us good news and is the token of the wealth of thy love. This period of
time is the Promised Age, the assembling of the human race to the
"Resurrection Day" and now is the great "Day of Judgment." Soon the whole
world, as in springtime, will change its garb. The turning and falling of
the autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of the winter time is over. The
new year hath appeared and the spiritual springtime is at hand. The black
earth is becoming a verdant garden; the deserts and mountains are teeming
with red flowers; from the borders of the wilderness the tall grasses are
standing like advance guards before the cypress and jessamine trees; while
the birds are singing among the rose branches like the angels in the
highest heavens, announcing the glad-tidings of the approach of that
spiritual spring, and the sweet music of their voices is causing the real
essence of all things to move and quiver.
O my spiritual friend! Dost thou know from what airs emanate the notes
sung by those birds? They are from the melodies of peace and
reconciliation, of love and unity, of justice and security, of concord and
harmony. In a short time this heavenly singing will intoxicate all
humanity; the foundations of enmity shall be destroyed; unity and
affection shall be witnessed in every assembly; and the lovers of the love
of God at these great festivals shall behold their splendor.
Therefore, contemplate what a spirit of life God hath given that the the
body of the whole earth may attain life everlasting! The Paradise of
El-Abha will soon spread a pavilion from the pole-star of the world, under
whose shelter the beloved shall rejoice and the pure hearts shall repose
in peace.
"O ye two pilgrims of the Holy Shrine!..."
O ye two(134) pilgrims of the Holy Shrine!
The news of your protected and safe arrival in Paris, France, reached here
and made me glad and happy. The news expressed the love and devotion of
the beloved of Paris, who met you with the greatest joy and cheerfulness,
and who are themselves in love, peace and harmony.
You shall openly declare all the signs of the Kingdom that you say with
you own eyes and shall suggest with greatest joy and happiness all the
divine teachings that you heard. I ask and supplicate God to make you to
convinced souls, to bring you forth with such a steadfastness that each of
you may withstand the people of a country, and to intoxicate you with the
wine of the love of God so that you may cause your hearers to dance, to be
joyful and to exult.
This is the time of happiness; it is the day of cheerfulness and
exhilaration. For, praise to God, all the doors are opened through the
bounty of the Glorious Beauty. But one must show forth perseverance and
self-devotion and consecrate his thoughts, until the tree of hope may give
fruit and produce consequences.
"O ye two lamps of the Love of God!..."
O ye two(135) lamps of the Love of God!
Your letter to ........ was read and its contents considered. Its meanings
expressed the feelings of spiritual hearts and emanated from the spring of
the conscience. This is from the bounty of the Kingdom of Abha. I hope
that this drop will increase and grow and become like unto an ocean; that
your faith, certainty and love toward God may grow, that your light may
increase, that ye may become heavenly and that ye may receive aid and
confirmation at every moment, spreading the Word of God and promulgating
His religion.
"O thou respectful soul!..."
O thou respectful soul!
Thy letter with its great and expressive contents gave me satisfaction. It
gave utterance to the feelings of thy heart and to thy contentment. Thy
going to California was for the best. I hope that it will give great
results; that through thee the ignorant will receive knowledge, the blind
will gain sight, the deaf will hear, the dumb will speak, the negligent
will awaken, the heedless will receive intelligence. If thou arisest as it
must and should be in the service of the Cause, the divine assistance will
direct and the heavenly, everlasting help will continue. I hope that thou
will be assisted to the intention which thou hast in thy heart.
"O thou faithful maid-servant of God!..."
O thou faithful maid-servant of God!
What thou has written me hath been seen. Indeed thou belongest to the
Kingdom and thou turnest towards the Horizon of Abha. I ask from the
bounty of God that thou mayest be enflamed day by day more and more by the
fire of the love of God.
It seems that thou wast uncertain whether to occupy thyself in writing or
in delivering the tidings of the Cause of God. In these days, to deliver
the glad-tidings is the best of all. Open then thy tongue to the guidance
of the human race on any occasion that presents itself.
Thou hast asked about knowledge and cognition. Read the divine books and
tablets and look into he books of proofs that have been written in
presenting this Cause. One of them is the Book of Ighan(136), which is
translated into English. There is also the book(137) by Mirza Abul Fazl
and there are others written by the believers. In the time to come, many
divine books and tablets will be translated and thou wilt read them; but
thou mayest ask God that thou mayest attract divine knowledge by the
magnet of the love of God. When the soul becomes sanctified in every
condition and becomes pure and holy, then the door of the divine knowledge
will be opened to the face.
Thou hast written about the dear maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ That
one attracted unto God is indeed always occupied in the service and she
doth her utmost to spread the divine lights; if she continueth in the same
way there will be great results in the future. That which is of the
greatest importance is to have firmness, steadfastness and constancy.
I pray God that through the desires and the efforts of the maid-servants
of the Merciful the foot of the mountains by the ocean's shore(138) will
be enlightened by the brilliancy of the love of God in such a way that its
light may be transmitted all over the world.
You ask if, through the appearance of the Kingdom of God, every soul hath
been saved. The Sun of Reality hath appeared to the all the world. This
Luminous Appearance is salvation and life; but only he who hath opened the
eye of reality and who hath seen these lights will be saved.
You also ask about the eventual victory of spirituality in the Bahai age.
It is certain that spirituality will overcome materiality and that the
divine will have the victory over the human; it is also true that by
divine education souls in every condition of existence will be elevated,
except those that are blind, deaf, dumb and dead. How can such souls
comprehend the light? The sun lighteth up all the dark world, but the
blind man hath no portion in its brilliancy; the cloud of mercy poureth
forth streams of water, but the sterile land will never produce plants and
flowers.
Give my greetings to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ and to her
daughter. I pray God to assist them to help them, that their meeting day
by day will grow brighter and that their hearts will be more and more
attracted.
If you see Mrs........., give her my greeting and say to her: "Thou hast
come to Acca, thou hast seen my teachings, thou hast heard my explanations
and thou hast smelled the sweet odors of the Kingdom. Do not forget this,
and try with thy heart and soul to diffuse this fragrance to thy respected
husband also."
Give my greeting to all the maid-servants of God.
"O thou attracted maid-servant of God!..."
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
The celebration of the Feast of Naurooz(139) made me glad. Consider how
different this meeting was from that of last year. Consider the bounty and
the blessing of God. Therefore, know that this Cause is progressive. All
the obstacles of the world cannot hinder it. Thou didst realize divine joy
and happiness in that meeting. Is it possible for earthly gatherings to
give such divine joy? This bounty is in itself the greatest evidence of
the appearance of the Kingdom. I ask God to increase daily the fire and
zeal of the love of God. Thus may that land become a veritable paradise
and the heavenly attainments become manifest.
If thou knewest in what (spiritual) state I write this letter thou wouldst
surely become like a flame of fire and set aglow the hearts by the fire of
the love of God.
Thou hast written concerning the Most Holy Book.(140) It is intended that
in the future-inshallah(141)--means will be provided and with the utmost
care it will be translated and sent to those regions.
O thou dear maid-servant of God! The souls who bear the tests of God
become the manifestations of great bounties; for the divine trials cause
some souls to become entirely lifeless, while they cause the holy souls to
ascend to the highest degree of love and solidity. They cause progress and
they also cause retrogression.
Dr. ........ hath well said. Surely this Cause is beyond imaginations and
thoughts. convey greetings of respect to him, to his revered wife, to his
son and to his bride.
O thou maid-servant of God! Surely, if holy souls are found and arise to
do well the commandments and precepts of God, to serve, they will verily
become centers of light; an illuminating ray will extend from their hearts
to all parts and the continent will become radiant.
Surely, all must today be called to love, to unity and to kindness; to
integrity, to friendship, to fellowship and to divine worship. I hope that
thou and thy dear husband may continue to serve in all spirit and
fragrance and that in this world ye may remain two radiant candles and in
the eternal horizon ye may glisten like unto two shining stars.
"O thou beloved maid-servant of God!..."
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thy letter *** was received and its contents became known.
In this most Merciful Age the ignorant prejudices are entirely removed,
therefore the marriage of Miss ........ to Mr. ........ is permissible;
but Miss ........ must exert herself day and night so that, like the
favored maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ she may guide her husband. She
must not rest until she makes him her spiritual as well as physical
partner in life. But the Bahai engagement is the perfect communication and
the entire consent of both parties. However, they must show forth the
utmost attention and become informed of one another's character and the
firm covenant made between each other must become an eternal binding, and
their intentions must be everlasting affinity, friendship, unity and life.
The bridegroom must, before the bridesman and a few others, say: "Verily,
we are content with the will of God". And the bride must rejoin: "Verily,
we are satisfied with the desire of God." This is Bahai matrimony.
Regarding the marriage of Mr. ........ and Miss ........, that also, God
willing, is blessed.
The marriage of the Bahais means that both man and woman must become
spiritually and physically united, so that they may have eternal unity
throughout all the divine worlds and improve the spiritual life of each
other. This is Bahai matrimony.
"O maid-servant of God!..."
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter hath arrived. It brought joy to all hearts, for it carried the
proof of thy sincere work. Today, directing mankind in the right path is
the magnet which will attract to us the help of God. All those who
consecrate themselves to this work are accompanied by divine protection.
Thus, rely upon God and address thy supplications to the Most High. Then,
after perfect renunciation, care for the souls of the undirected and
negligent. I pray that thou mayest be aided and strengthened.
Thou has demanded the permission to go to Algeria in order to give thyself
to the direction of men; may God aid and help you in this work.
"O thou who art seeking for the Power of the Holy..."
O thou who art seeking for the Power of the Holy Spirit!
The reality of man is like unto a sea, and the Holy Power is like unto
brilliant pearls. Not until the sea moveth in waves doth it throw a shell
of pearls upon the shore. Therefore if thou wishest to become heavenly,
cut thy attention from the earth; that is, cease to attach thy heart unto
this world and seek connection with or attachment to the Kingdom and turn
unto God. and when thou doest this, thou wilt become the mercy of God and
a gift of the Almighty. Consider how the attracted maid-servant of God,
Mrs. ........, is in constant progress through the heavenly bounty. I hope
that thou mayest become likewise.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written was perused and its contents became manifest. Thou
hast questioned how thou canst accept this divine cause, for thou art a
member of the Church: (Know thou) in the day of the Manifestation of
Christ, many souls became portionless and deprived (from the favor of God)
because they were members of the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. According to
that membership, they became veiled from that brilliant Beauty. Therefore,
turn thou thy face to the Church of God which consists in divine
instructions and merciful exhortations. For what similarity (is there)
between the church of stone and cement and the Celestial Holy of Holies!
Endeavor that thou mayest enter in this Church of God. Although thou hast
given oath to attend the church, yet thy spirit is under the Covenant and
Testament of the Spiritual Divine Church. Thou shouldst protect this.
Although they consider the wine and the bread in the church as the blood
and body of Christ, yet this is but the appearance and not the reality.
But the reality of Christ is the words of the Holy Spirit. If thou are
able, take a portion thereof.
The performance of baptismal celebration would cleanse the body, but the
spirit hath no share; but the divine teachings and the exhortations of the
Beauty of Abha will baptize the soul. This is the real baptism. I hope
that thou wilt receive this baptism.
"O thou maid-servant of God!..."
O thou maid-servant of God!
The subject matter of thy letter is known to me. Happy is thy condition,
for thou hast loved Jesus always and wept over His sufferings. Sufferings
though they were intense in those days, yet they are more intense in these
days and are more worthy of being wept over. But at present, one must not
weep, but one must show forth firmness and steadfastness and withstand the
tests.
I beg of God that that maid-servant of God and all her family be blessed,
remain firm and steadfast in love for His Holiness Baha', and arise (to
do) that which is befitting these days.
"O thou who art attracted to the Light of the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art attracted to the Light of the Kingdom!
Thank thou God, that in this glorious period, thou hast advance toward the
Manifest Light; thou hast beheld the doors of the Kingdom open and
considered entrance therein conducive to eternal prosperity and success.
Thou hast arisen to serve the Cause of god and occupied thy time in
assisting in the spiritual meeting. Ere long thou shalt know what a light
thou hast enkindled.
"O thou who hast been attracted by the Magnet of the..."
O thou who hast been attracted by the Magnet of the Kingdom!
Note that thy Lord hath manifested the Magnet of the souls and hearts in
the Pole of the existing world, to which all the sacred hearts are
attracted from the far distant lands and countries.
The iron body is attractable although at long distances away; but the
earthen one is not although in contact and very close.
Therefore, thank thou God for being an attractable body, to be drawn to
the Magnet of the Kingdom of God.
"O thou whose heart hath been filled with the love of..."
O thou whose heart hath been filled with the love of the Beauty of God!
I have read thy kind letter and voiced thy words which show the excess of
thy love to God, the greatness of thine adherence to the Cause of God and
the abundance of thine attraction to the Kingdom of God. From a man like
unto thee such words are always expected and it is your duty thus to
proclaim.
I do greet thee from this Exalted Place, while thou art in that far
distant country, and present to thee salutations and praise, and I see
thee with the eye of the heart as though thou were present here and I
speak to thee by the tongue of the Spirit, saying: "Blessed thou art with
every blessing! Then preach to the beloved of God in that country the
glad-tidings of El-Baha!"
The form of prayer requested by thee:
My God! my God! thou art my hope and my beloved, my intended aim and
desire! With great humbleness and entire devotion I pray to Thee to make
me the minaret of Thy love in Thy region, the lamp of Thy knowledge among
Thy creatures and the banner of thy gift in Thy Kingdom.
Make me one of Thy worshippers who cut themselves from everything but Thee
and sanctify themselves from everything pertaining to the world and divert
themselves from the defects of the suspicious.
Let my heart be dilated with joy through the spirit of confirmation from
Thy Kingdom and illumine my sight with seeing the hosts of success
following one another and descending upon me from thine Omnipotence.
Thou art the Almighty, the Invincible, the Powerful!
"O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!
In truth, I say unto thee that if a spark of the fire of the love of god
should fall into a heart, its flame will increase gradually, as the breeze
blows upon it, until the sparks of the flame reach the Supreme Kingdom,
providing the necessary preparations are made to kindle that fire in thy
heart, to shed the tears from thine eyes and to bring thy patience to an
end for the purpose of being drawn into the Kingdom of El-Abha.
In truth, I say unto thee, if thou hear this call, do not relax in
mentioning God, nor grow weary of spreading the fragrances of God. And
then rejoice at the good news of the gifts which shall shine as the sun in
the highest culmination of America.
"My God! My God!..."
My God! My God!
I am a servant, miserable, humbled, submissive and low at the door of Thy
Oneness, supplicating Thee with a heart full of Thy love and a face
rejoiced at Thy glad-tidings!
O God! Make me of those who are drawn unto light and [who] detest
darkness; with a heart overflowing with the lights of Thy love among
mankind; a tongue fluent in mentioning Thee in the assemblies of worship
(remembrance); a breast, cheered and widened with Thy knowledge when
uttering explanations; an eye consoled with seeing Thy traces in all
directions; a foot firm in Thy Covenant, which I have received from the
traces of the Supreme Pen; a spreader of mysteries to those who are
heedless of them, who have veiled themselves with doubts and suspicions.
Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the Generous!
"O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of..."
O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Verily I read thy words which showed thy yearning love in God, and chanted
thy expressions written in His praise.
I beg of God to make thee a sign of guidance, a standard of righteousness
and a lamp shining with the light of the knowledge of God.
Give my greeting and salutation to Mrs. ........ and say to her: "Be not
disappointed by the calamity which hath befallen thee and be not grieved
that the consolation of thine eye (thy child) hath left the world of dust
and hath ascended to the expanse of the Kingdom, that he hath abandoned
the abode of the lowest world and hath sought refuge in the presence of
the greatest mercy, where the Lord hath placed him in a comfortable
abode."
We have already written a consoling letter(142) to her, whereby her breast
will be dilated and her soul will cheer.
"O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of God!..."
O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of God!
Verily I have read thy excellent letter and was gladdened by its wonderful
meaning. Blessed art thou, as thou hast been kindled like a lamp by the
fire of God's love and as thou hast supplicated unto God and communicated
with thy Lord with an eloquent tongue and excellent explanation.
Verily I pray unto my Lord with all humbleness, meekness, obedience and
submissiveness--which demolisheth every edifice of self-exaltation--that He
shall strengthen thee by the fragrances of holiness and the breath of the
Spirit of Truth and cause thee to be dedicated (or severed) unto God,
purged and purified from the dross of the world, holy and sanctified from
carnal passions, sacrificing thy soul to the beloved of God, contented
with that which the Lord hath granted thee in the world, anxious to
perform noble and good deeds while following the teachings of god, and in
all things adhering to the law of God!
As God liveth! shouldest thou be honored by attaining to this station,
thou wilt find thyself in the center of the Paradise (Ferdowce), the
highest of paradises!
"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god..."
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god and steadfast in the
Covenant of god!
Verily I read thine eloquent letter, the composition of which was
beautiful, words excellent and significances interesting, and I thanked
God that He hath chosen certain souls for His knowledge and love,
deposited in their hearts His mysteries, manifested from their faces His
lights and made them the signs of His Kingdom, the banners of His majesty,
the trees of His paradise and the birds of the garden of His holiness.
O thou, my honorable friend! Verily I scented the fragrance of meekness
and humbleness from the orchard of the meanings of thy letter and was
caused to rejoice, smile and be made glad that God hath made thee humble
and submissive to His beloved. Verily this is the greatest bounty from God
and by it the breast of Abdul-Baha is dilated in this remote prison.
O friend! Verily the prison is my paradise and the chains my necklace; my
balance (or testing) is my redemption (or salvation) and the castle is my
fortified safety, for this imprisonment is in the path of my Lord and it
is my salvation, my joy, my gratitude and happiness. Verily, in calamity
the face of Abdul-Baha shineth and through hardship joy is attained by
this servant in all conditions.
O thou friend! Be not sorrowful because of my imprisonment and lament not
for my difficulties; nay, rather ask God to increase my hardship in His
path, for therein lies a wisdom which none are able to comprehend save the
near angels.
O thou friend! Verily, those among the friends who were martyred in the
path of God--verily this is a favor from God which He bestoweth upon
whomsoever He chooses; verily God is the most bountiful!--they attained
what the holy ones in the Supreme Kingdom yearned for, and quaffed the
wine of grace from the bountiful hand of thy Lord the Merciful--may my
spirit be a sacrifice to them!
Therefore, be not sorrowful, for in it is a great bounty for them and by
it (martyrdom) the fire of the love of God is increased in glowing, the
Word of God in spreading, the standard of God in elevation, the fragrances
of God in diffusion, and by this blood the tree of peace is watered, the
orchard of unity and harmony pruned, and by it the fragrances of holiness
emanate from the Tree of Life and are being diffused in the world. Verily
this is from the mercy of God, which is bestowed upon whomsover He wishes.
O friend! I implore to God to make thee a banner of the banners of the
Kingdom, firm and steadfast, unshaken by the most severe winds of tests
and trials in this terrestrial world; to confirm thee in the servitude of
the Sublime Threshold; to guide through thee many souls and to make thee a
sign of meekness and humbleness before the beloved of God, the Mighty, the
Protecting!
"O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of..."
O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of God!
I received thy recent letter and rejoiced in spirit at its interesting
contents which indicated thy arising for the service of the Kingdom of
god, servitude unto His beloved ones and meekness and lowliness to His
chosen ones.
I ask God to augment, day by day, thy zeal, attraction and glowing with
the fire of God's love; to destine for thee a glorious station (or
mansion) in His great Kingdom and to open before thy face doors of success
and dilation, such that hearts shall be amazed and minds astounded.
"O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy..."
O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy fragrances of the
gardens of God's Kingdom!