,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf by ,bah'u'llh ,edition #a1 7,june #bc1 #bjje7 ,,baha',i ,,terms ,,of ,,use ,you have permission to freely make and use copies of the text and any other information 7,content7 available on this ,site including printing1 emailing1 posting1 distributing1 copying1 downloading1 uploading1 transmitting1 displaying the ,content in whole or in part subject to the following3 #a4 ,our copyright notice and the source reference must be attached to the ,content2 #b4 ,the ,content may not be modified or altered in any way except to change the font or appearance2 #c4 ,the ,content must be used solely for a non-commercial purpose4 ,although this blanket permission to reproduce the ,content is given freely such that no special permission is required1 the ,bah' ,international ,community retains full copyright protection for all ,content included at this ,site under all applicable national and international laws4 ,for permission to publish1 transmit1 display or otherwise use the ,content for any commercial purpose1 please contact us 7http3_/_/reference4bahai4org_/en_/conta ct4html74 ,,contents ,baha'i ,terms of ,use ,epistle to the ,son of the ,wolf ,,epistle ,,to ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,the ,,wolf ,in the name of ,god1 the ,one1 the ,incomparable1 the ,all-,powerful1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,praise be to ,god1 the ,eternal that perisheth not1 the ,everlasting that declineth not1 the ,self-,subsisting that altereth not4 ,he it is ,who is transcendent in ,his sovereignty1 ,who is manifest through ,his signs1 and is hidden through ,his mysteries4 ,he it is at ,whose bidding the standard of the ,most ,exalted ,word hath been lifted up in the world of creation1 and the banner of ,he doeth whatsoever ,he willeth raised amidst all peoples4 ,he it is ,who hath revealed ,his ,cause for the guidance of ,his creatures1 and sent down ,his verses to demonstrate ,his ,proof and ,his ,testimony1 and embellished the preface of the ,book of ,man with the ornament of utterance through ,his saying3 ,the ,god of ,mercy hath taught the ,qur'n1 hath created man1 and taught him articulate speech4 ,no ,god is there but ,him1 the ,one1 the ,peerless1 the ,powerful1 the ,mighty1 the ,beneficent4 ,the light that is shed from the heaven of bounty1 and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place of the will of ,god1 the ,lord of the ,kingdom of ,names1 rest upon ,him ,who is the ,supreme ,mediator1 the ,most ,exalted ,pen1 ,him ,whom ,god hath made the ,dawning-,place of ,his most excellent names and the ,dayspring of ,his most exalted attributes4 ,through ,him the light of unity hath shone forth above the horizon of the world1 and the law of oneness hath been revealed amidst the nations1 who1 with radiant faces1 have turned towards the ,supreme ,horizon1 and acknowledged that which the ,tongue of ,utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of ,his knowledge3 ,earth and heaven1 glory and dominion1 are ,god's1 the ,omnipotent1 the ,almighty1 the ,lord of grace abounding6 ,give ear1 ,o distinguished divine1 unto the voice of this ,wronged ,one4 ,he verily1 counselleth thee for the sake of ,god1 and exhorteth thee unto that which will cause thee to draw nigh unto ,him under all conditions4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,all-,possessing1 the ,exalted4 ,know thou that the ear of man hath been created that it may hearken unto the ,divine ,voice on this ,day that hath been mentioned in all the ,books1 ,scriptures1 and ,tablets4 ,purify thou1 first1 thy soul with the waters of renunciation1 and adorn thine head with the crown of the fear of ,god1 and thy temple with the ornament of reliance upon ,him4 ,arise1 then1 and1 with thy face set towards the ,most ,great ,house1 the ,spot round which1 as decreed by the ,eternal ,king1 all that dwell on earth must circle1 recite3 ,o ,god1 my ,god1 and my ,desire1 and my ,adored ,one1 and my ,master1 and my ,mainstay1 and my utmost ,hope1 and my supreme ,aspiration6 ,thou seest me turning towards ,thee1 holding fast unto the cord of ,thy bounty1 clinging to the hem of ,thy generosity1 acknowledging the sanctity of ,thy ,self and the purity of ,thine ,essence1 and testifying to ,thy unity and ,thy oneness4 ,i bear witness that ,thou art the ,one1 the ,single1 the ,incomparable1 the ,ever-,abiding4 ,thou didst not take unto ,thyself a partner in ,thy dominion1 nor didst ,thou choose a peer for ,thyself upon earth4 ,all created things have borne witness unto that which the ,tongue of ,thy grandeur hath testified ere their creation4 ,verily ,thou art ,god2 there is none other ,god but ,thee6 ,from everlasting ,thou wast sanctified from the mention of ,thy servants1 and exalted above the description of ,thy creatures4 ,thou beholdest1 ,o ,lord1 the ignorant seeking the ocean of ,thy knowledge1 the sore athirst the living waters of ,thine utterance1 the abased the tabernacle of ,thy glory1 the poor the treasury of ,thy riches1 the suppliant the dawning-place of ,thy wisdom1 the weak the source of ,thy strength1 the wretched the heaven of ,thy bounty1 the dumb the kingdom of ,thy mention4 ,i testify1 ,o my ,god1 and my ,king1 that ,thou hast created me to remember ,thee1 to glorify ,thee1 and to aid ,thy ,cause4 ,and yet1 ,i have aided ,thine enemies1 who have broken ,thy ,covenant1 who have cast away ,thy ,book1 disbelieved in ,thee1 and repudiated ,thy signs4 ,alas1 alas1 for my waywardness1 and my shame1 and my sinfulness1 and my wrong-doing that have withheld me from the depths of the ocean of ,thy unity and from fathoming the sea of ,thy mercy4 ,wherefore1 alas1 alas6 and again alas1 alas6 for my wretchedness and the grievousness of my transgressions6 ,thou didst call me into being1 ,o my ,god1 to exalt ,thy ,word1 and to manifest ,thy ,cause4 ,my heedlessness1 however1 hath deterred me and compassed me about1 in such wise that ,i have arisen to blot out ,thy signs1 and to shed the blood of ,thy loved ones1 and of the dawning-places of ,thy signs1 and of the daysprings of ,thy revelation1 and of the repositories of ,thy mysteries4 ,o ,lord1 my ,lord6 and again1 ,o ,lord1 my ,lord6 and yet again1 ,o ,lord1 my ,lord6 ,i bear witness that by reason of mine iniquity the fruits of the tree of ,thy justice have fallen1 and through the fire of my rebelliousness the hearts of such of ,thy creatures as enjoy near access to ,thee were consumed1 and the souls of the sincere among ,thy servants have melted4 ,o wretched1 wretched that ,i am6 ,o the cruelties1 the glaring cruelties1 ,i inflicted6 ,woe is me1 woe is me1 for my remoteness from ,thee1 and for my waywardness1 and mine ignorance1 and my baseness1 and my repudiation of ,thee1 and my protests against ,thee6 ,how many the days during which ,thou didst bid ,thy servants and ,thy loved ones to protect me1 whilst ,i commanded them to harm ,thee and to harm them that ,thou didst trust6 ,and how numerous the nights during which ,thou didst graciously remember me1 and didst show me ,thy path1 whilst ,i turned away from ,thee and from ,thy signs6 ,by ,thy glory6 ,o ,thou ,who art the ,hope of such as have acknowledged ,thy unity1 and the ,desire of the hearts of them that are rid of all attachment to any save ,thee6 ,i find no succorer except ,thee1 nor king1 nor refuge1 nor haven besides ,thyself4 ,alas1 alas6 ,my turning away from ,thee hath burnt up the veil of mine integrity1 and my denial of ,thee hath rent asunder the covering cast over mine honor4 ,o would that ,i were beneath the depths of the earth1 so that my evil deeds would remain unknown to ,thy servants6 ,thou seest the sinner1 ,o my ,lord1 who hath turned towards the dawning-place of ,thy forgiveness and ,thy bounty1 and the mountain of iniquity that hath sought the heaven of ,thy mercy and pardon4 ,alas1 alas6 ,my mighty sins have prevented me from approaching the court of ,thy mercy1 and my monstrous deeds have caused me to stray far from the sanctuary of ,thy presence4 ,indeed1 ,i am he that hath failed in duty towards ,thee1 and hath broken ,thy ,covenant and ,thy ,testament1 and committed that which hath made the dwellers of the cities of ,thy justice1 and the dawning-places of ,thy grace in ,thy realms1 to lament4 ,i testify1 ,o my ,god1 that ,i have put away ,thy commandments1 and clung to the dictates of my passions1 and have cast away the statutes of ,thy ,book1 and seized the book of mine own desire4 ,o misery1 misery6 ,as mine iniquities waxed greater and greater1 ,thy forbearance towards me augmented1 and as the fire of my rebelliousness grew fiercer1 the more did ,thy forgiveness and ,thy grace seek to smother up its flame4 ,by the power of ,thy might6 ,o ,thou ,who art the desire of the world and the ,best-,beloved of the nations6 ,thy long-suffering hath puffed me up1 and ,thy patience hath emboldened me4 ,thou beholdest1 ,o my ,god1 the tears that my shame hath caused to flow1 and the sighs which my heedlessness hath led me to utter4 ,i swear by the greatness of ,thy majesty6 ,i can find for myself no habitation save beneath the shadow of the court of ,thy bounty1 nor any refuge except under the canopy of ,thy mercy4 ,thou seest me in the midst of a sea of despair and of hopelessness1 after ,thou didst cause me to hear ,thy words ,despair not4 ,by ,thy power6 ,my sore injustice hath severed the cord of my hope1 and my rebellion hath darkened my face before the throne of ,thy justice4 ,thou beholdest1 ,o my ,god1 him who is as one dead fallen at the door of ,thy favor1 ashamed to seek from the hand of ,thy loving-kindness the living waters of ,thy pardon4 ,thou hast given me a tongue wherewith to remember and praise ,thee1 and yet it uttereth that which hath caused the souls of such of ,thy chosen ones as are nigh unto ,thee to melt1 and the hearts of the sincere amongst the dwellers of the habitations of holiness to be consumed4 ,thou hast given me eyes to witness ,thy signs1 and to behold ,thy verses1 and to contemplate the revelations of ,thine handiwork1 but ,i have rejected ,thy will1 and have committed what hath caused the faithful among ,thy creatures and the detached amidst ,thy servants to groan4 ,thou hast given me ears that ,i may incline them unto ,thy praise and ,thy celebration1 and unto that which ,thou didst send down from the heaven of ,thy bounty and the firmament of ,thy will4 ,and yet1 alas1 alas1 ,i have forsaken ,thy ,cause1 and have commanded ,thy servants to blaspheme against ,thy trusted ones and ,thy loved ones1 and have acted1 before the throne of ,thy justice1 in such wise that those that have recognized ,thy unity and are wholly devoted to ,thee among the dwellers of ,thy realm mourned with a sore lamentation4 ,i know not1 ,o my ,god1 which among my evildoings to mention before the billowing ocean of ,thy favor1 nor which of my trespasses to declare when face to face with the splendors of the suns of ,thy goodly gifts and bounties4 ,i beseech ,thee1 this very moment1 by the mysteries of ,thy ,book1 and by the things hid in ,thy knowledge1 and by the pearls that lie concealed within the shells of the ocean of ,thy mercy1 to reckon me among such as ,thou didst mention in ,thy ,book and describe in ,thy ,tablets4 ,hast ,thou decreed for me1 ,o my ,god1 any joy after this tribulation1 or any relief to succeed this affliction1 or any ease to follow this trouble8 ,alas1 alas6 ,thou hast ordained that every pulpit be set apart for ,thy mention1 and for the glorification of ,thy ,word1 and the revelation of ,thy ,cause1 but ,i have ascended it to proclaim the violation of ,thy ,covenant1 and have spoken unto ,thy servants such words as have caused the dwellers of the ,tabernacles of ,thy majesty and the denizens of the ,cities of ,thy wisdom to lament4 ,how often hast ,thou sent down the food of ,thine utterance out of the heaven of ,thy bounty1 and ,i denied it2 and how numerous the occasions on which ,thou hast summoned me to the soft flowing waters of ,thy mercy1 and ,i have chosen to turn away therefrom1 by reason of my having followed my own wish and desire6 ,by ,thy glory6 ,i know not for which sin to beg ,thy forgiveness and implore ,thy pardon1 nor from which of mine iniquities to turn aside unto the ,court of ,thy bounteousness and the ,sanctuary of ,thy favor4 ,such are my sins and trespasses that no man can number them1 nor pen describe them4 ,i implore ,thee1 ,o ,thou that turnest darkness into light1 and revealest ,thy mysteries on the ,sinai of ,thy ,revelation1 to aid me1 at all times1 to put my trust in ,thee1 and to commit mine affairs unto ,thy care4 ,make me1 then1 ,o my ,god1 content with that which the finger of ,thy decree hath traced1 and the pen of ,thy ordinance hath written4 ,potent art ,thou to do what pleaseth ,thee1 and in ,thy grasp are the reins of all that are in heaven and on earth4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,all-knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,know thou that neither the calumnies which men may utter1 nor their denials1 nor any cavils they may raise1 can harm him that hath clung to the cord of the grace1 and seized the hem of the mercy1 of the ,lord of creation4 ,by ,god6 ,he1 the ,glory of ,god 7,bah71 hath spoken not from mere impulse4 ,he that hath given ,him a voice is ,he that hath given a voice unto all things1 that they may praise and glorify ,him4 ,there is none other ,god but ,him1 the ,one1 the ,incomparable1 the ,lord of strength1 the ,unconditioned4 ,they whose sight is keen1 whose ears are retentive1 whose hearts are enlightened1 and whose breasts are dilated1 recognize both truth and falsehood1 and distinguish the one from the other4 ,recite thou this prayer that hath flowed from the tongue of this ,wronged ,one1 and ponder thereon with a heart rid of all attachment1 and with ears that are pure and sanctified1 be attentive to its meaning1 that haply thou mayest inhale the breath of detachment and have pity upon thyself and upon others3 ,my ,god1 the ,object of my adoration1 the ,goal of my desire1 the ,all-,bountiful1 the ,most ,compassionate6 ,all life is of ,thee1 and all power lieth within the grasp of ,thine omnipotence4 ,whosoever ,thou exaltest is raised above the angels1 and attaineth the station3 #8,verily1 ,we uplifted him to a place on high6'2 and whosoever ,thou dost abase is made lower than dust1 nay1 less than nothing4 ,o ,divine ,providence6 ,though wicked1 sinful1 and intemperate1 we still seek from ,thee a #8seat of truth1' and long to behold the countenance of the ,omnipotent ,king4 ,it is ,thine to command1 and all sovereignty belongeth to ,thee1 and the realm of might boweth before ,thy behest4 ,everything ,thou doest is pure justice1 nay1 the very essence of grace4 ,one gleam from the splendors of ,thy ,name1 the ,all-,merciful1 sufficeth to banish and blot out every trace of sinfulness from the world1 and a single breath from the breezes of the ,day of ,thy ,revelation is enough to adorn all mankind with a fresh attire4 ,vouchsafe ,thy strength1 ,o ,almighty ,one1 unto ,thy weak creatures1 and quicken them who are as dead1 that haply they may find ,thee1 and may be led unto the ocean of ,thy guidance1 and may remain steadfast in ,thy ,cause4 ,should the fragrance of ,thy praise be shed abroad by any of the divers tongues of the world1 out of the ,east or out of the ,west1 it would1 verily1 be prized and greatly cherished4 ,if such tongues1 however1 be deprived of that fragrance1 they assuredly would be unworthy of any mention1 in word or yet in thought4 ,we beg of ,thee1 ,o ,providence1 to show ,thy way unto all men1 and to guide them aright4 ,thou art1 verily1 the ,almighty1 the ,most ,powerful1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,seeing4 ,we beseech ,god to aid thee to be just and fair-minded1 and to acquaint thee with the things that were hidden from the eyes of men4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,mighty1 the ,unconstrained4 ,we ask thee to reflect upon that which hath been revealed1 and to be fair and just in thy speech1 that perchance the splendors of the daystar of truthfulness and sincerity may shine forth1 and may deliver thee from the darkness of ignorance1 and illumine the world with the light of knowledge4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath frequented no school1 neither hath ,he attended the controversies of the learned4 ,by ,my life6 ,not of ,mine own volition have ,i revealed ,myself1 but ,god1 of ,his own choosing1 hath manifested ,me4 ,in the ,tablet1 addressed to ,his ,majesty the ,shh--may ,god1 blessed and glorified be ,he1 assist him--these words have streamed from the tongue of this ,wronged ,one3 ,o ,king6 ,i was but a man like others1 asleep upon ,my couch1 when lo1 the breezes of the ,all-,glorious were wafted over ,me1 and taught ,me the knowledge of all that hath been4 ,this thing is not from ,me1 but from ,one ,who is ,almighty and ,all-,knowing4 ,and ,he bade ,me lift up ,my voice between earth and heaven1 and for this there befell ,me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow4 ,the learning current amongst men ,i studied not2 their schools ,i entered not4 ,ask of the city wherein ,i dwelt1 that thou mayest be well assured that ,i am not of them who speak falsely4 ,this is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy ,lord1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised1 have stirred4 ,can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing8 ,nay1 by ,him ,who is the ,lord of all ,names and ,attributes6 ,they move it as they list4 ,the evanescent is as nothing before ,him ,who is the ,ever-,abiding4 ,his all-compelling summons hath reached ,me1 and caused ,me to speak ,his praise amidst all people4 ,i was indeed as one dead when ,his behest was uttered4 ,the hand of the will of thy ,lord1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful1 transformed ,me4 ,now is the moment in which to cleanse thyself with the waters of detachment that have flowed out from the ,supreme ,pen1 and to ponder1 wholly for the sake of ,god1 those things which1 time and again1 have been sent down or manifested1 and then to strive1 as much as lieth in thee1 to quench1 through the power of wisdom and the force of thy utterance1 the fire of enmity and hatred which smouldereth in the hearts of the peoples of the world4 ,the ,divine ,messengers have been sent down1 and their ,books were revealed1 for the purpose of promoting the knowledge of ,god1 and of furthering unity and fellowship amongst men4 ,but now behold1 how they have made the ,law of ,god a cause and pretext for perversity and hatred4 ,how pitiful1 how regrettable1 that most men are cleaving fast to1 and have busied themselves with1 the things they possess1 and are unaware of1 and shut out as by a veil from1 the things ,god possesseth6 ,say3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,attire mine head with the crown of justice1 and my temple with the ornament of equity4 ,thou1 verily1 art the ,possessor of all gifts and bounties4 ,justice and equity are twin ,guardians that watch over men4 ,from them are revealed such blessed and perspicuous words as are the cause of the well-being of the world and the protection of the nations4 ,these words have streamed from the pen of this ,wronged ,one in one of ,his ,tablets3 ,the purpose of the one true ,god1 exalted be ,his glory1 hath been to bring forth the ,mystic ,gems out of the mine of man--they ,who are the ,dawning-,places of ,his ,cause and the ,repositories of the pearls of ,his knowledge2 for1 ,god ,himself1 glorified be ,he1 is the ,unseen1 the ,one concealed and hidden from the eyes of men4 ,consider what the ,merciful hath revealed in the ,qur'n3 ,no vision taketh in ,him1 but ,he taketh in all vision1 and ,he is the ,subtile1 the ,all-,informed6 ,that the divers communions of the earth1 and the manifold systems of religious belief1 should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men1 is1 in this ,day1 of the essence of the ,faith of ,god and ,his ,religion4 ,these principles and laws1 these firmly-established and mighty systems1 have proceeded from one ,source1 and are rays of one ,light4 ,that they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated4 ,gird up the loins of your endeavor1 ,o people of ,bah1 that haply the tumult of religious dissension and strife that agitateth the peoples of the earth may be stilled1 that every trace of it may be completely obliterated4 ,for the love of ,god1 and them that serve ,him1 arise to aid this sublime and momentous ,revelation4 ,religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire1 whose violence none can quench4 ,the ,hand of ,divine power can1 alone1 deliver mankind from this desolating affliction4 ,consider the war that hath involved the two ,nations1 how both sides have renounced their possessions and their lives4 ,how many the villages that were completely wiped out6 ,the utterance of ,god is a lamp1 whose light is these words3 ,ye are the fruits of one tree1 and the leaves of one branch4 ,deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony1 with friendliness and fellowship4 ,he ,who is the ,daystar of ,truth beareth ,me witness6 ,so powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth4 ,the ,one true ,god1 ,he ,who knoweth all things1 ,himself testifieth to the truth of these words4 ,exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station1 the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind4 ,this goal excelleth every other goal1 and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations4 ,so long1 however1 as the thick clouds of oppression1 which obscure the daystar of justice1 remain undispelled1 it would be difficult for the glory of this station to be unveiled to men's eyes4 ,these thick clouds are the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings1 who are none other but the divines of ,persia4 ,at one time ,we spoke in the language of the lawgiver2 at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic1 and yet ,our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station4 ,god1 verily1 is a sufficient witness6 ,consort with all men1 ,o people of ,bah1 in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship4 ,if ye be aware of a certain truth1 if ye possess a jewel1 of which others are deprived1 share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill4 ,if it be accepted1 if it fulfill its purpose1 your object is attained4 ,if anyone should refuse it1 leave him unto himself1 and beseech ,god to guide him4 ,beware lest ye deal unkindly with him4 ,a kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men4 ,it is the bread of the spirit1 it clotheth the words with meaning1 it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding4 ,by divines in the passage cited above is meant those men who outwardly attire themselves with the raiment of knowledge1 but who inwardly are deprived therefrom4 ,in this connection1 ,we quote from the ,tablet addressed to ,his ,majesty the ,shh1 certain passages from the ,hidden ,words which were revealed by the ,abh ,pen under the name of the ,book of ,ftimih1 the blessings of ,god be upon her6 ,o ye that are foolish1 yet have a name to be wise6 ,wherefore do ye wear the guise of the shepherd1 when inwardly ye have become wolves1 intent upon ,my flock8 ,ye are even as the star1 which riseth ere the dawn1 and which1 though it seem radiant and luminous1 leadeth the wayfarers of ,my city astray into the paths of perdition4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,o ye seeming fair yet inwardly foul6 ,ye are like clear but bitter water1 which to outward seeming is crystal pure but of which1 when tested by the ,divine ,assayer1 not a drop is accepted4 ,yea1 the sunbeam falls alike upon the dust and the mirror1 yet differ they in reflection even as doth the star from the earth3 nay1 immeasurable is the difference6 ,and also ,he saith3 ,o essence of desire6 ,at many a dawn have ,i turned from the realms of the ,placeless unto thine abode1 and found thee on the bed of ease busied with others than ,myself4 ,thereupon1 even as the flash of the spirit1 ,i returned to the realms of celest and breathed it not in ,my retreats above unto the hosts of holiness4 ,and again ,he saith3 ,o bond slave of the world6 ,many a dawn hath the breeze of ,my loving-kindness wafted over thee and found thee upon the bed of heedlessness fast asleep4 ,bewailing then thy plight it returned whence it came4 ,those divines1 however1 who are truly adorned with the ornament of knowledge and of a goodly character are1 verily1 as a head to the body of the world1 and as eyes to the nations4 ,the guidance of men hath1 at all times1 been1 and is1 dependent upon such blessed souls4 ,we beseech ,god to graciously aid them to do ,his will and pleasure4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,lord of all men1 the ,lord of this world and of the next4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,we have learned that thou hast turned away from ,us1 and protested against ,us1 in such wise that thou hast bidden the people to curse ,me1 and decreed that the blood of the servants of ,god be shed4 ,god requite him who said3 ,willingly will ,i obey the judge who hath so strangely decreed that my blood be spilt at ,hill and at aram6 ,verily ,i say3 ,whatever befalleth in the path of ,god is the beloved of the soul and the desire of the heart4 ,deadly poison in ,his path is pure honey1 and every tribulation a draught of crystal water4 ,in the ,tablet to ,his ,majesty the ,shh it is written3 ,by ,him ,who is the ,truth6 ,i fear no tribulation in ,his path1 nor any affliction in ,my love for ,him4 ,verily ,god hath made adversity as a morning dew upon ,his green pasture1 and a wick for ,his lamp which lighteth earth and heaven4 ,set thine heart towards ,him ,who is the ,kaaba of ,god1 the ,help in ,peril1 the ,self-,subsisting1 and raise thou thine hands with such firm conviction as shall cause the hands of all created things to be lifted up towards the heaven of the grace of ,god1 the ,lord of all worlds4 ,turn1 then1 thy face towards ,him in such wise that the faces of all beings will turn in the direction of ,his shining and luminous ,horizon1 and say3 ,thou seest me1 ,o my ,lord1 with my face turned towards the heaven of ,thy bounty and the ocean of ,thy favor1 withdrawn from all else beside ,thee4 ,i ask of ,thee1 by the splendors of the ,sun of ,thy revelation on ,sinai1 and the effulgences of the ,orb of ,thy grace which shineth from the horizon of ,thy ,name1 the ,ever-,forgiving1 to grant me ,thy pardon and to have mercy upon me4 ,write down1 then1 for me with ,thy pen of glory that which will exalt me through ,thy ,name in the world of creation4 ,aid me1 ,o my ,lord1 to set myself towards ,thee1 and to hearken unto the voice of ,thy loved ones1 whom the powers of the earth have failed to weaken1 and the dominion of the nations has been powerless to withhold from ,thee1 and who1 advancing towards ,thee1 have said3 #8,god is our ,lord1 the ,lord of all who are in heaven and all who are on earth6' ,o ,shaykh6 ,verily ,i say1 the seal of the ,choice ,wine hath1 in the name of ,him ,who is the ,self-,subsisting1 been broken2 withhold not thyself therefrom4 ,this ,wronged ,one speaketh wholly for the sake of ,god2 thou too shouldst1 likewise1 for the sake of ,god1 meditate upon those things that have been sent down and manifested1 that haply thou mayest1 on this blessed ,day1 take thy portion of the liberal effusions of ,him ,who is truly the ,all-,bountiful1 and mayest not remain deprived thereof4 ,this indeed would not be hard for ,god4 ,dust-made ,adam was raised up1 through the ,word of ,god1 to the heavenly throne1 and a mere fisherman was made the repository of ,divine wisdom1 and ,ab-,dhar1 the shepherd1 became a prince of the nations6 ,this ,day1 ,o ,shaykh1 hath never been1 nor is it now1 the ,day whereon man-made arts and sciences can be regarded as a true standard for men1 since it hath been recognized that ,he ,who was wholly unversed in any of them hath ascended the throne of purest gold1 and occupied the seat of honor in the council of knowledge1 whilst the acknowledged exponent and repository of these arts and sciences remained utterly deprived4 ,by arts and sciences is meant those which begin with words and end with words4 ,such arts and sciences1 however1 as are productive of good results1 and bring forth their fruit1 and are conducive to the well-being and tranquility of men have been1 and will remain1 acceptable before ,god4 ,wert thou to give ear to ,my voice1 thou wouldst cast away all thy possessions1 and wouldst set thy face towards the ,spot wherein the ocean of wisdom and of utterance hath surged1 and the sweet savors of the loving-kindness of thy ,lord1 the ,compassionate1 have wafted4 ,we deem it advisable1 in this connection1 to recount briefly some past events1 that perchance they may be the means of vindicating the cause of equity and justice4 ,at the time when ,his ,majesty the ,shh1 may ,god1 his ,lord1 the ,most ,merciful1 aid him through ,his strengthening grace1 was planning a journey to ,ifhn1 this ,wronged ,one1 having obtained his permission1 visited the holy and luminous resting-places of the ,imms1 may the blessings of ,god be upon them6 ,upon ,our return1 ,we proceeded to ,lavsn on account of the excessive heat prevailing in the capital4 ,following ,our departure1 there occurred the attempt upon the life of ,his ,majesty1 may ,god1 exalted and glorified be ,he1 assist him4 ,those days were troublous days1 and the fires of hatred burned high4 ,many were arrested1 among them this ,wronged ,one4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,we were in no wise connected with that evil deed1 and ,our innocence was indisputably established by the tribunals4 ,nevertheless1 they apprehended ,us1 and from ,nyvarn1 which was then the residence of ,his ,majesty1 conducted ,us1 on foot and in chains1 with bared head and bare feet1 to the dungeon of ihrn4 ,a brutal man1 accompanying ,us on horseback1 snatched off ,our hat1 whilst ,we were being hurried along by a troop of executioners and officials4 ,we were consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison4 ,as to the dungeon in which this ,wronged ,one and others similarly wronged were confined1 a dark and narrow pit were preferable4 ,upon ,our arrival ,we were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor1 from whence ,we descended three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to ,us4 ,the dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness1 and ,our fellow prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls3 thieves1 assassins and highwaymen4 ,though crowded1 it had no other outlet than the passage by which ,we entered4 ,no pen can depict that place1 nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell4 ,most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on4 ,god alone knoweth what befell ,us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place6 ,day and night1 while confined in that dungeon1 ,we meditated upon the deeds1 the condition1 and the conduct of the ,bbs1 wondering what could have led a people so high-minded1 so noble1 and of such intelligence1 to perpetrate such an audacious and outrageous act against the person of ,his ,majesty4 ,this ,wronged ,one1 thereupon1 decided to arise1 after ,his release from prison1 and undertake1 with the utmost vigor1 the task of regenerating this people4 ,one night1 in a dream1 these exalted words were heard on every side3 ,verily1 ,we shall render ,thee victorious by ,thyself and by ,thy ,pen4 ,grieve ,thou not for that which hath befallen ,thee1 neither be ,thou afraid1 for ,thou art in safety4 ,erelong will ,god raise up the treasures of the earth--men who will aid ,thee through ,thyself and through ,thy ,name1 wherewith ,god hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized ,him4 ,and when this ,wronged ,one went forth out of ,his prison1 ,we journeyed1 in pursuance of the order of ,his ,majesty the ,shh--may ,god1 exalted be ,he1 protect him--to #8,irq1 escorted by officers in the service of the esteemed and honored governments of ,persia and ,russia4 ,after ,our arrival1 ,we revealed1 as a copious rain1 by the aid of ,god and ,his ,divine ,grace and mercy1 ,our verses1 and sent them to various parts of the world4 ,we exhorted all men1 and particularly this people1 through ,our wise counsels and loving admonitions1 and forbade them to engage in sedition1 quarrels1 disputes and conflict4 ,as a result of this1 and by the grace of ,god1 waywardness and folly were changed into piety and understanding1 and weapons converted into instruments of peace4 ,during the days ,i lay in the prison of ihrn1 though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed ,me but little sleep1 still in those infrequent moments of slumber ,i felt as if something flowed from the crown of ,my head over ,my breast1 even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain4 ,every limb of ,my body would1 as a result1 be set afire4 ,at such moments ,my tongue recited what no man could bear to hear4 ,we shall herewith cite a few passages from ,tablets specifically revealed to this people1 so that every one may know of a certainty that this ,wronged ,one hath acted in a manner which hath been pleasing and acceptable unto men endued with insight1 and unto such as are the exponents of justice and equity3 ,o ye friends of ,god in ,his cities and ,his loved ones in ,his lands6 ,this ,wronged ,one enjoineth on you honesty and piety4 ,blessed the city that shineth by their light4 ,through them man is exalted1 and the door of security is unlocked before the face of all creation4 ,happy the man that cleaveth fast unto them1 and recognizeth their virtue1 and woe betide him that denieth their station4 ,and in another connection these words were revealed3 ,we enjoin the servants of ,god and ,his handmaidens to be pure and to fear ,god1 that they may shake off the slumber of their corrupt desires1 and turn toward ,god1 the ,maker of the heavens and of the earth4 ,thus have ,we commanded the faithful when the ,daystar of the world shone forth from the horizon of #8,irq4 ,my imprisonment doeth ,me no harm1 neither the tribulations ,i suffer1 nor the things that have befallen ,me at the hands of ,my oppressors4 ,that which harmeth ,me is the conduct of those who1 though they bear ,my name1 yet commit that which maketh ,my heart and ,my pen to lament4 ,they that spread disorder in the land1 and lay hands on the property of others1 and enter a house without leave of its owner1 ,we1 verily1 are clear of them1 unless they repent and return unto ,god1 the ,ever-,forgiving1 the ,most ,merciful4 ,and in another connection3 ,o peoples of the earth6 ,haste ye to do the pleasure of ,god1 and war ye valiantly1 as it behooveth you to war1 for the sake of proclaiming ,his resistless and immovable ,cause4 ,we have decreed that war shall be waged in the path of ,god with the armies of wisdom and utterance1 and of a goodly character and praiseworthy deeds4 ,thus hath it been decided by ,him ,who is the ,all-,powerful1 the ,almighty4 ,there is no glory for him that committeth disorder on the earth after it hath been made so good4 ,fear ,god1 ,o people1 and be not of them that act unjustly4 ,and again in another connection3 ,revile ye not one another4 ,we1 verily1 have come to unite and weld together all that dwell on earth4 ,unto this beareth witness what the ocean of ,mine utterance hath revealed amongst men1 and yet most of the people have gone astray4 ,if anyone revile you1 or trouble touch you1 in the path of ,god1 be patient1 and put your trust in ,him ,who heareth1 ,who seeth4 ,he1 in truth1 witnesseth1 and perceiveth1 and doeth what ,he pleaseth1 through the power of ,his sovereignty4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,lord of strength1 and of might4 ,in the ,book of ,god1 the ,mighty1 the ,great1 ye have been forbidden to engage in contention and conflict4 ,lay fast hold on whatever will profit you1 and profit the peoples of the world4 ,thus commandeth you the ,king of ,eternity1 ,who is manifest in ,his ,most ,great ,name4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,ordainer1 the ,all-,wise4 ,and yet again in another connection3 ,beware lest ye shed the blood of any one4 ,unsheathe the sword of your tongue from the scabbard of utterance1 for therewith ye can conquer the citadels of men's hearts4 ,we have abolished the law to wage holy war against each other4 ,god's mercy hath1 verily1 encompassed all created things1 if ye do but understand4 ,and yet again in another connection3 ,o people6 ,spread not disorder in the land1 and shed not the blood of any one1 and consume not the substance of others wrongfully1 neither follow every accursed prattler4 ,and still again in another connection3 ,the ,sun of ,divine ,utterance can never set1 neither can its radiance be extinguished4 ,these sublime words have1 in this day1 been heard from the ,lote-,tree beyond which there is no passing3 #8,i belong to him that loveth ,me1 that holdeth fast ,my commandments1 and casteth away the things forbidden him in ,my ,book4' ,and still again in another connection3 ,this is the day to make mention of ,god1 to celebrate ,his praise1 and to serve ,him2 deprive not yourselves thereof4 ,ye are the letters of the words1 and the words of the ,book4 ,ye are the saplings which the hand of ,loving-kindness hath planted in the soil of mercy1 and which the showers of bounty have made to flourish4 ,he hath protected you from the mighty winds of misbelief1 and the tempestuous gales of impiety1 and nurtured you with the hands of ,his loving providence4 ,now is the time for you to put forth your leaves1 and yield your fruit4 ,the fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character4 ,withhold not these fruits from the heedless4 ,if they be accepted1 your end is attained1 and the purpose of life achieved4 ,if not1 leave them in their pastime of vain disputes4 ,strive1 ,o people of ,god1 that haply the hearts of the divers kindreds of the earth may1 through the waters of your forbearance and loving-kindness1 be cleansed and sanctified from animosity and hatred1 and be made worthy and befitting recipients of the splendors of the ,sun of ,truth4 ,in the fourth ,ishrq 7splendor7 of the ,ishrqt 7,tablet of ,splendors7 ,we have mentioned3 ,every cause needeth a helper4 ,in this ,revelation the hosts which can render it victorious are the hosts of praiseworthy deeds and upright character4 ,the leader and commander of these hosts hath ever been the fear of ,god1 a fear that encompasseth all things1 and reigneth over all things4 ,in the third ,tajall 7effulgence7 of the ,book of ,tajallyt 7,book of ,effulgences7 ,we have mentioned3 ,arts1 crafts and sciences uplift the world of being1 and are conducive to its exaltation4 ,knowledge is as wings to man's life1 and a ladder for his ascent4 ,its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone4 ,the knowledge of such sciences1 however1 should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth1 and not those which begin with words and end with words4 ,great indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world4 ,unto this beareth witness the ,mother ,book in this conspicuous station4 ,in truth1 knowledge is a veritable treasure for man1 and a source of glory1 of bounty1 of joy1 of exaltation1 of cheer and gladness unto him4 ,happy the man that cleaveth unto it1 and woe betide the heedless4 ,it is incumbent upon thee to summon the people1 under all conditions1 to whatever will cause them to show forth spiritual characteristics and goodly deeds1 so that all may become aware of that which is the cause of human upliftment1 and may1 with the utmost endeavor1 direct themselves towards the most sublime ,station and the ,pinnacle of ,glory4 ,the fear of ,god hath ever been the prime factor in the education of ,his creatures4 ,well is it with them that have attained thereunto6 ,the first word which the ,abh ,pen hath revealed and inscribed on the first leaf of ,paradise is this3 ,verily ,i say3 ,the fear of ,god hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold for all the peoples of the world4 ,it is the chief cause of the protection of mankind1 and the supreme instrument for its preservation4 ,indeed1 there existeth in man a faculty which deterreth him from1 and guardeth him against1 whatever is unworthy and unseemly1 and which is known as his sense of shame4 ,this1 however1 is confined to but a few2 all have not possessed1 and do not possess1 it4 ,it is incumbent upon the kings and the spiritual leaders of the world to lay fast hold on religion1 inasmuch as through it the fear of ,god is instilled in all else but ,him4 ,the second word ,we have recorded on the second leaf of ,paradise is the following3 ,the ,pen of the ,divine ,expounder exhorteth1 at this moment1 the manifestations of authority and the sources of power1 namely the kings and rulers of the earth--may ,god assist them--and enjoineth them to uphold the cause of religion1 and to cleave unto it4 ,religion is1 verily1 the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world1 and of tranquillity amongst its peoples4 ,the weakening of the pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish1 and emboldened them1 and made them more arrogant4 ,verily ,i say3 ,the greater the decline of religion1 the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly4 ,this cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion4 ,hear ,me1 ,o men of insight1 and be warned1 ye who are endued with discernment6 ,it is ,our hope that thou wilt hear with attentive ears the things ,we have mentioned unto thee1 that perchance thou mayest turn men away from the things they possess to the things that ,god possesseth4 ,we entreat ,god to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness1 and cause them to shine forth upon men4 ,no light can compare with the light of justice4 ,the establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of the nations depend upon it4 ,in the ,book of ,utterance these exalted words have been written down and recorded3 ,say1 ,o friends6 ,strive that haply the tribulations suffered by this ,wronged ,one and by you1 in the path of ,god1 may not prove to have been in vain4 ,cling ye to the hem of virtue1 and hold fast to the cord of trustworthiness and piety4 ,concern yourselves with the things that benefit mankind1 and not with your corrupt and selfish desires4 ,o ye followers of this ,wronged ,one6 ,ye are the shepherds of mankind2 liberate ye your flocks from the wolves of evil passions and desires1 and adorn them with the ornament of the fear of ,god4 ,this is the firm commandment which hath1 at this moment1 flowed out from the ,pen of ,him ,who is the ,ancient of ,days4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,the sword of a virtuous character and upright conduct is sharper than blades of steel4 ,the voice of the true ,faith calleth aloud1 at this moment1 and saith3 ,o people6 ,verily1 the ,day is come1 and ,my ,lord hath made ,me to shine forth with a light whose splendor hath eclipsed the suns of utterance4 ,fear ye the ,merciful1 and be not of them that have gone astray4 ,the third word we have recorded on the third leaf of ,paradise is this3 ,o son of man6 ,if thine eyes be turned towards mercy1 forsake the things that profit thee1 and cleave unto that which will profit mankind4 ,and if thine eyes be turned towards justice1 choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself4 ,humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power1 whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation4 ,great is the ,day1 and mighty the ,call6 ,in one of ,our ,tablets ,we have revealed these exalted words3 #8,were the world of the spirit to be wholly converted into the sense of hearing1 it could then claim to be worthy to hearken unto the ,voice that calleth from the ,supreme ,horizon2 for otherwise1 these ears that are defiled with lying tales have never been1 nor are they now1 fit to hear it4' ,well is it with them that hearken2 and woe betide the wayward4 ,we pray ,god--exalted be ,his glory--and cherish the hope that ,he may graciously assist the manifestations of affluence and power and the daysprings of sovereignty and glory1 the kings of the earth--may ,god aid them through ,his strengthening grace--to establish the ,lesser ,peace4 ,this1 indeed1 is the greatest means for insuring the tranquillity of the nations4 ,it is incumbent upon the ,sovereigns of the world--may ,god assist them--unitedly to hold fast unto this ,peace1 which is the chief instrument for the protection of all mankind4 ,it is ,our hope that they will arise to achieve what will be conducive to the well-being of man4 ,it is their duty to convene an all-inclusive assembly1 which either they themselves or their ministers will attend1 and to enforce whatever measures are required to establish unity and concord amongst men4 ,they must put away the weapons of war1 and turn to the instruments of universal reconstruction4 ,should one king rise up against another1 all the other kings must arise to deter him4 ,arms and armaments will1 then1 be no more needed beyond that which is necessary to insure the internal security of their respective countries4 ,if they attain unto this all-surpassing blessing1 the people of each nation will pursue1 with tranquillity and contentment1 their own occupations1 and the groanings and lamentations of most men would be silenced4 ,we beseech ,god to aid them to do ,his will and pleasure4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,lord of the throne on high and of earth below1 and the ,lord of this world and of the world to come4 ,it would be preferable and more fitting that the highly honored kings themselves should attend such an assembly1 and proclaim their edicts4 ,any king who will arise and carry out this task1 he verily will1 in the sight of ,god1 become the cynosure of all kings4 ,happy is he1 and great is his blessedness6 ,in this land1 every time men are conscripted for the army1 a great terror seizeth the people4 ,every nation augmenteth1 each year1 its forces1 for their ministers of war are insatiable in their desire to add fresh recruits to their battalions4 ,we have learned that the government of ,persia--may ,god assist them--have1 likewise decided to reinforce their army4 ,in the opinion of this ,wronged ,one a force of one hundred thousand fully-equipped and well-disciplined men would suffice4 ,we hope that thou wilt cause the light of justice to shine more brightly4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,justice is a powerful force4 ,it is1 above all else1 the conqueror of the citadels of the hearts and souls of men1 and the revealer of the secrets of the world of being1 and the standard-bearer of love and bounty4 ,in the treasuries of the knowledge of ,god there lieth concealed a knowledge which1 when applied1 will largely1 though not wholly1 eliminate fear4 ,this knowledge1 however1 should be taught from childhood1 as it will greatly aid in its elimination4 ,whatever decreaseth fear increaseth courage4 ,should the ,will of ,god assist ,us1 there would flow out from the ,pen of the ,divine ,expounder a lengthy exposition of that which hath been mentioned1 and there would be revealed1 in the field of arts and sciences1 what would renew the world and the nations4 ,a word hath1 likewise1 been written down and recorded by the ,pen of the ,most ,high in the ,crimson ,book which is capable of fully disclosing that force which is hid in men1 nay of redoubling its potency4 ,we implore ,god--exalted and glorified be ,he--to graciously assist ,his servants to do that which is pleasing and acceptable unto ,him4 ,in these days enemies have compassed ,us about1 and the fire of hatred is kindled4 ,o peoples of the earth6 ,by ,my life and by your own6 ,this ,wronged ,one hath never had1 nor hath ,he now any desire for leadership4 ,mine aim hath ever been1 and still is1 to suppress whatever is the cause of contention amidst the peoples of the earth1 and of separation amongst the nations1 so that all men may be sanctified from every earthly attachment1 and be set free to occupy themselves with their own interests4 ,we entreat ,our loved ones not to besmirch the hem of ,our raiment with the dust of falsehood1 neither to allow references to what they have regarded as miracles and prodigies to debase ,our rank and station1 or to mar the purity and sanctity of ,our name4 ,gracious ,god6 ,this is the day whereon the wise should seek the advice of this ,wronged ,one1 and ask ,him ,who is the ,truth what things are conducive to the glory and tranquillity of men4 ,and yet1 all are earnestly striving to put out this glorious and shining light1 and are diligently seeking either to establish ,our guilt1 or to voice their protest against ,us4 ,matters have come to such a pass1 that the conduct of this ,wronged ,one hath1 in every way1 been grossly misrepresented1 and in a manner which it would be unseemly to mention4 ,one of ,our friends hath reported that among the residents of the ,great ,city 7,constantinople7 he had heard with the greatest regret someone state that1 each year1 a sum of fifty thousand tumans was being despatched from his native land to ,akk6 ,it hath not1 however1 been made clear who had disbursed the sum1 nor through whose hands it had passed6 ,briefly1 this ,wronged ,one hath1 in the face of all that hath befallen ,him at their hands1 and all that hath been said of ,him1 endured patiently1 and held ,his peace1 inasmuch as it is ,our purpose1 through the loving providence of ,god--exalted be ,his glory--and ,his surpassing mercy1 to abolish1 through the force of ,our utterance1 all disputes1 war1 and bloodshed1 from the face of the earth4 ,under all conditions ,we have1 in spite of what they have said1 endured with seemly patience1 and have left them to ,god4 ,in answer to this particular imputation1 however1 ,we have replied1 that if that which he affirmeth be true1 it behooveth him to be thankful to ,him ,who is the ,lord of all being1 and the ,king of the seen and unseen1 for having raised up in ,persia ,one ,who1 though a prisoner and with none to help and assist ,him1 hath succeeded in establishing ,his ascendency over that land1 and in drawing from it a yearly revenue4 ,such an achievement should be praised rather than censured1 if he be of them that judge equitably4 ,should anyone seek to be acquainted with the condition of this ,wronged ,one1 let him be told that these captives whom the world hath persecuted and the nations wronged have1 for days and nights1 been entirely denied the barest means of subsistence4 ,we are loth to mention such things1 neither have ,we had1 nor do ,we have now1 any desire to complain against ,our accuser4 ,within the walls of this prison a highly esteemed man was for some time obliged to break stones that he might earn a living1 whilst others had1 at times1 to nourish themselves with that ,divine sustenance which is hunger6 ,we entreat ,god--exalted and glorified be ,he--to aid all men to be just and fair-minded1 and to graciously assist them to repent and return unto ,him4 ,he1 verily1 heareth1 and is ready to answer4 ,glorified art ,thou1 ,o ,lord my ,god6 ,thou seest what hath befallen this ,wronged ,one at the hands of them that have not associated with ,me1 and who have arisen to harm and abase ,me1 in a manner which no pen can describe1 nor tongue recount1 nor can any ,tablet sustain its weight4 ,thou hearest the cry of ,mine heart1 and the groaning of ,mine inmost being1 and the things that have befallen ,thy trusted ones in ,thy cities and ,thy chosen ones in ,thy land1 at the hands of such as have broken ,thy ,covenant and ,thy ,testament4 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o my ,lord1 by the sighs of ,thy lovers throughout the world1 and by their lamentation in their remoteness from the court of ,thy presence1 and by the blood that hath been shed for love of ,thee1 and by the hearts that have melted in ,thy path1 to protect ,thy loved ones from the cruelty of such as have remained unaware of the mysteries of ,thy ,name1 the ,unconstrained4 ,assist them1 ,o my ,lord1 by ,thy power that hath prevailed over all things1 and aid them to be patient and long-suffering4 ,thou art the ,all-,powerful1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,bountiful4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,generous1 the ,lord of grace abounding4 ,in these days there are some who1 far from being just and fair-minded1 have assaulted ,me with the sword of hatred and the spear of enmity1 forgetting that it behooveth every fair-minded person to succor ,him ,whom the world hath cast away and the nations abandoned1 and to lay hold on piety and righteousness4 ,most men have until now failed to discover the purpose of this ,wronged ,one1 nor have they known the reason for which ,he hath been willing to endure countless afflictions4 ,meanwhile1 the voice of ,mine heart crieth out these words3 ,o that ,my people knew6 ,this ,wronged ,one1 rid of attachment unto all things1 uttereth these exalted words3 ,waves have encompassed the ,ark of ,god1 the ,help in ,peril1 the ,self-,subsisting4 ,fear not the tempestuous gales1 ,o ,mariner6 ,he ,who causeth the dawn to appear is1 verily1 with ,thee in this darkness that hath struck terror into the hearts of all men1 except such as ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,unconstrained1 hath been pleased to spare4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,i swear by the ,sun of ,truth ,which hath risen and shineth above the horizon of this ,prison6 ,the betterment of the world hath been the sole aim of this ,wronged ,one4 ,unto this beareth witness every man of judgment1 of discernment1 of insight and understanding4 ,whilst afflicted with trials1 ,he held fast unto the cord of patience and fortitude1 and was satisfied with the things which have befallen ,him at the hands of ,his enemies1 and was crying out3 ,i have renounced ,my desire for ,thy desire1 ,o my ,god1 and ,my will for the revelation of ,thy ,will4 ,by ,thy glory6 ,i desire neither ,myself nor ,my life except for the purpose of serving ,thy ,cause1 and ,i love not ,my being save that ,i may sacrifice it in ,thy path4 ,thou seest and knowest1 ,o my ,lord1 that those whom ,we asked to be fair and just1 have1 unjustly and cruelly1 risen up against ,us4 ,openly they were with ,me1 yet secretly they assisted ,my foes1 who have arisen to dishonor ,me4 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,i testify that ,thou hast created ,thy servants to aid ,thy ,cause and exalt ,thy ,word1 and yet they have helped ,thine enemies4 ,i beseech ,thee1 by ,thy ,cause that hath encompassed the world of being1 and by ,thy ,name wherewith ,thou hast subjected the seen and unseen1 to adorn the peoples of the earth with the light of ,thy justice1 and to illuminate their hearts with the brightness of ,thy knowledge4 ,i am1 ,o my ,lord1 ,thy servant and the son of ,thy servant4 ,i bear witness unto ,thy unity1 and ,thy oneness1 and to the sanctity of ,thy self and the purity of ,thine ,essence4 ,thou beholdest1 ,o my ,lord1 ,thy trusted ones at the mercy of the treacherous among ,thy creatures1 and the calumniators amidst ,thy people4 ,thou knowest what hath befallen ,us at the hands of them whom ,thou knowest better than we know them4 ,they have committed what hath torn the veil from such of ,thy creatures as are nigh unto ,thee4 ,i beseech ,thee to assist them to obtain that which hath escaped them in the days of the ,dawning-,place of ,thy ,revelation and the ,dayspring of ,thine ,inspiration4 ,potent art ,thou to do what pleaseth ,thee1 and in ,thy grasp are the reins of all that is in heaven and all that is on earth4 ,the voice and the lamentation of the true ,faith have been raised4 ,it calleth aloud and saith3 ,o people6 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,i have attained unto ,him ,who hath manifested me and sent me down4 ,this is the ,day whereon ,sinai hath smiled at ,him ,who conversed upon it1 and ,carmel at its ,revealer1 and the ,sadrah at ,him ,who taught it4 ,fear ye ,god1 and be not of them that have denied ,him4 ,withhold not yourselves from that which hath been revealed through ,his grace4 ,seize ye the living waters of immortality in the name of your ,lord1 the ,lord of all names1 and drink ye in the remembrance of ,him1 ,who is the ,mighty1 the ,peerless4 ,we have1 under all circumstances1 enjoined on men what is right1 and forbidden what is wrong4 ,he ,who is the ,lord of ,being is witness that this ,wronged ,one hath besought from ,god for ,his creatures whatever is conducive to unity and harmony1 fellowship and concord4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,this ,wronged ,one is not capable of dissimulation4 ,he1 verily1 hath revealed that which ,he desired2 ,he1 truly1 is the ,lord of strength1 the ,unrestrained4 ,we once again refer unto some of the sublime words revealed in the ,tablet to ,his ,majesty the ,shh1 so that thou mayest know of a certainty that whatever hath been mentioned hath come from ,god3 ,o ,king6 ,i was but a man like others1 asleep upon ,my couch1 when lo1 the breezes of the ,all-,glorious were wafted over ,me1 and taught ,me the knowledge of all that hath been4 ,this thing is not from ,me1 but from ,one ,who is ,almighty and ,all-,knowing4 ,and ,he bade ,me lift up ,my voice between earth and heaven1 and for this there befell ,me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow4 ,the learning current amongst men ,i studied not2 their schools ,i entered not4 ,ask of the city wherein ,i dwelt1 that thou mayest be well assured that ,i am not of them who speak falsely4 ,this is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy ,lord1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised1 have stirred4 ,can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing8 ,nay1 by ,him ,who is the ,lord of all ,names and ,attributes6 ,they move it as they list4 ,the evanescent is as nothing before ,him ,who is the ,ever-,abiding4 ,his all-compelling summons hath reached ,me1 and caused ,me to speak ,his praise amidst all people4 ,i was indeed as one dead when ,his behest was uttered4 ,the hand of the will of thy ,lord1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful1 transformed ,me4 ,can anyone speak forth of his own accord that for which all men1 both high and low1 will protest against him8 ,nay1 by ,him ,who taught the ,pen the eternal mysteries1 save him whom the grace of the ,almighty1 the ,all-,powerful1 hath strengthened4 ,look upon this ,wronged ,one1 ,o ,king1 with the eyes of justice2 judge thou1 then1 with truth concerning what hath befallen ,him4 ,of a verity1 ,god hath made thee ,his shadow amongst men1 and the sign of ,his power unto all that dwell on earth4 ,judge thou between ,us and them that have wronged ,us without proof and without an enlightening ,book4 ,they that surround thee love thee for their own sakes1 whereas this ,youth loveth thee for thine own sake1 and hath had no desire except to draw thee nigh unto the seat of grace1 and to turn thee toward the right-hand of justice4 ,thy ,lord beareth witness unto that which ,i declare4 ,o ,king6 ,wert thou to incline thine ears unto the shrill voice of the ,pen of ,glory and the cooing of the ,dove of ,eternity1 which on the branches of the ,lote-,tree beyond which there is no passing1 uttereth praises to ,god1 the ,maker of all ,names and the ,creator of earth and heaven1 thou wouldst attain unto a station from which thou wouldst behold in the world of being naught save the effulgence of the ,adored ,one1 and wouldst regard thy sovereignty as the most contemptible of thy possessions1 abandoning it to whosoever might desire it1 and setting thy face toward the ,horizon aglow with the light of ,his countenance4 ,neither wouldst thou ever be willing to bear the burden of dominion save for the purpose of helping thy ,lord1 the ,exalted1 the ,most ,high4 ,then would the ,concourse on high bless thee4 ,o how excellent is this most sublime station1 couldst thou ascend thereunto through the power of a sovereignty recognized as derived from the ,name of ,god6 ,either thou or someone else hath said3 ,let the ,srih of ,tawhd be translated1 so that all may know and be fully persuaded that the one true ,god begetteth not1 nor is ,he begotten4 ,moreover1 the ,bbs believe in his 7,bah'u'llh's7 ,divinity and ,godhood4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,this station is the station in which one dieth to himself and liveth in ,god4 ,divinity1 whenever ,i mention it1 indicateth ,my complete and absolute self-effacement4 ,this is the station in which ,i have no control over mine own weal or woe nor over my life nor over my resurrection4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,how do the divines of this age account for the effulgent glory which the ,sadrah of ,utterance hath shed upon the ,son of #8,imrn 7,moses7 on the ,sinai of ,divine knowledge8 ,he 7,moses7 hearkened unto the ,word which the ,burning ,bush had uttered1 and accepted it2 and yet most men are bereft of the power of comprehending this1 inasmuch as they have busied themselves with their own concerns1 and are unaware of the things which belong unto ,god4 ,referring to this1 the ,siyyid of ,findirisk hath well said3 ,this theme no mortal mind can fathom2 be it even that of ,ab-,nasr1 or ,ab-#8,al ,sn 7,avicenna74 ,what explanation can they give concerning that which the ,seal of the ,prophets 7,muammad7--may the souls of all else but ,him be offered up for ,his sake--hath said83 ,ye1 verily1 shall behold your ,lord as ye behold the full moon on its fourteenth night4 ,the ,commander of the ,faithful 7,imm #8,al7--peace be upon him--moreover1 saith in the ,khutbiy-i-,tutnjyyih3 ,anticipate ye the ,revelation of ,him ,who conversed with ,moses from the ,burning ,bush on ,sinai4 usayn1 the son of #8,al--peace be upon him--likewise saith3 ,will there be vouchsafed unto anyone besides ,thee a ,revelation which hath not been vouchsafed unto ,thyself--,a ,revelation ,whose ,revealer will be ,he ,who revealed ,thee4 ,blind be the eye that seeth ,thee not6 ,similar sayings from the ,imms--the blessings of ,god be upon them--have been recorded and are widely known1 and are embodied in books worthy of credence4 ,blessed is he that perceiveth1 and speaketh the pure truth4 ,well is it with him who1 aided by the living waters of the utterance of ,him ,who is the ,desire of all men1 hath purified himself from idle fancies and vain imaginings1 and torn away1 in the name of the ,all-,possessing1 the ,most ,high1 the veils of doubt1 and renounced the world and all that is therein1 and directed himself towards the ,most ,great ,prison4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,no breeze can compare with the breezes of ,divine ,revelation1 whilst the ,word which is uttered by ,god shineth and flasheth as the sun amidst the books of men4 ,happy the man that hath discovered it1 and recognized it1 and said3 ,praised be ,thou1 ,who art the ,desire of the world1 and thanks be to ,thee1 ,o ,well-,beloved of the hearts of such as are devoted to ,thee6 ,men have failed to perceive ,our purpose in the references ,we have made to ,divinity and ,godhood4 ,were they to apprehend it1 they would arise from their places1 and cry out3 ,we1 verily1 ask pardon of ,god6 ,the ,seal of the ,prophets--may the souls of all else but ,him be offered up for ,his sake--saith3 ,manifold are ,our relationships with ,god4 ,at one time1 ,we are ,he ,himself1 and ,he is ,we ,ourself4 ,at another ,he is that ,he is1 and ,we are that ,we are4 ,aside from this1 why is it that thou didst not mention those other stations which the ,abh ,pen hath disclosed8 ,the tongue of this ,wronged ,one hath1 many a day and night1 given utterance to these sublime words3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,i bear witness to ,thy unity and ,thy oneness1 and that ,thou art ,god1 and that there is none other ,god but ,thee4 ,thou hast everlastingly been sanctified above the mention of any one but ,thee and the praise of all else except ,thyself1 and ,thou wilt everlastingly continue to be the same as ,thou wast from the beginning and hast ever been4 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o ,king of ,eternity1 by the ,most ,great ,name1 and by the effulgences of the ,daystar of ,thy ,revelation upon the ,sinai of ,utterance1 and by the billows of the ,ocean of ,thy knowledge among all created things1 to graciously assist ,me in that which will draw ,me nigh unto ,thee1 and will detach ,me from all except ,thee4 ,by ,thy glory1 ,o ,lord of all being1 and the ,desire of all creation6 ,i would love to lay ,my face upon every single spot of ,thine earth1 that perchance it might be honored by touching a spot ennobled by the footsteps of ,thy loved ones6 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,idle fancies have debarred men from the ,horizon of ,certitude1 and vain imaginings withheld them from the ,choice ,sealed ,wine4 ,in truth ,i say1 and for the sake of ,god ,i declare3 ,this ,servant1 this ,wronged ,one1 is abashed to claim for ,himself any existence whatever1 how much more those exalted grades of being6 ,every man of discernment1 while walking upon the earth1 feeleth indeed abashed1 inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity1 his wealth1 his might1 his exaltation1 his advancement and power is1 as ordained by ,god1 the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men4 ,there can be no doubt that whoever is cognizant of this truth1 is cleansed and sanctified from all pride1 arrogance1 and vainglory4 ,whatever hath been said hath come from ,god4 ,unto this1 ,he1 verily1 hath borne1 and beareth now1 witness1 and ,he1 in truth1 is the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,informed4 ,beseech ,god to grant unto men hearing ears1 and sharp sight1 and dilated breasts1 and receptive hearts1 that haply ,his servants may attain unto their hearts' ,desire1 and set their faces towards their ,beloved4 ,troubles1 such as no eye hath beheld1 have touched this ,wronged ,one4 ,in proclaiming ,his ,cause1 ,he1 in no wise1 hesitated4 ,addressing ,himself unto the kings and rulers of the earth--may ,god1 exalted be ,he1 assist them--,he imparted unto them that which is the cause of the well-being1 the unity1 the harmony1 and the reconstruction of the world1 and of the tranquillity of the nations4 ,among them was ,napoleon ,,iii1 who is reported to have made a certain statement1 as a result of which ,we sent him ,our ,tablet while in ,adrianople4 ,to this1 however1 he did not reply4 ,after ,our arrival in the ,most ,great ,prison there reached ,us a letter from his ,minister1 the first part of which was in ,persian1 and the latter in his own handwriting4 ,in it he was cordial1 and wrote the following3 ,i have1 as requested by you1 delivered your letter1 and until now have received no answer4 ,we have1 however1 issued the necessary recommendations to our ,minister in ,constantinople and our consuls in those regions4 ,if there be anything you wish done1 inform us1 and we will carry it out4 ,from his words it became apparent that he understood the purpose of this ,servant to have been a request for material assistance4 ,we1 therefore1 revealed in his 7,napoleon ,,iii's7 name verses in the ,sratu'l-,haykal1 some of which ,we now quote1 that thou mayest know that the ,cause of this ,wronged ,one hath been revealed for the sake of ,god1 and hath come from ,him3 ,o ,king of ,paris6 ,tell the priest to ring the bells no longer4 ,by ,god1 the ,true ,one6 ,the ,most ,mighty ,bell hath appeared in the form of ,him ,who is the ,most ,great ,name1 and the fingers of the will of ,thy ,lord1 the ,most ,exalted1 the ,most ,high1 toll it out in the heaven of ,immortality1 in ,his name1 the ,all-,glorious4 ,thus have the mighty verses of ,thy ,lord been again sent down unto thee1 that thou mayest arise to remember ,god1 the ,creator of earth and heaven1 in these days when all the tribes of the earth have mourned1 and the foundations of the cities have trembled1 and the dust of irreligion hath enwrapped all men1 except such as ,god1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise1 was pleased to spare4 ,say3 ,he ,who is the ,unconditioned is come1 in the clouds of light1 that ,he may quicken all created things with the breezes of ,his ,name1 the ,most ,merciful1 and unify the world1 and gather all men around this ,table which hath been sent down from heaven4 ,beware that ye deny not the favor of ,god after it hath been sent down unto you4 ,better is this for you than that which ye possess2 for that which is yours perisheth1 whilst that which is with ,god endureth4 ,he1 in truth1 ordaineth what ,he pleaseth4 ,verily1 the breezes of forgiveness have been wafted from the direction of your ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy2 whoso turneth thereunto1 shall be cleansed of his sins1 and of all pain and sickness4 ,happy the man that hath turned towards them1 and woe betide him that hath turned aside4 ,wert thou to incline thine inner ear unto all created things1 thou wouldst hear3 #8,the ,ancient of ,days is come in ,his great glory6' ,everything celebrateth the praise of its ,lord4 ,some have known ,god and remember ,him2 others remember ,him1 yet know ,him not4 ,thus have ,we set down ,our decree in a perspicuous ,tablet4 ,give ear1 ,o ,king1 unto the ,voice that calleth from the ,fire which burneth in this verdant ,tree1 on this ,sinai which hath been raised above the hallowed and snow-white ,spot1 beyond the ,everlasting ,city2 #8,verily1 there is none other ,god but ,me1 the ,ever-,forgiving1 the ,most ,merciful6' ,we1 in truth1 have sent ,him ,whom ,we aided with the ,holy ,spirit 7,jesus ,christ7 that ,he may announce unto you this ,light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the will of your ,lord1 the ,most ,exalted1 the ,all-,glorious1 and ,whose signs have been revealed in the ,west4 ,set your faces towards ,him 7,bah'u'llh71 on this ,day which ,god hath exalted above all other days1 and whereon the ,all-,merciful hath shed the splendor of ,his effulgent glory upon all who are in heaven and all who are on earth4 ,arise thou to serve ,god and help ,his ,cause4 ,he1 verily1 will assist thee with the hosts of the seen and unseen1 and will set thee king over all that whereon the sun riseth4 ,thy ,lord1 in truth1 is the ,all-,powerful1 the ,almighty4 ,the breezes of the ,most ,merciful have passed over all created things2 happy the man that hath discovered their fragrance1 and set himself towards them with a sound heart4 ,attire thy temple with the ornament of ,my ,name1 and thy tongue with remembrance of ,me1 and thine heart with love for ,me1 the ,almighty1 the ,most ,high4 ,we have desired for thee naught except that which is better for thee than what thou dost possess and all the treasures of the earth4 ,thy ,lord1 verily1 is knowing1 informed of all4 ,arise1 in ,my ,name1 amongst ,my servants1 and say3 #8,o ye peoples of the earth6 ,turn yourselves towards ,him ,who hath turned towards you4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,face of ,god amongst you1 and ,his ,testimony and ,his ,guide unto you4 ,he hath come to you with signs which none can produce4' ,the voice of the ,burning ,bush is raised in the midmost heart of the world1 and the ,holy ,spirit calleth aloud among the nations3 #8,lo1 the ,desired ,one is come with manifest dominion6' ,o ,king6 ,the stars of the heaven of knowledge have fallen1 they who seek to establish the truth of ,my ,cause through the things they possess1 and who make mention of ,god in ,my ,name4 ,and yet1 when ,i came unto them in ,my glory1 they turned aside4 ,they1 indeed1 are of the fallen4 ,this is1 truly1 that which the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus ,christ7 hath announced1 when ,he came with truth unto you1 ,he with ,whom the ,jewish doctors disputed1 till at last they perpetrated what hath made the ,holy ,spirit to lament1 and the tears of them that have near access to ,god to flow4 ,say3 ,o concourse of monks6 ,seclude not yourselves in your churches and cloisters4 ,come ye out of them by ,my leave1 and busy1 then1 yourselves with what will profit you and others4 ,thus commandeth you ,he ,who is the ,lord of the ,day of ,reckoning4 ,seclude yourselves in the stronghold of ,my love4 ,this1 truly1 is the seclusion that befitteth you1 could ye but know it4 ,he that secludeth himself in his house is indeed as one dead4 ,it behooveth man to show forth that which will benefit mankind4 ,he that bringeth forth no fruit is fit for the fire4 ,thus admonisheth you your ,lord2 ,he1 verily1 is the ,mighty1 the ,bountiful4 ,enter ye into wedlock1 that after you another may arise in your stead4 ,we1 verily1 have forbidden you lechery1 and not that which is conducive to fidelity4 ,have ye clung unto the promptings of your nature1 and cast behind your backs the statutes of ,god8 ,fear ye ,god1 and be not of the foolish4 ,but for man1 who1 on ,my earth1 would remember ,me1 and how could ,my attributes and ,my names be revealed8 ,reflect1 and be not of them that have shut themselves out as by a veil from ,him1 and were of those that are fast asleep4 ,he that married not 7,jesus ,christ7 could find no place wherein to abide1 nor where to lay ,his head1 by reason of what the hands of the treacherous had wrought4 ,his holiness consisted not in the things ye have believed and imagined1 but rather in the things which belong unto ,us4 ,ask1 that ye may be made aware of ,his station which hath been exalted above the vain imaginings of all the peoples of the earth4 ,blessed are they that understand4 ,o ,king6 ,we heard the words thou didst utter in answer to the ,czar of ,russia1 concerning the decision made regarding the war 7,crimean ,war74 ,thy ,lord1 verily1 knoweth1 is informed of all4 ,thou didst say3 #8,i lay asleep upon my couch1 when the cry of the oppressed1 who were drowned in the ,black ,sea1 wakened me4' ,this is what ,we heard thee say1 and1 verily1 thy ,lord is witness unto what ,i say4 ,we testify that that which wakened thee was not their cry but the promptings of thine own passions1 for ,we tested thee1 and found thee wanting4 ,comprehend the meaning of ,my words1 and be thou of the discerning4 ,it is not ,our wish to address thee words of condemnation1 out of regard for the dignity ,we conferred upon thee in this mortal life4 ,we1 verily1 have chosen courtesy1 and made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto ,him4 ,courtesy is1 in truth1 a raiment which fitteth all men1 whether young or old4 ,well is it with him that adorneth his temple therewith1 and woe unto him who is deprived of this great bounty4 ,hadst thou been sincere in thy words1 thou wouldst have not cast behind thy back the ,book of ,god1 when it was sent unto thee by ,him ,who is the ,almighty1 the ,all-,wise4 ,we have proved thee through it1 and found thee other than that which thou didst profess4 ,arise1 and make amends for that which escaped thee4 ,erelong the world and all that thou possessest will perish1 and the kingdom will remain unto ,god1 thy ,lord and the ,lord of thy fathers of old4 ,it behooveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires4 ,fear the sighs of this ,wronged ,one1 and shield ,him from the darts of such as act unjustly4 ,for what thou hast done1 thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion1 and thine empire shall pass from thine hands1 as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought4 ,then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred4 ,commotions shall seize all the people in that land1 unless thou arisest to help this ,cause1 and followest ,him ,who is the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus ,christ7 in this1 the ,straight ,path4 ,hath thy pomp made thee proud8 ,by ,my ,life6 ,it shall not endure2 nay1 it shall soon pass away1 unless thou holdest fast by this firm ,cord4 ,we see abasement hastening after thee1 whilst thou art of the heedless4 ,it behooveth thee when thou hearest ,his ,voice calling from the seat of glory to cast away all that thou possessest1 and cry out3 #8,here am ,i1 ,o ,lord of all that is in heaven and all that is on earth6' ,o ,king6 ,we were in #8,irq1 when the hour of parting arrived4 ,at the bidding of the ,king of ,islm 7,suln of ,turkey7 ,we set ,our steps in his direction4 ,upon ,our arrival1 there befell ,us at the hands of the malicious that which the books of the world can never adequately recount4 ,thereupon the inmates of ,paradise1 and they that dwell within the retreats of holiness1 lamented2 and yet the people are wrapped in a thick veil6 ,and further ,we have said3 ,more grievous became ,our plight from day to day1 nay1 from hour to hour1 until they took ,us forth from ,our prison and made ,us1 with glaring injustice1 enter the ,most ,great ,prison4 ,and if anyone ask them3 #8,for what crime were they imprisoned8' they would answer and say3 #8,they1 verily1 sought to supplant the ,faith with a new religion6' ,if that which is ancient be what ye prefer1 wherefore1 then1 have ye discarded that which hath been set down in the ,torah and the ,evangel8 ,clear it up1 ,o men6 ,by ,my life6 ,there is no place for you to flee to in this day4 ,if this be ,my crime1 then ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god1 committed it before ,me1 and before ,him ,he ,who was the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus ,christ71 and yet earlier ,he ,who conversed with ,god 7,moses74 ,and if ,my sin be this1 that ,i have exalted the ,word of ,god and revealed ,his ,cause1 then indeed am ,i the greatest of sinners6 ,such a sin ,i will not barter for the kingdoms of earth and heaven4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,as ,my tribulations multiplied1 so did ,my love for ,god and for ,his ,cause increase1 in such wise that all that befell ,me from the hosts of the wayward was powerless to deter ,me from ,my purpose4 ,should they hide ,me away in the depths of the earth1 yet would they find ,me riding aloft on the clouds1 and calling out unto ,god1 the ,lord of strength and of might4 ,i have offered ,myself up in the way of ,god1 and ,i yearn after tribulations in ,my love for ,him1 and for the sake of ,his good pleasure4 ,unto this bear witness the woes which now afflict ,me1 the like of which no other man hath suffered4 ,every single hair of ,mine head calleth out that which the ,burning ,bush uttered on ,sinai1 and each vein of ,my body invoketh ,god and saith3 #8,o would ,i had been severed in ,thy path1 so that the world might be quickened1 and all its peoples be united6' ,thus hath it been decreed by ,him ,who is the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,informed4 ,know of a truth that your subjects are ,god's trust amongst you4 ,watch ye1 therefore1 over them as ye watch over your own selves4 ,beware that ye allow not wolves to become the shepherds of the fold1 or pride and conceit to deter you from turning unto the poor and the desolate4 ,arise thou1 in ,my name1 above the horizon of renunciation1 and set1 then1 thy face towards the ,kingdom1 at the bidding of thy ,lord1 the ,lord of strength and of might4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,adorn the body of ,thy kingdom with the raiment of ,my name1 and arise1 then1 to teach ,my ,cause4 ,better is this for thee than that which thou possessest4 ,god will1 thereby1 exalt thy name among all the kings4 ,potent is ,he over all things4 ,walk thou amongst men in the name of ,god1 and by the power of ,his might1 that thou mayest show forth ,his signs amidst the peoples of the earth4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,doth it behoove you to relate yourselves to ,him ,who is the ,god of mercy1 and yet commit the things which the ,evil ,one hath committed8 ,nay1 by the ,beauty of ,him ,who is the ,all-,glorified6 could ye but know it4 ,purge your hearts from love of the world1 and your tongues from calumny1 and your limbs from whatsoever may withhold you from drawing nigh unto ,god1 the ,mighty1 the ,all-,praised4 ,say3 ,by the world is meant that which turneth you aside from ,him ,who is the ,dawning-,place of ,revelation1 and inclineth you unto that which is unprofitable unto you4 ,verily1 the thing that deterreth you1 in this day1 from ,god is worldliness in its essence4 ,eschew it1 and approach the ,most ,sublime ,vision1 this shining and resplendent ,seat4 ,shed not the blood of anyone1 ,o people1 neither judge ye anyone unjustly4 ,thus have ye been commanded by ,him ,who knoweth1 ,who is informed of all4 ,they that commit disorders in the land after it hath been well ordered1 these indeed have outstepped the bounds that have been set in the ,book4 ,wretched shall be the abode of the transgressors6 ,and further ,we have said3 ,deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbor4 ,be ye trustworthy on earth1 and withhold not from the poor the things given unto you by ,god through ,his grace4 ,he1 verily1 will bestow upon you the double of what ye possess4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,all-,bounteous1 the ,most ,generous4 ,o people of ,bah6 ,subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance4 ,they that dispute1 as prompted by their desires1 are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil4 ,say3 ,the sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat1 and sharper than blades of steel1 if ye do but understand4 ,draw it forth in ,my name and through the power of ,my might1 and conquer1 then1 with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires4 ,thus biddeth you the ,pen of the ,all-,glorious1 whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward4 ,if ye become aware of a sin committed by another1 conceal it1 that ,god may conceal your own sin4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,concealer1 the ,lord of grace abounding4 ,o ye rich ones on earth6 ,if ye encounter one who is poor1 treat him not disdainfully4 ,reflect upon that whereof ye were created4 ,every one of you was created of a sorry germ4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,regard ye the world as a man's body1 which is afflicted with divers ailments1 and the recovery of which dependeth upon the harmonizing of all of its component elements4 ,gather ye around that which ,we have prescribed unto you1 and walk not in the ways of such as create dissension4 ,meditate on the world and the state of its people4 ,he1 for ,whose sake the world was called into being1 hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of cities 7,akk71 by reason of that which the hands of the wayward have wrought4 ,from the horizon of ,his prison-city ,he summoneth mankind unto the ,dayspring of ,god1 the ,exalted1 the ,great4 ,exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess1 knowing they shall perish8 ,rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth1 when the whole world1 in the estimation of the people of ,bah1 is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant8 ,abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it1 and turn thou unto ,him ,who is the ,desire of the world4 ,whither are gone the proud and their palaces8 ,gaze thou into their tombs1 that thou mayest profit by this example1 inasmuch as ,we made it a lesson unto every beholder4 ,were the breezes of ,revelation to seize thee1 thou wouldst flee the world1 and turn unto the ,kingdom1 and wouldst expend all thou possessest1 that thou mayest draw nigh unto this sublime ,vision4 ,we bade a ,christian dispatch this ,tablet1 and he informed ,us that he transmitted both the original and its translation4 ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing1 hath knowledge of all things4 ,one of the sections of the ,sratu'l-,haykal is the ,tablet addressed to ,his ,majesty1 the ,czar of ,russia--may ,god1 exalted and glorified be ,he--assist him3 ,o ,czar of ,russia6 ,incline thine ear unto the voice of ,god1 the ,king1 the ,holy1 and turn thou unto ,paradise1 the ,spot wherein abideth ,he ,who1 among the ,concourse on high1 beareth the most excellent titles1 and ,who1 in the kingdom of creation1 is called by the name of ,god1 the ,effulgent1 the ,all-,glorious4 ,beware that nothing deter thee from setting thy face towards thy ,lord1 the ,compassionate1 the ,most ,merciful4 ,we1 verily1 have heard the thing for which thou didst supplicate thy ,lord1 whilst secretly communing with ,him4 ,wherefore1 the breeze of ,my loving-kindness wafted forth1 and the sea of ,my mercy surged1 and ,we answered thee in truth4 ,thy ,lord1 verily1 is the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,whilst ,i lay1 chained and fettered1 in the prison of ihrn1 one of thy ministers extended ,me his aid4 ,wherefore hath ,god ordained for thee a station which the knowledge of none can comprehend except ,his knowledge4 ,beware lest thou barter away this sublime station4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,he ,who is the ,father is come1 and the ,son 7,jesus ,christ71 in the holy vale1 crieth out3 #8,here am ,i1 here am ,i1 ,o ,lord1 my ,god6'1 whilst ,sinai circleth round the ,house1 and the ,burning ,bush calleth aloud3 #8,the ,all-,bounteous is come mounted upon the clouds6 ,blessed is he that draweth nigh unto ,him1 and woe betide them that are far away4' ,arise thou amongst men in the name of this all-compelling ,cause1 and summon1 then1 the nations unto ,god1 the ,mighty1 the ,great4 ,be thou not of them who called upon ,god by one of ,his names1 but who1 when ,he ,who is the ,object of all names appeared1 denied ,him and turned aside from ,him1 and1 in the end1 pronounced sentence against ,him with manifest injustice4 ,consider and call thou to mind the days whereon the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus ,christ7 appeared1 and ,herod gave judgment against ,him4 ,god1 however1 aided ,him with the hosts of the unseen1 and protected ,him with truth1 and sent ,him down unto another land1 according to ,his promise4 ,he1 verily1 ordaineth what ,he pleaseth4 ,thy ,lord truly preserveth whom ,he willeth1 be he in the midst of the seas or in the maw of the serpent1 or beneath the sword of the oppressor4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,again ,i say3 ,hearken unto ,my voice that calleth from ,my prison1 that it may acquaint thee with the things that have befallen ,my ,beauty1 at the hands of them that are the manifestations of ,my glory1 and that thou mayest perceive how great hath been ,my patience1 notwithstanding ,my might1 and how immense ,my forbearance1 notwithstanding ,my power4 ,by ,my life6 ,couldst thou but know the things sent down by ,my ,pen1 and discover the treasures of ,my ,cause1 and the pearls of ,my mysteries which lie hid in the seas of ,my names and in the goblets of ,my words1 thou wouldst for longing after ,his glorious and sublime ,kingdom1 lay down thy life in the path of ,god4 ,know thou that though ,my body be beneath the swords of ,my foes1 and ,my limbs be beset with incalculable afflictions1 yet ,my spirit is filled with a gladness with which all the joys of the earth can never compare4 ,likewise1 ,we mention some verses from the ,tablet of ,her ,majesty1 the ,queen 7,queen ,victoria7--may ,god1 exalted and glorified be ,he1 assist her4 ,our purpose is that haply the breezes of ,revelation may envelop thee1 and cause thee to arise1 wholly for the sake of ,god1 and serve ,his ,cause1 and that thou mayest transmit any of the ,tablets of the kings which might have remained undelivered4 ,this mission is a great mission1 and this service a great service4 ,in those regions distinguished divines are numerous1 among whom are those ,siyyids who are renowned for their eminence and distinction4 ,confer with them1 and show them what hath flowed out of the ,pen of ,glory1 that haply they may be graciously aided to better the condition of the world1 and improve the character of peoples of different nations1 and may1 through the living waters of ,god's counsels1 quench the hatred and the animosity which lie hid and smolder in the hearts of men4 ,we pray ,god that thou mayest be assisted therein4 ,and this1 verily1 would not be hard for ,him4 ,o ,queen in ,london6 ,incline thine ear unto the voice of thy ,lord1 the ,lord of all mankind1 calling from the ,divine ,lote-,tree3 ,verily1 no ,god is there but ,me1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,wise6 ,cast away all that is on earth1 and attire the head of thy kingdom with the crown of the remembrance of ,thy ,lord1 the ,all-,glorious4 ,he1 in truth1 hath come unto the world in ,his most great glory1 and all that hath been mentioned in the ,gospel hath been fulfilled4 ,the land of ,syria hath been honored by the footsteps of its ,lord1 the ,lord of all men1 and ,north and ,south are both inebriated with the wine of ,his presence4 ,blessed is the man that hath inhaled the fragrance of the ,most ,merciful1 and turned unto the ,dawning-,place of ,his beauty1 in this resplendent ,dawn4 ,the ,mosque of ,aqs vibrateth through the breezes of its ,lord1 the ,all-,glorious1 whilst ,bath 7,mecca7 trembleth at the voice of ,god1 the ,exalted1 the ,most ,high4 ,every single stone of them celebrateth the praise of the ,lord1 through this ,great ,name4 ,and further ,we said3 ,we make mention of thee for the sake of ,god1 and desire that thy name may be exalted through thy remembrance of ,god1 the ,creator of earth and of heaven4 ,he1 verily1 is witness unto that which ,i say4 ,we have been informed that thou hast forbidden the trading in slaves1 both men and women4 ,this1 verily1 is what ,god hath enjoined in this wondrous ,revelation4 ,god hath1 truly1 destined a reward for thee1 because of this4 ,he1 verily1 will pay the doer of good1 whether man or woman1 his due recompense1 wert thou to follow what hath been sent unto thee by ,him ,who is the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,informed4 ,as to him who turneth aside1 and swelleth with pride1 after that the clear tokens have come unto him1 from the ,revealer of signs1 his work shall ,god bring to naught4 ,he1 in truth1 hath power over all things4 ,man's actions are acceptable after his having recognized 7the ,manifestation74 ,he that turneth aside from the ,true ,one is indeed the most veiled amongst ,his creatures4 ,thus hath it been decreed by ,him ,who is the ,almighty1 the ,most ,powerful4 ,we have also heard that thou hast entrusted the reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives of the people4 ,thou1 indeed1 hast done well1 for thereby the foundations of the edifice of thine affairs will be strengthened1 and the hearts of all that are beneath thy shadow1 whether high or low1 will be tranquillized4 ,it behooveth them1 however1 to be trustworthy among ,his servants1 and to regard themselves as the representatives of all that dwell on earth4 ,this is what counselleth them1 in this ,tablet1 ,he ,who is the ,ruler1 the ,all-,wise4 ,and if any one of them directeth himself towards the ,assembly1 let him turn his eyes unto the ,supreme ,horizon1 and say3 #8,o my ,god6 ,i ask ,thee1 by ,thy most glorious ,name1 to aid me in that which will cause the affairs of ,thy servants to prosper1 and ,thy cities to flourish4 ,thou1 indeed1 hast power over all things6' ,blessed is he that entereth the ,assembly for the sake of ,god1 and judgeth between men with pure justice4 ,he1 indeed1 is of the blissful4 ,o ye members of ,assemblies in that land and in other countries6 ,take ye counsel together1 and let your concern be only for that which profiteth mankind1 and bettereth the condition thereof1 if ye be of them that scan heedfully4 ,regard the world as the human body which1 though at its creation whole and perfect1 hath been afflicted1 through various causes1 with grave disorders and maladies4 ,not for one day did it gain ease1 nay1 its sickness waxed more severe1 as it fell under the treatment of ignorant physicians1 who gave full rein to their personal desires1 and have erred grievously4 ,and if at one time1 through the care of an able physician1 a member of that body was healed1 the rest remained afflicted as before4 ,thus informeth you the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,we behold it1 in this day1 at the mercy of rulers1 so drunk with pride that they cannot discern clearly their own best advantage1 much less recognize a ,revelation so bewildering and challenging as this4 ,and further ,we have said3 ,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 ,cause1 one common ,faith4 ,this can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled1 an all-powerful1 and inspired ,physician4 ,by ,my life6 ,this is the truth1 and all else naught but error4 ,each time that ,most ,mighty ,instrument hath come1 and that ,light shone forth from the ,ancient ,dayspring1 ,he was withheld by ignorant physicians who1 even as clouds1 interposed themselves between ,him and the world4 ,it failed therefore1 to recover1 and its sickness hath persisted until this day4 ,they indeed were powerless to protect it1 or to effect a cure1 whilst ,he ,who hath been the ,manifestation of ,power amongst men was withheld from achieving ,his purpose1 by reason of what the hands of the ignorant physicians have wrought4 ,consider these days in which ,he ,who is the ,ancient ,beauty hath come in the ,most ,great ,name1 that ,he may quicken the world and unite its peoples4 ,they1 however1 rose up against ,him with sharpened swords1 and committed that which caused the ,faithful ,spirit to lament1 until in the end they imprisoned ,him in the most desolate of cities1 and broke the grasp of the faithful upon the hem of ,his robe4 ,were anyone to tell them3 #8,the ,world ,reformer is come1' they would answer and say3 #8,indeed it is proven that ,he is a fomenter of discord6'1 and this notwithstanding that they have never associated with ,him1 and have perceived that ,he did not seek1 for one moment1 to protect ,himself4 ,at all times ,he was at the mercy of the wicked doers4 ,at one time they cast ,him into prison1 at another they banished ,him1 and at yet another hurried ,him from land to land4 ,thus have they pronounced judgment against ,us1 and ,god1 truly1 is aware of what ,i say4 ,this charge of fomenting discord is the same as that imputed aforetime by the ,pharaohs of ,egypt to ,him ,who conversed with ,god 7,moses74 ,read thou what the ,all-,merciful hath revealed in the ,qur'n4 ,he--may ,he be blessed and glorified--saith3 ,moreover ,we had sent ,moses of old with ,our signs and with clear authority to ,pharaoh1 and ,hamn1 and ,qarn3 and they said3 #8,sorcerer1 impostor6' ,and when ,he came to them from ,our presence with the truth1 they said3 #8,slay the sons of those who believe as ,he doth1 and save their females alive1' but the stratagem of the unbelievers issued only in failure4 ,and ,pharaoh said3 #8,let me alone1 that ,i may kill ,moses2 and let him call upon his ,lord3 ,i fear lest he change your religion1 or cause disorder to show itself in the land4' ,and ,moses said3 #8,i take refuge with my ,lord1 and your ,lord from every proud one who believeth not in the ,day of ,reckoning4' ,men have1 at all times1 considered every ,world ,reformer a fomenter of discord1 and have referred unto ,him in terms with which all are familiar4 ,each time the ,daystar of ,divine ,revelation shed its radiance from the horizon of ,god's ,will a great number of men denied ,him1 others turned aside from ,him1 and still others calumniated ,him1 and thereby withheld the servants of ,god from the river of loving providence of ,him ,who is the ,king of creation4 ,in like manner1 they who1 in this day1 have neither met this ,wronged ,one nor associated with ,him have said1 and even now continue to say1 the things thou hast heard and hearest still4 ,say3 ,o people6 ,the ,sun of ,utterance beameth forth in this day1 above the horizon of bounty1 and the radiance of the ,revelation of ,him ,who spoke on ,sinai flasheth and glisteneth before all religions4 ,purge and sanctify your breasts1 and your hearts1 and your ears1 and your eyes with the living waters of the utterance of the ,all-,merciful1 and set1 then1 your faces towards ,him4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,ye shall hear all things proclaim3 #8,verily1 ,he the ,true ,one is come4 ,blessed are they that judge with fairness1 and blessed they that turn towards ,him6' ,among the things they have imputed to the ,divine ,lote-,tree 7,moses7 are charges to the falsity of which every discerning man of knowledge1 and every wise and understanding heart1 will witness4 ,thou must1 no doubt1 have read and considered the verses which have been sent down concerning ,him ,who conversed with ,god4 ,he--may ,he be blessed and glorified--saith3 ,he said3 #8,did ,we not rear thee among us when a child8 ,and hast thou not passed years of thy life among us8 ,and yet what a deed is that which thou hast done6 ,thou art one of the ungrateful4' ,he said3 #8,i did it indeed1 and ,i was one of those who erred4 ,and ,i fled from you because ,i feared you2 but ,my ,lord hath given ,me wisdom and hath made ,me one of ,his ,apostles4' ,and elsewhere ,he--may ,he be blessed and exalted--saith3 ,and ,he entered a city at the time when its inhabitants would not observe ,him1 and found therein two men fighting1 the one1 of ,his own people2 the other1 of ,his enemies4 ,and he who was of ,his own people asked ,his help against him who was of ,his enemies4 ,and ,moses smote him with ,his fist and slew him4 ,said ,he3 #8,this is a work of ,satan2 for he is an enemy1 a manifest misleader4' ,he said3 #8,o my ,lord6 ,i have sinned to mine own hurt1 forgive me4' ,so ,god forgave ,him2 for ,he is the ,forgiving1 the ,merciful4 ,he said3 #8,lord6 because ,thou hast showed me this grace1 ,i will never again be the helper of the wicked4' ,and in the city at noon ,he was full of fear1 casting furtive glances round ,him1 and lo1 the man whom ,he had helped the day before1 cried out to ,him again for help4 ,said ,moses to him3 #8,thou art plainly a most depraved person4' ,and when ,he would have laid violent hands on him who was their common foe1 he said to ,him3 #8,o ,moses6 ,dost ,thou desire to slay me1 as thou slewest a man yesterday8 ,thou desirest only to become a tyrant in this land1 and desirest not to become a peacemaker4' ,thine ears and thine eyes must needs now be cleansed and sanctified1 that thou mayest be able to judge with fairness and justice4 ,moses ,himself1 moreover1 acknowledged ,his injustice and waywardness1 and testified that fear had seized ,him1 and that ,he had transgressed1 and fled away4 ,he asked ,god--exalted be ,his glory--to forgive ,him1 and ,he was forgiven4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,every time ,god the ,true ,one--exalted be ,his glory--revealed ,himself in the person of ,his ,manifestation1 ,he came unto men with the standard of ,he doeth what ,he willeth1 and ordaineth what ,he pleaseth4 ,none hath the right to ask why or wherefore1 and he that doth so1 hath indeed turned aside from ,god1 the ,lord of ,lords4 ,in the days of every ,manifestation these things appear and are evident4 ,likewise1 they have said that about this ,wronged ,one1 to the falsity of which they who are nigh unto ,god and are devoted to ,him have borne1 and still bear1 witness4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,this ,hem of ,his ,robe hath ever been and remaineth unsullied1 though many have1 at the present time1 purposed to besmirch it with their lying and unseemly calumnies4 ,god1 however1 knoweth and they know not4 ,he ,who1 through the might and power of ,god1 hath arisen before the face of all the kindreds of the earth1 and summoned the multitudes to the ,supreme ,horizon1 hath been repudiated by them and they have clung instead unto such men as have invariably withdrawn themselves behind veils and curtains1 and busied themselves about their own protection4 ,moreover1 many are now engaged in spreading lies and calumnies1 and have no other intention than to instill distrust into the hearts and souls of men4 ,as soon as someone leaveth the ,great ,city 7,constantinople7 to visit this land1 they at once telegraph and proclaim that he hath stolen money and fled to ,akk4 ,a highly accomplished1 learned and distinguished man visited1 in his declining years1 the ,holy ,land1 seeking peace and retirement1 and about him they have written such things as have caused them who are devoted to ,god and are nigh unto ,him to sigh4 ,his ,excellency1 the late ,mrz usayn ,khn1 ,mushru'd-,dawlih1--may ,god forgive him--hath known this ,wronged ,one1 and he1 no doubt1 must have given to the ,authorities a circumstantial account of the arrival of this ,wronged ,one at the ,sublime ,porte1 and of the things which ,he said and did4 ,on the day of ,our arrival the ,government ,official1 whose duty it was to receive and entertain official visitors1 met ,us and escorted ,us to the place he had been bidden to take ,us4 ,in truth1 the ,government showed these wronged ones the utmost kindness and consideration4 ,the following day ,prince ,shuja'u'd-,dawlih1 accompanied by ,mrz ,saf1 acting as the representatives of the late ,mushru'd-,dawlih1 the ,minister 7accredited to the ,imperial ,court7 came to visit ,us4 ,others1 among whom were several ,ministers of the ,imperial ,government1 and including the late ,kaml ,psh1 likewise called on ,us4 ,wholly reliant on ,god1 and without any reference to any need ,he might have had1 or to any other matter1 this ,wronged ,one sojourned for a period of four months in that city4 ,his actions were known and evident unto all1 and none can deny them except such as hate ,him1 and speak not the truth4 ,he that hath recognized ,god1 recognizeth none other but ,him4 ,we have never liked1 nor like ,we1 to make mention of such things4 ,whenever high dignitaries of ,persia came to that city 7,constantinople7 they would exert themselves to the utmost soliciting at every door such allowances and gifts as they might obtain4 ,this ,wronged ,one1 however1 if ,he hath done nothing that would redound to the glory of ,persia1 hath at least acted in a manner that could in no wise disgrace it4 ,that which was done by his late ,excellency 7,mushru'd-,dawlih7--may ,god exalt his station--was not actuated by his friendship towards this ,wronged ,one1 but rather was prompted by his own sagacious judgment1 and by his desire to accomplish the service he secretly contemplated rendering his ,government4 ,i testify that he was so faithful in his service to his ,government that dishonesty played no part1 and was held in contempt1 in the domain of his activities4 ,it was he who was responsible for the arrival of these wronged ones in the ,most ,great ,prison 7,akk74 ,as he was faithful1 however1 in the discharge of his duty1 he deserveth ,our commendation4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath1 at all times1 aimed and striven to exalt and advance the interests of both the government and the people1 not to elevate ,his own station4 ,a number of men have1 now1 gathered others about them1 and have arisen to dishonor this ,wronged ,one4 ,he1 nevertheless1 beseecheth ,god--hallowed and glorified be ,he--to aid them to return unto ,him1 and assist them to compensate for that which escaped them1 and repent before the door of ,his bounty4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,forgiving1 the ,merciful4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,my ,pen1 verily1 lamenteth over ,mine own ,self1 and ,my ,tablet weepeth sore over what hath befallen ,me at the hands of one 7,mrz ,yay7 over whom ,we watched for successive years1 and who1 day and night1 served in ,my presence1 until he was made to err by one of ,my servants1 named ,siyyid ,muammad4 ,unto this bear witness ,my believing servants who accompanied ,me in ,my exile from ,baghdd to this1 the ,most ,great ,prison4 ,and there befell ,me at the hands of both of them that which made every man of understanding to cry out1 and he who is endued with insight to groan aloud1 and the tears of the fair-minded to flow4 ,we pray to ,god to graciously assist them that have been led astray to be just and fair-minded1 and to make them aware of that whereof they have been heedless4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,all-,bounteous1 the ,most ,generous4 ,debar not ,thy servants1 ,o my ,lord1 from the door of ,thy grace1 and drive them not away from the court of ,thy presence4 ,assist them to dispel the mists of idle fancy1 and to tear away the veils of vain imaginings and hopes4 ,thou art1 verily1 the ,all-,possessing1 the ,most ,high4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,almighty1 the ,gracious4 ,i swear by the ,daystar of ,god's ,testimony that hath shone from the horizon of certitude6 ,this ,wronged ,one1 in the daytime and in the night-season1 occupied ,himself with that which would edify the souls of men1 until the light of knowledge prevailed over the darkness of ignorance4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,time and again have ,i declared1 and now yet again ,i affirm1 that for two score years ,we have1 through the grace of ,god and by ,his irresistible and potent will1 extended such aid to ,his ,majesty the ,shh--may ,god assist him--as the exponents of justice and of equity would regard as incontestable and absolute4 ,none can deny it1 unless he be a transgressor and sinner1 or one who would hate ,us or doubt ,our truth4 ,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 service1 and1 if apprized of it1 have1 for reasons of their own1 chosen to ignore it6 ,previous to these forty years controversies and conflicts continually prevailed and agitated the servants of ,god4 ,but since then1 aided by the hosts of wisdom1 of utterance1 of exhortations and understanding1 they have all seized and taken fast hold of the firm cord of patience and of the shining hem of fortitude1 in such wise that this wronged people endured steadfastly whatever befell them1 and committed everything unto ,god1 and this notwithstanding that in ,mzindarn and at ,rasht a great many have been most hideously tormented4 ,among them was his honor1 j ,nir1 who1 unquestionably1 was a brilliant light that shone forth above the horizon of resignation4 ,after he had suffered martyrdom1 they plucked out his eyes and cut off his nose1 and inflicted on him such indignities that strangers wept and lamented1 and secretly raised funds to support his wife and children4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,my ,pen is abashed to recount what actually took place4 ,in the land of ,sd 7,ifhn7 the fire of tyranny burned with such a hot flame that every fair-minded person groaned aloud4 ,by thy life6 ,the cities of knowledge and of understanding wept with such a weeping that the souls of the pious and of the ,god-fearing were melted4 ,the twin shining lights1 asan and usayn 7,the ,king of ,martyrs and the ,beloved of ,martyrs7 offered up spontaneously their lives in that city4 ,neither fortune1 nor wealth1 nor glory1 could deter them6 ,god knoweth the things which befell them and yet the people are1 for the most part1 unaware6 ,before them one named ,kzim and they who were with him1 and after them1 his honor ,ashraf1 all quaffed the draught of martyrdom with the utmost fervor and longing1 and hastened unto the ,supreme ,companion4 ,in like manner1 at the time of ,sardr ,azz ,khn1 that godly man1 ,mrz ,muaf1 and his fellow martyrs1 were arrested1 and despatched unto the ,supreme ,friend in the ,all-,glorious ,horizon4 ,briefly1 in every city the evidences of a tyranny1 beyond like or equal1 were unmistakably clear and manifest1 and yet none arose in self-defence6 ,call thou to mind his honor ,bad1 who was the bearer of the ,tablet to ,his ,majesty the ,shh1 and reflect how he laid down his life4 ,that knight1 who spurred on his charger in the arena of renunciation1 threw down the precious crown of life for the sake of ,him ,who is the ,incomparable ,friend4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,if things such as these are to be denied1 what shall1 then1 be deemed worthy of credence8 ,set forth the truth1 for the sake of ,god1 and be not of them that hold their peace4 ,they arrested his honor ,najaf-#8,al1 who hastened1 with rapture and great longing1 unto the field of martyrdom1 uttering these words3 ,we have kept both ,bah and the khn-bah 7bloodmoney76 ,with these words he yielded up his spirit4 ,meditate on the splendor and glory which the light of renunciation1 shining from the upper chamber of the heart of ,mull #8,al-,jn1 hath shed4 ,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 equalled1 nay outrivalled1 the haunts of earthly delights4 ,ponder upon the conduct of #8,ab-,bsir and ,siyyid ,ashraf-i-,zanjn4 ,they sent for the mother of ,ashraf to dissuade her son from his purpose4 ,but she spurred him on until he suffered a most glorious martyrdom4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,this people have passed beyond the narrow straits of names1 and pitched their tents upon the shores of the sea of renunciation4 ,they would willingly lay down a myriad lives1 rather than breathe the word desired by their enemies4 ,they have clung to that which pleaseth ,god1 and are wholly detached and freed from the things which pertain unto men4 ,they have preferred to have their heads cut off rather than utter one unseemly word4 ,ponder this in thine heart4 ,methinks they have quaffed their fill of the ocean of renunciation4 ,the life of the present world hath failed to withhold them from suffering martyrdom in the path of ,god4 ,in ,mzindarn a vast number of the servants of ,god were exterminated4 ,the ,governor1 under the influence of calumniators1 robbed a great many of all that they possessed4 ,among the charges he laid against them was that they had been laying up arms1 whereas upon investigation it was found out that they had nothing but an unloaded rifle6 ,gracious ,god6 ,this people need no weapons of destruction1 inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstruct the world4 ,their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds1 and their arms the arms of upright conduct1 and their commander the fear of ,god4 ,blessed that one that judgeth with fairness4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,such hath been the patience1 the calm1 the resignation and contentment of this people that they have become the exponents of justice1 and so great hath been their forbearance1 that they have suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill1 and this notwithstanding that these whom the world hath wronged have endured tribulations the like of which the history of the world hath never recorded1 nor the eyes of any nation witnessed4 ,what is it that could have induced them to reconcile themselves to these grievous trials1 and to refuse to put forth a hand to repel them8 ,what could have caused such resignation and serenity8 ,the true cause is to be found in the ban which the ,pen of ,glory hath1 day and night1 chosen to impose1 and in ,our assumption of the reins of authority1 through the power and might of ,him ,who is the ,lord of all mankind4 ,remember the father of ,bad4 ,they arrested that wronged one1 and ordered him to curse and revile his ,faith4 ,he1 however1 through the grace of ,god and the mercy of his ,lord1 chose martyrdom1 and attained thereunto4 ,if ye would reckon up the martyrs in the path of ,god1 ye could not count them4 ,consider his honor ,siyyid ,ism'l--upon him be the peace of ,god1 and ,his loving-kindness--how1 before daybreak he was wont to dust1 with his own turban1 the doorstep of ,my house1 and in the end1 whilst standing on the banks of the river1 with his eyes fixed on that same house1 offered up1 by his own hand1 his life4 ,do thou ponder on the penetrative influence of the ,word of ,god4 ,every single one of these souls was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his faith1 yet none was found to prefer his own will to the ,will of ,god4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,in former times he that was chosen to be slain was but one person1 whereas now this ,wronged ,one hath produced for thee that which causeth every fair-minded man to marvel4 ,judge fairly1 ,i adjure thee1 and arise to serve thy ,lord4 ,he1 verily1 shall reward thee with a reward which neither the treasures of the earth nor all the possessions of kings and rulers can equal4 ,in all thine affairs put thy reliance in ,god1 and commit them unto ,him4 ,he will render thee a reward which the ,book hath ordained as great4 ,occupy thyself1 during these fleeting days of thy life1 with such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of ,divine good pleasure1 and will be adorned with the ornament of ,his acceptance4 ,the acts of his honor1 ,ball1 the ,ethiopian1 were so acceptable in the sight of ,god that the sn of his stuttering tongue excelled the shn pronounced by all the world4 ,this is the day whereon all peoples should shed the light of unity and concord4 ,in brief1 the pride and vanity of certain of the peoples of the world have made havoc of true understanding1 and laid waste the home of justice and of equity4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,that which hath touched this ,wronged ,one is beyond compare or equal4 ,we have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation1 so that the souls of men may be edified1 and the ,word of ,god be exalted4 ,while confined in the prison of the ,land of ,mm 7,mzindarn7 ,we were one day delivered into the hands of the divines4 ,thou canst well imagine what befell ,us4 ,shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the dungeon of ,his ,majesty the ,shh1 ask the director and chief jailer to show thee those two chains1 one of which is known as ,qar-,guhar1 and the other as ,salsil4 ,i swear by the ,daystar of ,justice that for four months this ,wronged ,one was tormented and chained by one or the other of them4 ,my grief exceedeth all the woes to which ,jacob gave vent1 and all the afflictions of ,job are but a part of ,my sorrows6 ,likewise1 ponder thou upon the martyrdom of j ,muammad-,ri in the ,city of ,love 7,ishqbd74 ,the tyrants of the earth have subjected that wronged one to such trials as have caused many foreigners to weep and lament for1 as reported and ascertained1 no less than thirty-two wounds were inflicted upon his blessed body4 ,yet none of the faithful transgressed ,my commandment1 nor raised his hand in resistance4 ,come what might1 they refused to allow their own inclinations to supersede that which the ,book hath decreed1 though a considerable number of this people have resided1 and still reside1 in that city4 ,we entreat ,his ,majesty the ,shh1--may ,god1 hallowed and glorified be ,he1 assist him--himself to ponder upon these things1 and to judge with equity and justice4 ,although in recent years a number of the faithful have1 in most of the cities of ,persia1 suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill1 yet the hatred smouldering in certain hearts hath blazed more fiercely than before4 ,for the victims of oppression to intercede in favor of their enemies is1 in the estimation of rulers1 a princely deed4 ,some must have certainly heard that this oppressed people have1 in that city 7,ishqbd71 pleaded with the ,governor on behalf of their murderers1 and asked for the mitigation of their sentence4 ,take1 then1 good heed1 ye who are men of insight6 ,o ,shaykh6 ,these perspicuous verses have been sent down in one of the ,tablets by the ,abh ,pen3 ,hearken1 ,o servant1 unto the voice of this ,wronged ,one1 ,who hath endured grievous vexations and trials in the path of ,god1 the ,lord of all ,names1 until such time as ,he was cast into prison1 in the ,land of ,t 7ihrn74 ,he summoned men unto the most sublime ,paradise1 and yet they seized ,him and paraded ,him through cities and countries4 ,how many the nights during which slumber fled from the eyes of ,my loved ones1 because of their love for ,me2 and how numerous the days whereon ,i had to face the assaults of the peoples against ,me6 ,at one time ,i found ,myself on the heights of mountains2 at another in the depths of the prison of ,t 7ihrn71 in chains and fetters4 ,by the righteousness of ,god6 ,i was at all times thankful unto ,him1 uttering ,his praise1 engaged in remembering ,him1 directed towards ,him1 satisfied with ,his pleasure1 and lowly and submissive before ,him4 ,so passed ,my days1 until they ended in this ,prison 7,akk7 which hath made the earth to tremble and the heavens to sigh4 ,happy that one who hath cast away his vain imaginings1 when ,he ,who was hid came with the standards of ,his signs4 ,we1 verily1 have announced unto men this ,most ,great ,revelation1 and yet the people are in a state of strange stupor4 ,thereupon1 a ,voice was raised from the direction of ijz1 calling aloud and saying3 ,great is thy blessedness1 ,o ,akk1 in that ,god hath made thee the dayspring of ,his ,most ,sweet ,voice1 and the dawn of ,his most mighty signs4 ,happy art thou in that the ,throne of ,justice hath been established upon thee1 and the ,daystar of ,god's loving-kindness and bounty hath shone forth above thy horizon4 ,well is it with every fair-minded person that hath judged fairly ,him ,who is the ,most ,great ,remembrance1 and woe betide him that hath erred and doubted4 ,following upon the death of some of the martyrs1 the ,law-i-,burhn 7,tablet of the ,proof7 was sent down from the heaven of the ,revelation of ,him ,who is the ,lord of ,religions3 ,he is the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise6 ,the winds of hatred have encompassed the ,ark of ,bath 7,mecca71 by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought4 ,o thou who art reputed for thy learning6 ,thou hast pronounced sentence against them for whom the books of the world have wept1 and in whose favor the scriptures of all religions have testified4 ,thou1 who art gone far astray1 art indeed wrapt in a thick veil4 ,by ,god ,himself6 ,thou hast pronounced judgment against them through whom the horizon of faith hath been illumined4 ,unto this bear witness ,they ,who are the ,dawning-,places of ,revelation and the ,manifestations of the ,cause of thy ,lord1 the ,most ,merciful1 ,who have sacrificed ,their souls and all that ,they possessed in ,his straight ,path4 ,the ,faith of ,god hath cried everywhere1 by reason of thy tyranny1 and yet thou disportest thyself and art of them that exult4 ,there is no hatred in ,mine heart for thee nor for anyone4 ,every man of discernment beholdeth thee1 and such as are like thee1 engulfed in evident folly4 ,hadst thou realized that which thou hast done1 thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire1 or abandoned thine home and fled unto the mountains1 or wouldst have groaned until thou hadst returned unto the place destined for thee by ,him ,who is the ,lord of strength and of might4 ,o thou who art even as nothing6 ,rend thou asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings1 that thou mayest behold the ,daystar of knowledge shining from this resplendent ,horizon4 ,thou hast torn in pieces a remnant of the ,prophet ,himself1 and imagined that thou hadst helped the ,faith of ,god4 ,thus hath thy soul prompted thee1 and thou art truly one of the heedless4 ,thine act hath consumed the hearts of the ,concourse on high1 and those of such as have circled round the ,cause of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,the soul of the ,chaste ,one 7,ftimih7 melted1 by reason of thy cruelty1 and the inmates of ,paradise wept sore in that blessed ,spot4 ,judge thou fairly1 ,i adjure thee by ,god4 ,what proof did the ,jewish doctors adduce wherewith to condemn ,him ,who was the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus ,christ71 when ,he came unto them with truth8 ,what could have been the evidence produced by the ,pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify their denial of ,muammad1 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 earth1 and enraptured the hearts of such as had known ,him8 ,indeed thou hast produced1 in this day1 the same proofs which the foolish divines advanced in that age4 ,unto this testifieth ,he ,who is the ,king of the realm of grace in this great ,prison4 ,thou hast1 truly1 walked in their ways1 nay1 hast surpassed them in their cruelty1 and hast deemed thyself to be helping the ,faith and defending the ,law of ,god1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,by ,him ,who is the ,truth6 ,thine iniquity hath made ,gabriel to groan1 and hath drawn tears from the ,law of ,god1 through which the breezes of justice have been wafted over all who are in heaven and on earth4 ,hast thou fondly imagined that the judgment thou didst pronounce hath profited thee8 ,nay1 by ,him ,who is the ,king of all ,names6 ,unto thy loss testifieth ,he with ,whom is the knowledge of all things as recorded in the preserved ,tablet4 ,o thou who hast gone astray6 ,thou hast neither seen ,me1 nor associated with ,me1 nor been ,my companion for the fraction of a moment4 ,how is it1 then1 that thou hast bidden men to curse ,me8 ,didst thou1 in this1 follow the promptings of thine own desires1 or didst thou obey thy ,lord8 ,produce thou a sign1 if thou art one of the truthful4 ,we testify that thou hast cast behind thy back the ,law of ,god1 and laid hold on the dictates of thy passions4 ,nothing1 in truth1 escapeth ,his knowledge2 ,he1 verily1 is the ,incomparable1 the ,all-,informed4 ,o heedless one6 ,hearken unto that which the ,merciful hath revealed in the ,qur'n3 #8,say not to every one who meeteth you with a greeting1 ,thou art not a believer4' ,thus hath ,he decreed in ,whose grasp are the kingdoms of ,revelation and of creation1 if thou be of them that hearken4 ,thou hast set aside the commandment of ,god1 and clung unto the promptings of thine own desire4 ,woe1 then1 unto thee1 ,o careless one that doubtest6 ,if thou deniest ,me1 by what proof canst thou vindicate the truth of that which thou dost possess8 ,produce it1 then1 ,o thou who hast joined partners with ,god1 and turned aside from ,his sovereignty that hath encompassed the worlds6 ,know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged ,my ,revelation1 and drunk from the ,ocean of ,my knowledge1 and soared in the atmosphere of ,my love1 and cast away all else besides ,me1 and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the ,kingdom of ,my wondrous utterance4 ,he1 verily1 is even as an eye unto mankind1 and as the spirit of life unto the body of all creation4 ,glorified be the ,all-,merciful ,who hath enlightened him1 and caused him to arise and serve ,his great and mighty ,cause4 ,verily1 such a man is blessed by the ,concourse on high1 and by them who dwell within the ,tabernacle of ,grandeur1 who have quaffed ,my sealed ,wine in ,my ,name1 the ,omnipotent1 the ,all-,powerful4 ,if thou be of them that occupy such a sublime station1 produce then a sign from ,god1 the ,creator of the heavens4 ,and shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness1 do thou rein in thy passions1 and return unto thy ,lord1 that perchance ,he may forgive thee thy sins which have caused the leaves of the ,divine ,lote-,tree to be burnt up1 and the ,rock to cry out1 and the eyes of men of understanding to weep4 ,because of thee the ,veil of ,divinity was rent asunder1 and the ,ark has foundered1 and the ,she-,camel was hamstrung1 and the ,spirit 7,jesus7 groaned in ,his sublime retreat4 ,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 earth8 ,open thine eyes that thou mayest behold this ,wronged ,one shining forth above the horizon of the will of ,god1 the ,sovereign1 the ,truth1 the ,resplendent4 ,unstop1 then1 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 ,god1 the ,almighty1 the ,beneficent4 ,verily1 this ,tree1 notwithstanding the things that befell it by reason of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such as are like thee1 calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto the ,sadratu'l-,muntah and the ,supreme ,horizon4 ,blessed is the soul that hath gazed on the ,most ,mighty ,sign1 and the ear that hath heard ,his most sweet ,voice1 and woe to whosoever hath turned aside and done wickedly4 ,o thou who hast turned away from ,god6 ,wert thou to look with the eye of fairness upon the ,divine ,lote-,tree1 thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy sword on its boughs1 and its branches1 and its leaves1 notwithstanding that ,god created thee for the purpose of recognizing and of serving it4 ,reflect1 that haply thou mayest recognize thine iniquity and be numbered with such as have repented4 ,thinkest thou that ,we fear thy cruelty8 ,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 souls1 and ,our bodies1 and ,our sons1 and ,our possessions in the path of ,god1 the ,exalted1 the ,great1 and ,we glory therein amongst all created things and the ,concourse on high4 ,unto this testify the things which have befallen ,us in this straight ,path4 ,by ,god6 ,our hearts were consumed1 and ,our bodies were crucified1 and ,our blood was spilt1 while ,our eyes were fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their ,lord1 the ,witness1 the ,all-,seeing4 ,the more grievous their woes1 the greater waxed the love of the people of ,bah4 ,unto their sincerity hath borne witness what the ,all-,merciful hath sent down in the ,qur'n4 ,he saith3 #8,wish ye1 then1 for death1 if ye are sincere4' ,who is to be preferred1 he that hath sheltered himself behind curtains1 or he that hath offered himself in the path of ,god8 ,judge thou fairly1 and be not of them that rove distraught in the wilderness of falsehood4 ,so carried away have they been by the living waters of the love of the ,most ,merciful1 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 ,lord1 the ,giver1 the ,generous4 ,by ,god6 ,troubles have failed to unnerve ,me1 and the repudiation of the divines hath been powerless to weaken ,me4 ,i have spoken1 and still speak forth before the face of men3 #8,the door of grace hath been unlocked and ,he ,who is the ,dayspring of ,justice is come with perspicuous signs and evident testimonies1 from ,god1 the ,lord of strength and of might6' ,present thyself before ,me that thou mayest hear the mysteries which were heard by the ,son of #8,imrn 7,moses7 upon the ,sinai of ,wisdom4 ,thus commandeth thee ,he ,who is the ,dawning-,place of the ,revelation of thy ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy1 from ,his great ,prison4 ,thereupon hath the cry and the lamentation of the true ,faith been raised once again1 saying3 ,verily1 ,sinai calleth aloud and saith3 #8,o people of the ,bayn6 ,fear ye the ,merciful4 ,indeed have ,i attained unto ,him ,who conversed upon me1 and the ecstasies of my joy have seized the pebbles of the earth and the dust thereof4' ,and the ,bush exclaimeth3 #8,o people of the ,bayn6 ,judge ye fairly that which hath in truth been manifested4 ,verily the ,fire which ,god revealed unto the ,one ,who conversed with ,him is now manifested4 ,unto this beareth witness every man of insight and understanding4' ,we have made mention of certain martyrs of this ,revelation1 and have likewise cited some of the verses which were sent down concerning them from the kingdom of ,our utterance4 ,we fain would hope that1 rid of all attachment to the world1 thou wilt ponder the things which ,we have mentioned4 ,it behooveth thee now to reflect upon the state of ,mrz ,hd ,dawlat-bd and of ,sd-i-,ifhn 7,sadru'l-#8,ulam71 who reside in the ,land of ,t 7ihrn74 ,no sooner had the former heard that he had been called a ,bb than he became so perturbed that his poise and dignity forsook him4 ,he ascended the pulpits and spoke words which ill befitted him4 ,from time immemorial the clay clods of the world have1 wholly by reason of their love of leadership1 perpetrated such acts as have caused men to err4 ,thou must not1 however1 imagine that all the faithful are such as these two4 ,we have described unto thee the constancy1 the firmness1 the steadfastness1 the certitude1 the imperturbability and the dignity of the martyrs of this ,revelation1 that thou mayest be well-informed4 ,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 ,god1 but hath proclaimed and delivered1 in the most eloquent language1 before the face of the world1 the things ,he had been commissioned to set forth4 ,certain faint-hearted ones1 however1 such as ,hd and others1 have tampered with the ,cause of ,god and have1 in their concern for this fleeting life1 said and done that which caused the eye of justice to weep and the ,pen of ,glory to groan1 notwithstanding their ignorance of the essentials of this ,cause2 whereas this ,wronged ,one hath revealed it for the sake of ,god4 ,o ,hd6 ,thou hast gone unto ,my brother and hast seen him4 ,set now thy face towards the court of this ,wronged ,one1 that haply the breezes of ,revelation and the breaths of inspiration may assist thee and enable thee to attain thy goal4 ,whoever gazeth this day on ,my signs will distinguish truth from falsehood as the sun from shadow1 and will be made cognizant of the goal4 ,god is aware and beareth ,me witness that whatever hath been mentioned was for the sake of ,god1 that haply thou mayest be the cause of the guidance of men1 and mayest deliver the peoples of the world from idle fancies and vain imaginings4 ,gracious ,god6 ,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 ,point6 ,the knowledge of it is with ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,exert thyself1 ,o ,shaykh1 and arise to serve this ,cause4 ,the ,sealed ,wine is disclosed in this day before the faces of men4 ,seize it in the name of thy ,lord1 and quaff thy fill in remembrance of ,him ,who is the ,mighty1 the ,incomparable4 ,night and day hath this ,wronged ,one been occupied in that which would unite the hearts1 and edify the souls of men4 ,the events that have happened in ,persia during the early years have truly saddened the well-favored and sincere ones4 ,each year witnessed a fresh massacre1 pillage1 plunder1 and shedding of blood4 ,at one time there appeared in ,zanjn that which caused the greatest consternation2 at another in ,nayrz1 and at yet another in ,tabars1 and finally there occurred the episode of the ,land of ,t 7ihrn74 ,from that time onwards this ,wronged ,one1 assisted by the ,one ,true ,god--exalted be ,his glory--acquainted this oppressed people with the things which beseemed them4 ,all have sanctified themselves from the things which they and others possess1 and have clung unto1 and fixed their eyes upon that which pertaineth unto ,god4 ,it is now incumbent upon ,his ,majesty the ,shh--may ,god1 exalted be ,he1 protect him--to deal with this people with loving-kindness and mercy4 ,this ,wronged ,one pledgeth ,himself1 before the ,divine ,kaaba1 that1 apart from truthfulness and trustworthiness1 this people will show forth nothing that can in any way conflict with the world-adorning views of ,his ,majesty4 ,every nation must have a high regard for the position of its sovereign1 must be submissive unto him1 must carry out his behests1 and hold fast his authority4 ,the sovereigns of the earth have been and are the manifestations of the power1 the grandeur and the majesty of ,god4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath at no time dealt deceitfully with anyone4 ,every one is well aware of this1 and beareth witness unto it4 ,regard for the rank of sovereigns is divinely ordained1 as is clearly attested by the words of the ,prophets of ,god and ,his chosen ones4 ,he ,who is the ,spirit 7,jesus7--may peace be upon ,him--was asked3 ,o ,spirit of ,god6 ,is it lawful to give tribute to ,caesar or not8 ,and ,he made reply3 ,yea1 render to ,caesar the things that are ,caesar's and to ,god the things that are ,god's4 ,he forbade it not4 ,these two sayings are1 in the estimation of men of insight1 one and the same1 for if that which belonged to ,caesar had not come from ,god1 ,he would have forbidden it4 ,and likewise in the sacred verse3 ,obey ,god and obey the ,apostle1 and those among you invested with authority4 ,by those invested with authority is meant primarily and more especially the ,imms--the blessings of ,god rest upon them6 ,they1 verily1 are the manifestations of the power of ,god1 and the sources of ,his authority1 and the repositories of ,his knowledge1 and the daysprings of ,his commandments4 ,secondarily these words refer unto the kings and rulers--those through the brightness of whose justice the horizons of the world are resplendent and luminous4 ,we fain would hope that ,his ,majesty the ,shh will shine forth with a light of justice whose radiance will envelop all the kindreds of the earth4 ,it is incumbent upon every one to beseech the one true ,god on his behalf for that which is meet and seemly in this day4 ,o ,god1 my ,god1 and my ,master1 and my ,mainstay1 and my ,desire1 and my ,beloved6 ,i ask ,thee by the mysteries which were hid in ,thy knowledge1 and by the signs which have diffused the fragrance of ,thy loving-kindness1 and by the billows of the ocean of ,thy bounty1 and by the heaven of ,thy grace and generosity1 and by the blood spilt in ,thy path1 and by the hearts consumed in their love for ,thee1 to assist ,his ,majesty the ,shh with ,thy power and ,thy sovereignty1 that from him may be manifested that which will everlastingly endure in ,thy ,books1 and ,thy ,scriptures1 and ,thy ,tablets4 ,hold ,thou his hand1 ,o my ,lord1 with the hand of ,thine omnipotence1 and illuminate him with the light of ,thy knowledge1 and adorn him with the adornment of ,thy virtues4 ,potent art ,thou to do what pleaseth ,thee1 and in ,thy grasp are the reins of all created things4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,ever-,forgiving1 the ,all-,bounteous4 ,in the ,epistle to the ,romans ,saint ,paul hath written3 ,let every soul be subject unto the higher powers4 ,for there is no power but of ,god2 the powers that be are ordained of ,god4 ,whosoever therefore resisteth the power1 resisteth the ordinance of ,god4 ,and further3 ,for he is the minister of ,god1 a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil4 ,he saith that the appearance of the kings1 and their majesty and power are of ,god4 ,moreover1 in the traditions of old1 references have been made which the divines have seen and heard4 ,we beseech ,god--blessed and glorified be ,he--to aid thee1 ,o ,shaykh1 to lay fast hold on that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,the divines must needs unite with ,his ,majesty1 the ,shh1 and cleave unto that which will insure the protection1 the security1 the welfare and prosperity of men4 ,a just king enjoyeth nearer access unto ,god than anyone4 ,unto this testifieth ,he ,who speaketh in ,his ,most ,great ,prison4 ,god6 ,there is none other ,god but ,him1 the ,one1 the ,incomparable1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,wert thou1 for the sake of ,god1 to ponder1 though it be but for an hour1 upon the things which have occurred in former times and more recently1 thou wouldst turn away from the things thou dost possess unto the things which belong unto ,god1 and wouldst become a means for the exaltation of ,his ,word4 ,hath1 from the foundation of the world until the present day1 any ,light or ,revelation shone forth from the dayspring of the will of ,god which the kindreds of the earth have accepted1 and ,whose ,cause they have acknowledged8 ,where is it to be found1 and what is its name8 ,since the ,seal of the ,prophets 7,muammad7--may all else but ,him be ,his sacrifice--and before ,him the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus71 as far back as the ,first ,manifestation1 all have at the time of ,their appearance suffered grievously4 ,some were held to be possessed1 others were called impostors1 and were treated in a manner that the pen is ashamed to describe4 ,by ,god6 ,there befell ,them what hath made all created things to sigh1 and yet the people are1 for the most part1 sunk in manifest ignorance6 ,we pray ,god to assist them to return unto ,him1 and to repent before the door of ,his mercy4 ,potent is ,he over all things4 ,at this moment the shrill voice of the ,most ,sublime ,pen hath been raised1 and hath addressed ,me saying3 ,admonish the ,shaykh even as ,thou hast admonished one of ,thy ,branches 7sons71 that haply the breezes of ,thine utterance may attract and draw him nigh unto ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,be generous in prosperity1 and thankful in adversity4 ,be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor1 and look upon him with a bright and friendly face4 ,be a treasure to the poor1 an admonisher to the rich1 an answerer to the cry of the needy1 a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge4 ,be fair in thy judgment1 and guarded in thy speech4 ,be unjust to no man1 and show all meekness to all men4 ,be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness1 a joy to the sorrowful1 a sea for the thirsty1 a haven for the distressed1 an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression4 ,let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts4 ,be a home for the stranger1 a balm to the suffering1 a tower of strength for the fugitive4 ,be eyes to the blind1 and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring4 ,be an ornament to the countenance of truth1 a crown to the brow of fidelity1 a pillar of the temple of righteousness1 a breath of life to the body of mankind1 an ensign of the hosts of justice1 a luminary above the horizon of virtue1 a dew to the soil of the human heart1 an ark on the ocean of knowledge1 a sun in the heaven of bounty1 a gem on the diadem of wisdom1 a shining light in the firmament of thy generation1 a fruit upon the tree of humility4 ,we pray ,god to protect thee from the heat of jealousy and the cold of hatred4 ,he verily is nigh1 ready to answer4 ,thus hath ,my tongue spoken unto one of ,my ,branches 7sons71 and ,we have mentioned it unto such of ,our loved ones as have cast away their idle fancies1 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 ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,this is the day on which the ,bird of ,utterance hath warbled its melody upon the branches1 in the name of its ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy4 ,blessed is the man that hath1 on the wings of longing1 soared towards ,god1 the ,lord of the ,judgment ,day4 ,the one true ,god well knoweth1 and all the company of ,his trusted ones testify1 that this ,wronged ,one hath1 at all times1 been faced with dire peril4 ,but for the tribulations that have touched ,me in the path of ,god1 life would have held no sweetness for ,me1 and ,my existence would have profited ,me nothing4 ,for them who are endued with discernment1 and whose eyes are fixed upon the ,sublime ,vision1 it is no secret that ,i have been1 most of the days of ,my life1 even as a slave1 sitting under a sword hanging on a thread1 knowing not whether it would fall soon or late upon him4 ,and yet1 notwithstanding all this ,we render thanks unto ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,mine inner tongue reciteth1 in the daytime and in the night-season1 this prayer3 ,glory to ,thee1 ,o my ,god6 ,but for the tribulations which are sustained in ,thy path1 how could ,thy true lovers be recognized2 and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of ,thee1 how could the station of such as yearn for ,thee be revealed8 ,thy might beareth ,me witness6 ,the companions of all who adore ,thee are the tears they shed1 and the comforters of such as seek ,thee are the groans they utter1 and the food of them who haste to meet ,thee is the fragments of their broken hearts4 ,how sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in ,thy path1 and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of ,thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of ,thy ,word6 ,let me quaff in ,thy ,cause1 ,o my ,god and my ,master1 whatsoever ,thou didst desire1 and send down upon me in ,thy love all ,thou didst ordain4 ,by ,thy glory6 ,i wish only what ,thou wishest1 and cherish what ,thou cherishest4 ,in ,thee have ,i1 at all times1 placed ,my whole trust and confidence4 ,thou art verily the ,all-,possessing1 the ,most ,high4 ,raise up1 ,i implore ,thee1 ,o my ,god1 as helpers to this ,revelation such as shall be counted worthy of ,thy ,name and of ,thy sovereignty1 that they may remember ,thee among ,thy creatures1 and hoist the ensigns of ,thy victory in ,thy land1 and adorn them with ,thy virtues and ,thy commandments4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,help in ,peril1 the ,self-,subsisting4 ,thereupon the voice of the true ,faith was lifted up1 calling aloud again and again and saying3 ,o concourse of the earth6 ,by ,god6 ,i am the true ,faith of ,god amongst you4 ,beware that ye deny ,me not4 ,god hath manifested ,me with a light that hath encompassed all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth4 ,judge ye equitably1 ,o people1 ,my manifestation1 and the revelation of ,my glory1 and the radiance of ,my light1 and be not of them that act unjustly4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,this ,wronged ,one beseecheth ,god--blessed and glorified be ,he--to make thee the one who will open the door of justice1 and reveal through thee ,his ,cause among ,his servants4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,all-,powerful1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,bounteous4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,entreat thou the one true ,god to sanctify the ears1 and the eyes1 and the hearts of mankind1 and to protect them from the desires of a corrupt inclination4 ,for malice is a grievous malady which depriveth man from recognizing the ,great ,being1 and debarreth him from the splendors of the sun of certitude4 ,we pray and hope that through the grace and mercy of ,god ,he may remove this mighty obstacle4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,potent1 the ,all-,subduing1 the ,almighty4 ,at this moment a ,voice was raised from the right-hand of the ,luminous ,spot3 ,god6 ,there is none other ,god but ,him1 the ,ordainer1 the ,all-,wise6 ,recite ,thou unto the ,shaykh the remaining passages of the ,law-i-,burhn 7,tablet of the ,proof7 that they may draw him unto the horizon of the ,revelation of his ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy1 that haply he may arise to aid ,my ,cause with perspicuous signs and exalted testimonies1 and may speak forth amongst men that which the ,tongue of ,testimony hath spoken3 #8,the ,kingdom is ,god's1 the ,lord of the worlds6' ,peruse thou the ,kitb-i-qn 7,book of ,certitude7 and that which the ,all-,merciful hath sent down unto the ,king of ,paris 7,napoleon ,,iii7 and to such as are like him1 that thou mayest be made aware of the things that have happened in the past1 and be persuaded that ,we have not sought to spread disorder in the land after it had been well-ordered4 ,we exhort1 wholly for the sake of ,god1 ,his servants4 ,let him who wisheth turn unto ,him1 and him who wisheth turn aside4 ,our ,lord1 the ,merciful1 is verily the ,all-,sufficing1 the ,all-,praised4 ,o concourse of the kindreds of the earth6 ,this is the day whereon nothing amongst all things1 nor any name amongst all names1 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 creation4 ,blessed is that man that hath recognized the fragrance of the ,all-,merciful and been numbered with the steadfast4 ,your sciences shall not profit you in this day1 nor your arts1 nor your treasures1 nor your glory4 ,cast them all behind your backs1 and set your faces towards the ,most ,sublime ,word through which the ,scriptures and the ,books and this lucid ,tablet have been distinctly set forth4 ,cast away1 ,o people1 the things ye have composed with the pen of your idle fancies and vain imaginings4 ,by ,god6 ,the ,daystar of ,knowledge hath shone forth above the horizon of certitude4 ,o thou who art gone astray6 ,if thou hast any doubt concerning ,our conduct1 know thou that ,we bear witness unto that whereunto ,god hath ,himself borne witness ere the creation of the heavens and of the earth1 that there is none other ,god but ,him1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,bounteous4 ,we testify that ,he is ,one in ,his ,essence1 ,one in ,his ,attributes4 ,he hath none to equal ,him in the whole universe1 nor any partner in all creation4 ,he hath sent forth ,his ,messengers1 and sent down ,his ,books1 that they may announce unto ,his creatures the ,straight ,path4 ,hath the ,shh been informed1 and chosen to close his eyes to thine acts8 ,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 ,book8 ,we have heard that the provinces of ,persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice4 ,when ,we observed closely1 however1 ,we found them to be the dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice4 ,we behold justice in the clutches of tyranny4 ,we beseech ,god to set it free through the power of ,his might and ,his sovereignty4 ,he1 verily1 overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth4 ,to none is given the right to protest against any one concerning that which hath befallen the ,cause of ,god4 ,it behooveth whosoever hath set his face towards the ,most ,sublime ,horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the cord of patience1 and to put his reliance in ,god1 the ,help in ,peril1 the ,unconstrained4 ,o ye loved ones of ,god6 ,drink your fill from the wellspring of wisdom1 and soar ye in the atmosphere of wisdom1 and speak forth with wisdom and eloquence4 ,thus biddeth you your ,lord1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,knowing4 ,o heedless one6 ,rely not on thy glory1 and thy power4 ,thou art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top4 ,soon will it fade away as decreed by ,god1 the ,all-,possessing1 the ,most ,high4 ,thy glory and the glory of such as are like thee have been taken away1 and this verily is what hath been ordained by the ,one with ,whom is the ,mother ,tablet4 ,where is he to be found who contended with ,god1 and whither is gone he that gainsaid ,his signs1 and turned aside from ,his sovereignty8 ,where are they who have slain ,his chosen ones and spilt the blood of ,his holy ones8 ,reflect1 that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts1 ,o foolish doubter6 ,because of you the ,apostle 7,muammad7 lamented1 and the ,chaste ,one 7,ftimih7 cried out1 and the countries were laid waste1 and darkness fell upon all regions4 ,o concourse of divines6 ,because of you the people were abased1 and the banner of ,islm was hauled down1 and its mighty throne subverted4 ,every time a man of discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which would exalt ,islm1 ye raised a clamor1 and thereby was he deterred from achieving his purpose1 while the land remained fallen in clear ruin4 ,o ,my ,supreme ,pen6 ,call ,thou to remembrance the ,she-,serpent 7,imm-,jum'ih of ,ifhn7 whose cruelty hath caused all created things to groan1 and the limbs of the holy ones to quake4 ,thus biddeth ,thee the ,lord of all names1 in this glorious station4 ,the ,chaste ,one 7,ftimih7 hath cried out by reason of thine iniquity1 and yet thou dost imagine thyself to be of the family of the ,apostle of ,god6 ,thus hath thy soul prompted thee1 ,o thou who hast withdrawn thyself from ,god1 the ,lord of all that hath been and shall be4 ,judge thou equitably1 ,o ,she-,serpent6 ,for what crime didst thou sting the children of the ,apostle of ,god 7,king of ,martyrs and ,beloved of ,martyrs71 and pillage their possessions8 ,hast thou denied ,him ,who created thee by ,his command #8be1 and it was'8 ,thou hast dealt with the children of the ,apostle of ,god as neither #8d hath dealt with ,hd1 nor ,thmd with li1 nor the ,jews with the ,spirit of ,god 7,jesus71 the ,lord of all being4 ,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 them8 ,meditate1 that thou mayest be made aware of thine act1 ,o heedless outcast6 ,erelong will the breaths of chastisement seize thee1 as they seized others before thee4 ,wait1 ,o thou who hast joined partners with ,god1 the ,lord of the visible and the invisible4 ,this is the day which ,god hath announced through the tongue of ,his ,apostle4 ,reflect1 that thou mayest apprehend what the ,all-,merciful hath sent down in the ,qur'n and in this inscribed ,tablet4 ,this is the day whereon ,he ,who is the ,dayspring of ,revelation hath come with clear tokens which none can number4 ,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 creation1 and every man of insight hath hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of his ,lord1 the ,king of ,kings4 ,o heedless one6 ,the tale of the ,sacrifice 7,ishmael7 hath been retold1 and he who was to be offered up hath directed his steps towards the place of sacrifice1 and returned not1 by reason of that which thy hand hath wrought1 ,o perverse hater6 ,didst thou imagine that martyrdom could abase this ,cause8 ,nay1 by ,him ,whom ,god hath made to be the ,repository of ,his ,revelation1 if thou be of them that comprehend4 ,woe betide thee1 ,o thou who hast joined partners with ,god1 and woe betide them that have taken thee as their leader1 without a clear token or a perspicuous ,book4 ,how numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen to quench the light of ,god1 and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged until the hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their cruelty6 ,the sun of justice hath been obscured1 inasmuch as the embodiment of tyranny hath been stablished upon the throne of hatred1 and yet the people understand not4 ,o foolish one6 ,thou hast slain the children of the ,apostle and pillaged their possessions4 ,say3 ,was it1 in thine estimation1 their possessions or themselves that denied ,god8 ,judge fairly1 ,o ignorant one that hath been shut out as by a veil from ,god4 ,thou hast clung to tyranny1 and cast away justice2 whereupon all created things have lamented1 and still thou art among the wayward4 ,thou hast put to death the aged1 and plundered the young4 ,thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that which thine iniquity hath amassed8 ,nay1 by ,myself6 ,thus informeth thee ,he ,who is cognizant of all4 ,by ,god6 ,the things thou possessest shall profit thee not1 nor what thou hast laid up through thy cruelty4 ,unto this beareth witness thy ,lord1 the ,all-,knowing4 ,thou hast arisen to put out the light of this ,cause2 erelong will thine own fire be quenched1 at ,his behest4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,lord of strength and of might4 ,the changes and chances of the world1 and the powers of the nations1 cannot frustrate ,him4 ,he doeth what ,he pleaseth1 and ordaineth what ,he willeth through the power of ,his sovereignty4 ,consider the she-camel4 ,though but a beast1 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 praise4 ,he1 verily1 overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth4 ,no ,god is there but ,him1 the ,almighty1 the ,great4 ,thus have ,we adorned the heaven of ,our ,tablet with the suns of ,our words4 ,blessed the man that hath attained thereunto1 and been illumined with their light1 and woe betide such as have turned aside1 and denied ,him1 and strayed far from ,him4 ,praised be ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds6 ,o ,shaykh6 ,we have enabled thee to hear the melodies of the ,nightingale of ,paradise1 and unveiled to thine eyes the signs which ,god1 by ,his all-compelling behest1 hath sent down in the ,most ,great ,prison1 that thine eye might be cheered1 and thy soul be well-assured4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,all-,bounteous1 the ,generous4 ,arise thou through the power of ,his testimony to serve the ,cause of ,god1 thy ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy4 ,if thy faith be fearful1 seize thou ,my ,tablet1 and preserve it in the bosom of trust4 ,and when thou enterest into the place of resurrection1 and ,god asketh thee by what proof thou hast believed in this ,revelation1 draw forth the ,tablet and say3 ,by this ,book1 the holy1 the mighty1 the incomparable4 ,thereupon all will lift up their hands towards thee1 and will seize the ,tablet1 and will press it to their eyes1 and will inhale therefrom the fragrance of the utterance of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,were ,god to torment thee for having believed in ,his signs in this ,revelation1 for what reason could ,he then torment such as have disbelieved in ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god1 and before ,him in ,jesus1 the ,son of ,mary1 and before ,him in the ,one ,who conversed with ,god 7,moses71 and before ,him in the ,one ,who is the ,friend of ,god 7,abraham71 and as far back as the ,one ,who was the ,first ,manifestation1 ,who was created by the will of thy ,lord1 the ,potent1 the ,all-,encompassing4 ,thus have ,we sent down ,our verses unto one before thee1 and recalled them unto thee1 in this day1 that thou mayest understand1 and be of them who are well assured4 ,o thou who assumest the voice of knowledge6 ,this ,cause is too evident to be obscured1 and too conspicuous to be concealed4 ,it shineth as the sun in its meridian glory4 ,none can deny it unless he be a hater and a doubter4 ,at this moment it behooveth us to turn unto the ,desired ,one1 and cleave unto these most sublime words3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,thou hast lighted the lamp of ,thy ,cause with the oil of wisdom2 protect it from contrary winds4 ,the lamp is ,thine1 and the glass is ,thine1 and all things in the heavens and on earth are in the grasp of ,thy power4 ,bestow justice upon the rulers1 and fairness upon the divines4 ,thou art the ,all-,powerful1 ,who1 through the motion of ,thy ,pen1 hast aided ,thine irresistible ,cause1 and guided aright ,thy loved ones4 ,thou art the ,possessor of power1 and the ,king of might4 ,no ,god is there but ,thee1 the ,strong1 the ,unconstrained4 ,say thou also3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,i yield ,thee thanks inasmuch as ,thou hast made me to drink of ,thy ,sealed ,wine from the hand of the bounty of ,thy ,name1 the ,self-,subsisting4 ,i entreat ,thee by the splendors of the ,dayspring of ,thy ,revelation1 and by the potency of ,thy ,most ,sublime ,word1 and by the might of ,thy ,most ,exalted ,pen1 through ,whose movement the realities of all created things have been enraptured1 to aid ,his ,majesty the ,shh to render ,thy ,cause victorious1 and to turn towards the horizon of ,thy ,revelation1 and to set his face in the direction of the lights of ,thy countenance4 ,assist him1 ,o my ,lord1 to draw nigh unto ,thee4 ,help him1 then1 with the hosts of the heavens and of earth4 ,i implore ,thee1 ,o ,thou ,who art the ,lord of all ,names and the ,maker of the heavens1 by the light of ,thy ,cause1 and by the fire of the ,lote-,tree of ,thy loving-kindness1 to help ,his ,majesty to reveal ,thy ,cause amidst ,thy creatures4 ,open1 then1 before his face the doors of ,thy grace1 and ,thy mercy1 and ,thy bounty4 ,potent art ,thou to do what pleaseth ,thee by ,thy word3 #8,be1 and it is4' ,o ,shaykh6 ,we had seized the reins of authority by the power of ,god and ,his ,divine might1 as ,he alone can seize1 ,who is the ,mighty1 the ,strong4 ,none had the power to stir up mischief or sedition4 ,now1 however1 as they have failed to appreciate this loving-kindness and these bounties1 they have been1 and will be1 afflicted with the retribution which their acts must entail4 ,the ,state officials1 considering the secret progress of the ,extended ,cord have1 from every direction1 incited and aided ,mine adversaries4 ,in the ,great ,city 7,constantinople7 they have roused a considerable number of people to oppose this ,wronged ,one4 ,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 people4 ,a distinguished siyyid1 whose well-known integrity1 acceptable conduct1 and commercial reputation1 were recognized by the majority of fair-minded men1 and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant1 once visited ,beirut4 ,in view of his friendship for this ,wronged ,one they telegraphed the ,persian ,dragoman informing him that this siyyid1 assisted by his servant1 had stolen a sum of money and other things and gone to ,akk4 ,their design in this matter was to dishonor this ,wronged ,one4 ,and yet1 far be it from the people of this country to allow themselves to be deflected1 by these unseemly tales1 from the straight path of uprightness and truth4 ,briefly1 they have assaulted ,me from every side1 and are reinforcing ,mine adversaries4 ,this ,wronged ,one1 however1 beseecheth the one true ,god to graciously assist every one in that which beseemeth these days4 ,day and night ,i fix ,my gaze on these perspicuous words1 and recite3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,i beseech ,thee by the sun of ,thy grace1 and the sea of ,thy knowledge1 and the heaven of ,thy justice1 to aid them that have denied ,thee to confess1 and such as have turned aside from ,thee to return1 and those who have calumniated ,thee to be just and fair-minded4 ,assist them1 ,o my ,lord1 to return unto ,thee1 and to repent before the door of ,thy grace4 ,powerful art ,thou to do what ,thou willest1 and in ,thy grasp are the reins of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth4 ,praise be unto ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,the time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and hearts of men will be disclosed4 ,this ,day is the ,day whereof ,luqmn spoke unto his son1 the ,day which the ,lord of ,glory announced and with which ,he acquainted ,him ,who was ,his ,friend 7,muammad7 through these1 ,his words--exalted be ,he3--,o my son6 ,verily1 ,god will bring everything to light1 though it were but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed1 and hidden in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth2 for ,god is ,subtile1 informed of all4 ,this ,day the deceitful of eye1 and all that men's breasts conceal1 are made known and laid bare before the throne of ,his ,revelation4 ,nothing whatsoever can escape ,his knowledge4 ,he heareth and seeth1 and ,he1 in truth1 is the ,all-,hearing1 the ,all-,seeing4 ,how very strange that they discern not between the trustworthy and the treacherous6 ,would that ,his ,majesty the ,shh of ,persia--may ,god perpetuate his sovereignty--would inquire from the ,consuls of the honored ,persian ,government who have been in this country1 that he might become acquainted with the activities and behavior of this ,wronged ,one4 ,briefly1 they have incited a great many such as ,akhtar and others1 and are busying themselves in spreading calumnies4 ,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 another4 ,this is not the first time that such iniquity hath been perpetrated1 nor the first goblet that hath been dashed to the ground1 nor the first veil that hath been rent in twain in the path of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,this ,wronged ,one1 however1 remained calm and silent in the ,most ,great ,prison1 busying ,himself with ,his own affairs1 and completely detached from all else but ,god4 ,iniquity waxed so grievous that the pens of the world are powerless to record it4 ,in this connection it is necessary to mention the following occurrence1 that haply men may take fast hold of the cord of justice and truthfulness4 j ,shaykh ,muammad #8,al--upon him be the glory of ,god1 the ,ever-,abiding--was a merchant of high repute1 well-known unto most of the inhabitants of the ,great ,city 7,constantinople74 ,not long ago1 when the ,persian ,embassy in ,constantinople was secretly engaged in stirring up mischief1 it was noticed that this believing and sincere soul was greatly distressed4 ,finally1 one night he threw himself into the sea1 but was rescued by some passers-by who chanced to come upon him at that moment4 ,his act was widely commented upon and given varied interpretations by different people4 ,following this1 one night he repaired to a mosque1 and1 as reported by the guardian of that place1 kept vigil the whole night1 and was occupied until the morning in offering1 ardently and with tearful eyes1 his prayers and supplications4 ,upon hearing him suddenly cease his devotions1 the guardian went to him1 and found that he had already surrendered his soul4 ,an empty bottle was found by his side1 indicating that he had poisoned himself4 ,briefly1 the guardian1 while greatly astonished1 broke the news to the people4 ,it was found out that he had left two testaments4 ,in the first he recognized and confessed the unity of ,god1 that ,his ,exalted ,being had neither peer nor equal1 and that ,his ,essence was exalted above all praise1 all glorification and description4 ,he also testified to the ,revelation of the ,prophets and the holy ones1 and recognized what had been written down in the ,books of ,god1 the ,lord of all men4 ,on another page1 in which he had set down a prayer1 he wrote these words in conclusion3 ,this servant and the loved ones of ,god are perplexed4 ,on the one hand the ,pen of the ,most ,high hath forbidden all men to engage in sedition1 contention or conflict1 and on the other that same ,pen hath sent down these most sublime words3 #8,should anyone1 in the presence of the ,manifestation1 discover an evil intention on the part of any soul1 he must not oppose him1 but must leave him to ,god4' ,considering that on the one hand this binding command is clear and firmly established1 and that on the other calumnies1 beyond human strength to bear or endure1 have been uttered1 this servant hath chosen to commit this most grievous sin4 ,i turn suppliantly unto the ocean of ,god's bounty and the heaven of ,divine mercy1 and hope that ,he will blot out with the pen of ,his grace and bounteousness the misdeeds of this servant4 ,though my transgressions be manifold1 and unnumbered my evildoings1 yet do ,i cleave tenaciously to the cord of ,his bounty1 and cling unto the hem of ,his generosity4 ,god is witness1 and they that are nigh unto ,his ,threshold know full well1 that this servant could not bear to hear the tales related by the perfidious4 ,i1 therefore1 have committed this act4 ,if ,he chastise me1 ,he verily is to be praised for what ,he doeth2 and if ,he forgive me1 ,his behest shall be obeyed4 ,ponder1 now1 ,o ,shaykh1 the influence of the word of ,god1 that haply thou mayest turn from the left hand of idle fancy unto the right hand of certitude4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath never acted hypocritically towards any one1 in the ,cause of ,god1 and hath loudly proclaimed the ,word of ,god before the face of ,his creatures4 ,let him who wisheth turn thereunto1 and let him who wisheth turn aside4 ,if these things1 however1 that are so clear1 so manifest and indubitable1 be denied1 what else can be deemed acceptable and worthy of credence in the estimation of men of insight8 ,we beseech ,god--blessed and glorified be ,he--to forgive the aforementioned person 7j ,shaykh ,muammad-#8,al71 and change his evil deeds into good ones4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,all-,powerful1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,bounteous4 ,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 them4 ,it is incumbent upon thee1 in this day1 to arise with celestial power and dissipate1 with the aid of knowledge1 the doubts of the peoples of the world1 so that all men may be sanctified1 and direct their steps towards the ,most ,great ,ocean and cleave fast unto that which ,god hath purposed4 ,every one who hath turned aside from ,me hath clung to his own idle words1 and therewith voiced his objections to ,him ,who is the ,truth4 ,gracious ,god6 ,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 repudiation4 ,the ,imm diq hath said3 ,servitude is a substance1 the essence of which is ,divinity4 ,the ,commander of the ,faithful 7,imm #8,al7 answered an ,arab1 who had questioned him concerning the soul1 as follows3 ,the third is the soul which is divine and celestial4 ,it is a divine energy1 a substance1 simple1 and self-subsistent4 ,and further he--peace be upon him--said3 ,therefore it is the ,most ,sublime ,essence of ,god1 the ,tree of ,blessedness1 the ,lote-,tree beyond which there is no passing1 the ,garden of ,repose4 ,the ,imm diq hath said3 ,when our ,q'im will arise1 the earth will shine with the light of her ,lord4 ,likewise1 a lengthy tradition is attributed to b-#8,abdi'llh--peace be upon him--in which these sublime words are found3 ,thereupon will ,he ,who is the ,all-,compelling--exalted and glorified be ,he--descend from the clouds with the angels4 ,and in the mighty ,qur'n3 ,what can such expect but that ,god should come down to them overshadowed with clouds8 ,and in the tradition of ,mufaddl it is said3 ,the ,q'im will lean ,his back against the ,sanctuary1 and will stretch forth ,his hand1 and lo1 it shall be snow-white but unhurt4 ,and ,he shall say3 #8,this is the hand of ,god1 the right hand of ,god1 that cometh from ,god1 at the command of ,god6' ,in whichever manner these traditions are interpreted1 in that same manner let them also interpret that which the ,most ,sublime ,pen hath set down4 ,the ,commander of the ,faithful 7,imm #8,al7 hath said3 ,i am ,he ,who can neither be named1 nor described4 ,and likewise ,he hath said3 ,outwardly ,i am an ,imm2 inwardly ,i am the ,unseen1 the ,unknowable4 ,ab-,ja'far-i-,ts hath said3 ,i said to b #8,abdi'llh3 #8,you are the ,way mentioned in the ,book of ,god1 and you are the ,impost1 and you are the ,pilgrimage4' ,he replied3 #8,o man6 ,we are the ,way mentioned in the ,book of ,god1--exalted and glorified be ,he--and ,we are the ,impost1 and ,we are the ,fast1 and ,we are the ,pilgrimage1 and ,we are the ,sacred ,month1 and ,we are the ,sacred ,city1 and ,we are the ,kaaba of ,god1 and ,we are the ,qiblih of ,god1 and ,we are the ,face of ,god4' ,jabr hath said that ,ab-,ja'far--peace be upon him--spoke to him as follows3 ,o ,jabr6 ,give heed unto the ,bayn 7,exposition7 and the ,m'n 7,significances74 ,he--peace be upon him--added3 ,as to the ,bayn1 it consisteth in thy recognition of ,god--glorified be ,he--as the ,one ,who hath no equal1 and in thy adoration of ,him1 and in thy refusal to join partners with ,him4 ,as to the ,m'n1 ,we are its meaning1 and its side1 and its hand1 and its tongue1 and its cause1 and its command1 and its knowledge1 and its right4 ,if ,we wish for something1 it is ,god ,who wisheth it1 and ,he desireth that which ,we desire4 ,moreover1 the ,commander of the ,faithful 7,imm #8,al7--peace be upon him--hath said3 ,how can ,i worship a ,lord ,whom ,i have not seen8 ,and1 in another connection1 he saith3 ,nothing have ,i perceived except that ,i perceived ,god before it1 ,god after it1 or ,god with it4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,ponder upon the things which have been mentioned1 perchance thou mayest quaff the ,sealed ,wine through the power of the name of ,him ,who is the ,self-,subsisting1 and obtain that which no one is capable of comprehending4 ,gird up the loins of endeavor1 and direct thyself towards the ,most ,sublime ,kingdom1 that haply thou mayest perceive1 as they descend upon ,me1 the breaths of ,revelation and inspiration1 and attain thereunto4 ,verily1 ,i say3 ,the ,cause of ,god hath never had1 nor hath it now1 any peer or equal4 ,rend asunder the veils of idle fancies4 ,he1 in truth1 will reinforce thee1 and assist thee1 as a token of ,his grace4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,strong1 the ,all-,subduing1 the ,almighty4 ,while there is yet time1 and the blessed ,lote-,tree is still calling aloud amongst men1 suffer not thyself to be deprived4 ,place thy trust in ,god1 and commit thine affairs unto ,him1 and enter then the ,most ,great ,prison1 that thou mayest hear what no ear hath ever heard1 and gaze on that which no eye hath ever seen4 ,after such an exposition1 can there remain any room for doubt8 ,nay1 by ,god1 ,who standeth over ,his ,cause6 ,in truth ,i say3 ,on this day the blessed words ,but ,he is the ,apostle of ,god1 and the ,seal of the ,prophets have found their consummation in the verse ,the day when mankind shall stand before the ,lord of the worlds4 ,render thou thanksgiving unto ,god1 for so great a bounty4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,the breezes of ,revelation can never be confounded with other breezes4 ,now the ,lote-,tree beyond which there is no passing standeth laden with countless fruits before thy face2 besmirch not thyself with idle fancies1 as have done the people aforetime4 ,these utterances themselves proclaim the true nature of the ,faith of ,god4 ,he it is ,who witnesseth unto all things4 ,to demonstrate the truth of ,his ,revelation ,he hath not been1 nor is ,he1 dependent upon any one4 ,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 signs1 and are available unto all4 ,it is for thee to direct thyself towards the ,ultimate ,goal1 and the ,supreme ,end1 and the ,most ,sublime ,pinnacle1 that thou mayest hear and behold what hath been revealed by ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,ponder a while upon the verses concerning the ,divine ,presence1 which have been sent down in the ,qur'n by ,him ,who is the ,lord of the kingdom of names1 perchance thou mayest discover the ,straight ,path1 and be made an instrument for the guidance of ,his creatures4 ,such a one as thou must needs in this day arise to serve this ,cause4 ,the abasement of this ,wronged ,one as well as thy glory shall both pass away4 ,strive thou1 that haply thou mayest achieve a deed the fragrance of which shall never fade from the earth4 ,concerning the ,divine ,presence there hath been sent down what no denier hath been or is now able to refute or repudiate4 ,he--blessed and exalted be ,he--saith3 ,it is ,god ,who hath reared the heavens without pillars thou canst behold2 then mounted ,his throne1 and imposed laws on the sun and moon3 each traveleth to its appointed goal4 ,he ordereth all things4 ,he maketh ,his signs clear1 that ye may have firm faith in the ,presence of your ,lord4 ,he also saith3 ,to him who hopeth to attain the ,presence of ,god1 the set time of ,god will surely come4 ,and ,he is the ,hearer1 the ,knower4 ,and further ,he--exalted be ,he--saith3 ,as for those who believe not in the signs of ,god1 or that they shall ever attain ,his ,presence1 these of ,my mercy shall despair1 and these doth a grievous chastisement await4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,and they say1 #8,what6 when we shall have lain hidden in the earth1 shall we become a new creation8' ,yea1 they deny that they shall attain the ,presence of their ,lord4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,they truly doubt the ,presence of their ,lord4 ,he1 verily1 overshadoweth all things4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,verily1 they who hope not to attain ,our ,presence1 and find their satisfaction in this world's life1 and rest on it1 and who of ,our signs are heedless--these6 their abode the fire1 in recompense of their deeds6 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,but when ,our clear signs are recited to them1 they who look not forward to attain ,our ,presence1 say1 #8,bring a different ,qur'n from this1 or make some change in it4' ,say3 ,it is not for ,me to change it as ,mine own soul prompteth4 ,i follow only what is revealed to ,me3 verily1 ,i fear1 if ,i rebel against ,my ,lord1 the punishment of a great day4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,then gave ,we the ,book to ,moses--complete for ,him who should do right1 and a decision for all matters1 and a guidance1 and a mercy1 that they might believe in the ,presence of their ,lord4 ,and likewise he saith3 ,they are those who believe not in the signs of the ,lord1 or that they shall ever attain ,his ,presence4 ,vain1 therefore1 are their works2 and no weight will ,we allow them on the ,day of ,resurrection4 ,this shall be their reward--,hell4 ,because they were unbelievers1 and treated ,my signs and ,my ,apostles with scorn4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,hath the history of ,moses reached thee8 ,when ,he saw a fire1 and said to ,his family1 #8,tarry ye here1 for ,i perceive a fire2 haply ,i may bring you a brand from it1 or find at the fire a guide4' ,and when ,he came to it1 ,he was called to1 #8,o ,moses6 ,verily1 ,i am ,thy ,lord2 therefore pull off ,thy shoes1 for ,thou art in the holy vale of ,towa4 ,and ,i have chosen ,thee2 hearken then to what shall be revealed4 ,verily1 ,i am ,god1 there is no ,god but ,me4 ,therefore1 worship ,me4' ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,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 end1 and for a fixed term8 ,but truly most men believe not that they shall attain the ,presence of their ,lord4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,what6 ,have they no thought that they shall be raised again for the ,great ,day1 the ,day when mankind shall stand before the ,lord of the worlds8 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,we heretofore gave the ,book to ,moses4 ,have thou no doubt as to ,his attaining ,our ,presence4 ,and ,he saith3 ,aye6 ,but when the earth shall be crushed with crushing1 crushing1 and thy ,lord shall come and the angels rank on rank4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,fain would they put out the light of ,god with their mouths6 ,but though the infidels hate it1 ,god will perfect ,his light4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,and when ,moses had fulfilled the term1 and was journeying with ,his family1 ,he perceived a fire on the mountain side4 ,he said to ,his family3 #8,wait ye1 for ,i perceive a fire1 haply ,i may bring you tidings from it1 or a brand from the fire to warm you4' ,and when ,he came up to it1 a ,voice cried to ,him out of the ,bush from the right side of the ,vale in the sacred ,spot3 #8,o ,moses1 ,i truly am ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds6' ,in all the ,divine ,books the promise of the ,divine ,presence hath been explicitly recorded4 ,by this ,presence is meant the ,presence of ,him ,who is the ,dayspring of the signs1 and the ,dawning-,place of the clear tokens1 and the ,manifestation of the ,excellent ,names1 and the ,source of the attributes1 of the true ,god1 exalted be ,his glory4 ,god in ,his ,essence and in ,his own ,self hath ever been unseen1 inaccessible1 and unknowable4 ,by ,presence1 therefore1 is meant the ,presence of the ,one ,who is ,his ,vicegerent amongst men4 ,he1 moreover1 hath never had1 nor hath ,he1 any peer or likeness4 ,for were ,he to have any peer or likeness1 how could it then be demonstrated that ,his being is exalted above1 and ,his essence sanctified from1 all comparison and likeness8 ,briefly1 there hath been revealed in the ,kitb-i-qn 7,book of ,certitude7 concerning the ,presence and ,revelation of ,god that which will suffice the fair-minded4 ,we beseech ,him--exalted be ,he--to aid every one to become the essence of truthfulness1 and to draw nigh unto ,him4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,lord of strength and power4 ,no ,god is there but ,him1 the ,all-,hearing1 the ,lord of ,utterance1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised4 ,o thou who art reputed for thy learning6 ,bid men to do that which is praiseworthy1 and be not of such as tarry4 ,observe thou with a keen eye4 ,the ,sun of ,truth shineth resplendently1 at the bidding of the ,lord of the kingdom of utterance1 and the ,king of the heaven of knowledge1 above the horizon of the prison-city of ,akk4 ,repudiation hath not veiled it1 and ten thousand hosts arrayed against it were powerless to withhold it from shining4 ,thou canst excuse thyself no longer4 ,either thou must recognize it1 or--,god forbid--arise and deny all the ,prophets6 ,reflect1 ,o ,shaykh1 upon the ,sh'ih sect4 ,how many the edifices which they reared with the hands of idle fancies and vain imaginings1 and how numerous the cities which they built6 ,at length those vain imaginings were converted into bullets and aimed at ,him ,who is the ,prince of the world4 ,not one single soul among the leaders of that sect acknowledged ,him in the ,day of ,his ,revelation6 ,whenever ,his blessed name was mentioned1 all would say3 ,may ,god hasten the joy ,his coming will bring6 ,on the day of the ,revelation of that ,sun of ,truth1 however1 all1 as hath been observed1 have exclaimed1 saying3 ,may ,god hasten ,his chastisement6 ,he ,who was the ,essence of being and ,lord of the seen and unseen they suspended1 and committed what made the ,tablet to weep1 and the ,pen to groan1 and the cries of the sincere to break forth1 and the tears of the favored ones to flow4 ,meditate1 ,o ,shaykh1 and be fair in what thou sayest4 ,the followers of ,shaykh-i-,ahs' 7,shaykh ,amad7 have1 by the aid of ,god1 apprehended that which was veiled from the comprehension of others1 and of which they remained deprived4 ,briefly1 in every age and century differences have arisen in the days of the manifestation of the ,daysprings of ,revelation1 and the ,dawning-,places of inspiration1 and the ,repositories of ,divine knowledge1 differences which have been caused and provoked by lying and impious souls4 ,to expatiate on this is not permissible4 ,thou art thyself better acquainted and more familiar with the idle fancies of the superstitious and the vain imaginings of the doubters4 ,in this day1 this ,wronged ,one requesteth thee and the other divines who have drunk of the cup of the knowledge of ,god1 and are illumined by the shining words of the ,daystar of ,justice1 to appoint some person1 without informing any one1 and despatch him to these regions1 and enable him to remain a while in the island of ,cyprus1 and associate with ,mrz ,yay1 perchance he may become aware of the fundamentals of this ,faith and of the source of the ,divine laws and commandments4 ,wert thou to ponder a while1 thou wouldst bear witness unto the wisdom1 and the power1 and the sovereignty of ,god1 exalted be ,his glory4 ,the few who were unaware of this ,cause1 and had not met ,us1 have spoken in such a manner that all things1 and those souls who are well assured1 pleased1 and pleasing unto ,god1 have testified unto the imposture of these heedless ones4 ,wert thou now to exert thyself1 the truth of this ,cause would be made apparent unto mankind1 and the people would be delivered from this grievous and oppressive darkness4 ,who else but ,bah can speak forth before the face of men1 and who else but ,he can have the power to pronounce that which ,he was bidden by ,god1 the ,lord of ,hosts8 ,this heedless one hath now clung to the practice of ,rawdih-khn 7traditional lamentation for the ,imm usayn74 ,he--,i swear by ,god--is in evident error4 ,for it is the belief of this people that during the ,revelation of the ,q'im1 the ,imms--may the peace of ,god be upon them--have arisen from their sepulchres4 ,this verily is the truth1 and no doubt is there about it4 ,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 ,pen1 that all may attain unto that which becometh these days4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,while hemmed in by tribulations this ,wronged ,one is occupied in setting down these words4 ,on every side the flame of oppression and tyranny can be discerned4 ,on the one hand1 tidings have reached ,us that ,our loved ones have been arrested in the land of ,t 7ihrn7 and this notwithstanding that the sun1 and the moon1 and the land1 and the sea all testify that this people are adorned with the adornment of fidelity1 and have clung and will cling to naught except that which can ensure the exaltation of the government1 and the maintenance of order within the nation1 and the tranquillity of the people4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,we have time and again stated that for a number of years ,we have extended ,our aid unto ,his ,majesty the ,shh4 ,for years no untoward incident hath occurred in ,persia4 ,the reins of the stirrers of sedition among various sects were held firmly in the grasp of power4 ,none hath transgressed his limits4 ,by ,god6 ,this people have never been1 nor are they now1 inclined to mischief4 ,their hearts are illumined with the light of the fear of ,god1 and adorned with the adornment of ,his love4 ,their concern hath ever been and now is for the betterment of the world4 ,their purpose is to obliterate differences1 and quench the flame of hatred and enmity1 so that the whole earth may come to be viewed as one country4 ,on the other hand1 the officials of the ,persian ,embassy in the ,great ,city 7,constantinople7 are energetically and assiduously seeking to exterminate these wronged ones4 ,they desire one thing1 and ,god desireth another4 ,consider now what hath befallen the trusted ones of ,god in every land4 ,at one time they have been accused of theft and larceny2 at another they have been calumniated in a manner without parallel in this world4 ,answer thou fairly4 ,what could be the results and consequences1 in foreign countries1 of the accusation of theft brought by the ,persian ,embassy against its own subjects8 ,if this ,wronged ,one was ashamed1 it was not because of the humiliation it brought this servant1 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 ,embassy4 ,flingest thou thy calumnies into the face of ,them ,whom the one true ,god hath made the ,trustees of the treasures of ,his seventh sphere8 ,briefly1 instead of seeking1 as they should1 through ,him ,who occupieth this sublime station1 to attain unto the most exalted ranks1 and to obtain ,his advice1 they have exerted themselves and are striving their utmost to put out ,his light4 ,however1 according to what hath been reported1 ,his ,excellency the ,ambassador ,mu'nu'l-,mulk1 ,mrz ,musin ,khn--may ,god assist him--was1 at that time1 absent from ,constantinople4 ,such things have happened because it was believed that ,his ,majesty the ,shh of ,persia--may the ,all-,merciful assist him--was angry with them that have attained and revolve round the ,sanctuary of ,wisdom4 ,god well knoweth and testifieth that this ,wronged ,one hath1 at all times1 been cleaving fast unto whatever would be conducive to the glory of both the government and the people4 ,god1 verily1 is sufficient ,witness4 ,describing the people of ,bah1 the ,most ,sublime ,pen hath sent down these words3 ,these1 verily1 are men who if they come to cities of pure gold will consider them not2 and if they meet the fairest and most comely of women will turn aside4 ,thus hath it been sent down by the ,most ,sublime ,pen for the people of ,bah1 on the part of ,him ,who is the ,counsellor1 the ,omniscient4 ,in the concluding passages of the ,tablet to ,his ,majesty the ,emperor of ,paris 7,napoleon ,,iii7 these exalted words have been revealed3 ,exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess1 knowing they shall perish8 ,rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth1 when the whole world1 in the estimation of the people of ,bah1 is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant8 ,abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it1 and turn thou unto ,him ,who is the ,desire of the world4 ,god alone--exalted be ,his glory--is cognizant of the things which befell this ,wronged ,one4 ,every day bringeth a fresh report of stories current against ,us at the ,embassy in ,constantinople4 ,gracious ,god6 ,the sole aim of their machinations is to bring about the extermination of this servant4 ,they are1 however1 oblivious of the fact that abasement in the path of ,god is ,my true glory4 ,in the newspapers the following hath been recorded3 ,touching the fraudulent dealings of some of the exiles of ,akk1 and the excesses committed by them against several people1 etc4444 ,unto them who are the exponents of justice and the daysprings of equity the intention of the writer is evident and his purpose clear4 ,briefly1 he arose and inflicted upon ,me divers tribulations1 and treated ,me with injustice and cruelty4 ,by ,god6 ,this ,wronged ,one would not barter this place of exile for the ,most ,sublime ,habitation4 ,in the estimation of men of insight whatsoever befalleth in the path of ,god is manifest glory and a supreme attainment4 ,already ,we have said3 ,glory to ,thee1 ,o my ,god6 ,but for the tribulations which are sustained in ,thy path1 how could ,thy true lovers be recognized2 and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of ,thee1 how could the station of such as yearn for ,thee be revealed8 ,such abasement hath been inflicted that each day they spread fresh calumnies4 ,this ,wronged ,one1 however1 cleaveth to seemly patience4 ,would that ,his ,majesty the ,shh of ,persia would ask for a report of the things which befell ,us in ,constantinople1 that he might become fully acquainted with the true facts4 ,o ,shh6 ,i adjure thee by thy ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy1 to look into this matter with the eye of fairness4 ,is there to be found a just man who will judge in this day according to that which ,god hath sent down in ,his ,book8 ,where is the fair-minded person who will equitably consider what hath been perpetrated against ,us without any clear token or proof8 ,o ,shaykh6 ,ponder the behavior of men4 ,the inmates of the cities of knowledge and wisdom are sore perplexed asking themselves why it is that the ,sh'ih sect1 which regarded itself as the most learned1 the most righteous1 and the most pious of all the peoples of the world1 hath turned aside in the ,day of ,his ,revelation1 and hath shown a cruelty such as hath never been experienced4 ,it is incumbent upon thee to reflect a while4 ,from the inception of this sect until the present day how great hath been the number of the divines that have appeared1 none of whom became cognizant of the nature of this ,revelation4 ,what could have been the cause of this waywardness8 ,were ,we to mention it1 their limbs would cleave asunder4 ,it is necessary for them to meditate1 to meditate for a thousand thousand years1 that haply they may attain unto a sprinkling from the ocean of knowledge1 and discover the things whereof they are oblivious in this day4 ,i was walking in the ,land of ,t 7ihrn7--the dayspring of the signs of thy ,lord--when lo1 ,i heard the lamentation of the pulpits and the voice of their supplication unto ,god1 blessed and glorified be ,he4 ,they cried out and said3 ,o ,god of the world and ,lord of the nations6 ,thou beholdest our state and the things which have befallen us by reason of the cruelty of ,thy servants4 ,thou hast created us and revealed us for ,thy glorification and praise4 ,thou dost now hear what the wayward proclaim upon us in ,thy days4 ,by ,thy might6 ,our souls are melted and our limbs are trembling4 ,alas1 alas6 ,would that we had never been created and revealed by ,thee6 ,the hearts of them that enjoy near access to ,god are consumed by these words1 and from them the cries of such as are devoted to ,him are raised4 ,time and again have ,we1 for the sake of ,god1 admonished the distinguished divines1 and summoned them unto the ,most ,sublime ,horizon1 that perchance they might1 in the days of ,his ,revelation1 obtain their portion of the ocean of the utterance of ,him ,who is the ,desire of the world1 and remain not utterly deprived thereof4 ,in most of ,our ,tablets this most weighty exhortation hath been sent down from the heaven of ,his all-encompassing mercy4 ,we said3 ,o concourse of rulers and divines6 ,incline your ears unto the ,voice calling from the horizon of ,akk4 ,verily1 it aideth you to proceed aright1 and draweth you nigh unto ,him1 and directeth your steps towards the station which ,god hath made the ,dayspring of ,his ,revelation and the ,dawning-,place of ,his splendors4 ,o peoples of the world6 ,he ,who is the ,most ,great ,name is come1 on the part of the ,ancient ,king1 and hath announced unto men this ,revelation which lay hid in ,his knowledge1 and was preserved in the treasury of ,his protection1 and was written down by the ,most ,sublime ,pen in the ,books of ,god1 the ,lord of ,lords4 ,o people of ,shn 7,shrz76 ,have ye forgotten ,my loving-kindness and ,my mercy that have surpassed all created things1 and which proceeded from ,god ,who layeth low the necks of men8 ,in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas 7,most ,holy ,book7 the following hath been revealed3 ,say3 ,o leaders of religion6 ,weigh not the ,book of ,god with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you1 for the ,book itself is the unerring ,balance established amongst men4 ,in this most perfect ,balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds possess must be weighed1 while the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own standard1 did ye but know it4 ,the eye of ,my loving-kindness weepeth sore over you1 inasmuch as ye have failed to recognize the ,one upon ,whom ye have been calling in the daytime and in the night season1 at even and at morn4 ,advance1 ,o people1 with snow-white faces and radiant hearts1 unto the blest and crimson ,spot1 wherein the ,tree beyond which there is no passing is calling3 #8,verily1 there is none other ,god beside ,me1 the ,omnipotent ,protector1 the ,self-,subsisting6' ,o ye leaders of religion in ,persia6 ,who is the man amongst you that can rival ,me in vision or insight8 ,where is he to be found that dareth to claim to be ,my equal in utterance or wisdom8 ,no1 by ,my ,lord1 the ,all-,merciful6 ,all on the earth shall pass away2 and this is the face of your ,lord1 the ,almighty1 the ,well-,beloved4 ,we have decreed1 ,o people1 that the highest and last end of all learning be the recognition of ,him ,who is the ,object of all knowledge2 and yet behold how ye have allowed your learning to shut you out1 as by a veil1 from ,him ,who is the ,dayspring of this ,light1 through ,whom every hidden thing hath been revealed4 ,say3 ,this1 verily1 is the heaven in which the ,mother ,book is treasured1 could ye but comprehend it4 ,he it is ,who hath caused the ,rock to shout1 and the ,burning ,bush to lift up its voice upon the ,mount rising above the ,holy ,land1 and proclaim3 #8,the ,kingdom is ,god's1 the sovereign ,lord of all1 the ,all-,powerful1 the ,loving6' ,we have not entered any school1 nor read any of your dissertations4 ,incline your ears to the words of this unlettered ,one1 wherewith ,he summoneth you unto ,god1 the ,ever-,abiding4 ,better is this for you than all the treasures of the earth1 could ye but comprehend it4 ,whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of ,revelation1 and altereth its evident meaning1 he1 verily1 is of them that have perverted the ,sublime ,word of ,god1 and is of the lost ones in the ,lucid ,book4 ,thereupon ,we heard the groaning of the true ,faith1 and said unto it3 ,wherefore1 ,o true ,faith1 do ,i hear ,thee cry out in the night season1 and groan in the daytime1 and utter ,thy lamentations at daybreak8 ,she made reply3 ,o ,prince of the world that standest revealed in the ,most ,great ,name6 ,the heedless ones have hamstrung ,thy white ,she-,camel1 and caused ,thy ,crimson ,ark to founder1 and wished to put out ,thy ,light1 and to veil the face of ,thy ,cause4 ,wherefore hath the voice of ,my lamentation been lifted up1 as well as the voice of the lamentation of all created things1 and yet the people are for the most part unaware4 ,the true ,faith hath laid fast hold1 in this day1 on the hem of ,our bounty1 and circleth about ,our ,person4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,enter thou ,my presence1 that thou mayest behold what the eye of the universe hath never beheld1 and hear that which the ear of the whole creation hath never heard1 that haply thou mayest free thyself from the mire of vague fancies1 and set thy face towards the ,most ,sublime ,station1 wherein this ,wronged ,one calleth aloud3 ,the ,kingdom is ,god's1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,praised6 ,we fain would hope that through thine exertions the wings of men may be sanctified from the mire of self and desire1 and be made worthy to soar in the atmosphere of ,god's love4 ,wings that are besmirched with mire can never soar4 ,unto this testify they who are the exponents of justice and equity1 and yet the people are in evident doubt4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,protests have been voiced against ,us from every side--protests such as ,our pen craveth pardon for setting down4 ,nevertheless1 by reason of ,our great mercy1 ,we have replied unto them1 in accordance with the understanding of men1 that haply they may be delivered from the fire of negation and denial1 and become illumined with the light of affirmation and acceptance4 ,equity is rarely to be found1 and justice hath ceased to exist4 ,among others1 these perspicuous verses have1 in answer to certain individuals1 been sent down from the ,kingdom of ,divine knowledge3 ,o thou who hast set thy face towards the splendors of ,my ,countenance6 ,vague fancies have encompassed the dwellers of the earth and debarred them from turning towards the ,horizon of ,certitude1 and its brightness1 and its manifestations and its lights4 ,vain imaginings have withheld them from ,him ,who is the ,self-,subsisting4 ,they speak as prompted by their own caprices1 and understand not4 ,among them are those who have said3 #8,have the verses been sent down8' ,say3 #8,yea1 by ,him ,who is the ,lord of the heavens6' #8,hath the ,hour come8' #8,nay1 more2 it hath passed1 by ,him ,who is the ,revealer of clear tokens6 ,verily1 the ,inevitable is come1 and ,he1 the ,true ,one1 hath appeared with proof and testimony4 ,the ,plain is disclosed1 and mankind is sore vexed and fearful4 ,earthquakes have broken loose1 and the tribes have lamented1 for fear of ,god1 the ,lord of ,strength1 the ,all-,compelling4' ,say3 #8,the stunning trumpet blast hath been loudly raised1 and the ,day is ,god's1 the ,one1 the ,unconstrained4' #8,hath the ,catastrophe come to pass8' ,say3 #8,yea1 by the ,lord of ,lords6' #8,is the ,resurrection come8' #8,nay1 more2 ,he ,who is the ,self-,subsisting hath appeared with the ,kingdom of ,his signs4' #8,seest thou men laid low8' #8,yea1 by my ,lord1 the ,exalted1 the ,most ,high6' #8,have the tree-stumps been uprooted8' #8,yea1 more2 the mountains have been scattered in dust2 by ,him the ,lord of attributes6' ,they say3 #8,where is ,paradise1 and where is ,hell8' ,say3 #8,the one is reunion with ,me2 the other thine own self1 ,o thou who dost associate a partner with ,god and doubtest4' ,they say3 #8,we see not the ,balance4' ,say3 #8,surely1 by my ,lord1 the ,god of ,mercy6 ,none can see it except such as are endued with insight4' #8,have the stars fallen8' ,say3 #8,yea1 when ,he ,who is the ,self-,subsisting dwelt in the ,land of ,mystery 7,adrianople74 ,take heed1 ye who are endued with discernment6' ,all the signs appeared when ,we drew forth the ,hand of ,power from the bosom of majesty and might4 ,verily1 the ,crier hath cried out1 when the promised time came1 and they that have recognized the splendors of ,sinai have swooned away in the wilderness of hesitation1 before the awful majesty of thy ,lord1 the ,lord of creation4 ,the trumpet asketh3 #8,hath the ,bugle been sounded8' ,say3 #8,yea1 by the ,king of ,revelation61 when ,he mounted the throne of ,his ,name1 the ,all-,merciful4' ,darkness hath been chased away by the dawning-light of the mercy of thy ,lord1 the ,source of all light4 ,the breeze of the ,all-,merciful hath wafted1 and the souls have been quickened in the tombs of their bodies4 ,thus hath the decree been fulfilled by ,god1 the ,mighty1 the ,beneficent4 ,they that have gone astray have said3 #8,when were the heavens cleft asunder8' ,say3 #8,while ye lay in the graves of waywardness and error4' ,among the heedless is he who rubbeth his eyes1 and looketh to the right and to the left4 ,say3 #8,blinded art thou4 ,no refuge hast thou to flee to4' ,and among them is he who saith3 #8,have men been gathered together8' ,say3 #8,yea1 by my ,lord61 whilst thou didst lie in the cradle of idle fancies4' ,and among them is he who saith3 #8,hath the ,book been sent down through the power of the true ,faith8' ,say3 #8,the true ,faith itself is astounded4 ,fear ye1 ,o ye men of understanding heart6' ,and among them is he who saith3 #8,have ,i been assembled with others1 blind8' ,say3 #8,yea1 by ,him that rideth upon the clouds6' ,paradise is decked with mystic roses1 and hell hath been made to blaze with the fire of the impious4 ,say3 #8,the light hath shone forth from the horizon of ,revelation1 and the whole earth hath been illumined at the coming of ,him ,who is the ,lord of the ,day of the ,covenant6' ,the doubters have perished1 whilst he that turned1 guided by the light of assurance1 unto the ,dayspring of ,certitude hath prospered4 ,blessed art thou1 who hast fixed thy gaze upon ,me1 for this ,tablet which hath been sent down for thee--a ,tablet which causeth the souls of men to soar4 ,commit it to memory1 and recite it4 ,by ,my life6 ,it is a door to the mercy of thy ,lord4 ,well is it with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn4 ,we1 verily1 hear thy praise of this ,cause1 through which the mountain of knowledge was crushed1 and men's feet have slipped4 ,my glory be upon thee and upon whomsoever hath turned unto the ,almighty1 the ,all-,bounteous4 ,the ,tablet is ended1 but the theme is unexhausted4 ,be patient1 for thy ,lord is patient4 ,these are verses ,we sent down previously1 soon after ,our arrival in the prison-city of ,akk1 and ,we have sent them unto thee1 that thou mayest be acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken1 when ,our ,cause came unto them with might and sovereignty4 ,the foundations of idle fancies have trembled1 and the heaven of vain imaginings hath been cleft asunder1 and yet the people are in doubt and in contention with ,him4 ,they have denied the testimony of ,god and ,his proof1 after ,he came from the heaven of power with the kingdom of ,his signs4 ,they have cast away what had been prescribed1 and perpetrated what had been forbidden them in the ,book4 ,they have abandoned their ,god1 and clung unto their desires4 ,they truly have strayed and are in error4 ,they read the verses and deny them4 ,they behold the clear tokens and turn aside4 ,they truly are lost in strange doubt4 ,we have admonished ,our loved ones to fear ,god1 a fear which is the fountain-head of all goodly deeds and virtues4 ,it is the commander of the hosts of justice in the city of ,bah4 ,happy the man that hath entered the shadow of its luminous standard1 and laid fast hold thereon4 ,he1 verily1 is of the ,companions of the ,crimson ,ark1 which hath been mentioned in the ,qayym-i-,asm4 ,say3 ,o people of ,god6 ,adorn your temples with the adornment of trustworthiness and piety4 ,help1 then1 your ,lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character4 ,we have forbidden you dissension and conflict in ,my ,books1 and ,my ,scriptures1 and ,my ,scrolls1 and ,my ,tablets1 and have wished thereby naught else save your exaltation and advancement4 ,unto this testify the heavens and the stars thereof1 and the sun and the radiance thereof1 and the trees and the leaves thereof1 and the seas and the waves thereof1 and the earth and the treasures thereof4 ,we pray ,god to assist ,his loved ones1 and aid them in that which beseemeth them in this blest1 this mighty1 and wondrous station4 ,further1 in another ,tablet1 ,we have said3 ,o thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon ,my countenance6 ,admonish men to fear ,god4 ,by ,god6 ,this fear is the chief commander of the army of thy ,lord4 ,its hosts are a praiseworthy character and goodly deeds4 ,through it have the cities of men's hearts been opened throughout the ages and centuries1 and the standards of ascendancy and triumph raised above all other standards4 ,we will now mention unto thee ,trustworthiness and the station thereof in the estimation of ,god1 thy ,lord1 the ,lord of the ,mighty ,throne4 ,one day of days ,we repaired unto ,our ,green ,island4 ,upon ,our arrival1 ,we beheld its streams flowing1 and its trees luxuriant1 and the sunlight playing in their midst4 ,turning ,our face to the right1 ,we beheld what the pen is powerless to describe2 nor can it set forth that which the eye of the ,lord of ,mankind witnessed in that most sanctified1 that most sublime1 that blest1 and most exalted ,spot4 ,turning1 then1 to the left ,we gazed on one of the ,beauties of the ,most ,sublime ,paradise1 standing on a pillar of light1 and calling aloud saying3 #8,o inmates of earth and heaven6 ,behold ye ,my beauty1 and ,my radiance1 and ,my revelation1 and ,my effulgence4 ,by ,god1 the ,true ,one6 ,i am ,trustworthiness and the revelation thereof1 and the beauty thereof4 ,i will recompense whosoever will cleave unto ,me1 and recognize ,my rank and station1 and hold fast unto ,my hem4 ,i am the most great ornament of the people of ,bah1 and the vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation4 ,i am the supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world1 and the horizon of assurance unto all beings4' ,thus have ,we sent down for thee that which will draw men nigh unto the ,lord of creation4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath1 at all times1 summoned the peoples of the world unto that which will exalt them1 and draw them nigh unto ,god4 ,from the ,most ,sublime ,horizon there hath shone forth that which leaveth no room unto any one for vacillation1 repudiation or denial4 ,the wayward1 however1 have failed to profit therefrom2 nay1 it shall only increase their loss4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,it is incumbent upon the divines to unite with ,his ,majesty1 the ,shh--may ,god assist him--and to cleave day and night unto that which will exalt the station of both the government and the nation4 ,this people are assiduously occupied in enlightening the souls of men and in rehabilitating their condition4 ,unto this testifieth that which hath been sent down by the ,most ,sublime ,pen in this lucid ,tablet4 ,how often have things been simple and easy of accomplishment1 and yet most men have been heedless1 and busied themselves with that which wasteth their time6 ,one day1 while in ,constantinople1 ,kaml ,psh visited this ,wronged ,one4 ,our conversation turned upon topics profitable unto man4 ,he said that he had learned several languages4 ,in reply ,we observed3 ,you have wasted your life4 ,it beseemeth you and the other officials of the ,government to convene a gathering and choose one of the divers languages1 and likewise one of the existing scripts1 or else to create a new language and a new script to be taught children in schools throughout the world4 ,they would1 in this way1 be acquiring only two languages1 one their own native tongue1 the other the language in which all the peoples of the world would converse4 ,were men to take fast hold on that which hath been mentioned1 the whole earth would come to be regarded as one country1 and the people would be relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring and teaching different languages4 ,when in ,our presence1 he acquiesced1 and even evinced great joy and complete satisfaction4 ,we then told him to lay this matter before the officials and ministers of the ,government1 in order that it might be put into effect throughout the different countries4 ,however1 although he often returned to see ,us after this1 he never again referred to this subject1 although that which had been suggested is conducive to the concord and the unity of the peoples of the world4 ,we fain would hope that the ,persian ,government will adopt it and carry it out4 ,at present1 a new language and a new script have been devised4 ,if thou desirest1 ,we will communicate them to thee4 ,our purpose is that all men may cleave unto that which will reduce unnecessary labor and exertion1 so that their days may be befittingly spent and ended4 ,god1 verily1 is the ,helper1 the ,knower1 the ,ordainer1 the ,omniscient4 ,god willing1 ,persia may be adorned with1 and attain unto1 that whereof she hath thus far been deprived4 ,say3 ,o ,shh6 ,exert thyself so that all the peoples of the world may be illumined with the effulgent splendors of the sun of thy justice4 ,the eyes of this ,wronged ,one are turned towards naught save trustworthiness1 truthfulness1 purity1 and all that profiteth men4 ,regard ,him not as a traitor4 ,glorified art ,thou1 ,o my ,god1 and my ,master1 and my ,mainstay6 ,aid ,thou ,his ,majesty the ,shh to execute ,thy laws and ,thy commandments1 and show forth ,thy justice among ,thy servants4 ,thou art1 verily1 the ,all-,bounteous1 the ,lord of grace abounding1 the ,almighty1 the ,all-,powerful4 ,the ,cause of ,god hath come as a token of ,his grace4 ,happy are they who act2 happy are they who understand2 happy the man that hath clung unto the truth1 detached from all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,seek thou the shore of the ,most ,great ,ocean1 and enter1 then1 the ,crimson ,ark which ,god hath ordained in the ,qayym-i-,asm for the people of ,bah4 ,verily1 it passeth over land and sea4 ,he that entereth therein is saved1 and he that turneth aside perisheth4 ,shouldst thou enter therein and attain unto it1 set thy face towards the ,kaaba of ,god1 the ,help in ,peril1 the ,self-,subsisting1 and say3 ,o my ,god6 ,i beseech ,thee by ,thy most glorious light1 and all ,thy lights are verily glorious4 ,thereupon1 will the doors of the ,kingdom be flung wide before thy face1 and thou wilt behold what eyes have never beheld1 and hear what ears have never heard4 ,this ,wronged ,one exhorteth thee as ,he hath exhorted thee before1 and hath never had any wish for thee save that thou shouldst enter the ocean of the unity of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,this is the day whereon all created things cry out1 and announce unto men this ,revelation1 through which hath appeared what was concealed and preserved in the knowledge of ,god1 the ,mighty1 the ,all-,praised4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,thou hast heard the sweet melodies of the ,doves of ,utterance cooing on the boughs of the ,lote-,tree of knowledge4 ,hearken1 now1 unto the notes of the ,birds of ,wisdom upraised in the ,most ,sublime ,paradise4 ,they verily will acquaint thee with things of which thou wert wholly unaware4 ,give ear unto that which the ,tongue of ,might and ,power hath spoken in the ,books of ,god1 the ,desire of every understanding heart4 ,at this moment a ,voice was raised from the ,lote-,tree beyond which there is no passing1 in the heart of the ,most ,sublime ,paradise1 bidding ,me relate unto thee that which hath been sent down in the ,books and ,tablets1 and the things spoken by ,my ,forerunner1 ,who laid down ,his life for this ,great ,announcement1 this ,straight ,path4 ,he hath said--and ,he1 verily1 speaketh the truth3 ,i have written down in ,my mention of ,him these gem-like words3 #8,no allusion of ,mine can allude unto ,him1 neither anything mentioned in the ,bayn4' ,and further1 ,he--exalted and glorified be ,he--saith1 concerning this most mighty ,revelation1 this ,great ,announcement3 ,exalted and glorified is ,he above the power of any one to reveal ,him except ,himself1 or the description of any of ,his creatures4 ,i ,myself am but the first servant to believe in ,him and in ,his signs1 and to partake of the sweet savors of ,his words from the first-fruits of the ,paradise of ,his knowledge4 ,yea1 by ,his glory6 ,he is the ,truth4 ,there is none other ,god but ,him4 ,all have arisen at ,his bidding4 ,such are the words sung by the ,dove of ,truth on the boughs of the ,divine ,lote-,tree4 ,well is it with him that hath given ear unto its ,voice1 and quaffed from the oceans of ,divine utterance that lie concealed in each of these words4 ,in another connection hath the ,voice of the ,bayn called aloud from the loftiest branches4 ,he saith--blessed and glorified be ,he3 ,in the year nine ye will attain unto all good4 ,on another occasion ,he saith3 ,in the year nine ye will attain unto the ,presence of ,god4 ,these melodies1 uttered by the ,birds of the cities of ,knowledge1 conform with that which hath been sent down by the ,all-,merciful in the ,qur'n4 ,blessed are the men of insight2 blessed they that attain thereunto4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,i swear by ,god6 ,the ,river of ,mercy floweth1 and the ,ocean of ,utterance surgeth1 and the ,sun of ,revelation shineth forth resplendent4 ,with a detached heart1 and a dilated breast1 and an utterly truthful tongue1 recite thou these sublime words that have been revealed by ,my ,forerunner--the ,primal ,point4 ,he saith--glorified be ,his utterance--addressing his honor1 ,am3 ,this1 verily1 is the thing ,we promised thee1 ere the moment ,we answered thy call4 ,wait thou until nine will have elapsed from the time of the ,bayn4 ,then exclaim3 #8,blessed1 therefore1 be ,god1 the most excellent of ,makers6' ,say3 ,this1 verily1 is an ,announcement which none except ,god hath comprehended4 ,ye1 however1 will be unaware on that day4 ,in the year nine this ,most ,great ,revelation arose and shone forth brightly above the horizon of the ,will of ,god4 ,none can deny it save he who is heedless and doubteth4 ,we pray ,god to aid ,his servants to return unto ,him1 and beg forgiveness for the things they committed in this vain life4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,forgiving1 the ,pardoner1 the ,all-,merciful4 ,in another connection ,he saith3 ,i am the first servant to believe in ,him1 and in ,his signs4 ,in like manner1 in the ,persian ,bayn1 ,he saith3 ,he1 verily1 is the ,one ,who1 under all conditions1 proclaimeth3 #8,i1 in very truth1 am ,god6' and so on--blessed and glorified be ,he4 ,that which is meant by ,divinity and ,godhead hath previously been stated4 ,we have in truth rent the veils asunder and disclosed that which will draw men nigh unto ,god1 ,who layeth low the necks of men4 ,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 earth1 as bidden by ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,hearken unto the melodies of the ,gospel with the ear of fairness4 ,he saith--glorified be ,his utterance--prophesying the things that are to come3 ,but of that ,day and ,hour knoweth no man1 no1 not the angels of heaven1 nor the ,son1 but the ,father4 ,by ,father in this connection is meant ,god--exalted be ,his glory4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,true ,educator1 and the ,spiritual ,teacher4 ,joel saith3 ,for the ,day of the ,lord is great and very terrible2 and who can abide it8 ,firstly1 in the sublime utterance set forth in the ,gospel ,he saith that none is aware of the time of the ,revelation1 that none knoweth it except ,god1 the ,all-,knowing1 ,who is cognizant of all4 ,secondly1 ,he setteth forth the greatness of the ,revelation4 ,likewise1 in the ,qur'n ,he saith3 ,of what ask they of one another8 ,of the ,great ,announcement4 ,this is the ,announcement1 the greatness of which hath been mentioned in most of the ,books of old and of more recent times4 ,this is the ,announcement that hath caused the limbs of mankind to quake1 except such as ,god1 the ,protector1 the ,helper1 the ,succorer1 hath willed to exempt4 ,men have indeed with their own eyes witnessed how all men and all things have been thrown into confusion and been sore perplexed1 save those whom ,god hath chosen to exempt4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,great is the ,cause1 and great the ,announcement6 ,patiently and calmly ponder thou upon the resplendent signs and the sublime words1 and all that hath been revealed in these days1 that haply thou mayest fathom the mysteries that are hid in the ,books1 and mayest strive to guide ,his servants4 ,hearken with thine inner ear unto the ,voice of ,jeremiah1 ,who saith3 ,oh1 for great is that ,day1 and it hath no equal4 ,wert thou to observe with the eye of fairness1 thou wouldst perceive the greatness of the ,day4 ,incline thine ear unto the ,voice of this ,all-,knowing ,counsellor1 and suffer not thyself to be deprived of the mercy that hath surpassed all created things1 visible and invisible4 ,lend an ear unto the song of ,david4 ,he saith3 ,who will bring me into the ,strong ,city8 ,the ,strong ,city is ,akk1 which hath been named the ,most ,great ,prison1 and which possesseth a fortress and mighty ramparts4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,peruse that which ,isaiah hath spoken in ,his ,book4 ,he saith3 ,get thee up into the high mountain1 ,o ,zion1 that bringest good tidings2 lift up ,thy ,voice with strength1 ,o ,jerusalem1 that bringest good tidings4 ,lift it up1 be not afraid2 say unto the cities of ,judah3 #8,behold your ,god6 ,behold the ,lord ,god will come with strong hand1 and ,his arm shall rule for ,him4' ,this ,day all the signs have appeared4 ,a ,great ,city hath descended from heaven1 and ,zion trembleth and exulteth with joy at the ,revelation of ,god1 for it hath heard the ,voice of ,god on every side4 ,this ,day ,jerusalem hath attained unto a new ,evangel1 for in the stead of the sycamore standeth the cedar4 ,jerusalem is the place of pilgrimage for all the peoples of the world1 and hath been named the ,holy ,city4 ,together with ,zion and ,palestine1 they are all included within these regions4 ,wherefore1 hath it been said3 ,blessed is the man that hath migrated to ,akk4 ,amos saith3 ,the ,lord will roar from ,zion1 and utter ,his ,voice from ,jerusalem2 and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn1 and the top of ,carmel shall wither4 ,carmel1 in the ,book of ,god1 hath been designated as the ,hill of ,god1 and ,his ,vineyard4 ,it is here that1 by the grace of the ,lord of ,revelation1 the ,tabernacle of ,glory hath been raised4 ,happy are they that attain thereunto2 happy they that set their faces towards it4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,our ,god will come1 and ,he will not be silent4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,reflect upon these words addressed by ,him ,who is the ,desire of the world to ,amos4 ,he saith3 ,prepare to meet thy ,god1 ,o ,israel1 for1 lo1 ,he that formeth the mountains and createth the wind1 and declareth unto man what is his thought1 that maketh the morning darkness1 and treadeth upon the high places of the earth1 the ,lord1 the ,god of ,hosts1 is ,his name4 ,he saith that ,he maketh the morning darkness4 ,by this is meant that if1 at the time of the ,manifestation of ,him ,who conversed on ,sinai anyone were to regard himself as the true morn1 he will1 through the might and power of ,god1 be turned into darkness4 ,he truly is the false dawn1 though believing himself to be the true one4 ,woe unto him1 and woe unto such as follow him without a clear token from ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,isaiah saith3 ,the ,lord alone shall be exalted in that ,day4 ,concerning the greatness of the ,revelation ,he saith3 ,enter into the rock1 and hide thee in the dust1 for fear of the ,lord1 and for the glory of ,his majesty4 ,and in another connection ,he saith3 ,the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them2 and the desert shall rejoice1 and blossom as the rose4 ,it shall blossom abundantly1 and rejoice even with joy and singing3 the glory of ,lebanon shall be given unto it1 the splendor of ,carmel and ,sharon1 they shall see the glory of the ,lord1 and the splendor of our ,god4 ,these passages stand in need of no commentary4 ,they are shining and manifest as the sun1 and glowing and luminous as light itself4 ,every fair-minded person is led1 by the fragrance of these words1 unto the garden of understanding1 and attaineth unto that from which most men are veiled and debarred4 ,say3 ,fear ,god1 ,o people1 and follow not the doubts of such as shout aloud1 who have broken the ,covenant of ,god and ,his ,testament1 and denied ,his mercy that hath preceded all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,say to them that are of a fearful heart3 be strong1 fear not1 behold your ,god4 ,this blessed verse is a proof of the greatness of the ,revelation1 and of the greatness of the ,cause1 inasmuch as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread confusion throughout the world1 and fear and trembling amongst all men4 ,well is it with him who hath been illumined with the light of trust and detachment4 ,the tribulations of that ,day will not hinder or alarm him4 ,thus hath the ,tongue of ,utterance spoken1 as bidden by ,him ,who is the ,all-,merciful4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,strong1 the ,all-,powerful1 the ,all-,subduing1 the ,almighty4 ,it is now incumbent upon them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a seeing eye to ponder these sublime words1 in each of which the oceans of inner meaning and explanation are hidden1 that haply the words uttered by ,him ,who is the ,lord of ,revelation may enable ,his servants to attain1 with the utmost joy and radiance1 unto the ,supreme ,goal and ,most ,sublime ,summit--the dawning-place of this ,voice4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,wert thou to perceive1 be it less than a needle's eye1 the breaths of ,mine utterance1 thou wouldst abandon the world and all that is therein1 and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the countenance of the ,desired ,one4 ,briefly1 in the sayings of ,him ,who is the ,spirit 7,jesus7 unnumbered significances lie concealed4 ,unto many things did ,he refer1 but as ,he found none possessed of a hearing ear or a seeing eye ,he chose to conceal most of these things4 ,even as ,he saith3 ,but ye cannot bear them now4 ,that ,dawning-,place of ,revelation saith that on that ,day ,he ,who is the ,promised ,one will reveal the things which are to come4 ,accordingly in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas1 and in the ,tablets to the ,kings1 and in the ,law-i-,ra's1 and in the ,law-i-,fu'd1 most of the things which have come to pass on this earth have been announced and prophesied by the ,most ,sublime ,pen4 ,in the ,kitb-i-,aqdas the following hath been revealed3 ,o ,land of ,t 7ihrn76 ,let nothing grieve thee1 for ,god hath chosen thee to be the source of the joy of all mankind4 ,he shall1 if it be ,his ,will1 bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice1 who will gather together the flock of ,god which the wolves have scattered4 ,such a ruler will1 with joy and gladness1 turn his face towards1 and extend his favors unto1 the people of ,bah4 ,he indeed is accounted in the sight of ,god1 as a jewel among men4 ,upon him rest forever the glory of ,god1 and the glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of ,his revelation4 ,these verses were revealed previously4 ,now1 however1 the following verse hath been sent down3 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,bah beseecheth ,thee and imploreth ,thee1 by the lights of ,thy countenance and the billows of the ocean of ,thy ,revelation1 and the effulgent splendors of the ,sun of ,thine utterance1 to aid the ,shh to be fair and equitable4 ,if it be ,thy wish1 bless ,thou1 through him1 the throne of authority and sovereignty4 ,potent art ,thou to do what pleaseth ,thee4 ,there is none other ,god but ,thee1 ,who hearest1 ,who art ready to answer4 ,rejoice with great joy1 ,o ,land of ,t 7ihrn71 for ,god hath made thee the dayspring of ,his light1 inasmuch as within thee was born the ,manifestation of ,his glory4 ,be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee--a name through which the ,daystar of grace hath shed its splendor1 through which both earth and heaven have been illumined4 ,erelong will the state of affairs within thee be changed1 and the reins of power fall into the hands of the people4 ,verily1 thy ,lord is the ,all-,knowing4 ,his authority embraceth all things4 ,rest thou assured in the gracious favor of thy ,lord4 ,the eye of ,his loving-kindness shall everlastingly be directed towards thee4 ,the day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm4 ,thus hath it been decreed in the ,wondrous ,book4 ,and likewise1 in the ,law-i-,fu'd1 and in the ,tablet of the ,king of ,paris 7,napoleon ,,iii71 and in other ,tablets1 there hath been revealed that which will lead every fair-minded person to testify unto the power1 and the majesty1 and the wisdom of ,god--exalted be ,his glory4 ,were men to observe with the eye of justice1 they would be made aware of the secret of this blessed verse3 ,neither is there a thing green or sere1 but it is noted in a distinct writing1 and would comprehend it4 ,on this day1 however1 men's repudiation of the truth hath prevented them from understanding what hath been sent down in truth by ,him ,who is the ,revealer1 the ,ancient of ,days4 ,gracious ,god6 ,perspicuous signs have appeared on every side1 and yet men are1 for the most part1 deprived of the privilege of beholding and of comprehending them4 ,we beseech ,god to bestow ,his aid1 that all men may recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of the ,most ,great ,ocean1 and exclaim3 ,praised be ,thou1 ,o ,god of the world6 ,o concourse of the fair-minded6 ,observe and reflect upon the billows of the ocean of the utterance and knowledge of ,god1 so that ye may testify with your inner and outer tongues that with ,him is the knowledge of all that is in the ,book4 ,nothing escapeth ,his knowledge4 ,he1 verily1 hath manifested that which was hidden1 when ,he1 upon ,his return1 mounted the throne of the ,bayn4 ,all that hath been sent down hath and will come to pass1 word for word1 upon earth4 ,no possibility is left for anyone either to turn aside or protest4 ,as fairness1 however1 is disgraced and concealed1 most men speak as prompted by their own idle fancies4 ,o ,god1 my ,god6 ,debar not ,thy servants from turning their faces towards the light of certitude1 that hath dawned above the horizon of ,thy will1 and suffer them not to be deprived1 ,o my ,god1 of the oceans of ,thy signs4 ,they1 ,o my ,lord1 are ,thy servants in ,thy cities1 and ,thy slaves in ,thy lands4 ,if ,thou hast not mercy upon them1 who1 then1 will show them mercy8 ,take ,thou1 ,o my ,god1 the hands of such as have been drowned in the sea of idle fancies1 and deliver them by ,thy power and ,thy sovereignty4 ,save them1 then1 with the arms of ,thy might4 ,powerful art ,thou to do what ,thou willest1 and in ,thy right hand are the reins of all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth4 ,in like manner1 the ,primal ,point saith3 ,behold ye ,him with ,his own eyes4 ,were ye to behold ,him with the eyes of another1 ye would never recognize and know ,him4 ,this referreth to naught else except this ,most ,great ,revelation4 ,well is it with them that judge fairly4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,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 ,bayn4 ,these glad-tidings of the ,bayn and of the ,books of former times have been repeatedly mentioned under divers names in numerous books1 that perchance men might judge equitably that which hath arisen and shone forth above the horizon of the will of ,god1 the ,lord of the ,mighty ,throne4 ,o ,shaykh6 ,tell the people of the ,bayn3 ,ponder ye these blessed words4 ,he saith3 #8,the whole of the ,bayn is only a leaf amongst the leaves of ,his ,paradise4' ,be fair1 ,o people1 and be not of such as are accounted as lost in the ,book of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,the blessed ,lote-,tree standeth1 in this day1 before thy face1 laden with heavenly1 with new and wondrous fruits4 ,gaze on it1 detached from all else save it4 ,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 ,announcement4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,ere nine will have elapsed from the inception of this ,cause1 the realities of the created things will not be made manifest4 ,all that thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist germ until ,we clothed it with flesh4 ,be patient1 until thou beholdest a new creation4 ,say3 #8,blessed1 therefore1 be ,god1 the most excellent of ,makers6' ,and likewise1 ,he hath said regarding the power of this ,revelation3 ,lawful is it for ,him ,whom ,god will make manifest to reject him who is greatest on earth1 inasmuch as such a one is but a creature in ,his grasp1 and all things adore ,him4 ,after in 7#fh7 a ,cause shall be given unto you which ye shall come to know4 ,and also ,he saith3 ,know thou with absolute certainty1 and through the firmly established and most irrevocable decree1 that ,he--exalted be ,his glory1 and magnified be ,his might1 and sanctified be ,his holiness1 and glorified be ,his grandeur1 and lauded be ,his ways1 maketh each thing to be known through its own self2 who then can know ,him through any one except ,himself8 ,and further1 ,he saith--exalted and glorified be ,he3 ,beware1 beware lest1 in the days of ,his ,revelation1 the ,vahd of the ,bayn 7eighteen ,letters of the ,living7 shut thee not out as by a veil from ,him1 inasmuch as this ,vahd is but a creature in ,his sight4 ,and beware1 beware that the words sent down in the ,bayn shut thee not out as by a veil from ,him4 ,and again1 ,he--exalted be ,he--saith3 ,look not upon ,him with any eye except ,his own4 ,for whosoever looketh upon ,him with ,his eye1 will recognize ,him2 otherwise he will be veiled from ,him4 ,shouldst thou seek ,god and ,his ,presence1 seek thou ,him and gaze upon ,him4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,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 ,bayn1 for on that ,day that one verse can save thee1 whereas the entire ,bayn cannot save thee4 ,say3 ,o people of the ,bayn6 ,be fair1 be fair2 and again1 be fair1 be fair4 ,be ye not of them who have made mention of the ,manifestation of the ,cause of ,god in the daytime and in the night season1 and who1 when ,he1 through ,his grace1 appeared1 and when the ,horizon of ,revelation was illumined1 pronounced against ,him such a judgment as hath provoked the lamentations of the inmates of the ,kingdom and of the ,realm of ,glory1 and of such as have circled about the will of ,god1 the ,all-,knowing1 the ,all-,wise4 ,meditate upon these sublime words4 ,he saith3 ,i1 verily1 am a believer in ,him1 and in ,his ,faith1 and in ,his ,book1 and in ,his ,testimonies1 and in ,his ,ways1 and in all that proceedeth from ,him concerning them4 ,i glory in ,my kinship with ,him1 and pride ,myself on ,my belief in ,him4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,o congregation of the ,bayn and all who are therein6 ,recognize ye the limits imposed upon you1 for such a ,one as the ,point of the ,bayn ,himself hath believed in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest1 before all things were created4 ,therein1 verily1 do ,i glory before all who are in the kingdom of heaven and earth4 ,by ,god6 ,all the atoms of the universe groan and lament at the cruelty perpetrated by the froward among the people of the ,bayn4 ,whither are gone they who are endued with insight and hearing8 ,we beseech ,god--blessed and glorified be ,he--to summon them and exhort them unto that which will profit them1 and withhold them from that which will harm them4 ,he1 in truth1 is the ,strong1 the ,all-,subduing1 the ,almighty4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,suffer not yourselves to be shut out as by a veil from ,god after ,he hath revealed ,himself4 ,for all that hath been exalted in the ,bayn is but as a ring upon ,my hand1 and ,i ,myself am1 verily1 but a ring upon the hand of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest--glorified be ,his mention6 ,he turneth it as ,he pleaseth1 for whatsoever ,he pleaseth1 and through whatsoever ,he pleaseth4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,help in ,peril1 the ,most ,high4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,were ,he to make of every one on earth a ,prophet1 all would1 in very truth1 be accounted as ,prophets in the sight of ,god4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,in the day of the revelation of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest all that dwell on earth will be equal in ,his estimation4 ,whomsoever ,he ordaineth as a ,prophet1 he1 verily1 hath been a ,prophet from the beginning that hath no beginning1 and will thus remain until the end that hath no end1 inasmuch as this is an act of ,god4 ,and whosoever is made a ,vicegerent by ,him1 shall be a ,vicegerent in all the worlds1 for this is an act of ,god4 ,for the will of ,god can in no wise be revealed except through ,his will1 nor ,his wish be manifested save through ,his wish4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,all-,conquering1 the ,all-,powerful1 the ,all-,highest4 ,briefly1 in every instance ,he hath stated that which is conducive to the conversion1 the advancement1 the exaltation1 and the guidance of men4 ,a few unfair ones1 however1 have become a veil1 and an insurmountable barrier1 and debarred the people from turning towards the lights of ,his ,countenance4 ,we pray ,god to cast them out by ,his sovereignty1 and seize on them with ,his seizing power4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,lord of ,strength1 the ,mighty1 the ,all-,wise4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,he--glorified be ,his mention--resembleth the sun4 ,were unnumbered mirrors to be placed before it1 each would1 according to its capacity1 reflect the splendor of that sun1 and were none to be placed before it1 it would still continue to rise and set1 and the mirrors alone would be veiled from its light4 ,i1 verily1 have not fallen short of ,my duty to admonish that people1 and to devise means whereby they may turn towards ,god1 their ,lord1 and believe in ,god1 their ,creator4 ,if1 on the day of ,his ,revelation1 all that are on earth bear ,him allegiance1 ,mine inmost being will rejoice1 inasmuch as all will have attained the summit of their existence1 and will have been brought face to face with their ,beloved1 and will have recognized1 to the fullest extent attainable in the world of being1 the splendor of ,him ,who is the ,desire of their hearts4 ,if not1 ,my soul will indeed be saddened4 ,i truly have nurtured all things for this purpose4 ,how1 then1 can anyone be veiled from ,him8 ,for this have ,i called upon ,god1 and will continue to call upon ,him4 ,he1 verily1 is nigh1 ready to answer4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,they will even refuse unto that ,tree1 which is neither of the ,east nor of the ,west1 the name believer1 for were they so to name ,him1 they would fail to sadden ,him4 ,hath thine ear1 ,o world1 heard with what helplessness these words were revealed from the dayspring of the will of ,him ,who is the ,dawning-,place of all names8 ,he saith3 ,i have educated all men1 that they may recognize this ,revelation1 and yet the people of the ,bayn refuse to concede even the name believer to that blessed ,tree that belongeth neither to the ,east nor to the ,west4 ,alas1 alas1 for the things which have befallen ,me6 ,by ,god6 ,there befell ,me at the hands of him whom ,i have nurtured 7,mrz ,yay71 by day and by night1 what hath caused the ,holy ,spirit1 and the dwellers of the ,tabernacle of the ,grandeur of ,god1 the ,lord of this wondrous ,day1 to lament4 ,likewise1 refuting certain disbelievers1 ,he saith3 ,for none knoweth the time of the ,revelation except ,god4 ,whenever it appeareth1 all must acknowledge the ,point of ,truth1 and render thanks unto ,god4 ,they that have turned aside from ,me have spoken even as the followers of ,john 7the ,baptist7 spoke4 ,for they1 too1 protested against ,him ,who was the ,spirit 7,jesus7 saying3 ,the dispensation of ,john hath not yet ended2 wherefore hast thou come8 ,now1 too1 they that have repudiated ,us1 though they have never known ,us and have been at all times ignorant of the fundamentals of this ,cause1 knowing not from ,whom it proceeded or what it signifieth1 have spoken that which hath made all created things to sigh and lament4 ,by ,my life6 ,the mute can never confront the ,one ,who incarnateth in ,himself the kingdom of utterance4 ,fear ,god1 ,o people1 and peruse1 then1 that which hath been sent down with truth in the eighth ,chapter of the sixth ,vahd of the ,bayn1 and be not of such as have turned aside4 ,he1 likewise1 hath commanded3 ,once every nineteen days this ,chapter should be read1 that haply they may not be veiled1 in the time of the revelation of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest1 by considerations foreign to the verses1 which have been1 and are still1 the weightiest of all proofs and testimonies4 ,john1 son of ,zacharias1 said what ,my ,forerunner hath said3 ,saying1 repent ye1 for the ,kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance1 but ,he that cometh after ,me is mightier than ,i1 ,whose shoes ,i am not worthy to bear4 ,wherefore1 hath ,my ,forerunner1 as a sign of submissiveness and humility1 said3 ,the whole of the ,bayn is only a leaf amongst the leaves of ,his ,paradise4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,i am the first to adore ,him1 and pride ,myself on ,my kinship with ,him4 ,and yet1 ,o men1 the people of the ,bayn have acted in such a manner that ,dhi'l-,jawshan1 and ,ibn-i-,anas1 and ,asbh have sought and still seek refuge with ,god against such deeds4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath1 in the face of all religions1 busied ,himself day and night with the things that are conducive unto the exaltation of the ,cause of ,god1 whereas those men have clung unto that which is the cause of humiliation and injury4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,recognize ,him by ,his verses4 ,the greater your neglect in seeking to know ,him1 the more grievously will ye be veiled in fire4 ,o ye among the people of the ,bayn that have turned aside from ,me6 ,ponder upon these most sublime words1 that have proceeded from the wellspring of the utterance of ,him ,who is the ,point of ,knowledge4 ,hearken ye1 at this moment1 unto these words4 ,he saith3 ,on that ,day1 the ,daystar of ,truth will address the people of the ,bayn and will recite this ,srih of the ,qur'n3 #8,say3 ,o ye unbelievers6 ,i worship not that which ye worship1 and ye do not worship that which ,i worship4 ,i shall never worship that which ye worship1 neither will ye worship that which ,i worship4 ,to you be your religion1 to ,me ,my religion4' ,gracious ,god6 ,notwithstanding these lucid statements1 and these shining and luminous tokens all are occupied with their vain imaginings1 and are unaware of1 and veiled from1 the ,desired ,one4 ,o ye that have gone astray6 ,awake from the sleep of heedlessness1 and give ear unto these words of ,my ,forerunner4 ,he saith3 ,the tree of affirmation1 by turning aside from ,him1 is accounted as the tree of denial1 and the tree of denial1 by turning towards ,him1 is accounted as the tree of affirmation4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,should anyone lay claim unto a ,revelation1 and fail to produce any proof1 do not protest1 and sadden ,him not4 ,briefly1 this ,wronged ,one hath1 night and day1 been uttering the words3 ,say3 ,o ye unbelievers61 that haply this may be the means of awakening the people1 and may adorn them with the adornment of fairness4 ,and now1 meditate upon these words1 which diffuse the breath of despair1 in ,his sorrowful invocation unto ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,he saith3 ,glorified art ,thou1 ,o ,my ,god6 ,bear ,thou witness that1 through this ,book1 ,i have covenanted with all created things concerning the ,mission of ,him ,whom ,thou shalt make manifest1 ere the covenant concerning ,mine own ,mission had been established4 ,sufficient witness art ,thou and they that have believed in ,thy signs4 ,thou1 verily1 sufficest ,me4 ,in ,thee have ,i placed ,my trust1 and ,thou1 verily1 takest count of all things4 ,in another connection ,he saith3 ,o ,sun-like ,mirrors6 ,look ye upon the ,sun of ,truth4 ,ye1 verily1 depend upon it1 were ye to perceive it4 ,ye are all as fishes1 moving in the waters of the sea1 veiling yourselves therefrom1 and yet asking what it is on which ye depend4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,i complain unto thee1 ,o ,mirror of ,my generosity1 against all the other ,mirrors4 ,all look upon ,me through their own colors4 ,these words were sent down from the ,source of the ,revelation of the ,all-,bounteous1 and were addressed to ,siyyid ,javd1 known as ,karbil'4 ,god testifieth1 and the world beareth ,me witness that this ,siyyid stood by this ,wronged ,one1 and even wrote a detailed refutation against them that turned aside from ,me4 ,two communications1 moreover1 in which he hath borne witness unto the ,revelation of the ,true ,one1 and in which the evidences of his turning away from all else but ,him1 are clear and manifest1 have been sent by ,us to aydar-#8,al4 ,the handwriting of the ,siyyid is unmistakable1 and is known unto everyone4 ,our purpose in doing this was that perchance they that have denied ,us might attain unto the living waters of acknowledgment1 and such as have turned aside be illumined with the light of conversion4 ,god is ,my witness that this ,wronged ,one hath had no purpose except to convey the ,word of ,god4 ,blessed are the fair-minded1 and woe betide them that have turned aside4 ,they that have turned away from ,me have schemed many a time1 and acted deceitfully in divers ways4 ,they have1 on one occasion1 secured a picture of this ,siyyid1 and pasted it on a sheet with that of others1 surmounted by the portrait of ,mrz ,yay4 ,briefly1 they have seized upon every means in order to repudiate the ,true ,one4 ,say3 ,the ,true ,one is come evident as the shining sun2 ,o pity that ,he should have come into the city of the blind6 ,the afore-mentioned ,siyyid admonished the deniers1 and summoned them unto the ,most ,sublime ,horizon1 but failed to impress these stones that can take no imprint4 ,concerning him they have said things against which he sought refuge with ,god--exalted be ,his glory4 ,the supplications which he hath sent to this ,holy ,court are now in ,our possession4 ,happy are the fair-minded4 ,ponder now upon the complaint of the ,primal ,point against the ,mirrors1 that haply men may be awakened1 and may turn from the left hand of idle fancies and imaginings unto the right hand of faith and certitude1 and may be made cognizant of that wherefrom they are veiled4 ,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 being4 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,consecrate ,thou1 ,o my ,god1 the whole of this ,tree unto ,him1 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 pleaseth4 ,by ,thy glory6 ,i have not wished that this ,tree should ever bear any branch1 leaf1 or fruit that would fail to bow down before ,him1 on the day of ,his ,revelation1 or refuse to laud ,thee through ,him1 as beseemeth the glory of ,his all-glorious ,revelation1 and the sublimity of ,his most sublime ,concealment4 ,and shouldst ,thou behold1 ,o my ,god1 any branch1 leaf1 or fruit upon ,me that hath failed to bow down before ,him1 on the day of ,his ,revelation1 cut it off1 ,o ,my ,god1 from that ,tree1 for it is not of ,me1 nor shall it return unto ,me4 ,o people of the ,bayn6 ,i swear by ,god6 ,this ,wronged ,one hath had no other intention except to manifest the ,cause ,he was commissioned to reveal4 ,were ye to incline your inner ears unto ,him1 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 creation4 ,o ,hd6 ,the blind fanaticism of former times hath withheld the hapless creatures from the ,straight ,path4 ,meditate on the ,sh'ih sect4 ,for twelve hundred years they have cried ,o ,q'im61 until in the end all pronounced the sentence of ,his death1 and caused ,him to suffer martyrdom1 notwithstanding their belief in1 and their acceptance and acknowledgment of1 the ,true ,one--exalted be ,his glory--and of the ,seal of the ,prophets1 and of the ,chosen ,ones4 ,it is now necessary to reflect a while1 that haply that which hath come between the ,true ,one and ,his creatures may be discovered1 and the deeds which have been the cause of protest and denial be made known4 ,o ,hd6 ,we have heard the moaning of the pulpits which1 as attested by all1 the divines of the age of this ,revelation have ascended1 and from which they have cursed the ,true ,one1 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 heard4 ,thou hast now summoned1 and art still summoning the people1 claiming to be ,his vicegerent and mirror1 despite thine ignorance of this ,cause as a result of thy not having been in ,our company4 ,every one of this people well knoweth that ,siyyid ,muammad was but one of ,our servants4 ,in the days when1 as requested by the ,imperial ,ottoman ,government1 ,we proceeded to their ,capital1 he accompanied ,us4 ,subsequently1 he committed that which--,i swear by ,god--hath caused the ,pen of the ,most ,high to weep and ,his ,tablet to groan4 ,we1 therefore1 cast him out2 whereupon1 he joined ,mrz ,yay1 and did what no tyrant hath ever done4 ,we abandoned him1 and said unto him3 ,begone1 ,o heedless one6 ,after these words had been uttered1 he joined the order of the ,mawlavis1 and remained in their company until the time when ,we were summoned to depart4 ,o ,hd6 ,suffer not thyself to become the instrument for the dissemination of new superstitions1 and refuse to set up once again a sect similar to that of the ,sh'ihs4 ,reflect how great the amount of blood which hath been spilt4 ,thou amongst others1 who hast laid claim to knowledge1 and likewise the ,sh'ih divines1 have1 one and all1 in the first and ensuing years1 cursed the ,true ,one1 and decreed that ,his most holy blood be shed4 ,fear ,god1 ,o ,hd6 ,be not willing that men be again afflicted with the vain imaginings of former times4 ,fear ,god1 and be not of them that act unjustly4 ,in these days ,we have heard that thou hast striven to lay hands on and destroy every copy of the ,bayn4 ,this ,wronged ,one requesteth thee to renounce1 for the sake of ,god1 this intention4 ,thine intelligence and judgment have never excelled1 nor do they now excel1 the intelligence and judgment of ,him ,who is the ,prince of the ,world4 ,god testifieth and beareth ,me witness that this ,wronged ,one hath not perused the ,bayn1 nor been acquainted with its contents4 ,this much1 however1 is known and is clear and indubitable that ,he hath ordained the ,book of the ,bayn to be the foundation of ,his works4 ,fear ,god1 and meddle not in matters which far transcend thee4 ,for twelve hundred years they that resemble thee have afflicted the hapless ,sh'ihs in the pit of vain fancies and idle imaginings4 ,finally1 there appeared1 on the ,day of ,judgment things against which the oppressors of old have sought refuge with the ,true ,one4 ,apprehend now the cry of ,him ,who is the ,point as raised by ,his utterance4 ,he supplicateth ,god that if there should appear from this ,tree--which is ,his blessed ,self--any fruit1 or leaf1 or branch that would fail to believe in ,him1 ,god should cut it off forthwith4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,should any one make a statement1 and fail to support it by any proof1 reject him not4 ,and yet1 now1 though supported by a hundred books1 thou hast rejected ,him and rejoicest therein6 ,again ,i repeat1 and plead with thee to carefully scrutinize that which hath been revealed4 ,the breezes of utterance in this ,revelation are not to be compared with those of former ages4 ,this ,wronged ,one hath been perpetually afflicted1 and found no place of safety in which ,he could peruse either the writings of the ,most ,exalted ,one 7the ,bb7 or those of any one else4 ,about two months after ,our arrival in #8,irq1 following the command of ,his ,majesty the ,shh of ,persia--may ,god assist him--,mrz ,yay joined ,us4 ,we said unto him3 ,in accordance with the ,royal command ,we have been sent unto this place4 ,it is advisable for thee to remain in ,persia4 ,we will send ,our brother1 ,mrz ,ms1 to some other place4 ,as your names have not been mentioned in the ,royal decree1 you can arise and render some service4 ,subsequently1 this ,wronged ,one departed from ,baghdd1 and for two years withdrew from the world4 ,upon ,our return1 ,we found that he had not left1 and had postponed his departure4 ,this ,wronged ,one was greatly saddened4 ,god testifieth and beareth ,us witness that ,we have1 at all times1 been busied with the propagation of this ,cause4 ,neither chains nor bonds1 stocks nor imprisonment1 have succeeded in withholding ,us from revealing ,our ,self4 ,in that land ,we forbad all mischief1 and all unseemly and unholy deeds4 ,day and night ,we sent forth ,our ,tablets in every direction4 ,we had no other purpose except to edify the souls of men1 and to exalt the blessed ,word4 ,we especially appointed certain ones to collect the writings of the ,primal ,point4 ,when this was accomplished1 ,we summoned ,mrz ,yay and ,mrz ,vahhb-i-,khursn1 known as ,mrz ,javd1 to meet in a certain place4 ,conforming with ,our instructions1 they completed the task of transcribing two copies of the works of the ,primal ,point4 ,i swear by ,god6 ,this ,wronged ,one1 by reason of ,his constant association with men1 hath not looked at these books1 nor gazed with outward eyes on these writings4 ,when ,we departed1 these writings were in the possession of these two persons4 ,it was agreed that ,mrz ,yay should be entrusted with them1 and proceed to ,persia1 and disseminate them throughout that land4 ,this ,wronged ,one proceeded1 at the request of the ,ministers of the ,ottoman ,government to their capital4 ,when ,we arrived in ,mosul1 ,we found that ,mrz ,yay had left before ,us for that city1 and was awaiting ,us there4 ,briefly1 the books and writings were left in ,baghdd1 while he himself proceeded to ,constantinople and joined these servants4 ,god beareth now witness unto the things which have touched this ,wronged ,one1 for after ,we had so arduously striven1 he 7,mrz ,yay7 abandoned the writings and joined the exiles4 ,this ,wronged ,one was1 for a long period1 overwhelmed by infinite sorrows until such time when1 in pursuance of measures of which none but the one true ,god is aware1 ,we despatched the writings unto another place and another country1 owing to the fact that in #8,irq all documents must every month be carefully examined1 lest they rot and perish4 ,god1 however1 preserved them and sent them unto a place which ,he had previously ordained4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,protector1 the ,succorer4 ,wherever this ,wronged ,one went ,mrz ,yay followed ,him4 ,thou art thyself a witness and well knowest that whatever hath been said is the truth4 ,the ,siyyid of ,ifhn1 however1 surreptitiously duped him4 ,they committed that which caused the greatest consternation4 ,would that thou wouldst inquire from the officials of the government concerning the conduct of ,mrz ,yay in that land4 ,aside from all this1 ,i adjure thee by ,god1 the ,one1 the ,incomparable1 the ,lord of ,strength1 the ,most ,powerful1 to carefully look into the communications addressed in his name to the ,primal ,point1 that thou mayest behold the evidences of ,him ,who is the ,truth as clear as the sun4 ,likewise1 there proceeded from the words of the ,point of the ,bayn--may the souls of all else but ,him be sacrificed for ,his sake--that which no veil can obscure1 and which neither the veils of glory nor the veils interposed by such as have gone astray can hide4 ,the veils have1 verily1 been rent asunder by the finger of the will of thy ,lord1 the ,strong1 the ,all-,subduing1 the ,all-,powerful4 ,yea1 desperate is the state of such as have calumniated ,me and envied ,me4 ,not long ago it was stated that thou hadst ascribed the authorship of the ,kitb-i-qn and of other ,tablets unto others4 ,i swear by ,god6 ,this is a grievous injustice4 ,others are incapable of apprehending their meaning1 how much more of revealing them6 asan-i-,mzindarn was the bearer of seventy ,tablets4 ,upon his death1 these were not delivered unto those for whom they were intended1 but were entrusted to one of the sisters of this ,wronged ,one1 who1 for no reason whatever1 had turned aside from ,me4 ,god knoweth what befell ,his ,tablets4 ,this sister had never lived with ,us4 ,i swear by the ,sun of ,truth that after these things had happened she never saw ,mrz ,yay1 and remained unaware of ,our ,cause1 for in those days she had been estranged from ,us4 ,she lived in one quarter1 and this ,wronged ,one in another4 ,as a token1 however1 of ,our loving-kindness1 our affection and mercy1 ,we1 a few days prior to ,our departure1 visited her and her mother1 that haply she might quaff from the living waters of faith1 and attain unto that which would draw her nigh unto ,god1 in this day4 ,god well knoweth and beareth ,me witness1 and she herself testifieth1 that ,i had no thought whatsoever except this4 ,finally1 she--,god be praised--attained unto this through ,his grace1 and was adorned with the adornment of love4 ,after ,we were exiled and had departed from #8,irq to ,constantinople1 however1 news of her ceased to reach ,us4 ,subsequent to ,our separation in the ,land of ,t 7ihrn71 ,we ceased to meet ,mrz ,ri-,qul1 ,our brother1 and no special news reached ,us concerning her4 ,in the early days we all lived in one house1 which later on was sold at auction1 for a negligible sum1 and the two brothers1 ,farmn-,farm and ,hismu's-,saltanih1 purchased it and divided it between themselves4 ,after this occurred1 ,we separated from ,our brother4 ,he established his residence close to the entrance of ,masjid-i-,shh1 whilst ,we lived near the ,gate of ,shimrn4 ,thereafter1 however1 that sister displayed toward ,us1 for no reason whatever1 a hostile attitude4 ,this ,wronged ,one held ,his peace under all conditions4 ,however1 ,our late brother ,mrz ,muammad-asan's daughter--upon him be the glory of ,god and ,his peace and ,his mercy--who had been betrothed to the ,most ,great ,branch 7#8,abdu'l-,bah7 was taken by the sister of this ,wronged ,one from ,nr to her own house1 and from there sent unto another place4 ,some of ,our companions and friends in various places complained against this1 as it was a very grievous act1 and was disapproved by all the loved ones of ,god4 ,how strange that ,our sister should have taken her to her own house1 and then arranged for her to be sent elsewhere6 ,in spite of this1 this ,wronged ,one remained1 and still remaineth1 calm and silent4 ,a word1 however1 was said in order to tranquilize ,our loved ones4 ,god testifieth and beareth ,me witness that whatever hath been said was the truth1 and was spoken with sincerity4 ,none of ,our loved ones1 whether in these regions or in that country1 could believe ,our sister capable of an act so contrary to decency1 affection and friendship4 ,after such a thing had occurred1 they1 recognizing that the way had been barred1 conducted themselves in a manner well-known unto thyself and others4 ,it must be evident1 therefore1 how intense was the grief which this act inflicted upon this ,wronged ,one4 ,later on1 she threw in her lot with ,mrz ,yay4 ,conflicting reports concerning her are now reaching ,us1 nor is it clear what she is saying or doing4 ,we beseech ,god--blessed and glorified be ,he--to cause her to turn unto ,him1 and aid her to repent before the door of ,his grace4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,mighty1 the ,forgiving2 and ,he is1 in truth1 the ,all-,powerful1 the ,pardoner4 ,in another connection ,he1 likewise1 saith3 ,were ,he to appear this very moment1 ,i would be the first to adore ,him1 and the first to bow down before ,him4 ,be fair1 ,o people6 ,the purpose of the ,most ,exalted ,one 7the ,bb7 was to insure that the proximity of the ,revelation should not withhold men from the ,divine and everlasting ,law1 even as the companions of ,john 7the ,baptist7 were prevented from acknowledging ,him ,who is the ,spirit 7,jesus74 ,time and again ,he hath said3 ,suffer not the ,bayn and all that hath been revealed therein to withhold you from that ,essence of ,being and ,lord of the visible and invisible4 ,should any one1 considering this binding injunction1 cling unto the ,bayn1 such a one hath1 verily1 passed out of the shadow of the blessed and exalted ,tree4 ,be fair1 ,o people1 and be not of the heedless4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,let not names shut you out as by a veil from ,him ,who is their ,lord1 even the name of ,prophet1 for such a name is but a creation of ,his utterance4 ,and likewise1 ,he1 in the seventh chapter of the second ,vahd1 saith3 ,o people of the ,bayn6 ,act not as the people of the ,qur'n have acted1 for if ye do so1 the fruits of your night will come to naught4 ,and further1 ,he saith--glorified be ,his mention3 ,if thou attainest unto ,his ,revelation1 and obeyest ,him1 thou wilt have revealed the fruit of the ,bayn2 if not1 thou art unworthy of mention before ,god4 ,take pity upon thyself4 ,if thou aidest not ,him ,who is the ,manifestation of the ,lordship of ,god1 be not1 then1 a cause of sadness unto ,him4 ,and further ,he saith--magnified be ,his station3 ,if thou attainest not unto the ,presence of ,god1 grieve not1 then1 the ,sign of ,god4 ,ye will renounce that which can profit them that acknowledge the ,bayn1 if ye renounce that which can harm ,him4 ,i know1 however1 that ye will refuse to do so4 ,o ,hd6 ,methinks it is by reason of these indubitable utterances that thou hast determined to blot out the ,bayn4 ,give ear unto the voice of this ,wronged ,one1 and renounce this oppression that hath made the pillars of the ,bayn to tremble4 ,i have been neither in ,chihrq nor in ,mh-,k4 ,at the present time statements have been circulated among thy disciples identical with those made by the ,sh'ihs who have said that the ,qur'n is unfinished4 ,these people also contend that this ,bayn is not the original one4 ,the copy in the handwriting of ,siyyid usayn is extant1 as is also the copy in the handwriting of ,mrz ,amad4 ,regardest thou as one wronged he who in this world was never dealt a single blow1 and who was continually surrounded by five of the handmaidens of ,god8 ,and imputest thou unto the ,true ,one1 ,who1 from ,his earliest years until the present day1 hath been in the hands of ,his enemies1 and been tormented with the worst afflictions in the world1 such charges as the ,jews did not ascribe unto ,christ8 ,hearken unto the voice of this ,wronged ,one1 and be not of them that are in utter loss4 ,and1 likewise1 ,he saith3 ,how many the fires which ,god converteth into light through ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest2 and how numerous the lights which are turned into fire through ,him6 ,i behold ,his appearance even as the sun in the midmost heaven1 and the disappearance of all even as that of the stars of the night by day4 ,hast thou ears1 ,o world1 wherewith to hear the voice of the ,true ,one1 and to judge equitably this ,revelation ,which1 as soon as it appeared1 ,sinai exclaimed3 ,he that discoursed upon ,me is come with evident signs and resplendent tokens1 in spite of every heedless one that hath gone far astray1 and of every lying calumniator1 who hath wished to quench the light of ,god with his calumnies1 and blot out the signs of ,god through his malice4 ,they1 verily1 are of such as have acted unjustly in the ,book of ,god1 the ,lord of the worlds4 ,and likewise1 ,he saith3 ,the ,bayn is from beginning to end the repository of all of ,his attributes1 and the treasury of both ,his fire and ,his light4 ,great ,god6 ,the soul is carried away by the fragrance of this utterance1 inasmuch as ,he declareth1 with infinite sadness1 that which ,he perceiveth4 ,likewise1 ,he saith to the ,letter of the ,living1 ,mull ,bqir--upon him be the glory of ,god and ,his loving-kindness3 ,haply thou mayest in eight years1 in the day of ,his ,revelation1 attain unto ,his ,presence4 ,know thou1 ,o ,hd1 and be of them that hearken4 ,judge thou equitably4 ,the companions of ,god and the ,testimonies of ,him ,who is the ,truth have1 for the most part1 suffered martyrdom4 ,thou1 however1 art still alive4 ,how is it that thou hast been spared8 ,i swear by ,god6 ,it is because of thy denial1 whereas the martyrdom of the blessed souls was due to their confession4 ,every just and fair-minded person will bear witness unto this1 inasmuch as the cause and motive of both are clear and evident as the sun4 ,and likewise ,he addresseth ,dayyn1 who was wronged and suffered martyrdom1 saying3 ,thou shalt recognize thy worth through the words of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest4 ,he1 likewise1 hath pronounced him to be the third ,letter to believe in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest1 through these words3 ,o thou who art the third ,letter to believe in ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest6 ,and likewise ,he saith3 ,should ,god1 however1 be willing1 ,he will make thee known through the words of ,him ,whom ,god shall make manifest4 ,dayyn1 who1 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 knowledge1 was made by them to suffer so cruel a martyrdom that the ,concourse on high wept and lamented4 ,he it is whom ,he 7the ,bb7 had taught the hidden and preserved knowledge and entrusted him therewith1 through ,his words3 ,o thou who art named ,dayyn6 ,this is a hidden and preserved ,knowledge4 ,we have entrusted it unto thee1 and brought it to thee1 as a mark of honor from ,god1 inasmuch as the eye of thine heart is pure4 ,thou wilt appreciate its value1 and wilt cherish its excellence4 ,god1 verily1 hath deigned to bestow upon the ,point of the ,bayn a hidden and preserved ,knowledge1 the like of which ,god hath not sent down prior to this ,revelation4 ,more precious is it than any other knowledge in the estimation of ,god--glorified be ,he6 ,he1 verily1 hath made it ,his testimony1 even as ,he hath made the verses to be ,his testimony4 ,this oppressed one1 who was the repository of the knowledge of ,god1 together with ,mrz #8,al-,akbar1 one of the relatives of the ,primal ,point--upon him be the glory of ,god and ,his mercy--and ,abu'l-,qsim-i-,ksh and several others suffered martyrdom through the decree pronounced by ,mrz ,yay4 ,o ,hd6 ,his book which he hath entitled ,mustayqiz is in thy possession4 ,read it4 ,although thou hast seen the book1 peruse it again1 that haply thou mayest obtain for thyself a lofty seat beneath the canopy of truth4 ,in like manner1 ,siyyid ,ibrhm1 concerning whom these words have flowed from the ,pen of the ,primal ,point--magnified be ,his utterance3 ,o thou who art mentioned as ,my friend in ,my scriptures1 and as ,my remembrance in ,my books1 next to ,my scriptures1 and as ,my name in the ,bayn--such a one1 together with ,dayyn1 hath been surnamed by him 7,mrz ,yay7 ,father of ,iniquities and ,father of ,calamities4 ,judge thou fairly1 how grievous hath been the plight of these oppressed ones1 and this notwithstanding that one of them was occupied in serving him1 whilst the other was his guest4 ,briefly1 ,i swear by ,god1 the deeds he committed were such that ,our ,pen is ashamed to recount4 ,reflect a while upon the dishonor inflicted upon the ,primal ,point4 ,consider what hath happened4 ,when this ,wronged ,one1 after a retirement of two years during which ,he wandered through the deserts and mountains1 returned to ,baghdd1 as a result of the intervention of a few1 who for a long time had sought ,him in the wilderness1 a certain ,mrz ,muammad-#8,al of ,rasht came to see ,him1 and related1 before a large gathering of people1 that which had been done1 affecting the honor of the ,bb1 which hath truly overwhelmed all lands with sorrow4 ,great ,god6 ,how could they have countenanced this most grievous betrayal8 ,briefly1 ,we beseech ,god to aid the perpetrator of this deed to repent1 and return unto ,him4 ,he1 verily1 is the ,helper1 the ,all-,wise4 ,as to ,dayyn--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 ,point4 ,we pray ,god to aid the heedless to turn unto ,him1 and such as have turned aside to direct themselves towards ,him1 and them that have denied ,him to acknowledge this ,cause1 which1 no sooner did it appear than all created things proclaimed3 ,he that was hidden in the ,treasury of ,knowledge1 and inscribed by the ,pen of the ,most ,high in ,his ,books1 and ,his ,scriptures1 and ,his ,scrolls1 and ,his ,tablets1 is come6 ,in this connection it hath been deemed necessary to mention such traditions as have been recorded regarding the blessed and honored city of ,akk1 that haply thou mayest1 ,o ,hd1 seek a path unto the ,truth1 and a road leading unto ,god4 ,in the name of ,god1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful4 ,the following hath been recorded concerning the merits of ,akk1 and of the sea1 and of ,aynu'l-,baqr 7,the ,spring of the ,cow7 which is in ,akk3 #8,abdu'l-#8,azz1 son of #8,abdu'-,salm1 hath related unto us that the ,prophet--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon him--hath said3 ,akk is a city in ,syria to which ,god hath shown ,his special mercy4 ,ibn-i-,mas'd--may ,god be pleased with him--hath stated3 ,the ,prophet--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath said3 #8,of all shores the best is the shore of ,askelon1 and ,akk is1 verily1 better than ,askelon1 and the merit of ,akk above that of ,askelon and all other shores is as the merit of ,muammad above that of all other ,prophets4 ,i bring you tidings of a city betwixt two mountains in ,syria1 in the middle of a meadow1 which is called ,akk4 ,verily1 he that entereth therein1 longing for it and eager to visit it1 ,god will forgive his sins1 both of the past and of the future4 ,and he that departeth from it1 other than as a pilgrim1 ,god will not bless his departure4 ,in it is a spring called the ,spring of the ,cow4 ,whoso drinketh a draught therefrom1 ,god will fill his heart with light1 and will protect him from the most great terror on the ,day of ,resurrection4' ,anas1 son of ,malk--may ,god be pleased with him--hath said3 ,the ,apostle of ,god--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath said3 #8,by the shore of the sea is a city1 suspended beneath the ,throne1 and named ,akk4 ,he that dwelleth therein1 firm and expecting a reward from ,god--exalted be ,he--,god will write down for him1 until the ,day of ,resurrection1 the recompense of such as have been patient1 and have stood up1 and knelt down1 and prostrated themselves1 before ,him4' ,and ,he--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath said3 ,i announce unto you a city1 on the shores of the sea1 white1 whose whiteness is pleasing unto ,god--exalted be ,he6 ,it is called ,akk4 ,he that hath been bitten by one of its fleas is better1 in the estimation of ,god1 than he who hath received a grievous blow in the path of ,god4 ,and he that raiseth therein the call to prayer1 his voice will be lifted up unto ,paradise4 ,and he that remaineth therein for seven days in the face of the enemy1 ,god will gather him with ,khidr--peace be upon ,him--and ,god will protect him from the most great terror on the ,day of ,resurrection4 ,and ,he--may the blessings of ,god1--exalted be ,he--and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath said3 ,there are kings and princes in ,paradise4 ,the poor of ,akk are the kings of ,paradise and the princes thereof4 ,a month in ,akk is better than a thousand years elsewhere4 ,the ,apostle of ,god--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--is reported to have said3 ,blessed the man that hath visited ,akk1 and blessed he that hath visited the visitor of ,akk4 ,blessed the one that hath drunk from the ,spring of the ,cow and washed in its waters1 for the black-eyed damsels quaff the camphor in ,paradise1 which hath come from the ,spring of the ,cow1 and from the ,spring of ,salvn 7,siloam71 and the ,well of ,zamzam4 ,well is it with him that hath drunk from these springs1 and washed in their waters1 for ,god hath forbidden the fire of hell to touch him and his body on the ,day of ,resurrection4 ,the ,prophet--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--is stated to have said3 ,in ,akk are works of supererogation and acts which are beneficial1 which ,god vouchsafed specially unto whomsoever ,he pleaseth4 ,and he that saith in ,akk3 #8,glorified be ,god1 and praise be unto ,god1 and there is none other ,god but ,god1 and most great is ,god1 and there is no power nor strength except in ,god1 the ,exalted1 the ,mighty1' ,god will write down for him a thousand good deeds1 and blot out from him a thousand evil deeds1 and will uplift him a thousand grades in ,paradise1 and will forgive him his transgressions4 ,and whoso saith in ,akk3 #8,i beg forgiveness of ,god1' ,god will forgive all his trespasses4 ,and he that remembereth ,god in ,akk at morn and at eventide1 in the night-season and at dawn1 is better in the sight of ,god than he who beareth swords1 spears and arms in the path of ,god--exalted be ,he6 ,the ,apostle of ,god--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath also said3 ,he that looketh upon the sea at eventide1 and saith3 #8,god is ,most ,great6' at sunset1 ,god will forgive his sins1 though they be heaped as piles of sand4 ,and he that counteth forty waves1 while repeating3 #8,god is ,most ,great6'--exalted be ,he--,god will forgive his sins1 both past and future4 ,the ,apostle of ,god--may the blessings of ,god and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath said3 ,he that looketh upon the sea a full night is better than he who passeth two whole months betwixt the ,rukn and the ,maqm4 ,and he that hath been brought up on the shores of the sea is better than he that hath been brought up elsewhere4 ,and he that lieth on the shore is as he that standeth elsewhere4 ,verily1 the ,apostle of ,god--may the blessings of ,god1 exalted be ,he1 and ,his salutations be upon ,him--hath spoken the truth4