealed wine, hast caused me to
draw nigh unto Thee and hast enabled me to recognize the Dayspring of
Thine utterance, the Manifestation of Thy signs, the Fountainhead of Thy
laws and commandments and the Source of Thy wisdom and bestowals.
Blessed is the land that hath been ennobled by Thy footsteps, wherein
the throne of Thy sovereignty is established and the fragrance of Thy
raiment is diffused. By Thy glory and majesty, by Thy might and power, I
desire not my sight save to behold Thy beauty, nor my hearing save to
hearken to Thy call and Thy verses.

O my God! O my God! Debar not the eyes from that for which Thou hast
created them, nor the faces from turning to Thy horizon, or from paying
homage at the portals of Thy majesty, or from appearing in the presence
of Thy throne, or from bowing down before the splendours of the Day-Star
of Thy bounty.

I am the one, O Lord, whose heart and soul, whose limbs, whose inner
and outer tongue testify to Thy unity and Thy oneness, and bear witness
that Thou art God and that there is no God but Thee. Thou didst bring
mankind into being to know Thee and to serve Thy Cause, that their
station might thereby be elevated upon Thine earth and their souls be
uplifted by virtue of the things Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures,
Thy Books and Thy Tablets. Yet no sooner didst Thou manifest Thyself and
reveal Thy signs than they turned away from Thee and repudiated Thee and
rejected that which Thou didst unveil before their eyes through the
potency of Thy might and Thy power. They rose up to inflict harm upon
Thee, to extinguish Thy light and to put out the flame that blazeth in
Thy Burning Bush. Their iniquity waxed so grievous that they conspired
to shed Thy blood and to violate Thy honour. And likewise acted he36 whom Thou hadst nurtured with
the hand of Thy loving-kindness, hadst protected from the mischief of
the rebellious among Thy creatures and the froward amidst Thy servants,
and whom Thou hadst set the task of writing Thy holy verses before Thy
throne.

Alas! Alas! for the things he perpetrated in Thy days to such an
extent that he violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, rejected Thy
holy Writ, rose up in rebellion and committed that which caused the
denizens of Thy Kingdom to lament. Then no sooner had he found his hopes
shattered and had perceived the odour of utter failure than he raised
his voice and gave tongue to that which caused Thy chosen ones, who are
nigh unto Thee, and the inmates of the pavilion of glory, to be lost in
bewilderment.

Thou seest me, O my God, writhing in anguish upon the dust, like unto
a fish. Deliver me, have mercy upon me, O Thou Whose aid is invoked by
all men, O Thou within Whose grasp lie the reins of power over all men
and women. Whenever I ponder my grievous shortcomings and my great
trespasses, despair assaileth me from every direction, and whenever I
pause to meditate upon the ocean of Thy bounteousness and the heaven of
Thy grace and the day-star of Thy tender compassion, I inhale the
fragrance of hope diffused from right and left, from north and south, as
if every created thing imparteth unto me the joyous tidings that the
clouds of the heaven of Thy mercy will pour down their rain upon me. By
Thy might, O Thou Who art the Mainstay of the sincere ones and the
Desire of them that enjoy near access unto Thee! Thy manifold favours
and blessings and the revelations of Thy grace and loving-kindness have
truly emboldened me. How, otherwise, can utter nothingness magnify the
Name of Him Who hath, by a word, brought creation into being, and how
can an evanescent creature extol Him Who hath demonstrated that no
description can ever express Him and no word of praise magnify His
glory? He hath from everlasting been immeasurably exalted above the
understanding of His creatures and sanctified from the conceptions of
His servants.

O Lord! Thou beholdest this lifeless one before Thy face; suffer him,
through Thy generosity and bountiful favour, not to be deprived of the
chalice of immortal life. And Thou seest this afflicted one standing
before Thy throne; turn him not away from the ocean of Thy healing. I
entreat Thee to enable me at all times and under all conditions to
remember Thee, to magnify Thy Name and to serve Thy Cause, though I am
well aware that whatever proceedeth from a servant cannot transcend the
limitations of his soul, nor beseem Thy Lordship, nor be worthy of the
court of Thy glory and Thy majesty.

Thy might beareth me witness! Were it not to celebrate Thy praise, my
tongue would be of no use to me, and were it not for the sake of
rendering service to Thee, my existence would avail me not. But for the
pleasure of beholding the splendours of Thy realm of glory, why should I
cherish sight? And but for the joy of giving ear to Thy most sweet
voice, of what use is hearing?

Alas! Alas! I know not, O my God, my Mainstay, my heart’s Desire,
whether Thou hast ordained for me that which shall bring solace to mine
eyes, gladden my bosom and rejoice my heart, or whether Thine
irrevocable decree, O King of eternity and the sovereign Lord of all
nations, will debar me from presenting myself before Thy throne. I swear
by Thy glory and majesty and by Thy dominion and power, the darkness of
my remoteness from Thee hath destroyed me. What hath become of the light
of Thy nearness, O Desire of every understanding heart? The tormenting
agony of separation from Thee hath consumed me. Where is the effulgent
light of Thy reunion, O Well-Beloved of such as are wholly devoted to
Thee?

Thou seest, O my God, what hath befallen me in Thy Path at the hand
of those who have denied Thy Truth, have violated Thy Covenant, cavilled
at Thy signs, rejected the blessings Thou didst vouchsafe, disbelieved
the verses Thou didst send down and have refused to acknowledge the
testimony Thou didst fulfil.

O Lord! The tongue of my tongue and the heart of my heart and the
spirit of my spirit and my outward and inmost beings bear witness to Thy
unity and Thy oneness, Thy power and Thine omnipotence, Thy grandeur and
Thy sovereignty, and attest Thy glory, loftiness and authority. I
testify that Thou art God and that there is none other God besides Thee.
From everlasting Thou hast been a treasure hidden from the sight and
minds of men and shalt continue to remain the same for ever and ever.
The powers of earth can never frustrate Thee, nor can the might of the
nations alarm Thee. Thou art the One Who hath unlocked the door of
knowledge before the faces of Thy servants that they may recognize Him
Who is the Day-Star of Thy Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thy signs,
the Heaven of Thy manifestation and the Sun of Thy divine beauty. In Thy
holy Books, in Thy Scriptures and Thy Scrolls Thou hast promised all the
peoples of the world that Thou Thyself shalt appear and shalt remove the
veils of glory from Thy face, even as Thou didst announce in Thy words
unto Thy Friend37 through Whom
the Day-Star of Revelation shone brightly above the horizon of Ḥijáz,
and the dawning light of divine Truth shed its radiance among all men,
proclaiming: ‘The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the
worlds.’38 And before
Muḥammad Thou didst impart this glad-tiding unto Him Who conversed with
Thee,39 saying: ‘Bring forth thy
people from the darkness into the light and remind them of the days of
God.’40 Moreover Thou didst
proclaim this truth unto the Spirit41 and unto Thy Prophets and Thy
Messengers, whether of the remote or more recent past. If all that which
Thou hast sent down in glorification of this Most Great Remembrance,
this Great Announcement, were to stream forth from the wellspring of Thy
most august Pen, the inmates of the cities of knowledge and
understanding would be dumbfounded, except such as Thou wouldst deliver
through the potency of Thy might and wouldst protect as a token of Thy
bountiful favour and Thy grace. I bear witness that Thou hast in truth
fulfilled Thy pledge and hast made manifest the One Whose advent was
foretold by Thy Prophets, Thy chosen ones and by them that serve Thee.
He hath come from the heaven of glory and power, bearing the banners of
Thy signs and the standards of Thy testimonies. Through the potency of
Thine indomitable power and strength, He stood up before the faces of
all men and summoned all mankind to the summit of transcendent glory and
unto the all-highest Horizon, in such wise that neither the oppression
of the ecclesiastics nor the onslaught of the rulers was able to deter
Him. He arose with inflexible resolve and, unloosing His tongue,
proclaimed in ringing tones: ‘He Who is the All-Bountiful is come,
riding aloft on the clouds. Advance, O people of the earth, with shining
faces and radiant hearts!’

Great indeed is the blessedness of him who attaineth Thy presence,
drinketh the wine of reunion proffered by the hand of Thy bounteousness,
inhaleth the fragrance of Thy signs, unlooseth his tongue in celebrating
Thy praise, soareth high in Thy heavens, is carried away by the
sweetness of Thy Voice, gaineth admittance into the most exalted
Paradise and attaineth the station of revelation and vision before the
throne of Thy majesty.

I beg of Thee by the Most Great Infallibility which Thou hast chosen
to be the dayspring of Thy Revelation, and by Thy most sublime Word
through whose potency Thou didst call the creation into being and didst
reveal Thy Cause, and by this Name which hath caused all other names to
groan aloud and the limbs of the sages to quake, I beg of Thee to make
me detached from all else save Thee, in such wise that I may move not
but in conformity with the good-pleasure of Thy Will, and speak not
except at the bidding of Thy Purpose, and hear naught save the words of
Thy praise and Thy glorification.

I magnify Thy Name, O my God, and offer thanksgiving unto Thee, O my
Desire, inasmuch as Thou hast enabled me to clearly perceive Thy
straight Path, hast unveiled Thy Great Announcement before mine eyes and
hast aided me to set my face towards the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and
the Fountainhead of Thy Cause, whilst Thy servants and Thy people turned
away from Thee. I entreat Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of eternity, by
the shrill voice of the Pen of Glory, and by the Burning Fire which
calleth aloud from the verdant Tree, and by the Ark which Thou hast
specially chosen for the people of Bahá, to grant that I may remain
steadfast in my love for Thee, be well pleased with whatsoever Thou hast
prescribed for me in Thy Book and may stand firm in Thy service and in
the service of Thy loved ones. Graciously assist then Thy servants, O my
God, to do that which will serve to exalt Thy Cause and will enable them
to observe whatsoever Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.

Verily Thou art the Lord of Strength, Thou art potent to ordain
whatsoever Thou willest and within Thy grasp Thou holdest the reins of
all created things. No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Jalíl! We have unveiled to thine eyes the sea and the waves
thereof, the sun and the radiance thereof, the heavens and the stars
thereof, the shells and the pearls thereof. Render thou thanks unto God
for so great a bounty, so gracious a favour that hath pervaded the whole
world.

O thou who hast set thy face towards the splendours of My
Countenance! Vague fancies have encompassed the dwellers of the earth
and debarred them from turning towards the Horizon of Certitude, and its
brightness, and its manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings have
withheld them from Him Who is the Self-Subsisting. They speak as
prompted by their own caprices, and understand not. Among them are those
who have said: ‘Have the verses been sent down?’ Say ‘Yea, by Him Who is
the Lord of the heavens!’ ‘Hath the Hour come?’ ‘Nay, more; it hath
passed, by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Verily, the
Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath appeared with proof and
testimony. The Plain is disclosed, and mankind is sore vexed and
fearful. Earthquakes have broken loose, and the tribes have lamented,
for fear of God, the Lord of Strength, the All-Compelling.’ Say: ‘The
stunning trumpet-blast hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God’s,
the One, the Unconstrained.’ And they say: ‘Hath the Catastrophe come to
pass?’ Say: ‘Yea, by the Lord of Lords!’ ‘Is the Resurrection come?’
‘Nay, more; He Who is the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with the Kingdom
of His signs.’ ‘Seest thou men laid low?’ ‘Yea, by my Lord, the Most
High, the Most Glorious!’ ‘Have the tree-stumps been uprooted?’ ‘Yea,
more; the mountains have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of
attributes!’ They say: ‘Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?’ Say: ‘The
one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self, O thou who dost
associate a partner with God and doubtest.’ They say: ‘We see not the
Balance.’ Say: ‘Surely, by my Lord, the God of Mercy! None can see it
except such as are endued with insight.’ They say: ‘Have the stars
fallen?’ Say: ‘Yea, when He Who is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the Land
of Mystery.42 Take heed, ye
who are endued with discernment!’ All the signs appeared when We drew
forth the Hand of Power from the bosom of majesty and might. Verily, the
Crier hath cried out, when the promised time came, and they that have
recognized the splendours of Sinai have swooned away in the wilderness
of hesitation, before the awful majesty of thy Lord, the Lord of
creation. The trumpet asketh: ‘Hath the Bugle been sounded?’ Say: ‘Yea,
by the King of Revelation! when He mounted the throne of His Name, the
All-Merciful.’ Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning light of
the mercy of thy Lord, the Source of all light. The breeze of the
All-Merciful hath wafted, and the souls have been quickened in the tombs
of their bodies. Thus hath the decree been fulfilled by God, the Mighty,
the Beneficent. They who reject the truth have said: ‘When were the
heavens cleft asunder?’ Say: ‘While ye lay in the graves of waywardness
and error.’ Among the faithless is he who rubbeth his eyes, and looketh
to the right and to the left. Say: ‘Blinded art thou. No refuge hast
thou to flee to.’ And among them is he who saith: ‘Have men been
gathered together?’ Say: ‘Yea, by My Lord! whilst thou didst lie in the
cradle of idle fancies.’ And among them is he who saith: ‘Hath the Book
been sent down through the power of the true Faith?’ Say: ‘The true
Faith itself is astounded. Fear ye, O ye men of understanding heart!’
And among them is he who saith: ‘Have I been assembled with others,
blind?’ Say: ‘Yea, by Him that rideth upon the clouds!’ Paradise is
decked with mystic roses, and hell hath been made to blaze with the fire
of the impious. Say: ‘The light hath shone forth from the horizon of
Revelation, and the whole earth hath been illumined at the coming of Him
Who is the Lord of the Day of the Covenant!’ The doubters have perished,
whilst he that turned, guided by the light of assurance, unto the
Dayspring of Certitude hath prospered. Blessed art thou, who hast fixed
thy gaze upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent down for thee—a
Tablet which causeth the souls of men to soar. Commit it to memory, and
recite it. By My life! It is a door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is it
with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn. We, verily, heard thy
praise of this Cause, through which the mountain of knowledge was
crushed, and men’s feet have slipped. My glory be upon thee and upon
whomsoever hath turned unto the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. The Tablet
is ended, but the theme is unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is
patient.

These are verses We sent down previously, and We have sent them unto
thee, that thou mayest be acquainted with what their lying tongues have
spoken, when God came unto them with might and sovereignty. The
foundations of idle fancies have trembled, and the heaven of vain
imaginings hath been cleft asunder, and yet the people are in doubt and
in contention with Him. They have denied the testimony of God and His
proof, after He came from the heaven of power with the kingdom of His
signs. They have cast away what had been prescribed, and perpetrated
what had been forbidden them in the Book. They have abandoned their God,
and clung unto their desires. They truly have strayed and are in error.
They read the verses and deny them. They behold the clear tokens and
turn aside. They truly are lost in strange doubt.

We have admonished Our loved ones to fear God, a fear which is the
fountainhead of all goodly deeds and virtues. It is the commander of the
hosts of justice in the city of Bahá. Happy the man that hath entered
the shadow of its luminous standard, and laid fast hold thereon. He,
verily, is of the Companions of the Crimson Ark, which hath been
mentioned in the Qayyúm-i-Asmá.

Say: O people of God! Adorn your temples with the adornment of
trustworthiness and piety. Help, then, your Lord with the hosts of
goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. We have forbidden you
dissension and conflict in My Books, and My Scriptures, and My Scrolls,
and My Tablets, and have wished thereby naught else save your exaltation
and advancement. Unto this testify the heavens and the stars thereof,
and the sun and the radiance thereof, and the trees and the leaves
thereof, and the seas and the waves thereof, and the earth and the
treasures thereof. We pray God to assist His loved ones, and aid them in
that which beseemeth them in this blest, this mighty, and wondrous
station. Moreover We beseech Him to graciously enable those who surround
Me to observe that which My Pen of Glory hath enjoined upon them.

O Jalíl! Upon thee be My glory and My loving providence. Verily We
have enjoined the people to do what is meet and seemly and yet they have
committed such things as have caused My heart and My Pen to lament.
Incline thine ear to that which is sent down from the heaven of My Will
and the realm of My good-pleasure. I sorrow not for My captivity, nor
for the things that have befallen Me at the hand of Mine enemies. Nay,
My sorrows are occasioned by those who claim to be related to Me and yet
commit that which causeth the voice of My lamentations to be lifted up
and My tears to flow. We have exhorted them at length in various Tablets
and beseech God to graciously assist them, to enable them to draw nigh
unto Him and to confirm them in that which would bring peace to the
hearts and tranquillity to the souls and would stay their hands from
whatsoever ill-beseemeth His days.

Say, O My loved ones in My lands! Give ye ear unto the counsels of
Him Who admonisheth you for the sake of God. He hath in truth created
you, hath revealed before your eyes that which exalteth you and
promoteth your interests. He hath made known unto you His straight Path
and hath acquainted you with His Great Announcement.

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

We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof
in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One
day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We
beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight
playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what
the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the
eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most
sublime, that blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left
We gazed on one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing
on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: ‘O inmates of earth and
heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My
effulgence. By God, the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the
revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever
will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and station, and hold fast
unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of the people of Bahá, and the
vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the
supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of
assurance unto all beings.’ Thus have We sent down for thee that which
will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation.

The Pen of the Most High turneth from the eloquent language43 to the luminous one44 that thou, O Jalíl, mayest
appreciate the tender mercy of thy Lord, the Incomparable One and mayest
be of them that are truly grateful.

O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon the all-glorious Horizon! The
Call is raised but hearing ears are numbered, nay non-existent. This
Wronged One findeth himself in the maw of the serpent, yet He faileth
not to make mention of the loved ones of God. So grievous have been Our
sufferings in these days that the Concourse on High are moved to tears
and to lamentation. Neither the adversities of the world nor the harm
inflicted by its nations could deter Him Who is the King of Eternity
from voicing His summons or frustrate His purpose. When those who had
for years been hiding behind the veils perceived that the horizon of the
Cause was resplendent and that the Word of God was all-pervasive, they
rushed forth and with swords of malice inflicted such harm as no pen can
portray nor any tongue describe.

They that judge with fairness testify that since the early days of
the Cause this Wronged One hath arisen, unveiled and resplendent, before
the faces of kings and commoners, before the rulers and the divines, and
hath, in ringing tones, summoned all men unto the straight Path. He hath
had no helper save His Pen, nor any succourer other than Himself.

Those who are ignorant or heedless of the motivating purpose of the
Cause of God have rebelled against Him. Such men are the foreboders of
evil, whom God hath mentioned in His Book and Tablets and against whose
influence, clamour and deception He hath warned His people. Well is it
with those who, in the face of the remembrance of the Lord of Eternity,
regard the peoples of the world as utter nothingness, as a thing
forgotten, and hold fast to the firm handle of God in such wise that
neither doubts nor insinuations, nor swords, nor cannon could hold them
back or deprive them of His presence. Blessed are the steadfast; blessed
are they that stand firm in His Faith.

In response to thy request the Pen of Glory hath graciously described
the stations and grades of the Most Great Infallibility. The purpose is
that all should know of a certainty that the Seal of the Prophets45—may the souls of all else but Him
be offered up for His sake—is without likeness, peer or partner in His
Own station. The Holy Ones46—may the blessings of God be upon them—were created
through the potency of His Word, and after Him they were the most
learned and the most distinguished among the people and abide in the
utmost station of servitude. The divine Essence, sanctified from every
comparison and likeness, is established in the Prophet, and God’s inmost
Reality, exalted above any peer or partner, is manifest in Him. This is
the station of true unity and of veritable singleness. The followers of
the previous Dispensation grievously failed to acquire an adequate
understanding of this station. The Primal Point47—may the life of all else but Him be offered up for His
sake—saith: ‘If the Seal of the Prophets had not uttered the word
“Successorship”, such a station would not have been created.’

The people aforetime joined partners with God, though they professed
belief in His unity; and although they were the most ignorant amongst
men, they considered themselves the most accomplished. But, as a token
of divine retribution upon those heedless ones, their erroneous beliefs
and pursuits have, in this Day of Judgement, been made clear and evident
to every man of discernment and understanding.

Beseech thou God, the True One, that He may graciously shield the
followers of this Revelation from the idle fancies and corrupt
imaginings of such as belong to the former Faith, and may not deprive
them of the effulgent splendours of the day-star of true unity.

O Jalíl! He Whom the world hath wronged now proclaimeth: The light of
Justice is dimmed, and the sun of Equity veiled from sight. The robber
occupieth the seat of the protector and guard, and the position of the
faithful is seized by the traitor. A year ago an oppressor ruled over
this city, and at every instant caused fresh harm. By the righteousness
of the Lord! He wrought that which cast terror into the hearts of men.
But to the Pen of Glory the tyranny of the world hath never been nor
will it ever be a hindrance. In the abundance of Our grace and
loving-kindness We have revealed specially for the rulers and ministers
of the world that which is conducive to safety and protection,
tranquillity and peace; haply the children of men may rest secure from
the evils of oppression. He, verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the
Giver of victory. It is incumbent upon the men of God’s House of Justice
to fix their gaze by day and by night upon that which hath shone forth
from the Pen of Glory for the training of peoples, the upbuilding of
nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding of his honour.

The first Ishráq

When the Day-Star of Wisdom rose above the horizon of God’s Holy
Dispensation it voiced this all-glorious utterance: They that are
possessed of wealth and invested with authority and power must show the
profoundest regard for religion. In truth, religion is a radiant light
and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the
peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth man to hold fast to
that which is good, and shun all evil. Should the lamp of religion be
obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and
justice, of tranquillity and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear
witness every man of true understanding.

The second Ishráq

We have enjoined upon all mankind to establish the Most Great
Peace—the surest of all means for the protection of humanity. The
sovereigns of the world should, with one accord, hold fast thereunto,
for this is the supreme instrument that can ensure the security and
welfare of all peoples and nations. They, verily, are the manifestations
of the power of God and the daysprings of His authority. We beseech the
Almighty that He may graciously assist them in that which is conducive
to the well-being of their subjects. A full explanation regarding this
matter hath been previously set forth by the Pen of Glory; well is it
with them that act accordingly.

The third Ishráq

It is incumbent upon everyone to observe God’s holy commandments,
inasmuch as they are the wellspring of life unto the world. The heaven
of divine wisdom is illumined with the two luminaries of consultation
and compassion and the canopy of world order is upraised upon the two
pillars of reward and punishment.

The fourth Ishráq

In this Revelation the hosts that can render it victorious are the
hosts of praiseworthy deeds and upright character. The leader and
commander of these hosts hath ever been the fear of God, a fear that
encompasseth all things and reigneth over all things.

The fifth Ishráq

Governments should fully acquaint themselves with the conditions of
those they govern, and confer upon them positions according to desert
and merit. It is enjoined upon every ruler and sovereign to consider
this matter with the utmost care that the traitor may not usurp the
position of the faithful, nor the despoiler rule in the place of the
trustworthy. Among the officials who in the past have governed in this
Most Great Prison some, praise be to God, were adorned with justice, but
as to others, We take refuge with God. We beseech the One true God to
guide them one and all, that haply they may not be deprived of the fruit
of faith and trustworthiness, nor be withheld from the light of equity
and justice.

The sixth Ishráq is union and concord amongst the children of men.
From the beginning of time the light of unity hath shed its divine
radiance upon the world, and the greatest means for the promotion of
that unity is for the peoples of the world to understand one another’s
writing and speech. In former Epistles We have enjoined upon the
Trustees of the House of Justice either to choose one language from
among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to
select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the
schools of the world. Thus will the earth be regarded as one country and
one home. The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge is this
exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the
leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him
rather glory in this that he loveth his kind. Concerning this We have
previously revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction of the
world and the unity of nations. Blessed are they that attain thereunto.
Blessed are they that act accordingly.

The seventh Ishráq

The Pen of Glory counselleth everyone regarding the instruction and
education of children. Behold that which the Will of God hath revealed
upon Our arrival in the Prison City and recorded in the Most Holy
Book.48 Unto every father
hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of
reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy
Tablet. He that putteth away that which is commanded unto him, the
Trustees are then to take from him that which is required for their
instruction, if he be wealthy, and if not the matter devolveth upon the
House of Justice. Verily, have We made it a shelter for the poor and
needy. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as
though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My
Loving-Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world.

The eighth Ishráq

This passage, now written by the Pen of Glory, is accounted as part
of the Most Holy Book: The men of God’s House of Justice have been
charged with the affairs of the people. They, in truth, are the Trustees
of God among His servants and the daysprings of authority in His
countries.

O people of God! That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is
upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the
sources of life to the world. Inasmuch as for each day there is a new
problem and for every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should
be referred to the House of Justice that the members thereof may act
according to the needs and requirements of the time. They that, for the
sake of God, arise to serve His Cause, are the recipients of divine
inspiration from the unseen Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be
obedient unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the House
of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed according to that which
God hath revealed in His Book.

O people of Bahá! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and
the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the
cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which
is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably
received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that
soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the
Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and
strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the
shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with
that which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops
of one ocean.

The ninth Ishráq

The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of God’s holy
Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world;
make it not the cause of dissension and strife. The religion of God and
His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all
means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men. The progress of
the world, the development of nations, the tranquillity of peoples, and
the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the principles and
ordinances of God. Religion bestoweth upon man the most precious of all
gifts, offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and
showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind. It behoveth the chiefs and
rulers of the world, and in particular the Trustees of God’s House of
Justice, to endeavour to the utmost of their power to safeguard its
position, promote its interests and exalt its station in the eyes of the
world. In like manner it is incumbent upon them to enquire into the
conditions of their subjects and to acquaint themselves with the affairs
and activities of the divers communities in their dominions. We call
upon the manifestations of the power of God—the sovereigns and rulers on
earth—to bestir themselves and do all in their power that haply they may
banish discord from this world and illumine it with the light of
concord.

It is incumbent upon everyone to firmly adhere to and observe that
which hath streamed forth from Our Most Exalted Pen. God, the True One,
beareth Me witness, and every atom in existence is moved to testify that
such means as lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the
protection and the regeneration of the peoples of the earth have been
clearly set forth by Us and are revealed in the Holy Books and Tablets
by the Pen of Glory.

We entreat God to graciously aid His servants. What this Wronged One
doth expect from everyone is justice and fairness. Let no one be content
with mere hearing; rather doth it behove everyone to ponder that which
this Wronged One hath revealed. I swear by the Day-Star of utterance,
shining above the horizon of the Kingdom of the All-Merciful, had there
been any expounder or speaker discernible, We would not have made
Ourself the object of the censure, ridicule and slander of the
people.

Upon Our arrival in ‘Iráq We found the Cause of God sunk in deep
apathy and the breeze of divine revelation stilled. Most of the
believers were faint and dispirited, nay utterly lost and dead. Hence
there was a second blast on the Trumpet, whereupon the Tongue of
Grandeur uttered these blessed words: ‘We have sounded the Trumpet for
the second time.’ Thus the whole world was quickened through the
vitalizing breaths of divine revelation and inspiration.

Certain souls have now sallied forth from behind the veils, intent on
inflicting harm upon this Wronged One. They have hindered and denied the
outpouring of this priceless bounty.

O ye that judge with fairness! If this Cause is to be denied then
what other cause in this world can be vindicated or deemed worthy of
acceptance?

Such as have turned away from the Cause of God are diligently seeking
to collect the Holy Writings of this Revelation; and they have already,
through gestures of friendship, managed to secure certain of these
Writings from those who held them in their possession. Moreover, when
they meet the followers of any religion, they hold themselves out as
believers therein. Say, die ye in your wrath! Verily He hath appeared
with so great an authority that no man of vision, of hearing, of
insight, of justice or of equity can ever deny Him. Unto this beareth
witness in this resplendent Hour the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of
Days.

O Jalíl! Upon thee be My glory. We exhort the loved ones of God to
perform good deeds that perchance they may be graciously assisted and
may hold fast to that which hath been sent down from the heaven of His
Revelation. The benefits arising from this divine utterance shall fall
upon such as observe His precepts. We beseech God to enable them to do
that which is pleasing and acceptable unto Him, to grant that they may
deal equitably and may observe justice in this all-compelling Cause, to
acquaint them with His Holy Writings and to direct their steps towards
His straight Path.

Our Exalted Herald—may the life of all else besides Him be offered up
for His sake—hath revealed certain laws. However, in the realm of His
Revelation these laws were made subject to Our sanction, hence this
Wronged One hath put some of them into effect by embodying them in the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas in different words. Others We set aside. He holdeth in His
hand the authority. He doeth what He willeth and He ordaineth whatsoever
He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the All-Praised. There are also
ordinances newly revealed. Blessed are they that attain. Blessed are
they that observe His precepts.

The people of God should make the utmost endeavour that perchance the
fire of hatred and malice which smouldereth in the breasts of kindreds
and peoples may, through the living waters of utterance and the
exhortations of Him Who is the Desire of the world, be quenched and the
trees of human existence may be adorned with wondrous and excellent
fruit. He is, in truth, the Admonisher, the Compassionate, the
All-Bountiful.

May the brightness of His glory shining above the horizon of bounty
rest upon you, O people of Bahá, upon every one who standeth firm and
steadfast and upon those that are well grounded in the Faith and are
endued with true understanding.

As to thy question concerning interest and profit on gold and silver:
Some years ago the following passage was revealed from the heaven of the
All-Merciful in honour of the one who beareth the name of God, entitled
Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín49—upon him be the glory of the Most Glorious.
He—exalted be His Word—saith: Many people stand in need of this. Because
if there were no prospect for gaining interest, the affairs of men would
suffer collapse or dislocation. One can seldom find a person who would
manifest such consideration towards his fellow-man, his countryman or
towards his own brother and would show such tender solicitude for him as
to be well-disposed to grant him a loan on benevolent terms.50 Therefore as a token of favour
towards men We have prescribed that interest on money should be treated
like other business transactions that are current amongst men. Thus, now
that this lucid commandment hath descended from the heaven of the Will
of God, it is lawful and proper to charge interest on money, that the
people of the world may, in a spirit of amity and fellowship and with
joy and gladness, devotedly engage themselves in magnifying the Name of
Him Who is the Well-Beloved of all mankind. Verily He ordaineth
according to His Own choosing. He hath now made interest on money
lawful, even as He had made it unlawful in the past. Within His grasp He
holdeth the kingdom of authority. He doeth and ordaineth. He is in truth
the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

Render thou thanks unto thy Lord, O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín, for this
manifest bounty.

Many ecclesiastics in Persia have, through innumerable designs and
devices, been feeding on illicit gains obtained by usury. They have
contrived ways to give its outward form a fair semblance of lawfulness.
They make a plaything of the laws and ordinances of God, but they
understand not.

However, this is a matter that should be practised with moderation
and fairness. Our Pen of Glory hath, as a token of wisdom and for the
convenience of the people, desisted from laying down its limit.
Nevertheless We exhort the loved ones of God to observe justice and
fairness, and to do that which would prompt the friends of God to evince
tender mercy and compassion towards each other. He is in truth the
Counsellor, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful. God grant that all men
may be graciously aided to observe that which the Tongue of the One true
God hath uttered. And if they put into practice what We have set forth,
God—exalted be His glory—will assuredly double their portion through the
heaven of His bounty. Verily He is the Generous, the Forgiving, the
Compassionate. Praise be unto God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

Nevertheless the conduct of these affairs hath been entrusted to the
men of the House of Justice that they may enforce them according to the
exigencies of the time and the dictates of wisdom.

Once again We exhort all believers to observe justice and fairness
and to show forth love and contentment. They are indeed the people of
Bahá, the companions of the Crimson Ark. Upon them be the peace of God,
the Lord of all Names, the Creator of the heavens.

LAWḤ-I-HIKMAT (Tablet of Wisdom)

This is an Epistle which the
All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. It is truly a
breath of life unto those who dwell in the realm of creation. Glorified
be the Lord of all worlds! In this Epistle mention is made of him who
magnifieth the Name of God, his Lord, and who is named Nabíl in a
weighty Tablet.

O Muḥammad! Hearken unto the Voice proceeding out of the Realm of
Glory, calling aloud from the celestial Tree which hath risen above the
land of Za’farán51: Verily, no
God is there but Me, the Omniscient, the Wise. Be thou as the breezes of
the All-Merciful for the trees of the realm of existence and foster
their growth through the potency of the Name of thy Lord, the Just, the
All-Informed. We desire to acquaint thee with that which will serve as a
reminder unto the people, that they may put away the things current
amongst them and set their faces towards God, the Lord of the
sincere.

We exhort mankind in these days when the countenance of Justice is
soiled with dust, when the flames of unbelief are burning high and the
robe of wisdom rent asunder, when tranquillity and faithfulness have
ebbed away and trials and tribulations have waxed severe, when covenants
are broken and ties are severed, when no man knoweth how to discern
light and darkness or to distinguish guidance from error.

O peoples of the world! Forsake all evil, hold fast that which is
good. Strive to be shining examples unto all mankind, and true reminders
of the virtues of God amidst men. He that riseth to serve My Cause
should manifest My wisdom, and bend every effort to banish ignorance
from the earth. Be united in counsel, be one in thought. Let each morn
be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its yesterday. Man’s
merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth and
riches. Take heed that your words be purged from idle fancies and
worldly desires and your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and
suspicion. Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the
pursuit of evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent
in promoting your personal interest. Be generous in your days of plenty,
and be patient in the hour of loss. Adversity is followed by success and
rejoicings follow woe. Guard against idleness and sloth, and cling unto
that which profiteth mankind, whether young or old, whether high or low.
Beware lest ye sow tares of dissension among men or plant thorns of
doubt in pure and radiant hearts.

O ye beloved of the Lord! Commit not that which defileth the limpid
stream of love or destroyeth the sweet fragrance of friendship. By the
righteousness of the Lord! Ye were created to show love one to another
and not perversity and rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves
but in love for your fellow-creatures. Glory not in love for your
country, but in love for all mankind. Let your eye be chaste, your hand
faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened. Abase not the
station of the learned in Bahá and belittle not the rank of such rulers
as administer justice amidst you. Set your reliance on the army of
justice, put on the armour of wisdom, let your adorning be forgiveness
and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of
God.

By My life! Thy grievances have plunged Me into sorrow. Regard not
the children of the world and all their doings but fix thy gaze upon God
and His never-ending dominion. Verily, He calleth to thy remembrance
that which is the source of delight for all mankind. Drink thou the
life-giving water of blissful joy from the chalice of utterance
proffered by the Fountainhead of divine Revelation—He Who hath made
mention of thee in this mighty stronghold. Endeavour to the utmost of
thy powers to establish the word of truth with eloquence and wisdom and
to dispel falsehood from the face of the earth. Thus directeth thee the
Dayspring of divine knowledge from this luminous horizon.

O thou who speakest in My Name! Consider the people and the things
they have wrought in My days. We revealed unto one of the rulers that
which overpowereth all the dwellers of the earth, and requested him to
bring Us face to face with the learned men of this age, that We might
set forth for him the testimony of God, His proofs, His glory and His
majesty; and naught did We intend thereby but the highest good. However,
he committed that which hath caused the inmates of the cities of justice
and equity to lament. Thus hath judgement been given between Me and him.
Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Informed. In such circumstances
as thou seest, how can the Celestial Bird soar into the atmosphere of
divine mysteries when its wings have been battered with the stones of
idle fancy and bitter hatred, and it is cast into a prison built of
unyielding stone? By the righteousness of God! The people have
perpetrated a grievous injustice.

As regards thine assertions about the beginning of creation, this is
a matter on which conceptions vary by reason of the divergences in men’s
thoughts and opinions. Wert thou to assert that it hath ever existed and
shall continue to exist, it would be true; or wert thou to affirm the
same concept as is mentioned in the sacred Scriptures, no doubt would
there be about it, for it hath been revealed by God, the Lord of the
worlds. Indeed He was a hidden treasure. This is a station that can
never be described nor even alluded to. And in the station of ‘I did
wish to make Myself known’, God was, and His creation had ever existed
beneath His shelter from the beginning that hath no beginning, apart
from its being preceded by a Firstness which cannot be regarded as
firstness and originated by a Cause inscrutable even unto all men of
learning.

That which hath been in existence had existed before, but not in the
form thou seest today. The world of existence came into being through
the heat generated from the interaction between the active force and
that which is its recipient. These two are the same, yet they are
different. Thus doth the Great Announcement inform thee about this
glorious structure. Such as communicate the generating influence and
such as receive its impact are indeed created through the irresistible
Word of God which is the Cause of the entire creation, while all else
besides His Word are but the creatures and the effects thereof. Verily
thy Lord is the Expounder, the All-Wise.

Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God—exalted be His glory—is
higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is
sanctified from any property or substance. It transcendeth the
limitations of known elements and is exalted above all the essential and
recognized substances. It became manifest without any syllable or sound
and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth all created things.
It hath never been withheld from the world of being. It is God’s
all-pervasive grace, from which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity
far removed above all that hath been and shall be.

We are loath to enlarge on this subject, inasmuch as the unbelievers
have inclined their ears towards Us in order to hear that which might
enable them to cavil against God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting. And since they are unable to attain to mysteries of
knowledge and wisdom from what hath been unravelled by the Source of
divine splendour, they rise in protest and burst into clamour. But it is
true to say that they object to that which they comprehend, not to the
expositions given by the Expounder, nor the truths imparted by the One
true God, the Knower of things unseen. Their objections, one and all,
turn upon themselves, and I swear by thy life that they are devoid of
understanding.

Every thing must needs have an origin and every building a builder.
Verily, the Word of God is the Cause which hath preceded the contingent
world—a world which is adorned with the splendours of the Ancient of
Days, yet is being renewed and regenerated at all times. Immeasurably
exalted is the God of Wisdom Who hath raised this sublime structure.

Look at the world and ponder a while upon it. It unveileth the book
of its own self before thine eyes and revealeth that which the Pen of
thy Lord, the Fashioner, the All-Informed, hath inscribed therein. It
will acquaint thee with that which is within it and upon it and will
give thee such clear explanations as to make thee independent of every
eloquent expounder.

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker,
the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and
in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is
God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It
is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as manifested in the
world of being, no one should question this assertion. It is endowed
with a power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man
of insight can perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendour of
Our Name, the Creator. Say: This is an existence which knoweth no decay,
and Nature itself is lost in bewilderment before its revelations, its
compelling evidences and its effulgent glory which have encompassed the
universe.

It ill beseemeth thee to turn thy gaze unto former or more recent
times. Make thou mention of this Day and magnify that which hath
appeared therein. It will in truth suffice all mankind. Indeed
expositions and discourses in explanation of such things cause the
spirits to be chilled. It behoveth thee to speak forth in such wise as
to set the hearts of true believers ablaze and cause their bodies to
soar.

Whoso firmly believeth today in the rebirth of man and is fully
conscious that God, the Most Exalted, wieldeth supreme ascendancy and
absolute authority over this new creation, verily such a man is reckoned
with them that are endued with insight in this most great Revelation.
Unto this beareth witness every discerning believer.

Walk thou high above the world of being through the power of the Most
Great Name, that thou mayest become aware of the immemorial mysteries
and be acquainted with that wherewith no one is acquainted. Verily, thy
Lord is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou as a
throbbing artery, pulsating in the body of the entire creation, that
through the heat generated by this motion there may appear that which
will quicken the hearts of those who hesitate.

At the time when We were hidden behind countless veils of light thou
didst commune with Me and didst witness the luminaries of the heaven of
My wisdom and the billows of the ocean of Mine utterance. Verily thy
Lord is the Truthful, the Faithful. Great indeed is the blessedness of
him who hath attained the liberal effusions of this ocean in the days of
his Lord, the Most Bountiful, the All-Wise.

During Our sojourn in ‘Iráq when We were at the house of one named
Majíd, We set forth clearly for thee the mysteries of creation and the
origin, the culmination and the cause thereof. However since Our
departure We have limited Ourself to this affirmation: ‘Verily, no God
is there but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Bountiful.’

Teach thou the Cause of God with an utterance which will cause the
bushes to be enkindled, and the call ‘Verily, there is no God but Me,
the Almighty, the Unconstrained’ to be raised therefrom. Say: Human
utterance is an essence which aspireth to exert its influence and
needeth moderation. As to its influence, this is conditional upon
refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and
pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and
wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets. Meditate upon
that which hath streamed forth from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord,
He Who is the Source of all grace, that thou mayest grasp the intended
meaning which is enshrined in the sacred depths of the Holy
Writings.

Those who have rejected God and firmly cling to Nature as it is in
itself are, verily, bereft of knowledge and wisdom. They are truly of
them that are far astray. They have failed to attain the lofty summit
and have fallen short of the ultimate purpose; therefore their eyes were
shut and their thoughts differed, while the leaders among them have
believed in God and in His invincible sovereignty. Unto this beareth
witness thy Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

When the eyes of the people of the East were captivated by the arts
and wonders of the West, they roved distraught in the wilderness of
material causes, oblivious of the One Who is the Causer of Causes, and
the Sustainer thereof, while such men as were the source and the
wellspring of Wisdom never denied the moving Impulse behind these
causes, nor the Creator or the Origin thereof. Thy Lord knoweth, yet
most of the people know not.

Now We have, for the sake of God, the Lord of Names, set Ourself the
task of mentioning in this Tablet some accounts of the sages,52 that the eyes of the people may
be opened thereby and that they may become fully assured that He is in
truth the Maker, the Omnipotent, the Creator, the Originator, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Although it is recognized that the contemporary men of learning are
highly qualified in philosophy, arts and crafts, yet were anyone to
observe with a discriminating eye he would readily comprehend that most
of this knowledge hath been acquired from the sages of the past, for it
is they who have laid the foundation of philosophy, reared its structure
and reinforced its pillars. Thus doth thy Lord, the Ancient of Days,
inform thee. The sages aforetime acquired their knowledge from the
Prophets, inasmuch as the latter were the Exponents of divine philosophy
and the Revealers of heavenly mysteries. Men quaffed the crystal, living
waters of Their utterance, while others satisfied themselves with the
dregs. Everyone receiveth a portion according to his measure. Verily He
is the Equitable, the Wise.

Empedocles, who distinguished himself in philosophy, was a
contemporary of David, while Pythagoras lived in the days of Solomon,
son of David, and acquired Wisdom from the treasury of prophethood. It
is he who claimed to have heard the whispering sound of the heavens and
to have attained the station of the angels. In truth thy Lord will
clearly set forth all things, if He pleaseth. Verily, He is the Wise,
the All-Pervading.

The essence and the fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the
Prophets. That the people differ concerning the inner meanings and
mysteries thereof is to be attributed to the divergence of their views
and minds. We would fain recount to thee the following: One of the
Prophets once was communicating to his people that with which the
Omnipotent Lord had inspired Him. Truly, thy Lord is the Inspirer, the
Gracious, the Exalted. When the fountain of wisdom and eloquence gushed
forth from the wellspring of His utterance and the wine of divine
knowledge inebriated those who had sought His threshold, He exclaimed:
‘Lo! All are filled with the Spirit.’ From among the people there was he
who held fast unto this statement and, actuated by his own fancies,
conceived the idea that the spirit literally penetrateth or entereth
into the body, and through lengthy expositions he advanced proofs to
vindicate this concept; and groups of people followed in his footsteps.
To mention their names at this point, or to give thee a detailed account
thereof, would lead to prolixity, and would depart from the main theme.
Verily, thy Lord is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. There was also he who
partook of the choice wine whose seal had been removed by the Key of the
Tongue of Him Who is the Revealer of the Verses of thy Lord, the
Gracious, the Most Generous.

Verily, the philosophers have not denied the Ancient of Days. Most of
them passed away deploring their failure to fathom His mystery, even as
some of them have testified. Verily, thy Lord is the Adviser, the
All-Informed.

Consider Hippocrates, the physician. He was one of the eminent
philosophers who believed in God and acknowledged His sovereignty. After
him came Socrates who was indeed wise, accomplished and righteous. He
practised self-denial, repressed his appetites for selfish desires and
turned away from material pleasures. He withdrew to the mountains where
he dwelt in a cave. He dissuaded men from worshipping idols and taught
them the way of God, the Lord of Mercy, until the ignorant rose up
against him. They arrested him and put him to death in prison. Thus
relateth to thee this swift-moving Pen. What a penetrating vision into
philosophy this eminent man had! He is the most distinguished of all
philosophers and was highly versed in wisdom. We testify that he is one
of the heroes in this field and an outstanding champion dedicated unto
it. He had a profound knowledge of such sciences as were current amongst
men as well as of those which were veiled from their minds. Methinks he
drank one draught when the Most Great Ocean overflowed with gleaming and
life-giving waters. He it is who perceived a unique, a tempered, and a
pervasive nature in things, bearing the closest likeness to the human
spirit, and he discovered this nature to be distinct from the substance
of things in their refined form. He hath a special pronouncement on this
weighty theme. Wert thou to ask from the worldly wise of this generation
about this exposition, thou wouldst witness their incapacity to grasp
it. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth but most people comprehend
not.

After Socrates came the divine Plato who was a pupil of the former
and occupied the chair of philosophy as his successor. He acknowledged
his belief in God and in His signs which pervade all that hath been and
shall be. Then came Aristotle, the well-known man of knowledge. He it is
who discovered the power of gaseous matter. These men who stand out as
leaders of the people and are pre-eminent among them, one and all
acknowledged their belief in the immortal Being Who holdeth in His grasp
the reins of all sciences.

I will also mention for thee the invocation voiced by Bálinus who was
familiar with the theories put forward by the Father of Philosophy
regarding the mysteries of creation as given in his chrysolite tablets,
that everyone may be fully assured of the things We have elucidated for
thee in this manifest Tablet, which, if pressed with the hand of
fairness and knowledge, will yield the spirit of life for the quickening
of all created things. Great is the blessedness of him who swimmeth in
this ocean and celebrateth the praise of his Lord, the Gracious, the
Best-Beloved. Indeed the breezes of divine revelation are diffused from
the verses of thy Lord in such wise that no one can dispute its truth,
except those who are bereft of hearing, of vision, of understanding and
of every human faculty. Verily thy Lord beareth witness unto this, yet
the people understand not.

This man hath said: ‘I am Bálinus, the wise one, the performer of
wonders, the producer of talismans.’ He surpassed everyone else in the
diffusion of arts and sciences and soared unto the loftiest heights of
humility and supplication. Give ear unto that which he hath said,
entreating the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted: ‘I stand in the
presence of my Lord, extolling His gifts and bounties and praising Him
with that wherewith He praiseth His Own Self, that I may become a source
of blessing and guidance unto such men as acknowledge my words.’ And
further he saith: ‘O Lord! Thou art God and no God is there but Thee.
Thou art the Creator and no creator is there except Thee. Assist me by
Thy grace and strengthen me. My heart is seized with alarm, my limbs
tremble, I have lost my reason and my mind hath failed me. Bestow upon
me strength and enable my tongue to speak forth with wisdom.’ And still
further he saith: ‘Thou art in truth the Knowing, the Wise, the
Powerful, the Compassionate.’ It was this man of wisdom who became
informed of the mysteries of creation and discerned the subtleties which
lie enshrined in the Hermetic writings.53

We have no wish to mention anything further but We shall utter that
which the Spirit hath instilled into My heart. In truth there is no God
but Him, the Knowing, the Mighty, the Help in Peril, the Most Excellent,
the All-Praised. By My life! In this Day the celestial Tree is loath to
proclaim aught else to the world but this affirmation: ‘Verily, there is
none other God but Me, the Peerless, the All-Informed.’

Had it not been for the love I cherish for thee, I would not have
uttered a single word of what hath been mentioned. Appreciate the value
of this station and preserve it as thou wouldst thine eye and be of them
that are truly thankful.

Thou knowest full well that We perused not the books which men
possess and We acquired not the learning current amongst them, and yet
whenever We desire to quote the sayings of the learned and of the
wise,54 presently
there will appear before the face of thy Lord in the form of a tablet
all that which hath appeared in the world and is revealed in the Holy
Books and Scriptures. Thus do We set down in writing that which the eye
perceiveth. Verily His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the
heavens.

This is a Tablet wherein the Pen of the Unseen hath inscribed the
knowledge of all that hath been and shall be—a knowledge that none other
but My wondrous Tongue can interpret. Indeed My heart as it is in itself
hath been purged by God from the concepts of the learned and is
sanctified from the utterances of the wise. In truth naught doth it
mirror forth but the revelations of God. Unto this beareth witness the
Tongue of Grandeur in this perspicuous Book.

Say, O people of the earth! Beware lest any reference to wisdom debar
you from its Source or withhold you from the Dawning-Place thereof. Fix
your hearts upon your Lord, the Educator, the All-Wise.

For every land We have prescribed a portion, for every occasion an
allotted share, for every pronouncement an appointed time and for every
situation an apt remark. Consider Greece. We made it a Seat of Wisdom
for a prolonged period. However, when the appointed hour struck, its
throne was subverted, its tongue ceased to speak, its light grew dim and
its banner was hauled down. Thus do We bestow and withdraw. Verily thy
Lord is He Who giveth and divesteth, the Mighty, the Powerful.

In every land We have set up a luminary of knowledge, and when the
time foreordained is at hand, it will shine resplendent above its
horizon, as decreed by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. If it be Our
Will We are fully capable of describing for thee whatever existeth in
every land or hath come to pass therein. Indeed the knowledge of thy
Lord pervadeth the heavens and the earth.

Know thou, moreover, that the people aforetime have produced things
which the contemporary men of knowledge have been unable to produce. We
recall unto thee Murtús who was one of the learned. He invented an
apparatus which transmitted sound over a distance of sixty miles. Others
besides him have also discovered things which no one in this age hath
beheld. Verily thy Lord revealeth in every epoch whatsoever He pleaseth
as a token of wisdom on His part. He is in truth the supreme Ordainer,
the All-Wise.

A true philosopher would never deny God nor His evidences, rather
would he acknowledge His glory and overpowering majesty which overshadow
all created things. Verily We love those men of knowledge who have
brought to light such things as promote the best interests of humanity,
and We aided them through the potency of Our behest, for well are We
able to achieve Our purpose.

Beware, O My loved ones, lest ye despise the merits of My learned
servants whom God hath graciously chosen to be the exponents of His Name
‘the Fashioner’ amidst mankind. Exert your utmost endeavour that ye may
develop such crafts and undertakings that everyone, whether young or
old, may benefit therefrom. We are quit of those ignorant ones who
fondly imagine that Wisdom is to give vent to one’s idle imaginings and
to repudiate God, the Lord of all men; even as We hear some of the
heedless voicing such assertions today.

Say: The beginning of Wisdom and the origin thereof is to acknowledge
whatsoever God hath clearly set forth, for through its potency the
foundation of statesmanship, which is a shield for the preservation of
the body of mankind, hath been firmly established. Ponder a while that
ye may perceive what My most exalted Pen hath proclaimed in this
wondrous Tablet. Say, every matter related to state affairs which ye
raise for discussion falls under the shadow of one of the words sent
down from the heaven of His glorious and exalted utterance. Thus have We
recounted unto thee that which will exhilarate thy heart, will bring
solace to thine eyes and will enable thee to arise for the promotion of
His Cause amidst all peoples.

O My Nabíl! Let nothing grieve thee, rather rejoice with exceeding
gladness inasmuch as I have mentioned thy name, have turned My heart and
My face towards thee and have conversed with thee through this
irrefutable and weighty exposition. Ponder in thy heart upon the
tribulations I have sustained, the imprisonment and the captivity I have
endured, the sufferings that have befallen Me and the accusations that
the people have levelled against Me. Behold, they are truly wrapped in a
grievous veil.

When the discourse reached this stage, the dawn of divine mysteries
appeared and the light of utterance was quenched. May His glory rest
upon the people of wisdom as bidden by One Who is the Almighty, the
All-Praised.

Say: Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name
through which the splendour of the light of wisdom shone resplendent
when the heavens of divine utterance were set in motion amidst mankind,
to graciously aid me by Thy heavenly confirmations and enable me to
extol Thy Name amongst Thy servants.

O Lord! Unto Thee have I turned my face, detached from all save Thee
and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy manifold blessings.
Unloose my tongue therefore to proclaim that which will captivate the
minds of men and will rejoice their souls and spirits. Strengthen me
then in Thy Cause in such wise that I may not be hindered by the
ascendancy of the oppressors among Thy creatures nor withheld by the
onslaught of the disbelievers amidst those who dwell in Thy realm. Make
me as a lamp shining throughout Thy lands that those in whose hearts the
light of Thy knowledge gloweth and the yearning for Thy love lingereth
may be guided by its radiance.

Verily, potent art Thou to do whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy
grasp Thou holdest the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but
Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

ASL-I-KULLU’L-KHAYR (Words of Wisdom)

In the Name of God, the Exalted, the Most High

The source of all good is
trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy
will and pleasure.

The essence of wisdom is the fear of God, the dread of His scourge
and punishment, and the apprehension of His justice and decree.

The essence of religion is to testify unto that which the Lord hath
revealed, and follow that which He hath ordained in His mighty Book.

The source of all glory is acceptance of whatsoever the Lord hath
bestowed, and contentment with that which God hath ordained.

The essence of love is for man to turn his heart to the Beloved One,
and sever himself from all else but Him, and desire naught save that
which is the desire of his Lord.

True remembrance is to make mention of the Lord, the All-Praised, and
forget aught else beside Him.

True reliance is for the servant to pursue his profession and calling
in this world, to hold fast unto the Lord, to seek naught but His grace,
inasmuch as in His Hands is the destiny of all His servants.

The essence of detachment is for man to turn his face towards the
courts of the Lord, to enter His Presence, behold His Countenance, and
stand as witness before Him.

The essence of understanding is to testify to one’s poverty, and
submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the
All-Powerful.

The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God,
and steadfastness in His Love.

The essence of charity is for the servant to recount the blessings of
his Lord, and to render thanks unto Him at all times and under all
conditions.

The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he
whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his
life.

The essence of true safety is to observe silence, to look at the end
of things and to renounce the world.

The beginning of magnanimity is when man expendeth his wealth on
himself, on his family and on the poor among his brethren in his
Faith.

The essence of wealth is love for Me; whoso loveth Me is the
possessor of all things, and he that loveth Me not is indeed of the poor
and needy. This is that which the Finger of Glory and Splendour hath
revealed.

The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his Lord and set
his heart on things ungodly.

The most burning fire is to question the signs of God, to dispute
idly that which He hath revealed, to deny Him and carry one’s self
proudly before Him.

The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His
Glory, and this cannot be attained save through the knowledge of His
Divine Manifestation.

The essence of abasement is to pass out from under the shadow of the
Merciful and seek the shelter of the Evil One.

The source of error is to disbelieve in the One true God, rely upon
aught else but Him, and flee from His Decree.

True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of
his self.

The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for
man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye
of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a
searching eye.

Thus have We instructed thee, manifested unto thee Words of Wisdom,
that thou mayest be thankful unto the Lord, thy God, and glory therein
amidst all peoples.

LAWḤ-I-MAQSÚD (Tablet of Maqsúd)

He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of Majesty and Power

A praise which is exalted
above every mention or description beseemeth the Adored One, the
Possessor of all things visible and invisible, Who hath enabled the
Primal Point to reveal countless Books and Epistles and Who, through the
potency of His sublime Word, hath called into being the entire creation,
whether of the former or more recent generations. Moreover He hath in
every age and cycle, in conformity with His transcendent wisdom, sent
forth a divine Messenger to revive the dispirited and despondent souls
with the living waters of His utterance, One Who is indeed the
Expounder, the true Interpreter, inasmuch as man is unable to comprehend
that which hath streamed forth from the Pen of Glory and is recorded in
His heavenly Books. Men at all times and under all conditions stand in
need of one to exhort them, guide them and to instruct and teach them.
Therefore He hath sent forth His Messengers, His Prophets and chosen
ones that they might acquaint the people with the divine purpose
underlying the revelation of Books and the raising up of Messengers, and
that everyone may become aware of the trust of God which is latent in
the reality of every soul.

Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath,
however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through
a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by
one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by
yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great
Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value.
Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable
mankind to benefit therefrom. If any man were to meditate on that which
the Scriptures, sent down from the heaven of God’s holy Will, have
revealed, he would readily recognize that their purpose is that all men
shall be regarded as one soul, so that the seal bearing the words ‘The
Kingdom shall be God’s’ may be stamped on every heart, and the light of
Divine bounty, of grace, and mercy may envelop all mankind. The One true
God, exalted be His glory, hath wished nothing for Himself. The
allegiance of mankind profiteth Him not, neither doth its perversity
harm Him. The Bird of the Realm of Utterance voiceth continually this
call: ‘All things have I willed for thee, and thee, too, for thine own
sake.’ If the learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to allow
mankind to inhale the fragrance of fellowship and love, every
understanding heart would apprehend the meaning of true liberty, and
discover the secret of undisturbed peace and absolute composure. Were
the earth to attain this station and be illumined with its light it
could then be truly said of it: ‘Thou shall see in it no hollows or
rising hills.’55

Blessing and peace be upon Him56 through Whose advent Bathá57 is wreathed in smiles, and the sweet
savours of Whose raiment have shed fragrance upon all mankind—He Who
came to protect men from that which would harm them in the world below.
Exalted, immensely exalted is His station above the glorification of all
beings and sanctified from the praise of the entire creation. Through
His advent the tabernacle of stability and order was raised throughout
the world and the ensign of knowledge hoisted among the nations. May
blessings rest also upon His kindred and His companions through whom the
standard of the unity of God and of His singleness was uplifted and the
banners of celestial triumph were unfurled. Through them the religion of
God was firmly established among His creatures and His Name magnified
amidst His servants. I entreat Him—exalted is He—to shield His Faith
from the mischief of His enemies who tore away the veils, rent them
asunder and finally caused the banner of Islám to be reversed amongst
all peoples.

Thy letter from which the fragrance of reunion was inhaled hath been
received. Praised be God that following the firm decree of separation,
the breeze of nearness and communion hath been stirred and the soil of
the heart is refreshed with the waters of joy and gladness. We offer
thanksgiving unto God in all circumstances and cherish the hope that
He—exalted be His glory—may through His gracious providence guide all
who dwell on earth towards that which is acceptable and pleasing unto
Him.

Behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted
the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath
either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen
calamities. Though the world is encompassed with misery and distress,
yet no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that may
be. Whenever the True Counsellor uttered a word in admonishment, lo,
they all denounced Him as a mover of mischief and rejected His claim.
How bewildering, how confusing is such behaviour! No two men can be
found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences
of discord and malice are apparent everywhere, though all were made for
harmony and union. The Great Being saith: O well-beloved ones! The
tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as
strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.
We cherish the hope that the light of justice may shine upon the world
and sanctify it from tyranny. If the rulers and kings of the earth, the
symbols of the power of God, exalted be His glory, arise and resolve to
dedicate themselves to whatever will promote the highest interests of
the whole of humanity, the reign of justice will assuredly be
established amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of its light
will envelop the whole earth. The Great Being saith: The structure of
world stability and order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be
sustained by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment. And in another
connection He hath uttered the following in the eloquent tongue:58 Justice hath a mighty force at its
command. It is none other than reward and punishment for the deeds of
men. By the power of this force the tabernacle of order is established
throughout the world, causing the wicked to restrain their natures for
fear of punishment.

In another passage He hath written: Take heed, O concourse of the
rulers of the world! There is no force on earth that can equal in its
conquering power the force of justice and wisdom. I, verily, affirm that
there is not, and hath never been, a host more mighty than that of
justice and wisdom. Blessed is the king who marcheth with the ensign of
wisdom unfurled before him, and the battalions of justice massed in his
rear. He verily is the ornament that adorneth the brow of peace and the
countenance of security. There can be no doubt whatever that if the
day-star of justice, which the clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to
shed its light upon men, the face of the earth would be completely
transformed.

The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and
tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath
written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the
holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be
universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs
attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such
ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace
amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should
resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth,
to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms
against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be
done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments,
except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of
maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure
the peace and composure of every people, government and nation. We fain
would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the
gracious and almighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and
shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny.

Likewise He saith: Among the things which are conducive to unity and
concord and will cause the whole earth to be regarded as one country is
that the divers languages be reduced to one language and in like manner
the scripts used in the world be confined to a single script. It is
incumbent upon all nations to appoint some men of understanding and
erudition to convene a gathering and through joint consultation choose
one language from among the varied existing languages, or create a new
one, to be taught to the children in all the schools of the world.

The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have
adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is
achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he
were entering his own home. These things are obligatory and absolutely
essential. It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding
to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and
action.

In these days the tabernacle of justice hath fallen into the clutches
of tyranny and oppression. Beseech ye the One true God—exalted be His
glory—not to deprive mankind of the ocean of true understanding, for
were men but to take heed they would readily appreciate that whatever
hath streamed from and is set down by the Pen of Glory is even as the
sun for the whole world and that therein lie the welfare, security and
true interests of all men; otherwise the earth will be tormented by a
fresh calamity every day and unprecedented commotions will break out.
God grant that the people of the world may be graciously aided to
preserve the light of His loving counsels within the globe of wisdom. We
cherish the hope that everyone may be adorned with the vesture of true
wisdom, the basis of the government of the world.

The Great Being saith: The heaven of statesmanship is made luminous
and resplendent by the brightness of the light of these blessed words
which hath dawned from the dayspring of the Will of God: It behoveth
every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity
and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that
which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and
understanding. This is the cornerstone of statesmanship and the essence
thereof. From these words every enlightened man of wisdom will readily
perceive that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and
protection of mankind and the safety of human lives. Were men of insight
to quaff their fill from the ocean of inner meanings which lie enshrined
in these words and become acquainted therewith, they would bear witness
to the sublimity and the excellence of this utterance. If this lowly one
were to set forth that which he perceiveth, all would testify unto God’s
consummate wisdom. The secrets of statesmanship and that of which the
people are in need lie enfolded within these words. This lowly servant
earnestly entreateth the One true God—exalted be His glory—to illumine
the eyes of the people of the world with the splendour of the light of
wisdom that they, one and all, may recognize that which is indispensable
in this day.

That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the
service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and
happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples
and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is
not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for
him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.

Such exhortations to union and concord as are inscribed in the Books
of the Prophets by the Pen of the Most High bear reference unto specific
matters; not a union that would lead to disunity or a concord which
would create discord. This is the station where measures are set unto
everything, a station where every deserving soul shall be given his due.
Well is it with them that appreciate the meaning and grasp the intent of
these words, and woe betide the heedless. Unto this all the evidences of
nature, in their very essences, bear ample testimony. Every discerning
man of wisdom is well acquainted with that which We have mentioned, but
not those who have strayed far from the living fountain of
fairmindedness and are roving distraught in the wilderness of ignorance
and blind fanaticism.

The Great Being saith: O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose
animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the
interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the
spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a
source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the
straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised
on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never
impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries
undermine its structure. Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders
and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this
age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating
on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full
deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the
remedy it requireth.

The Great Being saith: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with
the two luminaries of consultation and compassion. Take ye counsel
together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of
guidance which leadeth the way, and is the bestower of
understanding.

At the outset of every endeavour, it is incumbent to look to the end
of it. Of all the arts and sciences, set the children to studying those
which will result in advantage to man, will ensure his progress and
elevate his rank. Thus the noisome odours of lawlessness will be
dispelled, and thus through the high endeavours of the nation’s leaders,
all will live cradled, secure and in peace.

The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must direct the people
to acquire those branches of knowledge which are of use, that both the
learned themselves and the generality of mankind may derive benefits
therefrom. Such academic pursuits as begin and end in words alone have
never been and will never be of any worth. The majority of Persia’s
learned doctors devote all their lives to the study of a philosophy the
ultimate yield of which is nothing but words.

It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation
in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will
cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things
as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding
may favourably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a
pernicious influence upon men.

If this point were to be expounded an elaborate explanation would be
required which, it is feared, might become tedious. It is the ardent
hope of this lowly one that God—exalted be His glory—may grant all men
that which is good. For he who is endowed therewith is the possessor of
all things. The Great Being saith: The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He
that hath Me not is bereft of all things. Turn ye away from all that is
on earth and seek none else but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean
of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the guiding
Light that illumineth the way. I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the
Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it
on its flight.

And likewise He saith: The heaven of true understanding shineth
resplendent with the light of two luminaries: tolerance and
righteousness.

O my friend! Vast oceans lie enshrined within this brief saying.
Blessed are they who appreciate its value, drink deep therefrom and
grasp its meaning, and woe betide the heedless. This lowly one
entreateth the people of the world to observe fairness, that their
tender, their delicate and precious hearing which hath been created to
hearken unto the words of wisdom may be freed from impediments and from
such allusions, idle fancies or vain imaginings as ‘cannot fatten nor
appease the hunger’, so that the true Counsellor may be graciously
inclined to set forth that which is the source of blessing for mankind
and of the highest good for all nations.

At present the light of reconciliation is dimmed in most countries
and its radiance extinguished while the fire of strife and disorder hath
been kindled and is blazing fiercely. Two great powers who regard
themselves as the founders and leaders of civilization and the framers
of constitutions have risen up against the followers of the Faith
associated with Him Who conversed with God.59 Be ye warned, O men of understanding.
It ill beseemeth the station of man to commit tyranny; rather it
behoveth him to observe equity and be attired with the raiment of
justice under all conditions. Beseech ye the One true God that He may,
through the power of the hand of loving-kindness and spiritual
education, purge and purify certain souls from the defilement of evil
passions and corrupt desires, that they may arise and unloose their
tongues for the sake of God, that perchance the evidences of injustice
may be blotted out and the splendour of the light of justice may shed
its radiance upon the whole world. The people are ignorant, and they
stand in need of those who will expound the truth.

The Great Being saith: The man of consummate learning and the sage
endowed with penetrating wisdom are the two eyes to the body of mankind.
God willing, the earth shall never be deprived of these two greatest
gifts. That which hath been set forth and will be revealed in the future
is but a token of this Servant’s ardent desire to dedicate Himself to
the service of all the kindreds of the earth.

O my friend! In all circumstances one should seize upon every means
which will promote security and tranquillity among the peoples of the
world. The Great Being saith: In this glorious Day whatever will purge
you from corruption and will lead you towards peace and composure, is
indeed the Straight Path.

Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the result of the
high endeavours exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned amongst
men, to recognize their best interests. How long will humanity persist
in its waywardness? How long will injustice continue? How long is chaos
and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will discord agitate the
face of society?

This humble servant is filled with wonder, inasmuch as all men are
endowed with the capacity to see and hear, yet we find them deprived of
the privilege of using these faculties. This servant hath been prompted
to pen these lines by virtue of the tender love he cherisheth for thee.
The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the
strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing.
The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned,
inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective. I
beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may graciously awaken the
peoples of the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct may be
profitable unto them, and aid them to accomplish that which beseemeth
their station.

Were man to appreciate the greatness of his station and the loftiness
of his destiny he would manifest naught save goodly character, pure
deeds, and a seemly and praiseworthy conduct. If the learned and wise
men of goodwill were to impart guidance unto the people, the whole earth
would be regarded as one country. Verily this is the undoubted truth.
This servant appealeth to every diligent and enterprising soul to exert
his utmost endeavour and arise to rehabilitate the conditions in all
regions and to quicken the dead with the living waters of wisdom and
utterance, by virtue of the love he cherisheth for God, the One, the
Peerless, the Almighty, the Beneficent.

No man of wisdom can demonstrate his knowledge save by means of
words. This showeth the significance of the Word as is affirmed in all
the Scriptures, whether of former times or more recently. For it is
through its potency and animating spirit that the people of the world
have attained so eminent a position. Moreover words and utterances
should be both impressive and penetrating. However, no word will be
infused with these two qualities unless it be uttered wholly for the
sake of God and with due regard unto the exigencies of the occasion and
the people.

The Great Being saith: Human utterance is an essence which aspireth
to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its influence, this
is conditional upon refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts
which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be
combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and
Tablets.

Every word is endowed with a spirit, therefore the speaker or
expounder should carefully deliver his words at the appropriate time and
place, for the impression which each word maketh is clearly evident and
perceptible. The Great Being saith: One word may be likened unto fire,
another unto light, and the influence which both exert is manifest in
the world. Therefore an enlightened man of wisdom should primarily speak
with words as mild as milk, that the children of men may be nurtured and
edified thereby and may attain the ultimate goal of human existence
which is the station of true understanding and nobility. And likewise He
saith: One word is like unto springtime causing the tender saplings of
the rose-garden of knowledge to become verdant and flourishing, while
another word is even as a deadly poison. It behoveth a prudent man of
wisdom to speak with utmost leniency and forbearance so that the
sweetness of his words may induce everyone to attain that which
befitteth man’s station.

O friend of mine! The Word of God is the king of words and its
pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath ever dominated and will
continue to dominate the realm of being. The Great Being saith: The Word
is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency
the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of
heaven, are unlocked. No sooner had but a glimmer of its effulgent
splendour shone forth upon the mirror of love than the blessed word ‘I
am the Best-Beloved’ was reflected therein. It is an ocean inexhaustible
in riches, comprehending all things. Every thing which can be perceived
is but an emanation therefrom. High, immeasurably high is this sublime
station, in whose shadow moveth the essence of loftiness and splendour,
wrapt in praise and adoration.

Methinks people’s sense of taste hath, alas, been sorely affected by
the fever of negligence and folly, for they are found to be wholly
unconscious and deprived of the sweetness of His utterance. How
regrettable indeed that man should debar himself from the fruits of the
tree of wisdom while his days and hours pass swiftly away. Please God,
the hand of divine power may safeguard all mankind and direct their
steps towards the horizon of true understanding.

Verily our Lord of Mercy is the Helper, the Knowing, the Wise.

I would like to add that thy second letter which had been sent from
Jerusalem hath been received and that which thou hadst written and set
forth therein was perused and read in His presence. He bade me write as
follows:

O Maqsúd! We have heard thy voice and perceived the sighing and
lamentation thou didst raise in thy longing and eagerness. Praised be
God! The sweet savours of love could be inhaled from every word thereof.
Please God, this bounty may last for ever. The Servant-in-Attendance
recited the verses thou hast composed. Thy name is often mentioned in
the presence of this Wronged One and the glances of Our loving-kindness
and compassion are directed towards thee.

Great is the station of man. Great must also be his endeavours for
the rehabilitation of the world and the well-being of nations. I beseech
the One true God to graciously confirm thee in that which beseemeth
man’s station.

Be thou guided by wisdom under all conditions, inasmuch as persons
who harbour evil motives have been and are still diligently engaged in
intriguing. Gracious God! Unto that immeasurably exalted Being Who
seeketh naught but to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst
men, and to revive the world and ennoble its life, they have imputed
such charges as the tongue and the pen are ashamed to recount.

We have remembered thee and make mention of thee now. We entreat
Him—exalted is His glory—to protect thee with the hands of might and
power and enable thee to recognize that which will serve thy best
interests both in this world and in the next. He is the Lord of Mankind,
the Possessor of the Throne on High and of the world below. No God is
there besides Him, the Omnipotent, the Powerful. God grant that this
Wronged One may observe fidelity. He hath not forgotten nor will He ever
forget thee.

Thou hast mentioned thine intention to stay in Damascus until spring,
then to proceed to Mosul, should the means be forthcoming. This lowly
servant entreateth God—exalted is His glory—to provide such means as is
deemed expedient, and to aid thee. He is Potent and Powerful.

Although all the inhabitants of this region have been treated with
the utmost kindness, yet no evidence of fellowship can be discerned from
them. Thou shouldst observe much tact and wisdom, for they seek at all
times to cavil at and deny the Cause. May the One true God grant them
equity.

Concerning thine own affairs, if thou wouldst content thyself with
whatever might come to pass it would be praiseworthy. To engage in some
profession is highly commendable, for when occupied with work one is
less likely to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life. God willing thou
mayest experience joy and radiance, gladness and exultation in any city
or land where thou mayest happen to sojourn. This lowly servant will
never forget that distinguished and kind friend. He hath remembered and
will continue to remember thee. The decree lieth with God, the Lord of
all worlds. I fain would hope He may vouchsafe divine assistance and
grant confirmation in that which is pleasing and acceptable unto
Him.

Every word of thy poetry is indeed like unto a mirror in which the
evidences of the devotion and love thou cherishest for God and His
chosen ones are reflected. Well is it with thee who hast quaffed the
choice wine of utterance and partaken of the soft flowing stream of true
knowledge. Happy is he who hath drunk his fill and attained unto Him and
woe betide the heedless. Its perusal hath truly proved highly
impressive, for it was indicative of both the light of reunion and the
fire of separation.

Far be it from us to despair at any time of the incalculable favours
of God, for if it were His wish He could cause a mere atom to be
transformed into a sun and a single drop into an ocean. He unlocketh
thousands of doors, while man is incapable of conceiving even a single
one.

So heedless is this servant that with words such as these he seeketh
to vindicate the supreme power of God—exalted be His glory. I implore
pardon of God, the Most Great, for these assertions and affirm that this
servant at all times recognizeth his grievous trespasses and misdeeds.
He entreateth remission of his sins from the ocean of the forgiveness of
his Lord, the Most Exalted, and beggeth for that which will make him
wholly devoted to God and enable him to utter His praise, turn himself
toward Him and to put his whole trust in Him. Verily He is the Potent,
the Forgiving, the Merciful. Praised be God, the Almighty, the
All-Knowing.

This lowly one hath read the descriptions of the dialogue with the
traveller which thou hast recounted in thy letter to my Lord, may my
life be offered up for His sake. The explanations which were set forth
awaken the people from the slumber of heedlessness. Indeed the actions
of man himself breed a profusion of satanic power. For were men to abide
by and observe the divine teachings, every trace of evil would be
banished from the face of the earth. However, the widespread differences
that exist among mankind and the prevalence of sedition, contention,
conflict and the like are the primary factors which provoke the
appearance of the satanic spirit. Yet the Holy Spirit hath ever shunned
such matters. A world in which naught can be perceived save strife,
quarrels and corruption is bound to become the seat of the throne, the
very metropolis, of Satan.

How vast the number of the loved and chosen ones of God who have
lamented and moaned by day and by night that haply a sweet and fragrant
breeze might blow from the court of His good-pleasure and dispel
altogether the loathsome and foul-smelling odours from the world.
However, this ultimate goal could not be attained, and men were deprived
thereof by virtue of their evil deeds, which brought upon them the
retribution of God, in accordance with the basic principles of His
divine rule. Ours is the duty to remain patient in these circumstances
until relief be forthcoming from God, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord of all beings and Desire of all created
things! I beseech Thee, by the Word which hath caused the Burning Bush
to lift up its Voice and the Rock to cry out, whereby the well-favoured
have hastened to attain the court of Thy presence and the pure in heart
the dayspring of the light of Thy countenance, and by the sighing of Thy
true lovers in their separation from Thy chosen ones and by the
lamentation of them that long to behold Thy face before the dawning
splendour of the light of Thy Revelation, to graciously enable Thy
servants to recognize what Thou hast ordained for them by Thy bounty and
Thy grace. Prescribe for them then through Thy Pen of Glory that which
will direct their steps to the ocean of Thy generosity and will lead
them unto the living waters of Thy heavenly reunion.

O Lord! Look not at the things they have wrought, rather look unto
the loftiness of Thy celestial bounty which hath preceded all created
things, visible and invisible. O Lord! Illumine their hearts with the
effulgent light of Thy knowledge and brighten their eyes with the
shining splendour of the day-star of Thy favours.

I entreat Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, by the
blood spilt in Thy Path, and by the heads carried aloft on spears for
the sake of Thy love, and by the souls that have melted in their
separation from Thy loved ones, and by the hearts broken for the
exaltation of Thy Word, to grant that the dwellers of Thy realm may
unite together in their allegiance to Thine incomparable Word so that
they may all acknowledge Thy unity and Thy oneness. There is no God but
Thee, the Omnipotent, the Most Exalted, the Knowing, the Wise.

I fain would hope that He Who is the All-Sufficing, the Inaccessible,
may heed the solicitation of this lowly servant, may attire the people
of the world with the raiment of goodly deeds and purge them from evil
inclinations. He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise, the
All-Perceiving. He heareth and seeth; He is the All-Hearing, the
All-Seeing.

SÚRIY-I-VAFÁ60 (Tablet to Vafá)

He is the All-Knowing

O Vafá! Render thanks unto
thy Lord for having aided thee to embrace His Cause, enabled thee to
recognize the Manifestation of His Own Self and raised thee up to
magnify Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance in this glorious
Announcement.

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

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

Arise thou to serve the Cause and say: I swear by the righteousness
of God! Verily this is the Primal Point, arrayed in His new attire and
manifested in His glorious Name. He at present beholdeth everything from
this Horizon. Indeed He is supreme over all things. Amongst the
Concourse on High He is known as the Most Great Announcement and in the
Realms of Eternity as the Ancient Beauty, and before the Throne by this
Name61 which hath
caused the footsteps of them that are endued with understanding to
slip.

Say, I swear by God! In this Revelation even before a single verse
was sent down from the realm of holiness and sublimity, the supreme
testimony of God had been fulfilled for all the inmates of heaven and
the dwellers on earth; moreover, We have revealed the equivalent of
whatsoever was sent down in the Dispensation of the Bayán. Fear ye God
and suffer not your deeds to be rendered vain and be not of them that
are sunk in heedlessness. Open your eyes that ye may behold the Ancient
Beauty from this shining and luminous station.

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

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

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

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

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

Verily God is fully capable of causing all names to appear in one
name, and all souls in one soul. Surely powerful and mighty is He. And
this Return is realized at His behest in whatever form He willeth.
Indeed He is the One Who doeth and ordaineth all things. Moreover, thou
shouldst not perceive the fulfilment of the Return and the Resurrection
save in the Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. For
instance, were He to take a handful of earth and declare it to be the
One Whom ye have been following in the past, it would undoubtedly be
just and true, even as His real Person, and to none is given the right
to question His authority. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth
whatsoever He pleaseth. Moreover, in this station take thou heed not to
turn thy gaze unto limitations and allusions, but rather unto that
whereby the Revelation itself hath been fulfilled and be of them that
are discerning. Thus do We explain for thee in a lucid and explicit
language that thou mayest comprehend that which thou didst seek from
thine ancient Lord.

Consider thou the Day of Resurrection. Were God to pronounce the
lowliest of creatures among the faithful to be the First One to believe
in the Bayán, thou shouldst have no misgivings about it and must be of
them that truly believe. In this station look not upon human limitations
and names but rather upon that whereby the rank of the First One to
believe is vindicated, which is faith in God, and recognition of His
Being and assurance in the fulfilment of His irresistible and binding
command.

Consider thou the Revelation of the Point of the Bayán—exalted is His
glory. He pronounced the First One62 to believe in Him to be Muḥammad, the Messenger of
God. Doth it beseem a man to dispute with Him by saying that this man is
from Persia, the Other from Arabia, or this one was called Ḥusayn while
the Other bore the name of Muḥammad? Nay, I swear by God’s holy Being,
the Exalted, the Most Great. Surely no man of intelligence and insight
would ever pay attention unto limitations or names, but rather unto that
with which Muḥammad was invested, which was none other than the Cause of
God. Such a man of insight would likewise consider Ḥusayn and the
position he occupied in the Cause of God, the Omnipotent, the Exalted,
the Knowing, the Wise. And since the First One to believe in God in the
Dispensation of the Bayán was invested with command similar to that with
which Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, was invested, therefore the Báb
pronounced him to be the latter, namely His return and resurrection.
This station is sanctified from every limitation or name, and naught can
be seen therein but God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing.

Know thou moreover that in the Day of Revelation were He to pronounce
one of the leaves to be the manifestation of all His excellent titles,
unto no one is given the right to utter why or wherefore, and should one
do so he would be regarded as a disbeliever in God and be numbered with
such as have repudiated His Truth.

Beware, beware lest thou behave like unto the people of the Bayán.
For indeed they erred grievously, misguided the people, ignored the
Covenant of God and His Testament and joined partners with Him, the One,
the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily they failed to recognize the
Point of the Bayán, for had they recognized Him they would not have
rejected His manifestation in this luminous and resplendent Being. And
since they fixed their eyes on names, therefore when He replaced His
Name ‘the Most Exalted’ by ‘the Most Glorious’ their eyes were dimmed.
They have failed to recognize Him in these days and are reckoned with
those that perish. Indeed, had they known Him through His own Self or by
virtue of that which He hath revealed, they would not have repudiated
Him when He appeared in this glorious and incomparable Name, which God
hath ordained to be the Sword of His Revelation between heaven and
earth, and through which truth is separated from error, even from now
until the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the
worlds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thou hast moreover asked Me concerning the ordinances of God. Know
thou of a truth that whatsoever hath been prescribed in the Book is
indeed the truth, no doubt is there about it, and it is incumbent upon
everyone to observe that which hath been sent down by Him Who is the
Revealer, the All-Knowing. Were a man to put them away despite his being
aware thereof, God would truly be clear of such a one and We too would
be clear of him, inasmuch as His ordinances constitute the fruits of the
divine Tree and none other than the heedless and the wayward will
deviate therefrom.

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

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

Purge thou thy heart that We may cause fountains of wisdom and
utterance to gush out therefrom, thus enabling thee to raise thy voice
among all mankind. Unloose thy tongue and proclaim the truth for the
sake of the remembrance of thy merciful Lord. Be not afraid of anyone,
place thy whole trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Say, O
people, fulfil whatever ye understand of the Persian Bayán and whatever
ye understand not ask this unerring Remembrance that He may set forth
clearly that which God hath intended in His Book, for in truth He
knoweth that which is enshrined in the Bayán by virtue of the Will of
Him Who is the Omnipotent, the Powerful.

Thou hast enquired about the warning We gave to the people at the
time of Our departure from ‘Iráq to the effect that when the Sun
disappeareth from sight, birds of darkness will be in motion and the
standards of Samírí63 will be reared high. I swear by God!
Those birds have stirred in these days and Samírí hath raised his
clamour. Well is it with him who recognizeth and is numbered with men of
understanding. We have also warned them against the appearance of the
calf. God is My witness! All Our warnings have come to pass, as indeed,
they are bound to, inasmuch as they have issued from the fingers of
glory and might. Beseech thou God to protect thee from the mischief of
these men and to purify thee from the insinuations of the froward.
Strengthen thy loins then for the promotion of the Cause and pay no
attention unto the words uttered by the people of the Bayán, for they
are truly incapable of understanding and have failed to comprehend the
essence of the Cause as is revealed in this august, this Most Great
Announcement. Thus have We inspired thee, and infused into thy heart
that which will make thee independent of the allusions of mankind.

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

LAWḤ-I-SÍYYID-I-MIHDÍY-I-DAHÁJÍ (Tablet to Siyyid
Mihdíy-i-Dahájí)

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

O My Name!64 Yield thou praise unto God for having
graciously chosen thee to be a shower of bounty for that which We have
sown in the pure and blessed soil and enabled thee to serve as a
springtime of tender mercy for the wondrous and sublime trees We have
planted. Indeed so great is this favour that of all created things in
the world of existence, none can ever hope to rival it. We have moreover
given thee to drink the choice wine of utterance from the chalice of the
heavenly bestowals of thy merciful Lord, which is none other than this
Tongue of holiness—a Tongue that, as soon as it was unloosed, quickened
the entire creation, set in motion all beings and caused the Nightingale
to pour forth its melodies. This is the Fountain of living water for all
that dwell in the realm of being.

Oftentimes have We wafted upon thee the sweet savours of the
All-Merciful from this Branch which moveth over the Tablet of thy Lord,
the Mighty, the Unconstrained. By the righteousness of the One true God!
Were all created things, visible and invisible, to direct themselves
towards Him, thou wouldst find them winging their flight unto the
Supreme Goal, the Spot wherein the divine Lote-Tree exclaimeth: Verily,
no God is there but Me, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

Great is thy blessedness, inasmuch as thou hast been journeying
throughout the lands of God, and been the embodiment of joy and
assurance for the people of Bahá who have renounced all else but Him,
and set their hearts towards this Court which hath shed its radiance
upon all realms, and sprinkled them with the surging waters of this
Ocean wherewith thou thyself hast been sprinkled—an Ocean which hath
encompassed all created things.

Indeed thou didst grasp the significance of rendering assistance unto
God and didst arise to achieve this through the power of wisdom and
utterance. Say: To assist Me is to teach My Cause. This is a theme with
which whole Tablets are laden. This is the changeless commandment of
God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Comprehend this, O ye
men of insight. They that have passed beyond the bounds of wisdom fail
to understand the meaning of assisting God as set forth in the Book.
Say: Fear ye God and sow not the seeds of dissension amongst men.
Observe ye that which hath been enjoined upon you by your Lord, the
Almighty, the All-Knowing. He knoweth the reality of victory and hath
taught it to you with an utterance that the vain imaginings of them that
rove distraught in the wilderness of doubt can never corrupt.

O My Name! Suffer all created things to quaff once again from this
chalice which hath caused the seas to rise. Kindle then in the hearts
the blazing fire which this crimson Tree hath ignited, that they may
arise to extol and magnify His Name amidst the adherents of all
Faiths.

Numerous letters from thee have been presented before Our Throne. We
have perused them as a token of grace on Our part, and for each name
thou didst mention therein We have revealed that which will stir the
minds of men and will cause the spirits to soar. Moreover We have
repeatedly enabled thee to hearken unto the warblings of the birds of
heaven and to incline thine ear to the songs of the nightingales pouring
forth their melodies upon the branches. Thus was the Pen of God set in
motion in thy remembrance that thou mightest admonish men through the
power of this utterance which is divinely ordained to be the revealer of
the signs of His glory.

Blessed is the spot wherein the anthem of His praise is raised, and
blessed the ear that hearkeneth unto that which hath been sent down from
the heaven of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the All-Merciful.

Exhort thou the servants of God unto that whereunto We have exhorted
thee that they may abstain from whatsoever is forbidden them in the
Mother Book. Those who perpetrate deeds that would create turmoil among
the people have indeed strayed far from helping God and His Cause and
are numbered with the mischief-makers in the Tablet which God hath
designated to be the dawning-place of all Tablets.

Say: If it be Our pleasure We shall render the Cause victorious
through the power of a single word from Our presence. He is in truth the
Omnipotent, the All-Compelling. Should it be God’s intention, there
would appear out of the forests of celestial might the lion of
indomitable strength whose roaring is like unto the peals of thunder
reverberating in the mountains. However, since Our loving providence
surpasseth all things, We have ordained that complete victory should be
achieved through speech and utterance, that Our servants throughout the
earth may thereby become the recipients of divine good. This is but a
token of God’s bounty vouchsafed unto them. Verily thy Lord is the
All-Sufficing, the Most Exalted.

Say: Fear ye God and commit not such deeds as would cause My loved
ones on earth to lament. Thus biddeth you this Pen which hath set the
Pen of Glory in motion within the arena of wisdom and true
understanding.

Convey My greetings unto those whose faces mirror forth the radiance
of Bahá, then mention to them this utterance which cheereth the eyes of
the righteous. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon such as have
firmly clung to the Cord of God, the Revealer of verses….

Restrain thou the inhabitants of those regions from provocative acts,
from strife, dissension or aught else that would create trouble. That
which is praiseworthy in these days is the promotion of the Cause. For
instance if those people who pursue certain aims were to dedicate
themselves to the teaching of the Cause, all the dwellers of those
regions would, ere long, be invested with the mantle of faith.

Should anyone perceive the sweetness of the following passage in the
Tablet revealed in honour of Nabíl of Qá’in,65 he would readily
comprehend the significance of assistance: Human utterance is an essence
which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its
influence, this is conditional upon refinement, which in turn is
dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation,
this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy
Scriptures and Tablets.

O My Name! Utterance must needs possess penetrating power. For if
bereft of this quality it would fail to exert influence. And this
penetrating influence dependeth on the spirit being pure and the heart
stainless. Likewise it needeth moderation, without which the hearer
would be unable to bear it, rather he would manifest opposition from the
very outset. And moderation will be obtained by blending utterance with
the tokens of divine wisdom which are recorded in the sacred Books and
Tablets. Thus when the essence of one’s utterance is endowed with these
two requisites it will prove highly effective and will be the prime
factor in transforming the souls of men. This is the station of supreme
victory and celestial dominion. Whoso attaineth thereto is invested with
the power to teach the Cause of God and to prevail over the hearts and
minds of men.

O My Name! The Day-Star of utterance, shining resplendent from the
dayspring of divine Revelation, hath so illumined the Scrolls and
Tablets that the kingdom of utterance and the exalted dominion of
understanding vibrate with joy and ecstasy and shine forth with the
splendour of His light, yet the generality of mankind comprehend
not.

The reason why the subject of aid and assistance hath time and again
streamed and will continue to stream from the Pen of Providence is to
warn the friends of God lest they engage in activities that would give
rise to strife and turmoil. It is incumbent upon them, one and all, to
diligently seek ways to help the Cause of God in such manner as We have
explained. This is but a token of His grace especially conferred upon
His loved ones that every one of them may attain the station
characterized by the words: ‘Whoso quickeneth a soul hath verily
quickened all mankind.’

Temporal ascendancy hath been and will continue to be under the
shadow of this station. Its appointed hour is pre-ordained in the Book
of God. He is truly cognizant thereof and it will be manifested through
the potency of His might. Verily He is the Powerful, the All-Subduing,
the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts
regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of the wondrous,
heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on
various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite
divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy
verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman.
So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for
vacillation. I swear by My life! This Revelation is endowed with such a
power that it will act as the lodestone for all nations and kindreds of
the earth. Should one pause to meditate attentively he would recognize
that no place is there, nor can there be, for anyone to flee to.

In such manner hath the Kitáb-i-Aqdas been revealed that it
attracteth and embraceth all the divinely appointed Dispensations.
Blessed those who peruse it. Blessed those who apprehend it. Blessed
those who meditate upon it. Blessed those who ponder its meaning. So
vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition
of it. Ere long will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and
the greatness of its might be manifested on earth. Verily, thy God is
the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O My Name! Hearken thou unto My Voice coming from the direction of My
Throne. He wisheth to make mention of thy name at all times inasmuch as
thou hast proved thyself steadfast in extolling His virtues amongst men.
Indeed thy Lord loveth fidelity as found in the realm of creation, and
He hath given it precedence over most of the praiseworthy qualities.
Verily, He is Potent and Powerful.

Know thou moreover that We have heard the praise thou hast uttered in
thy communion with God, thy Lord, the Exalted, the Gracious. Great
indeed is the blessedness awaiting thee, inasmuch as thou hast curtailed
thine own affairs in favour of this inviolable, this mighty and
enlightened Cause. We entreat God to make thy call a magnet which will
attract the embodiments of names in the world of existence that all
beings may spontaneously hasten to heed it. No God is there besides Him,
the Exalted, the Pre-Eminent, the Ever-Blessed, the Sublime, the Most
August, the Most Glorious, the Most Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the
All-Informed.

LAWḤ-I-BURHÁN (Tablet of the Proof)

He is the Almighty, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The winds of hatred have encompassed the Ark
of Bathá,66 by reason of that which
the hands of the oppressors have wrought. O Báqir! Thou hast pronounced
sentence against them for whom the books of the world have wept, and in
whose favour the scriptures of all religions have testified. Thou, who
art gone far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick veil. By God Himself!
Thou hast pronounced judgement against them through whom the horizon of
faith hath been illumined. Unto this bear witness They Who are the
Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy
Lord, the Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that
They possessed in His straight Path. The Faith of God hath cried
everywhere, by reason of thy tyranny, and yet thou disportest thyself
and art of them that exult. There is no hatred in Mine heart for thee
nor for anyone. Every man of learning beholdeth thee, and such as are
like thee, engulfed in evident folly. Hadst thou realized that which
thou hast done, thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire, or
abandoned thine home and fled into the mountains, or wouldst have
groaned until thou hadst returned unto the place destined for thee by
Him Who is the Lord of strength and of might. O thou who art even as
nothing! Rend thou asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain
imaginings, that thou mayest behold the Day-Star of knowledge shining
from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a remnant of the
Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst helped the Faith of God.
Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, and thou art truly one of the
heedless. Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high,
and those of such as have circled round the Cause of God, the Lord of
the worlds. The soul of the Chaste One67 melted, by reason of thy cruelty, and
the inmates of Paradise wept sore in that blessed Spot.

Judge thou fairly, I adjure thee by God. What proof did the Jewish
doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him Who was the Spirit of God,68 when He came unto them with truth?
What could have been the evidence produced by the Pharisees and the
idolatrous priests to justify their denial of Muḥammad, the Apostle of
God when He came unto them with a Book that judged between truth and
falsehood with a justice which turned into light the darkness of the
earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as had known Him? Indeed thou
hast produced, in this day, the same proofs which the foolish divines
advanced in that age. Unto this testifieth He Who is the King of the
realm of grace in this great Prison. Thou hast, truly, walked in their
ways, nay, hast surpassed them in their cruelty, and hast deemed thyself
to be helping the Faith and defending the Law of God, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise. By Him Who is the Truth! Thine iniquity hath made Gabriel
to groan, and hath drawn tears from the Law of God, through which the
breezes of justice have been wafted over all who are in heaven and on
earth. Hast thou fondly imagined that the judgement thou didst pronounce
hath profited thee? Nay, by Him Who is the King of all Names! Unto thy
loss testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all things as recorded
in the preserved Tablet. When thou didst pen thy judgement, thou wast
accused by thy very pen. Unto this doth bear witness the Pen of God, the
Most High, in His inaccessible station.

O thou who hast gone astray! Thou hast neither seen Me, nor
associated with Me, nor been My companion for the fraction of a moment.
How is it, then, that thou hast bidden men to curse Me? Didst thou, in
this, follow the promptings of thine own desires, or didst thou obey thy
Lord? Produce thou a sign, if thou art one of the truthful. We testify
that thou hast cast behind thy back the Law of God, and laid hold on the
dictates of thy passions. Nothing, in truth, escapeth His knowledge; He,
verily, is the Incomparable, the All-Informed. O heedless one! Hearken
unto that which the Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’án: ‘Say not to
every one who meeteth you with a greeting, “Thou art not a
believer.”’69 Thus hath He
decreed in Whose grasp are the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation,
if thou be of them that hearken. Thou hast set aside the commandment of
God, and clung unto the promptings of thine own desire. Woe, then, unto
thee, O careless one that doubtest! If thou deniest Me, by what proof
canst thou vindicate the truth of that which thou dost possess? Produce
it, then, O thou who hast joined partners with God, and turned aside
from His sovereignty that hath encompassed the worlds!

O foolish one! Know thou that he is truly learned who hath
acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge,
and soared in the atmosphere of My love, and cast away all else besides
Me, and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the
Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. He, verily, is even as an eye unto
mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all creation.
Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened him, and caused him
to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is
blessed by the Concourse on high, and by them who dwell within the
Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine in My Name, the
Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. O Báqir! If thou be of them that occupy
such a sublime station, produce then a sign from God, the Creator of the
heavens. And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do thou rein in
thy passions, and return unto thy Lord, that perchance He may forgive
thee thy sins which have caused the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree to be
burnt up, and the Rock to cry out, and the eyes of men of understanding
to weep. Because of thee the Veil of Divinity was rent asunder, and the
Ark foundered, and the She-Camel was hamstrung, and the Spirit70 groaned in His sublime retreat.
Disputest thou with Him Who hath come unto thee with the testimonies of
God and His signs which thou possessest and which are in the possession
of them that dwell on earth? Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold
this Wronged One shining forth above the horizon of the will of God, the
Sovereign, the Truth, the Resplendent. Unstop, then, the ear of thine
heart that thou mayest hearken unto the speech of the Divine Lote-Tree
that hath been raised up in truth by God, the Almighty, the Beneficent.
Verily, this Tree, notwithstanding the things that befell it by reason
of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such as are like thee,
calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto the Sadratu’l-Muntahá71 and the Supreme Horizon. Blessed is the
soul that hath gazed on the Most Mighty Sign, and the ear that hath
heard His most sweet Voice, and woe to whosoever hath turned aside and
done wickedly.

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

By God! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and the repudiation of
the divines hath been powerless to weaken Me. I have spoken, and still
speak forth before the face of men: ‘The door of grace hath been
unlocked and He Who is the Dayspring of Justice is come with perspicuous
signs and evident testimonies, from God, the Lord of strength and of
might!’ Present thyself before Me that thou mayest hear the mysteries
which were heard by the Son of ‘Imrán73 upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus
commandeth thee He Who is the Dawning-Place of the Revelation of thy
Lord, the God of Mercy, from His great Prison.

Hath leadership made thee proud? Peruse thou what God hath revealed
to the Sovereign ruler, the Sulṭán of Turkey, who hath incarcerated Me
in this fortified stronghold, so that thou mayest be informed of the
condition of this Wronged One, as decreed by God, the One, the Single,
the All-Informed. Art thou happy to see the abject and worthless as thy
followers? They support thee as did a people before them, they that
followed Annas, who, without clear proof and testimony, pronounced
judgement against the Spirit.74

Peruse thou the Kitáb-i-Íqán and that which the All-Merciful hath
sent down unto the King of Paris75 and to such as are like him, that thou mayest be made
aware of the things that have happened in the past, and be persuaded
that We have not sought to spread disorder in the land after it had been
well-ordered. We exhort, wholly for the sake of God, His servants. Let
him who wisheth turn unto Him, and him who wisheth turn aside. Our Lord,
the Merciful, is verily the All-Sufficing, the All-Praised. O concourse
of divines! This is the day whereon nothing amongst all things, nor any
name amongst all names, can profit you save through this Name which God
hath made the Manifestation of His Cause and the Dayspring of His Most
Excellent Titles unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is
that man that hath recognized the fragrance of the All-Merciful and been
numbered with the steadfast. Your sciences shall not profit you in this
day, nor your arts, nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them all
behind your backs, and set your faces towards the Most Sublime Word
through which the Scriptures and the Books and this lucid Tablet have
been distinctly set forth. Cast away, O concourse of divines, the things
ye have composed with the pens of your idle fancies and vain imaginings.
By God! The Day-Star of Knowledge hath shone forth above the horizon of
certitude.

O Báqir! Read and call thou to mind that which was said of old by a
believer of thy stock: ‘Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is
God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he
be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of
what he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who
is a transgressor, a liar.’76

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

Hath the Sháh been informed, and chosen to close his eyes to thine
acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the howling of a pack of
wolves who have cast the Path of God behind their backs and followed in
thy way without any clear proof or Book? We have heard that the
provinces of Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice.
When We observed closely, however, We found them to be the
dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice. We behold
justice in the clutches of tyranny. We beseech God to set it free
through the power of His might and His sovereignty. He, verily,
overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. To none is given
the right to protest against anyone concerning that which hath befallen
the Cause of God. It behoveth whosoever hath set his face towards the
Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the cord of patience,
and to put his reliance in God, the Help in Peril, the Unconstrained. O
ye loved ones of God! Drink your fill from the well-spring of wisdom,
and walk ye in the garden of wisdom, and soar ye in the atmosphere of
wisdom, and speak forth with wisdom and eloquence. Thus biddeth you your
Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

O Báqir! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou art even as the
last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away, as
decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Thy glory and the
glory of such as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is
what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where
is he to be found who contended with God, and whither is gone he that
gainsaid His signs, and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are
they who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His holy
ones? Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine
acts, O foolish doubter! Because of you the Apostle77 lamented, and the Chaste One78 cried out, and
the countries were laid waste, and darkness fell upon all regions. O
concourse of divines! Because of you the people were abased, and the
banner of Islám was hauled down, and its mighty throne subverted. Every
time a man of discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which would
exalt Islám, ye raised a clamour, and thereby was he deterred from
achieving his purpose, while the land remained fallen in clear ruin.

Consider the Sulṭán of Turkey! He did not want war, but those like
you desired it. When its fires were enkindled and its flames rose high,
the government and the people were thereby weakened. Unto this beareth
witness every man of equity and perception. Its calamities waxed so
great that the smoke thereof surrounded the Land of Mystery79 and its environs, and what had
been revealed in the Tablet of the Sulṭán was made manifest. Thus hath
it been decreed in the Book, at the behest of God, the Help in Peril,
the Self-Subsisting.

O My Supreme Pen! Leave Thou the mention of the Wolf, and call Thou
to remembrance the She-Serpent80 whose cruelty hath caused all created
things to groan, and the limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth
Thee the Lord of all names, in this glorious station. The Chaste
One81 hath cried out by reason of
thine iniquity, and yet thou dost imagine thyself to be of the family of
the Apostle of God! Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, O thou who hast
withdrawn thyself from God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall be.
Judge thou equitably, O She-Serpent! For what crime didst thou sting the
children82 of the Apostle of God, and pillage their
possessions? Hast thou denied Him Who created thee by His command ‘be,
and it was’? Thou hast dealt with the children of the Apostle of God as
neither ‘Ád hath dealt with Húd, nor Thámúd with Ṣáliḥ, nor the Jews
with the Spirit of God,83 the Lord
of all being. Gainsayest thou the signs of thy Lord which no sooner were
sent down from the heaven of His Cause than all the books of the world
bowed down before them? Meditate, that thou mayest be made aware of
thine act, O heedless outcast! Ere long will the breaths of chastisement
seize thee, as they seized others before thee. Wait, O thou who hast
joined partners with God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible.
This is the day which God hath announced through the tongue of His
Apostle. Reflect, that thou mayest apprehend what the All-Merciful hath
sent down in the Qur’án and in this inscribed Tablet. This is the day
whereon He Who is the Dayspring of Revelation hath come with clear
tokens which none can number. This is the day whereon every man endued
with perception hath discovered the fragrance of the breeze of the
All-Merciful in the world of creation, and every man of insight hath
hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of His Lord, the King of
Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice84 hath been retold, and he who was to
be offered up hath directed his steps towards the place of sacrifice,
and returned not, by reason of that which thy hand hath wrought, O
perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that martyrdom could abase this
Cause? Nay, by Him Whom God hath made to be the Repository of His
Revelation, if thou be of them that comprehend. Woe betide thee, O thou
who hast joined partners with God, and woe betide them that have taken
thee as their leader, without a clear token or a perspicuous Book. How
numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen to quench the light
of God, and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged until the
hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their cruelty! The sun of
justice hath been obscured, inasmuch as the embodiment of tyranny hath
been stablished upon the throne of hatred, and yet the people understand
not. The children of the Apostle have been slain and their possessions
pillaged. Say: Was it, in thine estimation, their possessions or
themselves that denied God? Judge fairly, O ignorant one that hath been
shut out as by a veil from God. Thou hast clung to tyranny and cast away
justice; whereupon all created things have lamented, and still thou art
among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the aged, and plundered the
young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that which thine iniquity
hath amassed? Nay, by Myself! Thus informeth thee He Who is cognizant of
all. By God! The things thou possessest shall profit thee not, nor what
thou hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this beareth witness Thy
Lord, the All-Knowing. Thou hast arisen to put out the light of this
Cause; ere long will thine own fire be quenched, at His behest. He,
verily, is the Lord of strength and of might. The changes and chances of
the world, and the powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him. He doeth
what He pleaseth, and ordaineth what He willeth through the power of His
sovereignty. Consider the she-camel. Though but a beast, yet hath the
All-Merciful exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the
earth made mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily,
overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. No God is there
but Him, the Almighty, the Great. Thus have We adorned the heaven of Our
Tablet with the suns of Our words. Blessed the man that hath attained
thereunto and been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as
have turned aside, and denied Him, and strayed far from Him. Praised be
God, the Lord of the worlds!

KITÁB-I-‘AHD (Book of the Covenant)

Although the Realm of Glory
hath none of the vanities of the world, yet within the treasury of trust
and resignation We have bequeathed to Our heirs an excellent and
priceless heritage. Earthly treasures We have not bequeathed, nor have
We added such cares as they entail. By God! In earthly riches fear is
hidden and peril is concealed. Consider ye and call to mind that which
the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’án: ‘Woe betide every
slanderer and defamer, him that layeth up riches and counteth
them.’85 Fleeting are the
riches of the world; all that perisheth and changeth is not, and hath
never been, worthy of attention, except to a recognized measure.

The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and tribulations, in
revealing the Holy Verses and in demonstrating proofs hath been naught
but to quench the flame of hate and enmity, that the horizon of the
hearts of men may be illumined with the light of concord and attain real
peace and tranquillity. From the dawning-place of the divine Tablet the
day-star of this utterance shineth resplendent, and it behoveth everyone
to fix his gaze upon it: We exhort you, O peoples of the world, to
observe that which will elevate your station. Hold fast to the fear of
God and firmly adhere to what is right. Verily I say, the tongue is for
mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk. God hath
forgiven what is past. Henceforward everyone should utter that which is
meet and seemly, and should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever
causeth sadness in men. Lofty is the station of man! Not long ago this
exalted Word streamed forth from the treasury of Our Pen of Glory: Great
and blessed is this Day—the Day in which all that lay latent in man hath
been and will be made manifest. Lofty is the station of man, were he to
hold fast to righteousness and truth and to remain firm and steadfast in
the Cause. In the eyes of the All-Merciful a true man appeareth even as
a firmament; its sun and moon are his sight and hearing, and his shining
and resplendent character its stars. His is the loftiest station, and
his influence educateth the world of being.

Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the fragrance of
His garment and hath, with a pure heart, set his face towards the
all-glorious Horizon is reckoned among the people of Bahá in the Crimson
Book. Grasp ye, in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink
then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.

O ye that dwell on earth! The religion of God is for love and unity;
make it not the cause of enmity or dissension. In the eyes of men of
insight and the beholders of the Most Sublime Vision, whatsoever are the
effective means for safeguarding and promoting the happiness and welfare
of the children of men have already been revealed by the Pen of Glory.
But the foolish ones of the earth, being nurtured in evil passions and
desires, have remained heedless of the consummate wisdom of Him Who is,
in truth, the All-Wise, while their words and deeds are prompted by idle
fancies and vain imaginings.

O ye the loved ones and the trustees of God! Kings are the
manifestations of the power, and the daysprings of the might and riches,
of God. Pray ye on their behalf. He hath invested them with the
rulership of the earth and hath singled out the hearts of men as His Own
domain.

Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in His Book. This
is a decree of God in this Most Great Revelation. It is divinely
preserved from annulment and is invested by Him with the splendour of
His confirmation. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

It is incumbent upon everyone to aid those daysprings of authority
and sources of command who are adorned with the ornament of equity and
justice. Blessed are the rulers and the learned among the people of
Bahá. They are My trustees among My servants and the manifestations of
My commandments amidst My people. Upon them rest My glory, My blessings
and My grace which have pervaded the world of being. In this connection
the utterances revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are such that from the
horizon of their words the light of divine grace shineth luminous and
resplendent.

O ye My Branches! A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed
in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying
influence, and not upon the differences which appear from it.

The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the
Aghsán, the Afnán and My Kindred to turn, one and all, their faces
towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in
Our Most Holy Book: ‘When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the
Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath
purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.’ The object of this
sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch [‘Abdu’l-Bahá].
Thus have We graciously revealed unto you Our potent Will, and I am
verily the Gracious, the All-Powerful. Verily God hath ordained the
station of the Greater Branch [Muḥammad ‘Alí] to be beneath that of the
Most Great Branch [‘Abdu’l-Bahá]. He is in truth the Ordainer, the
All-Wise. We have chosen ‘the Greater’ after ‘the Most Great’, as
decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

It is enjoined upon everyone to manifest love towards the Aghsán, but
God hath not granted them any right to the property of others.

O ye My Aghsán, My Afnán and My Kindred! We exhort you to fear God,
to perform praiseworthy deeds and to do that which is meet and seemly
and serveth to exalt your station. Verily I say, fear of God is the
greatest commander that can render the Cause of God victorious, and the
hosts which best befit this commander have ever been and are an upright
character and pure and goodly deeds.

Say: O servants! Let not the means of order be made the cause of
confusion and the instrument of union an occasion for discord. We fain
would hope that the people of Bahá may be guided by the blessed words:
‘Say: all things are of God.’ This exalted utterance is like unto water
for quenching the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within the
hearts and breasts of men. By this single utterance contending peoples
and kindreds will attain the light of true unity. Verily He speaketh the
truth and leadeth the way. He is the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the
Gracious.

It is incumbent upon everyone to show courtesy to, and have regard
for the Aghsán, that thereby the Cause of God may be glorified and His
Word exalted. This injunction hath time and again been mentioned and
recorded in the Holy Writ. Well is it with him who is enabled to achieve
that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days hath prescribed for him. Ye
are bidden moreover to respect the members of the Holy Household, the
Afnán and the kindred. We further admonish you to serve all nations and
to strive for the betterment of the world.

That which is conducive to the regeneration of the world and the
salvation of the peoples and kindreds of the earth hath been sent down
from the heaven of the utterance of Him Who is the Desire of the world.
Give ye a hearing ear to the counsels of the Pen of Glory. Better is
this for you than all that is on the earth. Unto this beareth witness My
glorious and wondrous Book.

LAWḤ-I-ARD-I-BÁ (Tablet of the Land of Bá)

Praise be to Him Who hath
honoured the Land of Bá86 through the
presence of Him round Whom all names revolve. All the atoms of the earth
have announced unto all created things that from behind the gate of the
Prison-city there hath appeared and above its horizon there hath shone
forth the Orb of the beauty of the great, the Most Mighty Branch of
God—His ancient and immutable Mystery—proceeding on its way to another
land. Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped this Prison-city, whilst another
land rejoiceth. Exalted, immeasurably exalted is our Lord, the Fashioner
of the heavens and the Creator of all things, He through Whose
sovereignty the doors of the prison were opened, thereby causing what
was promised aforetime in the Tablets to be fulfilled. He is verily
potent over what He willeth, and in His grasp is the dominion of the
entire creation. He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.

Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have
trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His
countenance, the ear that hath been honoured by hearkening to His call,
the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that
hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His
praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings. We
beseech God—blessed and exalted be He—that He may honour us with meeting
Him soon. He is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Powerful, He Who is
ready to answer.

EXCERPTS FROM OTHER TABLETS