BH11537 (Tablet to Janáb Áqá Riḍá-Zádih)

Janáb Áqá Riḍá-Zádih — may God grant him glory and honor.

He is the Manifest upon the throne of sorrow.

These are the verses of the Command, sent down from the dominion of everlasting subsistence, and none comprehend them except those who have soared with the two wings of detachment unto the heaven of exalted glory. Within them is that from which the hearts of the Messengers are severed, and tears flow upon radiant, sanctified cheeks.

Whomsoever God opens the eye of the Command for, he beholds every letter of these verses bearing witness upon the form of the human being. Blessed is God who brought him forth in the most excellent form, beloved.

In the chambers of the words they weep with crimson tears, and none knows this save every discerning knower. Within them My Beloved is mentioned — he whom God has associated with Mine own Self — and this is from God’s grace upon him, if he be aware of it.

O my brother, hear the call of your Lord from the direction of the Throne; then turn toward Him with a pure and inviolable hearing, that you may become aware of the mysteries of the Command in these days when the souls have been veiled by dense coverings of delusion.

Listen to what the Spirit casts upon you from the direction of the Throne; then rend the veils with the fingers of powerful sanctity, that you may enter behind the curtain and behold that which will gladden your eyes and rejoice your heart — for beyond it lies that which all creation together has not encompassed.

By God, O my brother, if you were to look with the eye of the spirit, you would witness the Kingdom of God circling around the words of these verses that have been sent down from a lofty heaven of glory. It weeps for itself, and its inhabitants weep for what has befallen the Beauty of Pre-Existence at the hands of those who have objected to God after they were created by a command from Him. Thus has the matter been inscribed by the Pen of Holiness in the Mother of the Tablets.

Beyond it, the Eyes of God weep in the Most Exalted Abode with a cry by which the pillars of every known knower are rent apart; and thereby all the atoms weep, and all who have entered beneath the shadow of the Names and the Attributes. Thus do We inform you of the truth, that you may possess a wondrous knowledge.

If you were to behold with another sight, you would find this ink to be the color of blood; yet when it was consumed in the liver of sorrow, it appeared black between earth and heaven — and My remembrance suffices as a witness to that.

You had desired before to become aware of what has befallen Us; therefore listen to what is revealed to you from the Lote-Tree of Fire beyond the ocean of the Command, upon the spot that from pre-eternity has been guarded from the touch of the polytheists — that you may know what has come upon your brother after God made Him the Manifestation of His sovereignty upon the earth, the Dawning-Place of His power in the realm, and the Treasury of His revelation among all the worlds.

Then know that My brother, who was known among you, brought upon Me in these years what none can reckon save God. By God, were I to utter it or speak it truthfully, the ear of creation itself would not be able to bear it — and God is Knowing of what I say.

If you are able, remind him of what he has neglected toward his brother; perhaps he may find within himself a path unto the Spirit. Say: O my brother, who rose up against Me with the sword of hatred and slandered Me with whatever you were able — after We nurtured you in truth and protected you from every rejected oppressor — by God, O my brother, the matter was not as you first heard. Rather, We concealed it for a wisdom that was hidden from the eyes. We instructed him and strengthened him at every moment; yet none were aware of it save a few letters that mentioned the name of your Lord — a numbered few souls.

You know what befell Me at the beginning, until they seized Me in chains and fetters and imprisoned Me in the land of Ṭá’, until your Lord’s appointed time was completed in four successive months. Then the vanguards of victory appeared, and God aided Me in truth with the hosts of the unseen and the seen. He sent down upon Me a tranquility from Himself and brought Me forth from the prison with an authority witnessed by the worlds.

Then they expelled Me from the city with a few souls, and We journeyed until We entered Iraq. Thus was the decree inscribed by the Pen of Judgment upon the Tablet fulfilled. When We entered Iraq and a few days had passed, My brother came to Us and remained with Us for months — as had been recorded in the Tablets. He desired a portion from Us, and We gave him that by which his soul found rest, that he might dwell at ease upon the earth.

But when he became at ease within himself, he rose up against Us in the secret of secrets with that which the heavens and the earth could not bear — and God is Witness to what I say. We mentioned him among the servants to honor the Word of God; yet he sought from within himself to cast into his heart hatred for the Youth, until We left the land to him and departed alone from among these people. Then the Eyes of Pre-Existence wept over Me in the pavilion of exalted glory.

Were We to recount to you what befell Me after My departure, you would weep, and all who dwell in the realm would weep together. When God’s appointed term of two years was fulfilled, the loved ones of God brought Us back amid a tumult by which the greater terror was stirred in the dominion of Command and creation, until We entered the House in manifest sorrow.

We found the Cause scarcely mentioned among the servants; abasement had overtaken all the friends, both lowly and noble, as though the hosts of your Lord’s revelation had ceased descending and the clouds of grace had been withheld from pouring down the rain of mercy that had formerly been sent upon the worlds. We saw Our brother in a humiliation beyond compare.

Then We took up the pillars of the Cause and raised the tent of remembrance to the station that had been lifted beyond the reach of the oppressors. When the mention of God became widespread in the regions and the fire of hatred was kindled in the breasts of people, from the highest to the lowest, they rose against Me with sharpened swords of iron. I stood alone before them in those days when every soul trembled and every firm foot slipped.

How many days did My brother rest upon his couch while My family was shaken by the severity of the times, their eyes weeping at every dawn and dusk. The matter intensified to such a degree that most of the people of Iraq were stirred by My affliction and trial, as you have heard — and I was aware of it. The harm reached a point where every soul was shaken for My sake, and every eye wept for what adversity touched Me from every direction. The wolves of idolatry surrounded Me, and behind them stood every wicked soul.

Yet despite all this, I never dissimulated with anyone concerning the Cause of God. I proclaimed within the heart of all things that there is no god but Him, and that He encompasses all things.

Thus the Pen of the Command addresses His brother and says:

O my brother, you who did to your brother what no one has done to another, and brought upon Him that for which the eyes of the Concourse of Eternity wept in the luminous chambers of glory — while We supported you at all times and guarded you from the hands of oppression. Yet with the sword of hatred you lay in wait behind Me, seeking opportunity to do that by which the pillars of the mighty Throne would be undone.

We would send to the lands that devoted maidens might be brought before you, that you might find companionship in them and dwell in manifest ease. Yet in secret you cut off from My presence the breezes of joy. Thus have We enumerated all things in a manifest Record, in the form of a Tablet within the temple of the Spirit.

You would ask of Me whatever delighted your soul, until a number of maidservants gathered around you and you lived among them; yet in secret you sent Tablets to your loved ones, wherein you mentioned the imprisonment, so that through it you might cast hatred for Me into the heart of every ignorant transgressor. Then the two rivers flowed from the two eyes within these two Most Exalted Names, which from pre-eternity stood in justice around the Throne.

We knew your deeds and what lay in your heart, yet We concealed it despite Our knowledge, for a wisdom inscribed by the finger of the All-Merciful upon the Tablet of existence in hidden script. By God, O my brother, were the matter in My hand, I would have veiled My face from all who are in the heavens and the earth, departed from among the servants, and dwelt upon the crimson dune beyond the ocean of grandeur, that My remembrance might no longer remain among My loved ones. How then of those who disbelieved in God, contended with His sovereignty, and were among the most grievous of an evil people?

By God, whenever I resolve to depart from among these and fall silent concerning the wondrous melodies in this Ridván, the breezes of the All-Merciful seize Me, the Holy Spirit gives Me utterance, and the Spirit of Everlastingness moves the tongue of Bahá. It is not from Myself, but from One Mighty and Self-Subsisting.

O my brother, how many nights did you rest upon your bed with your wives while I Myself guarded you until the sun of day dawned from a radiant horizon of holiness. How many days were you in comfort while I stood face to face with the enemies, lest harm should reach you from every stubborn denier. Yet in the secret of secrets you sought My harm, waiting for a moment to do to Me that by which spirits would be severed from the body of every ancient Name.

By God, through what flowed from your pen, the faces of majesty fell upon blackened ashes, the veils of grandeur were rent in the Garden of Abode, the livers of the near ones were torn upon the seats of the utmost nearness, and the hearts of every discerning one were shaken — until you journeyed with Me on this path, in which the tears of the dwellers of the chambers of Paradise streamed upon luminous faces of holiness.

Despite all that you asked of Me and sought permission for, I did not utter a word, for I perceived in you what none among all the worlds perceived. Until you entered that land with Me, and then you rose against Me every day — indeed at every moment. By God, no part of My body remained untouched by the spears of your contrivings. If you deny it, the tongue of truth bears knowing witness.

You even pronounced judgment against Me. When God revealed the hidden things of your soul and those who had emigrated unto God became aware of them, their outcry was raised — yet you remained in great heedlessness within yourself. When We witnessed your deeds and what issued from your mouth, We departed from among you alone, without helper or supporter, so that none remained with Me to serve Me or those from whom God had lifted the Pen of the Command. Then every seeing eye wept for Us.

After that you did not find rest within yourself. You spread through the lands your actions in My Name, to cast rancor against Me into the breasts of those who sought their Lord under the form of the Name ’Alí. From your tongue and pen issued that which the pen of all the worlds would be ashamed to record. You did this because you imagined that whatever you said would be accepted by servants who were far from the shore of the Command.

By God, do not be assured of that. God has servants who witness the Cause through the Cause itself; the veils of illusion will not conceal them, nor will mere signs bar them from the lofty path of holiness. Remember what was revealed before: even if you stretch forth your hand to kill Me, I will not stretch forth My hand to kill you as you have done — nor did We extend it, though We had power over you — and God is Witness to your deed.

Say: O my brother, by God, you and those with you will perish, you will return to dust, and the dominion shall remain to God, your Lord and the Lord of all creation.

By God, O my brother, there has never been in My heart hatred for you, nor hatred for any being among contingent things. Hear My words, then turn back from what you are upon, and turn toward your Lord with firm humility. Even if you remain as you are, and all who dwell upon the earth bow down before you — would that avail you in anything? No, by Him in Whose hand is the soul of Bahá. Therefore return, and take a path unto the Throne of your Lord.

If all servants were to oppose God their Lord because of your words and hate Me within themselves, would that profit you in any matter? No, by your Lord, if you are aware. Then My Pen weeps, and My eye, and all who are in the heavens and on the earth, if you understand.

Leave the world and its adornments behind you. Let not leadership deceive you away from the remembrance of your Lord. Walk the paths of justice, and do not deprive yourself of the sanctuary of nearness. Yet even then you were not content, until you wrote to the ruler of the land in a humiliation by which you squandered My honor. Thus have We enumerated your deeds in a Tablet from which not a single letter of actions, small or great, has been omitted.

You had concealed your face behind a veil out of fear for yourself. But when We made the Cause manifest, and the breezes of assurance blew and you felt secure, you emerged from behind the curtain and opposed Me with whatever you were able, bringing upon Me that by which the hearts of every intelligent believer were torn.

You allied yourself in hostility with the one whom you had always hated and who hated you. You heard from him with your own ears what you had once complained of before the Presence. Yet when you found in his heart hatred for the Youth, you united with him and took him as your helper.

By God, O my brother, were you just, you would weep for yourself and then for Me. You would lament in your days until God forgave you and caused you to be numbered among the repentant in the Mother of the Book. Look to the beginning of time: did the one who killed his elder brother, who was named Hábíl, gain anything thereby? Be just, and do not stray far from the path of truth.

Beware lest what We granted you from the dominion of the Names veil you, for they were created by a command from Us — and We have ever been powerful over all things.

O Pen of the Command, purify yourself from every remembrance except the remembrance of your Lord. Leave the people to themselves and do not turn toward them. Remain in a firm protection, for your Lord suffices you against all besides Him — and God is sufficient in Himself as your helper.

Then remember your brother who is named Riḍá in the Kingdom of the Names. Send to him this Tablet, that he may find from it the beloved breezes of holiness; that one of his two eyes may be consoled by it, and the other weep for what has touched his brother of the harm of all the worlds together; that he may become aware of the matter of the Youth and of what has befallen Him from the arrows of hatred.

By God, at that moment he will find himself in the well of envy, and from it a weak and sorrowful cry will arise, saying: “Is there any helper who will aid the Youth and ward off from Him the spear of every sinful oppressor?”

And in another tone he will say: “By God, I have sought help from none but God.” Thus were We alone before the concourse of the earth.

The Spirit, the Glory, and the Exaltation be upon you and upon those who read the verses of God, reflect upon their mysteries, and find their breezes. Gladness be theirs, and yours, and for everyone endowed with a subtle scent.