By the righteousness of Him Who is the Absolute Truth, were

Selections From the Writings of the Bab

by the Bab

Edition 1, (June 2006)

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CONTENTS

Baha'i Terms of Use

References to the Qur'an

1: Tablets And Addresses

A Tablet Addressed To 'Him Who Will Be Made Manifest'

A Second Tablet Addressed To 'Him Who Will Be Made Manifest'

Tablet To The First Letter Of The Living

Extracts From An Epistle To Muhammad Shah

Extracts From Another Epistle To Muhammad Shah

Extracts From A Further Epistle To Muhammad Shah

Extracts From A Tablet Containing Words Addressed To The Sherif Of

Mecca

Address To A Muslim Divine

Address To Sulayman, One Of The Muslim Divines In The Land Of Masqat

2: Excerpts From The Qayyumu'l-Asma

"All praise be to God Who hath, through the ..."

"O King of Islam! Aid thou, with the truth, after having ..."

"Be thou content with the commandment of God, the ..."

"Verily We made the revelation of verses to be a testimony ..."

"As to those who deny Him Who is the Sublime Gate of ..."

"Unto every people We have sent down the Book in ..."

"Fear ye God and breathe not a word concerning His ..."

"Do men imagine that We are far distant from the people ..."

"Do not say, 'How can He speak of God while in truth ..."

"Glorified is He besides Whom there is none other God. ..."

"O ye servants of God! Verily, be not grieved if a thing ye ..."

"O Peoples of the East and the West! Be ye fearful of God ..."

"O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! We have, verily, dilated Thine ..."

"The angels and the spirits, arrayed rank upon rank, ..."

"Are ye wickedly scheming, according to your selfish ..."

"O ye peoples of the earth! During the time of My ..."

"O ye kinsmen of the Most Great Remembrance! This ..."

"O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Stretch not Thy hands wide open ..."

"O People of Persia! Are ye not satisfied with this glorious ..."

"O People of the earth! By the righteousness of the One ..."

"O Thou the Supreme Word of God! Fear not, nor be ..."

"O Concourse of Shi'ihs! Fear ye God and Our Cause ..."

"Recite ye as much as convenient from this Qur'an both ..."

"Issue forth from your cities, O peoples of the West and ..."

"O ye peoples of the earth! Hearken unto My call, ringing ..."

"Be Thou patient, O Qurratu'l-'Ayn, for God hath indeed ..."

"By My glory! I will make the infidels to taste, with the ..."

"The Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me: Verily, verily, I am ..."

"O Thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly ..."

"O Peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of God, this ..."

"Verily such as ridicule the wondrous, divine Verses ..."

"O People of the Qur'an! Ye are as nothing unless ye ..."

"O Peoples of the earth! Verily the resplendent Light of ..."

"Whenever the faithful hear the verses of this Book ..."

"O Spirit of God! Call Thou to mind the bounty which ..."

"O People of the earth! To attain the ultimate retreat in ..."

"God, besides Whom there is none other true God, saith: ..."

"The people, during the absence of the Bab, re-enacted ..."

"Doth it seem strange to the people that We should have ..."

"O Peoples of the earth! Verily the true God calleth ..."

"O ye concourse of the believers! Utter not words of ..."

"O Thou cherished Fruit of the heart! Give ear to the ..."

"Should it be Our wish, it is in Our power to compel, ..."

"O ye peoples of the earth! By the righteousness of God, ..."

"O Hour of the Dawn! Ere the resplendent glory of the ..."

"O Concourse of the faithful! Verily the object of each ..."

"God had, in truth, proposed Our Mission unto the ..."

"Hearken unto the Voice of Thy Lord calling from ..."

"This Book which We have sent down is indeed abounding ..."

"This Remembrance is indeed the glorious Remnant of ..."

"This Religion is indeed, in the sight of God, the essence ..."

"O My servants! This is God's appointed Day which the ..."

"Indeed We conversed with Moses by the leave of God ..."

"O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! I recognize in Thee none other ..."

"God, of a truth, revealed unto Me in the sacred house of ..."

"O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Say: Verily I am the One Who is ..."

"I Am the Mystic Fane which the Hand of Omnipotence ..."

"As a token of pure justice, We have indeed sent tidings ..."

3: Excerpts From The Persian Bayan

"It is better to guide one soul than to possess all ..."

"Worship thou God in such wise that if thy worship lead ..."

"The Day of Resurrection is a day on which the sun riseth ..."

"There is no paradise, in the estimation of the believers in ..."

"God loveth those who are pure. Naught in the Bayan and ..."

"Likewise consider the manifestation of the Point of the ..."

"There is no doubt that the Almighty hath sent down ..."

"Since that Day is a great Day it would be sorely trying ..."

"In the manifestation of the Apostle of God all were eagerly ..."

"At the time of the manifestation of Him Whom God ..."

"Ye perform your works for God from the beginning of ..."

"God hath, at all times and under all conditions, been ..."

"How veiled are ye, O My creatures, ... who, without ..."

"How vast the number of people who are well versed in ..."

"No created thing shall ever attain its paradise unless it ..."

"Twelve hundred and seventy years have elapsed since ..."

"Better is it for a person to write down but one of His ..."

"O People of the Bayan! Be on your guard; for on the ..."

"Since all men have issued forth from the shadow of the ..."

"O People of the Bayan! If ye believe in Him Whom God ..."

"The reason why privacy hath been enjoined in moments ..."

"It is seemly that the servant should, after each prayer, ..."

"As this physical frame is the throne of the inner temple, ..."

"At the time of the appearance of Him Whom God shall ..."

"Everyone is eagerly awaiting His appearance, yet since ..."

"The acts of Him Whom God shall make manifest are like ..."

"Know thou that in the Bayan purification is regarded as ..."

"If at the time of the appearance of Him Whom God will ..."

"It is not permissible to ask questions from Him Whom ..."

"The Bayan shall constitute God's unerring balance till the ..."

"The One true God may be compared unto the sun and ..."

"I swear by the most holy Essence of God--exalted and ..."

"In this Revelation the Lord of the universe hath deigned ..."

"Thou beholdest how vast is the number of people who ..."

"The substance of this chapter is this, that what is intended ..."

"The evidence set forth by God can never be compared ..."

"Praise be to God that He hath enabled us to become ..."

"In the Name of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Holy. ..."

"The revelation of the Divine Reality hath everlastingly ..."

4: Excerpts From Dala'il-i-sab'ih (The Seven Proofs)

"Thou hast asked concerning the fundamentals ..."

"Gracious God! Within the domains of Islam there are ..."

"Ponder likewise the Dispensation of the Apostle of God ..."

"Consider the manifold favours vouchsafed by the ..."

"Let Me set forth some rational arguments for thee. If ..."

"The recognition of Him Who is the Bearer of divine ..."

"The evidences which the people demanded from the ..."

"Rid thou thyself of all attachments to aught except God, ..."

"It is recorded in a tradition that of the entire concourse of ..."

"Thy letter hath been perused. Were the truth of this ..."

5: Excerpts From The Kitab-i-asma (The Book of Names)

"God is sanctified from His servants and no direct relationship ..."

"Should a person lay claim to a cause and produce his ..."

"O Ye who are invested with the Bayan! Be ye watchful ..."

"Consider how at the time of the appearance of every ..."

"Take heed to carefully consider the words of every soul, ..."

"On the Day of Resurrection when He Whom God will ..."

"O Ye unto whom the Bayan is given! Be ye vigilant lest ..."

"Verily God hath caused the people of the Bayan to be ..."

"Since thou hast faithfully obeyed the true religion of God ..."

"As to those who have debarred themselves from the ..."

"O Ye who are invested with the Bayan! Ye shall be put ..."

"Say, He Whom God shall make manifest will surely ..."

"Ponder upon the people unto whom the Gospel was ..."

"Say, ye will be unable to recognize the One True God or ..."

"Verily, on the First Day We flung open the gates of ..."

"Say, by reason of your remembering Him Whom God ..."

"The divine Revelation associated with the advent of Him ..."

"Say, verily God hath caused all created things to enter ..."

"Say, God shall of a truth cause your hearts to be given to ..."

"How great the number of people who deck themselves ..."

6: Excerpts From Various Writings

"Say, God is the Lord and all are worshippers unto ..."

"God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His ..."

"From the beginning that hath no beginning all men have ..."

"Consecrate Thou, O my God, the whole of this Tree ..."

"He--glorified be His mention--resembleth the sun. ..."

"The glory of Him Whom God shall make manifest is ..."

"All men have proceeded from God and unto Him shall ..."

"Verily I am God, no God is there but Me, and aught ..."

"Say: Praise be to God Who graciously enableth whomsoever ..."

"Glorified is He to Whom pertaineth the dominion of ..."

"O Thou who art the chosen one among women! ..."

"God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, the ..."

"When the Day-Star of Baha will shine resplendent above ..."

"Glory be unto Him Who is the Lord of all that are in ..."

"It behooveth you to await the Day of the appearance of ..."

7: Prayers And Meditations

"Hallowed be the Lord in Whose hand is the ..."

"Send down Thy blessings, O my God, upon the Tree of ..."

"Immeasurably glorified and exalted art Thou. How ..."

"Verily I am Thy servant, O my God, and Thy poor ..."

"Magnified be Thy Name, O God. Thine in truth are the ..."

"Lauded be Thy Name, O God. Thou art in truth our ..."

"Glory be unto Thee, O God. How can I make mention ..."

"Praise be unto Thee, O Lord. Forgive us our sins, have ..."

"O God our Lord! Protect us through Thy grace from ..."

"Glory be unto Thee, O Lord my God! Nothing whatsoever ..."

"O Lord! Render victorious Thy forbearing servants in ..."

"Glorified be Thy Name, O Lord! In whom shall I ..."

"Thou art aware, O My God, that since the day Thou ..."

"I am aware, O Lord, that my trespasses have covered my ..."

"I Beg Thee to forgive me, O my Lord, for every mention ..."

"How can I praise Thee, O Lord, for the evidences of Thy ..."

"Glory be to Thee, O God! Thou art the God Who hath ..."

"I Implore Thee by the splendour of the light of Thy ..."

"Do Thou ordain for me, O Lord, every good thing Thou ..."

"How numerous the souls raised to life who were exposed ..."

"Glory be unto Thee, O Lord! Although Thou mayest ..."

"O Lord! Enable all the peoples of the earth to gain ..."

"Vouchsafe unto me, O my God, the full measure of ..."

"Glory be unto Thee, O Lord, Thou Who hast brought ..."

"O Lord! Unto Thee I repair for refuge and toward all ..."

"O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the ..."

"Throughout eternity Thou hast been, O my Lord, ..."

"The glory of glories and the most resplendent light rest ..."

"All praise be unto God Who was Ever-Existent ere ..."

"Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou ..."

"Glory be unto Thee, O Lord my God! I beg Thee to ..."

"Immeasurably exalted art Thou, O my God, above the ..."

"All majesty and glory, O my God, and all dominion and ..."

"O My God! There is no one but Thee to allay the anguish ..."

"O My God! I have failed to know Thee as is worthy of ..."

"Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord! Both the world ..."

"O My God, my Lord and my Master! I have detached ..."

"I Adjure Thee by Thy might, O my God! Let no harm ..."

"I Beg Thy forgiveness, O my God, and implore pardon ..."

"Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord our God! Thou art in ..."

"Through Thy revelation, O my God, Thou hast enabled ..."

"Say: O my God! O Thou Who art the Maker of the ..."

"Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art in truth ..."

"Praised and glorified art Thou, O God! Grant that the ..."

"Thou knowest full well, O my God, that tribulations ..."

"Praise be to Thee, O Lord, my Best Beloved! Make me ..."

"O My God, O my Lord, O my Master! I beg Thee to ..."

"Thou seest, O my Lord, my dwelling-place in the heart ..."

"Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised ..."

REFERENCES TO THE QUR'AN

In footnotes referring to the Qur'an the surihs have been numbered

according to the original, whereas the verse numbers are those in

Rodwell's translation which differ sometimes from those of the Arabic.

1: TABLETS AND ADDRESSES

A Tablet Addressed To 'Him Who Will Be Made Manifest'

This is an epistle from this lowly servant to the All-Glorious Lord--He Who

hath been aforetime and will be hereafter made manifest. Verily He is the

Most Manifest, the Almighty.

In the name of the Sovereign Lord, the Lord of Power.

Glorified is He before Whom all the dwellers of earth and heaven bow down

in adoration and unto Whom all men turn in supplication. He is the One Who

holdeth in His grasp the mighty kingdom of all created things and unto Him

shall all return. He is the One Who revealeth whatsoever He willeth and by

His injunction 'Be Thou' all things have come into being.

This is an epistle from the letter '_Th_a'(1) unto Him Who will be made

manifest through the power of Truth--He Who is the All-Glorious, the Best

Beloved--to affirm that all created things as well as myself bear witness

for all time that there is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the

Self-Subsisting; that Thou art God, there is no God besides Thee and that

all men shall be raised up to life through Thee.

Lauded and glorified be Thy name, O Lord, my God!

From all eternity I have indeed recognized Thee and unto all eternity will

ever do so through Thine Own Self and not through any one else besides

Thee. Verily Thou art the Source of all knowledge, the Omniscient. From

everlasting I have besought and unto everlasting will beseech forgiveness

for my limited understanding of Thee, aware as I am that there is no God

but Thee, the All-Glorious, the Almighty.

I beg of Thee, O my Best Beloved, to pardon me and those who earnestly

seek to promote Thy Cause; Thou art indeed the One Who forgiveth the sins

of all mankind. And in this second year of my Revelation--a Revelation

which took place at Thy behest--I bear witness that Thou art the Most

Manifest, the Omnipotent, the Ever-Abiding; that of all things that exist

on earth and in the heavens nothing whatsoever can frustrate Thy purpose

and that Thou art the Knower of all things and the Lord of might and

majesty.

Verily, we have believed in Thee and in Thy signs ere the dawn of Thy

Manifestation, and in Thee are we all well-assured. Verily, we have

believed in Thee and in Thy signs after the fulfilment of Thy

Manifestation, and in Thee do we all believe. Verily, we have believed in

Thee and in Thy signs at the hour of Thy Manifestation and bear witness

that through Thine injunction 'Be Thou' all things have been created.

Every Manifestation is but a revelation of Thine Own Self, with each of

Whom we have truly appeared and we bow down in adoration before Thee. Thou

hast been, O my Best Beloved, and shalt ever be my witness throughout

bygone times and in the days to come. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful,

the Ever-Faithful, the Omnipotent.

I have testified to Thy oneness through Thine Own Self before the dwellers

of the heavens and the earth, bearing witness that, verily, Thou art the

All-Glorious, the Best Beloved. I have attained the recognition of Thee

through Thine Own Self before the dwellers of the heavens and the earth,

bearing witness that Thou art in truth the Almighty, the All-Praised. I

have glorified Thy Name through Thine Own Self before the dwellers of the

heavens and the earth, bearing witness that Thou art indeed the Lord of

power, He Who is the Most Manifest. I have exalted Thy holiness through

Thine Own Self before the dwellers of the heavens and the earth, bearing

witness that in truth Thou art the Most Sanctified, the Most Holy. I have

praised Thy sanctity through Thine Own Self before the dwellers of the

heavens and the earth, bearing witness that Thou art indeed the

Indescribable, the Inaccessible, the Immeasurably Glorified. I have

extolled Thine overpowering majesty through Thine Own Self before the

dwellers of the heavens and the earth, bearing witness that, verily, Thou

and Thou alone art the Lord of might, the Eternal One, the Ancient of

Days.

Hallowed and glorified art Thou; there is none other God but Thee and in

truth unto Thee do we all return.

As to those who have put the kindred of 'Ali to death, ere long they shall

realize to what depths of perdition they have descended.

A Second Tablet Addressed To 'Him Who Will Be Made Manifest'

May the glances of Him Whom God shall make manifest illumine this letter

at the primary school.(2)

He is the Most Glorious.

He is God, no God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Best Beloved. All

that are in the heavens and on the earth and whatever lieth between them

are His. Verily He is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

This is a letter from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, unto

God, the Almighty, the Best Beloved, to affirm that the Bayan and such as

bear allegiance to it are but a present from me unto Thee and to express

my undoubting faith that there is no God but Thee, that the kingdoms of

Creation and Revelation are Thine, that no one can attain anything save by

Thy power and that He Whom Thou hast raised up is but Thy servant and Thy

Testimony. I, indeed, beg to address Him Whom God shall make manifest, by

Thy leave in these words: 'Shouldst Thou dismiss the entire company of the

followers of the Bayan in the Day of the Latter Resurrection by a mere

sign of Thy finger even while still a suckling babe, Thou wouldst indeed

be praised in Thy indication. And though no doubt is there about it, do

Thou grant a respite of nineteen years as a token of Thy favour so that

those who have embraced this Cause may be graciously rewarded by Thee.

Thou art verily the Lord of grace abounding. Thou dost indeed suffice

every created thing and causest it to be independent of all things, while

nothing in the heavens or on the earth or that which lieth between them

can ever suffice Thee.'

Verily Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the All-Knowing; Thou art indeed

potent over all things.

Tablet To The First Letter Of The Living

This is that which We have revealed for the First Believer in Him Whom God

shall make manifest, that it may serve as an admonition from Our presence

unto all mankind.

In the Name of the Almighty, the Best Beloved.

Lauded and glorified is He Who is the sovereign Lord of the kingdoms of

heaven and earth and whatever is between them. Say, verily unto Him shall

all return, and He is the One Who guideth at His Own behest whomsoever He

pleaseth. Say, all men beseech His blessings and He is supreme over all

created things. He is indeed the All-Glorious, the Mighty, the

Well-Beloved.

This is an epistle from the letter '_Th_a' unto him who is the First

Believer. Bear thou witness that verily He is I, Myself, the Sovereign,

the Omnipotent. He is the One Who ordaineth life and death and unto Him

shall all return. Indeed there is none other God but Him and all men bow

down in adoration before Him. Verily Thy Lord, God, shall presently

recompense every one as He ordaineth, even swifter than uttering the words

'Be thou, and it is'.

God hath in truth testified in His Book and so also have testified the

company of His angels, His Messengers and those endued with divine

knowledge, that thou hast believed in God and in His signs and that

everyone is guided aright by virtue of thy guidance. This is indeed a

boundless grace which God, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, hath

graciously conferred upon thee aforetime and will confer hereafter. And

since thou didst believe in God before the creation, He hath in truth, at

His own behest, raised thee up in every Revelation. There is no God but

Him, the Sovereign Protector, the All-Glorious.

It behooveth you to proclaim the Cause of God unto all created things as a

token of grace from His presence; no God is there but Him, the Most

Generous, the All-Compelling.

Say: All matters must be referred to the Book of God; I am indeed the

First to believe in God and in His signs; I am the One Who divulgeth and

proclaimeth the Truth and I have been invested with every excellent title

of God, the Mighty, the Incomparable. Verily I have attained the Day of

the First Manifestation and by the bidding of the Lord and as a token of

His grace, I shall attain the Day of the Latter Manifestation. There is no

God but Him and at the appointed hour everyone shall bow down unto Him in

adoration.

I render thanks and yield praise unto God for having been chosen by Him as

the Exponent of His Cause in bygone days and in the days to come; there is

none other God save Him, the Glorified, the All-Praised, the Ever-Abiding.

Whatever is in the heavens and on the earth is His and through Him are we

guided aright.

O people of the Bayan! Those who embrace the Truth must turn unto Me, as

ordained in the Book and divine guidance will be vouchsafed to whosoever

attaineth My presence.

Extracts From An Epistle To Muhammad Shah

The substance wherewith God hath created Me is not the clay out of which

others have been formed. He hath conferred upon Me that which the

worldly-wise can never comprehend, nor the faithful discover ... I am one

of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God. Whosoever hath

recognized Me, hath known all that is true and right, and hath attained

all that is good and seemly; and whosoever hath failed to recognize Me,

hath turned away from all that is true and right and hath succumbed to

everything evil and unseemly.

I swear by the righteousness of Thy Lord, the Lord of all created things,

the Lord of all the worlds! Were a man to rear in this world as many

edifices as possible and worship God through every virtuous deed which

God's knowledge embraceth, and attain the presence of the Lord, and were

he, even to a measure less than that which is accountable before God, to

bear in his heart a trace of malice towards Me, all his deeds would be

reduced to naught and he would be deprived of the glances of God's favour,

become the object of His wrath and assuredly perish. For God hath ordained

that all the good things which lie in the treasury of His knowledge shall

be attained through obedience unto Me, and every fire recorded in His

Book, through disobedience unto Me. Methinks in this day and from this

station I behold all those who cherish My love and follow My behest

abiding within the mansions of Paradise, and the entire company of Mine

adversaries consigned to the lowest depths of hell-fire.

By My life! But for the obligation to acknowledge the Cause of Him Who is

the Testimony of God ... I would not have announced this unto thee... All

the keys of heaven God hath chosen to place on My right hand, and all the

keys of hell on My left...

I am the Primal Point from which have been generated all created things. I

am the Countenance of God Whose splendour can never be obscured, the Light

of God Whose radiance can never fade. Whoso recognizeth Me, assurance and

all good are in store for him, and whoso faileth to recognize Me, infernal

fire and all evil await him...

I swear by God, the Peerless, the Incomparable, the True One: for no other

reason hath He--the supreme Testimony of God--invested Me with clear signs

and tokens than that all men may be enabled to submit to His Cause.

By the righteousness of Him Who is the Absolute Truth, were the veil to be

lifted, thou wouldst witness on this earthly plane all men sorely

afflicted with the fire of the wrath of God, a fire fiercer and greater

than the fire of hell, with the exception of those who have sought shelter

beneath the shade of the tree of My love. For they in very truth are the

blissful...

God beareth Me witness, I was not a man of learning, for I was trained as

a merchant. In the year sixty(3) God graciously infused my soul with the

conclusive evidences and weighty knowledge which characterize Him Who is

the Testimony of God--may peace be upon Him--until finally in that year I

proclaimed God's hidden Cause and unveiled its well-guarded Pillar, in

such wise that no one could refute it. 'That he who should perish might

perish with a clear proof before him and he who should live might live by

clear proof.'(4)

In that same year [year 60] I despatched a messenger and a book unto thee,

that thou mightest act towards the Cause of Him Who is the Testimony of

God as befitteth the station of thy sovereignty. But inasmuch as dark,

dreadful and dire calamity had been irrevocably ordained by the Will of

God, the book was not submitted to thy presence, through the intervention

of such as regard themselves the well-wishers of the government. Up to the

present, when nearly four years have passed, they have not duly presented

it to Your Majesty. However, now that the fateful hour is drawing nigh,

and because it is a matter of faith, not a worldly concern, therefore I

have given thee a glimpse of what hath transpired.

I swear by God! Shouldst thou know the things which in the space of these

four years have befallen Me at the hands of thy people and thine army,

thou wouldst hold thy breath from fear of God, unless thou wouldst rise to

obey the Cause of Him Who is the Testimony of God and make amends for thy

shortcomings and failure.

While I was in _Sh_iraz the indignities which befell Me at the hands of

its wicked and depraved Governor waxed so grievous that if thou wert

acquainted with but a tithe thereof, thou wouldst deal him retributive

justice. For as a result of his unmitigated oppression, thy royal court

hath become, until the Day of Resurrection, the object of the wrath of

God. Moreover, his indulgence in alcohol had grown so excessive that he

was never sober enough to make a sound judgement. Therefore, disquieted, I

was obliged to set out from _Sh_iraz with the aim of attaining the

enlightened and exalted court of Your Majesty. The Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih then

became aware of the truth of the Cause and manifested exemplary servitude

and devotion to His chosen ones. When some of the ignorant people in his

city arose to stir up sedition, he defended the divine Truth by affording

Me protection for a while in the privacy of the Governor's residence. At

length, having attained the good-pleasure of God, he repaired to his

habitation in the all-highest Paradise. May God reward him graciously...

Following his ascension to the eternal Kingdom, the vicious Gurgin,

resorting to all manner of treachery, false oaths and coercion, sent Me

away from Isfahan with an escort of five guards on a journey which lasted

seven days, without providing the barest necessities for My travel (Alas!

Alas! for the things which have touched Me!), until eventually Your

Majesty's order came, instructing Me to proceed to Maku...

I swear by the Most Great Lord! Wert thou to be told in what place I

dwell, the first person to have mercy on Me would be thyself. In the heart

of a mountain is a fortress [Maku] ... the inmates of which are confined

to two guards and four dogs. Picture, then, My plight... I swear by the

truth of God! Were he who hath been willing to treat Me in such a manner

to know Who it is Whom he hath so treated, he, verily, would never in his

life be happy. Nay--I, verily, acquaint thee with the truth of the

matter--it is as if he hath imprisoned all the Prophets, and all the men of

truth and all the chosen ones...

When this decree was made known unto Me, I wrote to him who administereth

the affairs of the kingdom, saying: 'Put Me to death, I adjure thee by

God, and send My head wherever thou pleasest. For surely an innocent

person such as I, cannot reconcile himself to being consigned to a place

reserved for criminals and let his life continue.' My plea remained

unanswered. Evidently His Excellency the Haji, is not fully aware of the

truth of our Cause. It would be far more heinous a deed to sadden the

hearts of the faithful, whether men or women, than to lay waste the sacred

House of God.

Verily, the One True God beareth Me witness that in this Day I am the true

mystic Fane of God, and the Essence of all good. He who doeth good unto

Me, it is as if he doeth good unto God, His angels and the entire company

of His loved ones. He who doeth evil unto Me, it is as if he doeth evil

unto God and His chosen ones. Nay, too exalted is the station of God and

of His loved ones for any person's good or evil deed to reach their holy

threshold. Whatever reacheth Me is ordained to reach Me; and that which

hath come unto Me, to him who giveth will it revert. By the One in Whose

hand is My soul, he hath cast no one but himself into prison. For

assuredly whatsoever God hath decreed for Me shall come to pass and naught

else save that which God hath ordained for us shall ever touch us. Woe

betide him from whose hands floweth evil, and blessed the man from whose

hands floweth good. Unto no one do I take My plaint save to God; for He is

the best of judges. Every state of adversity or bliss is from Him alone,

and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

In brief, I hold within My grasp whatsoever any man might wish of the good

of this world and of the next. Were I to remove the veil, all would

recognize Me as their Best Beloved, and no one would deny Me. Let not this

assertion astound Your Majesty; inasmuch as a true believer in the unity

of God who keepeth his eyes directed towards Him alone, will regard aught

else but Him as utter nothingness. I swear by God! I seek no earthly goods

from thee, be it as much as a mustard seed. Indeed, to possess anything of

this world or of the next would, in My estimation, be tantamount to open

blasphemy. For it ill beseemeth the believer in the unity of God to turn

his gaze to aught else, much less to hold it in his possession. I know of

a certainty that since I have God, the Ever-Living, the Adored One, I am

the possessor of all things, visible and invisible...

In this mountain I have remained alone, and have come to such a pass that

none of those gone before Me have suffered what I have suffered, nor any

transgressor endured what I have endured! I render praise unto God and yet

again praise Him. I find Myself free from sorrow, inasmuch as I abide

within the good-pleasure of My Lord and Master. Methinks I am in the

all-highest Paradise, rejoicing at My communion with God, the Most Great.

Verily this is a bounty which God hath conferred upon Me; and He is the

Lord of unbounded blessings.

I swear by the truth of God! Wert thou to know that which I know, thou

wouldst forgo the sovereignty of this world and of the next, that thou

mightest attain My good-pleasure, through thine obedience unto the True

One... Wert thou to refuse, the Lord of the world would raise up one who

would exalt His Cause, and the Command of God would, verily, be carried

into effect.

Through the grace of God nothing can frustrate My purpose, and I am fully

conscious of that which God hath bestowed upon Me as a token of His

favour. If it were My will, I would disclose to Your Majesty all things;

but I have not done this, nor will I do it, that the Truth may be

distinguished from aught else beside it, and this prophecy uttered by the

Imam Baqir--may peace rest upon Him--be fully realized: 'What must needs

befall us in A_dh_irbayjan is inevitable and without parallel. When this

happeneth, rest ye in your homes and remain patient as we have remained

patient. As soon as the Mover moveth make ye haste to attain unto Him,

even though ye have to crawl over the snow.'

I implore pardon of God for Myself and for all things related to Me and

affirm, 'Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds'.

Extracts From Another Epistle To Muhammad Shah

Glory be unto Him Who knoweth all that is in the heavens and in the earth.

Verily there is no God but Him, the sovereign Ruler, the Almighty, the

Great.

He is the One Who on the Day of Severing shall pass judgement through the

power of Truth; indeed no God is there besides Him, the Peerless, the

All-Compelling, the Exalted. He is the One Who holdeth within His grasp

the kingdom of all created things; there is none other God but Him, the

Single, the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, the Inaccessible, the Most

Great.

At this moment I testify unto God, even as He testified unto Himself

before the creation of all things: Verily there is no God save Him, the

All-Glorious, the All-Wise. And I bear witness unto whatsoever He hath

fashioned or will fashion, even as He Himself, in the majesty of His

glory, hath borne witness: No God is there but Him, the Peerless, the

Self-Subsisting, the Most Wondrous.

In God, Who is the Lord of all created things, have I placed My whole

trust. There is no God but Him, the Peerless, the Most Exalted. Unto Him

have I resigned Myself and into His hands have I committed all My affairs.

No God is there besides Him, the supreme Ruler, the resplendent Truth.

Indeed all-sufficient is He for Me; independently of all things doth He

suffice, while nothing in the heavens or in the earth but Him sufficeth.

He, in very truth, is the Self-Subsisting, the Most Severe.

Praise be unto Him Who at this very moment perceiveth in this remote

prison the goal of My desire. He is the One Who beareth witness unto Me at

all times and beholdeth Me ere the inception of 'after Hin'.(5)

Why didst thou pronounce judgement without remembering God, the All-Wise?

How canst thou endure in the fire? Indeed, mighty and most severe is thy

God.

Thou pridest thyself in the things thou dost possess, yet no believer in

God and in His signs, nor any righteous man would ever deign to regard

them. This mortal life is like unto the carcass of a dog, around which

none would gather, nor would any partake thereof, except those who gainsay

the life hereafter. Verily it is incumbent upon thee to become a true

believer in God, the All-Possessing, the Almighty, and to turn away from

the one who guideth thee into the torment of hell-fire.

I have been waiting a while that perchance thou wouldst take heed and be

rightly guided. How canst thou answer God on the day which is near at

hand--the day whereon witnesses will stand forth to testify in the presence

of thy Lord, the Lord of all the worlds?

By the righteousness of Him Who hath called thee into being and unto Whom

ere long thou shalt return, if thou remainest, at the moment of death, a

disbeliever in the signs of thy Lord thou shalt surely enter the gates of

hell, and none of the deeds thy hands have wrought will profit thee, nor

shalt thou find a patron nor anyone to plead for thee. Fear thou God and

pride not thyself on thine earthly possessions, inasmuch as what God doth

possess is better for them that tread the path of righteousness.

Verily in this Day all that dwell on earth are the servants of God. As to

those who truly believe in God and are well assured in the signs revealed

by Him, perchance He will graciously forgive them the things their hands

have committed, and will grant them admission into the precincts of His

mercy. He, in truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate. But the

verdict of divine chastisement is pronounced against those who have turned

away disdainfully from Me and have repudiated the conclusive proofs and

the unerring Book with which God hath invested Me, and on the Day of

Severing they shall find no protector or helper.

I swear by Him Who createth all beings and unto Whom all shall return, if

anyone at the hour of death beareth hatred towards Me or disputeth the

clear tokens wherewith I have been invested, then naught but afflictive

torment shall be his lot. On that day no ransom will be accepted, nor will

any intercession be permitted, unless God so please. Verily He is the

All-Compelling, the All-Glorious; and no God is there other than Him, the

sovereign Ruler, the Almighty, the Most Severe.

If thou rejoicest in My imprisonment, woe then unto thee for the grievous

torment which will soon overtake thee. Indeed God hath permitted no one to

pass unfair judgement, and if thou wouldst fain do so, then soon shalt

thou learn.

From the first day that I cautioned thee not to wax proud before God until

the present time, four years have elapsed, and during this space naught

have I witnessed, either from thee or from thy soldiers, except dire

oppression and disdainful arrogance. Methinks thou dost imagine that I

wish to gain some paltry substance from this earthly life. Nay, by the

righteousness of My Lord! In the estimation of them that have fixed their

eyes upon the merciful Lord, the riches of the world and its trappings are

worth as much as the eye of a dead body, nay even less. Far from His glory

be what they associate with Him!... I seek patience only in God. Verily He

is the best protector and the best helper. No refuge do I seek save God.

Verily He is the guardian and the best supporter...

I swear by the glory of God, My Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, He

assuredly, as is divinely ordained, will make His Cause shine resplendent,

while there will be no helper for the unjust. If thou hast any scheme,

produce thy scheme. Indeed every revelation of authority proceedeth from

God. In Him do I trust and unto Him do I turn.

Hast thou heard anyone of old passing a judgement similar to the one thou

didst contrive or like unto that whereto thou didst give thine assent? Woe

then unto the oppressors! Both thine intentions and the manner in which

thou dealest with the people clearly demonstrate thine infidelity towards

God, hence He hath ordained a severe chastisement for thee. Verily I seek

patience only in God, and Him do I regard as the goal of My desire. This

signifieth that I have the undoubted Truth on My side.

If thou art not apprehensive that the truth might be revealed and the

works of the ungodly be brought to naught, why summonest thou not the

divines of the land, and then summon Me, so that I may confound them

forthwith, even as those disbelievers whom I have previously confounded?

This is My sure testimony unto thee and unto them, if they speak the

truth. Summon thou all of them. Should they then be able to utter words

like unto this, thou wouldst know that their cause is worthy of attention.

Nay, by the righteousness of My Lord! They are bereft of power, nor are

they endued with perception. They professed faith in the past without

understanding its significance, then later they repudiated the Truth; for

they are devoid of discernment.

If thou hast decided to shed My blood, wherefore dost thou delay? Thou art

now endowed with power and authority. For Me it will prove an infinite

bounty conferred by God, while for thee and for them that would commit

such an act it will amount to a chastisement meted out by Him.

How great the blessedness that would await Me, wert thou to pass a verdict

such as this; and what immense joy would be Mine, shouldst thou agree to

do this! This is a bounty which God hath reserved for them that enjoy near

access to His court. Give then thy leave and wait no longer. In truth,

mighty is thy Lord, the Avenger.

Art thou not ashamed in the presence of God for consenting to the

consignment to a fortress of Him Who is the Testimony of God, and His

being made captive in the hands of the faithless? Woe betide thee and them

who rejoice at this moment in inflicting so dire a humiliation upon Me...

I swear by Him Who hath called Me into being, I can discover no trace of

sinfulness in Myself, nor have I followed aught but the Truth; and unto Me

God is sufficient witness. Fie upon the world and its people and upon

those who take delight in earthly riches, while oblivious of the life to

come.

Were the veil to be removed from thine eye thou wouldst crawl unto Me on

thy breast, even through the snow, from fear of the chastisement of God

which is swift and near at hand. By the righteousness of Him Who hath

created thee, wert thou to be acquainted with that which hath transpired

during thy reign, thou wouldst wish not to have issued from thy father's

loins, but rather to have passed into oblivion. However, that which God,

thy Lord, had ordained hath presently come to pass, and woe betide the

oppressors in this day.

Methinks thou hast not perused the unerring Book. If thou art satisfied

with thine own way and dost not wish to follow the Truth, then to Me be My

way and to thee thine. If thou aidest Me not, why dost thou seek to abase

Me? Verily, God is the hearer of the suppliant, and in Him all things find

their highest consummation, both in this world and in the world to come.

Far from the glory of God, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord of

creation, be that which is affirmed of Him by the peoples of the world,

except by such as faithfully observe His precepts. May the peace of God

rest upon the sincere among His servants.

All praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.

Extracts From A Further Epistle To Muhammad Shah

This is an Epistle from Him Who is the true, the undoubted Leader. Herein

is revealed the law of all things for those who fain would heed His Call

or wish to be reckoned among them that are guided aright. Herein is

enshrined the law of all things for such as would bear witness to the

Revelation of thy Lord in accordance with this clear balance. Verily the

ordinances of God concerning all things were formerly set forth in

eloquent Arabic. Indeed those whose souls have been created through the

splendour of the light of thy Lord recognize the Truth and are numbered

with such as faithfully obey the One True God and are well assured...

O Muhammad! The Decree of thy Lord was fulfilled four years ago; and ever

since the inception of the Cause of thy Lord I have warned thee to fear

God and not to be of the ignorant. I despatched a messenger unto thee with

a truly resplendent Tablet, but the followers of the devil turned him away

disdainfully and interposed themselves between him and thee. They expelled

him from the land whereof thou art the undisputed sovereign. Thus hath the

good of this world and of the next escaped thee, unless thou submit to the

commandment ordained by God and be of them that are rightly guided.

On My return from the sacred House of God(6) I sent thee a Message similar

to, nay even greater than the one I had previously sent unto thee. Indeed

God is the best protector and witness. I despatched a messenger unto thee

with Epistles revealed by Me, that thou mightest obey the command of God

and not be of them that have repudiated the Truth. The oppressor, however,

committed a thing the like of which no one would commit, not even any of

the wicked, nor anyone among the vile wrong-doers...

The tribulations which I have suffered in this land, no one of old hath

suffered. Verily unto God shall revert the whole affair, and He in truth

is the best protector and is cognizant of all. The things which have, from

the first day till now, befallen Me at the hand of thy people are but the

work of Satan.(7) Ever since the Cause of thy Lord hath appeared none of

thy deeds hath been acceptable, and thou hast been lost in palpable error

while all thou couldst see appeared to thee as deeds performed for the

sake of thy Lord. In truth thy day is nigh at hand and thou shalt be

questioned concerning all this, and assuredly God is not heedless of the

deeds of the wicked.

Had it not been for thee, thy supporters would not have disdainfully

rejected Me, though they have gone more widely astray than the foolish.

Dost thou imagine him whom thou hast appointed Chancellor in thy kingdom

to be the best leader and the best supporter? Nay, I swear by thy Lord. He

will bring thee into grievous trouble by reason of that which Satan

instilleth in his heart, and verily, he himself is Satan. He comprehendeth

not a single letter from the Book of God and is seized with fear by reason

of that which his hands have wrought. Fain would he extinguish the light

which thy Lord hath kindled, so that the old impiety which is concealed in

his inner being may not be revealed. Hadst thou not appointed him as thy

Chancellor no one would have paid him the slightest attention. Indeed in

the estimation of the people he is naught but manifest darkness...

Fear thou God and suffer not thy soul to be chastised beyond that with

which it hath already been tormented; for ere long thou shalt pass away

and shalt declare thyself clear of the devil whom thou hast appointed as

thy Chancellor, saying: 'O would that I had not taken the devil as my

Chancellor, nor appointed an impostor as my guide and adviser.'

Why dost thou burden thy soul with that which is far more abject than the

deeds of Pharaoh, and still callest thyself one of the faithful? How dost

thou peruse the verses of the Qur'an, while thou art of the unjust? Never

would the Jews, nor the Christians nor any such people as have rejected

the truth consent to inflict wrongs upon the son of their Prophet's

daughter. Woe betide thee, for the day of chastisement is approaching.

Dost thou not dread the wrath of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Lord of the

heavens, the Lord of all worlds? Indeed these manifest verses are

conclusive testimony for those who seek true guidance.

I have no desire to seize thy property, even to the extent of a grain of

mustard, nor do I wish to occupy thy position. If thou followest Me not,

then unto thee be the things thou dost possess, and unto Me the land of

unfailing security. If thou obeyest Me not, wherefore dost thou look

disdainfully upon Me and seek to treat Me with sore injustice? Verily,

behold My habitation--a lofty mountain wherein no one dwelleth. Woe betide

them that wrongfully do injustice to people, and unjustly and deceitfully

usurp the property of the believers in violation of His lucid Book;

whereas I, Who, in very truth, am the rightful Sovereign of all men,

designated by the true, the undeniable Leader, would never infringe on the

integrity of the substance of the people, were it to the extent of a grain

of mustard, nor would I treat them unjustly. Rather would I consort with

them even as one of themselves, and I would be their witness.

That which devolveth upon Me is but to mention the Book of thy Lord and to

deliver this clear Message. If thou wishest to enter the gates of

Paradise, lo, they are open before thy face and no harm can reach Me from

anyone. Every missive which up till now I have directed unto thee and unto

the custodian of thy affairs hath been but a token of My bounty to you

both, that perchance ye may grow anxious about the day which is nigh at

hand. Nevertheless from the moment ye waxed disdainful, divine judgement

was passed upon you in the Book of God, for in truth ye both have denied

your Lord and are numbered with them that will perish... This is indeed My

last reminder unto you, and I shall make no mention of you hereafter, nor

shall I make any remark other than affirming you as infidels.

Unto God do I commit Mine affair and yours, and He verily is the best

Judge. Were ye to return, however, ye would be granted whatever ye desire

of earthly possessions and of the ineffable delights of the life to come,

and ye would inherit such glorious might and majesty as your minds can

scarce conceive in this mortal life. But if ye fail to return then upon ye

shall be your transgressions.

Ye cannot alter the things which the Almighty hath prescribed unto Me.

Naught shall touch Me besides that which God, My Lord, hath pre-ordained

for Me. In Him have I placed My whole trust and upon Him do the faithful

place their complete reliance.

Bear Thou witness unto Me, O Lord. By sending forth this resplendent

Epistle I shall have proclaimed Thy Verses unto both of them and shall

have fulfilled Thy Testimony for them. I am well pleased to lay down My

life in Thy path and ere long to return to Thy presence. Unto Thee be

praise in the heavens and on the earth. Deal with them according to Thy

decree. In truth Thou art the best protector and helper.