Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst bear witness unto the wisdom,

and the power, and the sovereignty of God, exalted be His glory. The few

who were unaware of this Cause, and had not met Us, have spoken in such a

manner that all things, and those souls who are well assured, pleased, and

pleasing unto God, have testified unto the imposture of these heedless

ones. Wert thou now to exert thyself, the truth of this Cause would be

made apparent unto mankind, and the people would be delivered from this

grievous and oppressive darkness. Who else but Bahá can speak forth before

the face of men, and who else but He can have the power to pronounce that

which He was bidden by God, the Lord of Hosts?

This heedless one hath now clung to the practice of Rawdih-_kh_ání

(traditional lamentation for the Imám Ḥusayn). He—I swear by God—is in

evident error. For it is the belief of this people that during the

Revelation of the Qá’im, the Imáms—may the peace of God be upon them—have

arisen from their sepulchres. This verily is the truth, and no doubt is

there about it. We beseech God to bestow upon the superstitious a portion

of the living waters of certitude which are streaming from the wellspring

of the Most Sublime Pen, that all may attain unto that which becometh

these days.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! While hemmed in by tribulations this Wronged One is occupied

in setting down these words. On every side the flame of oppression and

tyranny can be discerned. On the one hand, tidings have reached Us that

Our loved ones have been arrested in the land of Tá (Ṭihrán) and this

notwithstanding that the sun, and the moon, and the land, and the sea all

testify that this people are adorned with the adornment of fidelity, and

have clung and will cling to naught except that which can ensure the

exaltation of the government, and the maintenance of order within the

nation, and the tranquillity of the people.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! We have time and again stated that for a number of years We

have extended Our aid unto His Majesty the _Sh_áh. For years no untoward

incident hath occurred in Persia. The reins of the stirrers of sedition

among various sects were held firmly in the grasp of power. None hath

transgressed his limits. By God! This people have never been, nor are they

now, inclined to mischief. Their hearts are illumined with the light of

the fear of God, and adorned with the adornment of His love. Their concern

hath ever been and now is for the betterment of the world. Their purpose

is to obliterate differences, and quench the flame of hatred and enmity,

so that the whole earth may come to be viewed as one country.

On the other hand, the officials of the Persian Embassy in the Great City

(Constantinople) are energetically and assiduously seeking to exterminate

these wronged ones. They desire one thing, and God desireth another.

Consider now what hath befallen the trusted ones of God in every land. At

one time they have been accused of theft and larceny; at another they have

been calumniated in a manner without parallel in this world. Answer thou

fairly. What could be the results and consequences, in foreign countries,

of the accusation of theft brought by the Persian Embassy against its own

subjects? If this Wronged One was ashamed, it was not because of the

humiliation it brought this servant, but rather because of the shame of

its becoming known to the Ambassadors of foreign countries how incompetent

and lacking in understanding are several eminent officials of the Persian

Embassy. "Flingest thou thy calumnies into the face of Them Whom the one

true God hath made the Trustees of the treasures of His seventh sphere?"

Briefly, instead of seeking, as they should, through Him Who occupieth

this sublime station, to attain unto the most exalted ranks, and to obtain

His advice, they have exerted themselves and are striving their utmost to

put out His light. However, according to what hath been reported, His

Excellency the Ambassador Mu’ínu’l-Mulk, Mírzá Muḥsin _Kh_án—may God

assist him—was, at that time, absent from Constantinople. Such things have

happened because it was believed that His Majesty the _Sh_áh of Persia—may

the All-Merciful assist him—was angry with them that have attained and

revolve round the Sanctuary of Wisdom. God well knoweth and testifieth

that this Wronged One hath, at all times, been cleaving fast unto whatever

would be conducive to the glory of both the government and the people.

God, verily, is sufficient Witness.

Describing the people of Bahá, the Most Sublime Pen hath sent down these

words: "These, verily, are men who if they come to cities of pure gold

will consider them not; and if they meet the fairest and most comely of

women will turn aside." Thus hath it been sent down by the Most Sublime

Pen for the people of Bahá, on the part of Him Who is the Counsellor, the

Omniscient. In the concluding passages of the Tablet to His Majesty the

Emperor of Paris (Napoleon III) these exalted words have been revealed:

"Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing they shall

perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth, when the whole

world, in the estimation of the people of Bahá, is worth as much as the

black in the eye of a dead ant? Abandon it unto such as have set their

affections upon it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the

world."

God alone—exalted be His glory—is cognizant of the things which befell

this Wronged One. Every day bringeth a fresh report of stories current

against Us at the Embassy in Constantinople. Gracious God! The sole aim of

their machinations is to bring about the extermination of this servant.

They are, however, oblivious of the fact that abasement in the path of God

is My true glory. In the newspapers the following hath been recorded:

"Touching the fraudulent dealings of some of the exiles of Akká, and the

excesses committed by them against several people, etc...." Unto them who

are the exponents of justice and the daysprings of equity the intention of

the writer is evident and his purpose clear. Briefly, he arose and

inflicted upon Me divers tribulations, and treated Me with injustice and

cruelty. By God! This Wronged One would not barter this place of exile for

the Most Sublime Habitation. In the estimation of men of insight

whatsoever befalleth in the path of God is manifest glory and a supreme

attainment. Already We have said: "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?"

Such abasement hath been inflicted that each day they spread fresh

calumnies. This Wronged One, however, cleaveth to seemly patience. Would

that His Majesty the _Sh_áh of Persia would ask for a report of the things

which befell Us in Constantinople, that he might become fully acquainted

with the true facts. O _Sh_áh! I adjure thee by thy Lord, the God of

Mercy, to look into this matter with the eye of fairness. Is there to be

found a just man who will judge in this day according to that which God

hath sent down in His Book? Where is the fair-minded person who will

equitably consider what hath been perpetrated against Us without any clear

token or proof?

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Ponder the behavior of men. The inmates of the cities of

knowledge and wisdom are sore perplexed asking themselves why it is that

the _Sh_í’ih sect, which regarded itself as the most learned, the most

righteous, and the most pious of all the peoples of the world, hath turned

aside in the Day of His Revelation, and hath shown a cruelty such as hath

never been experienced. It is incumbent upon thee to reflect a while. From

the inception of this sect until the present day how great hath been the

number of the divines that have appeared, none of whom became cognizant of

the nature of this Revelation. What could have been the cause of this

waywardness? Were We to mention it, their limbs would cleave asunder. It

is necessary for them to meditate, to meditate for a thousand thousand

years, that haply they may attain unto a sprinkling from the ocean of

knowledge, and discover the things whereof they are oblivious in this day.

I was walking in the Land of Tá (Ṭihrán)—the dayspring of the signs of thy

Lord—when lo, I heard the lamentation of the pulpits and the voice of

their supplication unto God, blessed and glorified be He. They cried out

and said: "O God of the world and Lord of the nations! Thou beholdest our

state and the things which have befallen us by reason of the cruelty of

Thy servants. Thou hast created us and revealed us for Thy glorification

and praise. Thou dost now hear what the wayward proclaim upon us in Thy

days. By Thy might! Our souls are melted and our limbs are trembling.

Alas, alas! Would that we had never been created and revealed by Thee!"

The hearts of them that enjoy near access to God are consumed by these

words, and from them the cries of such as are devoted to Him are raised.

Time and again have We, for the sake of God, admonished the distinguished

divines, and summoned them unto the Most Sublime Horizon, that perchance

they might, in the days of His Revelation, obtain their portion of the

ocean of the utterance of Him Who is the Desire of the world, and remain

not utterly deprived thereof.

In most of Our Tablets this most weighty exhortation hath been sent down

from the heaven of His all-encompassing mercy. We said: "O concourse of

rulers and divines! Incline your ears unto the Voice calling from the

horizon of Akká. Verily, it aideth you to proceed aright, and draweth you

nigh unto Him, and directeth your steps towards the station which God hath

made the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Dawning-Place of His

splendors. O peoples of the world! He Who is the Most Great Name is come,

on the part of the Ancient King, and hath announced unto men this

Revelation which lay hid in His knowledge, and was preserved in the

treasury of His protection, and was written down by the Most Sublime Pen

in the Books of God, the Lord of Lords. O people of _Sh_ín (_Sh_íráz)!

Have ye forgotten My loving-kindness and My mercy that have surpassed all

created things, and which proceeded from God Who layeth low the necks of

men?"

In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) the following hath been revealed:

"Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such standards

and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the

unerring Balance established amongst men. In this most perfect Balance

whatsoever the peoples and kindreds possess must be weighed, while the

measure of its weight should be tested according to its own standard, did

ye but know it. The eye of My loving-kindness weepeth sore over you,

inasmuch as ye have failed to recognize the One upon Whom ye have been

calling in the daytime and in the night season, at even and at morn.

Advance, O people, with snow-white faces and radiant hearts, unto the

blest and crimson Spot, wherein the Tree beyond which there is no passing

is calling: ‘Verily, there is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent

Protector, the Self-Subsisting!’ O ye leaders of religion in Persia! Who

is the man amongst you that can rival Me in vision or insight? Where is he

to be found that dareth to claim to be My equal in utterance or wisdom?

No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful! All on the earth shall pass away; and

this is the face of your Lord, the Almighty, the Well-Beloved. We have

decreed, O people, that the highest and last end of all learning be the

recognition of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge; and yet behold how

ye have allowed your learning to shut you out, as by a veil, from Him Who

is the Dayspring of this Light, through Whom every hidden thing hath been

revealed. Say: This, verily, is the heaven in which the Mother Book is

treasured, could ye but comprehend it. He it is Who hath caused the Rock

to shout, and the Burning Bush to lift up its voice upon the Mount rising

above the Holy Land, and proclaim: ‘The Kingdom is God’s, the sovereign

Lord of all, the All-Powerful, the Loving!’ We have not entered any

school, nor read any of your dissertations. Incline your ears to the words

of this unlettered One, wherewith He summoneth you unto God, the

Ever-Abiding. Better is this for you than all the treasures of the earth,

could ye but comprehend it. Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down

from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he,

verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of

the lost ones in the Lucid Book."

Thereupon We heard the groaning of the true Faith, and said unto it:

"Wherefore, O true Faith, do I hear Thee cry out in the night season, and

groan in the daytime, and utter Thy lamentations at daybreak?" She made

reply: "O Prince of the world that standest revealed in the Most Great

Name! The heedless ones have hamstrung Thy white She-Camel, and caused Thy

Crimson Ark to founder, and wished to put out Thy Light, and to veil the

face of Thy Cause. Wherefore hath the voice of My lamentation been lifted

up, as well as the voice of the lamentation of all created things, and yet

the people are for the most part unaware." The true Faith hath laid fast

hold, in this day, on the hem of Our bounty, and circleth about Our

Person.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Enter thou My presence, that thou mayest behold what the eye

of the universe hath never beheld, and hear that which the ear of the

whole creation hath never heard, that haply thou mayest free thyself from

the mire of vague fancies, and set thy face towards the Most Sublime

Station, wherein this Wronged One calleth aloud: "The Kingdom is God’s,

the Almighty, the All-Praised!" We fain would hope that through thine

exertions the wings of men may be sanctified from the mire of self and

desire, and be made worthy to soar in the atmosphere of God’s love. Wings

that are besmirched with mire can never soar. Unto this testify they who

are the exponents of justice and equity, and yet the people are in evident

doubt.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Protests have been voiced against Us from every

side—protests such as Our pen craveth pardon for setting down.

Nevertheless, by reason of Our great mercy, We have replied unto them, in

accordance with the understanding of men, that haply they may be delivered

from the fire of negation and denial, and become illumined with the light

of affirmation and acceptance. Equity is rarely to be found, and justice

hath ceased to exist.

Among others, these perspicuous verses have, in answer to certain

individuals, been sent down from the Kingdom of Divine knowledge: "O thou

who hast set thy face towards the splendors of My Countenance! Vague

fancies have encompassed the dwellers of the earth and debarred them from

turning towards the Horizon of Certitude, and its brightness, and its

manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings have withheld them from Him

Who is the Self-Subsisting. They speak as prompted by their own caprices,

and understand not. Among them are those who have said: ‘Have the verses

been sent down?’ Say: ‘Yea, by Him Who is the Lord of the heavens!’ ‘Hath

the Hour come?’ ‘Nay, more; it hath passed, by Him Who is the Revealer of

clear tokens! Verily, the Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath

appeared with proof and testimony. The Plain is disclosed, and mankind is

sore vexed and fearful. Earthquakes have broken loose, and the tribes have

lamented, for fear of God, the Lord of Strength, the All-Compelling.’ Say:

‘The stunning trumpet blast hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God’s,

the One, the Unconstrained.’ ‘Hath the Catastrophe come to pass?’ Say:

‘Yea, by the Lord of Lords!’ ‘Is the Resurrection come?’ ‘Nay, more; He

Who is the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with the Kingdom of His signs.’

‘Seest thou men laid low?’ ‘Yea, by my Lord, the Exalted, the Most High!’

‘Have the tree-stumps been uprooted?’ ‘Yea, more; the mountains have been

scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of attributes!’ They say: ‘Where is

Paradise, and where is Hell?’ Say: ‘The one is reunion with Me; the other

thine own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God and

doubtest.’ They say: ‘We see not the Balance.’ Say: ‘Surely, by my Lord,

the God of Mercy! None can see it except such as are endued with insight.’

‘Have the stars fallen?’ Say: ‘Yea, when He Who is the Self-Subsisting

dwelt in the Land of Mystery (Adrianople). Take heed, ye who are endued

with discernment!’ All the signs appeared when We drew forth the Hand of

Power from the bosom of majesty and might. Verily, the Crier hath cried

out, when the promised time came, and they that have recognized the

splendors of Sinai have swooned away in the wilderness of hesitation,

before the awful majesty of thy Lord, the Lord of creation. The trumpet

asketh: ‘Hath the Bugle been sounded?’ Say: ‘Yea, by the King of

Revelation!, when He mounted the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful.’

Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning-light of the mercy of thy

Lord, the Source of all light. The breeze of the All-Merciful hath wafted,

and the souls have been quickened in the tombs of their bodies. Thus hath

the decree been fulfilled by God, the Mighty, the Beneficent. They that

have gone astray have said: ‘When were the heavens cleft asunder?’ Say:

‘While ye lay in the graves of waywardness and error.’ Among the heedless

is he who rubbeth his eyes, and looketh to the right and to the left. Say:

‘Blinded art thou. No refuge hast thou to flee to.’ And among them is he

who saith: ‘Have men been gathered together?’ Say: ‘Yea, by my Lord!,

whilst thou didst lie in the cradle of idle fancies.’ And among them is he

who saith: ‘Hath the Book been sent down through the power of the true

Faith?’ Say: ‘The true Faith itself is astounded. Fear ye, O ye men of

understanding heart!’ And among them is he who saith: ‘Have I been

assembled with others, blind?’ Say: ‘Yea, by Him that rideth upon the

clouds!’ Paradise is decked with mystic roses, and hell hath been made to

blaze with the fire of the impious. Say: ‘The light hath shone forth from

the horizon of Revelation, and the whole earth hath been illumined at the

coming of Him Who is the Lord of the Day of the Covenant!’ The doubters

have perished, whilst he that turned, guided by the light of assurance,

unto the Dayspring of Certitude hath prospered. Blessed art thou, who hast

fixed thy gaze upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent down for

thee—a Tablet which causeth the souls of men to soar. Commit it to memory,

and recite it. By My life! It is a door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is

it with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn. We, verily, hear thy

praise of this Cause, through which the mountain of knowledge was crushed,

and men’s feet have slipped. My glory be upon thee and upon whomsoever

hath turned unto the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. The Tablet is ended, but

the theme is unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is patient."

These are verses We sent down previously, soon after Our arrival in the

prison-city of Akká, and We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be

acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken, when Our Cause came

unto them with might and sovereignty. The foundations of idle fancies have

trembled, and the heaven of vain imaginings hath been cleft asunder, and

yet the people are in doubt and in contention with Him. They have denied

the testimony of God and His proof, after He came from the heaven of power

with the kingdom of His signs. They have cast away what had been

prescribed, and perpetrated what had been forbidden them in the Book. They

have abandoned their God, and clung unto their desires. They truly have

strayed and are in error. They read the verses and deny them. They behold

the clear tokens and turn aside. They truly are lost in strange doubt.

We have admonished Our loved ones to fear God, a fear which is the

fountain-head of all goodly deeds and virtues. It is the commander of the

hosts of justice in the city of Bahá. Happy the man that hath entered the

shadow of its luminous standard, and laid fast hold thereon. He, verily,

is of the Companions of the Crimson Ark, which hath been mentioned in the

Qayyúm-i-Asmá.

Say: O people of God! Adorn your temples with the adornment of

trustworthiness and piety. Help, then, your Lord with the hosts of goodly

deeds and a praiseworthy character. We have forbidden you dissension and

conflict in My Books, and My Scriptures, and My Scrolls, and My Tablets,

and have wished thereby naught else save your exaltation and advancement.

Unto this testify the heavens and the stars thereof, and the sun and the

radiance thereof, and the trees and the leaves thereof, and the seas and

the waves thereof, and the earth and the treasures thereof. We pray God to

assist His loved ones, and aid them in that which beseemeth them in this

blest, this mighty, and wondrous station.

Further, in another Tablet, We have said: "O thou who hast fixed thy gaze

upon My countenance! Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear is the

chief commander of the army of thy Lord. Its hosts are a praiseworthy

character and goodly deeds. Through it have the cities of men’s hearts

been opened throughout the ages and centuries, and the standards of

ascendancy and triumph raised above all other standards."

"We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof in

the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of

days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its

streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight playing in

their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the pen is

powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the eye of the Lord

of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that

blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on one

of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of

light, and calling aloud saying: ‘O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye

My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God,

the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the

beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and

recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most

great ornament of the people of Bahá, and the vesture of glory unto all

who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the supreme instrument for the

prosperity of the world, and the horizon of assurance unto all beings.’

Thus have We sent down for thee that which will draw men nigh unto the

Lord of creation."

This Wronged One hath, at all times, summoned the peoples of the world

unto that which will exalt them, and draw them nigh unto God. From the

Most Sublime Horizon there hath shone forth that which leaveth no room

unto any one for vacillation, repudiation or denial. The wayward, however,

have failed to profit therefrom; nay, it shall only increase their loss.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! It is incumbent upon the divines to unite with His Majesty,

the _Sh_áh—may God assist him—and to cleave day and night unto that which

will exalt the station of both the government and the nation. This people

are assiduously occupied in enlightening the souls of men and in

rehabilitating their condition. Unto this testifieth that which hath been

sent down by the Most Sublime Pen in this lucid Tablet. How often have

things been simple and easy of accomplishment, and yet most men have been

heedless, and busied themselves with that which wasteth their time!

One day, while in Constantinople, Kamál Pá_sh_á visited this Wronged One.

Our conversation turned upon topics profitable unto man. He said that he

had learned several languages. In reply We observed: "You have wasted your

life. It beseemeth you and the other officials of the Government to

convene a gathering and choose one of the divers languages, and likewise

one of the existing scripts, or else to create a new language and a new

script to be taught children in schools throughout the world. They would,

in this way, be acquiring only two languages, one their own native tongue,

the other the language in which all the peoples of the world would

converse. Were men to take fast hold on that which hath been mentioned,

the whole earth would come to be regarded as one country, and the people

would be relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring and teaching

different languages." When in Our presence, he acquiesced, and even

evinced great joy and complete satisfaction. We then told him to lay this

matter before the officials and ministers of the Government, in order that

it might be put into effect throughout the different countries. However,

although he often returned to see Us after this, he never again referred

to this subject, although that which had been suggested is conducive to

the concord and the unity of the peoples of the world.

We fain would hope that the Persian Government will adopt it and carry it

out. At present, a new language and a new script have been devised. If

thou desirest, We will communicate them to thee. Our purpose is that all

men may cleave unto that which will reduce unnecessary labor and exertion,

so that their days may be befittingly spent and ended. God, verily, is the

Helper, the Knower, the Ordainer, the Omniscient.

God willing, Persia may be adorned with, and attain unto, that whereof she

hath thus far been deprived. Say: "O _Sh_áh! Exert thyself so that all the

peoples of the world may be illumined with the effulgent splendors of the

sun of thy justice. The eyes of this Wronged One are turned towards naught

save trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity, and all that profiteth men."

Regard Him not as a traitor. Glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Master,

and my Mainstay! Aid Thou His Majesty the _Sh_áh to execute Thy laws and

Thy commandments, and show forth Thy justice among Thy servants. Thou art,

verily, the All-Bounteous, the Lord of grace abounding, the Almighty, the

All-Powerful. The Cause of God hath come as a token of His grace. Happy

are they who act; happy are they who understand; happy the man that hath

clung unto the truth, detached from all that is in the heavens and all

that is on earth.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Seek thou the shore of the Most Great Ocean, and enter,

then, the Crimson Ark which God hath ordained in the Qayyúm-i-Asmá for the

people of Bahá. Verily, it passeth over land and sea. He that entereth

therein is saved, and he that turneth aside perisheth. Shouldst thou enter

therein and attain unto it, set thy face towards the Kaaba of God, the

Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and say: "O my God! I beseech Thee by

Thy most glorious light, and all Thy lights are verily glorious."

Thereupon, will the doors of the Kingdom be flung wide before thy face,

and thou wilt behold what eyes have never beheld, and hear what ears have

never heard. This Wronged One exhorteth thee as He hath exhorted thee

before, and hath never had any wish for thee save that thou shouldst enter

the ocean of the unity of God, the Lord of the worlds. This is the day

whereon all created things cry out, and announce unto men this Revelation,

through which hath appeared what was concealed and preserved in the

knowledge of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Thou hast heard the sweet melodies of the Doves of Utterance

cooing on the boughs of the Lote-Tree of knowledge. Hearken, now, unto the

notes of the Birds of Wisdom upraised in the Most Sublime Paradise. They

verily will acquaint thee with things of which thou wert wholly unaware.

Give ear unto that which the Tongue of Might and Power hath spoken in the

Books of God, the Desire of every understanding heart. At this moment a

Voice was raised from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, in

the heart of the Most Sublime Paradise, bidding Me relate unto thee that

which hath been sent down in the Books and Tablets, and the things spoken

by My Forerunner, Who laid down His life for this Great Announcement, this

Straight Path. He hath said—and He, verily, speaketh the truth: "I have

written down in My mention of Him these gem-like words: ‘No allusion of

Mine can allude unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the Bayán.’" And

further, He—exalted and glorified be He—saith, concerning this most mighty

Revelation, this Great Announcement: "Exalted and glorified is He above

the power of any one to reveal Him except Himself, or the description of

any of His creatures. I Myself am but the first servant to believe in Him

and in His signs, and to partake of the sweet savors of His words from the

first-fruits of the Paradise of His knowledge. Yea, by His glory! He is

the Truth. There is none other God but Him. All have arisen at His

bidding." Such are the words sung by the Dove of Truth on the boughs of

the Divine Lote-Tree. Well is it with him that hath given ear unto its

Voice, and quaffed from the oceans of Divine utterance that lie concealed

in each of these words. In another connection hath the Voice of the Bayán

called aloud from the loftiest branches. He saith—blessed and glorified be

He: "In the year nine ye will attain unto all good." On another occasion

He saith: "In the year nine ye will attain unto the Presence of God."

These melodies, uttered by the Birds of the cities of Knowledge, conform

with that which hath been sent down by the All-Merciful in the Qur’án.

Blessed are the men of insight; blessed they that attain thereunto.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! I swear by God! The River of Mercy floweth, and the Ocean of

Utterance surgeth, and the Sun of Revelation shineth forth resplendent.

With a detached heart, and a dilated breast, and an utterly truthful

tongue, recite thou these sublime words that have been revealed by My

Forerunner—the Primal Point. He saith—glorified be His

utterance—addressing his honor, Aẓím: "This, verily, is the thing We

promised thee, ere the moment We answered thy call. Wait thou until nine

will have elapsed from the time of the Bayán. Then exclaim: ‘Blessed,

therefore, be God, the most excellent of Makers!’ Say: This, verily, is an

Announcement which none except God hath comprehended. Ye, however, will be

unaware on that day." In the year nine this Most Great Revelation arose

and shone forth brightly above the horizon of the Will of God. None can

deny it save he who is heedless and doubteth. We pray God to aid His

servants to return unto Him, and beg forgiveness for the things they

committed in this vain life. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Pardoner,

the All-Merciful. In another connection He saith: "I am the first servant

to believe in Him, and in His signs." In like manner, in the Persian

Bayán, He saith: "He, verily, is the One Who, under all conditions,

proclaimeth: ‘I, in very truth, am God!’" and so on—blessed and glorified

be He. That which is meant by Divinity and Godhead hath previously been

stated. We have in truth rent the veils asunder and disclosed that which

will draw men nigh unto God, Who layeth low the necks of men. Happy the

man that hath attained unto justice and equity in this Grace that hath

encompassed all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, as bidden

by God, the Lord of the worlds.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Hearken unto the melodies of the Gospel with the ear of

fairness. He saith—glorified be His utterance—prophesying the things that

are to come: "But of that Day and Hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels

of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father." By Father in this connection is

meant God—exalted be His glory. He, verily, is the True Educator, and the

Spiritual Teacher.

Joel saith: "For the Day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who

can abide it?" Firstly, in the sublime utterance set forth in the Gospel

He saith that none is aware of the time of the Revelation, that none

knoweth it except God, the All-Knowing, Who is cognizant of all. Secondly,

He setteth forth the greatness of the Revelation. Likewise, in the Qur’án

He saith: "Of what ask they of one another? Of the Great Announcement."

This is the Announcement, the greatness of which hath been mentioned in

most of the Books of old and of more recent times. This is the

Announcement that hath caused the limbs of mankind to quake, except such

as God, the Protector, the Helper, the Succorer, hath willed to exempt.

Men have indeed with their own eyes witnessed how all men and all things

have been thrown into confusion and been sore perplexed, save those whom

God hath chosen to exempt.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Great is the Cause, and great the Announcement! Patiently

and calmly ponder thou upon the resplendent signs and the sublime words,

and all that hath been revealed in these days, that haply thou mayest

fathom the mysteries that are hid in the Books, and mayest strive to guide

His servants. Hearken with thine inner ear unto the Voice of Jeremiah, Who

saith: "Oh, for great is that Day, and it hath no equal." Wert thou to

observe with the eye of fairness, thou wouldst perceive the greatness of

the Day. Incline thine ear unto the Voice of this All-Knowing Counsellor,

and suffer not thyself to be deprived of the mercy that hath surpassed all

created things, visible and invisible. Lend an ear unto the song of David.

He saith: "Who will bring me into the Strong City?" The Strong City is

Akká, which hath been named the Most Great Prison, and which possesseth a

fortress and mighty ramparts.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Peruse that which Isaiah hath spoken in His Book. He saith:

"Get thee up into the high mountain, O Zion, that bringest good tidings;

lift up Thy Voice with strength, O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings.

Lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah: ‘Behold your God!

Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for

Him.’" This Day all the signs have appeared. A Great City hath descended

from heaven, and Zion trembleth and exulteth with joy at the Revelation of

God, for it hath heard the Voice of God on every side. This Day Jerusalem

hath attained unto a new Evangel, for in the stead of the sycamore

standeth the cedar. Jerusalem is the place of pilgrimage for all the

peoples of the world, and hath been named the Holy City. Together with

Zion and Palestine, they are all included within these regions. Wherefore,

hath it been said: "Blessed is the man that hath migrated to Akká."

Amos saith: "The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter His Voice from

Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top

of Carmel shall wither." Carmel, in the Book of God, hath been designated

as the Hill of God, and His Vineyard. It is here that, by the grace of the

Lord of Revelation, the Tabernacle of Glory hath been raised. Happy are

they that attain thereunto; happy they that set their faces towards it.

And likewise He saith: "Our God will come, and He will not be silent."

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Reflect upon these words addressed by Him Who is the Desire

of the world to Amos. He saith: "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, for,

lo, He that formeth the mountains and createth the wind, and declareth

unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and

treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of Hosts, is

His name." He saith that He maketh the morning darkness. By this is meant

that if, at the time of the Manifestation of Him Who conversed on Sinai

anyone were to regard himself as the true morn, he will, through the might

and power of God, be turned into darkness. He truly is the false dawn,

though believing himself to be the true one. Woe unto him, and woe unto

such as follow him without a clear token from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Isaiah saith: "The Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day." Concerning

the greatness of the Revelation He saith: "Enter into the rock, and hide

thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty."

And in another connection He saith: "The wilderness and the solitary place

shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the

rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing:

the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the splendor of Carmel and

Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the splendor of our

God."

These passages stand in need of no commentary. They are shining and

manifest as the sun, and glowing and luminous as light itself. Every

fair-minded person is led, by the fragrance of these words, unto the

garden of understanding, and attaineth unto that from which most men are

veiled and debarred. Say: Fear God, O people, and follow not the doubts of

such as shout aloud, who have broken the Covenant of God and His

Testament, and denied His mercy that hath preceded all that are in the

heavens and all that are on earth.

And likewise, He saith: "Say to them that are of a fearful heart: be

strong, fear not, behold your God." This blessed verse is a proof of the

greatness of the Revelation, and of the greatness of the Cause, inasmuch

as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread confusion throughout the

world, and fear and trembling amongst all men. Well is it with him who

hath been illumined with the light of trust and detachment. The

tribulations of that Day will not hinder or alarm him. Thus hath the

Tongue of Utterance spoken, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Merciful. He,

verily, is the Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

It is now incumbent upon them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a

seeing eye to ponder these sublime words, in each of which the oceans of

inner meaning and explanation are hidden, that haply the words uttered by

Him Who is the Lord of Revelation may enable His servants to attain, with

the utmost joy and radiance, unto the Supreme Goal and Most Sublime

Summit—the dawning-place of this Voice.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Wert thou to perceive, be it less than a needle’s eye, the

breaths of Mine utterance, thou wouldst abandon the world and all that is

therein, and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the countenance of

the Desired One. Briefly, in the sayings of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus)

unnumbered significances lie concealed. Unto many things did He refer, but

as He found none possessed of a hearing ear or a seeing eye He chose to

conceal most of these things. Even as He saith: "But ye cannot bear them

now." That Dawning-Place of Revelation saith that on that Day He Who is

the Promised One will reveal the things which are to come. Accordingly in

the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and in the Tablets to the Kings, and in the

Lawḥ-i-Ra’ís, and in the Lawḥ-i-Fu’ád, most of the things which have come

to pass on this earth have been announced and prophesied by the Most

Sublime Pen.

In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas the following hath been revealed: "O Land of Tá

(Ṭihrán)! Let nothing grieve thee, for God hath chosen thee to be the

source of the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His Will, bless thy

throne with one who will rule with justice, who will gather together the

flock of God which the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler will, with joy

and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his favors unto, the

people of Bahá. He indeed is accounted in the sight of God, as a jewel

among men. Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the glory of all

that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation." These verses were revealed

previously. Now, however, the following verse hath been sent down: "O God,

my God! Bahá beseecheth Thee and imploreth Thee, by the lights of Thy

countenance and the billows of the ocean of Thy Revelation, and the

effulgent splendors of the Sun of Thine utterance, to aid the _Sh_áh to be

fair and equitable. If it be Thy wish, bless Thou, through him, the throne

of authority and sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee.

There is none other God but Thee, Who hearest, Who art ready to answer."

"Rejoice with great joy, O Land of Tá (Ṭihrán), for God hath made thee the

dayspring of His light, inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation

of His glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon

thee—a name through which the Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor,

through which both earth and heaven have been illumined. Erelong will the

state of affairs within thee be changed, and the reins of power fall into

the hands of the people. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing. His

authority embraceth all things. Rest thou assured in the gracious favor of

thy Lord. The eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed

towards thee. The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been

transmuted into peace and quiet calm. Thus hath it been decreed in the

Wondrous Book."

And likewise, in the Lawḥ-i-Fu’ád, and in the Tablet of the King of Paris

(Napoleon III), and in other Tablets, there hath been revealed that which

will lead every fair-minded person to testify unto the power, and the

majesty, and the wisdom of God—exalted be His glory. Were men to observe

with the eye of justice, they would be made aware of the secret of this

blessed verse: "Neither is there a thing green or sere, but it is noted in

a distinct writing," and would comprehend it. On this day, however, men’s

repudiation of the truth hath prevented them from understanding what hath

been sent down in truth by Him Who is the Revealer, the Ancient of Days.

Gracious God! Perspicuous signs have appeared on every side, and yet men

are, for the most part, deprived of the privilege of beholding and of

comprehending them. We beseech God to bestow His aid, that all men may

recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of the Most Great

Ocean, and exclaim: "Praised be Thou, O God of the world!"

O concourse of the fair-minded! Observe and reflect upon the billows of

the ocean of the utterance and knowledge of God, so that ye may testify

with your inner and outer tongues that with Him is the knowledge of all

that is in the Book. Nothing escapeth His knowledge. He, verily, hath

manifested that which was hidden, when He, upon His return, mounted the

throne of the Bayán. All that hath been sent down hath and will come to

pass, word for word, upon earth. No possibility is left for anyone either

to turn aside or protest. As fairness, however, is disgraced and

concealed, most men speak as prompted by their own idle fancies.

O God, my God! Debar not Thy servants from turning their faces towards the

light of certitude, that hath dawned above the horizon of Thy will, and

suffer them not to be deprived, O my God, of the oceans of Thy signs.

They, O my Lord, are Thy servants in Thy cities, and Thy slaves in Thy

lands. If Thou hast not mercy upon them, who, then, will show them mercy?

Take Thou, O my God, the hands of such as have been drowned in the sea of

idle fancies, and deliver them by Thy power and Thy sovereignty. Save

them, then, with the arms of Thy might. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou

willest, and in Thy right hand are the reins of all that is in the heavens

and all that is on earth.

In like manner, the Primal Point saith: "Behold ye Him with His own eyes.

Were ye to behold Him with the eyes of another, ye would never recognize

and know Him." This referreth to naught else except this Most Great

Revelation. Well is it with them that judge fairly. And likewise, He

saith: "The year-old germ that holdeth within itself the potentialities of

the Revelation that is to come is endowed with a potency superior to the

combined forces of the whole of the Bayán." These glad-tidings of the

Bayán and of the Books of former times have been repeatedly mentioned

under divers names in numerous books, that perchance men might judge

equitably that which hath arisen and shone forth above the horizon of the

will of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Tell the people of the Bayán: "Ponder ye these blessed

words. He saith: ‘The whole of the Bayán is only a leaf amongst the leaves

of His Paradise.’ Be fair, O people, and be not of such as are accounted

as lost in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds." The blessed Lote-Tree

standeth, in this day, before thy face, laden with heavenly, with new and

wondrous fruits. Gaze on it, detached from all else save it. Thus hath the

Tongue of might and power spoken at this Spot which God hath adorned with

the footsteps of His Most Great Name and Mighty Announcement.

And likewise, He saith: "Ere nine will have elapsed from the inception of

this Cause, the realities of the created things will not be made manifest.

All that thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist germ until

We clothed it with flesh. Be patient, until thou beholdest a new creation.

Say: ‘Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of Makers!’" And

likewise, He hath said regarding the power of this Revelation: "Lawful is

it for Him Whom God will make manifest to reject him who is greatest on

earth, inasmuch as such a one is but a creature in His grasp, and all

things adore Him. After Ḥin (68) a Cause shall be given unto you which ye

shall come to know." And also He saith: "Know thou with absolute

certainty, and through the firmly established and most irrevocable decree,

that He—exalted be His glory, and magnified be His might, and sanctified

be His holiness, and glorified be His grandeur, and lauded be His ways,

maketh each thing to be known through its own self; who then can know Him

through any one except Himself?" And further, He saith—exalted and

glorified be He: "Beware, beware lest, in the days of His Revelation, the

Vahíd of the Bayán (eighteen Letters of the Living) shut thee not out as

by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this Vahíd is but a creature in His sight.

And beware, beware that the words sent down in the Bayán shut thee not out

as by a veil from Him." And again, He—exalted be He—saith: "Look not upon

Him with any eye except His own. For whosoever looketh upon Him with His

eye, will recognize Him; otherwise he will be veiled from Him. Shouldst

thou seek God and His Presence, seek thou Him and gaze upon Him." And

likewise, He saith: "Better is it for thee to recite but one of the verses

of Him Whom God shall make manifest than to set down the whole of the

Bayán, for on that Day that one verse can save thee, whereas the entire

Bayán cannot save thee."

Say: O people of the Bayán! Be fair, be fair; and again, be fair, be fair.

Be ye not of them who have made mention of the Manifestation of the Cause

of God in the daytime and in the night season, and who, when He, through

His grace, appeared, and when the Horizon of Revelation was illumined,

pronounced against Him such a judgment as hath provoked the lamentations

of the inmates of the Kingdom and of the Realm of Glory, and of such as

have circled about the will of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Meditate upon these sublime words. He saith: "I, verily, am a believer in

Him, and in His Faith, and in His Book, and in His Testimonies, and in His

Ways, and in all that proceedeth from Him concerning them. I glory in My

kinship with Him, and pride Myself on My belief in Him." And likewise, He

saith: "O congregation of the Bayán and all who are therein! Recognize ye

the limits imposed upon you, for such a One as the Point of the Bayán

Himself hath believed in Him Whom God shall make manifest, before all

things were created. Therein, verily, do I glory before all who are in the

kingdom of heaven and earth." By God! All the atoms of the universe groan

and lament at the cruelty perpetrated by the froward among the people of

the Bayán. Whither are gone they who are endued with insight and hearing?

We beseech God—blessed and glorified be He—to summon them and exhort them

unto that which will profit them, and withhold them from that which will

harm them. He, in truth, is the Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

And likewise, He saith: "Suffer not yourselves to be shut out as by a veil

from God after He hath revealed Himself. For all that hath been exalted in

the Bayán is but as a ring upon My hand, and I Myself am, verily, but a

ring upon the hand of Him Whom God shall make manifest—glorified be His

mention! He turneth it as He pleaseth, for whatsoever He pleaseth, and

through whatsoever He pleaseth. He, verily, is the Help in Peril, the Most

High." And likewise, He saith: "Were He to make of every one on earth a

Prophet, all would, in very truth, be accounted as Prophets in the sight

of God." And likewise, He saith: "In the day of the revelation of Him Whom

God shall make manifest all that dwell on earth will be equal in His

estimation. Whomsoever He ordaineth as a Prophet, he, verily, hath been a

Prophet from the beginning that hath no beginning, and will thus remain

until the end that hath no end, inasmuch as this is an act of God. And

whosoever is made a Vicegerent by Him, shall be a Vicegerent in all the

worlds, for this is an act of God. For the will of God can in no wise be

revealed except through His will, nor His wish be manifested save through

His wish. He, verily, is the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful, the

All-Highest."

Briefly, in every instance He hath stated that which is conducive to the

conversion, the advancement, the exaltation, and the guidance of men. A

few unfair ones, however, have become a veil, and an insurmountable

barrier, and debarred the people from turning towards the lights of His

Countenance. We pray God to cast them out by His sovereignty, and seize on

them with His seizing power. He, verily, is the Lord of Strength, the

Mighty, the All-Wise.

And likewise, He saith: "He—glorified be His mention—resembleth the sun.

Were unnumbered mirrors to be placed before it, each would, according to

its capacity, reflect the splendor of that sun, and were none to be placed

before it, it would still continue to rise and set, and the mirrors alone

would be veiled from its light. I, verily, have not fallen short of My

duty to admonish that people, and to devise means whereby they may turn

towards God, their Lord, and believe in God, their Creator. If, on the day

of His Revelation, all that are on earth bear Him allegiance, Mine inmost

being will rejoice, inasmuch as all will have attained the summit of their

existence, and will have been brought face to face with their Beloved, and

will have recognized, to the fullest extent attainable in the world of

being, the splendor of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts. If not, My

soul will indeed be saddened. I truly have nurtured all things for this

purpose. How, then, can anyone be veiled from Him? For this have I called

upon God, and will continue to call upon Him. He, verily, is nigh, ready

to answer."

And likewise, He saith: "They will even refuse unto that Tree, which is

neither of the East nor of the West, the name believer, for were they so

to name Him, they would fail to sadden Him." Hath thine ear, O world,

heard with what helplessness these words were revealed from the dayspring

of the will of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of all names? He saith: "I

have educated all men, that they may recognize this Revelation, and yet

the people of the Bayán refuse to concede even the name believer to that

blessed Tree that belongeth neither to the East nor to the West." Alas,

alas, for the things which have befallen Me! By God! There befell Me at

the hands of him whom I have nurtured (Mírzá Yaḥyá), by day and by night,

what hath caused the Holy Spirit, and the dwellers of the Tabernacle of

the Grandeur of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, to lament.

Likewise, refuting certain disbelievers, He saith: "For none knoweth the

time of the Revelation except God. Whenever it appeareth, all must

acknowledge the Point of Truth, and render thanks unto God." They that

have turned aside from Me have spoken even as the followers of John (the

Baptist) spoke. For they, too, protested against Him Who was the Spirit

(Jesus) saying: "The dispensation of John hath not yet ended; wherefore

hast thou come?" Now, too, they that have repudiated Us, though they have

never known Us and have been at all times ignorant of the fundamentals of

this Cause, knowing not from Whom it proceeded or what it signifieth, have

spoken that which hath made all created things to sigh and lament. By My

life! The mute can never confront the One Who incarnateth in Himself the

kingdom of utterance. Fear God, O people, and peruse, then, that which

hath been sent down with truth in the eighth Chapter of the sixth Vahíd of

the Bayán, and be not of such as have turned aside. He, likewise, hath

commanded: "Once every nineteen days this Chapter should be read, that

haply they may not be veiled, in the time of the revelation of Him Whom

God shall make manifest, by considerations foreign to the verses, which

have been, and are still, the weightiest of all proofs and testimonies."

John, son of Zacharias, said what My Forerunner hath said: "Saying, repent

ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. I indeed baptize you with water

unto repentance, but He that cometh after Me is mightier than I, Whose

shoes I am not worthy to bear." Wherefore, hath My Forerunner, as a sign

of submissiveness and humility, said: "The whole of the Bayán is only a

leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise." And likewise, He saith: "I am

the first to adore Him, and pride Myself on My kinship with Him." And yet,

O men, the people of the Bayán have acted in such a manner that

_Dh_i’l-Jaw_sh_an, and Ibn-i-Anas, and Asbáhí have sought and still seek

refuge with God against such deeds. This Wronged One hath, in the face of

all religions, busied Himself day and night with the things that are

conducive unto the exaltation of the Cause of God, whereas those men have

clung unto that which is the cause of humiliation and injury.

And likewise, He saith: "Recognize Him by His verses. The greater your

neglect in seeking to know Him, the more grievously will ye be veiled in

fire." O ye among the people of the Bayán that have turned aside from Me!

Ponder upon these most sublime words, that have proceeded from the

wellspring of the utterance of Him Who is the Point of Knowledge. Hearken

ye, at this moment, unto these words. He saith: "On that Day, the Daystar

of Truth will address the people of the Bayán and will recite this Súrih

of the Qur’án: ‘Say: O ye unbelievers! I worship not that which ye

worship, and ye do not worship that which I worship. I shall never worship

that which ye worship, neither will ye worship that which I worship. To

you be your religion, to Me My religion.’" Gracious God! Notwithstanding

these lucid statements, and these shining and luminous tokens all are

occupied with their vain imaginings, and are unaware of, and veiled from,

the Desired One. O ye that have gone astray! Awake from the sleep of

heedlessness, and give ear unto these words of My Forerunner. He saith:

"The tree of affirmation, by turning aside from Him, is accounted as the

tree of denial, and the tree of denial, by turning towards Him, is

accounted as the tree of affirmation." And likewise, He saith: "Should

anyone lay claim unto a Revelation, and fail to produce any proof, do not

protest, and sadden Him not." Briefly, this Wronged One hath, night and

day, been uttering the words: "Say: O ye unbelievers!", that haply this

may be the means of awakening the people, and may adorn them with the

adornment of fairness.

And now, meditate upon these words, which diffuse the breath of despair,

in His sorrowful invocation unto God, the Lord of the worlds. He saith:

"Glorified art Thou, O My God! Bear Thou witness that, through this Book,

I have covenanted with all created things concerning the Mission of Him

Whom Thou shalt make manifest, ere the covenant concerning Mine own

Mission had been established. Sufficient witness art Thou and they that

have believed in Thy signs. Thou, verily, sufficest Me. In Thee have I

placed My trust, and Thou, verily, takest count of all things."

In another connection He saith: "O Sun-like Mirrors! Look ye upon the Sun

of Truth. Ye, verily, depend upon it, were ye to perceive it. Ye are all

as fishes, moving in the waters of the sea, veiling yourselves therefrom,

and yet asking what it is on which ye depend." And likewise, He saith: "I

complain unto thee, O Mirror of My generosity, against all the other

Mirrors. All look upon Me through their own colors." These words were sent

down from the Source of the Revelation of the All-Bounteous, and were

addressed to Siyyid Javád, known as Karbilá’í.

God testifieth, and the world beareth Me witness that this Siyyid stood by

this Wronged One, and even wrote a detailed refutation against them that

turned aside from Me. Two communications, moreover, in which he hath borne

witness unto the Revelation of the True One, and in which the evidences of

his turning away from all else but Him, are clear and manifest, have been

sent by Us to Ḥaydar-‘Alí. The handwriting of the Siyyid is unmistakable,

and is known unto everyone. Our purpose in doing this was that perchance

they that have denied Us might attain unto the living waters of

acknowledgment, and such as have turned aside be illumined with the light

of conversion. God is My witness that this Wronged One hath had no purpose

except to convey the Word of God. Blessed are the fair-minded, and woe

betide them that have turned aside. They that have turned away from Me

have schemed many a time, and acted deceitfully in divers ways. They have,

on one occasion, secured a picture of this Siyyid, and pasted it on a

sheet with that of others, surmounted by the portrait of Mírzá Yaḥyá.

Briefly, they have seized upon every means in order to repudiate the True

One. Say: "The True One is come evident as the shining sun; O pity that He

should have come into the city of the blind!" The afore-mentioned Siyyid

admonished the deniers, and summoned them unto the Most Sublime Horizon,

but failed to impress these stones that can take no imprint. Concerning

him they have said things against which he sought refuge with God—exalted

be His glory. The supplications which he hath sent to this Holy Court are

now in Our possession. Happy are the fair-minded.

Ponder now upon the complaint of the Primal Point against the Mirrors,

that haply men may be awakened, and may turn from the left hand of idle

fancies and imaginings unto the right hand of faith and certitude, and may

be made cognizant of that wherefrom they are veiled. It is indeed for the

purpose of recognizing this Most Great Cause that they have come out of

the world of non-existence into the world of being. And likewise He saith:

"Consecrate Thou, O my God, the whole of this Tree unto Him, that from it

may be revealed all the fruits created by God within it for Him through

Whom God hath willed to reveal all that He pleaseth. By Thy glory! I have

not wished that this Tree should ever bear any branch, leaf, or fruit that

would fail to bow down before Him, on the day of His Revelation, or refuse

to laud Thee through Him, as beseemeth the glory of His all-glorious

Revelation, and the sublimity of His most sublime Concealment. And

shouldst Thou behold, O my God, any branch, leaf, or fruit upon Me that

hath failed to bow down before Him, on the day of His Revelation, cut it

off, O My God, from that Tree, for it is not of Me, nor shall it return

unto Me."

O people of the Bayán! I swear by God! This Wronged One hath had no other

intention except to manifest the Cause He was commissioned to reveal. Were

ye to incline your inner ears unto Him, ye would hear from every limb and

member and vein and even from every single hair of this Wronged One that

which would stir and enrapture the Concourse on high and the world of

creation.

O Hádí! The blind fanaticism of former times hath withheld the hapless

creatures from the Straight Path. Meditate on the _Sh_í’ih sect. For

twelve hundred years they have cried "O Qá’im!", until in the end all

pronounced the sentence of His death, and caused Him to suffer martyrdom,

notwithstanding their belief in, and their acceptance and acknowledgment

of, the True One—exalted be His glory—and of the Seal of the Prophets, and

of the Chosen Ones. It is now necessary to reflect a while, that haply

that which hath come between the True One and His creatures may be

discovered, and the deeds which have been the cause of protest and denial

be made known.

O Hádí! We have heard the moaning of the pulpits which, as attested by

all, the divines of the age of this Revelation have ascended, and from

which they have cursed the True One, and caused such things to befall Him

Who is the Essence of Being and His companions as neither the eye nor the

ear of the world hath seen or heard. Thou hast now summoned, and art still

summoning the people, claiming to be His vicegerent and mirror, despite

thine ignorance of this Cause as a result of thy not having been in Our

company.

Every one of this people well knoweth that Siyyid Muḥammad was but one of

Our servants. In the days when, as requested by the Imperial Ottoman

Government, We proceeded to their Capital, he accompanied Us.

Subsequently, he committed that which—I swear by God—hath caused the Pen

of the Most High to weep and His Tablet to groan. We, therefore, cast him

out; whereupon, he joined Mírzá Yaḥyá, and did what no tyrant hath ever

done. We abandoned him, and said unto him: "Begone, O heedless one!" After

these words had been uttered, he joined the order of the Mawlavis, and

remained in their company until the time when We were summoned to depart.

O Hádí! Suffer not thyself to become the instrument for the dissemination

of new superstitions, and refuse to set up once again a sect similar to

that of the _Sh_í’ihs. Reflect how great the amount of blood which hath

been spilt. Thou amongst others, who hast laid claim to knowledge, and

likewise the _Sh_í’ih divines, have, one and all, in the first and ensuing

years, cursed the True One, and decreed that His most holy blood be shed.

Fear God, O Hádí! Be not willing that men be again afflicted with the vain

imaginings of former times. Fear God, and be not of them that act

unjustly. In these days We have heard that thou hast striven to lay hands

on and destroy every copy of the Bayán. This Wronged One requesteth thee

to renounce, for the sake of God, this intention. Thine intelligence and

judgment have never excelled, nor do they now excel, the intelligence and

judgment of Him Who is the Prince of the World. God testifieth and beareth

Me witness that this Wronged One hath not perused the Bayán, nor been

acquainted with its contents. This much, however, is known and is clear

and indubitable that He hath ordained the Book of the Bayán to be the

foundation of His works. Fear God, and meddle not in matters which far

transcend thee. For twelve hundred years they that resemble thee have

afflicted the hapless _Sh_í’ihs in the pit of vain fancies and idle

imaginings. Finally, there appeared, on the Day of Judgment things against

which the oppressors of old have sought refuge with the True One.

Apprehend now the cry of Him Who is the Point as raised by His utterance.

He supplicateth God that if there should appear from this Tree—which is

His blessed Self—any fruit, or leaf, or branch that would fail to believe

in Him, God should cut it off forthwith. And likewise, He saith: "Should

any one make a statement, and fail to support it by any proof, reject him

not." And yet, now, though supported by a hundred books, thou hast

rejected Him and rejoicest therein!

Again I repeat, and plead with thee to carefully scrutinize that which

hath been revealed. The breezes of utterance in this Revelation are not to

be compared with those of former ages. This Wronged One hath been

perpetually afflicted, and found no place of safety in which He could

peruse either the writings of the Most Exalted One (the Báb) or those of

any one else. About two months after Our arrival in ‘Iráq, following the

command of His Majesty the _Sh_áh of Persia—may God assist him—Mírzá Yaḥyá

joined Us. We said unto him: "In accordance with the Royal command We have

been sent unto this place. It is advisable for thee to remain in Persia.

We will send Our brother, Mírzá Músá, to some other place. As your names

have not been mentioned in the Royal decree, you can arise and render some

service." Subsequently, this Wronged One departed from Ba_gh_dád, and for

two years withdrew from the world. Upon Our return, We found that he had

not left, and had postponed his departure. This Wronged One was greatly

saddened. God testifieth and beareth Us witness that We have, at all

times, been busied with the propagation of this Cause. Neither chains nor

bonds, stocks nor imprisonment, have succeeded in withholding Us from

revealing Our Self. In that land We forbad all mischief, and all unseemly

and unholy deeds. Day and night We sent forth Our Tablets in every

direction. We had no other purpose except to edify the souls of men, and

to exalt the blessed Word.

We especially appointed certain ones to collect the writings of the Primal

Point. When this was accomplished, We summoned Mírzá Yaḥyá and Mírzá

Vahháb-i-_Kh_urásání, known as Mírzá Javád, to meet in a certain place.

Conforming with Our instructions, they completed the task of transcribing

two copies of the works of the Primal Point. I swear by God! This Wronged

One, by reason of His constant association with men, hath not looked at

these books, nor gazed with outward eyes on these writings. When We

departed, these writings were in the possession of these two persons. It

was agreed that Mírzá Yaḥyá should be entrusted with them, and proceed to

Persia, and disseminate them throughout that land. This Wronged One

proceeded, at the request of the Ministers of the Ottoman Government to

their capital. When We arrived in Mosul, We found that Mírzá Yaḥyá had

left before Us for that city, and was awaiting Us there. Briefly, the

books and writings were left in Ba_gh_dád, while he himself proceeded to

Constantinople and joined these servants. God beareth now witness unto the

things which have touched this Wronged One, for after We had so arduously

striven, he (Mírzá Yaḥyá) abandoned the writings and joined the exiles.

This Wronged One was, for a long period, overwhelmed by infinite sorrows

until such time when, in pursuance of measures of which none but the one

true God is aware, We despatched the writings unto another place and

another country, owing to the fact that in ‘Iráq all documents must every

month be carefully examined, lest they rot and perish. God, however,

preserved them and sent them unto a place which He had previously

ordained. He, verily, is the Protector, the Succorer.

Wherever this Wronged One went Mírzá Yaḥyá followed Him. Thou art thyself

a witness and well knowest that whatever hath been said is the truth. The

Siyyid of Iṣfáhán, however, surreptitiously duped him. They committed that

which caused the greatest consternation. Would that thou wouldst inquire

from the officials of the government concerning the conduct of Mírzá Yaḥyá

in that land. Aside from all this, I adjure thee by God, the One, the

Incomparable, the Lord of Strength, the Most Powerful, to carefully look

into the communications addressed in his name to the Primal Point, that

thou mayest behold the evidences of Him Who is the Truth as clear as the

sun. Likewise, there proceeded from the words of the Point of the

Bayán—may the souls of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake—that

which no veil can obscure, and which neither the veils of glory nor the

veils interposed by such as have gone astray can hide. The veils have,

verily, been rent asunder by the finger of the will of thy Lord, the

Strong, the All-Subduing, the All-Powerful. Yea, desperate is the state of

such as have calumniated Me and envied Me. Not long ago it was stated that

thou hadst ascribed the authorship of the Kitáb-i-Íqán and of other

Tablets unto others. I swear by God! This is a grievous injustice. Others

are incapable of apprehending their meaning, how much more of revealing

them!

Ḥasan-i-Mázindarání was the bearer of seventy Tablets. Upon his death,

these were not delivered unto those for whom they were intended, but were

entrusted to one of the sisters of this Wronged One, who, for no reason

whatever, had turned aside from Me. God knoweth what befell His Tablets.

This sister had never lived with Us. I swear by the Sun of Truth that

after these things had happened she never saw Mírzá Yaḥyá, and remained

unaware of Our Cause, for in those days she had been estranged from Us.

She lived in one quarter, and this Wronged One in another. As a token,

however, of Our loving-kindness, our affection and mercy, We, a few days

prior to Our departure, visited her and her mother, that haply she might

quaff from the living waters of faith, and attain unto that which would

draw her nigh unto God, in this day. God well knoweth and beareth Me

witness, and she herself testifieth, that I had no thought whatsoever

except this. Finally, she—God be praised—attained unto this through His

grace, and was adorned with the adornment of love. After We were exiled

and had departed from ‘Iráq to Constantinople, however, news of her ceased

to reach Us. Subsequent to Our separation in the Land of Tá (Ṭihrán), We

ceased to meet Mírzá Riḍá-Qulí, Our brother, and no special news reached

Us concerning her. In the early days we all lived in one house, which

later on was sold at auction, for a negligible sum, and the two brothers,

Farmán-Farmá and Hisámu’s-Saltanih, purchased it and divided it between

themselves. After this occurred, We separated from Our brother. He

established his residence close to the entrance of Masjid-i-_Sh_áh, whilst

We lived near the Gate of _Sh_imírán. Thereafter, however, that sister

displayed toward Us, for no reason whatever, a hostile attitude. This

Wronged One held His peace under all conditions. However, Our late brother

Mírzá Muḥammad-Ḥasan’s daughter—upon him be the glory of God and His peace

and His mercy—who had been betrothed to the Most Great Branch

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá) was taken by the sister of this Wronged One from Núr to her

own house, and from there sent unto another place. Some of Our companions

and friends in various places complained against this, as it was a very

grievous act, and was disapproved by all the loved ones of God. How

strange that Our sister should have taken her to her own house, and then

arranged for her to be sent elsewhere! In spite of this, this Wronged One

remained, and still remaineth, calm and silent. A word, however, was said

in order to tranquilize Our loved ones. God testifieth and beareth Me

witness that whatever hath been said was the truth, and was spoken with

sincerity. None of Our loved ones, whether in these regions or in that

country, could believe Our sister capable of an act so contrary to

decency, affection and friendship. After such a thing had occurred, they,

recognizing that the way had been barred, conducted themselves in a manner

well-known unto thyself and others. It must be evident, therefore, how

intense was the grief which this act inflicted upon this Wronged One.

Later on, she threw in her lot with Mírzá Yaḥyá. Conflicting reports

concerning her are now reaching Us, nor is it clear what she is saying or

doing. We beseech God—blessed and glorified be He—to cause her to turn

unto Him, and aid her to repent before the door of His grace. He, verily,

is the Mighty, the Forgiving; and He is, in truth, the All-Powerful, the

Pardoner.

In another connection He, likewise, saith: "Were He to appear this very

moment, I would be the first to adore Him, and the first to bow down

before Him." Be fair, O people! The purpose of the Most Exalted One (the

Báb) was to insure that the proximity of the Revelation should not

withhold men from the Divine and everlasting Law, even as the companions

of John (the Baptist) were prevented from acknowledging Him Who is the

Spirit (Jesus). Time and again He hath said: "Suffer not the Bayán and all

that hath been revealed therein to withhold you from that Essence of Being

and Lord of the visible and invisible." Should any one, considering this

binding injunction, cling unto the Bayán, such a one hath, verily, passed

out of the shadow of the blessed and exalted Tree. Be fair, O people, and

be not of the heedless.

And likewise, He saith: "Let not names shut you out as by a veil from Him

Who is their Lord, even the name of Prophet, for such a name is but a

creation of His utterance." And likewise, He, in the seventh chapter of

the second Vahíd, saith: "O people of the Bayán! Act not as the people of

the Qur’án have acted, for if ye do so, the fruits of your night will come

to naught." And further, He saith—glorified be His mention: "If thou

attainest unto His Revelation, and obeyest Him, thou wilt have revealed

the fruit of the Bayán; if not, thou art unworthy of mention before God.

Take pity upon thyself. If thou aidest not Him Who is the Manifestation of

the Lordship of God, be not, then, a cause of sadness unto Him." And

further He saith—magnified be His station: "If thou attainest not unto the

Presence of God, grieve not, then, the Sign of God. Ye will renounce that

which can profit them that acknowledge the Bayán, if ye renounce that

which can harm Him. I know, however, that ye will refuse to do so."

O Hádí! Methinks it is by reason of these indubitable utterances that thou

hast determined to blot out the Bayán. Give ear unto the voice of this

Wronged One, and renounce this oppression that hath made the pillars of

the Bayán to tremble. I have been neither in _Ch_ihríq nor in Máh-Kú. At

the present time statements have been circulated among thy disciples

identical with those made by the _Sh_í’ihs who have said that the Qur’án

is unfinished. These people also contend that this Bayán is not the

original one. The copy in the handwriting of Siyyid Ḥusayn is extant, as

is also the copy in the handwriting of Mírzá Aḥmad.

Regardest thou as one wronged he who in this world was never dealt a

single blow, and who was continually surrounded by five of the handmaidens

of God? And imputest thou unto the True One, Who, from His earliest years

until the present day, hath been in the hands of His enemies, and been

tormented with the worst afflictions in the world, such charges as the

Jews did not ascribe unto Christ? Hearken unto the voice of this Wronged

One, and be not of them that are in utter loss.

And, likewise, He saith: "How many the fires which God converteth into

light through Him Whom God shall make manifest; and how numerous the

lights which are turned into fire through Him! I behold His appearance

even as the sun in the midmost heaven, and the disappearance of all even

as that of the stars of the night by day." Hast thou ears, O world,

wherewith to hear the voice of the True One, and to judge equitably this

Revelation Which, as soon as it appeared, Sinai exclaimed: "He that

discoursed upon Me is come with evident signs and resplendent tokens, in

spite of every heedless one that hath gone far astray, and of every lying

calumniator, who hath wished to quench the light of God with his

calumnies, and blot out the signs of God through his malice. They, verily,

are of such as have acted unjustly in the Book of God, the Lord of the

worlds."

And likewise, He saith: "The Bayán is from beginning to end the repository

of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His

light." Great God! The soul is carried away by the fragrance of this

utterance, inasmuch as He declareth, with infinite sadness, that which He

perceiveth. Likewise, He saith to the Letter of the Living, Mullá

Báqir—upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness: "Haply thou

mayest in eight years, in the day of His Revelation, attain unto His

Presence."

Know thou, O Hádí, and be of them that hearken. Judge thou equitably. The

companions of God and the Testimonies of Him Who is the Truth have, for

the most part, suffered martyrdom. Thou, however, art still alive. How is

it that thou hast been spared? I swear by God! It is because of thy

denial, whereas the martyrdom of the blessed souls was due to their

confession. Every just and fair-minded person will bear witness unto this,

inasmuch as the cause and motive of both are clear and evident as the sun.

And likewise He addresseth Dayyán, who was wronged and suffered martyrdom,

saying: "Thou shalt recognize thy worth through the words of Him Whom God

shall make manifest." He, likewise, hath pronounced him to be the third

Letter to believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest, through these

words: "O thou who art the third Letter to believe in Him Whom God shall

make manifest!" And likewise He saith: "Should God, however, be willing,

He will make thee known through the words of Him Whom God shall make

manifest." Dayyán, who, according to the words of Him Who is the Point—may

the souls of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake—is the repository

of the trust of the one true God—exalted be His glory—and the treasury of

the pearls of His knowledge, was made by them to suffer so cruel a

martyrdom that the Concourse on high wept and lamented. He it is whom He

(the Báb) had taught the hidden and preserved knowledge and entrusted him

therewith, through His words: "O thou who art named Dayyán! This is a

hidden and preserved Knowledge. We have entrusted it unto thee, and

brought it to thee, as a mark of honor from God, inasmuch as the eye of

thine heart is pure. Thou wilt appreciate its value, and wilt cherish its

excellence. God, verily, hath deigned to bestow upon the Point of the

Bayán a hidden and preserved Knowledge, the like of which God hath not

sent down prior to this Revelation. More precious is it than any other

knowledge in the estimation of God—glorified be He! He, verily, hath made

it His testimony, even as He hath made the verses to be His testimony."

This oppressed one, who was the repository of the knowledge of God,

together with Mírzá ‘Alí-Akbar, one of the relatives of the Primal

Point—upon him be the glory of God and His mercy—and Abu’l-Qásim-i-Ká_sh_í

and several others suffered martyrdom through the decree pronounced by

Mírzá Yaḥyá.

O Hádí! His book which he hath entitled "Mustayqiz" is in thy possession.

Read it. Although thou hast seen the book, peruse it again, that haply

thou mayest obtain for thyself a lofty seat beneath the canopy of truth.

In like manner, Siyyid Ibráhím, concerning whom these words have flowed

from the Pen of the Primal Point—magnified be His utterance: "O thou who

art mentioned as My friend in My scriptures, and as My remembrance in My

books, next to My scriptures, and as My name in the Bayán"—such a one,

together with Dayyán, hath been surnamed by him (Mírzá Yaḥyá) Father of

Iniquities and Father of Calamities. Judge thou fairly, how grievous hath

been the plight of these oppressed ones, and this notwithstanding that one

of them was occupied in serving him, whilst the other was his guest.

Briefly, I swear by God, the deeds he committed were such that Our Pen is

ashamed to recount.

Reflect a while upon the dishonor inflicted upon the Primal Point.

Consider what hath happened. When this Wronged One, after a retirement of

two years during which He wandered through the deserts and mountains,

returned to Ba_gh_dád, as a result of the intervention of a few, who for a

long time had sought Him in the wilderness, a certain Mírzá Muḥammad-‘Alí

of Ra_sh_t came to see Him, and related, before a large gathering of

people, that which had been done, affecting the honor of the Báb, which

hath truly overwhelmed all lands with sorrow. Great God! How could they

have countenanced this most grievous betrayal? Briefly, We beseech God to

aid the perpetrator of this deed to repent, and return unto Him. He,

verily, is the Helper, the All-Wise.

As to Dayyán—upon him be the glory of God and His mercy—he attained Our

presence in accordance with that which had been revealed by the pen of the

Primal Point. We pray God to aid the heedless to turn unto Him, and such

as have turned aside to direct themselves towards Him, and them that have

denied Him to acknowledge this Cause, which, no sooner did it appear than

all created things proclaimed: "He that was hidden in the Treasury of

Knowledge, and inscribed by the Pen of the Most High in His Books, and His

Scriptures, and His Scrolls, and His Tablets, is come!"

In this connection it hath been deemed necessary to mention such

traditions as have been recorded regarding the blessed and honored city of

Akká, that haply thou mayest, O Hádí, seek a path unto the Truth, and a

road leading unto God.

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

The following hath been recorded concerning the merits of Akká, and of the

sea, and of Aynu’l-Baqár (The Spring of the Cow) which is in Akká:

‘Abdu’l-‘Azíz, son of ‘Abdu’-Salám, hath related unto us that the

Prophet—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon him—hath

said: "Akká is a city in Syria to which God hath shown His special mercy."

Ibn-i-Mas’úd—may God be pleased with him—hath stated: "The Prophet—may the

blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him—hath said: ‘Of all shores

the best is the shore of Askelon, and Akká is, verily, better than

Askelon, and the merit of Akká above that of Askelon and all other shores

is as the merit of Muḥammad above that of all other Prophets. I bring you

tidings of a city betwixt two mountains in Syria, in the middle of a

meadow, which is called Akká. Verily, he that entereth therein, longing

for it and eager to visit it, God will forgive his sins, both of the past

and of the future. And he that departeth from it, other than as a pilgrim,

God will not bless his departure. In it is a spring called the Spring of

the Cow. Whoso drinketh a draught therefrom, God will fill his heart with

light, and will protect him from the most great terror on the Day of

Resurrection.’"

Anas, son of Malík—may God be pleased with him—hath said: "The Apostle of

God—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him—hath said:

‘By the shore of the sea is a city, suspended beneath the Throne, and

named Akká. He that dwelleth therein, firm and expecting a reward from

God—exalted be He—God will write down for him, until the Day of

Resurrection, the recompense of such as have been patient, and have stood

up, and knelt down, and prostrated themselves, before Him.’"

And He—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him—hath said:

"I announce unto you a city, on the shores of the sea, white, whose

whiteness is pleasing unto God—exalted be He! It is called Akká. He that

hath been bitten by one of its fleas is better, in the estimation of God,

than he who hath received a grievous blow in the path of God. And he that

raiseth therein the call to prayer, his voice will be lifted up unto

Paradise. And he that remaineth therein for seven days in the face of the

enemy, God will gather him with _Kh_idr—peace be upon Him—and God will

protect him from the most great terror on the Day of Resurrection." And

He—may the blessings of God,—exalted be He—and His salutations be upon

Him—hath said: "There are kings and princes in Paradise. The poor of Akká

are the kings of Paradise and the princes thereof. A month in Akká is

better than a thousand years elsewhere."

The Apostle of God—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon

Him—is reported to have said: "Blessed the man that hath visited Akká, and

blessed he that hath visited the visitor of Akká. Blessed the one that

hath drunk from the Spring of the Cow and washed in its waters, for the

black-eyed damsels quaff the camphor in Paradise, which hath come from the

Spring of the Cow, and from the Spring of Salván (Siloam), and the Well of

Zamzam. Well is it with him that hath drunk from these springs, and washed

in their waters, for God hath forbidden the fire of hell to touch him and

his body on the Day of Resurrection."

The Prophet—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him—is

stated to have said: "In Akká are works of supererogation and acts which

are beneficial, which God vouchsafed specially unto whomsoever He

pleaseth. And he that saith in Akká: ‘Glorified be God, and praise be unto

God, and there is none other God but God, and most great is God, and there

is no power nor strength except in God, the Exalted, the Mighty,’ God will

write down for him a thousand good deeds, and blot out from him a thousand

evil deeds, and will uplift him a thousand grades in Paradise, and will

forgive him his transgressions. And whoso saith in Akká: ‘I beg

forgiveness of God,’ God will forgive all his trespasses. And he that

remembereth God in Akká at morn and at eventide, in the night-season and

at dawn, is better in the sight of God than he who beareth swords, spears

and arms in the path of God—exalted be He!"

The Apostle of God—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon

Him—hath also said: "He that looketh upon the sea at eventide, and saith:

‘God is Most Great!’ at sunset, God will forgive his sins, though they be

heaped as piles of sand. And he that counteth forty waves, while

repeating: ‘God is Most Great!’—exalted be He—God will forgive his sins,

both past and future."

The Apostle of God—may the blessings of God and His salutations be upon

Him—hath said: "He that looketh upon the sea a full night is better than

he who passeth two whole months betwixt the Rukn and the Maqám. And he

that hath been brought up on the shores of the sea is better than he that

hath been brought up elsewhere. And he that lieth on the shore is as he

that standeth elsewhere."

Verily, the Apostle of God—may the blessings of God, exalted be He, and

His salutations be upon Him—hath spoken the truth.