Appreciate the value of this station and arise to serve His Cause in such
wise that the idle fancies and insinuations of the doubters withhold thee
not from this high resolve. The Day-Star of certitude is shining
resplendent but the people of the world are holding fast unto vain
imaginings. The Ocean of divine knowledge hath risen high whilst the
children of men are clinging to the hem of the foolish. But for the
unfailing grace of God--exalted be His glory--no antidote could ever cure
these inveterate diseases.
Convey My greetings unto the handmaidens of God in that region and give
them the joyful tidings that His tender mercy and grace are vouchsafed
unto them. High indeed is the station We have destined for thee. It
behoveth thee to yield praise and thanksgiving unto thy Lord, the
Bountiful, the Most Generous. Glorified be God, the Exalted, the Great.
"AT one time this sublime Word was heard from the..."
AT one time this sublime Word was heard from the Tongue of Him Who is the
Possessor of all being and the Lord of the throne on high and of earth
below--exalted is the glory of His utterance--: Piety and detachment are
even as two most great luminaries of the heaven of teaching. Blessed the
one who hath attained unto this supreme station, this habitation of
transcendent holiness and sublimity.
"THIS is a Tablet sent down by the All-Merciful from the..."
THIS is a Tablet sent down by the All-Merciful from the Kingdom of
utterance unto all that dwell on earth. Happy is the man who hearkeneth
and heedeth and woe betide him who hath erred and doubted. This is the Day
that hath been illumined by the effulgent light of the Countenance of
God--the Day when the Tongue of Grandeur is calling aloud: The Kingdom is
God's, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection.
Thy name hath been mentioned in Our Presence and We have deigned to reveal
for thee that which the tongue of no one among the peoples of the world
can recount. Rejoice with exceeding joy inasmuch as thou hast been
remembered in the Most Great Prison and the Countenance of the Ancient of
Days hath turned towards thee from this exalted habitation.
We have truly revealed the signs, demonstrated the irrefutable testimonies
and have summoned all men unto the straight Path. Among the people there
are those who have turned away and repudiated the truth, others have
pronounced judgement against Us without any proof or evidence. The first
to turn away from Us have been the world's spiritual leaders in this
age--they that call upon Us in the daytime and in the night season and
mention My Name while resting on their lofty thrones. However, when I
revealed Myself unto men they rose against Me in such wise that even the
stones groaned and lamented bitterly.
Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto His Voice,
set thy face towards Him and heeded the Call of thy Lord when He came
invested with invincible power and sovereignty.
"O MY handmaiden, O My leaf! Render thou thanks unto..."
O MY handmaiden, O My leaf! Render thou thanks unto the Best-Beloved of
the world for having attained this boundless grace at a time when the
world's learned and most distinguished men have remained deprived thereof.
We have designated thee 'a leaf' that thou mayest, like unto leaves, be
stirred by the gentle wind of the Will of God--exalted be His glory--even as
the leaves of the trees are stirred by onrushing winds. Yield thou thanks
unto thy Lord by virtue of this brilliant utterance. Wert thou to perceive
the sweetness of the title 'O My handmaiden' thou wouldst find thyself
detached from all mankind, devoutly engaged day and night in communion
with Him Who is the sole Desire of the world.
In words of incomparable beauty We have made fitting mention of such
leaves and handmaidens as have quaffed from the living waters of heavenly
grace and have kept their eyes directed towards God. Happy and blessed are
they indeed. Ere long shall God reveal their station whose loftiness no
word can befittingly express nor any description adequately describe.
We admonish thee to do that which will serve to promote the interests of
the Cause of God amongst men and women. He doth hear the call of the
friends and beholdeth their actions. Verily, He is the Hearing and the
Seeing.
Upon thee and upon them be the glory of God, the Powerful, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
"O HANDMAID of God! Hearken unto the Voice of the..."
O HANDMAID of God! Hearken unto the Voice of the Lord of Names, Who from
His Prison hath directed His gaze towards thee and is making mention of
thee.
He hath extended assistance to every wayfarer, hath graciously responded
to every petitioner and granted admittance to every seeker after truth. In
this Day the Straight Path is made manifest, the Balance of divine justice
is set and the light of the sun of His bounty is resplendent, yet the
oppressive darkness of the people of tyranny hath, even as clouds,
intervened and caused a grievous obstruction between the Day-Star of
heavenly grace and the people of the world. Blessed is he who hath rent
the intervening veils asunder and is illumined by the radiant light of
divine Revelation. Consider how numerous were those who accounted
themselves among the wise and the learned, yet in the Day of God were
deprived of the outpourings of heavenly bounties.
O My leaf, O My handmaid! Appreciate the value of this blessing and of
this tender mercy which hath encompassed thee and guided thy steps unto
the Dayspring of glory.
Convey greetings on behalf of this Wronged One to such handmaidens as
worship God and cheer their hearts with the assurance of His loving
providence.
"FIX your gaze upon wisdom in all things, for it is an..."
FIX your gaze upon wisdom in all things, for it is an unfailing antidote.
How often hath it turned a disbeliever into a believer or a foe into a
friend? Its observance is highly essential, inasmuch as this theme hath
been set forth in numerous Tablets revealed from the empyrean of the Will
of Him Who is the Manifestation of the light of divine unity. Well is it
with them that act accordingly.
Centre your attention unceasingly upon that which will cause the Word of
God to be exalted. In this Most Great Revelation goodly deeds and a
praiseworthy character are regarded as the hosts of God, likewise is His
blessed and holy Word. These hosts are the lodestone of the hearts of men
and the effective means for unlocking doors. Of all the weapons in the
world this is the keenest.
Beseech thou God to graciously assist all men to observe that which His
all-glorious Pen hath recorded in the sacred Books and Tablets.
"THIS Wronged One doth mention him who hath set his..."
THIS Wronged One doth mention him who hath set his face toward the
Incomparable One, the All-Knowing, him who beareth witness unto His unity
even as the All-Glorious Pen hath borne witness as it moveth swiftly
within the arena of utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath recognized
its Lord and woe betide him who hath grievously erred and doubted.
Man is like unto a tree. If he be adorned with fruit, he hath been and
will ever be worthy of praise and commendation. Otherwise a fruitless tree
is but fit for fire. The fruits of the human tree are exquisite, highly
desired and dearly cherished. Among them are upright character, virtuous
deeds and a goodly utterance. The springtime for earthly trees occurreth
once every year, while the one for human trees appeareth in the Days of
God--exalted be His glory. Were the trees of men's lives to be adorned in
this divine Springtime with the fruits that have been mentioned, the
effulgence of the light of Justice would, of a certainty, illumine all the
dwellers of the earth and everyone would abide in tranquillity and
contentment beneath the sheltering shadow of Him Who is the Object of all
mankind. The Water for these trees is the living water of the sacred Words
uttered by the Beloved of the world. In one instant are such trees planted
and in the next their branches shall, through the outpourings of the
showers of divine mercy, have reached the skies. A dried-up tree, however,
hath never been nor will be worthy of any mention.
Happy is the faithful one who is attired with the vesture of high
endeavour and hath arisen to serve this Cause. Such a soul hath truly
attained the desired Goal and hath apprehended the Object for which it
hath been created. But a myriad times alas for the wayward who are like
unto dried-up leaves fallen upon the dust. Ere long mortal blasts shall
carry them away to the place ordained for them. Ignorant did they arrive,
ignorant did they linger and ignorant did they retire to their abodes.
The world is continually proclaiming these words: Beware, I am evanescent,
and so are all my outward appearances and colours. Take ye heed of the
changes and chances contrived within me and be ye roused from your
slumber. Nevertheless there is no discerning eye to see, nor is there a
hearing ear to hearken.
In this Day the inner ear exclaimeth and saith: Indeed well is it with me,
today is my day, inasmuch as the Voice of God is calling aloud. And the
essence of vision crieth out: Blessed am I, this is my day, for the
Ancient Beauty is shining resplendent from the most exalted Horizon.
It behoveth the people of Baha to invoke and entreat the Lord of Names
that perchance the people of the world may not be deprived of the
effusions of grace in His days.
In the past the divines were perplexed over this question, a question
which He Who is the Sovereign Truth hath, during the early years of His
life, Himself heard them ask repeatedly: 'What is that Word which the
Qa'im will pronounce whereby the leaders of religion are put to flight?'
Say, that Word is now made manifest and ye have fled ere ye heard it
uttered, although ye perceive it not. And that blessed, that hidden, that
concealed and treasured Word is this: '"HE" hath now appeared in the
raiment of "I". He Who was hidden from mortal eyes exclaimeth: Lo! I am
the All-Manifest.' This is the Word which hath caused the limbs of
disbelievers to quake. Glorified be God! All the heavenly Scriptures of
the past attest to the greatness of this Day, the greatness of this
Manifestation, the greatness of His signs, the greatness of His Word, the
greatness of His constancy, the greatness of His pre-eminent station. Yet
despite all this the people have remained heedless and are shut out as by
a veil. Indeed all the Prophets have yearned to attain this Day. David
saith: 'Who will bring me into the Strong City?'(90) By Strong City is
meant Akka. Its fortifications are very strong and this Wronged One is
imprisoned within its walls. Likewise it is revealed in the Qur'an: 'Bring
forth thy people from the darkness into the light and announce to them the
days of God.'(91)
The glory with which this Day is invested hath been explicitly mentioned
and clearly set forth in most heavenly Books and Scriptures. However, the
divines of the age have debarred men from this transcendent station, and
have kept them back from this Pinnacle of Glory, this Supreme Goal.
Blessed art thou inasmuch as the darkness of vain imaginings hath been
powerless to hinder thee from the light of certitude, and the onslaught of
the people hath failed to deter thee from the Lord of mankind. Appreciate
thou the value of this high station and beseech God--exalted is His
glory--to graciously enable thee to safeguard it. Imperishable dominion
hath exclusively pertained unto the One true God and His loved ones and
will continue to pertain unto them everlastingly.
The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity rest upon
thee and upon such as have taken fast hold of the Cord of God that no man
can sever.
"HE Who leadeth to true victory is come. By the righteousness..."
HE Who leadeth to true victory is come. By the righteousness of God! He is
fully capable of revolutionizing the world through the power of a single
Word. Having enjoined upon all men to observe wisdom, He Himself hath
adhered to the cord of patience and resignation.
The clay clods of the world have set forth to visit the embellished, the
luminous, the crimson City of God, and certain emissaries from Persia are
secretly stirring up mischief, though to outward seeming they pretend to
be gentle and meek. Gracious God! When will this world-afflicting
craftiness be transformed into sincerity? The exhortations of God, the
True One, have compassed the world, but until now their influence hath not
been disclosed. Men's unseemly deeds have kept them back from attaining
unto Him. We entreat God--exalted and glorified is He--to pour down, out of
the clouds of divine grace, the overflowing rain of His bounty upon all
His servants. Verily potent is He over all things.
O 'Ali Haydar! O thou who hast risen to serve My Cause and art engaged in
magnifying the praise of God, the Lord of the mighty throne! Unto the
emblems of justice and the exponents of equity it is indubitably clear and
evident that this Wronged One, strengthened by the transcendent power of
the Kingdom, is seeking to efface from among the peoples and kindreds of
the earth every evidence of disorder, discord, dissension, differences or
divisions; and it is for no other reason but this great, this momentous
object that He hath again and again been cast into prison and many a day
and a night hath been subjected to chains and fetters. Blessed are they
that judge this impregnable Cause, this glorious Announcement, with
fairness and equity.
"THIS is a Tablet sent down by the Lord of mercy that the..."
THIS is a Tablet sent down by the Lord of mercy that the people of the
world may be enabled to draw nigh unto this Ocean which hath surged
through the potency of His august Name. Amongst men there are those who
have turned away from Him and gainsaid His testimony, while others have
quaffed the wine of assurance in the glory of His Name which pervadeth all
created things. A grievous loss hath indeed been suffered by those that
have inclined their ears to the croaking of the raven, and refused to
hearken unto the sweet warblings of the Bird of Heaven singing upon the
twigs of the Tree of eternity: Verily there is none other God but Me, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise. This is the Day that hath been illumined by the
splendours of the light of Our countenance--the Day around which all days
and nights circle in adoration. Blessed is the man of insight who hath
perceived, and the sore athirst who hath quaffed from this luminous
Fountain. Blessed the man who acknowledgeth the truth, earnestly striving
to serve the Cause of his Lord, the Powerful, the Almighty.
O servant who hast fixed his gaze upon My face! Hearken unto the Voice of
thy Lord, the All-Glorious, calling aloud from the dayspring of grandeur
and majesty. Verily His Call will draw thee nigh unto the realm of glory
and will cause thee to extol His praise in such wise that every created
thing will be enraptured, and to magnify His glory in such manner as to
influence the entire creation. Truly thy Lord is the Protector, the
Gracious, the All-Informed.
Gather thou together the friends of God in that land and acquaint them
with My incomparable remembrance. We have revealed for them a Tablet from
which the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted upon the realm of
existence, that they may rejoice with exceeding gladness and remain
steadfast in this wondrous Cause.
While in prison We have revealed a Book which We have entitled 'The Most
Holy Book'. We have enacted laws therein and adorned it with the
commandments of thy Lord, Who exerciseth authority over all that are in
the heavens and on the earth. Say: Take hold of it, O people, and observe
that which hath been sent down in it of the wondrous precepts of your
Lord, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. It will truly prosper you both in this
world and in the next and will purge you of whatsoever ill beseemeth you.
He is indeed the Ordainer, the Expounder, the Giver, the Generous, the
Gracious, the All-Praised.
Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast been faithful to the
Covenant of God and His Testament and for thy being honoured with this
Tablet through which thy name is recorded in My Preserved Tablet. Dedicate
thyself to the service of the Cause of thy Lord, cherish His remembrance
in thy heart and celebrate His praise in such wise that every wayward and
heedless soul may thereby be roused from slumber.
Thus have We deigned to bestow upon thee a token of favour from Our
presence; and I verily am the Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
"WE desire to mention him who hath set his face towards..."
WE desire to mention him who hath set his face towards Us and to let him
once again drink deep from the life-giving waters of Our gracious
providence that he may be enabled to draw nigh unto My Horizon, be adorned
with Mine attributes, soar in Mine atmosphere, be confirmed in that which
will cause the sanctity of My Cause to be manifested amongst My people and
to celebrate My praise in a manner that will cause every hesitating soul
to hasten, every motionless creature to wing its flight, every mortal
frame to be consumed, every chilled heart to be stirred with life and
every dejected spirit to surge with delight. Thus doth it behove him who
hath turned his face to Mine, hath entered beneath the shadow of My
loving-kindness and received My verses which have pervaded the whole
world.
O 'Ali! He Who is the Dayspring of divine Revelation is calling unto thee
through this most wondrous utterance. By the righteousness of God! If thou
wert present before My Throne and didst hearken unto the Tongue of might
and grandeur, thou wouldst sacrifice thy body, thy soul, thine entire
being as a token of thy love for God, the Sovereign, the Protector, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and wouldst so thrill to the fascination of His
Voice that every pen would be powerless to recount thy station and every
eloquent speaker would be confounded in his attempt to describe it. Ponder
a while concerning this Revelation and its invincible sovereignty; aid it
then as it beseemeth thy Lord, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful. Direct
thou the people unto the Dayspring of glory. Verily it is He Himself Who
is established upon His mighty Throne. Through Him hath the horizon of
this Prison been made to shine and by Him have all that are in the heavens
and on the earth been illumined.
We have deigned to mention thy name in the past as well as in this
gracious Tablet that thou mayest once again inhale the sweet fragrance of
the All-Merciful. This is but a token of My favour unto thee. Render thou
thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the All-Seeing.
Grieve thou not at men's failure to apprehend the Truth. Ere long thou
shalt find them turning towards God, the Lord of all mankind. We have
indeed, through the potency of the Most Sublime Word, encompassed the
whole world, and the time is approaching when God will have subdued the
hearts of all that dwell on earth. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the
All-Powerful.
We also remember thy brother from this land that he may rejoice at My
mention of him and be of them that reflect.
O friend! The Best-Beloved is calling thee from His Most Great Prison and
exhorteth thee to observe that which Mine exalted Pen hath revealed in My
Most Holy Book that thou mayest hold fast unto it with such resolve and
power as is born of Me; and I verily am the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
Great is indeed your blessedness inasmuch as His unfailing grace hath been
vouchsafed unto you and ye have been aided to recognize this Cause--a Cause
through whose potency the heavens have been folded together and every
lofty and towering mountain hath been scattered in dust.
Moreover through Our boundless grace We make mention of your mother who
hath been privileged to recognize God. We send her Our greetings from this
glorious station. We remember every one of you, men and women, and from
this Spot--the Scene of incomparable glory--regard you all as one soul and
send you the joyous tidings of divine blessings which have preceded all
created things, and of My remembrance that pervadeth everyone, whether
young or old. The glory of God rest upon you, O people of Baha. Rejoice
with exceeding gladness through My remembrance, for He is indeed with you
at all times.
"GIVE ear unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee from..."
GIVE ear unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee from the verses of
God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, that His Call may attract
thee to the Summit of transcendent glory and draw thee nigh unto the
Station where thou shalt behold thine entire being set ablaze with the
fire of the love of God in such wise that neither the ascendancy of the
rulers nor the whisperings of their vassals can quench it, and thou wilt
arise amidst the peoples of the world to celebrate the praise of thy Lord,
the Possessor of Names. This is that which well beseemeth thee in this
Day.
We will recount for thee the thing that hath happened in the past that
thou mayest perceive the sweetness of this utterance and become aware of
such events as have transpired in former times. Verily thy Lord is the
Admonisher, the Gracious, the Best-Beloved.
Call thou to mind the days when He Who conversed with God tended, in the
wilderness, the sheep of Jethro, His father-in-law. He hearkened unto the
Voice of the Lord of mankind coming from the Burning Bush which had been
raised above the Holy Land, exclaiming, 'O Moses! Verily I am God, thy
Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' He was so
carried away by the captivating accent of the Voice that He detached
Himself from the world and set out in the direction of Pharaoh and his
people, invested with the power of thy Lord Who exerciseth sovereignty
over all that hath been and shall be. The people of the world are now
hearing that which Moses did hear, but they understand not.
Say, I swear by the righteousness of God! Ere long the pomp of the
ministers of state and the ascendancy of the rulers shall pass away, the
palaces of the potentates shall be laid waste and the imposing buildings
of the emperors reduced to dust, but what shall endure is that which We
have ordained for you in the Kingdom. It behoveth you, O people, to make
the utmost endeavour that your names may be mentioned before the Throne
and ye may bring forth that which will immortalize your memories
throughout the eternity of God, the Lord of all being.
Remember thou on My behalf the loved ones in that land, convey My
greetings to them and gladden their hearts with the tidings of that which
hath been revealed for them from this glorious station.
Say, take heed lest the overpowering might of the oppressors alarm you.
The day is approaching when every emblem of vainglory will have been
reduced to nothingness; then shall ye behold the invincible sovereignty of
your Lord ruling over all things visible and invisible.
Beware lest the veils deter you from the outpourings of His bounty in this
Day. Cast away the things that keep you back from God and persevere on
this far-stretching Way. We desire naught for you but that which profiteth
you as hath been recorded in His Preserved Tablet. We often remember Our
loved ones; however, We have found them wanting in that which becometh
them at the Court of the favour of their Lord, the Gracious, the
Forgiving, save those whom God desireth to exempt. Verily, potent is He to
do what He willeth. He giveth and withholdeth. He is indeed the Eternal
Truth, the Knower of things unseen.
Seize ye, O loved ones of the All-Merciful, the chalice of eternal life
proffered by the hand of the bountiful favours of your Lord, the Possessor
of the entire creation, then drink ye deep therefrom. I swear by God, it
will so enrapture you that ye shall arise to magnify His Name and proclaim
His utterances amidst the peoples of the earth and shall conquer the
cities of the hearts of men in the name of your Lord, the Almighty, the
All-Praised.