which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book--a Book from above whose
horizon the day-star of My commandments shineth upon every observer and
every observed one. Hold ye fast unto it and fulfil that which is revealed
therein. Indeed better is this for you than whatsoever hath been created
in the world, did ye but know it. Beware lest the transitory things of
human life withhold you from turning unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in
your hearts the world and its conflicts and changes, so that ye may
discern its merit and the station of those who have set their hearts upon
it and have turned away from that which hath been sent down in Our
Preserved Tablet.
Thus have We revealed these holy verses and sent them unto thee that thou
mayest arise to glorify the Name of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting. The glory of God be upon thee and upon such as have
partaken of this choice, sealed Wine.
"THIS Wronged One hath perused thy letter in the Most..."
THIS Wronged One hath perused thy letter in the Most Great Prison and is
apprised of thine enquiry concerning the commandments of God on the
subjects of resurrection and the means of livelihood. Thou hast done well
to ask these questions, for the benefit thereof will be gained by thyself
as well as other servants of God, both outwardly and inwardly. Verily thy
Lord knoweth all things and readily answereth the call.
The supreme cause for creating the world and all that is therein is for
man to know God. In this Day whosoever is guided by the fragrance of the
raiment of His mercy to gain admittance into the pristine Abode, which is
the station of recognizing the Source of divine commandments and the
Dayspring of His Revelation, hath everlastingly attained unto all good.
Having reached this lofty station a twofold obligation resteth upon every
soul. One is to be steadfast in the Cause with such steadfastness that
were all the peoples of the world to attempt to prevent him from turning
to the Source of Revelation, they would be powerless to do so. The other
is observance of the divine ordinances which have streamed forth from the
wellspring of His heavenly-propelled Pen. For man's knowledge of God
cannot develop fully and adequately save by observing whatsoever hath been
ordained by Him and is set forth in His heavenly Book.
A year ago the Most Holy Book was sent down from the heaven of the bounty
of the Lord of Names. God willing, thou mayest be graciously enabled to
fulfil that which hath been revealed therein.
Concerning the means of livelihood, thou shouldst, while placing thy whole
trust in God, engage in some occupation. He will assuredly send down upon
thee from the heaven of His favour that which is destined for thee. He is
in truth the God of might and power.
Yield thou thanks unto God that thy letter hath reached the presence of
this Prisoner and from the Seat of divine authority the answer hath been
revealed and is being sent to thee. This is an incalculable blessing
vouchsafed by God. Although it is not evident at present, it soon shall
be. It behoveth thee to say:
Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I am the one who hath turned his
face towards Thee and hath placed his whole reliance in Thee. I implore
Thee by Thy Name whereby the ocean of Thine utterance hath surged and the
breezes of Thy knowledge have stirred, to grant that I may be graciously
aided to serve Thy Cause and be inspired to remember Thee and praise Thee.
Send down then upon me from the heaven of Thy generosity that which will
preserve me from anyone but Thee and will profit me in all Thy worlds.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Inaccessible, the Supreme, the Knowing,
the Wise.
FOOTNOTES
1 Sometimes referred to as Tablet to the Christians.
2 Jesus.
3 Jesus.
4 Jesus.
5 Qur'an 81:6, 10.
6 Mirza Hadi Dawlat-Abadi, one of the divines of Isfahan, who became a
follower of the Bab, later supported Mirza Yahya, and was appointed
his representative in Iran and his successor. During the
persecutions against the Babis he recanted his faith.
7 The insignia of a mulla.
8 Qur'an 6:91.
9 Ustad 'Ali-Akbar, one of the staunch believers in Yazd. He designed
the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of Ishqabad and his design was approved by
'Abdu'l-Baha. Ustad 'Ali-Akbar offered up his life as a martyr in
Yazd in 1903.
10 Arabic.
11 Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, outstanding Persian Baha'i teacher and
author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in Khartum,
travelled extensively in Iran, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy
Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.
12 Qur'an 34:12.
13 Jesus.
14 Haji Mulla Hadi Sabzivari, a renowned philosopher and poet of Iran
contemporary with Baha'u'llah. He passed away in 1873.
15 Mirza Abu'l-Qasim Farahani, the Qa'im Maqam, a distinguished poet
and scholar during the reign of Fath 'Ali Shah. He was a friend of
Mirza Buzurg, father of Baha'u'llah. Qa'im Maqam became Prime
Minister of Persia in 1821, but in 1835 he was put to death by order
of Muhammad Shah, at the instigation of Haji Mirza Aqasi.
16 cf. Qur'an 4:129.
17 Qur'an 59:9.
18 Muhammad Javad-i-Qazvini, upon whom Baha'u'llah bestowed the title
Ismu'llahi'l-Jud (The Name of God, Bounty). He transcribed numerous
Tablets of Baha'u'llah during His Ministry, but subsequently broke
the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages 247 and 319.)
19 A village near Isfahan.
20 Mirza Hadi Dawlat-Abadi, one of the divines of Isfahan, who became a
follower of the Bab, later supported Mirza Yahya, and was appointed
his representative in Iran and his successor. During the
persecutions against the Babis he recanted his faith.
21 Mirza Ashraf, who was martyred in the city of Isfahan. (See God
Passes By p. 201.)
22 The two Hands of the Cause of God, Haji Mulla 'Ali-Akbar Shahmirzadi
and Haji Abu'l-Hasan Ardakani, Amin-i-Ilahi (Trustee of
Huququ'llah), were originally arrested in Tihran, imprisoned in
Qazvin in the year 1891, and then transferred to prison in Tihran.
23 Prince Mahmud Mirza, the Jalalu'd'Dawlih, Governor of Yazd, Persia.
24 Jamalu'd-Din-i-Afghani. (See God Passes By pp. 296, 317.)
25 i.e., the letter 'B', the second letter of the alphabet.
26 The opening chapter of the Qur'an, which begins with the letter 'B':
Bismi'llahi'r-Rahmani'r-Rahim (In the Name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful). This chapter of the Qur'an was
revealed twice, once in Mecca and once in Medina.
27 The opening chapter of the Qur'an, which begins with the letter 'B':
Bismi'llahi'r-Rahmani'r-Rahim (In the Name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful). This chapter of the Qur'an was
revealed twice, once in Mecca and once in Medina.
28 Jesus.
29 Moses.
30 This Tablet was addressed to Jalil-i-Khu'i, one of the early
believers in Adhirbayjan, Persia. After the Ascension of Baha'u'llah
he broke the Covenant.
31 cf. Qur'an 14:33.
32 cf. Qur'an 21:23.
33 Mecca.
34 Qur'an 3:91.
35 Muhammad.
36 Mirza Yahya.
37 Muhammad.
38 Qur'an 83:6.
39 Moses.
40 Qur'an 14:5.
41 Jesus.
42 Adrianople.
43 Arabic.
44 Persian.
45 Muhammad.
46 The Imams.
47 The Bab.
48 Kitab-i-Aqdas.
49 One of the early believers who is best known to the friends for his
reliable transcriptions of the Tablets of Baha'u'llah. (See
Memorials of the Faithful pp. 150-153.)
50 Such loans as bear no interest and are repayable whenever the
borrower pleases.
51 In a Tablet Baha'u'llah states, 'The Holy Tree [Sadrat] is, in a
sense, the Manifestation of the One True God, exalted be He. The
Blessed Tree in the land of Za'faran referreth to the land which is
flourishing, blessed, holy and all-perfumed, where that Tree hath
been planted.'
52 In many of the passages that follow concerning the Greek
philosophers, Baha'u'llah quotes verbatim from the works of such
Muslim historians as Abu'l-Fath-i-Shahristani (1076-1153 A.D.) and
Imadu'd-Din Abu'l-Fida (1273-1331 A.D.).
53 In one of His Tablets Baha'u'llah wrote: 'The first person who
devoted himself to philosophy was Idris. Thus was he named. Some
called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special name. He
it is who hath set forth in every branch of philosophy thorough and
convincing statements. After him Balinus derived his knowledge and
sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most of the philosophers who
followed him made their philosophical and scientific discoveries
from his words and statements...'. In the Qur'an, Sura 19, verses 57
and 58, is written: 'And commemorate Idris in the Book; for he was a
man of truth, a Prophet; And we uplifted him to a place on high.'
54 In many of the passages that follow concerning the Greek
philosophers, Baha'u'llah quotes verbatim from the works of such
Muslim historians as Abu'l-Fath-i-Shahristani (1076-1153 A.D.) and
Imadu'd-Din Abu'l-Fida (1273-1331 A.D.).
55 Qur'an 20:106.
56 Muhammad.
57 Mecca.
58 Arabic.
59 Moses.
60 Muhammad Husayn, one of the early believers of Shiraz, surnamed
'Vafa (Fidelity) by Baha'u'llah.
61 The Most Great Name.
62 Mulla Husayn.
63 The maker of the Golden Calf. See Qur'an 20:87-98.
64 Siyyid Mihdiy-i-Dahaji, to whom this Tablet was addressed, had been
given by Baha'u'llah the title Ismu'llahi'l-Mihdi, 'The Name of God,
Mihdi. He later broke the Covenant. (See God Passes By, page 319.)
65 Nabil-i-Akbar. See p. 135.
66 Mecca.
67 Fatimih, daughter of Muhammad.
68 Jesus.
69 Qur'an 4:96.
70 Jesus.
71 The Sacred Lote-Tree, the Tree beyond which there is no passing (See
Qur'an 53:8-18). A symbol of the Manifestation of God. (See God
Passes By p. 94.)
72 Qur'an 2:88.
73 Moses.
74 Jesus.
75 Napoleon III.
76 Qur'an 40:29.
77 Muhammad.
78 Fatimih, daughter of Muhammad.
79 Adrianople.
80 The Imam-Jum'ih of Isfahan, see page 203.
81 Fatimih.
82 The King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
83 Jesus.
84 Ishmael.
85 Qur'an 104:1-2.
86 Beirut. This Tablet is 'a letter dictated by Baha'u'llah and
addressed by Mirza Aqa Jan, His amanuensis, to 'Abdu'l-Baha while
the latter was on a visit to Beirut.' (The World Order of
Baha'u'llah, p. 136.)
87 Qur'an 7:139.
88 Muhammad Javad-i-Qazvini, upon whom Baha'u'llah bestowed the title
Ismu'llahi'l-Jud (The Name of God, Bounty). He transcribed numerous
Tablets of Baha'u'llah during His Ministry, but subsequently broke
the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages 247 and 319.)
89 Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, outstanding Persian Baha'i teacher and
author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in Khartum,
travelled extensively in Iran, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy
Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.
90 Psalms 59:9; 108:10.
91 Qur'an 14:5.