......... in Cleveland and tell her I always bear a resemblance of her.
Convey the most wonderful greeting of Abha to the attracted maid-servant
of God, Mrs. .........
O maid-servant of God! The Lord of the Kingdom hath raised His voice with
the utmost power and strength and is conquering the realms of hearts and
souls with the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. All holy souls in the
kingdom of existence respond unto this voice and cause the call, "Ya Baha
El-Abha!" to reach the Lofty Apex.
All the members of the household send their most wonderful Abha greeting.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
Abdul-Baha Abbas.
FOOTNOTES
1 See pages 1 and 6 of Tablets.
2 Surat-ul-Hykl, by Baha'o'llah, a portion of which was translated by
Anton Haddad, published in 1900. The retranslation of this book has
not yet been undertaken.
3 Referring to passage in "The Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi"
(Abdul-Baha) by Myron T. Phelps, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons,
New York.
4 This is a usage of the people of the East. The purpose is that in
every matter the commencement should be in the Name of God.
5 This Tablet bears the following superscription: "To the members of
the House of Justice, the servants of the Covenant, the faithful
worshippers of the Holy Threshold of the Beauty of El-Abha." This
Tablet and the following eighteen are to the House of Spirituality
of Chicago.
6 Abha--literally, the Most Glorious.
7 This Tablet is also addressed to the House of Justice.
8 Acca, Syria--the Holy Land.
9 I.e., such as hath no precedent in any former age.
10 A renowned Bahai teacher sent by Abdul-Baha in 1901 to America, and
who organized the House of Justice (House of Spirituality) in
September of that year.
11 Addressed to the Secretary of the House of Spirituality.
12 Baha'o'llah.
13 Mashrak-el-Azcar--Temple of Worship. Literally, the Dawning-place of
Praises.
14 Addressed to the Secretary of the House of Spirituality.
15 This instruction is to the organized and elected Body, whose
function is to look after the welfare of the Cause in its community.
16 Prayer to be said at the close of the meeting of the House of
Spirituality.
17 Temple of Worship. Literally, the Dawning-place of Praises.
18 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
19 Refers to a declaration intended to be spread broadcast drafted by
the House of Spirituality, and sent to Abdul-Baha for his approval.
20 This spelling was later changed by Abdul-Baha to Baha'o'llah, as an
aid to more correct pronunciation.
21 A term synonymous with heavenly food.
22 Ishrakat, i.e., Effulgences. Tarazat, i.e., Spiritual Ornaments.
Bescharat, i.e., Glad-tidings. Tajalliat, i.e., Spiritual Splendors.
Kalamat, i.e., Words of Paradise.
23 This completes the Tablets to the House of Spirituality.
24 Extracts from a Tablet to Mirza Assad Ullah, at the time of the
organization of the House of Justice, and the Assembly of Teaching
of Chicago, in September, 1901.
25 Leaves, i.e., women. This Tablet and the two following are to the
Assembly of Teaching of Chicago.
26 Maid-servants.
27 To the believers in general throughout America.
28 The Tomb of BAHA'O'LLAH.
29 Mirza Ameen Ullah Fareed, son of Mirza Assad Ullah.
30 Acca.
31 American believers.
32 Revealed in response to a supplication signed by 422 believers in
America and sent July 4, 1905.
33 Revealed for American believers in 1906, who had sent Abdul-Baha a
New Year's greeting.
34 Revealed in response to a supplication signed by 489 believers in
America during the period of the 19-day fast in 1906.
35 Kheta and Khotan are two cities in China celebrated for having large
numbers of musk-producing animals. The reference here symbolizes the
severed and detached believers who are diffusing the fragrance of
the Word of God.
36 The BAB.
37 BAHA'O'LLAH.
38 Acca.
39 Acca.
40 Ring stone having this design:[i: Ringstone symbol].
41 Husband and wife.
42 Husband and wife.
43 The word "mind" (Persian, "dale") is also translated "heart"; here
it is mind.
44 From March 2d to March 20th, inclusive. The fast is kept by
refraining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.
45 Acca.
46 To the Muskegon (Mich.) assembly.
47 Husband and wife.
48 Texts relating to parables and which are veiled in symbols and have
esoteric meanings.
49 The Tomb of BAHA'O'LLAH.
50 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
51 Women.
52 The Cause.
53 The high station mentioned in the Koran referring to the
Manifestation, BAHA'O'LLAH.
54 Husband and wife.
55 The Light of the World.
56 See following Tablet.
57 To the above mentioned assembly of Racine (Wis.).
58 To the Racine assembly.
59 Christ.
60 The BAB.
61 Site of Temple at Chicago, Ill.
62 April 21, 1909.
63 The BAB.
64 "Bible" signifies the Old Testament; "Gospel" signifies the New
Testament.
65 During the time of BAHA'O'LLAH'S residence in Baghdad (the Dwelling
of Peace), men of learning, including Jews, Christians and
Mohammedans, visited Him seeking answer to religious and scriptural
questions. Such answer He gave in the Book of Ighan, otherwise known
as the Book of Explanations and Assurance. It concerns the Reality
and Authority of the human Divine "Manifestations."
66 The book was published in 1904.
67 Acca.
68 Extract from Tablet. Copy sent in bore no opening line of address.
69 Acca, Syria--the Holy Land.
70 The Tomb of BAHA'O'LLAH.
71 Interrupted.
72 Abdul-Baha himself.
73 Through the western states.
74 El-Zekkum--a thorny tree so called, which bears fruit like an almond,
but extremely bitter. Therefore the tree symbolizes a very sever
punishment and bitter remorse for the unbelievers.
75 Praise be to God!
76 Husband and wife.
77 To the Board of Counsel of Kenosha (Wis.).
78 To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly.
79 To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly.
80 To the Kenosha assembly.
81 To the Kenosha assembly.
82 When the recipient was in Acca.
83 The Recipients of the following Tablets, up to and including page
167, are unknown to the Librarian of the House of Spirituality, but
have previously been published.
84 May be said before meals.
85 May be said after meals.
86 Eternal world.
87 Following extracts from Tablets as received bore no opening line of
address.
88 Following extracts from Tablets as received bore no opening line of
address.
89 Ring having stone of this design: [i: Ring Stone symbol].
90 See following Tablet.
91 A prayer for the forgiveness of souls who have departed from this
world in ignorance of the Truth.
92 "Deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not," refers to the reward and
punishment of the souls according to its deeds. There are many
instances of this in all the heavenly Scriptures.
93 Husband and wife.
94 A rosary is generally used in connection with the daily mentioning
of the Greatest Name.
95 The BAB.
96 The mother of the one to whom this Tablet was revealed was an
Adventist, who, in 1844, expected to "meet the Lord in the air." At
that time the recipient was three months old.
97 At Acca.
98 BAHA'O'LLAH.
99 Insight.
100 The Manifestation of God.
101 Revealed in 1905.
102 The Holy Land.
103 One of the translators.
104 See page 107.
105 The Holy Land.
106 The Greatest Name.
107 I.e., as the sun rises out of the darkness.
108 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
109 Supplication begging the forgiveness of God for Dr. .........., who
hath ascended to the Kingdom of God.
110 Revealed in 1906.
111 Baha'o'llah.
112 Mirza Abul Fazl--a renowned Baha'i teacher who visited America during
1902-1904.
113 To the Cleveland (O.) assembly.
114 Husband and wife.
115 El Abd--the Servant, meaning Abdul-Baha.
116 "Consolation of the eye"--idiomatic Persian expression meaning "son."
117 To aXXX a man who was born a slave and freed by the emancipation
proclamation.
118 To the Counsel Board of West Hoboken (N.J.).
119 To the West Hoboken assembly.
120 To the West Hoboken assembly.
121 America.
122 1905.
123 Written by Abdul-Baha on the flyleaf of a Bible.
124 Mirza Abul Fazl--a renowned Bahai teacher, then in Cairo, Egypt.
125 Leaf, Leaves--meaning the ladies of the Household at Acca--sister,
wife and daughters of Abdul-Baha.
126 Christmas tree.
127 To Acca.
128 The residence was destroyed by fire.
129 The Sister of Abdul-Baha.
130 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
131 Answer to question of a physician regarding the sympathetic nervous
system of the human organism.
132 Husband and wife.
133 Husband and wife.
134 Husband and wife.
135 Husband and wife.
136 During the time of Baha'o'llah's residence in Baghdad (the Dwelling
of Peace), men of learning, including Jews, Christians and
Mohammedans, visited Him seeking answer to religious and scriptural
questions. Such answer He gave in the Book of Ighan, otherwise known
as the Book of Explanations and Assurance. It concerns the Reality
and Authority of the human "Divine Manifestations."
137 "The Bahai Proofs."
138 Refers to California and the Pacific coast.
139 Naurooz, i.e., New Day--or spring equinox, March 21st.
140 Kitab-el-Akdas, by Baha'o'llah.
141 Inshallah, i.e., if it be the will of God--also implies hope or wish.
142 See Tablet commencing bottom page 139, Vol. I.
143 All martyred in Persia. Khudoos, in the city of Barfurush;
Bab-el-Bab, in Tabarsi; King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs, both
in Ispahan; Vaheed, in Nariz.
144 July 24,1908, the day of the proclamation of a constitutional
government in Turkey, and the freeing of all political prisoners and
exiles.
145 To four members of the Chicago (Ill.) assembly.
146 To three members of the Chicago assembly who were traveling and
teaching.
147 To two members of the Chicago assembly.
148 To the Chicago assembly.
149 Baha'o'llah.
150 Addressed to the translator for the Chicago assembly.
151 Baha'o'llah.
152 Refers to an invitation sent from Chicago, in 1901, to Abdul-Baha to
come to America.
153 To the Chicago assembly.
154 To fifteen members of the Chicago assembly.
155 To the Chicago assembly.
156 "Wealth of Nature" refers to a state wherein man can dispense with
things and be happy in their absence.
157 The Book of Laws--the Most Holy Book.
158 Revealed for the believers in Persia in 1901.
159 One of the fountains of Paradise mentioned in the Koran.
160 Salsahil, i.e., Sweet Water of Life.
161 The unkind brother.
162 An accusation that Abdul-Baha was claiming to be a Manifestation who
is promised after a lapse of a thousand years.
163 Abdul-Baha.
164 Syria.
165 An expression of astonishment.
166 The Tomb of the Bab on Mt. Carmel.
167 These expressions are intended to convey the inference that he is
orthodox.
168 Baha'o'llah.
169 One of the teachers of the Bahai Revelation in Persia.
170 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Reza, of
Isfand-Abad, Persia, a famous and valiant man who suffered martyrdom
in 1901. The chief religious magistrate of the locality commissioned
a number of men to enter his home at night and they shot him to
death.
171 Idiomatic expression for turning unto God and being illumined with
His Spirit.
172 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Seyed-Jaffar,
of Isfand-Abad, Persia, who suffered martyrdom in 1901. When he
would not recant, Mulla Abdul-Kani, the chief religious magistrate
of the locality, turned him over to three different men for
execution, and when each refused to carry out the order, the Mulla
struck him on the head with a stone, and, with the assistance of
another Mulla, put him to death.
173 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Zaman, of
Isfand-Abad, Persia, who suffered martyrdom in 1901. He was
delivered into the hands of a mob, who brought him out of prison,
made him ride an ox and paraded him through the streets. Many struck
him with stones and clubs, and wounded him. While he was surrounded
by this general assault and uproar and the people danced and clapped
their hands in joy, Aka-Zaman himself also clapped his hands with
them, and evinced great joy on account of his approaching martyrdom.
Then a wretch from behind cut off his ear and stuffed it into the
martyr's mouth, but he did not even turn nor move. Finally they put
him to death with all kinds of wounds and with the severest
persecutions, and stoned him. Then they dragged away his body from
under the heaps of stones and burned it along with the body of his
honor Aka-Seyed-Jaffar.
174 To the assembly of Zanjan, Persia.
175 One of the angels of the "Resurrection day," mentioned in the Koran.
176 To the assembly of Teheran, Persia.
177 To the assembly of Teheran, Persia.
178 This Tablet is to the believers throughout Persia. Copy sent in bore
no opening line of address.
179 One of the Fountains of Paradise mentioned in the Koran.
180 One of XXXhe teachers of the Bahai Revelation in Persia.
181 Baha'o'llah.
182 Abdul-Baha.
183 An expression of astonishment.
184 Refers to the following poem composed by a nine-year-old boy of
Hamadan, Persia, by the name of Isaac. It is a literal rather than a
poetic translation:
HE IS THE PURPOSE!
Rejoice, O ye servants,
for the King of kings hath come!
Be glad, be happy,
The shining Sun hath come!
O ye lovers! O ye lovers!
Lights have been shed upon the world.
O nightingales! O nightingales!
The Rose hath come to the garden.
O ye who are negligent, be mindful!
O ye who sleep, awake!
O ye who are dead, get ye life!
For the Life of lives hath come.
How long will ye remain ignorant?
Your time is but a waste.
Rejoice in this glad-tidings:
Abdul-Baha the beloved hath come!
My Lord! My God!
Thou who gave life again to my brethren.
His bounty hath enveloped me,
His love hath thrilled me.
Thy love makes Isaac proclaim;
His joy increase, O Baha'!
The world has Abdul-Baha.
The sea hath the brilliant pearl.
185 To the maid-servant Ta-er, of Teheran, Persia.
186 To a believer in Persia.
187 To the Johnstown (N.Y.) assembly.
188 To the Johnstown (N.Y.) assembly.
189 When the recipient was in Acca.
190 Feast of Remembrance or Meeting of Faithfulness, held every nineteen
days.
191 The Sister of Abdul-Baha.
192 Spiritual women.
193 Baha'o'llah.
194 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
195 Where a number of the believers spent the summer months.
196 To the New York City Board of Counsel.
197 "In the Tablet in which I have stateXXX 'I am not Christ and am not
Eternal,' the meaning is this, that I am not Christ--and not the
Eternal Lord! But I am Abdul-Baha. This is its real purport.
Undoubtedly those souls who are under the shadow of the Blessed
Cause, believing and assured, firm and steadfast, and living in
accord with the divine exhortations and advices, all of them are
confirmed in the everlasting life."--Abdul-Baha.
198 To the New York City assembly.
199 To the New York City assembly.
200 To the New York City assembly.
201 Acca.
202 Nakazeen--violators, i.e., those who reject after having professed
allegience. Here it refers particularly to those scattered few who
profess to believe in Baha'o'llah but who refuse to follow His
command to turn to Abdul-Baha, the Centre of the Covenant, as
appointed by Baha'o'llah.
203 To the Washington (D.C.) assembly.
204 Revealed in 1900.
205 To the Washington (D.C.) assembly.
206 To the "Working Committee" of the Washington (D.C.) assembly. As no
Board of Counsel had been organized, a number of the believers, both
men and women, volunteered for service as a "Working Committee."
207 To the Baltimore (Md.) assembly.
208 To the Baltimore assembly.
209 To the Baltimore assembly.
210 The Tomb of the Bab on Mt. Carmel.
211 Rizwan, i.e., Paradise.
212 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
213 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
214 Names of some important Tablets of Baha'o'llah, published in 1906.
215 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
216 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
217 See page 441.
218 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
219 Ishkabad, Russia, near the Persian border.
220 Mother and daughter.
221 Hyacinths typify knowledge; roses typify wisdom.
222 To the Newark (N.J.) assembly.
223 See page 562.
224 Established Sept. 12, 1906.
225 Followers of Subi-Ezel who disturbed the Babis by claiming to be the
One promised by the Bab.
226 America.
227 One of the well-known Bahais in Egypt.
228 During 1906.
229 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
230 To the Fair Hope (Ala.) assembly.
231 See foot note page 479. Here it implies the wisdom which comes from
knowledge of realities and significations.
232 Acca.
233 Addressed to two maid-servants living in the same household.
234 Following Tablets as received bore no opening line of address.
235 Refers to the earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906.
236 The first meetings of the House of Justice (House of Spirituality)
in America, were held in the household of the recipient of this
Tablet--Librarian.
237 Husband and wife.
238 Incorporated in book entitled "Some Answered Questions," compiled by
Miss L. C. Barney and published in 1908 by Kegan Paul, Trench,
Trubner & Co., London, Eng.
239 Ring stone having this design: [Design of Greatest Name]
240 See footnote page 107, Vol. 1, or page 322, Vol. II.
241 To the Ithaca (N.Y.) assembly.
242 To the Montreal (Canada) assembly.
243 To a family.
244 Mother and daughter.
245 All revealed by Baha'o'llah.
246 England.
247 While in Haifa, some years ago, before he became a believer, the
recipient of this Tablet saw Baha'o'llah and some of the followers
and was attracted to Him, but owing to circumstances had no means of
communicating with Him at that time.
248 Husband and wife.
249 I.e., the return of the qualities, powers and attributes in another
human being.
250 I.e., in the sense of continued existence after the death of the
body.
251 Husband and wife.
252 This Tablet bore the following heading: "Chant thou this commune."
253 This metaphor means the state of spontaneous prayer and communion
with God.
254 To the Buffalo (N.Y.) assembly.
255 To the Buffalo assembly.
256 To the Hoboken (N.J.) assembly.
257 The following four Tablets are addressed to a Japanese residing in
the United States.
258 Hyacinth--the flower symbolic of knowledge.
259 Comparing those near at hand who disobeyed the command of
Baha'o'llah, with the recipient of this Tablet--a Japanese.
260 Infinite in regard to imagination, for without the mind there would
be no imagination. Another translation of this paragraph is as
follows: "All the people have formed a god in the world of thought
and they worship that form of their own imagination, while the fact
is that the imagined concept is comprehended by the mind which is
comprehensive. Surely that which comprehends is greater than the
comprehended, for imagination is accidental (non-essential), while
the mind is essential. Surely the essential is greater than the
accidental."
261 Addressed to a Japanese residing in the United States--a friend of
the recipient of the four preceding Tablets.
262 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
263 Refers to the recipients of the preceding Tablets.
264 The following Tablets up to and including page 585, are "General
Tablets" revealed for all the friends throughout the world.
265 Departure, i.e., death--which occurred May 29, 1892.
266 Sadrat-el-Montaha--The name of a tree planted by the Arabs in ancient
times at the end of a road, to serve as a guide. As a symbol it
denotes a Manifestation in His day.
267 Cucumis calocynthis.
268 The Druses.
269 Husband and wife.
270 A prayer for children.
271 To the Milwaukee (Wis.) assembly.
272 Board of Counsel.
273 The recipients of the following Tablets up to and including page
619, are unknown, and although we have no specific permission to
publish them, they are included here as they have been previously
published.--Librarian
274 The recipients of the following Tablets up to and including page
619, are unknown, and although we have no specific permission to
publish them, they are included here as they have been previously
published.--Librarian.
275 This Tablet bears the following heading: "Each child may memorize as
much as he can from this supplication."
276 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
277 Refers to the congress of The Hague held in 1907.
278 During the year 1899.
279 This Tablet bore the following heading: "A general prayer for
everyone to recite."
280 Children of the recipient of the preceding Tablet.
281 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
282 Revealed during 1908.
283 Addressed to three maid-servants.
284 Baha'o'llah.
285 To the Boston (Mass.) assembly.
286 The name "Boston" rhymes with the Arabic name "Bostan," or
fruit-garden.--Translator.
287 This Tablet bears the following heading: "To the members of the
Spiritual Assembly of Chicago and the Spiritual Assembly of New
York."
288 To the Samarkand, Russia, assembly.
289 To a believer in Baku, Russia.
290 Abdul-Baha elucidated Jesus' teaching against the theory of
"blindness from birth" and the defects being caused by the sin of
the individual in a former state (see St. John 9:1-3), thus: "Jesus
states that this defect exists in order to prove and show that the
gift of sight is from God alone and is one of his bounties. Because
were all created with sight the people would consider it a mere
natural fact that they must be so made, and not give God thanks for
His great gift."--Translator
291 To the Cincinnati (O.) assembly.
292 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
293 The first teachers of the Bahai Cause to come to America from the
Orient dwelt in the household of the recipient of this Tablet.
294 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
295 Khai Khosroe was a Zoroastrian Bahai of Bombay, India, who left his
home and went to Lahore to nurse Mr. Sydney Sprague who was sick of
a fever. Mr. Sprague recovered, while the great Khai Khosroe died.
He was the first Oriental friend to give his life for a Western
Bahai brother.
296 To the California maid-servants.
297 To the California maid-servants.
298 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
The Tablet is to husband and wife.
299 Literally, in order that we may emerge our head out of the bosom of
the kingdom of immortality.
300 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
301 The believers are sometimes referred to as a republic.
302 To the Brooklyn (N.Y.) assembly.
303 The recipient of this Tablet, when writing to Abdul-Baha, extended
to him, in spirit, a lily.
304 To the Fruitport (Mich.) assembly.
305 To three maid-servants at Chicago.
306 Baha'o'llah.
307 The Bab.
308 Khudoos, literally, Holy; the title given to one of the great
martyrs of Persia.
309 Baha'o'llah.
310 Germany.
311 To the Seattle (Wash.) assembly.
312 To a believer in New Zealand.
313 To America.
314 This word means a treasure or supply laid up for future
use.--Translator.
315 I.e., the power of the spiritual wine of truth will make her
conscious of all else save the love of God.--Translator.
316 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
317 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.