"O Queen in London! Incline thine ear unto the voice of thy Lord, the Lord

of all mankind, calling from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, no God is there

but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise! Cast away all that is on earth, and

attire the head of thy kingdom with the crown of the remembrance of Thy

Lord, the All-Glorious. He, in truth, hath come unto the world in His most

great glory, and all that hath been mentioned in the Gospel hath been

fulfilled. The land of Syria hath been honored by the footsteps of its

Lord, the Lord of all men, and North and South are both inebriated with

the wine of His presence. Blessed is the man that hath inhaled the

fragrance of the Most Merciful, and turned unto the Dawning-Place of His

beauty, in this resplendent Dawn. The Mosque of Aqsá vibrateth through the

breezes of its Lord, the All-Glorious, whilst Bathá (Mecca) trembleth at

the voice of God, the Exalted, the Most High. Every single stone of them

celebrateth the praise of the Lord, through this Great Name."

And further We said: "We make mention of thee for the sake of God, and

desire that thy name may be exalted through thy remembrance of God, the

Creator of earth and of heaven. He, verily, is witness unto that which I

say. We have been informed that thou hast forbidden the trading in slaves,

both men and women. This, verily, is what God hath enjoined in this

wondrous Revelation. God hath, truly, destined a reward for thee, because

of this. He, verily, will pay the doer of good, whether man or woman, his

due recompense, wert thou to follow what hath been sent unto thee by Him

Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As to him who turneth aside, and

swelleth with pride, after that the clear tokens have come unto him, from

the Revealer of signs, his work shall God bring to naught. He, in truth,

hath power over all things. Man’s actions are acceptable after his having

recognized (the Manifestation). He that turneth aside from the True One is

indeed the most veiled amongst His creatures. Thus hath it been decreed by

Him Who is the Almighty, the Most Powerful.

"We have also heard that thou hast entrusted the reins of counsel into the

hands of the representatives of the people. Thou, indeed, hast done well,

for thereby the foundations of the edifice of thine affairs will be

strengthened, and the hearts of all that are beneath thy shadow, whether

high or low, will be tranquillized. It behooveth them, however, to be

trustworthy among His servants, and to regard themselves as the

representatives of all that dwell on earth. This is what counselleth them,

in this Tablet, He Who is the Ruler, the All-Wise. And if any one of them

directeth himself towards the Assembly, let him turn his eyes unto the

Supreme Horizon, and say: ‘O my God! I ask Thee, by Thy most glorious

Name, to aid me in that which will cause the affairs of Thy servants to

prosper, and Thy cities to flourish. Thou, indeed, hast power over all

things!’ Blessed is he that entereth the Assembly for the sake of God, and

judgeth between men with pure justice. He, indeed, is of the blissful.

"O ye members of Assemblies in that land and in other countries! Take ye

counsel together, and let your concern be only for that which profiteth

mankind, and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be of them that scan

heedfully. Regard the world as the human body which, though at its

creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes,

with grave disorders and maladies. Not for one day did it gain ease, nay,

its sickness waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of ignorant

physicians, who gave full rein to their personal desires, and have erred

grievously. And if at one time, through the care of an able physician, a

member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as before.

Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We behold it, in this

day, at the mercy of rulers, so drunk with pride that they cannot discern

clearly their own best advantage, much less recognize a Revelation so

bewildering and challenging as this."

And further We have said: "That which God hath ordained as the sovereign

remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of the world is the union

of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in

no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an

all-powerful, and inspired Physician. By My life! This is the truth, and

all else naught but error. Each time that Most Mighty Instrument hath

come, and that Light shone forth from the Ancient Dayspring, He was

withheld by ignorant physicians who, even as clouds, interposed themselves

between Him and the world. It failed therefore, to recover, and its

sickness hath persisted until this day. They indeed were powerless to

protect it, or to effect a cure, whilst He Who hath been the Manifestation

of Power amongst men was withheld from achieving His purpose, by reason of

what the hands of the ignorant physicians have wrought.

"Consider these days in which He Who is the Ancient Beauty hath come in

the Most Great Name, that He may quicken the world and unite its peoples.

They, however, rose up against Him with sharpened swords, and committed

that which caused the Faithful Spirit to lament, until in the end they

imprisoned Him in the most desolate of cities, and broke the grasp of the

faithful upon the hem of His robe. Were anyone to tell them: ‘The World

Reformer is come,’ they would answer and say: ‘Indeed it is proven that He

is a fomenter of discord!’, and this notwithstanding that they have never

associated with Him, and have perceived that He did not seek, for one

moment, to protect Himself. At all times He was at the mercy of the wicked

doers. At one time they cast Him into prison, at another they banished

Him, and at yet another hurried Him from land to land. Thus have they

pronounced judgment against Us, and God, truly, is aware of what I say."

This charge of fomenting discord is the same as that imputed aforetime by

the Pharaohs of Egypt to Him Who conversed with God (Moses). Read thou

what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’án. He—may He be blessed

and glorified—saith: "Moreover We had sent Moses of old with Our signs and

with clear authority to Pharaoh, and Hamán, and Qarún: and they said:

‘Sorcerer, impostor!’ And when He came to them from Our presence with the

truth, they said: ‘Slay the sons of those who believe as He doth, and save

their females alive,’ but the stratagem of the unbelievers issued only in

failure. And Pharaoh said: ‘Let me alone, that I may kill Moses; and let

him call upon his Lord: I fear lest he change your religion, or cause

disorder to show itself in the land.’ And Moses said: ‘I take refuge with

my Lord, and your Lord from every proud one who believeth not in the Day

of Reckoning.’"

Men have, at all times, considered every World Reformer a fomenter of

discord, and have referred unto Him in terms with which all are familiar.

Each time the Daystar of Divine Revelation shed its radiance from the

horizon of God’s Will a great number of men denied Him, others turned

aside from Him, and still others calumniated Him, and thereby withheld the

servants of God from the river of loving providence of Him Who is the King

of creation. In like manner, they who, in this day, have neither met this

Wronged One nor associated with Him have said, and even now continue to

say, the things thou hast heard and hearest still. Say: "O people! The Sun

of Utterance beameth forth in this day, above the horizon of bounty, and

the radiance of the Revelation of Him Who spoke on Sinai flasheth and

glisteneth before all religions. Purge and sanctify your breasts, and your

hearts, and your ears, and your eyes with the living waters of the

utterance of the All-Merciful, and set, then, your faces towards Him. By

the righteousness of God! Ye shall hear all things proclaim: ‘Verily, He

the True One is come. Blessed are they that judge with fairness, and

blessed they that turn towards Him!’"

Among the things they have imputed to the Divine Lote-Tree (Moses) are

charges to the falsity of which every discerning man of knowledge, and

every wise and understanding heart, will witness. Thou must, no doubt,

have read and considered the verses which have been sent down concerning

Him Who conversed with God. He—may He be blessed and glorified—saith: "He

said: ‘Did We not rear thee among us when a child? And hast thou not

passed years of thy life among us? And yet what a deed is that which thou

hast done! Thou art one of the ungrateful.’ He said: ‘I did it indeed, and

I was one of those who erred. And I fled from you because I feared you;

but My Lord hath given Me wisdom and hath made Me one of His Apostles.’"

And elsewhere He—may He be blessed and exalted—saith: "And He entered a

city at the time when its inhabitants would not observe Him, and found

therein two men fighting, the one, of His own people; the other, of His

enemies. And he who was of His own people asked His help against him who

was of His enemies. And Moses smote him with His fist and slew him. Said

He: ‘This is a work of Satan; for he is an enemy, a manifest misleader.’

He said: ‘O my Lord! I have sinned to mine own hurt, forgive me.’ So God

forgave Him; for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. He said: ‘Lord!

because Thou hast showed me this grace, I will never again be the helper

of the wicked.’ And in the city at noon He was full of fear, casting

furtive glances round Him, and lo, the man whom He had helped the day

before, cried out to Him again for help. Said Moses to him: ‘Thou art

plainly a most depraved person.’ And when He would have laid violent hands

on him who was their common foe, he said to Him: ‘O Moses! Dost Thou

desire to slay me, as thou slewest a man yesterday? Thou desirest only to

become a tyrant in this land, and desirest not to become a peacemaker.’"

Thine ears and thine eyes must needs now be cleansed and sanctified, that

thou mayest be able to judge with fairness and justice. Moses Himself,

moreover, acknowledged His injustice and waywardness, and testified that

fear had seized Him, and that He had transgressed, and fled away. He asked

God—exalted be His glory—to forgive Him, and He was forgiven.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Every time God the True One—exalted be His glory—revealed

Himself in the person of His Manifestation, He came unto men with the

standard of "He doeth what He willeth, and ordaineth what He pleaseth."

None hath the right to ask why or wherefore, and he that doth so, hath

indeed turned aside from God, the Lord of Lords. In the days of every

Manifestation these things appear and are evident. Likewise, they have

said that about this Wronged One, to the falsity of which they who are

nigh unto God and are devoted to Him have borne, and still bear, witness.

By the righteousness of God! This Hem of His Robe hath ever been and

remaineth unsullied, though many have, at the present time, purposed to

besmirch it with their lying and unseemly calumnies. God, however, knoweth

and they know not. He Who, through the might and power of God, hath arisen

before the face of all the kindreds of the earth, and summoned the

multitudes to the Supreme Horizon, hath been repudiated by them and they

have clung instead unto such men as have invariably withdrawn themselves

behind veils and curtains, and busied themselves about their own

protection. Moreover, many are now engaged in spreading lies and

calumnies, and have no other intention than to instill distrust into the

hearts and souls of men. As soon as someone leaveth the Great City

(Constantinople) to visit this land, they at once telegraph and proclaim

that he hath stolen money and fled to Akká. A highly accomplished, learned

and distinguished man visited, in his declining years, the Holy Land,

seeking peace and retirement, and about him they have written such things

as have caused them who are devoted to God and are nigh unto Him to sigh.

His Excellency, the late Mírzá Ḥusayn _Kh_án, Mu_sh_íru’d-Dawlih,—may God

forgive him—hath known this Wronged One, and he, no doubt, must have given

to the Authorities a circumstantial account of the arrival of this Wronged

One at the Sublime Porte, and of the things which He said and did. On the

day of Our arrival the Government Official, whose duty it was to receive

and entertain official visitors, met Us and escorted Us to the place he

had been bidden to take Us. In truth, the Government showed these wronged

ones the utmost kindness and consideration. The following day Prince

_Sh_uja’u’d-Dawlih, accompanied by Mírzá Safá, acting as the

representatives of the late Mu_sh_íru’d-Dawlih, the Minister (accredited

to the Imperial Court) came to visit Us. Others, among whom were several

Ministers of the Imperial Government, and including the late Kamál

Pá_sh_á, likewise called on Us. Wholly reliant on God, and without any

reference to any need He might have had, or to any other matter, this

Wronged One sojourned for a period of four months in that city. His

actions were known and evident unto all, and none can deny them except

such as hate Him, and speak not the truth. He that hath recognized God,

recognizeth none other but Him. We have never liked, nor like We, to make

mention of such things.

Whenever high dignitaries of Persia came to that city (Constantinople)

they would exert themselves to the utmost soliciting at every door such

allowances and gifts as they might obtain. This Wronged One, however, if

He hath done nothing that would redound to the glory of Persia, hath at

least acted in a manner that could in no wise disgrace it. That which was

done by his late Excellency (Mu_sh_íru’d-Dawlih)—may God exalt his

station—was not actuated by his friendship towards this Wronged One, but

rather was prompted by his own sagacious judgment, and by his desire to

accomplish the service he secretly contemplated rendering his Government.

I testify that he was so faithful in his service to his Government that

dishonesty played no part, and was held in contempt, in the domain of his

activities. It was he who was responsible for the arrival of these wronged

ones in the Most Great Prison (Akká). As he was faithful, however, in the

discharge of his duty, he deserveth Our commendation. This Wronged One

hath, at all times, aimed and striven to exalt and advance the interests

of both the government and the people, not to elevate His own station. A

number of men have, now, gathered others about them, and have arisen to

dishonor this Wronged One. He, nevertheless, beseecheth God—hallowed and

glorified be He—to aid them to return unto Him, and assist them to

compensate for that which escaped them, and repent before the door of His

bounty. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! My Pen, verily, lamenteth over Mine own Self, and My Tablet

weepeth sore over what hath befallen Me at the hands of one (Mírzá Yaḥyá)

over whom We watched for successive years, and who, day and night, served

in My presence, until he was made to err by one of My servants, named

Siyyid Muḥammad. Unto this bear witness My believing servants who

accompanied Me in My exile from Ba_gh_dád to this, the Most Great Prison.

And there befell Me at the hands of both of them that which made every man

of understanding to cry out, and he who is endued with insight to groan

aloud, and the tears of the fair-minded to flow.

We pray to God to graciously assist them that have been led astray to be

just and fair-minded, and to make them aware of that whereof they have

been heedless. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.

Debar not Thy servants, O my Lord, from the door of Thy grace, and drive

them not away from the court of Thy presence. Assist them to dispel the

mists of idle fancy, and to tear away the veils of vain imaginings and

hopes. Thou art, verily, the All-Possessing, the Most High. No God is

there but Thee, the Almighty, the Gracious.

I swear by the Daystar of God’s Testimony that hath shone from the horizon

of certitude! This Wronged One, in the daytime and in the night-season,

occupied Himself with that which would edify the souls of men, until the

light of knowledge prevailed over the darkness of ignorance.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Time and again have I declared, and now yet again I affirm,

that for two score years We have, through the grace of God and by His

irresistible and potent will, extended such aid to His Majesty the

_Sh_áh—may God assist him—as the exponents of justice and of equity would

regard as incontestable and absolute. None can deny it, unless he be a

transgressor and sinner, or one who would hate Us or doubt Our truth. How

very strange that until now the Ministers of State and the representatives

of the people have alike remained unaware of such conspicuous and

undeniable service, and, if apprized of it, have, for reasons of their

own, chosen to ignore it! Previous to these forty years controversies and

conflicts continually prevailed and agitated the servants of God. But

since then, aided by the hosts of wisdom, of utterance, of exhortations

and understanding, they have all seized and taken fast hold of the firm

cord of patience and of the shining hem of fortitude, in such wise that

this wronged people endured steadfastly whatever befell them, and

committed everything unto God, and this notwithstanding that in Mázindarán

and at Ra_sh_t a great many have been most hideously tormented. Among them

was his honor, Ḥájí Náṣir, who, unquestionably, was a brilliant light that

shone forth above the horizon of resignation. After he had suffered

martyrdom, they plucked out his eyes and cut off his nose, and inflicted

on him such indignities that strangers wept and lamented, and secretly

raised funds to support his wife and children.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! My Pen is abashed to recount what actually took place. In

the land of Sád (Iṣfáhán) the fire of tyranny burned with such a hot flame

that every fair-minded person groaned aloud. By thy life! The cities of

knowledge and of understanding wept with such a weeping that the souls of

the pious and of the God-fearing were melted. The twin shining lights,

Ḥasan and Ḥusayn (The King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs) offered

up spontaneously their lives in that city. Neither fortune, nor wealth,

nor glory, could deter them! God knoweth the things which befell them and

yet the people are, for the most part, unaware!

Before them one named Kázim and they who were with him, and after them,

his honor A_sh_raf, all quaffed the draught of martyrdom with the utmost

fervor and longing, and hastened unto the Supreme Companion. In like

manner, at the time of Sardár Azíz _Kh_án, that godly man, Mírzá Muṣṭafá,

and his fellow martyrs, were arrested, and despatched unto the Supreme

Friend in the All-Glorious Horizon. Briefly, in every city the evidences

of a tyranny, beyond like or equal, were unmistakably clear and manifest,

and yet none arose in self-defence! Call thou to mind his honor Badí, who

was the bearer of the Tablet to His Majesty the _Sh_áh, and reflect how he

laid down his life. That knight, who spurred on his charger in the arena

of renunciation, threw down the precious crown of life for the sake of Him

Who is the Incomparable Friend.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! If things such as these are to be denied, what shall, then,

be deemed worthy of credence? Set forth the truth, for the sake of God,

and be not of them that hold their peace. They arrested his honor

Najaf-‘Alí, who hastened, with rapture and great longing, unto the field

of martyrdom, uttering these words: "We have kept both Bahá and the

_kh_ún-bahá (bloodmoney)!" With these words he yielded up his spirit.

Meditate on the splendor and glory which the light of renunciation,

shining from the upper chamber of the heart of Mullá ‘Alí-Ján, hath shed.

He was so carried away by the breezes of the Most Sublime Word and by the

power of the Pen of Glory that to him the field of martyrdom equalled, nay

outrivalled, the haunts of earthly delights. Ponder upon the conduct of

‘Abá-Básir and Siyyid A_sh_raf-i-Zanjání. They sent for the mother of

A_sh_raf to dissuade her son from his purpose. But she spurred him on

until he suffered a most glorious martyrdom.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! This people have passed beyond the narrow straits of names,

and pitched their tents upon the shores of the sea of renunciation. They

would willingly lay down a myriad lives, rather than breathe the word

desired by their enemies. They have clung to that which pleaseth God, and

are wholly detached and freed from the things which pertain unto men. They

have preferred to have their heads cut off rather than utter one unseemly

word. Ponder this in thine heart. Methinks they have quaffed their fill of

the ocean of renunciation. The life of the present world hath failed to

withhold them from suffering martyrdom in the path of God.

In Mázindarán a vast number of the servants of God were exterminated. The

Governor, under the influence of calumniators, robbed a great many of all

that they possessed. Among the charges he laid against them was that they

had been laying up arms, whereas upon investigation it was found out that

they had nothing but an unloaded rifle! Gracious God! This people need no

weapons of destruction, inasmuch as they have girded themselves to

reconstruct the world. Their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds, and

their arms the arms of upright conduct, and their commander the fear of

God. Blessed that one that judgeth with fairness. By the righteousness of

God! Such hath been the patience, the calm, the resignation and

contentment of this people that they have become the exponents of justice,

and so great hath been their forbearance, that they have suffered

themselves to be killed rather than kill, and this notwithstanding that

these whom the world hath wronged have endured tribulations the like of

which the history of the world hath never recorded, nor the eyes of any

nation witnessed. What is it that could have induced them to reconcile

themselves to these grievous trials, and to refuse to put forth a hand to

repel them? What could have caused such resignation and serenity? The true

cause is to be found in the ban which the Pen of Glory hath, day and

night, chosen to impose, and in Our assumption of the reins of authority,

through the power and might of Him Who is the Lord of all mankind.

Remember the father of Badí. They arrested that wronged one, and ordered

him to curse and revile his Faith. He, however, through the grace of God

and the mercy of his Lord, chose martyrdom, and attained thereunto. If ye

would reckon up the martyrs in the path of God, ye could not count them.

Consider his honor Siyyid Ismá’íl—upon him be the peace of God, and His

loving-kindness—how, before daybreak he was wont to dust, with his own

turban, the doorstep of My house, and in the end, whilst standing on the

banks of the river, with his eyes fixed on that same house, offered up, by

his own hand, his life.

Do thou ponder on the penetrative influence of the Word of God. Every

single one of these souls was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his

faith, yet none was found to prefer his own will to the Will of God.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! In former times he that was chosen to be slain was but one

person, whereas now this Wronged One hath produced for thee that which

causeth every fair-minded man to marvel. Judge fairly, I adjure thee, and

arise to serve thy Lord. He, verily, shall reward thee with a reward which

neither the treasures of the earth nor all the possessions of kings and

rulers can equal. In all thine affairs put thy reliance in God, and commit

them unto Him. He will render thee a reward which the Book hath ordained

as great. Occupy thyself, during these fleeting days of thy life, with

such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Divine good pleasure, and will

be adorned with the ornament of His acceptance. The acts of his honor,

Balál, the Ethiopian, were so acceptable in the sight of God that the

"sín" of his stuttering tongue excelled the "_sh_ín" pronounced by all the

world. This is the day whereon all peoples should shed the light of unity

and concord. In brief, the pride and vanity of certain of the peoples of

the world have made havoc of true understanding, and laid waste the home

of justice and of equity.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare

or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and

resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God

be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mím (Mázindarán)

We were one day delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well

imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the

dungeon of His Majesty the _Sh_áh, ask the director and chief jailer to

show thee those two chains, one of which is known as Qará-Guhar, and the

other as Salásil. I swear by the Daystar of Justice that for four months

this Wronged One was tormented and chained by one or the other of them.

"My grief exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the

afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows!"

Likewise, ponder thou upon the martyrdom of Ḥájí Muḥammad-Riḍá in the City

of Love (I_sh_qábád). The tyrants of the earth have subjected that wronged

one to such trials as have caused many foreigners to weep and lament for,

as reported and ascertained, no less than thirty-two wounds were inflicted

upon his blessed body. Yet none of the faithful transgressed My

commandment, nor raised his hand in resistance. Come what might, they

refused to allow their own inclinations to supersede that which the Book

hath decreed, though a considerable number of this people have resided,

and still reside, in that city.

We entreat His Majesty the _Sh_áh,—may God, hallowed and glorified be He,

assist him—himself to ponder upon these things, and to judge with equity

and justice. Although in recent years a number of the faithful have, in

most of the cities of Persia, suffered themselves to be killed rather than

kill, yet the hatred smouldering in certain hearts hath blazed more

fiercely than before. For the victims of oppression to intercede in favor

of their enemies is, in the estimation of rulers, a princely deed. Some

must have certainly heard that this oppressed people have, in that city

(I_sh_qábád), pleaded with the Governor on behalf of their murderers, and

asked for the mitigation of their sentence. Take, then, good heed, ye who

are men of insight!

O _Sh_ay_kh_! These perspicuous verses have been sent down in one of the

Tablets by the Abhá Pen: "Hearken, O servant, unto the voice of this

Wronged One, Who hath endured grievous vexations and trials in the path of

God, the Lord of all Names, until such time as He was cast into prison, in

the Land of Tá (Ṭihrán). He summoned men unto the most sublime Paradise,

and yet they seized Him and paraded Him through cities and countries. How

many the nights during which slumber fled from the eyes of My loved ones,

because of their love for Me; and how numerous the days whereon I had to

face the assaults of the peoples against Me! At one time I found Myself on

the heights of mountains; at another in the depths of the prison of Tá

(Ṭihrán), in chains and fetters. By the righteousness of God! I was at all

times thankful unto Him, uttering His praise, engaged in remembering Him,

directed towards Him, satisfied with His pleasure, and lowly and

submissive before Him. So passed My days, until they ended in this Prison

(Akká) which hath made the earth to tremble and the heavens to sigh. Happy

that one who hath cast away his vain imaginings, when He Who was hid came

with the standards of His signs. We, verily, have announced unto men this

Most Great Revelation, and yet the people are in a state of strange

stupor."

Thereupon, a Voice was raised from the direction of Ḥijáz, calling aloud

and saying: "Great is thy blessedness, O Akká, in that God hath made thee

the dayspring of His Most Sweet Voice, and the dawn of His most mighty

signs. Happy art thou in that the Throne of Justice hath been established

upon thee, and the Daystar of God’s loving-kindness and bounty hath shone

forth above thy horizon. Well is it with every fair-minded person that

hath judged fairly Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance, and woe betide

him that hath erred and doubted."

Following upon the death of some of the martyrs, the Lawḥ-i-Burhán (Tablet

of the Proof) was sent down from the heaven of the Revelation of Him Who

is the Lord of Religions:

"He is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The winds of hatred

have encompassed the Ark of Bathá (Mecca), by reason of that which the

hands of the oppressors have wrought. O thou who art reputed for thy

learning! Thou hast pronounced sentence against them for whom the books of

the world have wept, and in whose favor the scriptures of all religions

have testified. Thou, who art gone far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick

veil. By God Himself! Thou hast pronounced judgment against them through

whom the horizon of faith hath been illumined. Unto this bear witness They

Who are the Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Manifestations of the

Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and

all that They possessed in His straight Path. The Faith of God hath cried

everywhere, by reason of thy tyranny, and yet thou disportest thyself and

art of them that exult. There is no hatred in Mine heart for thee nor for

anyone. Every man of discernment beholdeth thee, and such as are like

thee, engulfed in evident folly. Hadst thou realized that which thou hast

done, thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire, or abandoned thine

home and fled unto the mountains, or wouldst have groaned until thou hadst

returned unto the place destined for thee by Him Who is the Lord of

strength and of might. O thou who art even as nothing! Rend thou asunder

the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings, that thou mayest behold the

Daystar of knowledge shining from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn

in pieces a remnant of the Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst

helped the Faith of God. Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, and thou art

truly one of the heedless. Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the

Concourse on high, and those of such as have circled round the Cause of

God, the Lord of the worlds. The soul of the Chaste One (Fátimih) melted,

by reason of thy cruelty, and the inmates of Paradise wept sore in that

blessed Spot.

"Judge thou fairly, I adjure thee by God. What proof did the Jewish

doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him Who was the Spirit of God (Jesus

Christ), when He came unto them with truth? What could have been the

evidence produced by the Pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify

their denial of Muḥammad, the Apostle of God when He came unto them with a

Book that judged between truth and falsehood with a justice which turned

into light the darkness of the earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as

had known Him? Indeed thou hast produced, in this day, the same proofs

which the foolish divines advanced in that age. Unto this testifieth He

Who is the King of the realm of grace in this great Prison. Thou hast,

truly, walked in their ways, nay, hast surpassed them in their cruelty,

and hast deemed thyself to be helping the Faith and defending the Law of

God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By Him Who is the Truth! Thine

iniquity hath made Gabriel to groan, and hath drawn tears from the Law of

God, through which the breezes of justice have been wafted over all who

are in heaven and on earth. Hast thou fondly imagined that the judgment

thou didst pronounce hath profited thee? Nay, by Him Who is the King of

all Names! Unto thy loss testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all

things as recorded in the preserved Tablet.

"O thou who hast gone astray! Thou hast neither seen Me, nor associated

with Me, nor been My companion for the fraction of a moment. How is it,

then, that thou hast bidden men to curse Me? Didst thou, in this, follow

the promptings of thine own desires, or didst thou obey thy Lord? Produce

thou a sign, if thou art one of the truthful. We testify that thou hast

cast behind thy back the Law of God, and laid hold on the dictates of thy

passions. Nothing, in truth, escapeth His knowledge; He, verily, is the

Incomparable, the All-Informed. O heedless one! Hearken unto that which

the Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’án: ‘Say not to every one who

meeteth you with a greeting, "Thou art not a believer."’ Thus hath He

decreed in Whose grasp are the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if

thou be of them that hearken. Thou hast set aside the commandment of God,

and clung unto the promptings of thine own desire. Woe, then, unto thee, O

careless one that doubtest! If thou deniest Me, by what proof canst thou

vindicate the truth of that which thou dost possess? Produce it, then, O

thou who hast joined partners with God, and turned aside from His

sovereignty that hath encompassed the worlds!

"Know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged My Revelation,

and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge, and soared in the atmosphere of

My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and taken firm hold on that

which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. He,

verily, is even as an eye unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the

body of all creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened

him, and caused him to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily,

such a man is blessed by the Concourse on high, and by them who dwell

within the Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine in My

Name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. If thou be of them that occupy

such a sublime station, produce then a sign from God, the Creator of the

heavens. And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do thou rein in

thy passions, and return unto thy Lord, that perchance He may forgive thee

thy sins which have caused the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree to be burnt

up, and the Rock to cry out, and the eyes of men of understanding to weep.

Because of thee the Veil of Divinity was rent asunder, and the Ark has

foundered, and the She-Camel was hamstrung, and the Spirit (Jesus) groaned

in His sublime retreat. Disputest thou with Him Who hath come unto thee

with the testimonies of God and His signs which thou possessest and which

are in the possession of them that dwell on earth? Open thine eyes that

thou mayest behold this Wronged One shining forth above the horizon of the

will of God, the Sovereign, the Truth, the Resplendent. Unstop, then, the

ear of thine heart that thou mayest hearken unto the speech of the Divine

Lote-Tree that hath been raised up in truth by God, the Almighty, the

Beneficent. Verily, this Tree, notwithstanding the things that befell it

by reason of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such as are like

thee, calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto the Sadratu’l-Muntahá and

the Supreme Horizon. Blessed is the soul that hath gazed on the Most

Mighty Sign, and the ear that hath heard His most sweet Voice, and woe to

whosoever hath turned aside and done wickedly.

"O thou who hast turned away from God! Wert thou to look with the eye of

fairness upon the Divine Lote-Tree, thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy

sword on its boughs, and its branches, and its leaves, notwithstanding

that God created thee for the purpose of recognizing and of serving it.

Reflect, that haply thou mayest recognize thine iniquity and be numbered

with such as have repented. Thinkest thou that We fear thy cruelty? Know

thou and be well assured that from the first day whereon the voice of the

Most Sublime Pen was raised betwixt earth and heaven We offered up Our

souls, and Our bodies, and Our sons, and Our possessions in the path of

God, the Exalted, the Great, and We glory therein amongst all created

things and the Concourse on high. Unto this testify the things which have

befallen Us in this straight Path. By God! Our hearts were consumed, and

Our bodies were crucified, and Our blood was spilt, while Our eyes were

fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness,

the All-Seeing. The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed the love

of the people of Bahá. Unto their sincerity hath borne witness what the

All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’án. He saith: ‘Wish ye, then, for

death, if ye are sincere.’ Who is to be preferred, he that hath sheltered

himself behind curtains, or he that hath offered himself in the path of

God? Judge thou fairly, and be not of them that rove distraught in the

wilderness of falsehood. So carried away have they been by the living

waters of the love of the Most Merciful, that neither the arms of the

world nor the swords of the nations have deterred them from setting their

faces towards the ocean of the bounty of their Lord, the Giver, the

Generous.

"By God! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and the repudiation of the

divines hath been powerless to weaken Me. I have spoken, and still speak

forth before the face of men: ‘The door of grace hath been unlocked and He

Who is the Dayspring of Justice is come with perspicuous signs and evident

testimonies, from God, the Lord of strength and of might!’ Present thyself

before Me that thou mayest hear the mysteries which were heard by the Son

of ‘Imrán (Moses) upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus commandeth thee He Who is

the Dawning-Place of the Revelation of thy Lord, the God of Mercy, from

His great Prison."

Thereupon hath the cry and the lamentation of the true Faith been raised

once again, saying: "Verily, Sinai calleth aloud and saith: ‘O people of

the Bayán! Fear ye the Merciful. Indeed have I attained unto Him Who

conversed upon me, and the ecstasies of my joy have seized the pebbles of

the earth and the dust thereof.’ And the Bush exclaimeth: ‘O people of the

Bayán! Judge ye fairly that which hath in truth been manifested. Verily

the Fire which God revealed unto the One Who conversed with Him is now

manifested. Unto this beareth witness every man of insight and

understanding.’"

We have made mention of certain martyrs of this Revelation, and have

likewise cited some of the verses which were sent down concerning them

from the kingdom of Our utterance. We fain would hope that, rid of all

attachment to the world, thou wilt ponder the things which We have

mentioned.

It behooveth thee now to reflect upon the state of Mírzá Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí

and of Sád-i-Iṣfáhání (Sadru’l-‘Ulamá), who reside in the Land of Tá

(Ṭihrán). No sooner had the former heard that he had been called a Bábí

than he became so perturbed that his poise and dignity forsook him. He

ascended the pulpits and spoke words which ill befitted him. From time

immemorial the clay clods of the world have, wholly by reason of their

love of leadership, perpetrated such acts as have caused men to err. Thou

must not, however, imagine that all the faithful are such as these two. We

have described unto thee the constancy, the firmness, the steadfastness,

the certitude, the imperturbability and the dignity of the martyrs of this

Revelation, that thou mayest be well-informed. My purpose in citing the

passages from the Tablets to the kings and others hath been that thou

mayest know of a certainty that this Wronged One hath not concealed the

Cause of God, but hath proclaimed and delivered, in the most eloquent

language, before the face of the world, the things He had been

commissioned to set forth. Certain faint-hearted ones, however, such as

Hádí and others, have tampered with the Cause of God and have, in their

concern for this fleeting life, said and done that which caused the eye of

justice to weep and the Pen of Glory to groan, notwithstanding their

ignorance of the essentials of this Cause; whereas this Wronged One hath

revealed it for the sake of God.

O Hádí! Thou hast gone unto My brother and hast seen him. Set now thy face

towards the court of this Wronged One, that haply the breezes of

Revelation and the breaths of inspiration may assist thee and enable thee

to attain thy goal. Whoever gazeth this day on My signs will distinguish

truth from falsehood as the sun from shadow, and will be made cognizant of

the goal. God is aware and beareth Me witness that whatever hath been

mentioned was for the sake of God, that haply thou mayest be the cause of

the guidance of men, and mayest deliver the peoples of the world from idle

fancies and vain imaginings. Gracious God! Until now they that have turned

aside and denied Me have failed to recognize Who despatched that which was

delivered unto the Herald—the Primal Point! The knowledge of it is with

God, the Lord of the worlds.

Exert thyself, O _Sh_ay_kh_, and arise to serve this Cause. The Sealed

Wine is disclosed in this day before the faces of men. Seize it in the

name of thy Lord, and quaff thy fill in remembrance of Him Who is the

Mighty, the Incomparable. Night and day hath this Wronged One been

occupied in that which would unite the hearts, and edify the souls of men.

The events that have happened in Persia during the early years have truly

saddened the well-favored and sincere ones. Each year witnessed a fresh

massacre, pillage, plunder, and shedding of blood. At one time there

appeared in Zanján that which caused the greatest consternation; at

another in Nayríz, and at yet another in Tabarsí, and finally there

occurred the episode of the Land of Tá (Ṭihrán). From that time onwards

this Wronged One, assisted by the One True God—exalted be His

glory—acquainted this oppressed people with the things which beseemed

them. All have sanctified themselves from the things which they and others

possess, and have clung unto, and fixed their eyes upon that which

pertaineth unto God.

It is now incumbent upon His Majesty the _Sh_áh—may God, exalted be He,

protect him—to deal with this people with loving-kindness and mercy. This

Wronged One pledgeth Himself, before the Divine Kaaba, that, apart from

truthfulness and trustworthiness, this people will show forth nothing that

can in any way conflict with the world-adorning views of His Majesty.

Every nation must have a high regard for the position of its sovereign,

must be submissive unto him, must carry out his behests, and hold fast his

authority. The sovereigns of the earth have been and are the

manifestations of the power, the grandeur and the majesty of God. This

Wronged One hath at no time dealt deceitfully with anyone. Every one is

well aware of this, and beareth witness unto it. Regard for the rank of

sovereigns is divinely ordained, as is clearly attested by the words of

the Prophets of God and His chosen ones. He Who is the Spirit (Jesus)—may

peace be upon Him—was asked: "O Spirit of God! Is it lawful to give

tribute to Caesar or not?" And He made reply: "Yea, render to Caesar the

things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s." He forbade

it not. These two sayings are, in the estimation of men of insight, one

and the same, for if that which belonged to Caesar had not come from God,

He would have forbidden it. And likewise in the sacred verse: "Obey God

and obey the Apostle, and those among you invested with authority." By

"those invested with authority" is meant primarily and more especially the

Imáms—the blessings of God rest upon them! They, verily, are the

manifestations of the power of God, and the sources of His authority, and

the repositories of His knowledge, and the daysprings of His commandments.

Secondarily these words refer unto the kings and rulers—those through the

brightness of whose justice the horizons of the world are resplendent and

luminous. We fain would hope that His Majesty the _Sh_áh will shine forth

with a light of justice whose radiance will envelop all the kindreds of

the earth. It is incumbent upon every one to beseech the one true God on

his behalf for that which is meet and seemly in this day.

O God, my God, and my Master, and my Mainstay, and my Desire, and my

Beloved! I ask Thee by the mysteries which were hid in Thy knowledge, and

by the signs which have diffused the fragrance of Thy loving-kindness, and

by the billows of the ocean of Thy bounty, and by the heaven of Thy grace

and generosity, and by the blood spilt in Thy path, and by the hearts

consumed in their love for Thee, to assist His Majesty the _Sh_áh with Thy

power and Thy sovereignty, that from him may be manifested that which will

everlastingly endure in Thy Books, and Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets.

Hold Thou his hand, O my Lord, with the hand of Thine omnipotence, and

illuminate him with the light of Thy knowledge, and adorn him with the

adornment of Thy virtues. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee, and in

Thy grasp are the reins of all created things. No God is there but Thee,

the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bounteous.

In the Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul hath written: "Let every soul be

subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the

powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the

power, resisteth the ordinance of God." And further: "For he is the

minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." He

saith that the appearance of the kings, and their majesty and power are of

God.

Moreover, in the traditions of old, references have been made which the

divines have seen and heard. We beseech God—blessed and glorified be He—to

aid thee, O _Sh_ay_kh_, to lay fast hold on that which hath been sent down

from the heaven of the bounty of God, the Lord of the worlds. The divines

must needs unite with His Majesty, the _Sh_áh, and cleave unto that which

will insure the protection, the security, the welfare and prosperity of

men. A just king enjoyeth nearer access unto God than anyone. Unto this

testifieth He Who speaketh in His Most Great Prison. God! There is none

other God but Him, the One, the Incomparable, the Almighty, the

All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Wert thou, for the sake of God, to ponder, though it be but for an hour,

upon the things which have occurred in former times and more recently,

thou wouldst turn away from the things thou dost possess unto the things

which belong unto God, and wouldst become a means for the exaltation of

His Word. Hath, from the foundation of the world until the present day,

any Light or Revelation shone forth from the dayspring of the will of God

which the kindreds of the earth have accepted, and Whose Cause they have

acknowledged? Where is it to be found, and what is its name? Since the

Seal of the Prophets (Muḥammad)—may all else but Him be His sacrifice—and

before Him the Spirit of God (Jesus), as far back as the First

Manifestation, all have at the time of Their appearance suffered

grievously. Some were held to be possessed, others were called impostors,

and were treated in a manner that the pen is ashamed to describe. By God!

There befell Them what hath made all created things to sigh, and yet the

people are, for the most part, sunk in manifest ignorance! We pray God to

assist them to return unto Him, and to repent before the door of His

mercy. Potent is He over all things.

At this moment the shrill voice of the Most Sublime Pen hath been raised,

and hath addressed Me saying: "Admonish the _Sh_ay_kh_ even as Thou hast

admonished one of Thy Branches (sons), that haply the breezes of Thine

utterance may attract and draw him nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds."

"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the

trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.

Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer to the

cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in

thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all

meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy

to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an

upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and

uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm

to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the

blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to

the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the

temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an

ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a

dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a

sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining

light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of

humility. We pray God to protect thee from the heat of jealousy and the

cold of hatred. He verily is nigh, ready to answer." Thus hath My tongue

spoken unto one of My Branches (sons), and We have mentioned it unto such

of Our loved ones as have cast away their idle fancies, and clung unto

that which hath been prescribed unto them in the day whereon the Daystar

of Certitude hath shone forth above the horizon of the will of God, the

Lord of the worlds. This is the day on which the Bird of Utterance hath

warbled its melody upon the branches, in the name of its Lord, the God of

Mercy. Blessed is the man that hath, on the wings of longing, soared

towards God, the Lord of the Judgment Day.

The one true God well knoweth, and all the company of His trusted ones

testify, that this Wronged One hath, at all times, been faced with dire

peril. But for the tribulations that have touched Me in the path of God,

life would have held no sweetness for Me, and My existence would have

profited Me nothing. For them who are endued with discernment, and whose

eyes are fixed upon the Sublime Vision, it is no secret that I have been,

most of the days of My life, even as a slave, sitting under a sword

hanging on a thread, knowing not whether it would fall soon or late upon

him. And yet, notwithstanding all this We render thanks unto God, the Lord

of the worlds. Mine inner tongue reciteth, in the daytime and in the

night-season, this prayer: "Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the

tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be

recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of

Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy

might beareth Me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the

tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans

they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments

of their broken hearts. How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death

suffered in Thy path, and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of

Thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy Word!

Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my God and my Master, whatsoever Thou didst

desire, and send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy

glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In

Thee have I, at all times, placed My whole trust and confidence. Thou art

verily the All-Possessing, the Most High. Raise up, I implore Thee, O my

God, as helpers to this Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy

Name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember Thee among Thy

creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land, and adorn

them with Thy virtues and Thy commandments. No God is there but Thee, the

Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

Thereupon the voice of the true Faith was lifted up, calling aloud again

and again and saying: "O concourse of the earth! By God! I am the true

Faith of God amongst you. Beware that ye deny Me not. God hath manifested

Me with a light that hath encompassed all that are in the heavens and all

that are on earth. Judge ye equitably, O people, My manifestation, and the

revelation of My glory, and the radiance of My light, and be not of them

that act unjustly."

O _Sh_ay_kh_! This Wronged One beseecheth God—blessed and glorified be

He—to make thee the one who will open the door of justice, and reveal

through thee His Cause among His servants. He, verily, is the

All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Entreat thou the one true God to sanctify the ears, and the

eyes, and the hearts of mankind, and to protect them from the desires of a

corrupt inclination. For malice is a grievous malady which depriveth man

from recognizing the Great Being, and debarreth him from the splendors of

the sun of certitude. We pray and hope that through the grace and mercy of

God He may remove this mighty obstacle. He, verily, is the Potent, the

All-Subduing, the Almighty.

At this moment a Voice was raised from the right-hand of the Luminous

Spot: "God! There is none other God but Him, the Ordainer, the All-Wise!

Recite Thou unto the _Sh_ay_kh_ the remaining passages of the

Lawḥ-i-Burhán (Tablet of the Proof) that they may draw him unto the

horizon of the Revelation of his Lord, the God of Mercy, that haply he may

arise to aid My Cause with perspicuous signs and exalted testimonies, and

may speak forth amongst men that which the Tongue of Testimony hath

spoken: ‘The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of the worlds!’"

"Peruse thou the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) and that which the

All-Merciful hath sent down unto the King of Paris (Napoleon III) and to

such as are like him, that thou mayest be made aware of the things that

have happened in the past, and be persuaded that We have not sought to

spread disorder in the land after it had been well-ordered. We exhort,

wholly for the sake of God, His servants. Let him who wisheth turn unto

Him, and him who wisheth turn aside. Our Lord, the Merciful, is verily the

All-Sufficing, the All-Praised. O concourse of the kindreds of the earth!

This is the day whereon nothing amongst all things, nor any name amongst

all names, can profit you save through this Name which God hath made the

Manifestation of His Cause and the Dayspring of His Most Excellent Titles

unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is that man that hath

recognized the fragrance of the All-Merciful and been numbered with the

steadfast. Your sciences shall not profit you in this day, nor your arts,

nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them all behind your backs, and

set your faces towards the Most Sublime Word through which the Scriptures

and the Books and this lucid Tablet have been distinctly set forth. Cast

away, O people, the things ye have composed with the pen of your idle

fancies and vain imaginings. By God! The Daystar of Knowledge hath shone

forth above the horizon of certitude.

"O thou who art gone astray! If thou hast any doubt concerning Our

conduct, know thou that We bear witness unto that whereunto God hath

Himself borne witness ere the creation of the heavens and of the earth,

that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. We

testify that He is One in His Essence, One in His Attributes. He hath none

to equal Him in the whole universe, nor any partner in all creation. He

hath sent forth His Messengers, and sent down His Books, that they may

announce unto His creatures the Straight Path.

"Hath the _Sh_áh been informed, and chosen to close his eyes to thine

acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the howling of a pack of wolves

who have cast the path of God behind their backs and followed in thy way

without any clear proof or Book? We have heard that the provinces of

Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice. When We observed

closely, however, We found them to be the dawning-places of tyranny and

the daysprings of injustice. We behold justice in the clutches of tyranny.

We beseech God to set it free through the power of His might and His

sovereignty. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on

earth. To none is given the right to protest against any one concerning

that which hath befallen the Cause of God. It behooveth whosoever hath set

his face towards the Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the

cord of patience, and to put his reliance in God, the Help in Peril, the

Unconstrained. O ye loved ones of God! Drink your fill from the wellspring

of wisdom, and soar ye in the atmosphere of wisdom, and speak forth with

wisdom and eloquence. Thus biddeth you your Lord, the Almighty, the

All-Knowing.

"O heedless one! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou art even as

the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away

as decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Thy glory and the

glory of such as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is

what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where

is he to be found who contended with God, and whither is gone he that

gainsaid His signs, and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are they

who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His holy ones?

Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts, O

foolish doubter! Because of you the Apostle (Muḥammad) lamented, and the

Chaste One (Fátimih) cried out, and the countries were laid waste, and

darkness fell upon all regions. O concourse of divines! Because of you the

people were abased, and the banner of Islám was hauled down, and its

mighty throne subverted. Every time a man of discernment hath sought to

hold fast unto that which would exalt Islám, ye raised a clamor, and

thereby was he deterred from achieving his purpose, while the land

remained fallen in clear ruin.

"O My Supreme Pen! Call Thou to remembrance the She-Serpent (Imám-Jum’ih

of Iṣfáhán) whose cruelty hath caused all created things to groan, and the

limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth Thee the Lord of all names,

in this glorious station. The Chaste One (Fátimih) hath cried out by

reason of thine iniquity, and yet thou dost imagine thyself to be of the

family of the Apostle of God! Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, O thou who

hast withdrawn thyself from God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall

be. Judge thou equitably, O She-Serpent! For what crime didst thou sting

the children of the Apostle of God (King of Martyrs and Beloved of

Martyrs), and pillage their possessions? Hast thou denied Him Who created

thee by His command ‘be, and it was’? Thou hast dealt with the children of

the Apostle of God as neither ‘Ád hath dealt with Húd, nor _Th_ámúd with

Ṣáliḥ, nor the Jews with the Spirit of God (Jesus), the Lord of all being.

Gainsayest thou the signs of thy Lord which had no sooner been sent down

from the heaven of His Cause than all the books of the world bowed down

before them? Meditate, that thou mayest be made aware of thine act, O

heedless outcast! Erelong will the breaths of chastisement seize thee, as

they seized others before thee. Wait, O thou who hast joined partners with

God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible. This is the day which God

hath announced through the tongue of His Apostle. Reflect, that thou

mayest apprehend what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’án and in

this inscribed Tablet. This is the day whereon He Who is the Dayspring of

Revelation hath come with clear tokens which none can number. This is the

day whereon every man endued with perception hath discovered the fragrance

of the breeze of the All-Merciful in the world of creation, and every man

of insight hath hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of his Lord,

the King of Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice (Ishmael)

hath been retold, and he who was to be offered up hath directed his steps

towards the place of sacrifice, and returned not, by reason of that which

thy hand hath wrought, O perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that martyrdom

could abase this Cause? Nay, by Him Whom God hath made to be the

Repository of His Revelation, if thou be of them that comprehend. Woe

betide thee, O thou who hast joined partners with God, and woe betide them

that have taken thee as their leader, without a clear token or a

perspicuous Book. How numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen

to quench the light of God, and how many the impious who murdered and

pillaged until the hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their

cruelty! The sun of justice hath been obscured, inasmuch as the embodiment

of tyranny hath been stablished upon the throne of hatred, and yet the

people understand not. O foolish one! Thou hast slain the children of the

Apostle and pillaged their possessions. Say: Was it, in thine estimation,

their possessions or themselves that denied God? Judge fairly, O ignorant

one that hath been shut out as by a veil from God. Thou hast clung to

tyranny, and cast away justice; whereupon all created things have

lamented, and still thou art among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the

aged, and plundered the young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that

which thine iniquity hath amassed? Nay, by Myself! Thus informeth thee He

Who is cognizant of all. By God! The things thou possessest shall profit

thee not, nor what thou hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this

beareth witness thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Thou hast arisen to put out the

light of this Cause; erelong will thine own fire be quenched, at His

behest. He, verily, is the Lord of strength and of might. The changes and

chances of the world, and the powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him.

He doeth what He pleaseth, and ordaineth what He willeth through the power

of His sovereignty. Consider the she-camel. Though but a beast, yet hath

the All-Merciful exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the

earth made mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily,

overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. No God is there but

Him, the Almighty, the Great. Thus have We adorned the heaven of Our

Tablet with the suns of Our words. Blessed the man that hath attained

thereunto, and been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as

have turned aside, and denied Him, and strayed far from Him. Praised be

God, the Lord of the worlds!"

O _Sh_ay_kh_! We have enabled thee to hear the melodies of the Nightingale

of Paradise, and unveiled to thine eyes the signs which God, by His

all-compelling behest, hath sent down in the Most Great Prison, that thine

eye might be cheered, and thy soul be well-assured. He, verily, is the

All-Bounteous, the Generous. Arise thou through the power of His testimony

to serve the Cause of God, thy Lord, the God of Mercy. If thy faith be

fearful, seize thou My Tablet, and preserve it in the bosom of trust. And

when thou enterest into the place of resurrection, and God asketh thee by

what proof thou hast believed in this Revelation, draw forth the Tablet

and say: "By this Book, the holy, the mighty, the incomparable." Thereupon

all will lift up their hands towards thee, and will seize the Tablet, and

will press it to their eyes, and will inhale therefrom the fragrance of

the utterance of God, the Lord of the worlds. Were God to torment thee for

having believed in His signs in this Revelation, for what reason could He

then torment such as have disbelieved in Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, and

before Him in Jesus, the Son of Mary, and before Him in the One Who

conversed with God (Moses), and before Him in the One Who is the Friend of

God (Abraham), and as far back as the One Who was the First Manifestation,

Who was created by the will of thy Lord, the Potent, the All-Encompassing.

Thus have We sent down Our verses unto one before thee, and recalled them

unto thee, in this day, that thou mayest understand, and be of them who

are well assured. O thou who assumest the voice of knowledge! This Cause

is too evident to be obscured, and too conspicuous to be concealed. It

shineth as the sun in its meridian glory. None can deny it unless he be a

hater and a doubter.

At this moment it behooveth us to turn unto the Desired One, and cleave

unto these most sublime words: "O God, my God! Thou hast lighted the lamp

of Thy Cause with the oil of wisdom; protect it from contrary winds. The

lamp is Thine, and the glass is Thine, and all things in the heavens and

on earth are in the grasp of Thy power. Bestow justice upon the rulers,

and fairness upon the divines. Thou art the All-Powerful, Who, through the

motion of Thy Pen, hast aided Thine irresistible Cause, and guided aright

Thy loved ones. Thou art the Possessor of power, and the King of might. No

God is there but Thee, the Strong, the Unconstrained." Say thou also: "O

God, my God! I yield Thee thanks inasmuch as Thou hast made me to drink of

Thy Sealed Wine from the hand of the bounty of Thy Name, the

Self-Subsisting. I entreat Thee by the splendors of the Dayspring of Thy

Revelation, and by the potency of Thy Most Sublime Word, and by the might

of Thy Most Exalted Pen, through Whose movement the realities of all

created things have been enraptured, to aid His Majesty the _Sh_áh to

render Thy Cause victorious, and to turn towards the horizon of Thy

Revelation, and to set his face in the direction of the lights of Thy

countenance. Assist him, O my Lord, to draw nigh unto Thee. Help him,

then, with the hosts of the heavens and of earth. I implore Thee, O Thou

Who art the Lord of all Names and the Maker of the heavens, by the light

of Thy Cause, and by the fire of the Lote-Tree of Thy loving-kindness, to

help His Majesty to reveal Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures. Open, then,

before his face the doors of Thy grace, and Thy mercy, and Thy bounty.

Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee by Thy word: ‘Be, and it is.’"

O _Sh_ay_kh_! We had seized the reins of authority by the power of God and

His Divine might, as He alone can seize, Who is the Mighty, the Strong.

None had the power to stir up mischief or sedition. Now, however, as they

have failed to appreciate this loving-kindness and these bounties, they

have been, and will be, afflicted with the retribution which their acts

must entail. The State officials, considering the secret progress of the

Extended Cord have, from every direction, incited and aided Mine

adversaries. In the Great City (Constantinople) they have roused a

considerable number of people to oppose this Wronged One. Things have come

to such a pass that the officials in that city have acted in a manner

which hath brought shame to both the government and the people. A

distinguished siyyid, whose well-known integrity, acceptable conduct, and

commercial reputation, were recognized by the majority of fair-minded men,

and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant, once visited

Beirut. In view of his friendship for this Wronged One they telegraphed

the Persian Dragoman informing him that this siyyid, assisted by his

servant, had stolen a sum of money and other things and gone to Akká.

Their design in this matter was to dishonor this Wronged One. And yet, far

be it from the people of this country to allow themselves to be deflected,

by these unseemly tales, from the straight path of uprightness and truth.

Briefly, they have assaulted Me from every side, and are reinforcing Mine

adversaries. This Wronged One, however, beseecheth the one true God to

graciously assist every one in that which beseemeth these days. Day and

night I fix My gaze on these perspicuous words, and recite: "O God, my

God! I beseech Thee by the sun of Thy grace, and the sea of Thy knowledge,

and the heaven of Thy justice, to aid them that have denied Thee to

confess, and such as have turned aside from Thee to return, and those who

have calumniated Thee to be just and fair-minded. Assist them, O my Lord,

to return unto Thee, and to repent before the door of Thy grace. Powerful

art Thou to do what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all

that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Praise be unto God, the

Lord of the worlds."

The time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and hearts of

men will be disclosed. This Day is the Day whereof Luqmán spoke unto his

son, the Day which the Lord of Glory announced and with which He

acquainted Him Who was His Friend (Muḥammad) through these, His

words—exalted be He:—"O my son! Verily, God will bring everything to

light, though it were but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and

hidden in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth; for God is Subtile,

informed of all." This Day the deceitful of eye, and all that men’s

breasts conceal, are made known and laid bare before the throne of His

Revelation. Nothing whatsoever can escape His knowledge. He heareth and

seeth, and He, in truth, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. How very

strange that they discern not between the trustworthy and the treacherous!

Would that His Majesty the _Sh_áh of Persia—may God perpetuate his

sovereignty—would inquire from the Consuls of the honored Persian

Government who have been in this country, that he might become acquainted

with the activities and behavior of this Wronged One. Briefly, they have

incited a great many such as A_kh_tar and others, and are busying

themselves in spreading calumnies. It is clear and evident that they will

surround with their swords of hatred and their shafts of enmity the one

whom they know to be an outcast among men and to have been banished from

one country to another. This is not the first time that such iniquity hath

been perpetrated, nor the first goblet that hath been dashed to the

ground, nor the first veil that hath been rent in twain in the path of

God, the Lord of the worlds. This Wronged One, however, remained calm and

silent in the Most Great Prison, busying Himself with His own affairs, and

completely detached from all else but God. Iniquity waxed so grievous that

the pens of the world are powerless to record it.

In this connection it is necessary to mention the following occurrence,

that haply men may take fast hold of the cord of justice and truthfulness.

Ḥájí _Sh_ay_kh_ Muḥammad ‘Alí—upon him be the glory of God, the

Ever-Abiding—was a merchant of high repute, well-known unto most of the

inhabitants of the Great City (Constantinople). Not long ago, when the

Persian Embassy in Constantinople was secretly engaged in stirring up

mischief, it was noticed that this believing and sincere soul was greatly

distressed. Finally, one night he threw himself into the sea, but was

rescued by some passers-by who chanced to come upon him at that moment.

His act was widely commented upon and given varied interpretations by

different people. Following this, one night he repaired to a mosque, and,

as reported by the guardian of that place, kept vigil the whole night, and

was occupied until the morning in offering, ardently and with tearful

eyes, his prayers and supplications. Upon hearing him suddenly cease his

devotions, the guardian went to him, and found that he had already

surrendered his soul. An empty bottle was found by his side, indicating

that he had poisoned himself. Briefly, the guardian, while greatly

astonished, broke the news to the people. It was found out that he had

left two testaments. In the first he recognized and confessed the unity of

God, that His Exalted Being had neither peer nor equal, and that His

Essence was exalted above all praise, all glorification and description.

He also testified to the Revelation of the Prophets and the holy ones, and

recognized what had been written down in the Books of God, the Lord of all

men. On another page, in which he had set down a prayer, he wrote these

words in conclusion: "This servant and the loved ones of God are

perplexed. On the one hand the Pen of the Most High hath forbidden all men

to engage in sedition, contention or conflict, and on the other that same

Pen hath sent down these most sublime words: ‘Should anyone, in the

presence of the Manifestation, discover an evil intention on the part of

any soul, he must not oppose him, but must leave him to God.’ Considering

that on the one hand this binding command is clear and firmly established,

and that on the other calumnies, beyond human strength to bear or endure,

have been uttered, this servant hath chosen to commit this most grievous

sin. I turn suppliantly unto the ocean of God’s bounty and the heaven of

Divine mercy, and hope that He will blot out with the pen of His grace and

bounteousness the misdeeds of this servant. Though my transgressions be

manifold, and unnumbered my evildoings, yet do I cleave tenaciously to the

cord of His bounty, and cling unto the hem of His generosity. God is

witness, and they that are nigh unto His Threshold know full well, that

this servant could not bear to hear the tales related by the perfidious.

I, therefore, have committed this act. If He chastise me, He verily is to

be praised for what He doeth; and if He forgive me, His behest shall be

obeyed."

Ponder, now, O _Sh_ay_kh_, the influence of the word of God, that haply

thou mayest turn from the left hand of idle fancy unto the right hand of

certitude. This Wronged One hath never acted hypocritically towards any

one, in the Cause of God, and hath loudly proclaimed the Word of God

before the face of His creatures. Let him who wisheth turn thereunto, and

let him who wisheth turn aside. If these things, however, that are so

clear, so manifest and indubitable, be denied, what else can be deemed

acceptable and worthy of credence in the estimation of men of insight? We

beseech God—blessed and glorified be He—to forgive the aforementioned

person (Ḥájí _Sh_ay_kh_ Muḥammad-‘Alí), and change his evil deeds into

good ones. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the

All-Bounteous.

Such things have appeared in this Revelation that there is no recourse for

either the exponents of science and knowledge or the manifestations of

justice and equity other than to recognize them. It is incumbent upon

thee, in this day, to arise with celestial power and dissipate, with the

aid of knowledge, the doubts of the peoples of the world, so that all men

may be sanctified, and direct their steps towards the Most Great Ocean and

cleave fast unto that which God hath purposed.

Every one who hath turned aside from Me hath clung to his own idle words,

and therewith voiced his objections to Him Who is the Truth. Gracious God!

Such references as have been made to Divinity and Godhead by the holy ones

and chosen ones of God have been made a cause for denial and repudiation.

The Imám Ṣádiq hath said: "Servitude is a substance, the essence of which

is Divinity." The Commander of the Faithful (Imám ‘Alí) answered an Arab,

who had questioned him concerning the soul, as follows: "The third is the

soul which is divine and celestial. It is a divine energy, a substance,

simple, and self-subsistent." And further he—peace be upon him—said:

"Therefore it is the Most Sublime Essence of God, the Tree of Blessedness,

the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, the Garden of Repose." The

Imám Ṣádiq hath said: "When our Qá’im will arise, the earth will shine

with the light of her Lord." Likewise, a lengthy tradition is attributed

to Ábí-‘Abdi’lláh—peace be upon him—in which these sublime words are

found: "Thereupon will He Who is the All-Compelling—exalted and glorified

be He—descend from the clouds with the angels." And in the mighty Qur’án:

"What can such expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed

with clouds?" And in the tradition of Mufaddál it is said: "The Qá’im will

lean His back against the Sanctuary, and will stretch forth His hand, and

lo, it shall be snow-white but unhurt. And He shall say: ‘This is the hand

of God, the right hand of God, that cometh from God, at the command of

God!’" In whichever manner these traditions are interpreted, in that same

manner let them also interpret that which the Most Sublime Pen hath set

down. The Commander of the Faithful (Imám ‘Alí) hath said: "I am He Who

can neither be named, nor described." And likewise He hath said:

"Outwardly I am an Imám; inwardly I am the Unseen, the Unknowable."

Abú-Ja’far-i-Túsí hath said: "I said to Ábí ‘Abdi’lláh: ‘You are the Way

mentioned in the Book of God, and you are the Impost, and you are the

Pilgrimage.’ He replied: ‘O man! We are the Way mentioned in the Book of

God,—exalted and glorified be He—and We are the Impost, and We are the

Fast, and We are the Pilgrimage, and We are the Sacred Month, and We are

the Sacred City, and We are the Kaaba of God, and We are the Qiblih of

God, and We are the Face of God.’" Jabír hath said that Abú-Ja’far—peace

be upon him—spoke to him as follows: "O Jabír! Give heed unto the Bayán

(Exposition) and the Má’ání (Significances)." He—peace be upon him—added:

"As to the Bayán, it consisteth in thy recognition of God—glorified be

He—as the One Who hath no equal, and in thy adoration of Him, and in thy

refusal to join partners with Him. As to the Má’ání, We are its meaning,

and its side, and its hand, and its tongue, and its cause, and its

command, and its knowledge, and its right. If We wish for something, it is

God Who wisheth it, and He desireth that which We desire." Moreover, the

Commander of the Faithful (Imám ‘Alí)—peace be upon him—hath said: "How

can I worship a Lord Whom I have not seen?" And, in another connection, he

saith: "Nothing have I perceived except that I perceived God before it,

God after it, or God with it."

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Ponder upon the things which have been mentioned, perchance

thou mayest quaff the Sealed Wine through the power of the name of Him Who

is the Self-Subsisting, and obtain that which no one is capable of

comprehending. Gird up the loins of endeavor, and direct thyself towards

the Most Sublime Kingdom, that haply thou mayest perceive, as they descend

upon Me, the breaths of Revelation and inspiration, and attain thereunto.

Verily, I say: The Cause of God hath never had, nor hath it now, any peer

or equal. Rend asunder the veils of idle fancies. He, in truth, will

reinforce thee, and assist thee, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is

the Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. While there is yet time, and

the blessed Lote-Tree is still calling aloud amongst men, suffer not

thyself to be deprived. Place thy trust in God, and commit thine affairs

unto Him, and enter then the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest hear what

no ear hath ever heard, and gaze on that which no eye hath ever seen.

After such an exposition, can there remain any room for doubt? Nay, by

God, Who standeth over His Cause! In truth I say: On this day the blessed

words "But He is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets" have

found their consummation in the verse "The day when mankind shall stand

before the Lord of the worlds." Render thou thanksgiving unto God, for so

great a bounty.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! The breezes of Revelation can never be confounded with other

breezes. Now the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing standeth laden

with countless fruits before thy face; besmirch not thyself with idle

fancies, as have done the people aforetime. These utterances themselves

proclaim the true nature of the Faith of God. He it is Who witnesseth unto

all things. To demonstrate the truth of His Revelation He hath not been,

nor is He, dependent upon any one. Well nigh a hundred volumes of luminous

verses and perspicuous words have already been sent down from the heaven

of the will of Him Who is the Revealer of signs, and are available unto

all. It is for thee to direct thyself towards the Ultimate Goal, and the

Supreme End, and the Most Sublime Pinnacle, that thou mayest hear and

behold what hath been revealed by God, the Lord of the worlds.

Ponder a while upon the verses concerning the Divine Presence, which have

been sent down in the Qur’án by Him Who is the Lord of the kingdom of

names, perchance thou mayest discover the Straight Path, and be made an

instrument for the guidance of His creatures. Such a one as thou must

needs in this day arise to serve this Cause. The abasement of this Wronged

One as well as thy glory shall both pass away. Strive thou, that haply

thou mayest achieve a deed the fragrance of which shall never fade from

the earth. Concerning the Divine Presence there hath been sent down what

no denier hath been or is now able to refute or repudiate. He—blessed and

exalted be He—saith: "It is God Who hath reared the heavens without

pillars thou canst behold; then mounted His throne, and imposed laws on

the sun and moon: each traveleth to its appointed goal. He ordereth all

things. He maketh His signs clear, that ye may have firm faith in the

Presence of your Lord." He also saith: "To him who hopeth to attain the

Presence of God, the set time of God will surely come. And He is the

Hearer, the Knower." And further He—exalted be He—saith: "As for those who

believe not in the signs of God, or that they shall ever attain His

Presence, these of My mercy shall despair, and these doth a grievous

chastisement await." And likewise He saith: "And they say, ‘What! when we

shall have lain hidden in the earth, shall we become a new creation?’ Yea,

they deny that they shall attain the Presence of their Lord." And likewise

He saith: "They truly doubt the Presence of their Lord. He, verily,

overshadoweth all things." And likewise He saith: "Verily, they who hope

not to attain Our Presence, and find their satisfaction in this world’s

life, and rest on it, and who of Our signs are heedless—these! their abode

the fire, in recompense of their deeds!" And likewise He saith: "But when

Our clear signs are recited to them, they who look not forward to attain

Our Presence, say, ‘Bring a different Qur’án from this, or make some

change in it.’ Say: It is not for Me to change it as Mine own soul

prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to Me: verily, I fear, if I

rebel against My Lord, the punishment of a great day." And likewise He

saith: "Then gave We the Book to Moses—complete for Him who should do

right, and a decision for all matters, and a guidance, and a mercy, that

they might believe in the Presence of their Lord." And likewise he saith:

"They are those who believe not in the signs of the Lord, or that they

shall ever attain His Presence. Vain, therefore, are their works; and no

weight will We allow them on the Day of Resurrection. This shall be their

reward—Hell. Because they were unbelievers, and treated My signs and My

Apostles with scorn." And likewise He saith: "Hath the history of Moses

reached thee? When He saw a fire, and said to His family, ‘Tarry ye here,

for I perceive a fire; haply I may bring you a brand from it, or find at

the fire a guide.’ And when He came to it, He was called to, ‘O Moses!

Verily, I am Thy Lord; therefore pull off Thy shoes, for Thou art in the

holy vale of Towa. And I have chosen Thee; hearken then to what shall be

revealed. Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me. Therefore, worship

Me.’" And likewise He saith: "Have they not considered within themselves

that God hath not created the heavens and the earth and all that is

between them but for a serious end, and for a fixed term? But truly most

men believe not that they shall attain the Presence of their Lord." And

likewise He saith: "What! Have they no thought that they shall be raised

again for the Great Day, the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord

of the worlds?" And likewise He saith: "We heretofore gave the Book to

Moses. Have thou no doubt as to His attaining Our Presence." And He saith:

"Aye! But when the earth shall be crushed with crushing, crushing, and thy

Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank." And likewise He saith: "Fain

would they put out the light of God with their mouths! But though the

infidels hate it, God will perfect His light." And likewise He saith: "And

when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was journeying with His family, He

perceived a fire on the mountain side. He said to His family: ‘Wait ye,

for I perceive a fire, haply I may bring you tidings from it, or a brand

from the fire to warm you.’ And when He came up to it, a Voice cried to

Him out of the Bush from the right side of the Vale in the sacred Spot: ‘O

Moses, I truly am God, the Lord of the worlds!’"

In all the Divine Books the promise of the Divine Presence hath been

explicitly recorded. By this Presence is meant the Presence of Him Who is

the Dayspring of the signs, and the Dawning-Place of the clear tokens, and

the Manifestation of the Excellent Names, and the Source of the

attributes, of the true God, exalted be His glory. God in His Essence and

in His own Self hath ever been unseen, inaccessible, and unknowable. By

Presence, therefore, is meant the Presence of the One Who is His

Vicegerent amongst men. He, moreover, hath never had, nor hath He, any

peer or likeness. For were He to have any peer or likeness, how could it

then be demonstrated that His being is exalted above, and His essence

sanctified from, all comparison and likeness? Briefly, there hath been

revealed in the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) concerning the Presence

and Revelation of God that which will suffice the fair-minded. We beseech

Him—exalted be He—to aid every one to become the essence of truthfulness,

and to draw nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Lord of strength and power.

No God is there but Him, the All-Hearing, the Lord of Utterance, the

Almighty, the All-Praised.

O thou who art reputed for thy learning! Bid men to do that which is

praiseworthy, and be not of such as tarry. Observe thou with a keen eye.

The Sun of Truth shineth resplendently, at the bidding of the Lord of the

kingdom of utterance, and the King of the heaven of knowledge, above the

horizon of the prison-city of Akká. Repudiation hath not veiled it, and

ten thousand hosts arrayed against it were powerless to withhold it from

shining. Thou canst excuse thyself no longer. Either thou must recognize

it, or—God forbid—arise and deny all the Prophets!

Reflect, O _Sh_ay_kh_, upon the _Sh_í’ih sect. How many the edifices which

they reared with the hands of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and how

numerous the cities which they built! At length those vain imaginings were

converted into bullets and aimed at Him Who is the Prince of the world.

Not one single soul among the leaders of that sect acknowledged Him in the

Day of His Revelation! Whenever His blessed name was mentioned, all would

say: "May God hasten the joy His coming will bring!" On the day of the

Revelation of that Sun of Truth, however, all, as hath been observed, have

exclaimed, saying: "May God hasten His chastisement!" He Who was the

Essence of being and Lord of the seen and unseen they suspended, and

committed what made the Tablet to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the

cries of the sincere to break forth, and the tears of the favored ones to

flow.

Meditate, O _Sh_ay_kh_, and be fair in what thou sayest. The followers of

_Sh_ay_kh_-i-Ahsá’í (_Sh_ay_kh_ Aḥmad) have, by the aid of God,

apprehended that which was veiled from the comprehension of others, and of

which they remained deprived. Briefly, in every age and century

differences have arisen in the days of the manifestation of the Daysprings

of Revelation, and the Dawning-Places of inspiration, and the Repositories

of Divine knowledge, differences which have been caused and provoked by

lying and impious souls. To expatiate on this is not permissible. Thou art

thyself better acquainted and more familiar with the idle fancies of the

superstitious and the vain imaginings of the doubters.

In this day, this Wronged One requesteth thee and the other divines who

have drunk of the cup of the knowledge of God, and are illumined by the

shining words of the Daystar of Justice, to appoint some person, without

informing any one, and despatch him to these regions, and enable him to

remain a while in the island of Cyprus, and associate with Mírzá Yaḥyá,

perchance he may become aware of the fundamentals of this Faith and of the

source of the Divine laws and commandments.