Kitab-i-Badi (Tablet to Badi)

Verses 1-10

1 Your letter, which conveyed some unverified reports and inaccurate statements, has reached this humble servant. On one hand, it opened doors of joy, and on the other, it opened doors of sorrow. The joy came from the mention of your well-being, while the sorrow came from the realization that, in the end, misguided souls have cut you off from the Source of Oneness and deprived you of the fragrances of the love of God. We beseech God to turn you away from them and direct you towards His radiant countenance.

2 When this servant observed that what you had written did not arise from a pure heart but rather from the false words of misguided souls that were conveyed to you, I found it necessary, purely for the sake of God and out of love for you, to respond to you. Perhaps by the power of the Lord of Lords, you may tear away the greatest veil and the dazzling splendors of majesty with the fingers of power and detachment, and ascend to the station that is sanctified from mention, indication, words, and expressions, distinguishing between the swimmers of the ocean of grandeur and the flyers in the air of divine glory from the dark birds.

3 Although it is evident that the greatest veil has completely deprived your sight from beholding the supreme vision, since you mentioned words of advice, it became necessary for this servant to share with you, to the extent I have been graced by the overwhelming ocean of divine favor and the manifestations of the effulgence of the sublime majesty. Perhaps you will not be deprived of the sanctuary of divine sanctity, nor will you remain without a share from the Kaaba of pure detachment.

4 Although certain words have been heard from the blessed tongue, from which this servant has become despondent regarding most people, nonetheless, purely for the sake of God, it is expressed with the hope that you may attain to a breeze from the paradise of divine sanctity and be nourished with a fruit from the tree of neither the East nor the West. The words are:

“Indeed, most people today are suckling from the breast of heedlessness and ignorance, and the days of their weaning have not yet come. How then can they reach maturity? Therefore, the Word has no effect on them, for they neither understand nor perceive. Verily, witness these common people as sheep being led by a child, wherever he wills.”

Thus, it was revealed previously, but the people do not understand.

5 Since your letter contained various matters, this servant found it necessary to record each of your statements and then provide a response, hoping that in these days, when darkness has encompassed the entire earth, some of the seekers and those who are searching may be guided by the lights of the sun of guidance and not remain deprived of the fountain of life. Verily, He guides whomever He wills, and indeed He has power over all things.

6 Here is your first matter, where you wrote: “I hope from Almighty God that a meeting may take place, that perhaps the dark veils and imaginary barriers may be removed, and it may become clear who are the swimmers in the ocean of Oneness and the flyers in the realm of loftiness, as opposed to those who dwell in the well of darkness and stand in the wilderness of bewilderment.”

7 You expressed the wish for a meeting to take place and for that meeting to remove the veils, but not every meeting is a cause for unveiling, nor will it be. In most cases, meetings increase the veil, as someone who was a source of exaggeration and a mine of corruption came to you, and you did not tear away his veils; rather, his veils added to yours. If you had the ability to tear away veils, you would have certainly uncovered the obstructive veils of the veiled soul. However, God willing, we hope from divine grace that a meeting with peace and tranquility will occur, and that all will be gathered in the assembly of holiness, and through the sacred verbal indications, we may attain the infinite worlds of meanings. For these days are days of unveiling and witnessing, not days of investigating suspicions and illusions. We seek union and meeting with God. Indeed, He is the best of masters and the best of responders. It is clear that these words were not from yourself but were written under the influence of distant souls.

“A self that has not attained existence from the Giver of Being—how can it bestow existence?”

8 Such shriveled and deprived souls have not distinguished the right from the left—how then have they presumed to be guides and saviors? The fragrances of divine souls are far distinct from the exhalations of misguided souls. Not everyone who bears the form of a human is considered a human, nor everyone who speaks two words is counted among the people of discourse. Limited souls have been and will be deprived of the realm of the Oneness, and dim eyes will remain without a share of beholding the lights of the sun of meanings.

9 I am astonished at you, who have taken the essence of doubt as the soul of certainty, and have mentioned the doubtful soul as something known. “They were created from doubt, they began from it, and they returned to it.” And today, the flyers in the air of divine closeness and the swimmers in the ocean of divine mercy are shining like the sun. By God, if the veiled souls purified themselves from the blindness of ego and desire, in that very instant they would attain the radiance of the Sun of Horizons. But what can I say, as the matter has become very confused for you. This is not from you but from one who is without mention before God and was deprived of the breezes of the Days of God, the Almighty, the All-Pervading.

10 You said: “Yes, though my outward condition is well and I am in perfect health, I feel very despondent. First, due to being deprived of the grace of serving the friends, and second, no matter how much we strive, no matter how much we run from city to city, and from valley to valley, hoping for some relief of mind, it does not come, and they do not allow it.”

Verses 11-20

11 I am astonished by you, and this servant is greatly perplexed by these words you wrote, saying, “We run from city to city to find peace of mind, but it does not come.” For from this word, it seems you have not realized that running from city to city does not bring peace of mind and never will. If only you had stayed in one place and breathed a single breath sincerely for the sake of God, that breath would have reached the presence of the All-Merciful. For if the purpose of your journey was to attain the knowledge of God, you must come to this city, purified from all signs and indications. Then, after the meeting, with your own eyes, you will distinguish and recognize the Truth from what is below it, not by the word of a soul who is rejected before God, that you may veil yourself to such an extent that you completely deprive yourself of the beauty of the Beloved. “The traveler will not reach the homeland of security and peace unless he refrains from everything that is possible.”

12 Your statement: “We had gone to find some rest and to be safe from the mischief of sedition, but a new sedition was stirred up, and the devils raised another mischief through the desires of the self, causing confusion in beliefs, and a new sedition has begun. The fitna (sedition) is asleep, may God curse the one who awakens it.”

13 This saying is so grievous that it almost causes the heavens to break apart, the earth to split, the mountains to crumble, the seas to cease their waves, and the trees to fall from their fruits. By God, the very foundations of existence, both seen and unseen, are nearly obliterated by what has emerged from your mouth. By this, the faces of the near ones have turned pale, and if anyone with discernment were present, they would be certain that the face of the Primal Point (the Báb) turned pale at the blows of these words. At that moment, He laments in the celestial company, and the angels of the near ones lament with Him.

14 Have you not reflected on what you have written? What was the purpose of this statement, and who was the intended object of it? However, it is not in the nature of the people of God to speak beyond their station. “Whoever does not know his limit and station will never know his Lord.” Indeed, these servants, who have been raised by the divine hands of training and dwell in the shadow of the tree of courtesy, neither desire nor enjoy responding to such words with words like these. We have entrusted the matter to God, and indeed, He is the best disposer of affairs.

15 Listen to the counsel of a sincere servant! Do not regard the Greatest Grace as wrath, nor consider the Most Great Peace as turmoil, nor deem the all-encompassing mercy of God as manifest vengeance. The physical eye cannot distinguish between pure, sweet water and bitter, salty water, but it requires the sense of taste—and even that sense, if altered by illness, will fail to perceive the difference. We ask God to grant us a refined and sanctified sense of taste so that we may distinguish the fountain of the divine utterance from the bitter salt of the selfish soul. The matter is in His hand, for He is wise in all things and powerful over all things.

16 If you seek peace, listen to this true statement: “Cleanse yourself from the defilement of the self and desires, so that you may attain everlasting tranquility!” This peace is found beneath the shade of God, not elsewhere, for today, everything outside of His shadow is regarded by God as a barren desert. God willing, we hope that you will purify your heart from the words and indications of the disbelievers so that it may become the place of the manifestation of the Sovereign of Oneness, and that you will rest from all idle talk, disputes, and quarrels.

17 You mentioned desiring to be safe from the turmoil of sedition, which seems to imply that you regard all the true manifestations that have appeared in the world, from Adam to the Seal (Muhammad), as forms of sedition, and that you believe speaking the truth is sedition. But there is a vast difference between this kind of sedition and that of the disbelievers—this difference is only understood by those with insight. The sedition of truth is such that a hundred thousand rivers of security and peace flow from it. By God, if there is anyone with a discerning sense, they will perceive the fragrances of the Oneness from this very sedition.

18 Further, His exalted grandeur declares: “If what manifests from the Truth is considered sedition, then a hundred thousand lives should be sacrificed for such sedition, for it distinguishes the misguided, Pharaoh-like souls from the manifestations of the Oneness.” This servant beseeches God to grant all people a sharp vision, a pure soul, and attentive ears, so that they may distinguish the false words of the disbelievers from the divine utterances.

19 I am never pleased when you write such words. You mentioned that the whispers of devils, driven by selfish desires, have stirred up evil and created confusion in beliefs. My dear brother, do not describe the holy breezes of the Lord of all worlds as the whispers of devils! By God, every created thing weeps because of this, and the one who prompted you to speak these words is cursed by every particle of existence. Yet, he is unaware of himself, for God has placed a veil of fire over his heart. He speaks what he does not understand, and he speaks words that none of the manifestations of negation have ever spoken. As a result, he is in great loss. Existence itself almost melts away from this statement, but you are surrounded by a thick veil.

20 As for the confusion in beliefs you mentioned, know that no belief concerning the Manifestations of God and His Cause has ever been shaken. Rather, it has become stronger, firmer, and more established—except for those souls whose beings, in the previous Manifestation, were of the lowest degree and were outwardly counted among the believers. When the Great Test appeared, those souls returned to their original state, while the radiant and sanctified souls reached their true home, which is recognition and affirmation of the Manifestation. Blessed are those who have attained!

Verses 21-30

21 Those beliefs tied to the worship of the golden calf—God’s chosen ones and His beloved are far above and sanctified from them. Every soul who, God forbid, remains veiled in this Manifestation of the Sun of Meanings has no true belief, nor will they, for such confusion to arise. Have you not heard the words of the Divine Nightingale, who said:

“If a soul, for all eternity, stands in prayer and prostration, remembering and worshiping God, but at the time of the Manifestation hesitates even for a moment, their deeds will be rendered void, and for that moment, they will dwell in the fire—how much worse then for those who turn away and are arrogant?”

We ask God to protect us from the whispers of those devils who openly deny God while imagining themselves to be among the knowing.

22 By the Lord of all worlds, you mentioned a new sedition, but no new matter has appeared. From the first day we attained the knowledge of God, we have fixed our gaze upon this sacred, everlasting Manifestation and have regarded everything below this all-encompassing divine Manifestation as non-existent in His presence. Some have claimed that for the sake of expediency, the Manifestation indicated something else, but later it became clear that what was mentioned was the truth, and what followed was mere delusion. It is astonishing that you have written in such a way. If by “sedition” you meant new corruption, by God, there is no god but He, the one who prompted you to write these words is the very one who stirred up this corruption, as has been evident for forty years, and you yourself are aware of what has been said. And during this journey, when that disbeliever joined the party of God, he acted in ways that even Nimrod and Shaddad did not. Yet, we do not understand why you have, under his influence, forsaken your vision, hearing, and heart, and accepted as true whatever he said. We ask God to guide you toward His Cause, grant you recognition of His Manifestation, and cleanse you from the indications of the disbelievers.

23 What manifests from the Truth is mercy for the monotheists and wrath for the polytheists. We beseech Him to bestow upon you a cup from the water of life that flows in the axis of existence so that you may detach yourself from all else and draw near to the place where only the lights of the face of your Lord, the Most High, the Great, are seen. We ask God that you are not counted among those servants who have always objected to the Truth in this way. Just as the disbelievers wrote to Husayn ibn Ali (may all creation be a sacrifice for him), accusing him of causing division among the people and creating turmoil in the religion of his grandfather, and of introducing innovations. These very words are recorded in books; you can refer to them, and there is no need for this servant to mention them further.

24 From your last statement, it almost seems as if the very pillars of all things are about to collapse, yet we have endured and will endure with God’s power and might, entrusting the matter to God, the Almighty, the Protector, the Ever-Present. What you imagine to be sedition has never been the way of the Truth. This Manifestation has appeared for the purpose of bringing about the unity and harmony of the people of the earth, so that all the diverse nations may gather on one path and all may chant the praises and glorifications of the Lord. It has become clear that you have not distinguished between the reformer and the corrupter. God willing, we hope that if you have not recognized the Manifestations of the Highest Heaven, you will at least come to know the manifestations of Satan and the sources of rebellion and corruption.

25 The Truth has always called people to unity and harmony. Observe the revealed words so that it may become clear to you! This word is not from you, for we thought that you had not committed this sin of your own accord, but rather by the inspiration of someone who was once one of us. However, after committing what he did, God cast him out from His realm of majesty, and thus he turned to opposition. He has claimed leadership for himself and calls people to himself in defiance of the Manifestation of God and in an attempt to assert his own leadership. Such has been the matter if you are among the knowing.

26 These words, which have burned the hearts of the chosen ones, are empty of meaning and spirit. But hidden within them are sharpened swords, and in secret, they have been continually striking at the body of the Cause. If only there were a seer with insight who could perceive the magnitude of the injustice that has appeared today, and the extent to which the oppressors have risen against the Cause of God! However, we ask God to send forth from the clouds of His command that which will consign them to their abode in the lowest depths.

27 You also wrote: “For this reason, I had no intention of writing a response. I wanted to remain silent and not speak on this matter; I no longer have the desire for arguments and disputes. This brief life is not worthy or fit to be spent entirely in argument and strife and forced interpretations for the sake of the self.”

28 It would have been better if you had not written a response, and if you had written, it would have been preferable if it came from yourself, not from the fabricated words of disbelieving souls. Indeed, remaining silent in the face of such expressions would have been a hundred thousand times better. Speech is good for the remembrance and affirmation of the Cause of God, not for disputing and contending with it. As is stated in the divine counsels: The tongue was created for the remembrance of the All-Merciful—beware lest you defile it with the words of the manifestations of Satan. The tongue is the dawning place of the lights of truth—do not make it the source of false words! The tongue is the repository of the utterance and praise of Me—do not busy it with the mention of this or that, for I have appointed it as an endless sign of Mine. As long as existence remains, its utterance will not be cut off unless an illness comes between it and the praise of its Lord. And one who is insightful will perceive that the knowledge of God has no end and never will. The pearls of the utterances of both worlds are hidden within it, though nothing has been added to its form. The rivers of meanings flow from it, and nothing has been diminished from it.

29 In this station, there is much to be said, but this servant will suffice with this brief response, hoping that you will purify both your outer and inner tongue from the disease of ego and desire, and that you will use it to praise God. For today, the true speaker is one who rises to praise God, and otherwise, they are but a mere squawker.

30 You wrote that you no longer have the desire for disputations. No one has risen up for battle and quarrel. It is astonishing that you are yourself engaging in what you complain of. The disputation of the world is concealed and hidden in these words that you have sent. It seems that in this letter of yours, not a trace has been left out of the words of the deniers and disbelievers. Every soul’s book is in their hand, but due to inattention, it has not been realized, and they wander from place to place. This servant is greatly perplexed by how you carry such heavy words. If only they had returned to their source. Whether good or bad, it has been and will be worthy of the one who utters it. We ask from the Greatest Grace of God to sanctify you from these imaginary indications.

Verses 31-40

31 You wrote: “This brief life is not worthy to be entirely spent in disputation, quarrel, and forced interpretations for the sake of the ego.” It is astonishing that detachment has been claimed by words and by pretense. Just as a soul who has engaged in all the imaginable prohibitions, such that there remains in every land a sign of that tree of estrangement, yet is considered detached. Moreover, a soul, who has indulged in all sorts of indecency and whose fire of greed has burned so intensely that it ran from here to Istanbul for a piece of bread, and these deeds were plainly evident from it—yet when it meets certain deluded individuals, it lets out a long sigh, shakes its head, and utters two words of disavowal from the world, and is then considered the leader of the detached.

32 The weapon and defense of the disbelievers is to speak of death and detachment from the world. And they have taught this to you well, to the extent that it has been inscribed on your heart. However, the detached have different fragrances and knowledge. If bitter colocynth claims to be sugar, the people of taste will not accept it. Every word requires corresponding action. Those who object to the Truth have always spoken in such terms. For example, a holy soul who was immersed in such trials that, by God, who is the only One worthy of worship, had these servants known that protection was assured, they would have attributed them to the world. Yet a soul who has been indulging in utmost luxury and comfort throughout its life has been called detached. Woe to those who speak according to the desires of their own souls and do not understand!

33 Moreover, I do not know what you mean by “forced interpretations” that you mentioned. The interpreters are those who speak without having seen, and pass judgment without having arrived at the truth. By the grace of God, what we have stated is from the clear and established proofs of God, and from the agreed-upon principles of your own beliefs and the Bayan. It has been revealed so clearly that no passage in the Bayan was sent down except that all were commanded, explicitly and without interpretation, to not object if a soul manifests with the verses of God. And it was so emphasized that the faith and certitude of all were made conditional on the acknowledgment of the Manifestation. And yet, you call this firm, divine statement a mere ambiguous interpretation! If this matter is removed from the Bayan, by what argument will the faith of the claimants be proven? How poor is their understanding of themselves!

34 Alas, how quickly the divine words have been distorted. Some false, artificial figures have become the cause of cutting off the fragrances of the All-Merciful from the people of the world. The difference is that these servants speak from what they have seen, while you speak from imagination. God willing, we hope that you will distinguish desire from God. If you are just, you will bear witness that what has happened has always been contrary to the desires of the self, for the commanding self has never forsaken its own comfort and never will. A soul has manifested with all the divine verses, continually afflicted at the hands of enemies, and yet you have interpreted what He has brought forth as the product of the self and desires. A hundred thousand lives of the near ones are sacrificed for this “desire,” for at its stirring, the sweet fragrances of the paradise of Oneness radiate forth, and at its movement, souls, yearning to meet God, are stirred and agitated; at its stillness, anxious hearts become calm and assured; and at its heat, the fire of God blazes in the trees of human existence, proclaiming that there is no god but Him.

35 We hope that you do not consider the divine stations and lordly manifestations as mere self-desires, and that you observe with fairness.

36 You also wrote that you feel sorrow that after spending many years among the old mystics, as the common folk say, in the company of the elders, you have now become confused.

37 Know this: in the station of certainty, there is no room for doubt. And if you say that the recognition of the new Manifestation has become confused for this servant, then come, that you may witness. And if you say that there has been confusion regarding the revealed verses, then come, that you may hear and see. And if you say there has been confusion in deeds, every deed is bound to His command and dependent on His permission. The station of certainty is sanctified from the doubts and illusions of the worldly and the exalted ones. It is clear that these words are not from you, for I would not have expected you to follow such doubts and illusions.

38 All these matters that have occurred were previously mentioned in the revealed Tablets. Beyond that, when we first entered this land, the Blessed Beauty was residing in a house near the Muradiyya quarter, and these servants were living in another house. One day, in the late afternoon, He emerged from the sacred precincts, and all the migrant servants were in His presence, including this servant, Haji Mirza Ahmad, Sayyid Muhammad, and others. He said: “Today, a strange matter has been witnessed.” We waited to see what had occurred, and after about ten or more minutes of silence, He turned to this servant and said: “This morning, at dawn, a bird sat on one of the branches of the tree outside the house and spoke these words: ‘Muhammad has come, and with him, affliction has arrived.’ The bird repeated this phrase three times.”

39 None of us thought it referred to the present Muhammad. Even Sayyid Muhammad considered such a matter impossible for himself, and this servant was busy with interpretations. Among the several people around, there were some named Muhammad, and we became convinced that one of them must come to this land and cause corruption. Two full years later, what was destined became evident. At that time, it became clear who the Muhammad in question was. By God, by God, his actions are not worth mentioning, and I swear by his truth that if I have recounted this matter in any other way than it occurred, what happened is exactly as I have mentioned.

40 Let them not think that the purpose of mentioning this incident is to show miracles—by the Lord of all worlds! We are certain that those whose hearts are filled with resentment toward the Truth will never be convinced by any proof or argument. Although it was foretold, the purpose was to show that his affairs were known in a Tablet that has not left out even the slightest deeds of all people.

Verses 41-50

41 Your statement greatly increased my astonishment, for a soul that has been rejected by this company, and is not even worthy of conversation, has so confused you that now you wander in the desert of doubts and journey through the wilderness of illusions. It would be best for you to cast off these borrowed wings and soar with the spiritual wings in the heavens of the holiness of the everlasting majesty, entering into the refreshing spiritual realms. You, who once considered yourself among the rascals, have now been swept away by a single blast of the violent winds of doubt and illusion in such a way that it is impossible to describe. The matter is in the hands of the True One, and only He knows where He will establish you. His knowledge is with your Lord, and I am but a repentant servant.

42 We hope that you cling to the strong, mighty rope and enter the pure city of certainty, tranquility, and assurance from the house of suspicion and doubt. By the Truth, my heart has been deeply pained for you, and it continues to ache, for after all your untold efforts, you have fallen into the snare of the sayings of the desert of illusion and desire. We ask God to deliver you, to give you to drink of that which will purify you from what you have heard, to sanctify you from all but Him, and to establish you in the shade of His grace, for indeed, He is the most merciful of the merciful.

43 You wrote that your heart burns because, due to the distance in time since the Prophet’s advent, people like us have clung to religions that rely on interpretations, making illusions to comfort themselves, enduring inner torment while thinking they had escaped the forced interpretations of a religion. And now, as you say, according to what I have shared, it seems, as people say, “the first sip is bitter,” and one must return to a religion of interpretation. You also mentioned that the clear and firm principles of the Bayan have not yet become widespread and manifest, and thus, you feel compelled to cling to ambiguous interpretations.

44 It is clear enough that the interpreters, driven by their own desires and illusions, have always remained settled and comfortable in their positions. Even if a hundred thousand clear statements were revealed, they would never benefit from even a drop of it, as it is observed that while the ocean of explicitness is overflowing, all are gathered in the stagnant pool of delusions and interpretations. Yet, the degrees of interpretation are infinite. There is one form of interpretation that is pleasing to God, and another that opposes Him. The words of God indeed allow for limitless interpretations, but no one knows them except God. Today, by the explicit command of the Point of the Bayan—may all else be sacrificed for Him—it is forbidden for those under the shade of the Tree of the Bayan to interpret or explain the words of God. For none but the Manifestation is aware of their meanings. This task of interpretation does not belong to the people.

45 As for the interpretation you mentioned, it is the interpretation of disbelieving souls, which has always been rejected and will continue to be. Today, they have abandoned the clear statements, veiled themselves from the Manifestation, and are occupied with explaining and interpreting the words of the previous Manifestation based on their own illusions and delusions. Woe unto them and to what they are doing! The purpose of all interpretations, explanations, and meanings of the words and verses was to bring about the knowledge of God. But now that they have turned away from the very Essence of God, each has returned to their own place, and those souls are settled in the lowest of the low.

46 And regarding your statement that you suffer inwardly, imagining that you had finally freed yourself from the religion of forced interpretation, by God, no! You have not endured such suffering, for had you truly borne the inward suffering, you would have entered the purest abode and distinguished the Supreme Horizon from the rising place of the calf. It seems evident that some worldly devils have intended to create corruption between you and this lowliest of servants. But God is witness that, if your words were directed solely toward me, regardless of what they contained, I would not be offended. However, the hearts of all creation have burned from the implications of your words and the explicit meanings of your phrases, for all of them return to your conjectures about the place, which, by God, who is beyond all else, even if those whom you have taken as beloved over God were to fly eternally by God’s command, they would not reach the air in which the breezes of even one of His names blow—let alone the Essence of the All-Powerful, the All-Wise. But God has made His cloak sanctified from the barking and braying of these people and protected from the touch of the hands of these disbelievers.

47 Listen to the words of this servant and be cautious of those souls! By God, through them, the air of every city is altered, and they claim to believe in Ali from before because the verses of the Almighty, the Noble, were revealed to him. Yet when they were revealed once again, they disbelieved in them. May the curse of God be upon the liars and the oppressors. From the fragrances of your words, nothing has been sensed except turning away and objection, and it is because of this that writing further on this subject is difficult for this servant. Otherwise, if a soul were found who had doubts arising from the words of disbelievers, it would indeed be beloved for them to express their doubts. We have no occupation in this land other than waiting for someone who, if doubt arises within them, will present it, and we will respond to the best of our ability and station, and according to the measure of the doubt, in the hope that by God’s grace, their heart will be sanctified from false doubts and delusional suspicions. I only expect from you that you observe what has been mentioned with a purified sight.

48 It is from the words of the Blessed Beauty—may all else be a sacrifice for Him—who says:

“Whosoever does not purify their heart, mind, sight, and hearing from what they possess will not be able to recognize what has been revealed in the Tablets of the manifest glory of God.”

Therefore, we pray that God may send forth a breeze of His pleasant paradise upon the people of the world, so that He may cleanse and sanctify them all from the dust of rebellion and direct them toward the sacred sanctuary of the All-Merciful. Indeed, He is near to those who call upon Him and responsive to them.

49 O my brother, these birds who fly in the air of love for the Manifestation of Unity have plucked their grains from the sanctified fields of Oneness and have heard the melodies of spiritual sanctity. It is difficult for them to fall into the snares of the people of the world or to be hindered and deprived from the Lord of all worlds by the whispers of the disbelievers. Those who seek this matter will find nothing but regret and will gain no share other than weariness and toil. For by the grace of God, we are journeying in the gardens of witnessing and present in the assembly of beholding. We have passed beyond illusion and imitation and have settled in the abode of witnessing and seeing. We have no concern with the world and its people, as our deeds testify to our faith. We have not run to the gates for a monthly salary or a morsel of bread, nor have we sent our women into the homes of others, nor have we slandered the Truth. By God, who is the only One worthy of worship, if you were to become aware of the lies told in that land and the slanders against the Truth, you would indeed flee to the wilderness and detach yourself from all that is on the earth, if you were among the fair-minded.

50 You also wrote: “the first sip and the dregs.” You have mentioned this phrase, but without knowing in what context it should be used. The Point of the Bayan—may all else be a sacrifice for Him—explicitly states throughout the Bayan: Do not veil yourself from the Manifestation in anything that has been created between the heavens and the earth, whether it be from revealed books, sound scrolls, wondrous verses, or created beings, whether they pertain to creation or legislation. And though He has taken the covenant of the guardianship of this sacred, inviolable Manifestation from all, He states—may His mention be exalted: “Glory be to You, O my God! Bear witness that with this Book, I have taken the covenant of the guardianship of the one whom You will make manifest from all things before the covenant of My own guardianship, and sufficient are You and those who believe in Your verses as witnesses over Me. And You are sufficient for Me, upon You do I rely. Indeed, You have always been sufficient over all things.” Yet everyone turned away from His beauty and clung to His slayer.

Verses 51-60

51 By God, who is beyond all else, it was observed what they inflicted upon this Blessed Beauty. Observe, in this very phrase of the Point of the Bayan—may all else be a sacrifice for Him—how much lamentation, mourning, and wailing are hidden. He took the Truth and all the servants as witnesses to the covenant of this sacred Manifestation, that the people of the Bayan might not rebel at the Manifestation of the Spirit of the All-Merciful, nor be shameless regarding what was revealed in the Bayan. Nevertheless, what was observed has come to pass. And not many days had passed, and the words revealed in the Bayan still rang in everyone’s ears, and the trace of the pure blood of that wronged martyr remained upon the earth, yet they inflicted upon His soul, His being, and His spirit what no people had ever inflicted. It is here that you could say, “the first sip and the dregs.”

52 Now, observe how much you mention words in a manner that contradicts their true meaning and context. A soul who declared that He had taken the covenant of His guardianship before taking the covenant of His own guardianship, and yet the people of the Bayan have labeled those souls who have turned to this divine Manifestation as people of interpretation. We express our grief and sorrow to God for what has been inflicted upon Him by His servants, who were created by His word, “Be,” and so it is.

53 You also wrote that “the firm principles of the Bayan have not yet become widespread and manifest, and we are forced to cling to the ambiguous ones.” No one with intellect or insight would ever let such words pass from their lips. I am astonished at how you have been satisfied to ascribe the words of the disbelievers to yourself. It is not the station of the people of Truth to transgress the bounds of courtesy. Therefore, this servant leaves the response to some of your words to God, for oppression is beloved to the Truth.

54 As for the distinction between the firm and ambiguous verses that you mentioned, it appears that the difference between them has not been clear to you. Otherwise, you would have certainly realized that the firm verses revealed in the Bayan have appeared in their fullest and most complete form. Therefore, a brief explanation will be offered here.

55 Know that the distinction between firm and ambiguous verses has been mentioned among every group, and a detailed explanation exists in the books. However, discussing it in depth would result in undue length. Yet, according to the Truth, the firm verses are those whose divine intent is clear from the verse itself and do not require proof or explanation from other sources to be established. Now, be just: What is the ultimate, primary truth of that verse? It is evident and clear to every discerning soul that the greatest verse, which in itself requires nothing else to prove it, has always been the Manifestation itself. For everything beneath it, whatever and whoever it may be, is dependent on its command, and no one denies this except the most ignorant, rejected ones.

56 And if you say that the firm verses are the divine commands revealed in the Tablets, there is no doubt about that—we are all certain and believers in them, hoping for His grace. These firm verses, in relation to the Judgment of the Judge, are indeed firm. It is evident that if a soul knows all the firm verses and yet hesitates even slightly in affirming the greatest verse (the Manifestation), all their actions will be fruitless and will amount to nothing. And the soul whose verses are firm says: “All that is revealed in the Bayan is but a leaf from the leaves of Paradise in the presence of that pure being.” In another place, He says: “What was revealed in the Bayan is dependent upon His command, suspended by His will and desire.” And again, He addresses the people of the Bayan, warning them not to be deprived of the Promised Manifestation because of the Bayan and what was revealed therein. Many such firm statements have been revealed beyond reckoning. Nevertheless, they turned away from the very one through whose will all the firm verses were manifested and from whose fingers all the rivers of knowledge and utterance flowed, yet they claimed to understand and comprehend the firm verses on their own.

57 Now, open your eyes of fairness and recognize those who are confused and the manifestations of whisperers—those who have placed such words upon you. Yes, souls have always called themselves by the name of Truth and have led the poor and weak into the wilderness of doubts and illusions, while they themselves are occupied with leadership. This is not the first arrow that has struck us, nor the first spear that has struck the Beloved of the Worlds.

58 And if you say that the firm verses are the attributes mentioned in the Bayan, which were revealed specifically for certain souls, first of all, you are not aware of who was intended by those attributes. And secondly, by His very essence, God has described all things with the highest of attributes, such that He has returned all names and attributes to everything. This is the station. Beyond this, creation is His, and all share in these attributes, for in the Supreme Horizon, all exist in a single realm.

59 And regarding certain divine verses that were revealed with outward reference to some souls, the intention was to encourage those souls. Furthermore, all things return to the verse of the Manifestation of God. As long as that verse is manifest in all things, it is described and named by all the names and attributes, but once that Manifestation departs, it is as though they cease to exist. Reflect on this so that you may be among those who understand.

60 And even if we concede that some attributes were revealed specifically for the soul you mentioned, have you not heard that He commands the Letters of the Bayan not to be veiled from the Manifestation of God at the time of His appearance? The first Letters of the Bayan are those souls who were described with all attributes and named by all names. And this very statement of the Sovereign of Eternity is a clear proof of the veiling of some of the Letters. It is seen that a soul considers themselves among the Letters and mirrors, yet they are cut off from the hem of sanctity and cling to the rope of self and desire.

Verses 61-70

61 He also says that in the Manifestation of the Supreme Light in another sphere, the souls of the Exalted Ones will become nonexistent and as nothing. Reflect a little so that you may become aware of the loftiness of the Cause! After the greatness of the Cause has been declared in such a way that He says the souls of the Exalted Ones will die and become as nothing, how could the Letters and mirrors hold any significance in that station except after they have been purified of self-love? Furthermore, in another place, He says—glorified and exalted is He: “It is permissible for the Manifestation of God to return anyone who is not higher than the dust beneath His feet, for they are His creation, in His grasp.”

62 These statements are the cause of the manifestation of names and attributes, while the words of veiled souls are delusions. By God, at that moment, the suns of firm verses have shone, the clear signs have appeared, the definitive proofs have manifested, and the perfect words have been revealed. And yet, you write that Mirza Yahya cannot be rejected, even though his greatest position was to stand before the Blessed Beauty and receive the divine words that were revealed to him. By God, with all his deeds, no one opposed him. He rejected himself by turning away from the Truth, who was created by the command of God. Thus, the matter has been explained to you so that you may be among those who know.

63 Now, reflect on what the firm verses of God’s words are and what the ambiguous verses are, and recognize those who have clung to the ambiguous verses and left the firm ones behind, being among the disbelievers. At this point, it is beloved to mention some of the firm verses that have been revealed from the heaven of the will of the Blessed One—exalted is His greatness! By God, they are sufficient for all of creation, so that anyone who possesses even a particle of the love of God in their heart may cling to them and save themselves from the delusions of the people of the earth and the twisted whisperings of the manifestations of Satan, and may remain firm in their faith, witnessing no instability.

64 These are some of the verses revealed in a Tablet for one of the beloved, addressed to one of the wretched ones. His Holiness says—glorified is His being: “If you see the name ‘H’ (Yahya), remind him of the verses of your Lord, that he may perhaps turn toward the One who, whoever turns toward Him, is saved, and whoever turns away is destroyed. Thus did the Spirit speak between the heavens and the earth. Say: ’O servant, listen to my words! By the truth of God, you will not find any advisor more sincere than Me. Do not hesitate on the path, but pass over it as quickly as clouds move! We commanded you this before, and we command it again now. And if you do not accept this from Me, I will continue to command you until you pass over it by My overwhelming and all-powerful sovereignty.

65 Tear asunder the veils of illusions with My remembrance, then proclaim My name and abandon all that holds you back from Me! Then appear suddenly with the Manifestation of your Lord, and do not be among the patient ones! Beware that leadership should not prevent you from remembering your Lord. By the truth of God, even if all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth prostrate before you, if you are not under My shade, it will not benefit you. And your own soul bears witness to this if you are among those who listen. Do you desire to be among those whose leadership prevented them in the days when the heavens of the Cause were split and the Sun of the Beauty of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great, arose upon the clouds of sanctity, and they busied themselves with their leadership, disbelieved in God, their Creator, and then decreed His death after He came to them with a proof from God and a mighty testimony?

66 By God, O servant, My only intent has been to purify you from everything unworthy of you. Whenever I resolve to remain silent regarding you, the tongue of God speaks through My tongue, commanding Me to convey to you, and My only task is to deliver the clear message. Reflect for a moment: Have you ever heard of a Manifestation greater than this or of verses mightier than what I have revealed with truth? Then speak with pure truth and be among those who turned toward the Supreme Horizon on the day when the faces of all creatures were overturned!

67 And if you fear for your faith, take this Tablet and keep it in the pocket of your trust. And when you stand in the place of resurrection, on the day when all possibilities are raised before the face of your Lord by His wondrous, inviolable breezes, and God asks you: ‘By what proof did you believe in this Manifestation?’ Then bring out the Tablet and say: ‘By this blessed, ancient, revealed Book.’ Then read what is written therein before the face of your Lord, where all the prophets and messengers will bear witness. By God, at that moment, the hands of all will stretch out toward you, and they will take the Tablet, placing it upon their eyes in eagerness to meet Me and in longing for My love, finding within it the fragrances of My inviolable, noble sanctity. Thus have We explained the verses for you so that you may be at peace and be among the assured.

68 And if God were to punish you for believing in His verses in this Manifestation, by what proof would He punish those who did not believe in Ali before, and before Him in Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and before Him in Jesus, son of Mary, and before Him in Moses, the Interlocutor, and before Him in Abraham, until the Manifestations return to the Primal One, who was created by the will of your Lord, the All-Powerful, the All-Willing? O My name, the Cause is more manifest than to be concealed, more evident than to be hidden. It shines like the sun at its zenith. If you free yourself from the veils, you will reach it faster than your own sight can return to you, and this is the truth, with absolute certainty.’”

69 Listen to the words of the one who speaks the truth and do not dispute the verses of God after they have been revealed, even if all creation commands you to do so! Do not deny yourself His grace, even if both worlds try to prevent you! Look upon the command of your Lord with your own eyes, then recognize Him with your own soul and spirit, for the understanding of another is not a proof for you, nor is the rejection of others an argument against you. Beware lest you veil yourself from the One who, if you were to be veiled from Him even for the briefest moment, would render all your deeds void! This is confirmed by everything previously revealed in the scriptures of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty.

70 These are the revealed words mentioned earlier. Now, be just and distinguish the firm verses from those beneath them! If a soul has a spark of the fire of divine love in their heart, they will act according to what has been revealed from the heaven of divine will, cutting themselves off from all that is in the heavens and the earth, and they will see themselves established on the couch of tranquility, certain of the Cause of God, and independent of anything else. By God, the proof is complete, the blessing is perfect, the sun is shining, the verses are revealed, and the Manifestation is more evident than ever. Yet, you have entangled yourself in the wilderness of inquiry, suspicions, and indications. We ask God to guide us and you and to grant us what He has ordained from His presence, for He is indeed the Mighty, the Generous.

Verses 71-80

71 As for your statement, “Amazing! What has happened here! People still question the original word. That is, they have yet to understand what the statement was or what the rulings entailed. Now new circumstances have arisen, and this ‘religion of interpretation’ has been established, which will cause a thousand kinds of sedition.”—I do not intend to be disrespectful, but I bear witness by God that no rational person would speak in such a manner. For if the manifestation of truth were dependent on people’s opinions and what they possess, the truth would never appear. In every age and cycle when the Sun of divine truth rises from the horizon of His will, people have always had objections and exhibited extreme rejection, and they have counted that singular being as one who incites sedition and corruption. Yet, it is clear to anyone with insight that the intent has always been unity, and it always will be.

72 Furthermore, the objections of these people are not specific to this Manifestation. Even in the time of the Messenger of God (Muhammad), they still have objections. If the matter were dependent on people’s words, God forbid, one would have to deny all Manifestations. Moreover, from this Manifestation, the laws of the Bayan have been established and made manifest—not from the deluded souls you imagine. By God, they have not acted upon a single one of those words, and God forbid, if their deeds were mentioned, Satan himself would flee from their actions. Many matters have become confused and concealed for you. We ask God to open your eyes by His grace, to rescue you from the darkness of self and desire, and to draw you near to the Lote-Tree of the farthest boundary. Indeed, He is the One who can do as He wills, and He is a watcher over all things.

73 The Truth is not concerned with people’s words, objections, or protests. He does whatever He wills, despite the efforts of those who disbelieve in God and turn away. If you reflect even slightly, you will see that all your objections are directed at the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—and were similarly directed at all previous Messengers. Listen to my words, then seek forgiveness for what you have done, so that God may forgive you and erase your sins, for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

74 Another saying from that hateful one: “So, then, if you contemplate your own thoughts, you will interpret that which is not ambiguous.”—It is astonishing that you have become so confused.

75 In clear matters, do not seek ambiguity. These servants have contemplated with their own minds and, by the grace of God, have emerged from the thickets of interpretation into the open plains of clear explanation. The interpreters are those who forsake the manifest, inviolable truth and, with the axe of suspicion, carve idols of illusion, then bow and prostrate before their own creation. Yet, they consider themselves worshipers of the Truth and detached unto God.

76 Listen to the words of this servant and free your heart from illusions, turning to the Lord of all beings! A true friend is one who, upon seeing their companion drowning in the sea of annihilation, helps them to the best of their ability, hoping that this assistance will lead to success and salvation. Thus, we hope you will cling to the rope of divine grace, escape the abyss of defilement and darkness, and enter under the radiance of the divine dawn.

77 You have turned away from this clear truth, which is presently evident and speaks the truth, and instead opened the door of interpretation, which has always been weak and ill. So much so that you have allowed lies to be implanted within you, and yet you write them and consider them truthful. For example, a letter arrived from your location, without knowing who sent it or who wrote it, for it bore neither a seal nor a name. However, some false and fabricated words were written in that letter, and it is clear that Satan inspired it. Whoever wrote it, whoever that deceiver is, was influenced by him. The writer of that letter knows it to be false, and you, too, are aware of it, yet you consider it to be the truth and wish to return the rightful claim of the one who holds the Truth to that falsehood. Now, consider how you have sought ambiguity in something clear. We ask God to open your eyes and assist you in recognizing the Manifestation of His Self and to make you among those who attain success.

78 Another objection from that critic: “Yes, I was not present, but I know better than those who have been there for years. Moreover, the general principles, which are the standard, are at hand.”—This claim to knowledge you have made is absolutely false, by God! No one knows, neither you nor anyone else. What has been instilled in you, by God, the One who is beyond all else, is entirely false and will continue to be so. I only wish that the soul to whom you have attributed the right, apart from God, were like one of the common people in the market. It is astonishing that you have attempted to confuse this servant. All your words, suspicions, interpretations, indications, proofs, and claims of knowledge in this matter all trace back to Siyyid Muhammad of Isfahan. His virtue is well known to these servants and has always been clear. Your discernment is truly astonishing—you truly know how to recognize people.

79 Nonetheless, I hope that God removes that corrupt individual from among us. He has caused a corruption the likes of which has not been seen since the beginning of creation. Indeed, he also claimed to have knowledge. Know this: by God, the One beyond all else, he was never informed. Everything he said was pure falsehood and complete fabrication. This brief life is not worth spending in corruption, obstinacy, and committing such shameful deeds. It was your duty that, after the entry of that corrupter into your land, you should have advised him with good counsel and wise words, rather than supporting him and becoming his reflection, echoing his words. God willing, we hope you will avoid the harm that comes from such a person.

80 We praise God for protecting these servants from the evil and deception of that one. What more can this servant say? These are days in which, for the deluded, the word of an insignificant gnat on a barren land is heard, but the Word of God is not. If they had any sense of fairness, all would weep blood and cry out in the deserts, for they use the words of the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—as evidence to support the truth of others, while they strike at His own Self with swords.

Verses 81-90

81 Moreover, we wish to see with what proof and argument they believe in the Primal Point. Bring it forth, if you are among the truthful! By the same proof with which they believe in the Primal Point, we believe in the One greater than Him, the Manifestation of God. The difference is that when the divine touchstone and the balance of divine justice came forth, the monotheists were distinguished from the polytheists. Be fair: if we deny this Manifestation, with all His grandeur and verses, what claim to faith can we make?

82 You wrote: “Besides, the general principles, which are the standard, are at hand.” This statement from you is grand, for this station has been placed by God above all worlds. The Manifestation of God Himself is the divine balance and standard. The truth turns with Him, just as the shadow turns with the sun. This was revealed in the Bayan, if you are among those who understand. Your situation is like that of a person who brings a piece of stone to one in whose possession are countless treasures of jewels, claiming that they will use the stone to recognize and distinguish the jewels.

83 The balance that is in the hands of the people may allow them to recognize things like themselves, but God is sanctified from that and will never be known by such means. The divine balance has always been and will always be His very Self. Whoever recognizes Him has recognized the balance, and whoever is veiled from Him, their efforts are in vain, and they are among the losers. The balance you mentioned is likely the same one that was in the hands of the scholars during the appearance of the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—and likewise during the appearance of the Messenger of God before Him, and before Him the appearance of Jesus, son of Mary, against whom all the scholars and leaders brought their human-made standards and protested against those Suns of Reality until they ultimately issued fatwas for the execution of those sacred beings. May the curse of God be upon the wrongdoers.

84 O heedless sleeper, know that the divine balance has always been, and will always be, His very Self and whatever manifests from Him. All this is by His grace, if you but know. And if a soul truly gazes upon the Primal Point and His counsels, even if the entire world, with sharpened swords, turns against them and dismembers their body, they will not hesitate in affirming this Manifestation. For everything that has been written and revealed from the heaven of His will has always been and will be explicitly about this most great Manifestation. And if you are not looking to the Bayan, and if you deny the proof of God, the same proof that all the prophets and messengers have come with, and if you do not consider the verses of God, which have always been and will always be the decisive proof, as the standard, then bring forth what you have if you are among the truthful. Indeed, it is incumbent upon you to present the balance and proof by which you establish the truth of your claims today. No, by God, you cannot and will not be able to do so. All things are in His grasp, and everything is within the palm of His power. Whatever is beneath Him is created by Him, and this is testified by every discerning soul.

85 If a soul today denies these divine realities, these lordly manifestations, and the revealed verses that have appeared in this inviolable Manifestation—verses that flow like a torrential rain—they have denied God and all His messengers. And it has been inscribed with the Pen of Command in the Mother Tablets that such a person is among the polytheists.

86 One melody from the songs of the Nightingale of the Bayan is mentioned here about the balance, specifically for those seeking the sanctuary of the All-Merciful, in the hope that they may attain knowledge of it, sever themselves entirely from the satanic manifestations, and tear apart the veils of illusions, so profoundly that the inhabitants of the highest realms would hear the sound of their tearing, and they themselves would witness their being elevated above all the deniers of the Bayan. These deniers flee from branch to branch to sow doubt and uncertainty in the hearts of those whom the breezes of the All-Merciful have turned from the left of suspicion to the right of certainty. His—exalted be His mention and glorified be His praise and exalted be His word

“He is the balance, His command is the balance, His actions are the balance, and His indications are the balance. Whatever is attributed to the balance is the balance.”

87 Indeed, the balance has always been and will continue to be the Manifestation of God Himself. Whatever manifests from the ocean of His grace, whatever deeds are done today, whatever is spoken today, and whatever commands are issued today, this has been and will remain the balance of all that came before and after. And today, any soul you observe outside of this sacred, merciful balance, consider them to be false and rejected, and God forbid, do not show any irreverence toward the balance itself! Fear God, who created you from a drop of vile water.

88 Another statement from that enemy: “First, let me present my original claim and purpose: it is that the very Báb, whom you call the Supreme Lord, has established His truth through His verses and has confirmed His truth through His verses. None of His believers denies this. And it is certain that you, too, cannot deny it, for your and others’ acknowledgment of the Báb’s truth was based on His verses.”

89 By the One in whose hand is my soul, not a single discerning soul will sense the fragrance of truth from these words you have written. What a pity and regret that in this spiritual springtime, you were not adorned with a new robe and did not inhale the sweet fragrances of the paradise of meanings. Your words are like the words of the veiled ones, or even lower. By God, if you reflect upon them, you would be ashamed of yourself and erase them all. The value and station of a person are reflected in their words, for words are the mirror of the self if you are among the knowledgeable.

90 These nonsensical words have always been used by the forms of doubt to prevent people from reaching the Oneness of God. In one case, sanctity is observed, and in another case, veiled souls are observed. Listen to my words, then leave those behind and turn to God with all your being, so that the seas of meanings and utterance may flow from your heart in the remembrance of your mighty, generous Lord!

Verses 91-100

91 Though the pen hesitates to write a response to such words, it is deemed necessary to reply, as answering has been made obligatory. I mention that these very words of yours are a refutation against you and an affirmation of the Cause of God, though you have not realized it. Thus, God causes the pen to flow, leaving the writer unaware of what they have written. Woe unto the veiled ones from the punishment of a great day!

92 O brother, a barren tree has no value in any religion, for it is deprived of offspring. By God, those souls whose hearts are barren of the manifestations of the divine knowledge are considered more deprived. Today, it is observed that many veiled souls have barren hearts, minds, and eyes, such that they are incapable of comprehending even what they write, let alone understanding the signs of the divine words and the jewels of God’s profound wisdom. By God, these souls are deprived of the mercy of God, of truth, and of fairness. Nothing has emerged from them except what intensifies God’s wrath and displeasure upon them, though they do not understand.

93 You wrote: “That very Báb, whom you call the Supreme Lord,”—from this statement, it is clear that you do not know the Supreme Lord. Or perhaps you are dissimulating, like your leaders, who in certain circumstances deny and disavow, while elsewhere they send out stacks of fabricated books to prove their own claims. Know this, you and all who dwell in the heavens and the earth: We have always been, and continue to be, certain, confessing, acknowledging, speaking, declaring, proclaiming, crying out, calling, testifying, affirming, and loudly shouting with the highest voice that He is indeed the Supreme Lord, the Lote-Tree of the furthest boundary, the Tree of the utmost point, the Kingdom of the highest heaven, the Realm of the ineffable, the Spirit of Glory, the Secret of the Most Great, the Perfect Word, the Manifestation of Eternity, the Most Noble Form, the Symbol of the Most Exalted, the Lord of Nations, the turbulent Ocean, the Supreme Word, the First Pearl, the Hidden Scroll, the Concealed Book, the Beauty of Oneness, the Manifestation of Divine Identity, the Dawning Place of Divinity. Without Him, existence would not have appeared, the purpose would not have been known, and the Beauty of the Worshipped One would not have been revealed. By God, through His name were the heavens and everything within them created, and the earth and all who dwell upon it. Through Him, the seas surged, the rivers flowed, and the trees bore fruit. Through Him, religions were confirmed, and the Beauty of the All-Merciful was made manifest. By God, even if we were to describe Him until the end of time—which has no end—my heart would not be stilled from the thirst of love for the mention of His names and attributes, let alone His sacred, mighty, and beautiful Self.

94 You bear witness, and you are free to present this Tablet to any soul from among the veiled ones whom you wish. Just as your guide took the divine Tablets written by the hand of the Branch of God and showed them to some, yet disavowed them himself. This is what he did in secret, while in public, he bows his head and prolongs his breath among the people of the Bayan, who have taken him as a lord for themselves, justifying for them the proof of his false and fabricated self, and rejoices in his leadership over them. Say: Woe unto you, O fearful, treacherous, failed, and lost one! Nothing will avail you today, even if you cling to everything created between the heavens and the earth.

95 Oh, how we wish they had stopped at this! But instead, they have written words similar to it and presented them to others in the name of Truth. God knows what is in his heart, and He has accounted for all things in a manifest Record. Now, if you wish, you too may show this Tablet to anyone you desire. By God, my Lord has neither protected His own Self nor will He ever seek protection. He awaits the cross from the Jews and the spear from the spearman, if you are among those who understand. Know that God waits for what was inflicted upon Him in His previous Manifestation, and likewise what befell the Messenger of God before, and before Him the Spirit (Jesus), and before Him the Friend (Abraham). He fears no one and will never fear, by the grace and bounty of God. So gather together to shed His pure, mighty, inviolable blood.

96 You wrote: “He has established His truth through His verses, and with these verses, He has proven His truth,” yet you do not understand that even this very statement flows from the Pen in support of this Cause, though you have not realized it. These verses you mentioned, do you believe in them, or not? If you do not, then all the words you have written are vain and will remain so. And if you do believe, why then do you deny and turn away from these newly revealed verses, which continue to descend like a torrential rain at all times? Know with certainty that the people of insight and discernment will not allow you to go beyond this first word. With this one statement of yours, the divine proof and argument have been established and sealed against you.

97 Just as that Tree of Oneness affirmed His Cause and we have come to know Him, in the same manner, today the Cause of God has been made manifest, and His verses have been revealed, and these servants have attained certainty. It is not these servants who deny; rather, those who deny are the ones who have disbelieved in all the Books. By God, whoever rejects even a single letter of these verses today has indeed rejected all that came before. We have believed in what was revealed before and in what is being revealed now, and all things testify to this if you are among the certain. You offer sound reasoning, yet you argue and contend with the Beloved of the Primal Point. You write that His truth was established through His verses. You think you are focused on the revelation, but you are far from the Revealer.

98 You wrote: “It is certain that you, too, cannot deny,” and indeed, His verses testify to our innermost being, our essence, our tongue, our heart, and our limbs if you are among those who understand. By the sun of the majesty of oneness, a single word from the utterances of that Manifestation of the names and attributes is more beloved and precious in the sight of the Blessed Beauty than all that is in the heavens and the earth. How much more so, then, for these servants, who are as nothing before a single word of His, humbled before whatever is manifested from that Tree of Reality, the Sun of Grace, and the Moon of Compassion. The difference between us and you is this: you claim certainty only in words, veiled behind a thousand curtains, while you are, in essence, spirit, and being, veiled from Him. And if only your denial ended there! No, by the very Self of the All-Merciful! Rather, in the nights and days, you plot to shed the pure, sacred blood, as became clear from the treachery you committed in that land. These servants, however, are certain of His verses, His words, His manifestation, His essence, and His spirit in every respect. So, recognize the station of the deniers, the station of the All-Glorious God, and the station of these poor and lowly ones.

99 You also wrote: “He Himself will better distinguish the verses from non-verses, and He is the one who should provide the true distinction. Such a person will surely not be a liar, nor will he act according to the whims of his soul.” If you wrote this from mere conjecture, then know that these servants declare with absolute certainty, from the heavens and the earth, that “There is no god but He, and that the Point of the Bayan is His balance and His manifestation, and whatever has been revealed from Him is the truth, without doubt, and He is indeed the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood, and doubt from certainty.”

100 Now, this distinction that you mentioned, does it affirm all of His verses, or is it based on the interpretations you derive according to your own desires? If you are certain of everything revealed from Him, He says—exalted be His mention—“Everything in the Bayan is a gift from God for the manifestation of the mighty, inviolable One.” And He then says: “Glory be to You, O God, my God! How insignificant is my mention and whatever is attributed to me! Therefore, I wish to attribute it to You. Accept me, and whatever is attributed to me, by Your grace, for You are the best of all who show favor.”

Verses 101-110

101 O heedless ones from the company of the Bayan, despite the humility of the Primal Point before His subsequent Manifestation, you have not become aware of these statements and remain occupied with these vain words. By God, if you reflect for a moment, you will wail for yourselves, for in this station, that blessed being has described Himself with utmost humility and annihilation. How, then, can the station of mirrors and whatever is attributed to them be mentioned? Has any line from the Bayan been observed that does not ultimately lead to this wondrous and incomparable mention? No, by His very essence, but you do not understand. By God, you have fallen into a condition from which it seems you will not move, as if bound by a thousand chains. At least take one breath outside the wilderness of allusions and enter the spacious realm of detachment, so that you may recognize the mighty Truth by His holy essence and sever yourself from all else.

102 You mentioned that this Manifestation of Oneness is the “distinguishing one.” By what proof? If it is through His verses, then why do you turn away from this Distinguishing One, who has appeared with such verses that all who possess verses are humbled in His presence, except those who are swayed by the winds of leadership as they wish? Sometimes these winds toss them onto the peaks of mountains, other times into the wilderness of error, sometimes they cast them into the depths of annihilation, and other times they leave them under the wolves of self and desire. Say: “Die in your fury! By God, the One through whose word the proof of the former and latter ones was established has appeared, and by Him, it will be established until the end that has no end. None denies this except every persistent disbeliever and sinner.”

103 You wrote: “He will not be a liar,” but though you have outwardly acknowledged the truth of the Manifestation, this acknowledgment is merely a shadow and has been taken away. For if you had certainty in the truth of the Primal Point, you would not have denied the source of truth, by whose will the reality of truth was created and praised. And your acknowledgment of the truth of that Manifestation in this station is only so that, through this apparent acknowledgment, you might deny His very essence and reality. Just as the scholars of the past, during the appearance of the Point of the Bayan—exalted is His greatness—spoke similarly, saying: “It is certain that the Imams of guidance are truthful, and there are numerous reliable traditions from them that whoever claims that the Qa’im (the Promised One) has been born is a liar, a hypocrite, and a slanderer, and his death is obligatory.” They would also argue: “This is the word of God, and it is explicitly revealed in the Quran, and it is certain that God is truthful and His Prophet is truthful.” Then, objecting against God and His Manifestation, they would declare: “This claimant is false, and his words are of no validity, for they contradict the Book of God and the traditions of His Prophet, the truthful one. It is written in His book that the Prophet came from the beginningless past and will remain until the endless future.”

104 In exactly the same manner, you have raised your objections, and indeed, you are even more severe in your objections if you were to know. Now observe how those veiled ones, who have instilled these words in you, are so deluded! It seems they have not attained even a single word of the meanings of the divine words, nor have they been nourished by even a drop from the ocean of the divine majesty. Woe unto them and to what their souls and desires have commanded them. Whatever you mention from the Bayan, and even if we concede that you understand all of it—though that is impossible, for none understands its meanings except God—and even if you have acted upon all of it, at the time of the Manifestation, it will not benefit you except through the recognition of the Manifestation. For it is explicitly stated: “Do not veil yourselves from the Manifestation of the All-Merciful by what was revealed in the Bayan.” How much more so, then, for these few words you have mentioned!

105 After the confirmation of this blessed, pure Word, everything you have mentioned, or anything you seek to argue afterward, all returns to limited souls, recalling and reasoning based on themselves. The Truth is sanctified from all of them. It is very clear that if you truly believed in the Primal Point as truthful, you would never have denied this most wondrous and inviolable Manifestation. You claim with your tongue that you know Him to be truthful, but by your actions—God forbid—you consider Him a liar. Seek forgiveness for what you have presumed, said, and written, and say: “Glory be to You, O God, my God! I am the one who failed in my duty toward You and followed the paths of doubt and illusions, being veiled from recognizing the Manifestation of Your Self. I justified my actions with what caused the liver of ’Alí and the heart of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to burn, as if I have killed all of existence, both seen and unseen. So now, O my God, look upon me with the gaze of Your mercy, and do not leave me to myself and my desires! Purify me from the illusions that have deprived me of the gardens of Your presence and Your meeting. Indeed, You are the one who can do whatever You will, and You are the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting.”

106 You also wrote: “Can anyone, whether from within or outside, doubt that the Báb did not confirm Mírzá Yahyá? Did He not, in various writings to His companions and followers, explicitly state in different ways that after Him, it is Mírzá Yahyá, and that obedience to him is obligatory for all? He is the successor, the trustee, and whatever he is, after Me, it is him. In clear and explicit terms, for the imitators and the general public, He has made this statement. But for those with insight and hearts, He also stated: ‘The Cause will end with the name of the One because His appearance itself is the proof and requires no testament.’”

107 After reading this, I was deeply saddened for you. Your reasoning resembles the disputations of the students in schools, who in their classes use the same illusory arguments and ambiguous words to prove their points. By your own admission, you consider the followers of the Qur’an to be deluded, yet the extent of your own delusion far surpasses theirs. How long will you remain lying on the mat of ignorance? Lift your head from the slumber, open your eyes, and witness the sun shining at its zenith! Leave these empty words behind and turn to the Revealer of them! Cast away illusion and cling to the certainty of the Sovereign Truth. It is a waste of hearing and sight to engage in the observation and listening to these words.

108 First, what you have written is the opposite of the truth. Furthermore, how can these words—whose origin is unknown—be accepted as reliable, while the whole of the Bayan explicitly states not to cling to anything other than the Manifestation when He appears? The compassionate statement of the Bayan is ignored, while fabricated words are to be heeded?

109 In the Bayan, no mention of succession or caliphate was ever made. By your own admission, these are the words of the people of the Qur’an. What is mentioned in the Bayan refers to the Mirrors and Reflectors. And in all instances, it is said that the Mirrors are not limited and never will be. Whoever faces the rising Sun of Divinity is considered a Mirror, and this station remains as long as they do not deviate from the reflection. Once they deviate, the light returns to its source, and the created being returns to its own form and likeness.

110 In the entire Bayan, it is explicitly stated that in the Day of the Manifestation, one must not look to anything other than Him, for the Beauty of the Eternal cannot be recognized through any eyes other than His, as has been proven. Even now, the Primal Point declares that what you are writing is false, and your arguments are based on the imaginings of deluded souls. The Truth has appeared with His sovereignty, His proof is His verses, and His Manifestation is His very Self. So, “Die in your fury, O assembly of the deluded!”

Verses 111-120

111 You mentioned “inside and outside” and “reputation,” but all these words are based purely on illusion and conjecture. As for the outside, they were never informed, and as for the inside, some have ascended to the Highest Friend, and others still living have been rejected by you. You have concocted false narratives according to your desires in an attempt to deprive the poor and helpless from the inviolable Truth, as has been done before. I wish you could understand the purpose behind the reputation and who granted it. Only those with understanding can grasp this.

112 This servant is perplexed as to how you can claim knowledge, for you were never part of this Cause. Soon, false and unsound reports will undoubtedly appear from the lying souls of the polytheists, and these reports will likely be passed down in chains of narration, ultimately leading back to Siyyid Muhammad Isfahání, or to Husayn, known as “the Burnt One,” who has recently entered and fallen under the shadow of Satan, or to Mírzá Husayn of Qom, who spat in the face of the Beloved to save his vile self, or to the limping one who renounced God while he stood on the pulpit. You yourself know that none of these souls were ever informed, but your desire has led you to confirm those who have no truth in them. Fear God, and do not speak of what you do not know, nor be among those who fabricate lies!

113 If today everything on earth were to become mirrors of purity and testify to something, it would not suffice, for all testimony depends on the recognition of the Manifestation. Just as the Point of the Bayan—may all else be sacrificed for Him—says in the last Manifestation: “If everything on earth were to bear witness to something, and He were to testify to the opposite of what they have testified to, His testimony is like the sun, and their testimony is like the reflection of the sun, which, because it is not aligned with the source, does not match His testimony.” By the essence of God, a single line of His words is better than the words of all that is on earth, though I seek forgiveness for even making this comparison. How can the effects of the suns in mirrors compare to the effects of the sun in the heavens? That belongs to the realm of nothingness, while this belongs to the realm of making something out of nothing by the command of God—exalted and glorified be He.

114 Thus, whatever is known and famous among the servants according to your imagination is of no value in the sight of God and never will be. Everything is dependent upon the acknowledgment of this most wondrous, inviolable, and holy Manifestation, if you but know. Even if what you have mentioned is true, in the final Manifestation, He—exalted be His mention—says that the spiritual ones (Túrís) will be dead and nothing, the Mirrors and Reflectors of light will remain veiled, and the tree of affirmation will be counted as negation. He also says that many souls who were in the highest heights of the people of paradise in one Manifestation will, in the next, be in the lowest depths of the people of the fire.

115 Say to the rejecters and the misguided: “O blind ones, you have deprived yourselves of the Kawthar of meanings, the heavenly springs of knowledge, and the sweet waters of the Bayan. Reflect upon the ‘highest heights,’ so that you may be nourished by a drop from the greatest ocean.” In another instance, He says—exalted be His mention—that those who were in the highest ranks of paradise before will dwell in the lowest depths of the fire in the next Manifestation. Now, pure vision is needed to reflect on these statements from the Manifestation of the Cause. The polytheists have always clung to the words of previous Manifestations at the time of the new Manifestation and objected to the Manifestation of God’s very Self, just as you now cling to His previous words and object to His very Self. Woe unto them, and woe unto you, and to all who follow you, from the punishment of a great day.

116 You are so heedless that you send words that should be directed only to the polytheists to the most pure, inviolable abode. In this regard, the previous Manifestation—may all else be sacrificed for Him—has said, purely for the sake of God, in the hope that the rejecters may awaken and not remain veiled from the Sun of Guidance. He—exalted be His mention—said: “The likeness of those days is that of the sun to the stars.” Similarly, the likeness of the people of that Manifestation compared to the appearance of the next is like this. This is why, in that Manifestation, the learned did not allow their pens to flow and were ashamed of their own writings, compositions, and expressions. Would that they had listened to this one counsel from the Sovereign of Oneness and refrained from doing what they were forbidden! I do not know upon which path they walk and along which roads they travel. They seek to prove God’s verses, yet they disbelieve in the One who revealed them.

117 As for what you wrote regarding the Báb’s confirmation of Mírzá Yahyá, you are not aware of the true meaning and intent behind that confirmation, for the maidens of divine meanings, who dwell in the chambers of the words of God’s sanctity, have always been veiled from the gaze of the people of the world and will continue to be so. No one has touched them except the Manifestation Himself and those who were guides to Him on the Day of His appearance. By God, He confirmed only this Beauty, who was caught in the claws of the polytheists, beneath the talons of the deniers, and the tongues of the heedless and misguided. And even if you claim that this statement of confirmation was true, if you look closely with a discerning eye, you will see that this confirmation applies to all, for He—exalted is His mention—says, “There is no doubt that all souls who believed in the Bayan were, and are, prophets, saints, and chosen ones.”

118 Later, He says, “Everything is for the purpose of not being veiled by the names on the Day of Manifestation, but rather to look at that by which the names are upheld in everything, even the mention of the Prophet, for that name is created by what God reveals.”

119 It is truly astonishing that you are still stuck at the crossroads of names. Well done, indeed, for how well you have adhered to the divine counsel! You have become so heedless that you are devoted to and worship the names, constantly mentioning them while you draw the sword of enmity in every moment against what upholds the names. You do not realize what you are doing.

120 All your arguments and descriptions, whether mentioned or will be mentioned, in relation to any soul, are connected to the Bayan. And in the entire Bayan, it is clearly stated that the Bayan and everything in it is dependent upon the will of that Sovereign of Oneness and will continue to be so. That Ancient Beauty has the power to negate all His creation with a word of “No” and send them to the lowest depths of the fire or, with the word “Yes,” draw them under the shade of affirmation and place them in the highest heights of the paradise of knowledge. He is not to be questioned about what He does, while everyone else will be questioned about everything they do.

Verses 121-130

121 Oh, how I wish you could understand for whom He gave His confirmation! By God, the One besides whom there is no other! He never arose except by His mention, never settled except by His praise, never moved except by His love, and never breathed except for His Cause. And yet, you turned away from Him, objected to Him, and clung to the one who, in the sight of God, is more abased than you, if you only knew. The Beloved of all existence, about whom the Báb says—exalted is His mention—“Were it not for His Book, My Book would not have been revealed, and were it not for His Self, God would not have manifested Me,” you turned away from Him and write that such and such a person was praised in the Bayan, though you have neither understood the praise nor recognized the one being praised.

122 By God, if you knew what you have done, you would weep for yourself. And if you had recognized this Manifestation and had possessed all the gold and silver in the heavens and the earth, you would have spent it all to enter under His shade and hear a single melody from His melodies. But since you have veiled yourself from Him, you have deprived yourself of the breezes of God, the Sovereign, the Ever-Living.

123 O my brother, by God, those who disbelieve today have faced one loss after another, one defeat after another, one humiliation after another, and one decrease after another, but they will not understand until the angels of punishment come to them, and their eyes are opened by the blows of death. Then they will cry out and say, “Is there any way out?” Then the hands of power will strike their mouths and return them to their abode in the depths of the fire. Thus the decree has been fulfilled from God, the All-Powerful, the Conqueror. So erase what you hold within yourself, and inscribe on the tablet of your heart what is with God, that you may find it clear, radiant with the lights of the suns of wisdom and meanings. This servant thus admonishes you, hoping you will be among those who listen.

124 As for what you wrote: “He said that the trustee and successor, whatever he is, after Me, is him,” by the One who is exalted in majesty and grandeur, who created all things without a model by His supreme Word, if any soul had inhaled even a whiff of the fragrances of the Bayan, they would never have uttered such words. Rather, they would flee from those who speak such words. You have not yet grasped the new Resurrection, the new Spirit, and the new Words. The Cause of the Bayan is sanctified from the matters of the past. What you hold on to from before has been folded up, and a new page has been spread by the permission of God, the Exalted, the Most Manifest, but you have not understood, neither its beginning nor its end.

125 Praise be to the Beloved that He has deprived the misguided ones to such an extent that now they are considered among the lowest of nations in His presence. It is as if they have wrapped themselves in garments made of iron, unable to move, and similarly, their hearts and souls have been immobilized. They have taken a step only to follow the footsteps of the people of the Qur’an.

126 Listen, break down these barriers, and enter the wide, wondrous space of the Owner of the Day of Judgment, so you may behold worlds other than your own! Do not be so harsh on yourselves. Have mercy on yourselves and on the downtrodden servants! You have only recently clung to the remnants of the illusions left behind by the people of the Qur’an. Sometimes you mention the forged succession and fabricated trusteeship, and sometimes you attribute fabricated words to the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him. Hear the call of the Lord, the Most High, who addresses the mirrors, saying:

“When the sun of Bahá rises from the horizon of existence, then come into His presence before the Throne! Beware of sitting before Him or asking what you have not been permitted. Fear God, O Mirrors, all of you together. Ask from the wondrous grace of God that He may reveal to you what He wills and desires, for all grace on that day revolves around His Throne and is manifested from Him, if you only knew. Be silent in front of the Throne, for silence on that day is better than all that has been created between the heavens and the earth. Do not be among those who were given knowledge before but were proud of it against God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting, for on that day, He is above every knower, the All-Knowing, the Wise.”

127 In this moment, we have concluded with these words. Most of the divine utterances revealed in this most wondrous, inviolable Manifestation have not been observed by anyone. Some have distorted them from their rightful place, some have hidden them, and some have altered the outward form of the word. Yet in truth, what is found in the Bayan for every soul is sufficient to remind them of this most perfect and greatest Word. And God is witness and knows all things.

128 As for what you wrote, claiming that the Báb stated, “The matter ends with the name ‘The Unique,’ for His manifestation is in itself a proof and needs no testament from Me,” I swear by God, the One besides whom there is no other, that when you wrote these words, all things wept, the denizens of the heavenly realm lamented, and the pillars of existence—both seen and unseen—shook. This is because, to establish the enemy of God, you have belittled the station, grandeur, and majesty of God. By God, the one you have taken as your lord besides God is in need of everything, while the One upon whom all things depend manifested Himself with the truth in the year sixty (1260 AH), and at that moment, He established His Cause in truth.

129 Fear God, and do not let your pen follow your desires and whims, and do not deny the One by whose mere gesture all the religions of the world have been established. The one whom you have arisen to love, based on hypocrisy, would rise before the Face and have the verses cast upon him, and he was proud of this. But you followed him from your own soul and, through him, you objected to God, the One who created all things by a command from His presence. There is no god but Him, the Dominant, the All-Conquering, the Almighty, the Beloved.

130 The soul that you yourself mention as a mirror is known by every discerning eye to have no independent existence of its own, nor will it ever. Its existence is solely to reflect the rays of the Sun, and yet you claim that the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—stated that this individual is, in himself, a proof and does not need My testament. By God, your tongues are moved by your own desires, and you express what you wish, not what is decreed by God, the Mighty, the Powerful. This Manifestation, whose signs and manifestations have encompassed the entire world, you have denied, and you demand a testament, even though the entire Bayan explicitly and clearly testifies to this most wondrous, most inviolable Manifestation. And even though this Cause has always been and will remain beyond the need for proof, indication, or expression, His mere manifestation is the proof, and His verses are the evidence of God upon all the worlds.

Verses 131-140

131 Oh, if only you had considered the Dalá’il-i-Sab‘ih (The Seven Proofs), which are among the early utterances of the Point of the Bayan. From what is evident, you have no aim other than turning away from the truth and objecting to Him. Even if God were to come to you with all signs, you would not believe in Him. As the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—foretold these days, look into the words of God, that perhaps you may become aware.

132 And as for what you wrote, claiming that He said, “The matter ends with the name ‘The Unique,’” by God, the One besides whom there is no other, you have not known the Vahid (The Unique) nor understood who was intended. And even if we accept that the Vahid refers to the first of those who turned away from God, why did you not consider the next sentence, which says, “If God appears in your days like this one, the Cause will not inherit from God, the One, the Unique.” Moreover, this Manifestation, who has appeared with all divine attributes, you consider less than a mirror, for all of you have gathered around Him with claws of enmity and hatred, constantly devising new schemes to destroy His Cause.

133 Woe to those who have turned away from all the signs and have taken a single letter from the Book, using it to support their own interpretations while denying God, by whose command the scriptures of glory and the tablets of holiness have been revealed. This is what the Point of the Bayan—may all else be sacrificed for Him—said, that the people of the Bayan would not count even one of His followers as a true believer, for if they did, they would not accept for Him what they do not accept for themselves. “God has spoken the truth, the Most High, the Great.”

134 Setting all this aside, the word of truth is one: it is what has been revealed from His presence, if you are among those who understand. He said, and His word is the truth: “Beware, beware in the days of His manifestation that you do not become veiled by the ‘One’ of the Bayan, for that ‘One’ is a creation in His sight. And beware, beware, that you do not become veiled by the words revealed in the Bayan, for they are His own words in the form of His previous Manifestation.”

135 All that has been written, even in affirmation and submission, is but a drop from the vast ocean of God’s Revelation. Hundreds of thousands of such souls have been created and will continue to be created. And despite this, out of enmity toward God and falsehood against Him, in defiance of His presence and opposition to His glory, you write that the Primal Point said that He needs no testament from Me. And with this word, everything that has been revealed from the Pen in the dominions of God, the All-Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing, disowns you.

136 Today, all the Most Beautiful Names have returned to their own Kingdoms, but none will understand this except those who are certain, wise, and discerning. And what was revealed in the Bayan, whether of laws or descriptions revealed about the Letters and Mirrors, benefits no one unless they affirm this Manifestation. Thus has the Breath of the Merciful breathed into the essence of the Bayan, if you are among those who know.

137 Since the deniers are incapable of recognizing the Exalted Archetype, who is the Proof and Evidence of God, and are seen to be powerless in comprehending the subtleties of the divine words, in this case, an analogy of a lower example will be given, in the hope that receptive souls may enter the garden of inner meanings.

138 A king appoints someone as ruler and gives him full authority over all matters. It is seen that some governors, appointed by the king, have authority in all affairs. However, is the king not capable of dismissing them or not? If you deny this, you are lying, for it is evident that the king can do so. Likewise, after the enthronement of a new king, are the decrees and rulings of the former governors not subject to the permission and decree of the new king? There is no doubt that everything depends on the command and permission of the succeeding king. This was mentioned regarding outward rulers and kings so that perhaps you may recognize the Omnipotent Sovereign, who has always done what He wills and will continue to do so in every moment. His power cannot be denied, nor can His hand be considered bound. At the very least, recognize His power as equal to that of outward rulers.

139 By God, if any soul acknowledges the power of that Ancient Sovereign, they would never object to the Creator of names and attributes with such words. Oh, you deprived ones, from the ocean of the Merciful! Let us assume, by your claim, that a soul is adorned with the garment of a name between earth and heaven; is God not capable of removing it? Woe unto you! By God, all of existence, seen and unseen, denies you. Has God, in the moment of granting authority to a soul, ever deemed it wise to retract that authority when necessary? The pen is ashamed to mention what you have preoccupied yourselves with in the presence of the Sovereign, the All-Knowing. Fear God, then abandon what you hold and take what is with God. This is better for you than anything created between the heavens and the earth.

140 As for what you wrote, dividing the matter by claiming that the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—stated one thing for the people of imitation and the masses of the Bayan and another for the discerning and insightful ones, this is rebellion against God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting. This statement is exceedingly futile and meaningless. The truth has manifested by itself with clear signs, and these signs are a proof from God upon every soul, if you are among those who understand. The proof of God has always been one, and for all, the revealed signs are the proof. If creation had no capacity for understanding the signs, they would not have appeared. In this, there is wisdom for those endowed with understanding, and none comprehend it except those who possess insight.

Verses 141-150

141 It is also unclear whom you consider the people of imitation and the masses and whom you regard as those endowed with hearts and vision. You have invented something for yourselves, by which you have gone astray and oppressed others without knowing. Know that the discerning ones and others are distinguished by their affirmation or denial. Every soul that has been granted the ability to say “Yes” in this most wondrous, most exalted Manifestation is among the righteous and the discerning in the sight of God, and those who reject it are among the wicked and the evildoers. Certainly, those you consider discerning are ignorant ones who have claimed knowledge and wisdom. Listen to the words of the Primal Point and the Manifestation of the All-Embracing One, who said: “Pure wheat sifted from the earth of truth has worn the garment of leadership, even though he had never read a single letter of knowledge. And Shaykh Muhammad Hasan, who wrote five hundred thousand verses in matters of God, could not produce a single word that would save him from the fire on the Day of Resurrection.”

142 In this passage, it is essential to reflect on the meaning of “Olu’l-Abṣar” (the possessors of vision) as described by the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him. He states that every Manifestation of Truth is hidden from all except the Olu’l-Abṣar, who behold the realities of things as they truly are, and their vision is always fixed upon the Sun of Truth. They are not veiled by the reflections of mirrors or the limitations of appearances. These are the ones who are truly the righteous in the Book of God, from before and after, and they are the rightly guided ones.

143 This explanation from the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—clearly shows who the Olu’l-Abṣar are. As you can observe, the boundaries and reflections of mirrors never prevent these sacred souls from reaching the shores of the ocean of divine unity. They perceive thousands upon thousands of such mirrors as mere nothingness before the radiant reflection of the Sun of Truth. These souls are known as the Olu’l-Abṣar in the sight of God and the Manifestations of His Cause, not those who have fashioned a mirror in their own imagination and thus remain veiled from the lofty station of God.

144 Woe unto those who have neglected what has been revealed in the Book, who have taken one word from it and interpreted it according to their desires and whims, and have objected to God, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. How unfortunate that the leaders of the Bayan today, who are now present, possess no apparent knowledge. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, they are filled with nothing but lies, slander, and rejection of the Truth. This is how God has explained everything in a clear book.

145 You also wrote that the point of emphasis was made for those who cannot distinguish between the verses, and clarification was provided. But for those who can distinguish the verses, it was stated that He Himself is the Master of the verses, and in all His writings, He praised and thanked the Lord for manifesting His successor with such clear verses.

146 Firstly, many of these words are not from the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—and many such statements have been fabricated and continue to be fabricated. You are not fully aware of this. Secondly, the verses of the mirrors are mentioned in the rank of the mirrors, just as the reflection of the sun is seen in a mirror. When the reflection appears in the mirror, it is seen and mentioned in the rank of the mirror, but in relation to the sun in the sky, it has no mention or significance. As is evident, if countless mirrors are placed before the sun, in all of them the reflection of the sun is visible, but after they are turned away, they vanish, while the sun continues to shine in its full radiance from its place in the heavens. The Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—has provided countless explanations in this regard, and blessed are those who observe and those who understand. Every discerning eye and every person with understanding will recognize from His verses the station and rank of His Manifestation.

147 Furthermore, in another station, all things are and will continue to be the signs of God, if you look with insight at the signs of God within His creatures. And how abundant they are. The signs of God are manifest and present in everything, but as long as they are seen under the shadow of the Truth, they are regarded as signs of the Illiyyin (those on high). Apart from that, they are considered among the denizens of Sijjin (the depths of degradation).

148 By the Truth, I felt ashamed of your words because you have spoken things that none of the veiled ones before you ever uttered. The great ocean is apparent and witnessed, yet you are busy proving the existence of a small pool of water, whose smell and taste repel people. The Sun is shining with its rays and light, but you have deprived yourself of its brightness and are offering proofs for the existence of a nonentity you have neither seen nor understood. By God, you have not grasped a single word of the Bayan, and you have not set foot in the realms of Tibyán (explanation), where the breezes of divine revelations and the wafts of the holy breaths of the All-Sufficing are manifest. You have been barred from the word of the One endowed with the Word and have been veiled from the divine fragrances due to your attachment to mere allusions.

149 Glorified be God, the Mighty Sovereign! While in the full light of His Manifestation, He has withheld the veiled from beholding His beauty, and in the height of His glory, He has deprived the heedless from perceiving the radiance of His countenance. They try to establish proofs with verses while being heedless of the Lord of the verses. Thus, He has always been capable of all things, but the people fail to see.

150 Hear the call of this humble servant and enter the spiritual domain. The Primal Point Himself is manifest, and His light and rays have illuminated both the seen and unseen worlds. You do not look to Him, and yet, without understanding even a single word of His verses, you are attempting to prove the truth of His enemies. How praiseworthy is your sight, that you consider friends to be enemies and the wicked to be the righteous!

Verses 151-160

151 By God, this servant is astonished, and indeed, the entire world is bewildered. You continuously write that the Primal Point said this and that, while you wound the very essence of the Primal Point with the swords of hatred and the spears of enmity, striking without even realizing it. Your situation is like those who awaited the Truth in their nights and days, yet when He appeared, they used His previous words to prove His disbelief and corruption until, in the end, they unjustly spilled His holy blood. “Behold the curse of God upon the wrongdoers, and upon those who wrong now and do not perceive.”

152 We had heard of delusion before, but by God, never had we heard of it manifesting in the way that you have shown. We ask God to purify us and you, to unite us upon the path of His love and pleasure, and not to leave us deprived of the radiant light of His shining face.

153 Finally, you wrote that the Primal Point explicitly said, “His verses are from Me, and I am He, and He is Myself, and He is my fruit.” Now, consider fairly: who better discerned the verses, the Primal Point Himself or you and I? You claim that this is not imitation, but if you say it is imitation, then reflect on this: From the beginning of the Cause until now, what amount of verses has come forth from Mirza Yahya?

154 And in another instance, He explicitly states regarding the meaning of “Olu’l-Abṣar,” saying: “This is what becomes obscured in the presence of every Manifestation, pure Truth from anything but Him, except for those endowed with vision. They perceive the realities of things as they are, and they are always gazing upon the Sun of Truth. The appearance of it and the limitations of mirrors do not veil them from what is manifest within them. These are they who are truly righteous in the Book of God, before and after; these are they who are rightly guided.”

155 And as for what was written: “Now judge fairly—did the Báb Himself better distinguish the verses, or did you and I? And this is not imitation, etc.”—How great is the word of the one who deceived you, and how immense is his disbelief, and his essence has ceased to exist. They speak, yet they are not poets. By the Point of Existence, at the very moment these words flowed from the pens of those who turned away, all things were both astonished and amused at their intellect and understanding, for the First Point manifested His essence, and the divine verses were revealed like a heavy downpour. Nevertheless, they turned away from it and became occupied with proving something lesser. If they had eyes of insight, they would see that the Point of the Bayán is, by the oppression of the manifestations of Satan and the rising of presumption, crying out, wailing, and lamenting. For He has stated that whatever description was revealed in the Bayán was intended for the final Manifestation. Yet now it is seen that the First Radiance has appeared again in another cycle, and with the words of the previous Manifestation, they have drawn a sword against His very self. Just as before, similar souls used the words of the previous Manifestation to justify shedding His sacred blood. Say: Indeed, you have acted and continue to act in ways that neither Nimrod nor Shimir nor Sanan nor Ibn Muljam nor the first and second did.

156 If they have been deprived of sight and insight, at least let them have a sense of smell. By God, they are deprived even of that, for they cannot distinguish the foul stench from the fragrance of the sweet scent of everlasting life. They have deprived themselves of the scent of the fragrances of the holy garden of the mighty, eternal Lord, preferring the scent of dung beetles instead. Do not consider this word to be merely imagined, for if one were to encounter Sayyid Muhammad of Isfahan—by God, any soul with even a fraction of a sense of smell would detect his foul odor from miles away and would avoid him—he would be estranged from the holy garden of the divine and would remain without any portion of it. I am astonished at how to converse with such souls and what to impart to them. Can one prove the fragrance of a beloved garden by presenting evidence of a beetle? No, by the very soul of the Beloved, if you are one of the discerning. Can one make the deaf comprehend the beauty of divine melodies? No, by the Lord of Names and Attributes, if you are among those with perception.

157 It is said in the Bayán and what was revealed therein: do not remain veiled by that simpleton from the reality. Yet you have written the attributes of those who have turned away, and you have sent them to the Most Pure Court. And in your opposition to God, you have used the words of the First Point to justify your arguments. They argue with the very words of the First Point—yet they are not poets. And if they were poets, they would have adhered to what has today appeared from the Manifestation of the Eternal Beauty. Say: O blind one, open your eyes! The Sun of the Ancient is seated before your face, and His noble heart is wounded by the darkness. Look towards Him, show mercy, and do not ask of Him what is beyond Him! You have reached the ocean of meaning, so cease distorting the words! You have arrived at the Sun, so separate yourself from the lamp!

158 The Point of the Bayán says: today, all of the Bayán is contingent upon the recognition of the Manifestation of the Day. Yet they have been heedless of the firm words of God and have become occupied with their selfish desires. By God, they seem as though they are attempting to describe the ocean from the perspective of a single drop. It is strange that you wrote, “Now judge fairly, and this is not imitation,” when you are so bound by the chains of imitation that even if the hosts of the heavens and the earth were to gather, they would not be able to untie them.

159 And you have even spoken of fairness. Now, O fair one, judge whether what you have written and attributed to the Ancient Beauty has been heard from anyone other than Sayyid Muhammad. By what law is the word of the claimant accepted and heard? If in any of the divine laws, which have existed among the people from time immemorial, you can present a ruling that establishes that the words of the claimant are to be heard, then these servants will acknowledge your words just as they would the words of someone who does not know the right from the left, or light from darkness.

160 And all things testify to his wickedness, transgression, and enmity, and they continue to do so. He has committed against the Truth what no oppressor has ever done before. Around seventy souls were present on this journey, and a similar number arrived later at the scene of the Manifestation. If a single person claims that anyone among these two deniers of God was opposed, disputed with, or argued against, then what was written by the lying pen will be accepted as true. Judge within yourself, O servant! Yet, based on the words of Sayyid Muhammad, they have attributed injustice to the Truth, while in fact, whatever He commands, He is free to do, and whatever He acts upon is the very action of God, and it will always be so. But there is no ear to listen, nor a heart to comprehend. For the deaf, whatever is said about God’s power to “do what He wills and decree what He desires” is of no use.

Verses 161-170

161 By God, the leaves of the Tree of Immortality have fallen due to the oppression of those oppressors, and the branches of the Lote Tree of the Ultimate Limit have been broken. The luminous face of the Most High has been altered by the slaps of the allusions of the forms of hatred, His bright chest has been wounded, and His sacred hem has been sullied with the dust of the lies of wicked souls. I beseech God for a purifying sign, so that the pure and blessed land of His knowledge may be cleansed from the filthy, impure, wicked, and polytheistic souls.

162 O fair one, a soul has appeared, manifest with all the signs of divine power and the revelations of the majesty of the eternal Lord, just as all have seen and continue to see. If you are in doubt, ask the various peoples. Yet, by the very same signs that the First Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—used to prove His own truth, this Manifestation has appeared, indeed greater. He says: O people, I am the very soul of ’Alí among you, the beauty of Muḥammad among you, and the essence of the Spirit between the heavens and the earth. O people, fear God! I am a servant who has believed in God and His signs. I was resting upon my couch when the breezes of the All-Merciful passed over me, awakening me to the truth. He taught me the knowledge of what was and what is to come, adorned me with the robe of His essence, and made me speak His praises, if only you knew.

163 O people, if you do not believe, then do not confront me, nor do what you have been forbidden from doing in all the Tablets. Fear God and do not associate anything with Him! I have believed in what you possess of the Scriptures of God and His Books, and I affirm what you were commanded by God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. Whoever has a sense of smell can inhale from me the fragrance of holiness, and whoever has the taste of discernment will taste from the fruits of this tree what Muḥammad tasted from the Lote Tree of the Ultimate Limit, and what ’Alí tasted from the Lote Tree of the Bayán, if you but knew.

164 O people, fear God. I was like one of you and wished to remain silent before myself, but the Spirit stirred me and moved me with the truth and made me speak the verses of God, then His clear proofs. This is not from me, but from God, the All-Powerful, the Beloved. By God, if there had been in your hearts even a fraction of the love of God, you would not have shed the blood of this oppressed one. For even if he were not what you imagine, still, since he attributes himself to your Beloved, and out of your love for that Name, you should not have opposed him, nor done what causes the face of the greatest Spirit to be cast down into the dust, nor the realities of what was created between “Be” and “It is.”

165 And, O people, we have forbidden you from what you were forbidden in all the Tablets and commanded you to follow what you were commanded in the Tablets of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. Yet you have not heeded my word and have overstepped your bounds to the extent that you have interfered in the sanctity of God and committed what has caused the cry to resound between the heavens and the earth, yet you do not hear. Likewise, we forbade you from interfering with the wives of others, and likewise, from shedding blood. Yet by doing these things, you rose against me with opposition and did what the idolaters did not do. Even if I were to be killed every moment by all the swords, I would not affirm your actions, for I was commanded otherwise by God. And this is not from me but from Him, and it is the truth, the All-Knowing of the unseen.

166 Now, consider, O fair one, who is truly without fairness. Immoral souls, who have betrayed the very sanctuary of the mighty, eternal Lord, and committed unspeakable actions, to the extent that, by God, the Pen is ashamed to even mention them—yet they attribute the Truth to these souls and attribute injustice to the Truth. Now, we are the unfair ones, and you are the fair ones! Read the Book Mustayqiẓ in which your guide Mírzá Yaḥyá issued decrees for the blood of all the sacred souls, just as a soul, whom the First Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—explicitly named “the third letter of ’He whom God shall make manifest,” was martyred by the decree of that oppressor. And in another of his books, he issued specific decrees in multiple places calling for the killing of all souls. Yet you attribute all this to the Truth.

167 And that vile polytheist himself wrote a petition to His Holiness Bahá, which is still available in his own handwriting, saying: “Whatever we do will be in your name because you are the leader.” And in the great city, he openly told one of the companions, “Until now, whatever falsehoods I have spoken were not quoted from others; from now on, I will fabricate them and cause corruption,” as he did. He specifically said that the Beauty of Bahá sent Adam to different regions for corruption, and you know yourself that what he said was pure falsehood, yet you considered him truthful, despite the fact that for nights and days he was teaching you lies—telling you what to say and write, and you followed his instructions and continue to do so.

168 You haven’t even reflected for a moment to think, “Adrianople is not hidden behind the mountain of Qaf. By God, I should travel for a few days and see for myself. The Truth and its opposite both exist in that land.” You were not granted this opportunity, and instead, you busied yourself with falsehoods. Today, when meeting was possible, you did not attain it. This blessing will not always be available, and this divine springtime will not always be manifest. Soon, all will be deprived. I pray to God that these servants may never be deprived in this world or the next from the shadow of the Gate of His annihilation and that we may ever circle around His house, be illumined by His light, nourished by the fruits of His knowledge, and quenched by the waters of His good pleasure. We have left the world to its seekers and sought nothing in this world or the next but the Friend. He is indeed the best Giver and the best Answerer.

169 You are not among the fair-minded, let alone have you ever passed through the lane of those who are just. For if you had taken even a single step, you would not have written that this is not imitation, when in fact, you have never been informed of the Bayán. What you have mentioned is purely imitation, having heard it from Sayyid Muhammad, the vile, lying corrupter. Until now, you have been deprived of the fragrances of justice. Yet, I pray to God that you may return from the north of injustice and oppression to the right hand of justice and fairness, although it is difficult, for bees make honey, and wasps are of a different kind. However, before the power of God, nothing is impossible, and impossibility lies only in the nature of things themselves. Reflect so that you may know.

170 You mentioned the distinguishing factor of the First Point. If you were looking to the distinguisher, why did you not follow His command, which in the entire Bayán states that at the time of the Manifestation, all must detach themselves from everything and look solely at the Manifestation itself? For what they had previously held to would no longer suffice, except through belief in Him. He says that a single line from the verses of that Supreme Sun of Manifestation is greater than all that had been revealed before. Yet, you are occupied with affirming the words of His creation.

Verses 171-180

171 Though you are unaware of the words of that self, and what was in His possession was but a drop from this vast ocean that had been granted to Him, and later, when He turned away from the Truth, it was taken from Him. Those souls who are aware of all matters are present today. Do not regard all these servants as faithless and without religion! By God, we have migrated for the sake of God and are traveling towards Him. It is clear what that vile corrupter has imparted to you and how he has attributed all these servants to the world. Think for yourself: where is the world, and to whom has the world been given?

172 And if these servants had heard even a single apparent word of truth from those souls, it might have been possible to interpret some of their actions. But they are continually engaged in deception, lies, and slander. Seeing that these servants, by God’s grace, remain firm and steadfast in the Truth, they have schemed to try to discredit them by falsely attributing worldly matters to them and proving oppression for themselves. By the Truth of the Point of Existence—may my spirit in the kingdom of the unseen and the seen be sacrificed for Him—they have committed an oppression that no one has ever perpetrated from the dawn of creation until now. Truly, may the curse of God be upon the liars, slanderers, and oppressors.

173 And as for what you mentioned about the verses of Mírzá Yaḥyá, the First Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—says that from the setting of the Sun of Truth, no one will hear the verses of God except in the next Manifestation, as the Blessed Beauty Himself now affirms. For the verses from below Him, as long as they indicate the divine verses, are attributed to the Truth, and their existence is like that of mirrors, which have no independent reality of their own. However, as long as they face the Sun of the eternal might, illumination appears in them, and after they turn away, they are erased. This is from the statement that says, “Nothing is seen in the Manifestations of the Divine Revelation except the Divine Manifestation itself.” Thus, in all the Manifestations—whether in the dispensation of the Qur’án, the Gospel, the Psalms, or the Torah—nothing is seen but the Manifestation itself. Similarly, nothing is seen in the inhabitants of the Bayán except the Manifestation of the Point of the Bayán. And this holds true as long as they remain under the shadow of the Bayán. God forbid, should any soul depart from it, only Satan and his actions and deeds will be seen in that person.

174 It is certain that any soul who pauses in this Manifestation is outside the Bayán and deprived of the fortress of its meanings, as the Point of the Bayán—may all else be sacrificed for Him—explicitly states. Therefore, the verses of each of the Manifestations are considered to indicate their divinity as long as they are settled and dwelling under the shadow of the One with the Sign. Once they go beyond that, they are counted among the people of the fire. And that very transgression is the essence of the fire itself if you are among those who perceive.

175 Therefore, do not mistake shadows and reflections for the Sun, and do not distort the meanings of the divine words as you have done before! Have some shame before the Beauty of the Point of the Bayán, who is now radiant and manifest, and do not turn away from Him by turning to His creatures! His words were a mercy from Him to His servants—do not turn them into swords to strike against His blessed being, just as the people of the Qur’án used the words of the Messenger of God to justify what they did to Him.

176 After all these matters, say: O heedless ones, do you not have ears and eyes? Read the verses for yourselves. By God, besides whom there is no other god, nothing you have heard can compare to even a single Tablet of these wondrous verses. Have you not observed how much grace a grown child is shown, to the point where his actions are praised? This praise is due to the great compassion shown to him, but if the same action were to be performed by a mature adult, it would undoubtedly be ugly and reprehensible. In the case of a child, his actions are praiseworthy in his own rank, but once he surpasses that rank, they become ugly and unacceptable. Pay careful attention to what is being mentioned. Even though comprehension is not observed among the people, and perception is not found, if you and others like you do not understand, servants will be created who will drink from the cup of divine words and comprehend the intent.

177 Most today are considered infants before God, for they drink from the breast of heedlessness, and their days of weaning have not yet come, let alone their days of maturity. But if a mature one is found, from the divine verses that have appeared in this Manifestation, they will taste the sweetness of the heavenly knowledge of the Lord and the pure water of the eternal, sacred Lord, and they will perceive that what is beneath Him is like a mirage in the desert. Say: Fear God, and do not mention what is beneath Him in His presence, nor compare anything to Him, nor assume regarding Him what is unworthy and improper for you! Fear God, O people, and do not follow those who disbelieved in God in His days, argued with His proof, usurped His right, exceeded justice, oppressed, and claimed they were oppressed. All particles curse them if you truly understand.

178 You also wrote: “The verses of Mírzá Yaḥyá have spread throughout and he claims his truth by the evidence of his own verses, regardless of the explicit testimony of the Supreme Lord, which is the greatest proof.”

179 This claim is inherently false because if creation independently claims divine verses, it is false and will always be false, and the very claim is proof of its falsehood. It is exactly like the reflection in a mirror claiming, “I am the Sun of the Sky.” You yourself wrote that he is a mirror. If we accept your statement, there is no doubt that the existence of mirrors is for the reflection of the Sun’s radiance and will always be so. Given this rank, to claim a higher rank is false and will always be false. The contradiction lies in this very point, not in the matter you mentioned, for you have tried to prove the rank of the Sun while maintaining the description of a mirror. If the reflection in the mirror claims, “I exist independently,” is that truthful? No, by the very soul of God, the All-Sustaining, the Almighty.

180 And this very name, which the Point of the Bayán referred to as “Dayyán” (the Judge), saying it is the greatest of the names of God, you today call it “mean” and label it “father of evil.” Your guide, Mírzá Yaḥyá, explicitly, without any hint, in his book known as Sijjín (The Record of the Wicked), issued a fatwa calling for the murder of that oppressed one, as well as others. Go and read to become informed of what befell the manifestations of Truth. Furthermore, the First Point wrote to him, saying: “Indeed, you are the third letter, the believer in Him Whom God shall make manifest.” This is a station that surpasses all others.

Verses 181-190

181 Then a statement was made in this regard, from the allusions of divine words, indicating that he would attain the presence of God in the next manifestation, and that eternal form would make him known to himself, just as he stood before Him, and the Tongue of God spoke to him. A brief summary of his story is this: when Mírzá Yaḥyá issued the fatwa for his murder, His Holiness Bahá had already emigrated from Iraq and had been away for nearly two years, with no one knowing His whereabouts. When the decree of murder appeared from your guide, a certain man named Mírzá Muḥammad went to Azerbaijan with the intent to martyr that oppressed one. But God willed otherwise to fulfill what was mentioned in the Tablet. The mentioned name [Dayyán] came from Azerbaijan, and all the companions, both Arabs and Persians, rose to kill him. This occurred when His Holiness Bahá had returned to Iraq. The situation became so severe that one day, from dawn until nearly sunset, Bahá summoned each of the companions who intended to harm the poor soul and strongly forbade them.

182 Two days later, the mentioned name [Dayyán] appeared before Him, and he absolved himself of the false accusations made against him, swearing that “everything attributed to this servant is pure falsehood.” Bahá showed him the utmost kindness, and he attained what was recorded in the Tablet, returning to his home. However, after a few days, the mentioned soul deceived him again, brought him from Kazimayn, and near the house of your guide, martyred the poor man. By God, the dust stirred in Iraq due to his martyrdom, and such darkness descended that day turned into night. Lamps were lit in the markets, and all the people of Iraq, male and female, cried out in fear and distress, calling on God, saying this calamity had descended upon Iraq due to the shedding of this oppressed one’s blood. Yet your guide remained unawakened and never emerged from the sleep of heedlessness. And by God, they martyred him in such a manner that the heavens trembled in terror, mourning and wailing, but still, they were not moved.

183 The soul whom His Holiness the Exalted One (the Báb)—may all souls be a sacrifice to Him—called “the Unique One” and “the Manifestation of the Divine Unity” and addressed as “the Name of God, the Dayyán,” they belittled in their fiery Tablets. Until now, none of the polytheists recognized him because the veil of the Merciful had concealed him. Say: “O people, fear God and do not shed blood! Repent to Him, O heedless people, so that He may forgive your grievous sins, those which caused the inhabitants of the realms of sovereignty and dominion, and the denizens of the heavenly assembly, to lament.”

184 And your guide belittled that oppressed martyr by saying that the First Point had written to him, instructing him to procure good paper and a fine pen for His writing. Say: “Granted, this statement may be true, but even from this, it is clear that you were under his shadow, for such acts of kindness from fathers are often shown toward children.” But alas, he did not become aware of this fact. No, by God, he will never awaken to it, even if God should bring forth every sign or the tribes of the heavens or the hosts of the spirit or the scrolls of the first and the last. By God, the very temples of divine unity weep in mourning due to the oppression of these polytheistic souls, and the First Point itself is engaged in lamentation and wailing. Oh, if only there were someone with hearing, sight, and heart to witness, hear, and understand. Their hearts and breasts are engulfed in flames of fire, and a blazing inferno prevents them from reflecting on their deeds, actions, and words.

185 Say: O ignorant heedless one, even if your fabrications are accepted, the explicit text of the Bayán says that at the time of the Manifestation, do not be veiled from the Manifestation and what is created within it. Praise be to God that the polytheist and his likes were deprived even of the explicit, firm, and decisive words of God, let alone the subtle allusions of the Lord of names and attributes. Say: Fear God, and do not soil the hem of the true religion of God with the mud of doubts and superstitions, and do not obscure the Sun rising from the heaven of divine unity with the veils of the self! Say: By God, this is a Sun that no eclipse will ever overtake, and a Moon that will never be obscured. Therefore, die in your rage, and burn in the fire of your envy, O assembly of the wicked.

186 You have not yet understood that, in the face of the radiant Sun, reasoning provides no sustenance nor availment, for the purpose of reasoning is to recognize the object of its knowledge. Therefore, open your eyes and see it shining from the horizon of majesty, glory, and splendor.

187 And you have not yet realized that the perfection of every prior manifestation is completed through the subsequent one, as has been the case in this holy, divine manifestation. In the year nine, within the essence of the pure, sacred, and holy souls, the fulfillment occurred instantly, but you are unaware, unable to understand, and incapable of perceiving it. The divine sugar of the sweetness of God’s knowledge is meant for the parrot of meanings, not for the crow of darkness. When someone turns away from God and deviates from the path, in that very moment, their form sheds its human garment and becomes manifest in the skins of beasts. Glorified be He who transforms existence as He wills and ordains affairs as He desires. No one can resist His command or alter His will. All things are subject to His sovereignty, trembling in awe of His majesty, and shuddering from His power. For this Lord, it is fitting that the inhabitants of the highest realm praise Him and the people of the cities of eternity glorify Him.

188 Yet, you seem to be one of those souls who have no desire to understand anything or to gain insight into any matter. Your only objective is to establish the leadership of your guide and to ensure that you are recognized and known under his shadow. By God, his shadow is like the wasteland, and its water is bitter and undrinkable if only you could understand.

189 Say: O deaf one in spirit, no one has encompassed the knowledge of God, nor will anyone ever do so. His knowledge is hidden, preserved, and protected from your awareness. If He wills, He can perfect the creation of the first and last generations in an instant, but you have not yet understood what perfection means. If only the capacity to comprehend could be found in you, this servant, one of the humble servants, would have imparted to you words that could have allowed you to grasp some of the hidden truths. At the very least, you would have recognized your own hatred if you could not comprehend the perfection of the manifestation. So fear God, and do not impose your own rules and desires upon Him. He manifests as He wills, not as you wish.

190 How audacious they have become, to lay down rules for God—exalted is His name—and stipulate conditions for Him. Now, judge for yourself: if the true one were to appear according to the instructions of the polytheists, would He not be like those very polytheists? Everything you have understood and perceived is a falsehood. Even the lowest of His creatures and servants would be ashamed to follow the customs and manners that these polytheistic souls have instilled in you. For they worship the calf without realizing it, follow Satan without knowing it, and pursue idolatry without comprehending it. They drink the dregs of what the tyrant has consumed, oblivious to it.

Verses 191-200

191 They fail to realize that if, in every manifestation, God—exalted is His majesty—were to appear according to the customs, conditions, and practices that have been prevalent among people, no one would ever reject or object, and all would partake in the fountain of divine knowledge and be nourished by the meeting with God. Those who soar in the air of the spirit and gaze upon all things with the sharp vision of divine insight see hundreds of thousands of such souls drowning in the abyss of annihilation, each clinging to some tuft of grass, yet that grass has no stability and will ultimately perish. Even now, those seated in the heavenly realm see them as nothing but nullity, drowning, and annihilated, without any real existence.

192 Cleanse your ears from the cotton of imitation! Hear the word of truth from the lowest of His creatures, and know that God—exalted is His station—is veiled by no barrier and is limited by no boundaries. He appears in whatever form He wills, for He has always been omnipotent and will continue to be so. His absolute power has never been diminished and never will be. Now, with your misguided thoughts, how do you explain His power if He were to manifest according to the orders of the rejectors? From your statements, it seems that He must appear in a certain manner and cannot send any manifestation of His command to the earth except in the way you have prescribed. How wrong is your assumption, and how deluded are your thoughts! Your deeds are wasted because of the words that have come from your mouths, yet you do not realize it, and you remain heedless.

193 By God, foul and polluted odors from the interpretations of these polytheistic souls have swept through the world and its inhabitants. I ask God to send a purifying storm of grace to eliminate these foul winds. These polytheists argue that fifty thousand years of the Day of Resurrection passed in a single hour. Say: O blind ones, you accept that fifty thousand years were completed in an hour without hesitation, yet when two thousand years pass in a limited time according to your understanding, you object. By God, all things deny you, and everything created between the heavens and the earth mocks the smallness of your intellects and understanding.

194 Listen to this servant and tear away the veils of delusion, and behold the truth itself! For all other things are His creations, and they appear by His word alone. Never has anything else become known except through Him, and all things are known only through their relationship with Him. Keep your gaze fixed upon the Manifestation itself and what is revealed from Him, and give thanks to your Lord that He has suddenly revealed the Manifestation of His own self! As the Point of the Bayán says: “Indeed, the time of decline is near, and you are still asleep.” The sun has risen and shines at the zenith, and this is a station for gratitude, not for complaint. Do not mistake mercy for wrath, nor consider blessings to be punishment! Although the appearance of the manifestations of divine unity has always been a blessing for the righteous and a curse for the wicked, the wicked and the evil ones have always considered blessings to be curses and pure grace to be anger.

195 You spoke of the completion of the cycle. Hear the words of the one who revealed the Bayán—may the essence of all things be a sacrifice unto Him—who explicitly and clearly declares: “From the beginning of that matter until before the completion of nine cycles, nothing of creation was revealed. Indeed, everything you have seen, from the seed until We clothed it in flesh—then be patient until you witness the next creation. Then say: ‘Blessed be God, the best of creators!’ And bear witness that the difference between the established and the upholding ones is the number nine. In this, the cycles are completed in their places. This is the distinction between the greatest and the great.”

196 And in another place: “Watch for the difference between the established and the upholding, and then in the year nine, you will attain all good.” And in this place, it is revealed: “This is what We promised you before. In the time when We answered: ‘Be patient until the nine is completed for the Bayán,’ then say: ‘Blessed be God, the best of originators!’”

197 O person of insight and fairness, open your eyes according to your understanding and observe from the “Manifestation of Nine” until the time of the “next creation.” Proclaim: “Blessed be God, the best of creators! Blessed be God, the best of originators!” Observe how He explicitly, without any allusion, declares the perfection of creation and the greatness of the next manifestation in the distinction between the established and the upholding, as well as the greatest and the great.

198 When the time is completed and the divine period comes to an end, the beauty of the nine will appear with manifest sovereignty. Then all those in the heavens and the earth will tremble, except those who come to God with pure hearts. Fear God, O people, and do not make the Sustainer of existence forsaken among you! Fear God and be among the righteous! Take heed not to alter the words of God from their rightful places, for that is a grave error in the Tablets of the Mighty, the Preserver.

199 But the seed does not yet grasp the station of maturity, just as today no one has fully grasped the divine words, except for those whom your Lord wills. Even though they will misinterpret and distort these words according to their false assumptions, as the First Point—exalted is His greatness—foretold.

200 Now, leaving all that aside, let me tell you something that may awaken you and make you aware: if a soul were to tell you that a tree would appear in two thousand years with fresh and fragrant blossoms, full of vitality and scent, and instruct you to look at the tree and its appearance, not at anything else, and then suddenly, upon waking one morning, you observe that the blessed, sacred tree has appeared with those very fresh and fragrant blossoms, what would you do? Would you deny what your eyes see and what your senses perceive, or would you become certain of what you witness? No, by God! You and others like you are such souls that, when faced with the visible, fragrant blossoms, would destroy them with the stones of doubt and desire, saying that these blossoms came too soon, that they should only appear two thousand years after the predicted blossoms. Woe to you, O assembly of the deluded!

Verses 201-210

201 And yet, according to the clear and explicit text of the revealed Bayán, the next manifestation was never limited to a specific time. As it is explicitly stated: if it wishes to appear at this moment, it is free to do so, for no one except God knows the time of the appearance. In the entire Bayán, it is affirmed that the appearance depends solely on the will and desire of that Sovereign of Oneness. “He manifests Himself as He wills and desires. The proof is His signs, and His existence itself testifies to His own self, for others are known through Him, and He is not known through anything else. Exalted is God beyond what you describe.” And it is further stated: “Who besides God knows the time of the appearance? Whenever it occurs, all must recognize the Point of Truth and offer thanks to God.”

202 Now observe the clarity with which it is said that whenever He appears, all must acknowledge Him. Yet instead of offering the gratitude to God that was instructed, they have begun complaining instead of expressing gratitude, and instead of acknowledging, they have attacked that focal point of the spirits of the prophets and messengers with arrows of hatred and swords of enmity. Say: O deprived ones, consider: Has the Sovereign of Certainty ever conditioned that destined and concealed appearance upon any condition? Then produce it! By the One who created all possibilities with a word from Him! Never has this manifestation been suspended or conditioned upon anything. For in that station, no condition exists except for His very self, and none has surrounded or comprehended Him.

203 He declares: His signs are the proof of Him, and His appearance and existence confirm His own self. Yet they have confined the transcendent truth with imagined words and unworthy interpretations. Woe unto them for what their hands have earned. Do not distort and interpret God’s words according to your desires, for no one will attain their true meaning. As He has commanded the leaders of the Bayán in the outward rulings to consult with His Eminence Ásíyid Husayn—upon him be the glory of God—who was in the presence of the Throne. He says: “For you are not aware of the intention of God.” Yet you have considered the one who rejects God to be the very essence of God.

204 Moreover, the firm and explicit verses of the Book of the Lord of all worlds remain. If no one comprehended the meaning of these verses for twelve hundred and seventy years, can any soul today understand the meanings of the revealed words of the Bayán except God? Contemplate deeply upon what is being mentioned and what flows from the pen by God’s permission, that perhaps through the sound of this humble pen, you may attain the beauty of the Ancient One. Verily, He guides whomever He wills to the straight path.

205 Furthermore, it is unclear what you mean by “completion.” If you refer to the perfection of God’s verses, those were complete at the time of their revelation, and no deficiency has ever entered or will ever enter that station. Whatever is revealed from Him was complete before and will always be complete in every moment. But if by completion, you mean the perfection of souls, we have seen that as time passes, many appear more deficient. As witnessed at the end of the dispensation of the Qur’án, according to your belief, the height of perfection of the leaders of that age was to reject all of God’s scriptures and to treat His messengers in the manner you have heard. Or if you mean by completion the perfection of outward deeds?

206 If so, it has been observed that many have become veiled because of those very deeds. As it was seen, the followers of the Qur’án, when they found the appearance of the Greatest Luminary in opposition to their own deeds, decreed His death and shed His pure blood. The same was true for the followers of the Gospels, and the same for the followers of the Torah, all the way until the first great manifestation.

207 Know that the perfection of everything is dependent upon the word and acknowledgment of the Point of Truth. Hear what the Point of the Bayán—may all souls be a sacrifice unto Him—declares so that you may be purified from the dark dust of the insinuations of the manifestations of Satan by the pure fountain of the words of the Merciful. Although it is certain that God’s words will have no effect upon you and never will, the gaze of God in most of His utterances is directed toward the hearts of His sincere servants. For those sanctified, detached souls can smell the fragrance of the musk of meaning from afar, and they sever themselves from the words of the people of the world through the divine words. He says—blessed is His mention: “Even if everything on earth were made a prophet, they would still be considered children in the sight of God.” From this statement of the Merciful, understand the truth of completion, that perhaps you may awaken and not send the broken pottery of insinuations to the ocean of divine pearls of meaning. Be certain that all matters appear from God, return to Him, and are confirmed and established through His acknowledgment.

208 Reflect for a moment: while the ultimate rank of human perfection is prophethood, and many have considered it impossible for anyone to attain such a station, He says that if the Greatest Manifestation wills, He can raise all upon the earth to this rank, which is the highest of all ranks in the eyes of all. By His life, it is for such a Lord that we should offer our souls and spirits, and then our very selves and realities, and even that would be little compared to His gifts and favors that encompass all things.

209 If a soul were to live for all eternity in both the physical and spiritual realms and perform every action, but then, at the time of the least manifestation, hesitated, all those actions, which had been performed over countless years, would be as nothing. Indeed, the very existence and being of that soul would become as nothing, let alone its perfection. And likewise, if during that period, one had forsaken all actions, yet at the time of the manifestation affirmed with a “yes,” all actions would be recorded for them, and before God, they would be considered complete.

210 None but God knows when the cycle is complete. It may be completed closer than expected, or it may take a thousand years or more. This is quite clear: the perfection of everything is through the acknowledgment of God, not through the passage of time and the illusions of people. The very manifestation of the next is itself the proof of the completion of the previous manifestation. Focus on the truth, not on the length of time, for God can terminate all times in an instant, or He can extend a single moment for a hundred thousand years. To Him belong creation and command; all act according to His decree.

Verses 211-220

211 In this station, a few couplets were revealed from the most wondrous tongue in Iraq. They are mentioned for the sake of awakening:

A seeker asked a knower: “How have you discovered the mysteries of God?” The knower, drunk on the wine of grace, replied: “Do you remember the Day of Alast?” The knower said, “I recall that voice and say, There was being, and yet it wasn’t—how strange!” Still ringing in my ears is that sound, The soul-lifting voice of its resound. Another gnostic, who had ascended higher, Said the secrets of God were a precious attire. That day of God had never ceased, We are in it still, never decreased.

212 These words were specifically mentioned to show that the comprehension of these matters is tied to the knowledge of the knowers. Not every soul understands or comprehends these stations. It is surprising that you consider yourself a knower while being unaware of the words of the knowers. Otherwise, you would not have objected in this station. For the knowers affirm that the names of God are effective in every moment, for cessation is impossible. Therefore, they say that the name “Mumit” (the One who brings death) continuously returns all creatures from relative existence to relative nonexistence, and likewise, the name “Muhyi” (the One who gives life) and “Mub’ith” (the One who resurrects) continuously bring all of existence from relative nonexistence into relative existence. This is how they interpret the blessed verse in this station.

213 And regarding the creation of what comes later, it does not exist at the time of what came before. Likewise, at the earlier moment, the later creation is not known, for there is renewal and occurrence in the creation of things. So how can the completion of one thing be imagined when that thing, which exists in this moment, does not exist in the next moment, for it is subject to renewal and occurrence? How then is completion possible? If you say that it comes into being at the moment of its creation, then this does not require a long duration. And if people were capable of understanding the meanings of the divine words, surely in this matter further clarification would have been given, so that they might sever themselves from all previous and future knowledge and turn to the fresh stream of knowledge that today flows from the right hand of the Throne of the Merciful.

214 Listen to the words of this humble one and do not confuse the matter! No one has understood the words of God, and no one will. For the key to His gates lies in the hand of the Omnipotent, and until the hand of power opens the vessel of divine knowledge, no one has attained nor will they attain it. Not even the learned will grasp it, as seen when no one understood the treasures of the sciences of the Qur’an until the hand of power of the previous Manifestation opened its stores.

215 Indeed, completion is in the hand of the power of God and will always be. The completion of each cycle comes with the next Manifestation, and at the time of the appearance, true completion occurs. However, souls such as these weak ones have not had, and do not have, the capacity to perceive it, just as they did not understand the conclusion of fifty thousand years in a single hour. And if anyone claims to have done so, it is only through imitation, except for those whom God has taught from the gems of His knowledge. Many of the divine sciences remain hidden in the heaven of God’s eternal wisdom, waiting for the time when the sacred manifestations will appear from the horizon of potentiality and the prepared ones will emerge, ready to receive and understand what descends from the heaven of divine will according to the measure decreed. The matter is in His hands—He does what He wills and is not questioned about what He chooses.

216 As for your statement that one must never deviate even slightly from the command of the Lord Most High, it is unclear whether this is your own judgment or the command of the Point of the Bayán. The Point of the Bayán declares that His actions are the standard for all, and whatever that blessed being does, all must do. It seems you have neither seen nor have any knowledge of the Bayán. You speak by the teaching of Satan and are moved by his urging.

217 O soul who is named after knowledge and considers yourself learned, demonstrate some existence of your own and do not act like sheep that follow wherever any shepherd leads them! And O, if only the shepherd were human—alas, you have found a wolf as your shepherd, and all your knowledge, certainty, and the fruits of your understanding of God’s oneness were devoured in the first meeting, and now only a lifeless body remains, a nothingness. So dead and nothing that not even a hundred blows can shake or move you. By the one true God, my heart aches for you and your kind, for there is no malice or enmity in these hearts. What has been mentioned and continues to be mentioned is purely for the sake of God.

218 Furthermore, the Blessed Beauty—may the souls of all be a sacrifice unto Him—is an actor of all righteous deeds, if you are among those who see. For several years, this servant has been in His presence day and night. By God, besides whom there is no other god, I have never seen from this Blessed Beauty even the slightest action that would be disliked. All things testify to the sanctity of His sacred being. In all nights and days, nothing has been heard from that pure and holy house except the remembrance of God and the exaltation of His word. If you come to the matter with some fairness, you too will testify that He is sanctified from the imaginations of all else and exalted beyond the comprehension of anything lower. What act is greater than sacrificing one’s life for the sake of the Merciful? Have you not heard what has befallen Him for twenty years in the path of God? Even though that wicked liar has attributed his own deeds and those of his leader to the Most Sacred Beauty, you have accepted this without evidence or proof. But by God, the hem of His sacred robe will not be soiled by the claims of that person or his likes.

219 And as for the statement that the claimant has fallen into the shadow, though nothing but pure servitude has ever been heard from the Most Sacred Beauty, this phrase is indeed exceedingly futile. By this logic, the Blessed One—may the souls of all be a sacrifice unto Him—was under the shadow of the scholars of His time, for He appeared in that era, and if you remove the scholars, He was in the shadow of the Messenger of God. How small their stature, how limited their understanding, and how great their words! Yet, I testify that before the appearance, He was under the shadow of the Prophet, and at the time of His appearance, He was above all who bore a message.

220 His statement—how great his error!—is this: If such a person and his companions assert that they have risen above the Lord Most High, what a contradiction this is, and how contrary it is to his original claim. Claiming two contradictory things is unbecoming of anyone, especially someone of great stature, for no rational person would claim two directly contradictory things, much less someone of understanding. How could a person claim that the Lord Most High was created from a single word? God forbid! Sometimes the appearance of great individuals is only a test, and many people believe in and affirm such claims without thought or understanding.

Verses 221-230

221 Say to the idolaters: If you listen to me, weep for yourselves, then wail for the paucity of your intellect and understanding. The mention of such people has been revealed in the scriptures of old and new. God’s Word is revealed: Say, the contradiction is within your own existence. Remove it so that you may see nothing but pure oneness and absolute unity. If you desire to understand this claim and comprehend what has been said, so that perhaps you may reach the everlasting pure spring, then hear this statement—exalted is His might: “O people, I am the beauty of ’Alí among you, the essence of Muhammad within you, and the being of the Spirit between heaven and earth, if only you knew.” This is exactly what the Point of the Bayán has declared. His will is the same as this will, and His desire is the same as this desire, and this will and desire are the same as that will and desire. You have mentioned contradiction without understanding, for in truth, you have established this contradiction for all prophets, as each later prophet was in the shadow of the previous one, and with the establishment of that shadow, what claim of superiority has been made? God forbid, by the words of the idolaters, this is a contradiction and is therefore invalid.

222 Far be it, far be it! Say: O you who sleep on the bed of desires and are still suckling at the breast of ignorance, obliviousness, and whims, there is no place for contradiction in the sacred realms of God’s holy manifestations. The contradiction exists within creation, not in God’s command. Accept the words of this servant and relieve yourself from the burden of these insinuations and words, so that you may become light and soar to the spiritual heights and enter that sanctified realm beyond human limitations, where you will find that realm exalted beyond contradiction, opposition, transformation, conflict, argument, debate, and inference. That station is not created from the discordant elements of creation nor from the four conflicting elements but emerges from the essence of the spirit, where the air is pure fire, the fire is the very air, and its water is pure dust. All is united without change or difference. Its moisture is dryness, its dryness is coldness, and its coldness is the reality of heat. And from this heat, all motion in existence is created. Without heat, there is no movement. Heat is the cause, and movement is the effect.

223 However, those souls created from the clay of greed, the fire of arrogance, the air of the self, and the water of heedlessness can never approach that most sacred, exalted station, which is sanctified from the knowledge of all who dwell in the kingdom. If they even entertain the thought of approaching it, they would immediately be consumed. What was mentioned in previous manifestations is in this most wondrous and most exalted appearance, word for word and letter for letter. Contradiction and opposites return to their kind, and unity and harmony remain for the beloved of God, from beginning to end. O fair-minded one, do not assume the notion of shadow and do not perceive contradiction in the Manifestation of the Most Glorious!

224 And regarding the statement that someone claims the Lord Most High was created from a single letter, these fabricated, idolatrous statements, which that idolatrous soul has imparted to you, are nothing new. Such false accusations, lies, idolatry, and disbelief have always appeared from wicked souls throughout the ages during the manifestations of God’s messengers. This is not unique to this wondrous manifestation. As in the appearance of the Point of the Bayán—may the souls of all be a sacrifice unto Him—similar lies, slander, and accusations of idolatry and disbelief were made against that blessed and pure tree of divine truth. All have heard and know this. Therefore, it is no surprise if similar words come from those rejectors. For their habit, and that of others like them, has always been and will always be such. By God, every discerning soul, upon hearing such words, finds their faith and certainty in the truth increased, and so it will continue to be. For such matters have always been a sign of the divine cause, as recorded in all scriptures past and present. Therefore, every time such objections are raised, the truth of God’s words becomes clearer and more evident to those with certainty and insight.

225 Say: O blind one! What has been revealed from the lofty and sublime words is the truth revealed by God. Have you not heard what descended from the heaven of oneness? His statement—exalted is His greatness and glorified is His majesty: “O people, I was lying in My house, silent in remembrance, when the breezes of God blew upon Me, quickening Me with the truth, and the Spirit of Holiness caused Me to speak His praise, making Me a guide and a remembrance to the worlds. Whenever I wish to remain silent, the Spirit of the Holy compels Me to speak the truth, and the Great Spirit stirs Me, and the Spirit of Eternity moves the pen of Bahá, if you are among those who know.”

226 “O people, fear God, then be ashamed before His beauty and do not speak what will cause all the atoms to curse you, followed by the tongue of God, the true and trustworthy King. And this is not from Me, but from Him, if you are among those who understand. By God, if the matter were in My hands, I would hide Myself from your sight and not place My heart beneath the claws of the wolves of the earth, and God is witness to what I say.”

227 “Beware, O people, lest your souls and desires prevent you from ascending to the Most Remote Abode. Look with the eye of fairness at the proofs of the prophets and messengers. By God, this is indeed the servant of the Merciful, whom God has revealed among the realms of existence, chosen from among His creation, and manifested with the adornment of His own Self among the worlds, speaking at every moment, addressing the assembly of the Jews: ‘O people of stubbornness, by God, the promised one has come to you! This is indeed the Spirit; if you wish to crucify Him, do as you please, and do not be patient.’ Then He addresses the assembly of Christians, saying: ‘If you wish to dispute with Muhammad, the Messenger of God, know that this is Muhammad among you. Do what you wish, for He has given His life in the path of God, the Almighty, the Powerful.’ Then He addresses the people of the Qur’an, saying: ‘O assembly of tyrants, if you wish to hang the manifestation of My Self, who is called ’Ali, in the air, by God, this is ’Ali standing before your faces, O assembly of wolves, O band of swine, do to Him what you wish, and do not delay even for a moment, for He has taken no helper or supporter for Himself. God has taught Him the truth of what has befallen Him and what will befall Him, O armies of devils!’”

228 Then He addresses the assembly of the Bayán, saying: “O assembly of tyranny and disbelief, the promised one, whom you were promised in all the Tablets, has come to you. By His beauty, He has appeared with the truth and has not spared His life in the path of God, the Sovereign, the Exalted, the Praised. He stood before His enemies night and day, supporting His Lord’s cause by Himself, the Exalted, the Beautiful. What befell Him cannot be recounted by the Bayán, and no one has comprehended it except God, who sent Him with the truth and appointed Him for the worlds. If you wish to kill Him as you killed Him before, then do as you please, for He awaits what was promised to Him in all the Tablets, if you are among those who know.”

229 Then ’Ali addresses the assembly of the Bayán from the right of the Throne, saying: “O servants, did I not give you glad tidings of this manifestation in all the Tablets? Did I not take from you the covenant of His Self in the seeds of the Bayán? Then, be ashamed before the beauty of the Merciful and do not act in a way that would raise the cries of the inhabitants of the Supreme Concourse. Fear God and do not be of the wrongdoers. By God, I have sacrificed My Self out of longing for His meeting and in the desire to attain His presence, and I am with Him in all times, weeping over what has befallen Him at your hands, O assembly of wrongdoers!”

230 Ah, alas! After all the counsels given, you have acted in a way that no one has ever done to another. Thus, the manifestations of the prophets and messengers have wept, and by God, O people, I have placed all matters in His hands. In all My days, I did not act except with His remembrance and His praise. I spoke only His name, and I only commanded the servants to enter the shadow of His invincible might. If only you had acted as the Jews did with the Spirit, or as the people of the Gospel did with Muhammad, the Messenger of God, or as the people of the Qur’an acted upon My appearance with the truth and clear authority.”

Verses 231-240

231 No, by My Self, you were not content with what they did and now do what makes all the nations seek refuge, if you are among those who understand. Do you kill the one who shed My blood in His path? By God, after it was shed upon the earth, it was engraved with His exalted, mighty, and wondrous name. O people, be ashamed before God, and do not deny the truth with what you hold, nor do what will deprive you of the breezes of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Hear My words, then return to Him, then repent and seek forgiveness, that perhaps He may forgive you by His wondrous mercy and purify you from the defilement of disobedience and the filth of your souls, O assembly of heedless ones!”

232 By God, O people, I have revealed what has been foretold in the Tablets, and soon what was inscribed by the Pen of the Most High upon the Tablets of invincible majesty will appear. Then the tribes of the cities of the Supreme Concourse will wail, while you will rejoice within yourselves and play with the verses of God after We have given you glad tidings in the Tablets of invincible majesty. O people, He is My Spirit, and I am His Spirit. His will has ever been My will, and do not separate Me from Him. Everything that appears from Him has been the beloved of My heart and My soul if you are among the monotheists.”

233 These wondrous words of God, which have descended from the cloud of His merciful grace, have been recited by this humble servant, that perhaps heedless servants may awaken and cease to compare all things to themselves, realizing that the rejectors have opposed and waged war against the truth and will continue to do so, for the one who reveals these verses is indeed God. If they are at war with the Lord of the Worlds, they know it, but today there is no escape for anyone, and no place of refuge is visible, except that one must either acknowledge what has appeared or else reject all scriptures and books. This is the word of truth, and after truth, there is nothing but manifest and evident error.

234 The example of the rejectors is like those who, at the time of the appearance of the Point of the Bayán, expressed their rejection of God, saying various things: some claimed He had professed divinity, others claimed prophethood, others lordship, and each of the misguided spoke accordingly. They did not understand that they had to determine who was the revealer, and the revealer is only known through the verse itself. Those who disbelieved and associated partners with God have indeed lost, and they have wronged themselves against the Almighty, the Sustainer.

235 Furthermore, you mentioned manifestation. By God, neither that accursed soul nor his leader has comprehended manifestation or its revealer, for if they had, they would not have objected to the truth. It would have been appropriate for you to refer these words to the accursed one who rejects God, for he disdained even a single name of God and disbelieved in the one he claims to believe in. He recites His verses and draws the sword against His being. He acts without understanding, speaks without knowledge. He and his kind are equal before God, except that he is more wicked and more oppressive. May God protect us and His loved ones from his evil and theirs. Indeed, He is the protector, the judge, the all-knowing, the all-aware.

236 Moreover, you mentioned the common people and how they believe without understanding. Now, be fair: this servant has been present for six years, day and night, serving and associating with each of them, and I say what I have seen with My own eyes. You, however, believe without evidence the words of a wicked, corrupt infidel, the likes of whom the heavens have never cast a shadow upon. Now, who has believed without thought: these servants of God or you? By God, even donkeys would laugh at the intellect and reasoning of that idolatrous soul who has imparted these words to you, let alone humans. Yet, you have called these servants the common people and claimed that we have believed without understanding. Indeed, you consider yourself knowledgeable.

237 First, how did you come to know this, given that you have not reached the presence of the Blessed Beauty? No fair-minded person acts in such a manner, writing and sending statements to various cities based solely on the words of the most corrupt and vile of people, without understanding what flows from the pen. Even the students of religious schools adhere to a basic level of reasoning: they base their acceptance on three conditions—first, the subject, second, the predicate, and third, the judgment between them—and only after these are understood is confirmation established. What subject have you grasped, and what predicate have you comprehended? By God, you have committed what no ignorant person has done.

238 Indeed, these servants have confirmed the manifestations of God from before and will continue to confirm them by God’s grace and bounty. God willing, we shall never be veiled by any barrier nor prevented by any obstacle. By God, what you have heard from that vile infidel is pure falsehood and slander, and you do not even know with whom you are associating. By the truth of God, hell itself flees from him, and even existence seeks refuge from his presence. By their own admission, have they ever heard a single truthful word from these two souls? You do not know what they have done. They have acted with utter injustice, and then, seeking to sow doubt in the hearts of the people and conceal their vile actions, they have attributed lies to the truth that cannot even be enumerated. I hope they find no success in this world or the next and that they are punished in this life before the punishment of the hereafter.

239 I will now say a word that may purify and sanctify you from your current notions and beliefs, and may bring you into the path of true confirmation, which is the essence of understanding. The Point of the Bayán—exalted is His greatness—says, “Before He introduces Himself to you, you must enter the fire of His love.” He says, “Before that Eternal Beauty reveals Himself, enter the fire of His love.” We have heard the praises of His Holiness from all souls for many years, until we entered into His presence and witnessed what we had neither heard nor seen from anyone before. Beyond all this, the divine verses continue to descend like the spring rains. How, then, is it permissible to hesitate when the Point of the Bayán explicitly commands in all the Bayán not to hesitate even for the duration of the word “yes,” for such hesitation will cast you into the fire, and all your deeds will become as dust.

240 I was greatly ashamed by your words. You yourself would have confirmed this servant, but a veil has intervened. We ask God to lift it by His power, so you may witness the radiant sun of your Lord’s face rising and shining among the worlds. By God, it is a bewilderment beyond bewilderment—what has held you back that you have girded yourself to dishonor the truth, engaging with all your might in argument and strife? By God, the sword of your rejection is sharper than the sword of iron, for the latter wounds the physical body, while your sword cuts through the hearts of existence, both seen and unseen. Yet, you rejoice within yourself as if you have committed no sin. We ask God to return your deeds to you, to forgive your transgressions, and to guide you to His Self, granting you the honor of His meeting, the exalted, the invincible.

Verses 241-250

241 And regarding your labeling of these servants as “the common people,” by the Creator of all that exists, this very statement of yours is proof of the truth of this cause. For in the beginning of the appearance of every revelation, the disbelievers have uttered the same words. In previous times, whenever the manifestations of God appeared, the tongues of the idolaters spoke such words, as is revealed in the holy book: “And they regarded all the believers in God as the lowly and the common people.”

242 By God, even the beasts are ashamed of the statements of that vile, accursed one. Say: “Know yourself, and speak within the bounds of your understanding!” The source of what he has imparted is apparent and evident. Verily, we associate none with our Lord and turn to no one besides Him. By the power and might of God, it has been observed here that the rejectors have drunk from the cup of arrogance and have been intoxicated by the wine of pride, for they have labeled those who know God as “common people.” Therefore, it has become necessary for this servant to quote some of the verses of the Point of the Bayán—may all souls be a sacrifice unto Him—so that at least the learned may be distinguished from the ignorant. His words—exalted be His mention:

“Say: God has not created anything more exalted in His sight than knowledge. All things are created through it, all are sustained by it, all die by it, and all live by it. This is your knowledge of God, then of His Manifestation in every age, and then of what appears from Him. Other than that, there is no knowledge before God, if you know. And in every subsequent appearance, all knowledge is knowledge of Him and what appears from Him, not what has appeared before. Your knowledge of what was decreed before, at that time, does not benefit you; rather, you will be asked about it. In every appearance, those who claim to be knowledgeable must encompass what has been revealed in that appearance, not what you have separated.” He further says: “The truth is that you must leave all that and reckon yourselves and your knowledge to be as nothing if you are believers in God and His verses.”

243 Now, reflect upon these divine words so that you may understand the knowledge that has always been loved and praised by God and recognize that the rejectors of God are not truly learned. By the One who strengthened the Spirit with the Spirit, today, if all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were to appear with all the knowledge of the world and were to hesitate regarding this wondrous cause, they would be counted as ignorant before God. This statement is supported by the explicit text of the Bayán, the words of the Point of the Bayán—may all souls be a sacrifice unto Him—where He says, addressing the Living Letters:

“If you believe in Him, whether you know something or not, nothing will diminish your merit. But if you are veiled from Him, even if you possess all knowledge, it will not benefit you.”

According to the words of that essence of existence, today no one will be called “learned” except those who are adorned with the garment of faith in this wondrous cause.

244 It is astonishing that, despite these clear verses, you have called the believers in God “common people.” How quickly the breath of the Merciful has been cut off from those hearts and how swiftly they have been veiled from the breath of the All-Pure. For if even the slightest breeze of knowledge and wisdom had passed over the rejecting souls, they would never have become preoccupied with the same arguments that the lowest of the followers of the Qur’an have been using for years. Alas for them, for what they have committed against God, and they are of the losers!

245 Hear another melody from that Singular Sovereign, addressing the Living Letters, He says:

“Indeed, He makes all things known to themselves through His own Self. Who is able to know Him through other than Himself? Verily, if you had recognized Him on the day of His appearance, and if you knew Him through the most learned of the scholars of the Bayán, you would not have truly known Him. And if you had seen Him standing firm in His cause, yet called Him merely human, you would not have denied the letters of negation to affirm the Manifestation of the One God.”

246 How exalted are His words, how wise His indications, how manifest His proof, and how clear His explanation! Yet you, O assembly of the Bayán, have wronged the very Self of God and His existence. He did not fail in His explanation; He has established for you all the paths and made clear for you all that was hidden from you, explaining all things in detail, as a mercy from Him to you and as guidance and a reminder for the worlds. Yet you have confused the matter of God for yourselves, just as the previous religions confused their own matters, and thus their efforts in this world and the hereafter were in vain, and they were an evil people, the most grievously lost.

247 Although that merciful Beauty says that even if you saw the most learned of the scholars of the Bayán hesitating on the day of His appearance and called Him merely human, you would be among those who did not remove the letters of negation to affirm the Manifestation of the One God, today, any soul who attributes mere humanity to one of the rejectors, whether the highest or the lowest, will be deprived of all the mercies of the All-Merciful. How much more so if one were to attempt to establish a rank or station for those souls!

248 Reflect on how the addressee of this revealed verse is one of the Living Letters, the foremost of the Bayán by the text of the Point of the Bayán, who says that they are the first of the creation of the Bayán, and that through their existence, all are granted the path of oneness and the divine appearance. Yet despite this, He has imposed such limitations on those souls, as mentioned before. Reflect, O people of insight! Reflect, O people of vision! Reflect, O people of virtue! Reflect, O people of righteousness! Reflect, O people of knowledge, wisdom, and eloquence!

249 Say: By God, all that was revealed in the Bayán has returned to a single Point, and that Point is now held in the grasp of power and might. We wish to expound it once more, despite your objections, O assembly of the idolaters, just as We have expounded it time and time again. This time, it has caused the denizens of the heavens and the earth to tremble, as well as the inhabitants of the cities of names, if you are among those who understand. Say: It was My very self, and now His self has appeared with truth and speaks between the heavens and the earth, declaring with certainty: All the signs have returned to My signs, have been revived in My words, and have appeared by My command, descending from the heaven of My will, if you are among the certain ones. All manifestations have ended in My appearance, all the risings have been illumined by My dawning, and all the sources of light have marveled at My rising and manifestation. So where are the eyes that see? Where are the hearts that comprehend? Where are the pure souls and radiant spirits, that they may recognize, understand, observe, and witness what has appeared and shone from the horizon of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful?

250 Say: Perish in your rage! He has appeared in truth and fears none, awaiting what has been ordained for Him by His Beloved, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. At every moment He addresses your swords, spears, and arrows, saying: “Come forth! Approach! For I long for you, and My longing and desire, My passion and melodies, bear witness, if you are among the aware.” The one who has appeared in truth is My Beloved, and I am His Beloved. He is My self, and I am His self. What flows from My tongue is His sublime, most beautiful, and sacred expression. Whoever possesses even the least perception, less than a hair’s breadth of insight, will witness the appearance of God and His majesty and will perceive the fragrances of His holiness from the breezes of these melodies, becoming firmly established in this most mighty and clear Cause.

Verses 251-260

251 Say: I live by His life, and I move by His love, just as He lived by My life and breathed only through My remembrance and praise among the worlds. My soul is His ransom, and His soul is My ransom. All of me is His ransom, and all of Him is My ransom. Whenever I say, “He is My ransom,” it is as though He Himself is saying, “I am His ransom.” Beware that you see no distinction, O assembly of the discerning! Thus has God revealed at this moment, signs of His greatness upon the Mount of the heart, and We have manifested them for you so that you may thank your Creator, O assembly of the Bayán, and not be among the veiled ones.

252 O you who are immersed in the sea of allusions, know that your rejection and objection do not return to Me, but to God, My Lord and yours, the Lord of our forefathers. For I am but a servant who has believed in Him, His messengers, and His chosen ones, and I find no existence for Myself, for He has raised Me with the truth and sent Me unto the worlds. If you wish to object, go to Him and say: “For what reason did You send this one through whom my very being was shaken, and so too were the realities of the idolaters?” And if you find Him and are capable of asking, then ask Him for a word regarding Me, that perhaps He may save Me from you and from the assembly of the wicked, and make Me one of the detached ones. Say: “O Lord, You know the people of the Bayán; why did You send this servant of Yours?” Then witness Him beneath their swords, claws, and talons, O You in whose hand is the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Have mercy on Him, O King of kings, and aid Him with the truth, for You are the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the All-Victorious, the Sovereign.

253 By the One who has sent Me with the truth, I am bewildered by His actions toward Me, for He has sent Me in days when the breezes of God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, have not blown as they once did. Thus, I have been afflicted with that which none of the chosen ones has ever endured, and His all-knowing, all-wise Self bears witness to this. Do you think that I speak from My own self, that I exist by My own existence? No, by the Lord of all the worlds! Rather, the winds of His will move Me as He pleases and ordains. And whoever possesses insight will perceive, from My trembling, the trembling caused by God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Victorious, the Sovereign. Can you remain still before yourself when you are gripped by the fever of thunder that makes every limb quiver? No, by the One who created you with truth, if you are among those who are aware. Just as it moves you, and you cannot remain still, so too am I moved by the winds of the will of God. If you wish to object, then object to Him. I am but a devoted servant, and I find no stillness, rest, or motion except after His command. None but a hardened sinner or transgressor will deny this.

254 In every manifestation, it has always been the scholars of the age who were the first to reject. For if the scholars had not denied the truth of God, none would have turned away. The corruption that has occurred on earth is the result of the denial of the scholars, as He explicitly says: “And the first to veil themselves from the Point of the Bayán were those who claimed knowledge in their own eyes, but in God’s sight, they understand nothing and comprehend nothing.” Thus, such souls are not considered learned before God, and those who have attained faith are seated on the throne of knowledge, even if they are not versed in a single letter of outward sciences.

255 Today, knowledge and ignorance, high and low, nearness and distance, truth and falsehood, life and death, maturity and infancy, wisdom and heedlessness, are all distinguished by the confirmation of the manifestation. Whoever believes in Him is of the highest scholars, the noblest people, the most discerning, the most righteous, the most intelligent, the highest, the nearest, the truest, the most precise, and the most understanding. Thus has it been revealed in truth from the realm of supreme might. The Point of the Bayán says in this regard: “Guide, O my God, all who love Me to Your religion. For the matter is from You, and it is the same for all: if the lowest of creation believes in Your proof and signs, they will be the highest; and if the furthest of creation believes, they will be the nearest.”

256 The purpose of these words is that all may know that in God’s sight, the learned ones are those who have come to know Him and have not hesitated in the word “yes.” These are the people of knowledge, the guides of knowledge, the people of infallibility, the source of wisdom, the fountain of eloquence, and the dawn of remembrance. All praiseworthy names return to these souls as long as they remain under the shade of God. Outward knowledge is of no value in this station and never will be. This is why that Point of existence, that desired Countenance, in His revealed words, addressed to the people of knowledge, has given countless counsels and advised all not to be proud of their own knowledge, wisdom, and eloquence at the time of His appearance, so that they may perhaps attain the knowledge of God and what is with Him. This is why the Point of the Bayán says: “Perhaps on the day of the appearance of the truth, someone may be honored to learn from that Source of knowledge.” And how great is this matter, for His knowledge is none other than Himself. He says: “There is no greater joy in existence than for one to hear His verses, to understand His intention, and not to question the reason or cause for His words, nor compare them with the words of others. Just as His being is the manifestation of divinity and lordship over all things, so too are His words the manifestation of divinity and lordship over all words. If that one were human, they would say: ‘Indeed, I am God; there is no God but Me, and all other than Me is My creation. O letters, fear Me!’”

257 O people of the Bayán, though you have appeared within certain limits, and it seems that none could attain purity and sanctity, it is as though even if a hundred thousand gates of divine knowledge were opened, none would listen, let alone understand. Listen to the divine counsel and reflect each day on the previous manifestation and the events that occurred during its days, so that these newly arisen matters may not fade from sight and may serve as a means of steadfastness.

258 At the beginning of the manifestation, all the scholars rose up to deny it, as stated explicitly by the Point of the Bayán—may all souls be a sacrifice unto Him. That most exalted Countenance revealed a tablet to each of the jurists in various regions, mentioning their rejection in detail, and the text of those tablets still exists. He wrote to the scholars of Najaf and Karbala, one by one, and likewise to the scholars of Persia, naming them one by one, and similarly to the scholars of the land of Ṣād and the land of Qāf and other lands. The gates of fairness were so tightly shut that not one of those who were renowned for knowledge and learning believed in or attained the truth of that Tree of divine knowledge, the source of heavenly wisdom, and the fountain of divine eloquence. And the first soul to attain the greatest honor before all others, becoming the Gate of Mercy, the Gate of Knowledge, the Gate of Guidance, and the Gate of Bounty for all creation, was none other than the Exalted One—Bahá’u’lláh, upon Him be glory.

259 Surely all have heard of the details of that sanctified being, who was not famous among the people and had no position in the pulpit or the mihrab. He was one of the students of the great Haji Sayyid Kazim—may God’s mercy and bounties be upon him—and most of the outward scholars declared that sanctified being to be an infidel. Even among the disciples of Sayyid Kazim, there were some souls who were more well-known than Him. For example, one day a question was asked of Mulla Mahdi Khū’ī, a disciple of Sayyid Kazim, regarding the knowledge of the Exalted One. He named several individuals and preferred them all in outward knowledge and virtue over the Most Great Gate and the Most Noble Word.

260 And where did you get the idea that what was claimed by that idolater was true, when you have not met the Blessed Beauty? No just person would do such a thing as to take the word of the most wicked and slanderous of men without evidence. If you had followed the rules of even the seminary, which requires proper understanding before judgment, you would have at least adhered to the principle that understanding depends on the nature of the subject and predicate before drawing conclusions.

Verses 261-270

261 As the Point of the Beginning—may my soul be a sacrifice for all beside Him—has stated, this Manifestation likewise affirms the same. Reflect, so that you may understand!

262 This is the promised Manifestation, foretold to all in the Bayan. Today, the deeds of anyone who turns away from this Manifestation are rejected and disregarded by God. He now declares: “Indeed, I am God, there is no god but Me,” just as the Point [of the Bayan] previously proclaimed, and similarly will be declared by whoever comes after. Have you not seen where He says that if the sun were to rise a hundred thousand times, it is still the same sun? And likewise, He says to observe this same truth in the Manifestations of Unity.

263 Know that two perspectives are to be considered in the matter of manifestation: from one perspective, it is repeatable, and from another, it is not. These two perspectives are related to the outward, material manifestations. However, in its true essence, manifestation is sacred beyond these two views and will always remain so. Yet, understanding this station is somewhat difficult. Whoever seeks to truly comprehend it must be present before the Divine Countenance in order to recognize that which was previously unknown and become aware of that which has been concealed.

264 And further, you have deemed the renewal of likenesses impossible. If the renewal of divine manifestations were impossible, then how is it that the renewal of satanic manifestations is evidently occurring and observable? For it can clearly be seen that in every city, exact examples of these shadowy forms are present and evident. Therefore, take heed, O people of insight! Indeed, the manifestation from the Manifestor has never ceased and never will; though outwardly, it appears through varying forms, if you are among those who understand. If you ascend a little higher and purify your heart from the words of the disbelievers, you will, with no hesitation, comprehend what you now deny without even considering. It is not a question of whether repeated manifestation is permitted or forbidden.

265 Hear the words of this servant and, with a purified heart and enlightened vision, observe the words of God and His Manifestations, and do not take pride in two fabricated words that Satan has cast. Look to the past nations and their scholars, who have written hundreds of thousands of books, intending to prove the truth of God, yet after the Manifestation, they remained veiled by those very books. Still, these heedless ones have not awakened; instead, they have again turned to writing treatises. Woe to their hands, their eyes, and their pens. At the time of Manifestation, no word finds its rightful place except by the permission of the Manifestation Himself.

266 The Point of the Bayan—Exalted and Glorified is He—has stated that, on the day of the Manifestation, people should use His own words as proof against Him. Yet, by Satan’s deception, you are using the fabricated words of the disbelievers to argue against Him, just as He foretold. God the Exalted, the Great, has spoken the truth. The explicit text of the Bayan affirms: “I have exerted all effort to ensure that, on the day of the Manifestation of the Truth, no one will use My words against Him, for all that has been revealed by Me is the words of the previous Manifestation, and He is more knowledgeable of what He has revealed than all created beings. For the spirit of all things is in His grasp, and to the rest is nothing but a shadow of Him—if they remain steadfast in the Truth. Otherwise, they are not even worthy of mention.”

267 Thus, open your eyes, O heedless one, and hear how the nightingale sings upon the branches of the Divine Tree, by the will of God, the All-Powerful, the Generous. Observe how lofty and elevated the station of the matter is, to the extent that that sacred and everlasting figure has refrained from mentioning His own words from that sanctified, pure, and radiant realm. And He explicitly states that in the day of His Manifestation, do not use the words of the Bayan against that Manifestation of meaning and that expression of the eternal and peerless glory. And yet, the people of the Bayan have not felt shame. Would that they used His words alone as their proof, but instead, they rely on fabricated, rejected words that have issued from corrupt souls to dispute against the divine Essence and the primordial Truth. How regretful it is for these souls, who, because of two fabricated words, are veiled from the shore of the ocean of divine knowledge and deprived of the fragrant breezes from the sacred fragrances of divine Unity. And if only their opposition was limited to using these words. No, by the One who caused the tongue of the Spirit to extol His own praise, they were not satisfied with mere opposition, but they directed the swords of enmity and the spears of hatred toward the Most High.

268 And likewise, it is written in the Bayan—exalted is its revelation—that no one has comprehended the Bayan nor encompassed its knowledge, except for that divine Essence and the Source and Fountainhead of divine knowledge. Yet the souls who rise against Him claim knowledge, despite the fact that, by God, they have never even equaled a child learning the alphabet in the school of true knowledge. Should they enter His presence, they would find themselves utterly dull in comparison. He says: “The spirit of all is in the grasp of His power, and what is with others is merely a shadow of Him—if they remain steadfast in the Truth. Otherwise, they are not worthy of mention.”

269 Now reflect on the state of these souls, who have fallen to such depths that, by God, they dwell in the lowest abyss, if only you could perceive. Today, all earthly knowledge is null and void in the sight of God, and the only true knowledge, praised in all divine scriptures and writings, is the knowledge of His Manifestation in each age during the time of His Manifestation. Today, whoever has attained that, even if they are ignorant of all letters, is regarded as the most learned among people in the sight of God. But if, God forbid, they are deprived of this greatest favor, and even if they are the most learned scholar of all books, they are regarded as the most ignorant of all in God’s eyes.

270 Listen to another declaration from the Bayan—may my soul be sacrificed for all beside Him—where He says: “And reflect on the presence of the divine Beauty, that if all the people of the Bayan were equal to Him in the essence of knowledge, it would still bear no fruit except by confirming Him.” Therefore, reflect, O possessors of knowledge, and fear Him alone. By God, this servant is ashamed to say more. These are the words of the Point of the Beginning—may my soul be a sacrifice for all beside Him—and those are your words, which have filled the world with dust and darkness. So, lift up your head from sleep, and witness the lights of the Manifestation of your Lord, so that you may become aware of what you were heedless of and be among those who turn to God, who created both you and me, and made us among those who have attained the days of His meeting and have triumphed. I ask God to send forth a breeze of grace that might revive that dead one and grant him a drop from the water of life and a draught from the flowing Kawthar at the right hand of the Throne of your Lord, the Merciful. And He is, indeed, over all things capable and mighty.

Verses 271-280

271 Beyond these matters, what do you say of Yahya ibn Zakariyya (John the Baptist) and Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary), who were both sent forth before each other, and Yahya claimed prophethood, as all Islamic sects acknowledge and affirm his prophethood?

272 And furthermore, they objected, saying: “You have changed the law of Yahya (John), even though his decree has not yet been established among the people, nor has his dispensation been completed. For not much time passed between that Manifestation and this one, and he was baptizing the people, while you claim to baptize with the Holy Spirit, as your companions have said. They fasted, yet your companions eat. He displayed utmost asceticism, such that he never took as much as a mustard seed from the wealth of others, yet your companions, as they pass through the fields, do not refrain from taking and eating. They are not engaged in any form of worship.” He replied: “These are days of joy and celebration. The time will come when they will indeed practice all the laws.” His intention was to indicate that, as this is the time of meeting God, it is, in truth, the station of the divine paradise. In this station, if there is some neglect of outward practices, the Almighty will forgive, and after the ascent of the Spirit to the Highest Companion, they will certainly act according to what they are commanded.

273 By God, the appearance of the Point of the Beginning and this most wondrous, resplendent Manifestation is exactly like the appearance of Yahya (John) and the Spirit of God (Jesus), and everything has unfolded in accordance with reality. Just as Yahya was a prophet and messenger from God, and he also gave glad tidings of the subsequent Manifestation, saying: “O people, I give you glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, and it is near,” and likewise in another station, he was also the bearer of commandments and law. And just as during his days the Spirit appeared, so too did the Point of the Beginning—may my soul be a sacrifice for all beside Him—after He took a covenant from all and gave glad tidings of the subsequent Manifestation, declaring: “Indeed, the time of the culmination is near, and yet you remain asleep,” which is precisely the same message spoken by Yahya (John), who gave glad tidings of what was to come.

274 And in this Manifestation, the same objections raised against Jesus, the son of Mary, are raised by the people of the Bayan. Just as you write that the cycle has not yet been completed, and you claim that the laws should not be changed, you also insinuate that the laws have been altered. This is a pure falsehood that has been suggested to you, for He explicitly commanded that the Persian Bayan should be followed.

275 Furthermore, the change of laws has no bearing on the rank of a Manifestation. Every Manifestation claims superiority over the previous one by virtue of the new laws they bring, as the Point of the Beginning Himself has said that had it not been for the objections of the people of the Qur’an, He would not have abrogated the law of the Qur’an. Beyond that, by your own belief, and that of all the learned, David was one of the greatest prophets and a bearer of scripture, yet He commanded the people to follow the law of the Torah. Moreover, from the words of Jesus, the son of Mary, it is understood that at the beginning of His Manifestation, He did not intend to change all the laws of the past, just as Yahya (John) did not make wholesale changes except in some matters. What is indisputable is that the Sabbath law was changed by the Spirit (Jesus), and Sunday was established in its place. Similarly, the law of the sword was abrogated, and divorce was also prohibited.

276 However, in this Manifestation, even though in the beginning nothing but pure servitude was apparent, the wolves of the land from among the people of the Bayan rose up in opposition and launched objections. They emerged from the concealment of hypocrisy with the intent to extinguish the Light of the Horizons. Though the law of the Bayan is clear, and it is recorded in all the Tablets of God that if anyone appears manifesting the verses of God, you should neither oppose nor argue with them, nor contend with them in any way. And this command was emphasized to such a degree that, by God, the One besides whom there is no other, there is no command in the Bayan more firm or established. It is as if the entire Bayan was revealed concerning this matter, yet the first dissenter and others like him rose up in opposition and committed acts that no tyrant had ever carried out. You were not in this land to be informed of it. By the truth of the Point of the Beginning and all the Prophets and Messengers, I speak with truth and honesty.

277 When they saw that the verses of God were descending like abundant rain, and the vast divine ocean was in motion, and the Tree of Divine Majesty was adorned with wondrous fruits, and the winds of grace were blowing from the right hand of the Throne of God, and the elevated heavens were studded with new stars of knowledge and understanding, they arose in hypocrisy, seeking to cut down the divine Tree. When they failed in this, the deceit of their hearts was revealed. All the migrants were agitated, the people of the sanctified household were engaged in lamentation, and the Divine Beauty withdrew from the midst of the people. Then, they resorted to lies and falsehoods, attempting to conceal their wicked deed with fabricated accusations and malicious slanders. Afterward, they committed what they did, as you yourself know that the slanderous mischief-maker who came to that land said and did things that are known. No one confronted that person, nor spoke a word against him. Yet, he claimed victimhood and cast the same falsehoods that Satan casts into the hearts of his allies. Woe unto them and those who follow them. By God, they are in grievous loss.

278 Another statement: “It must be more perfect and complete, for the appearance of every Messenger and Prophet has been higher than the previous one, and the Most High (Manifestation) likewise made this claim in relation to those who came before.” Thus, every subsequent Manifestation has abrogated the previous one.

279 Firstly, if the eyes of fairness were open, you would see that no Manifestation has appeared in the manner of this one in its originality. This is attested by what has been revealed from the realm of the All-Powerful, Almighty, Dominant One. Open your eyes so that you may witness that the Beauty of the Manifestation is seated at that time upon the throne of greatness and sovereignty, with the Point of the Bayan on His right, adorned with the authority of might and majesty, and on His left, Muhammad, the Messenger of God, with the lights of the Almighty God. In front of His face stands the Spirit (Jesus) with a company of the inhabitants of the Highest Assembly, descending with truth, if you understand. And behind Him are rows of angels of the heavens, bearing vessels of the eternal Kawthar and cups of Tasnim (heavenly drink), if you know. All of them weep and cry out for what has befallen the Beauty of God, the Almighty, the Dominant, the All-Sustaining.

280 Had you possessed sight, and returned to the greatest vision, you would have seen with your own eyes the divine lights radiating from the Manifestation of the All-Powerful Sovereignty. But the cataracts of delusions have so clouded your sight that even if you entered the Most Sacred Abode, I doubt you would attain the Meeting. Just as the beetle, even if it resides in the garden, is deprived of the fragrance of the flowers, and similarly, the blind, even when standing before the sun, is veiled from its light. They have no portion from this vast ocean.

Verses 281-290

You mentioned that every subsequent Manifestation must be higher and greater than the previous one. If you were not troubled and perplexed, I would have mentioned a word I heard from God regarding this matter. However, this is a subject on which it is improper for anyone other than God to speak. God knows His purpose in what He reveals, for the pearls of hidden meanings in the shells of the ocean of divine words are known only to the Manifestation Himself. All of this knowledge rests with my Lord, and none have attained it except His all-knowing, all-wise Self. Since the people of the Bayan are even more veiled than the deluded ones of the past, it is better to proceed with caution and conceal what has been understood, lest another outcry be raised. The all-encompassing power and boundless mercy of God have never been and will never be confined by limitations. He does as He wills and decrees as He desires.

And regarding the abrogation of previous laws, the Point of the Bayan—may my soul be a sacrifice for all beside Him—has said that everything depends on the will of the Manifestation. If He wills, He may confirm the laws and prohibitions of the previous cycle, and if He wills, He may abrogate them. Authority is in His hand; no one has the right to question Him or say “Why” or “How” concerning anything He does or commands. Whoever asks “Why” or “How” has disbelieved in God, waged war against Him, contended with His authority, rejected His command, and become one of the polytheists.

Furthermore, you mention that this matter has been addressed in the previous Bayan. These words of that polytheistic soul who speaks lies—words that are baser than the speech of children—remain unanswered and will continue to be so. O man, what reflection, what mirror? This station is sanctified beyond any mention or description, and exalted beyond the comprehension of those within the realm of existence.

In this context, a story comes to mind: During the days when the Point of the Beginning—glorified and exalted—was imprisoned on the mountain of Maku (as He is now imprisoned in this land as well, but do not compare this imprisonment with that one, for now He is imprisoned by both the government and the people of the Bayan, whereas the former imprisonment was solely by the government. If you examine this carefully, you will see that all the governments are complicit in this imprisonment)—during that time, the noble Wahid, namely Aqa Siyyid Yahya—upon him be the glory of God—raised the banner of the Cause with valor, as you have heard. Throughout all the lands, the scholars rose up in denial and opposition, engaging in cursing and vilifying the Point of the Beginning and His companions from every pulpit. The Imam Jum’ah of Tehran, although he was not truly a hater and was, in fact, more just than most, once ascended the pulpit and remarked: “I have heard that His Holiness the Bab has declared the air to be a purifier. Tell me, O man, where in the books of the jurists and scholars has it been stated that the air is a purifier?” He did not realize that this was not a matter of jurisprudence but a station beyond such utterances and words, and that the Bab was Himself a renewer of divine laws. He thought of Him as one of the jurists who had expressed a legal opinion contrary to those of other scholars.

Likewise, you are unaware of what has been revealed and what divine decree has emerged from the horizon of God’s will. Nevertheless, you boast of these words that befit the minds of false souls and have been written by you at their instigation. Certainly, you have spread them under the influence of Satan, just as it was foretold. Indeed, He is the truthful and all-knowing. Soon, God will annul what they possess by His true Word, and He will expose the deceit of their souls to His close servants.

Your duty was first to inquire of the Manifestation Himself as to what claim He made and what His proof was so that you might understand. If He said that this is the very Manifestation foretold by the Point of the Bayan, to which He gave glad tidings and from which He took a covenant with all, then all these objections would have been in vain and will remain so. You would not have gone to such lengths, compiling the fabricated words of those false souls. Fear God and do not say what you do not know, nor follow every deceiver. If you seek the truth, ask God, your Lord and the Lord of all the worlds.

Another statement—how great is the heedlessness of the one who made it—is that he claims one of His mirrors will be among the evidences and reflections of the Truth. And mirrors have ranks, he says, and a true reflection will come from one of His descendants, while the others will not be complete reflections. And he asserts that the Exalted Lord has confined this to Mirza Yahya.

He who uttered this has erred and sinned in what he committed and has disbelieved in God, who created him from dust, and he has slandered the One to whom he will return in his final abode. He is among those who have torn the Book into pieces. For he has now introduced the distinction of full and partial mirrors. By God, the Pen is bewildered at what to say in response to such heedless souls. The Point of the Beginning Himself, in His supplications, said: “O my God! Every year, send forth a mirror that will bear witness to You and reflect You.” And He also said: “Send one in every city.” And if we were to accept your claim, it would contradict the words of the Point of the Bayan. The highest rank of mirrors is described in these words of His: “Say: O suns of the mirrors! You gaze upon the Sun of Truth. Your existence depends on It, if you truly see. You are like fish in the water, moving in the ocean yet veiled from the water and unaware of that upon which you depend.”

Say: O heedless one, observe how He addresses the highest rank of mirrors, telling them to gaze upon the Sun of Truth. And then He likens them to fish that swim in the ocean but are veiled from the water and are questioned about that which sustains them.

By God, if the people of the Bayan were fair, this one statement from the Bayan would suffice for them, and they would be severed from the words of the polytheists and would behold the meaning of these divine words today. For this same dissenter, who considers himself a mirror, and some, without understanding, have accepted him as such, has, even by his own claim, been deprived of the Sun of Truth, as is evident, for he is focused on his own self, clinging to his delusions, and remains far and veiled from the Sun of Truth. He moves in the water as if sheltered by the radiance of divine lights, yet he is estranged, veiled, and deprived. Likewise, today, all mirrors are being questioned, for all stand at the station of questioning. Whoever strays from the path of divine understanding is considered nothing more than stone, not even worthy of mention. But whoever attains divine knowledge and seeks refuge in His grace is counted among the foremost mirrors before God. Thus, the matter is explained in detail so that people may understand.

Now reflect a little on this statement, that perhaps you may attain the fountain of divine unity that flows from the spring of God’s holy words. Say: O unjust one, where in the Bayan are these limitations you claim to have been recorded, these that you have falsely attributed? You have slandered God by claiming that the perfect mirror must come from a particular lineage and that the Exalted Lord confined it to a specific person. Say: You have lied against the Lord of the Throne and the elevated Seat. The true essence of the knowledge of the one who cast this lie upon you and revealed it to him is now clear. Bravo, you have bound the outstretched hand of God! They speak like the Jews without realizing it. May dust cover the mouths of those who speak such things, and mud fall upon the heads of the ignorant who have tainted the sanctity of God’s cause with the dust of ignorance and limitation. The cause of God has always been exalted above such restrictions.

By God, the One besides whom there is no other, these individuals are more veiled than the lowest of the people of previous religions. However, their guide has taken great pleasure in this statement, and surely he has already, or will soon, consider you as one of the martyrs of the fire for this act. For he has always desired to confine God’s cause to himself and what comes from his own lineage, and you have preemptively endorsed his wish. You are his willing followers. Congratulations to you for forsaking the Creator in favor of a wretched creature, one who, by God, the One besides whom there is no other, has committed such deeds that even Satan would recoil from them. Curse be upon him and those who follow him. By God, with his slander, the foundations of the throne were shaken, and the pillars of the exalted Seat trembled.

Hear the call of this servant and cleanse this scroll of self and desire, which has been inscribed with lies and falsehood at the instigation of Satan. Enter from the narrow desert into the vast and exalted expanse! Do not speak of what you have not seen and do not write of what you do not understand! Soon, you, he, and we shall all return to the dust. O man of fairness, why have you so vehemently bound yourself to the destruction of God’s cause, and for the sake of a worthless and insignificant creature, falsely attributed so many lies to the Truth? The winds of wrath have seized you, and what wrath could be greater than this? You worship the calf and do not even realize it, then ask God to bring forth another calf from its lineage so that you may worship it, and thus continue as idolaters. Then, from the lineage of this calf, you would want another, and if the lineage were to be cut off, you would mourn and wail in your hearts as you do for the loss of your parents, but even more so if you were truly aware.

Observe how heedless these souls are, that the Sun of Meanings has risen with utmost greatness and majesty from the horizon of reality, yet they have not valued Him even as much as what is born from the lineage of cattle. Say: Cursed are you and your shame. The Form of Oneness has rent the veil of majesty due to your oppression, O assembly of the obstinate!

The astonishing thing is that Sayyid Muhammad Isfahani, who had no knowledge of this matter and was never associated with it, is the one you have trusted and considered truthful, while you have declared all those who were informed as liars. At his instigation, you have drawn the sword of hatred against the Beauty of the Lord of all worlds. Cast away these delusions of the self and these deceptive snares! By the Sun of Meanings, the circling ones around the Holy Court are ashamed to even mention these false mirrors of yours. You have not realized that the existence of mirrors is not for their own sake, but that, in their moments of reflection, they display a radiance from the Sun, and once that angle is lost, they become non-existent. Thousands of mirrors have been created and will be created by a single word, and as long as they remain in the shadow of the Tree of Affirmation and the Sun of Reality, they are considered mirrors. Otherwise, they are mere stones in the lowest pits, dwellers of the fire.

Another claim: You accept that someone is superior to the Exalted Lord, and that His dispensation has come to an end, implying that “I am the One Whom God shall make manifest,” who was promised by the Exalted Lord, and by whose appearance the dispensation of the Bayan will end and be abrogated. The falsehood of this statement is more apparent than the sun. First of all, the Báb Himself has explained in such a way that no one could dispute it. One of His explanations is this: “If the creation of that Manifestation is not complete, God will not manifest the next Manifestation.” And He has also explained the meaning of completion, stating that whatever He has ordained and commanded must be fulfilled, for it is from God and cannot be contravened, and a creation must come into being under His shadow, manifesting all His commands, whether of lofty stations or minor details. Otherwise, the appearance of such a person would be futile, and the prophecies of the Truth would all be false.

Say: O donkeys, what the Truth ordains is indeed the truth, and the words of the polytheists will not render it false. In fact, what is more apparent than the sun today is the falsehood of the disbelievers themselves. Say: Take hold of your reins, O deceiver, O deluded one, who has no peer in the annals of time! I know not to what other beings I might liken these souls, for they have no equal in their rejection.

Say to that polytheistic soul: O heedless one, do not consider the Truth as false, nor dismiss the words of Truth as void! By God, O denier, the fragrance of divine words is distinct from anything else, such that if someone were in the farthest east and a word was spoken, a purified soul in the west would sense the fragrance of holiness emanating from it. Whatever issues forth from God—exalted and magnified is His majesty—is and will always be obeyed by those with insight, both in word and deed, and no one has the right to reject or challenge it. Every person of understanding, perception, and discernment testifies to this. However, since they were created in ignorance, they are not aware and remain heedless. One must first recognize the Truth, what He commands, and His proof, for after proof and evidence are established, all such words and those who speak them will return to the fire and remain there. And indeed, the fire will be their dwelling place—what a wretched abode for the polytheists!

As for what you wrote, claiming that the Exalted Lord said: “If the creation of that Manifestation is not complete, then…” Know that the matter of completion rests in the hands of divine power. Neither you nor others like you have understood it, nor will you ever. It is possible for people to act according to a law for a thousand years, and yet the term “completion” may not be applied to it. It is also possible for everything to be completed in a single day, and none but God knows what is complete or incomplete, for the completion of all matters is subject to His will, as was mentioned earlier. If He so wishes, He can cause all people to return to a single soul, and from that soul, He will return them to His own soul, resurrect and manifest them. Likewise, the raising up and completion of all souls is achieved when a soul acknowledges the Manifestation in that same moment, and the completion of the previous dispensation is confirmed in that soul. All this is by the decree of the All-Powerful, All-Mighty. Yet, those who are veiled and deluded have neither reached this station nor attained its knowledge.

It often happens that the Sun of Truth appears and rises while all people remain veiled, and all the proofs of affirmation are present in the Manifestation itself, though this is hidden from the people. The judgment of negation remains true for all. This is a hidden secret known only to those whose sight God has opened and whose hearts have been illumined by the light of certainty. As the Point of the Bayan—may all existence be sacrificed for Him—says: “Let not the multitude of these people and their rigid adherence to their ways veil you, for even if it were assumed that, in a single Manifestation, the Tree of Truth were to speak and all were to contemplate His reality, they would all be negated in their ‘no god but’.” Though they may remain on the earth, their existence is an existence in the fire, and the proof of that singular soul remains elevated and beyond them all.

So what do you say now of this statement from the Point of the Bayan, and how do you comprehend the completion of that Manifestation’s dispensation, given that no one attained knowledge of Him? Therefore, understand that the completion of the dispensation is inherent in the Manifestation itself, but none but those who have drunk from the fountain of meanings of the greatest ocean that has appeared to the right of the Throne, with its manifest and clear waves, can grasp this.

The Point of the Bayan—may all existence be sacrificed for Him—also said that the length of time between two Manifestations is due to the lack of readiness among the people. The Sun of Truth, after setting in the sublime horizon, remains watchful over His servants. Whenever He sees a soul ready to hear the Word of God, He makes Himself known to that soul and does not delay for even the smallest fraction of a moment. In this context, He draws a comparison to the Point of the Furqan—exalted be His greatness—and says that after the Sun of Muhammad had set, He was always watching over His people. Had He seen anyone capable of bearing the trust of God, He would never have delayed His appearance. The reason for the delay was the people’s unreadiness, as He revealed. At the first sign of faith from the first to believe, and their acceptance of the greatest Word, the Manifestation did not delay for even the slightest instant, and at that moment, the Word of God was cast to Him. Had He matured even an instant earlier and presented Himself before Him, the Word would have been cast to Him in that very moment without delay.

O veiled ones, reflect upon the words and explanations of God that you may attain even a drop from the ocean of divine meanings. If you have insight, you will see that this wondrous Manifestation itself is the cause of the completion of the Bayan, and at the very moment of His appearance, the dispensation of the Bayan was completed. Moreover, all have been commanded to act according to the laws of the Bayan, and He Himself acted accordingly. And if all the veils were torn away, what would you do? Know that in the time of the Manifestation, whoever presents himself before Him, all names, attributes, laws, commands, and orders that existed before are perfected in that soul by their acceptance of the Truth. Therefore, reflect that you may become among those who understand.

As for your statement that all His commands—whether of lofty stations or minor details—must manifest, or else the appearance of such a person would be futile and the divine prophecies false, know that everything in the Bayan has come into existence and has been gathered before the face of God. But at that time, souls like yours were dead and insignificant, and thus were not aware. After the Manifestation, none of these sayings will avail anyone, for the completion of all things lies in His acknowledgment, the honor of all lies in His command, and the deeds of all are dependent upon His acceptance.

For example, if He wishes to take all that was granted in the previous dispensation, none can protest against Him, for He has the power to do so. One statement from the Point of the Bayan—may all existence be sacrificed for Him—is mentioned, that you might perceive within yourself and become one of those who comprehend. His words—exalted be His majesty—are: “The Bayan is like a jewel entrusted to someone. On the day of the Manifestation of the Reality, if the Manifestation wishes to retrieve all that was given, not a moment will pass before He takes it back.” Not that one should be veiled by one of the minor details, another by the principles, another by the matters of governance, and another by the matters of glory. Rather, all things belong to Him and return to Him. You must know Him by His signs and not remain heedless in recognizing Him, for the amount of heedlessness you show will determine your veiling in the fire. And if you are truly focused between yourself and God, the likeness of Him is present in your hearts. Do not let yourselves be veiled from Him by what comes from Him. Recognize the One for whose recognition you were created.

Now observe how far you have drifted from the shores of the ocean of knowledge, and how much you have been veiled by the ego and desire, deprived of the Creator and Realizer of the Names. By God, you have done the very opposite of what the Point of the Bayán intended, and you have distorted and interpreted His clear verses with false notions and lies. You have not tasted a drop from the sea of sanctity, nor have you attained even a breath from the breezes of the exalted purity. Even though the fountain of the Bayán, which flows from the pen of the sovereign of existence, has been mentioned to you sometimes in terms of branches and sometimes in terms of roots, you have had no goal except to cling to the rope of self and use it to object to the Lord of Unity.

Now consider how the divine words have been fulfilled. It has been explicitly stated that on that day no one should be veiled by speaking of branches, roots, judgments, or matters of glory, for that primal being is, in Himself, to be obeyed. Whatever He commands at the time of His manifestation is the divine decree and His command among His servants. Yet, you and those like you have argued against the Truth by speaking of roots and branches and clung to matters of glory and authority. Today, all of you are seen in the fire, except those who have held firmly to God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O heedless ones, He emphasized to such an extent that He said on that day: “Do not hesitate in knowing Him, for the slightest hesitation will result in being cast into the fire.” Yet, you have brought forth actions that none of the manifestations of denial or the dwellers of the prison have committed. Another statement from the Bayán revealed in the Bayán is mentioned for the sake of God, that you may cast aside the ragged garments of hatred from your bodies and attain the robe of divine glory. His words—exalted be His majesty—are: “But do not be deluded by the love for the Point and the Letters of the Living, for that day is a day of testing! If someone loved that Point and was guided by His guidance, it is proof that he loved this Point and the Letters.”

Consider how firm and precise this mighty, lofty, most holy matter has been mentioned in the Book. He even says: “Do not be deluded by love for Me, lest you become veiled from that Eternal Beauty.” Yet, in every moment, you have argued with countless objections, and you continue to do so. And if you say this manifestation is not the same as that manifestation, this is the very statement that all the previous peoples made during the appearance of the manifestations of Unity. For example, when the Spirit of God and His Word appeared, all people argued with the previous books to refute Him, and all denied Him except for a few whom your Lord willed. Likewise, when the Seal of the Prophets shone from the East of Batha, all denied Him, saying, “You are not the promised manifestation,” and they fabricated false arguments and wrote treatises to refute the Truth. And likewise, in the appearance of the Point of the Bayán, you have seen and continue to see what they did and are doing. What difference is there between this group and that group?

A person of insight must today look to the very Manifestation and the essence of the matter. If they witness the same evidence and proof by which the Point of Origin and the Primal Figure were established, then even the slightest hesitation is not permissible, for even a moment’s hesitation will result in being cast into the fire. Otherwise, for the beholders of the greater horizon, the Manifestation Himself is the proof. This servant is perplexed about what to say, for it is evident that you have been deprived of the explicit words of God, let alone the subtle hints and allusions. It seems as though you have neither the will nor the desire to comprehend. Therefore, my words and melodies are like the playing of a lute before those who are deprived of hearing. The following verse seems fitting here:

“The secret note of Sanā’ī seems before the ignorant
Like the lute played to the deaf, or the mirror held to the blind.”

God has placed a barrier over your ears and a covering over your hearts made of fire.

O heedless one, He says—exalted be His remembrance—: “Do not be veiled by the veils of knowledge and wisdom, for these will surely hinder you from the path of God.” Yet, you offer scientific allusions as gifts to the Sovereign, and send dried leaves as offerings to the Paradise of the Unity of Glory. Would that you were even truly knowledgeable and wise! No, by God, you are nothing but dry skins that contain small stones, which, when moved, make noise, but are devoid of any essence or true motion.

Today, no evidence can prevent the proof from manifesting, and nothing created between the heavens and the earth will suffice, except entry into the shadow of His command. If the whole earth were filled with books, they would not compare to a single word that appears from the tongue of the Essence of Eternity today. Cast aside these useless investigations that neither nourish nor benefit, and cleanse your hearts of the illusions of the authors of philosophies. Perhaps, in this divine springtime, you will attain the wondrous paradise. Sever yourselves from all else, and hold firmly to Him! Strive that you may not be veiled today by names, words, or manifestations from their Source and Realizer. This is why the Point of the Bayán—exalted is His glory—says: “Everything is for the purpose that, on the Day of Manifestation, you will not be veiled by names but will look at that by which the names subsist in all things, even the mention of the Prophet. For that name is created by what God reveals.”

If you are just, you will realize from this statement of the Beauty of the Merciful what you have been veiled from today. You have been deprived of the Creator of the names by clinging to a name, not knowing what it is or who it is. A few of you have gathered and, with the hands of illusion and false notions, have crafted an image, and then you have worshipped it. “With the hands of ignorance, you have fashioned the image of the calf, and then you have taken it as your lord apart from God. Woe unto you, O assembly of polytheists and hypocrites!”

Let us set aside all verses and words, and instead, establish a new criterion for the knowledge of God today. Let both sides weigh it, although it is God who must test His servants, not the other way around. For the Truth, and whatever issues from Him, is exalted beyond the scales of people and will remain so. Yet, I am content that by this means, truth will be distinguished from falsehood, for you have not recognized God’s proof, and you have rejected His evidence. Therefore, to fulfill the proof of God against you, I say: Establish whatever criterion or proof you deem fit, and let it determine the truth from falsehood. This is stated according to your beliefs, so that no excuse remains, and the truth will be made manifest to every soul as bright as the sun. Otherwise, the Truth is sanctified from the standards, proofs, and arguments of people. For God’s standard today is the very Truth itself, and His proof and argument are whatever appears from Him if you comprehend.

And as for the one who spoke with the tongue of polytheism and rejection, saying that the appearance of such a person would be futile and the prophecies of the Truth would all be false, may God sever the tongue of your inspirer and break his hand, his fingers, and his pen! For he has transgressed beyond his limits and falsely attributed things to God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting, and has committed what has desecrated the sanctity of the Cause among the servants. As a result, even the inhabitants of the lowest abyss will repudiate him—so how much more so the close servants of God!

Say: First, you do not know those prophecies, nor are you at all aware of their meaning, just as previous peoples failed to understand the meanings of God’s words and, at the time of the manifestation of the Divine Appearances, remained veiled and were deprived. Among these is the prophecy in the Gospels concerning the signs of the next appearance: “The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall upon the earth.” To this day, the people of the Gospel have refused to accept the Muhammadan dispensation because of these words. So what do you say now? Were these prophecies false, or did that group fail to comprehend their meanings?

And also, regarding the mention of “the Seal of the Prophets” in the Qur’an, as well as the signs of the next manifestation and the signs of the Resurrection, such as “the splitting of the sky,” “the breaking of the earth,” “the leveling of the mountains,” “the rising of the dead from their physical graves,” and similar expressions that signify the signs of the Last Day. Today, people remain veiled from the Owner of all Names and Attributes because of these very verses. So what will you do now? Will you confirm them or deny them? For outwardly, what has been recorded has not literally manifested. Either you must say all of it is false, or you must admit that people have not understood its meanings. Regarding the explicit text of “the Seal of the Prophets,” I do not know what you will say, for the Primal Point has explicitly stated that the Prophet has come from the “First of the First” and will continue until the “Last of the Last,” while others have claimed it impossible for any soul to appear after the Prophet Muhammad and make the claim of prophethood.

Say: O heedless one, know that no one is fully aware of the meanings of the divine words as they truly are except for the Manifestation of God’s knowledge and wisdom. As the Primal Point clearly states, no one has understood the true essence of the divine meanings hidden in the treasury of the Words of the Bayán, nor will they, except for the Manifestation of the next cycle. If all people comprehended the meanings of the divine Words, they would never be deprived of the dawning places of revelation and inspiration. Just as today, the veiled ones among the people of the Bayán, due to their lack of understanding of what was revealed in the Bayán, have been deprived of the Beauty of the Merciful. By God, if they were even slightly aware, they would detach themselves from their understanding, and even from their own souls.

O heedless one, far from the fountain of meaning, do not consider the divine Words false or meaningless, and acknowledge your incapacity to grasp them. And if you find yourself incapable of understanding, seek from the source and origin of divine knowledge, so that you may not remain thirsty from the outpouring of the ocean of meaning and may not drown and perish in the seas of satanic illusions. Not a single letter of what has been revealed is in vain, nor will it ever be, for in every letter of the Words of the All-Glorious lie hidden pearls of meaning. And none but one endowed with great power can bring them forth. And if, God forbid, you see falsehood and defect in the revealed Words and in the manifestations of divine power, it is more fitting to observe the deficiencies of the veiled souls. Say: Set your mirror before your face so that you may witness your own skin and recognize what lies within. Perhaps you will succeed in turning back, and you will become repentant, submissive, acknowledging your faults and misdeeds. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Another statement—how great is the error of the one who has spoken it—claims that none of His characteristics or commands have yet been manifested. The signs of the appearance of the Qa’im, as the people of the Qur’an believe, though the signs have appeared at the time of His manifestation and people have not understood them, the signs after His manifestation have not yet been fulfilled. If the people of the Qur’an object and ask what the signs after the manifestation are, what answer will you give? Failing to understand the signs at the time of the manifestation and not witnessing the signs after the manifestation will cause the people to be veiled from the Truth, and this is far from the way of God. Reflect yourself: How could the seed be planted without the appearance of its roots, leaves, and branches? How could the other seed, which is its fruit and the Resurrection, come into being?

It has reached the point that you continuously write arguments against yourself without realizing it. You have written that the signs of the appearance of the Qa’im manifested at the time of His appearance and that the people did not understand. Now consider why this lack of understanding occurred. There is no doubt that it was due to the people’s misunderstandings and illusions. As the signs of the manifestation were mentioned, people formed assumptions based on those words, and since they did not see these assumptions manifest in the physical realm, they were unable to recognize the Point of the Bayán. Just as you and those like you were not aware until the Manifestation of the Bayán explained the previous Words, and after this explanation by the Essence of the Merciful, a few accepted and most denied. This is the very action that you and others among the people of the Bayán are doing today. For you have not understood the meanings of the divine Words, and without realizing it, you cry out, saying that this manifestation should not have appeared because the people of the Bayán have not yet been perfected. And if you had understood, you would not have been veiled by these words. You have perceived the Truth as being weak and incapable. By God, if a soul is certain in the power of God, they will never hesitate over such words, for He is capable, with a single Word, to bring back all that has been revealed in past books and to initiate them anew. Indeed, He is the All-Powerful, capable of what He wills, and He is the All-Knowing, the Wise.

The signs after the manifestation have all appeared, but you have not perceived them, just as, by your own admission, the people of the Qur’an did not recognize the signs at the time of His appearance. Every sign that you expect after the manifestation has indeed manifested, but ask the source of divine knowledge to be assured that all have been fulfilled, yet souls like yours remain veiled from comprehending it.

The true sign of the next appearance after the Qa’im is the appearance of Husayn. You acknowledge the first, but deny the second. If you reflect upon this statement, you will understand limitless mysteries. In the appearance of Husayn after the Qa’im, it is written in your books of traditions that all the prophets and messengers will gather under the banner of His Holiness. It is also written that the Qa’im will return, and He, too, will be joined to His Holiness. If you ponder these words, you will realize that the statements of your books align with what was revealed in the Bayán. Know that the signs after the manifestation have all appeared. Some you have not understood, and others you have outright denied. Thus does your ego rule over you, if you would only understand.

Now, what will you say about the Point of the Bayán—may all souls be His sacrifice—who mentioned no sign, but explicitly stated that whenever He appears, all must believe and give thanks to God and observe the manifestation itself and what proceeds from Him. He clearly stated that He has the choice to manifest in whatever way He wills, and no one has the right to object. He gave countless warnings to the people of the Bayán not to use the Bayán and what was revealed within it as a basis for objecting to the Essence of the Merciful. Yet you, through the illusions of your own ego, have objected and spoken of the completion of the cycle. The very Truth is manifested, speaking with the Words of the Point, saying: “With My manifestation, the cycle of the Bayán is completed and will continue to be completed.” Yet you are so veiled that you have not recognized the Truth as equivalent to creation, and you say it must be completed in creation. However, the command of God is never fulfilled by anything less than His very Essence. Rather, it is completed in His sacred Self and will continue to be completed, if only you understood. Whatever you speak of is rebellion against God, the All-Powerful, the Dominant, the Self-Subsisting.

I do not know what you would have done if the Point of the Bayán had mentioned signs. Would you have risen to slay Him? Or would you have tried to defile the robe of divine majesty with the fabrications of your souls? Indeed, throughout the Bayán, He says that if a soul appears and says, “I am your Beloved,” even without any apparent proof, no one is to object. Now the Sun of meanings has arisen from the horizon of divine grace, shining with the verses of God to such an extent that none can count them. Yet, some of you say the cycle is not complete, and others say He has appeared too soon.

Say: O unjust ones, the Beauty of the All-Glorious Himself says—and its Persian meaning is this:

“O people, I was one of you, lying upon My bed, asleep. The breezes of divine mercy blew from the right hand of the glory of the Unity and awakened Me, causing Me to speak the praises of My own Essence between the heavens and the earth. O people, I swear by God that I have not prided Myself over anyone, nor have I denied the verses of God. I confess to what is in your hands from the Bayán, and I am certain of the Lord who created all. Have mercy on Me, and do not oppose Me. And if you do not accept this noble, divine Faith, do not object. O people, if it were up to Me, I would indeed have hidden Myself from your eyes and would not have exposed Myself to that which no created being has borne, for not a day has passed without Me being subjected to insults, mockery, and derision. But the Holy Spirit spoke within My breast, and the Greatest Spirit spoke through My tongue. This is not from Me, but from the One whose power encompasses and transcends all things.”

O people, the nearness or remoteness of the manifestation is not in my hands or yours, but is in the hands of divine power, and will always remain under His control. He manifests it in whatever form He wills. Fear God and do not be among the wrongdoers! O people, drink from the cup of the divine Words, the fountain of meaning! If you sense the fragrances of divine purity emanating from Him, then show justice, and do not bring forth that which causes the people of the heavenly gardens to grieve, and do not remain among the heedless.

O people, I am truthfully saying what I have been commanded by your Lord, and the fragrance of truth is clearly distinguishable from falsehood. Fear God and do not be among those who have turned away! O people, I have never opposed anyone and have always lived in complete kindness, humility, and submission when dealing with the people of the Bayán. During those days when all hearts were shaken by the force of oppression, and every soul trembled under the whip of divine wrath, I stood alone among My enemies. In every moment, the arrows of the enemies pierced My chest, and none could count the pains inflicted upon Me except the Lord of all, the Knower. Many nights when all rested, I was shackled in chains. Many days you were settled in your homes, while I was in the hands of the enemies, afflicted. And you are all witnesses to these events if you speak with truth and are of the honest ones.

O people, are you the powerful ones, or is it the Lord of the Worlds? If He is powerful, He manifested the appearance of His Essence as He willed. And if this is considered a fault of the servant, it was not by his doing, but by the will of the Creator of the heavens and the earth. O people, hear My call and drink from the fountain of divine mercy in these days, and do not be among the deprived!

This is the meaning of the divine Words that I have conveyed according to My understanding, so that perhaps you will realize that the matter is in no one’s hands, and no one is aware of the manner of the manifestation. All are captives of His power and authority, and He is the Ruler. He manifests whatever He wills, and all are commanded to observe the manifestation itself, not to focus on mere words and symbols.

By God, as the divine verses have descended without pause from the sky of eternal will, those who turned away from God, such as Siyyid Muhammad, joined forces and plotted together to try to deceive the people through lies and prevent them from drinking from this pure stream. One of them ran to Istanbul, and the other stayed in this land, busy writing fabrications. By God, the One besides whom there is no other, I have treated both souls and all with the utmost compassion and kindness. It is strange that despite hearing and witnessing the attributes of the Blessed Beauty, you have, based on a couple of fabrications, erased the truth from your hearts and risen up with such intensity in opposition. We ask God to grant you the knowledge of His true Self and free you from the illusions, that you may see what you have been veiled from and be among the blessed.

If you become aware of what has befallen these servants during these years of residence in Adrianople, and if you are just, you would lament and mourn. The One True God is witness that in every hour, a resurrection has been raised, for in every moment that soul—whom you, by the devil’s deception, have considered to be acting by God’s will—was performing a shameful deed and committing a repulsive act. I swear by God, who created all things, that the actions of this soul—whom you wrongly revere—are nothing but treachery. Consider, would you ever imagine that someone so associated with Me would withhold bread from the servants? Yet this is what happened, and you are unaware of it. They rushed to the great city in search of bread, filing complaints in this land. By God, I do not lie, nor do I have any personal motive. My heart, however, is aflame that you have considered such souls as your Lord and deprived yourself and others of the Exalted Truth.

It is the final days of these servants, though you think we have come here for worldly purposes. But God is witness to the truth of why we have come and what our purpose was. You know well that I was not in need of bread in My own place, and I did not travel from city to city for food. Rather, it was the breezes of divine mercy that drew Me here, if you are among those who understand.

In any case, they have ruined their own honor, the honor of these servants, and the cause. And still, you offer Me advice and write letters of counsel, asking why I have not believed in or been certain of such souls. Their vile actions have reached the point where they have even fabricated reports, listing the numbers of those who have left and those who remain in this land. What little support that was being given to some of the poor has been cut off, and it has been redirected under their own names. By God, it is better for a person to eat the fruits of the tree of Zaqqum than to partake of such bread. As the details of this fabricated list were sent to this land, no one knew of it except for the tree of corruption and those associated with it.

I only wish that even the remainder of it had been put under their name, for by God, we would have been grateful. Know this much: by the right of Truth, most of the migrants have no clothes to wear, and yet, those souls who have traveled for the sake of God and turned to this direction with cries and laments are accused of seeking worldly gain, while detachment is attributed to themselves. If only you were aware of their condition, what they possess, and what they have done in their pursuit of worldly life to maintain their positions. You would truly understand.

You wrote about the planting of the seed and its details. From all these words, it becomes clear that you have not comprehended even a single word of divine knowledge and have not grasped the purpose of the manifestation, neither its reason nor its future. Now, after turning away from the Highest Example, you object against God, uttering what you do not understand. We concede that it is as you say, and as you have written, but has this seed needed watering or not? He says: I am that breeze of divine unity blowing from the right hand of the heavenly paradise. The nurturing of all things is dependent on this divine breeze of grace and the breath of the Holy Spirit. He says: I am the life-giving water by which the seeds of knowledge and meaning, and the ears of wisdom and divine knowledge, are made to grow. Without the blowing of this breeze and the flow of this sweet and pure water, no seed of knowledge will ever sprout in the garden of human souls. And yet, you speak and write without knowing what you say.

Leave aside the vision of the polytheists and look with the eye of unity, so that you may see all the manifestations as one soul and perceive all the laws as one law. All these differences are according to time, place, and the capacities of the people of existence, and will always be so. There are sanctified and blessed lands, where, when the seed of the manifestation is planted, other branches grow in less than the blink of an eye. This is the realm of command, and creation is unable to comprehend it, as He says. And there are those lands that He describes in His words. But in the lands of the souls of the polytheists, even if a hundred thousand years pass, no good crop will grow, as God has foretold.

Of course, you will say the cycle is not complete, and it has not been perfected. Woe unto those who recognize God’s grace and then deny it. You see with your own eyes that the hidden seeds of divine meanings have sprouted, flourishing in the garden of unity, yet you deny it. Perhaps you have neither seen nor heard, and if this is the case, God willing, you are not among those who, having seen, have denied, and having heard, have turned away.

Beyond all this, His sacred Essence has always been, and will forever be, beyond comparison, for likeness and similitudes have no access to that station. And when similitudes are mentioned, it is in accordance with the knowledge of people, so that through those limited examples, they may attain some understanding of divine matters according to their capacity. If the All-Exalted One wills, with a single breath from the breeze of His grace, He can adorn all the dry trees with the robe of spring. With a single Word, He can make all the seeds of existence blossom into the grains of wisdom and knowledge. It seems that you have placed a mirror before yourself and are attributing to God the same incapacity, ignorance, and contradictory qualities that you see in yourself. Repent to God, O sleeper! And if only you were indeed among the sleepers, for the sleeper himself is at rest, and others are also at peace from him. As they say, nothing is better for a tyrant than sleep, for in sleep both he and the people are at rest. Reflect on your oppression, O oppressor, for by your wrongdoing, all things have lamented, and the souls of the sanctified have been shaken. Fear God and do not follow your own desires. Cast aside what you have, and take hold of what God offers, with the strength that comes from Him, so that the eye of divine grace may return to you, and you may become one of the just.

The one who laments with the voice of all nations asks: “Another question is this: Do the descriptions given by the Báb specifically refer to Bahá’u’lláh, to His very essence and person, or do they refer to the name ‘Bahá’? If it is to the specific essence and person of Bahá’u’lláh, this is an initial claim that requires evidence. Please show in which passage of the Bayán and with what phrase this is made clear. And if the description refers to the name ‘Bahá’, then this name is among the names of God. The definitions of God’s names are not exclusive to ‘Bahá’. He has also praised the names of ‘Jalál’ (Glory) and ‘Jamál’ (Beauty), and likewise, all of God’s names. So should every Mirza Kamál, Mirza Jamál, or others named with these names make the same claim? Besides, people like Diyán, Mirza Ghoghá, Shaykh Isma’il, and Haji Mulla Hashem also made such claims, and their claims were false. So merely making a claim is not sufficient proof; otherwise, these individuals should also be considered as the Promised One.”

Say: Hold your pen, O you who have been deprived of the robe of courtesy and fairness! With what you have written, you have violated the sanctity of God among His servants, and thus your pen and the tablet upon which you have written disown you. By God, if your ear were attentive, you would have heard, as you were engaged in writing such words, the weeping of the heavenly hosts, the wailing of the pure ones, the lament of the saints, and the outcry of all things created by the Word of God, the Exalted, the Almighty, the Great.

Take control of your tongue, enemy of God, and cease writing, abandon your tablet! Be ashamed before God, who created you by His command for this Manifestation, which has appeared in truth, causing the heavens of your certainties to be torn asunder, O assembly of the heedless. Do you think that anything escapes His knowledge? No, by the Lord of all the worlds! When you wrote what you wrote, the eye of ’Alí in the heaven of judgment shed tears as He looked at you and addressed your soul, saying: O wretched one, God has darkened your face because you have committed that which none among the former generations committed, nor will any of the latter do so.

Did we not counsel you in all the Tablets not to question “why” or “how” when the Manifestation appears? And you, O heedless deceiver, have taken the cause of God as a jest. You have struck My body in every moment with the swords of resentment and hypocrisy, unaware, thinking that you are righteous in My cause. And by your reasoning, you seek to establish what has appeared from Me, while in every moment you kill My beloved self without any shame before God, to whom all things return. By your actions, you have caused Me shame before the assembly of the near ones, the saints of God, and His chosen prophets.

By God, your association with the Bayán has made its letters, its words, its truths, and its meanings weep, while you laugh and play and mock, and you are among the scoffers. Soon, God will seize you with His wrath and might, for He is the most severe of all avengers. Have you reflected on yourself? By what proof did you believe in Me, and by what argument did you associate yourself with My Self? Soon, you will be disowned, and all in the heavens and earth will also disown you. And My very self bears witness to what I say.

The One who was sent among you, did He not appear with My signs, My manifestation, My sovereignty, My majesty, My proof, My argument, and My evidence? Why, then, did you deny Him while affirming belief in Me? No, by My self, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, you neither believed in Me nor in My signs, nor in what was revealed in the ancient realms from the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. So be fair, O heedless one, and free yourself for a moment for the sake of God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

The One who recites to you the verses of God in every moment—if you do not believe in Him, at least do not oppose Him. Fear God! He has overlooked your faith and the faith of those like you if you are among the wise. All things are ashamed before God because of the association between you and them, for all things return to the shadow of His name, “The Creator.” Thus was the matter if you are among the wise.

Soon, all things will disown their association with you and seek refuge in God from you, O you who, by your actions, have caused the hearts of the prophets and messengers to burn. What was your purpose in writing what you wrote except to mock and deride God? And by doing so, you have mocked yourself and your leaders without realizing it, just as servants before you mocked the envoys of God and His trusted ones. And you have come after them with an action that has caused the foundations of serenity to tremble, the pillars of certainty to shake, and the very essence of tranquility to quiver. The foundations of a mighty throne were shaken. Listen to My words and do not exceed your limits! Know yourself, O one who associates partners with God and His signs, disputes with His very essence, and wages war with His being! Cease what you have committed!

By God, your actions have caused the storms of retribution to rise over all the world, and they will seize you and your allies. There is no god but Him, to Him belongs power and dominion, to Him belongs grandeur and sovereignty. He sends down whatever He wills by His command, for He is the Mighty, the All-Powerful.

Everything is amazed at what has led you to such insolence against the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Ancient Beauty. You have waged war against Him, while the Báb—may the souls of all be a sacrifice unto Him—said that no indication, no sign, nor any hint could ever approach His exalted station, His mighty grandeur, or His majestic glory. Yet you, in your mockery, have written things about Him that no soul before has ever dared to do. Astonishingly, you feel no shame and still mention the Báb’s name. By what proof or evidence have you allowed yourself such insolence? My amazement is easy to bear, but the entire company of the celestial realm is bewildered by people like you. How swiftly you have disbelieved in the very One in whom you claimed to believe.

Even if you did not understand this matter, with all the signs of divine grandeur and the revealed verses from the Lord, could you not at least pause for reflection? If you truly observed the Bayán, you would see that you have no evidence to challenge such a soul, no matter what He decrees. Woe to those who have blown into you and filled your heart with hatred for God and His enmity. Ah! Ah! “Ah,” which cannot be described by the pen, “Ah,” which cannot be fully conveyed in speech, for what you have done in seeking the favor of one whose very being is rejected by the prison, whose reality is shunned by the abyss, and whose essence is refused by the flames of Hell and its burning fire.

In the Bayán, all are forbidden from quarreling or disputing with one another, and it is said: if you must present your evidence and arguments to each other, do so with utmost courtesy and respect, stating your reasons in writing with the highest decorum and humility. The most important thing is not to cause grief to that essence of might, that sun of meaning, during the days of the manifestation and its radiance.

If only you had adhered to the counsel of that Beloved of existence! No, by God, you have not followed even a word of the Bayán, except for those parts that align with your own desires. We seek refuge in God from this sin, for His words were always sanctified from your selves, your desires, your knowledge, and your understanding.

Had you at least stopped at disputing with the Manifestation of the Lord of Lords! You have shown no shame, nor have you observed any respect. You have committed an action that, from this day until the day that knows no end, every person of courtesy and decency will be ashamed to even look upon what you have written. By God, you have committed what has caused the hearts of the near ones to burn.

If only you had considered Him as one of the people of the earth, for you would not have dared to show such insolence or speak with such audacity. By God, if you had heard the breath of decency, it would disown you, and the essence of courtesy would seek refuge in God from your deeds. Courtesy is the mark of a true human being, distinguishing them from others. Any soul that has not attained it is better off nonexistent than existent. You, who are stationed at the very seat of courtesy, have committed deeds that any soul of decency would be ashamed to even mention. The veil of your courtesy and decency has been torn asunder, O assembly of the wicked!

The sacred essence states: O people, I have come to you from the East of the Spirit with the message of God, the Mighty, the Eternal, and I do not speak of my own will; rather, your Lord, the Merciful, speaks through this truthful, eloquent, and beloved tongue. O people, do not kill me with the swords of hatred, and do not judge me in ways that would violate the sanctity of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. O people, He calls you through my tongue, and speaks within my breast, and has established me upon His Cause. By God, I find no movement or rest within myself except by His command. Reflect, that you may understand! Can the fountain of life flow from polluted springs? No, by the Lord of all the worlds, if you truly know.

O people, this is the fountain of God’s will, from which rivers of His purpose flow as He wills, and He is indeed the true Judge. He is the Truth, the Knower of all things. If you have any taste, then drink from it, so that you may find its sweetness, and smell the fragrance of God, your Lord. This is the Word of Truth, and after the truth, there is only error, if you are among the understanding.

Do you object to the One who sent me and speaks through my heart? Alas for you and for what you do! The One who has come to you with the signs of God and declares, “These have been revealed by Him”—should anyone object to Him? Be fair if you are just! O people, I am not able to breathe even a single breath except by His permission, and you find the breath of the Merciful in this soul, which God has sent in truth, if you accept it with your hearts.

Do not strip yourselves of the robe of courtesy and justice, and do not speak of what you have been forbidden in the Tablets of your Lord, the Mighty, the Eternal. Whoever is deprived of courtesy is indeed naked, even if they wear all the finest garments of the earth. This has been revealed in truth in the guarded Tablets: Whoever lacks courtesy has no faith. And this is testified by what was revealed in the Bayán, if you bear witness. Courtesy was created in the Bayán for the sake of this Beauty, and likewise, every good name, if you but knew.

By the life of the One who has appeared in truth, He intended nothing in the Bayán except Myself. He breathed only for My sake, and He ordained all good things for My Beauty. Were it not for My mention, the Bayán would not have been revealed, nor would the Beauty of the Merciful have spoken a word among you, for such as you are not worthy except for your own words, if you understand. The Bayán was revealed for My sake, and I recited it in all times. What was revealed then is indeed the Bayán, if you understand. What was revealed then serves as a witness to what was revealed before, and what was revealed by Him serves as proof for what is revealed now by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O people, I am His self, and He is My self. He sacrificed His self for My self, and I have taken My self and My soul in My own hands to sacrifice them in His path and for His love and pleasure. All the atoms bear witness to this if you listen. Fear God and do not separate Me from Him, even if God has placed this beyond your capacity. If everyone in the heavens and the earth were to gather to separate us, they would not be able to, nor would they succeed.

At that time, He was seated at the right hand of His throne, His fingers between His teeth, contemplating you and what you had done, O assembly of idolaters! He cried out and wept over what befell Me and what will come to you afterward. At that time, He recounted to Me what was hidden in your breasts, and He wept, and with His weeping, the denizens of the highest company lamented, but you neither know nor feel.

Despite this, you have done things on this earth that have no equal. If you had even a little insight, you would realize that the objections you raise against the Truth are directed against Him who revealed the Truth and always will reveal it, and they concern no one else. Just as the previous peoples raised objections, unaware, and if they had understood that their objections were directed at the Truth, they would never have objected. For this reason, the Manifestations of negation have always opposed the Manifestations of affirmation, bringing about things that pen and tongue are ashamed to mention.

Soon, what was foretold will come to pass, for mere rejection and opposition will not suffice for you. The Eternal Beauty says: O deaf ones of existence, I will recite to you a melody from the songbird of the former manifestation, so that perhaps you may understand a little. And even if you do not comprehend, the realities of all things will listen and will not tear the veil of modesty or cast off the robe of courtesy. It is this: To the letter of Life and the Greatest Unique One—upon them both be My glory—He said when they asked about this most sacred, most exalted Manifestation: By the One who is alone in might and glory and has brought all things into being from nothing, even certainty is ashamed to attain certainty in Him, or to bow down before Him. Even evidence is ashamed to point to Him for anyone else. Do you wish Me to recognize you or to bear witness against another for you?

The Ancient Essence, who says that even certainty is ashamed to attain certainty in Him, to bow before Him, and even evidence is ashamed to point to Him, while you, without shame or modesty, have risen up in such opposition to the Cause of God that nothing like it has ever been seen. You have torn asunder the veils of modesty and sanctity with the fingers of polytheism. We ask God to tear apart your veil, expose your vile self among the people, and strip you of the robe of honor, so that He may reveal to His servants what you truly are. By God, O heedless one, with your actions you have caused all things to tremble, torn the veil of chastity, and shaken the foundations of the highest realm.

By the Beloved of existence, after this, you have not and will not consider the sanctity of any of the Manifestations of God, except the souls of idolaters, and this only because of the whispers and illusions concealed within those souls. Another statement from the Bayán is revealed purely for the sake of the Merciful, so that perhaps a breeze from the garden of the divine words may pass over the inhabitants of the world, and perhaps, through this, those sacred souls may emerge from behind the veil and attain the divine purpose. They may act according to what has been previously revealed and regard these days as precious. Likewise, may those souls realize the immense sanctity of this Manifestation before God, so that they may refrain from insolence.

He says—exalted be His glory—: I have read your letter, and what is contained within it is a gem. Were it not for what it contains, I would not have answered you upon this paper, nor with the highest authority decreed in creation. How great is the mention of the One about whom you asked! He is higher, more exalted, more majestic, more secure, and more sacred than hearts can perceive, souls can bow before, or bodies can praise with their tongues. How great is your request, and how small is your essence! Should the sun of His Manifestation in the point of the Bayán be questioned about the sun, before whose radiance those suns bow in prostration, if they are true suns? If not, they are unworthy of the exaltedness of His sanctity and the loftiness of His mention.

Had you not been of the first rank, I would have imposed a limit upon you for questioning about God, who created you, sustained you, caused you to die, and raised you again in this form through the point of the Bayán in this unique Manifestation. First, say, when you wish to mention Him in your knowledge: “Glory be to the One who possesses sovereignty and dominion” nineteen times. He says—exalted be His mention: I have written a gem about Him, and it is this: He cannot be questioned by My indications, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayán. Indeed, by His might, that word is greater in the sight of God than the worship of all things on earth, for the essence of all worship ends in that word.

Now, from these statements of the revealed Bayán—exalted be its greatness—reflect on the rank of the mirrors who have assumed rights for themselves apart from God, and the station of those who have turned away and opposed. The Ancient Essence, the Beloved of the world, by whose word all those in the Bayán were created, is mentioned with such reverence, saying: Had you not been of the first rank, I would have imposed a limit upon you. Reflect for a moment on what this great warning means for such a soul. If you have any insight, you will cry out and lament, saying, “Alas for what we have neglected in the cause of God!” Yet the questioner did not mention anything disrespectful or inappropriate in his inquiry. Simply for the act of questioning, such a stern warning was given so that he and all the people of the Bayán might be made aware and never ask about God except from His own Self, for He alone is His own proof, and cannot be known by anything less than Himself.

As He states at the end of this letter: “Any soul that beholds that Eternal Beauty through anything other than His own eyes will never come to know Him.” He says—exalted be His mention: “Witness with the eye of your heart and do not look upon Him except through His own sight! For whoever looks upon Him with His own eye will perceive Him, and whoever does not will be veiled. If you seek God and His meeting, then seek Him and gaze upon Him.” Likewise, to glorify His own Self and manifest His station, He states—exalted be His glory: “Verily, He reveals Himself to all things. Yet I feel shame to say that everything comes to know itself through the same means by which I have made all things aware of Me through My signs. For everything you find, from all things, is His creation, and verily, God is far above and exalted beyond being known by His creation; rather, it is creation that is known through Him.”

Observe how with what courtesy and reverence He speaks in all these statements, which pertain to the next Manifestation. He says that He Himself makes His holy Self known to all things, and I feel ashamed to say that all things would know Him in the same way they come to know themselves. If you reflect even a little on these divine words from the Merciful and partake of the sweet fruits of understanding hidden therein, you will shatter the idol of delusion, which is fashioned by the hands of doubt, and turn toward the Ancient Horizon. Yet it is far from likely that you will be granted this success, for your insolence has exceeded all bounds.

By the truth of the Point of Existence and the Beauty of the Worshipped One, this servant is bewildered by your kind. These are the words of the Lord Most High, and yet you mock God by mentioning Mirza Jamál and Mirza Kamál in derision. You seem to believe that the sanctity of God is diminished among the people by such words, just as the deniers of God have slandered the Beauty of the Merciful with these falsehoods. But you are heedless of the fact that to anyone with insight, these words you have mentioned are the lowest, most vile, and furthest from any noble mention. Every soul of any worth avoids the disgrace you have committed, and every person of distinction seeks refuge in God from the disrespect you have shown.

Furthermore, it is confirmed and proven by these words that nothing besides His holy Self is His proof, nor will it ever be, and any attempt to know Him through anything other than Himself has always been, and will always be, rejected. Whoever seeks to know that Hidden Sacred Essence must know Him through His own Self and what He reveals from Himself, not through words past or future. By the One in whose hand is My soul, the strong boughs of the divine Orchard are apparent in the garden of these divine words, and the fruits of sublime knowledge are evident from the Lot-trees of these written words. Yet, apart from the possessors of vision, perception, and taste, no one has any portion of this. And today, none are mentioned among those with sight, taste, and heart except the people of Bahá, whose faces God has illumined with the lights of His Beauty, whom He has sanctified from all else, and to whom He has revealed that which has bewildered the hearts and settled them in the shade of His Cause, cutting them off from the world.

Now, since the people of the Bayán are walking without the good pleasure of God, wandering in the desert of illusion, and deprived of the purpose of God and His signs—just as you have written, asking where in the Bayán the Blessed, Exalted, Most Glorious Name is mentioned and in what wording—this servant has descended from the Most Remote Place and the Lot-tree of the utmost limit, which is the station of the divine Essence, and has turned toward the earth of limitation, which is the realm of expression and signs, in the hope that what I mention in this station may be accepted and that by the cord of divine words, you may be saved from the transient abyss and advance to the eternal light-filled realm.

Regarding your question about whether the praises of the Báb are for a specific individual or for the name Bahá: First, tell me what reason or proof you had for believing in the Báb, who named Himself the “Remembrance” and attributed all the beautiful names to His blessed Self. By what proof did you accept Him, and by what evidence did you become certain and submit? By the same reason and evidence, be watchful now. All the names and their dominions are created by the word of the Manifestation and will be created, and all are revolving around Him, though you do not know and are heedless. He states: “Whatever has been mentioned of the beautiful names in the Bayán, the entire intent has been the next Manifestation, and it will always be so.” Similarly, whatever “good” was mentioned in the Bayán, in its primary truth, refers to the next Manifestation, and in its secondary truth, refers to the first believer in Him.

Today, by the explicit words of the Point of the Bayán, those souls who have turned away from this wondrous Cause are deprived of the garment of name and attribute, and all are gathered and noted before God among the beasts. Say: Die in your wrath, O you who deny this grace and perish upon hearing it! It has appeared in truth, and the manifestations of the names and their dominions, as well as their realities and essences, revolve around it if you are among the knowledgeable. And He has no need for anything besides Himself, nor for the names you once knew, for everything needs Him, and all ask from His bounty. Thus, the realities of the names lament your wrongdoing and deeds and seek refuge in God from you and your kind, saying to you: O heedless one, we were created and sent forth by the command of God, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, and we serve at His court, circling around His door, and we are honored by our connection to Him. Yet He is self-sufficient from us, if you are among the perceiving.

When the fire of envy and hatred flared within you, you were not content that He who created the dominion of the names by His command would attribute one of those names to Himself. This is an injustice, the like of which has never appeared in creation. Thus, the cities of everlasting life wail from your wrongdoing, O assembly of the rebellious!

Say: He is the one by whom the names are honored if a servant among His servants is connected to Him or called by them. Yet you were not aware of this and are among those far removed. Say: By God, I am the Exalted One in the dominion of eternity, Muhammad in the realm of the names, the Spirit in the cities of everlasting life, and Husayn in this great Manifestation. We have other names in the realms of the Ancient One, of which no one is aware except God, the Singular, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Die in your wrath, O heedless one! The honor that has been ordained for the names is because of their connection to My self, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. No name has risen in dominion except by turning toward My sanctified, exalted, mighty shore. By My soul, every good name returns to My self, and every sublime mention ends in My beauty, if you are among the certain.

And if you name yourself with all the names but not by Me, it will not be true. Rather, the realities of those names will curse you when they emerge from your mouth, flee from you, and return to the remotest sanctuary, this sacred, lofty, and exalted station. If you name darkness as light, will that name be true for it? No, by the Lord of all the worlds! Or if you call pottery pearls, does that name suit it? No, by your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate! Do you object to the one to whose radiance all the names prostrate, and who will not move except by His command, nor shine except by His radiant, exalted, sacred, and manifest light? Fear God, and do not follow your whims, nor object to the one whom God has sanctified from all names and attributes, then from all mention and description. He has made Him His own proof for Himself and has caused His being to bear witness to His own essence, the Mighty, the Invincible.

Your Lord created the dominion of names, as He created all things, by His command “Be!” and it is, if you are among the observers. And if He wills, He can return them to absolute non-existence, for He is the Omnipotent, the All-Wise. Listen to My words and repent to God, who created you for the knowledge of His Self. Do not dispute His Cause after its appearance, and do not be among the rebellious! Purify your heart, then your ears, so that you may hear the melodies of God from His pure, luminous, truthful, and trustworthy tongue! Do you think that anyone besides Him could bring forth what He has brought? No, by His own sovereign being, the All-Powerful, the Eternal! Or could anyone else speak directly before His face? No, by His beloved, exalted beauty! He cannot be confused with anyone else, and what appears from Him is sanctified from everything that has appeared in the worlds, if you but know.

Say: Sometimes He names Himself with all the names, and sometimes He sanctifies Himself from them and from all that was created between the heavens and the earth, and from all that was and will be. Say: All matters are in His grasp

. He does what He wills by His command, and whoever says “Why” and “How” has disbelieved in God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Fear God, and do not follow the path of the first one who turned away from God. Avoid him, and seek forgiveness from your Lord, so that He may breathe upon your reality what will cleanse it of the odors of those people. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. If you hear, it is for your own self, and if you deny and turn away, it is against your own self. For your Lord, the Merciful, is independent of all things in creation, and verily He is the sanctified, exalted, mighty, and praiseworthy.

As He states at the end of this letter: “Any soul that beholds that Eternal Beauty through anything other than His own eyes will never come to know Him.” He says—exalted be His mention: “Witness with the eye of your heart and do not look upon Him except through His own sight! For whoever looks upon Him with His own eye will perceive Him, and whoever does not will be veiled. If you seek God and His meeting, then seek Him and gaze upon Him.” Likewise, to glorify His own Self and manifest His station, He states—exalted be His glory: “Verily, He reveals Himself to all things. Yet I feel shame to say that everything comes to know itself through the same means by which I have made all things aware of Me through My signs. For everything you find, from all things, is His creation, and verily, God is far above and exalted beyond being known by His creation; rather, it is creation that is known through Him.”

Observe how with what courtesy and reverence He speaks in all these statements, which pertain to the next Manifestation. He says that He Himself makes His holy Self known to all things, and I feel ashamed to say that all things would know Him in the same way they come to know themselves. If you reflect even a little on these divine words from the Merciful and partake of the sweet fruits of understanding hidden therein, you will shatter the idol of delusion, which is fashioned by the hands of doubt, and turn toward the Ancient Horizon. Yet it is far from likely that you will be granted this success, for your insolence has exceeded all bounds.

By the truth of the Point of Existence and the Beauty of the Worshipped One, this servant is bewildered by your kind. These are the words of the Lord Most High, and yet you mock God by mentioning Mirza Jamál and Mirza Kamál in derision. You seem to believe that the sanctity of God is diminished among the people by such words, just as the deniers of God have slandered the Beauty of the Merciful with these falsehoods. But you are heedless of the fact that to anyone with insight, these words you have mentioned are the lowest, most vile, and furthest from any noble mention. Every soul of any worth avoids the disgrace you have committed, and every person of distinction seeks refuge in God from the disrespect you have shown.

Furthermore, it is confirmed and proven by these words that nothing besides His holy Self is His proof, nor will it ever be, and any attempt to know Him through anything other than Himself has always been, and will always be, rejected. Whoever seeks to know that Hidden Sacred Essence must know Him through His own Self and what He reveals from Himself, not through words past or future. By the One in whose hand is My soul, the strong boughs of the divine Orchard are apparent in the garden of these divine words, and the fruits of sublime knowledge are evident from the Lot-trees of these written words. Yet, apart from the possessors of vision, perception, and taste, no one has any portion of this. And today, none are mentioned among those with sight, taste, and heart except the people of Bahá, whose faces God has illumined with the lights of His Beauty, whom He has sanctified from all else, and to whom He has revealed that which has bewildered the hearts and settled them in the shade of His Cause, cutting them off from the world.

Now, since the people of the Bayán are walking without the good pleasure of God, wandering in the desert of illusion, and deprived of the purpose of God and His signs—just as you have written, asking where in the Bayán the Blessed, Exalted, Most Glorious Name is mentioned and in what wording—this servant has descended from the Most Remote Place and the Lot-tree of the utmost limit, which is the station of the divine Essence, and has turned toward the earth of limitation, which is the realm of expression and signs, in the hope that what I mention in this station may be accepted and that by the cord of divine words, you may be saved from the transient abyss and advance to the eternal light-filled realm.

Regarding your question about whether the praises of the Báb are for a specific individual or for the name Bahá: First, tell me what reason or proof you had for believing in the Báb, who named Himself the “Remembrance” and attributed all the beautiful names to His blessed Self. By what proof did you accept Him, and by what evidence did you become certain and submit? By the same reason and evidence, be watchful now. All the names and their dominions are created by the word of the Manifestation and will be created, and all are revolving around Him, though you do not know and are heedless. He states: “Whatever has been mentioned of the beautiful names in the Bayán, the entire intent has been the next Manifestation, and it will always be so.” Similarly, whatever “good” was mentioned in the Bayán, in its primary truth, refers to the next Manifestation, and in its secondary truth, refers to the first believer in Him.

Today, by the explicit words of the Point of the Bayán, those souls who have turned away from this wondrous Cause are deprived of the garment of name and attribute, and all are gathered and noted before God among the beasts. Say: Die in your wrath, O you who deny this grace and perish upon hearing it! It has appeared in truth, and the manifestations of the names and their dominions, as well as their realities and essences, revolve around it if you are among the knowledgeable. And He has no need for anything besides Himself, nor for the names you once knew, for everything needs Him, and all ask from His bounty. Thus, the realities of the names lament your wrongdoing and deeds and seek refuge in God from you and your kind, saying to you: O heedless one, we were created and sent forth by the command of God, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, and we serve at His court, circling around His door, and we are honored by our connection to Him. Yet He is self-sufficient from us, if you are among the perceiving.

When the fire of envy and hatred flared within you, you were not content that He who created the dominion of the names by His command would attribute one of those names to Himself. This is an injustice, the like of which has never appeared in creation. Thus, the cities of everlasting life wail from your wrongdoing, O assembly of the rebellious!

Say: He is the one by whom the names are honored if a servant among His servants is connected to Him or called by them. Yet you were not aware of this and are among those far removed. Say: By God, I am the Exalted One in the dominion of eternity, Muhammad in the realm of the names, the Spirit in the cities of everlasting life, and Husayn in this great Manifestation. We have other names in the realms of the Ancient One, of which no one is aware except God, the Singular, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Die in your wrath, O heedless one! The honor that has been ordained for the names is because of their connection to My self, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. No name has risen in dominion except by turning toward My sanctified, exalted, mighty shore. By My soul, every good name returns to My self, and every sublime mention ends in My beauty, if you are among the certain.

And if you name yourself with all the names but not by Me, it will not be true. Rather, the realities of those names will curse you when they emerge from your mouth, flee from you, and return to the remotest sanctuary, this sacred, lofty, and exalted station. If you name darkness as light, will that name be true for it? No, by the Lord of all the worlds! Or if you call pottery pearls, does that name suit it? No, by your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate! Do you object to the one to whose radiance all the names prostrate, and who will not move except by His command, nor shine except by His radiant, exalted, sacred, and manifest light? Fear God, and do not follow your whims, nor object to the one whom God has sanctified from all names and attributes, then from all mention and description. He has made Him His own proof for Himself and has caused His being to bear witness to His own essence, the Mighty, the Invincible.

Your Lord created the dominion of names, as He created all things, by His command “Be!” and it is, if you are among the observers. And if He wills, He can return them to absolute non-existence, for He is the Omnipotent, the All-Wise. Listen to My words and repent to God, who created you for the knowledge of His Self. Do not dispute His Cause after its appearance, and do not be among the rebellious! Purify your heart, then your ears, so that you may hear the melodies of God from His pure, luminous, truthful, and trustworthy tongue! Do you think that anyone besides Him could bring forth what He has brought? No, by His own sovereign being, the All-Powerful, the Eternal! Or could anyone else speak directly before His face? No, by His beloved, exalted beauty! He cannot be confused with anyone else, and what appears from Him is sanctified from everything that has appeared in the worlds, if you but know.

Say: Sometimes He names Himself with all the names, and sometimes He sanctifies Himself from them and from all that was created between the heavens and the earth, and from all that was and will be. Say: All matters are in His grasp. He does what He wills by His command, and whoever says “Why” and “How” has disbelieved in God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Fear God, and do not follow the path of the first one who turned away from God. Avoid him, and seek forgiveness from your Lord, so that He may breathe upon your reality what will cleanse it of the odors of those people. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. If you hear, it is for your own self, and if you deny and turn away, it is against your own self. For your Lord, the Merciful, is independent of all things in creation, and verily He is the sanctified, exalted, mighty, and praiseworthy.

Know that wherever the word “Bahá” (Glory) appears in the divine scriptures, it has been revealed with reference to a particular and manifest form, clearly evident and clearly apparent. All mercy today is reserved for the one who believes in Him, and all wrath is for those souls who do not believe in Him and turn away. Indeed, those names that have been heard and associated with the first denier were, unbeknownst to them, all specifically intended for this Manifestation, but the deniers have altered them without understanding. This injustice is none other than the work of the original tree of opposition and corruption.

And beyond this, if there is no mention of this Manifestation in the Bayán, according to your assumption and that of your guides, and if the word “Bahá” has not been revealed in the Book, what harm does that do to the Manifestation? He says: I have appeared with the same proof as the First Point (the Báb), nay, even greater, if you were to comprehend. And by God, there is no god but Him—He has never desired that anyone should prove His Cause except by His own self and the verses He revealed. Indeed, your question would only be valid if the Manifestation Himself had stated that His proof is His name, but He is far above that. His proof has always been and will always be His own Manifestation and what has been revealed from Him. This is the proof by which all the Prophets and Messengers have been sent. Whoever turns away has turned away from God, his Creator, and has disbelieved in His verses, and is among the polytheists, as recorded by the Pen of God on the Tablet.

Even the Báb Himself—may all souls be sacrificed for Him—only used His verses as proof, as when He was summoned to various gatherings and asked for evidence, He responded with nothing but His revealed verses from that Source of all names and attributes. And whenever any servant sought proof, the answer was always to gaze upon the verses of God. For the proof has always been and will always be the verses of God, and this proof is sufficient for everyone on earth. In this greatest Manifestation, many people have witnessed what they desired, whether in the divine verses, the like of which no one has ever seen, or in scientific explanations and extraordinary deeds. Yet they have still disbelieved in the reality, essence, and being of the First Point and do not perceive it. And still, you mention names. People have always turned away from the known sovereign and have clung to the delusions of their own selves.

As for what you wrote, questioning if the references to the specific essence or person are found in the Bayán, and in what wording: Therefore, purely for the sake of God, I will mention some of the revealed verses from the Supreme Will, which have been revealed concerning this Blessed, Exalted, and Most Glorious Name and this Most Sacred and Unapproachable Manifestation. Although, by God, there is no god but Him, the Beauty of Bahá has never used anything but the revealed verses from the Heaven of Oneness as His proof and standard for His Cause. Though these words you have brought up are in opposition to God, your intention has never been to understand, which is why I mention some of the revealed words of the Bayán in fulfillment of God’s proof upon you. If you are not guided by them, just as you were not guided before, perhaps others will be guided by them. Even though the proof is His very Self, I want you at least to realize that you are among those of whom it is said: “And in another place, He says:”

The Sun is rising with a hundred thousand rays, and the Point of the Bayán says in all Tablets to know Him by His own Self and by His verses. In truth, it is forbidden for any soul to use anything other than His Sacred Self and what appears from Him to argue for His truth. Yet I will bear this transgression and hope for forgiveness from the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity. If I were to mention all that could be said on this matter, the Tablets would not suffice, for countless words have been revealed from the realm of existence. Therefore, I will suffice with a few passages:

He says—exalted be His majesty: “And indeed, by the same means, we revealed the Qur’an before, but you were veiled from My purpose. This is what the night and the day have revolved around, eight individuals, and you have unified in worship, and yet you have been veiled from its secret after it was decreed. This is the balance of guidance in the Bayán. You believed in it until the Sun of Bahá arose. This is the Manifestation of God. If you act according to it, you are believers and will dwell in the good-pleasure of God forever. Otherwise, you are annihilated.”

And today, the Manifestation of God is manifest, and the Sun of Bahá has arisen and is shining forth from the supreme horizon, while the deniers are perishing and reduced to absolute nothingness, as you see, if you are among the just. Likewise, He is alive in the most exalted horizon if you are able to hear or be among those who see. I adjure you by God, who caused all things to speak His praise: After this firm word and this strong verse, and after this Manifestation of the Divine Glory, is there any room for anyone to turn away or hesitate? No, by His very self, if you but knew. In another place, He says—exalted be His might and glory: “From the moment the Sun of Bahá rises until it sets is better in the Book of God than the entirety of the night if you but understand. God created nothing except for that day, for on that day all will act to attain the meeting with God and His good-pleasure.”

It requires the purest sight to gaze upon the Greatest Vision and comprehend the meaning of the divine words. Listen to the call of the Sovereign of the Bayán, who, with the utmost clarity, has mentioned the next Manifestation, so that those veils of error may not remain and that people may not see any similitude, likeness, or equal for the Manifestation of Divine Unity. For the unity of the Divine Essence is not realized except through the Manifestation of the next Appearance, and the sanctification of God from all forms and likenesses is only affirmed through the Manifestation of His next Appearance. If a similitude, equal, or likeness is found for the Manifestation, then the Divine Essence cannot be seen as sanctified from resemblance, and His being sanctified from duality cannot be proven. Therefore, fear God, and do not associate any partner with Him in His dominion. Verily, He is One in His essence, and God is witness to what I say. And in this station, He says—exalted be His majesty: “Verily, the decline is near, and you, on that day, do not recognize it. Whoever seeks His meeting seeks My meeting; do not accept for Him what you would not accept for your own self.”

Despite this, everyone has exceeded their bounds, disregarded the divine counsels, and accepted what the Jews did not accept for the Spirit (Jesus), nor what the people of the Qur’an accepted for the Point of the Bayán. This arises from ignorance and a lack of maturity. If you have not heard this until now, then hear it now and be ashamed before God! Turn from the left of misguidance to the right of guidance! Soon, you and your kind and all you have spoken will perish, just as you are perishing today. For any soul not mentioned in the presence of God, all things bear witness to its annihilation. Purify your soul from this world, and do not speak of what you do not know, nor mention what you do not understand. Know your limit and your capacity, and do not exceed your station!

He explicitly states that the rising of the Sun at the point of decline is near, and you do not recognize or comprehend that day, just as you have not recognized or understood it. And that Eternal Beauty never spoke of the next Manifestation except with explicit statements in the Bayán. Unlike the previous books, which mentioned the next Manifestation in obscure terms, the fingers of power tore through all those veils in the Manifestation of Sixty and explicitly, without allusion, mentioned the next Manifestation throughout the entire Bayán.

O heedless ones, intoxicated by the wine of ignorance and heedlessness, how long will you continue to be lost in the darkness and act according to the whims of your lower self? Detach your hearts from human limitations and gaze toward the abode of the Sovereign of Unity, so that perhaps you may enter into the realm of the Eternal and be freed from “why” and “how.” Do not ask the Sun, “What is your name, and what is the proof of your radiance?”

O blind one, the proof of its shining is its shining, and the evidence of its radiance is its radiance, and so it has been and will continue to be. Listen to the words of the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, who has explicitly declared that in this sacred, eternal Manifestation, all are doomed except those who cling to the Ark of Pre-Eternity in this greatest of manifestations. Indeed, they are the people of the Ark of Holiness before God, the Mighty, the Great. And whoever clings to this Ark is saved, and whoever turns away is drowned. Verily, this is a revelation from the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

He says—exalted be His glory and magnified His authority: “O assembly of lights, verily, by God, the Truth, we do not speak from desire, nor do we reveal a single letter from that Book except by the permission of God, the True. Fear God and do not doubt the Cause of God, for the mystery of this Gate is hidden beneath the veils of the letters and inscribed above the veil of concealment by the hand of God, the Lord of the veil and the letters. God has created around that Gate oceans of the elixir’s waters, tinged with the oil of existence and the life of the desired fruit. And God has ordained for it ships of moist red ruby, and only the people of Bahá will board them by the permission of God, the Most High. And He is God, Mighty and Wise. There, the throne of God is borne by the angels of the mystery in the eight souls. The decree is manifest in the Mother Book. Soon the criminals will be presented before the Merciful, around the throne, before the Truth, in the symbol of justice.”

Had you been able to comprehend these revealed verses, which have been sent down in the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’, you would have sacrificed your souls on the path of this universal, divine manifestation. But the intellects of such people as yourselves have been stripped away by what your hands have wrought. Thus, you are deprived of the grace of the Merciful and the showers of divine wisdom in this spiritual spring and the sovereign of seasons and divine days. You are distanced from the good pleasure of the All-Knowing King, lost in the wilderness of your passions, grazing like animals in the field of illusions. Today, none are remembered by God except those who board this Ark of the eternal, divine glory. These souls are as rare as the philosopher’s stone, and soon you will witness that most people, without realizing it, are drowning in the depths of the sea of ignorance and heedlessness, deprived of God’s Ark, except for a few numbered souls. How much longer will the breezes of divine grace blow over the corpses of those dead in self and desire, giving them life and directing them toward the horizon of unity?

And when He says that the throne of God is carried by the angels of the mystery in the eight souls, it is a clear proof that few of the people of the Bayán will be assured in this Manifestation, as mentioned with the number eight, for in the beginning of every Manifestation it has been so, not exclusive to this one. And the meaning of the throne in this station is the Cause of God, and the Word of God, which is the first utterance of the Tongue of God. It is that Word at which all who are in the heavens and on earth are struck with awe, and all who are in the realms of command and creation are overwhelmed. It is that Word which has been called the “Greatest Weight” in the Tablets of God, and no soul is capable of bearing it. It is that Word, upon whose appearance all tribes will lament, and the pillars of all things will tremble. None can bear this throne except the angels of the mystery, who, by God’s assistance, bear this greatest trust, and through their acceptance, the embodiments of God’s Cause appear, and the Most Wondrous, Most Great Word is uttered.

In one station, the throne is the very Manifestation, visibly among the people, for that is the sign of oneness and the essence of uniqueness, alone in its place, with no one beside it. In that station, the throne is the Manifestation itself, and the eight angels are the guides of this Most Blessed, Most Wondrous Name, just as its number corresponds to the number of Bahá without the hamza (in Arabic numerology). And in the first reality, no one bears that throne except His holy Self.

“His throne at this time none but His own self can bear, listen to this from me,”
is a verse from the poetry that flowed from the most wondrous, sweetest Tongue in Iraq.

In another station, the throne is the first to believe, the first to be present, the first to be raised, the first to bear. He is the first creation, the first speaker, the first seer, the first hearer, the first knower, and the first assured one. His hearing is the gateway to divine hearing for all creation, and any hearing not entered through that gate is considered deaf before God. Likewise, his sight is the gateway to divine sight for all souls. Similarly, his knowledge is the gateway to divine knowledge among all creatures. His power is the gateway to divine power, his tongue the gateway to divine speech, and his heart the gateway to divine understanding. Through his words, what was hidden is made manifest. Through his request, the Water of Life is poured out. Through his attention, the clouds of divine mercy rain down grace. Through his listening, the divine Word emerges from the treasury of the knowledge of the One.

If you could gain some awareness and reflect on the favor and grace bestowed upon the First Word, the First Speaker, the First Pearl, and the Foundation of Judgment, you would gain a glimpse of the boundless mercy, grace, and favor of God.

Indeed, the blind are not like the seeing, nor are the deaf comparable to the hearing. In this revealed verse, infinite meanings are hidden, but unless one thirsts for the Water of Knowledge, the Cupbearer of the Divine Presence will not offer the everlasting cup. Reflect on how explicitly the condition of the deniers and wrongdoers is revealed in the divine Book, and how the meaning of the revealed verse is clear, and those criminals are the people of the Bayán. And the harm that befalls the Beauty of the Merciful will come from the people of the Bayán, just as the harm to the Point of the Bayán came from the people of the Qur’an. But by God, besides whom there is no god, this Most Ancient of Days has suffered more than any soul ever has. And if the people of the Bayán had been able to see, the verse “Indeed, I am alive in the Most Glorious Horizon” would have sufficed for them, and likewise, for all who are in the heavens and the earth.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for His very being! He did not fall short in His counsel to the people of the Bayán or in delivering His message to them. In no age or cycle has the previous Manifestation mentioned the next in such detail and clarity, as all of you bear witness, if you are just. Listen to the words of this servant, save yourselves from the darkness of darkness, and do not make yourselves deserving of eternal punishment for the sake of fleeting worldly days. Do not busy yourselves with distorting God’s religion and His Cause. This verse is fitting here:

“Wear the cloak of religion with every virtue,
But don’t sow the seeds of deceit for worldly gain.”

I conclude all revealed verses with these Most Wondrous, Most Inaccessible, Most Sacred, Most Exalted Words, which have been revealed from the heaven of the First Point’s glory. Perhaps their fragrant breaths will perfume the seekers of the Merciful’s sanctuary and the lovers of the Beauty of the Almighty. Though such souls as these may not recognize its fragrances, I address these words with the expectation that those who seek will benefit. By the Sovereign of the realms, whoever listens with his ear to this will attain to an eternal life and will be cut off from listening to anything other than God. And every heart that understands will certainly become a fountain of infinite divine knowledge. Nothing clearer than this can be mentioned, and nothing more manifest than this has ever appeared from the realm of speech.

How similar is this account and the praise of the First Point to the story related from Shaykh Ahmad—upon him be the glory of God—as mentioned. It is recounted that during a journey to Mecca, he said to a man named Ḥájí Muḥammad Ismá’íl, who lived in Ṣá (Shíráz), “Convey my greetings to the Báb!” He mentioned the Báb by His blessed name, intending only to guide that soul and others. That man was puzzled by the Shaykh’s words, not understanding whom he meant or why this blessed word had appeared from his lips. Years passed, and after the Báb came to Shíráz and His name spread among the people, the man realized what the Shaykh had meant.

Indeed, people like you have not and will not be awakened by these clear, radiant, and illuminating statements. His words—exalted is His might—state: “You stand before a group in which the Point [of Divine Revelation] will appear, and you shall not surpass them. They were believers. Say: those are the best among the people of the earth. If God knew of any better than them in faith, He would have manifested it from them. You submit yourselves to his father, his mother, and those who believed in him among his closest relatives, as they are from God.” If you treat every soul kindly, you may recognize this before it manifests, and afterward, you will perceive and understand. “Upon you, O Bahá’u’lláh, and upon your close relatives, is the remembrance of God and the praise of all things at all times, before time, and after time.”

The intent of the Point of the Bayán in these verses was to establish the essence of the Manifestation. Now, O unjust one, observe the manner in which this command has been given with such dignity and courtesy. He instructs the people of the Bayán not to advance beyond the group from whom the First Point would arise. He says, “If they are believers,” and in this final statement, the cord of attachment of those affiliated with this Manifestation, who today have turned away from the Truth, is severed. He explicitly states that this group is the best of all groups on the earth, for if there had been any group better than this one, the Divine Countenance and the Essence of the Divine would have manifested from them. And He commands the people of the Bayán to send greetings to the father and mother of that Greatest Luminary and also to His close relatives who believed in Him from God.

It is not surprising that some fools among the people of the Bayán might say: “The father and mother are no longer living, so how can divine greetings reach them?” O blind ones, at the moment that the divine greeting descends from the tongue of the Lord of all worlds, it reaches its rightful place. This emphasis in the Bayán was to ensure that nothing in the Manifestation would occur that would cause distress to that Primal Exemplar. And after these divine instructions, etiquettes, and most exalted words, the pure and holy soul turned toward the station of Manifestation and His close relatives, extolling and praising them. By God, this fountain of the Bayán has flowed from the tongue of the Merciful with such sweetness that if even a drop were to reach all who are in the heavens and the earth, sincerely for the sake of God, they would all become intoxicated with this divine wine and turn toward the sanctuary of pre-existence, viewing all else as void, lost, and as utter nothingness.

By the explicit words of the Supreme Countenance—may the spirit of all besides Him be a ransom—everyone was commanded to offer praise and greetings at the time of the Manifestation, but none succeeded in doing so. They disregarded the divine counsel, erased His advice from their hearts, and failed to present themselves with praise and greeting before the Sovereign, the All-Knowing King. Instead, they attacked with swords and arrows from all sides. “To God belongs the command before and after, and unto Him does all praise return unto Himself and His Essence,” if you are of those who know. Since no one succeeded in offering that praise and greeting to the King, therefore, in this divine, unprecedented Manifestation, the Sacred, Pristine Being conveyed praise and exaltation unto Himself on behalf of God. His words—exalted is His praise—state: “O Beloved of Bahá, you have conveyed your remembrance and praise, and then the praise of all things before you upon Myself, so that your words may be established among the people and your signs may be manifested for the knowing. And I say: Upon you, O Beloved of Bahá, be the remembrance of God and His praise, and the praise of the people of the Most Exalted Assembly, and the praise of the inhabitants of the cities of eternity, and the praise of the people of the oceans of grandeur, and the praise of the worlds at all times, before time, and after time, and at every moment!”

In this station, from the Most Exalted Realm, these most wondrous, sweetest words in communion with God, the Most High, have been revealed: “Upon you, O Bahá’u’lláh, the Beloved of Bahá, be the remembrance of God and His glory, then the glory of the people of the Most Exalted Assembly, then the glory of the inhabitants of the cities of eternity, then the glory of all things, then the glory of your very self, for yourself, by yourself, and the glory of this glory which has appeared for your victory among the people. O Beloved of Bahá, by Your might and majesty, You have not fallen short in conveying Your message to Your servants and managing Your creation, and all that You have desired in this was their submission before the Sovereign of Your Unity and their humility before the effulgence of Your Face. By Your might, O My Beloved, I find myself ashamed of all that I have conveyed in Your Manifestation, such that I have not even breathed a breath except with Your remembrance, nor spoken except to establish Your Cause, nor has anything flowed from My pen except what was intended in the purpose of Your self, which is My remembrance and My praise. And in every act that has appeared from You, it has been a clear sign of My self and an open manifestation of My appearance and a proclamation of My beauty.”

Yet, how can I speak of You, O My Beloved, after all these afflictions, calamities, and trials? I have not found a moment to weep for Myself, let alone to praise Your Most Great Self. Every time I intend to praise You with some praise or to draw near to You with the wonders of Your remembrance, I am prevented by the hatred of Your enemies and the opposition of the tyrants among Your creatures. When I turn to the right, I find the Book of the damned from one of Your creation, in which is written what has caused the foundations of all things to tremble and the pillars of the kingdom of Your most excellent names to be shaken. When I turn to the left, I find the book of the wicked, in which is written what has caused the truths of Your chosen ones and the hearts of Your prophets to cry out, lament, and wail. After You had commanded the people of the Bayán, who claimed faith in You and acknowledged Your uniqueness and accepted the effulgence of Your glorious unity, to each write a book in proof of Your Cause in this Manifestation, by which the sun of majesty and power has shone forth from the horizon of Your heaven of divine mercy, so that the servants might remember and await this news which You foretold in all Your Tablets, Books, and scrolls of glory, saying: “You shall each write a book in proof of Him Whom We shall make manifest, one for another, so that when He appears, you may act upon what you have written.”

However, my God, they discarded Your ordinances behind their backs and forgot what You counseled them in Your Tablets. Would that they had been content with that alone, but no, each of them has written a book that caused Your very self to burn, as well as the essence of all things and the hearts of the chosen ones among Your loved ones and the saints among Your elect. They have spread it throughout the lands to destroy the sanctity of God among His creatures, the glory of God among His creation, and His respect among His servants. By Your might, O My Beloved, I have not found a morning in which My sight has not been repelled by what has scorched My heart, caused My soul to tremble, and grieved My spirit. Therefore, I have wept with the eyes of My innermost being, and My weeping has caused the eyes of those whom You have honored among Your creatures, chosen from among Your creation, and made the recipients of Your revelation, the repositories of Your knowledge, the manifestations of Your command, the dawning places of Your might, and the fountains of Your inspiration to also weep.

Every evening, I have experienced what has blocked the breezes of Your divine mercy from creation and closed the doors of Your grace to the faces of all beings. By Your might, O My Beloved, I am bewildered by My affair, and You see Me like a distressed fish upon the dust, hearing the cries of My heart, O You in Whose hand lies the dominion of the signs. All this has happened to Me after I invited them to the shores of Your bounties and favors, showed them the paths of Your Cause and good pleasure, and commanded them to humble themselves at the gate of Your mercy and enter the court of Your oneness. Yet every time I called them, O My God, with the wonders of Your words and the gems of Your verses that You inspired in Me, they rose in opposition with such vehemence that no one could count it, though You have counted it with Your might and knowledge.

Thus, O Beloved of Bahá, O Life of Bahá, O the one who inspires Bahá, O the one who remembers Bahá, O the one beloved of Bahá, weep for the self of Bahá! By God, it has been left alone among Your creation, solitary among Your servants, and they do with it what they will, while I have no helper to prevent them from their deeds or to drive them away from the precincts of Your sanctuary, the pavilion of Your might, and Your glory. So, praise be to You in all of this and in all that has be

fallen My soul for Your sake. And though Your servants have stripped Me of the robe of joy, the garment of gladness, honor, and reverence, You have given Me, by Your bounty, what no one can take away, even if all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were to gather against Me. So, praise be to You for what You have bestowed upon Me by Your grace, O Beloved of My heart and the desire of the hearts of the knowers. And I, by Your love, shall not be troubled by anything, even if the clouds of fate rain down arrows of tribulation upon Me. I have entrusted My affair to You, relied upon You, and You are sufficient for Me as My helper and supporter. In You, I have found contentment beyond all creation. And praise be to You, for You are My God and the God of all who dwell in the worlds.

Would that they had allowed the Beauty of the Lord of the worlds to be occupied with the praise and remembrance of God. By God, I have not found the time to lament for My own self from the oppression of the idolaters, let alone to offer praise and exaltation! Though the Point of the Bayán commanded all the people of the Bayán to write for one another a book, in which they would remind each other of the wonders of the mention of this Greatest Manifestation, as a book of proof of the Cause of God and a remembrance for those souls, so that they might all be prepared for belief and submission at the time of the manifestation of the Primal Will and the universal Word and the establishment of the eternal Essence upon the throne of divine mercy. As He said—exalted is His mention: “You shall each write a book in proof of Him Whom We shall make manifest, one for another, so that when He appears, you may act upon what you have written.” However, what the people of the Bayán have done is evident. At the appointed time and divine promise, they wrote opposing tablets against the Beauty of the One, sent them to one another, and even sent some to the Throne itself. Among them is the book of the damned, written by that heedless soul who presented himself before the Divine Presence. Woe upon your loyalty, woe upon your shame, woe upon your courtesy, and woe upon what your hands have wrought, O assembly of heedless ones!

Observe, O people of the Bayán, how that Sovereign of the Throne of Destiny has devised and planned. It is akin to how one might teach birds to speak, yet by God, far greater than that has He taught the people of the Bayán. Precious time has been spent so that none, at the time of the Manifestation, would commit any act that might bring sorrow to that tender, radiant, and luminous heart. As is said in a station, following His loving and firm counsels, His words—exalted is His grandeur—state: “Indeed, His likeness—exalted be His mention—is like the sun. Even if it were reflected by countless mirrors to infinity, all of them would reflect only as much as their own capacity permits from the sun’s radiance. Even if no mirror reflects it, the sun would still rise and set, and the lack of reflection would be on the part of the mirrors. I have never ceased in My advice to this people, striving for their return to God, their Creator, and their belief in God, their Maker.”

Now consider how He instructed them to write a book at the head of each one, affirming the Manifestation to come, and how He likened the mirrors to be countless. He said if these infinite mirrors face the sun, they will reflect as much as they can handle from the sun’s illumination. And even if all remain veiled, the sun will still rise in all its splendor and radiance. As has been made clear, the outpouring of its effulgence upon all mirrors does not add to its own brilliance, nor does the veiling of the mirrors diminish it. The wisdom in this statement from that radiant Beauty of the All-Merciful is to ensure that, at the time of the Manifestation of the Sun of Realities, the people of the Bayán would not cling to the mirrors. For, in the presence of that unattainable, invincible sun, the existence or non-existence of the mirrors is of equal worth.

Would that the Primal Point were present now and could testify to how you have taken mirrors for yourselves and made them the measure for recognizing Him, by Whom the reality and essence of the mirrors were created! You have transgressed in the Cause of God to the extent that you have conditioned your belief upon the belief of the veiled mirrors. Woe unto you, O assembly of the unjust and heedless ones! Despite these clear and luminous statements and these firm and sound counsels, after the fulfillment of the first unity and the appearance of the Luminary of the horizons, all have broken the covenant of God and risen in hypocrisy, forgetting the counsels and admonitions of God. It is as though they have taken them in jest, woe to them for what they have committed in the presence of the All-Exalted and Most Great Lord.

And as for what you wrote—that if the descriptions pertain to the name “Bahá,” that this name is one of the names of God, and that the descriptions of the divine names are not specific to this blessed name—you mockingly mentioned “Mírzá Kamál” and “Mírzá Jamál.” By doing so, you have become the first to mock the Fitrah (Innate Nature) of the Creator, then the Friend (Abraham), and then the Interlocutor (Moses). By God, you are the first to mock the Spirit (Jesus), then to mock Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, and then to mock ’Alí at the time when He cleaved the dawn of meanings, and the sun of the Bayán rose through the sovereignty of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. And you are the first to mock this Manifestation, through which everything that was revealed in the eternity of eternities was confirmed, through which every soul ascended to the heights of realities, and through which every certifier entered the paradise of God, the Almighty, the Beloved. Take up your pen, O mocker of God! By God, the Pen of the Most High has lamented because of you, and so have all that have been and all that will be. Every action you have committed returns and ends at the pen of the first one to turn away from God, the One, the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing. Indeed, the essence of His pen has turned away from Him and stood before God, wailing with a wail that made everything upon which the name “thing” had been placed weep and lament before its Lord. Then it complained about its owner, if you are among those who understand.

The essence of the pen that turned away from God, on one of the days, stood before the Throne and lamented in such a way that the inhabitants of the Most Exalted Assembly wept for it. It is astonishing that you did not hear or pay attention to the lament and groaning of everything at that time. From that day until now, all the sanctified ones, the near ones, and the realities of all things have been engaged in lamentation, mourning, and sorrow. In this station, it is necessary to recount the supplication it made before the Throne, perhaps receptive souls will recognize the oppression of the Beloved of existence from the cry of that oppressed one, and realize what injustice was inflicted upon that Most Sacred Beauty by the tyranny of the people of the Bayán. This is the supplication of the pen to its Lord and the Lord of all things and the Lord of the worlds:

“Glory be to You, O my God and my Beloved! You are the One by Whose command the Pen of the Most High was raised between heaven and earth, and by it, You decreed upon the Tablets what You willed with Your preserved knowledge, Your determined command, and through what You established on the Tablet, manifesting in creation what was ordained by Your will and decreed by Your purpose. So, O my God, hear the call of this pen, which has been removed from the shore of Your nearness and meeting and afflicted between the fingers of one of the most wicked of Your creation. By Your might, O my Beloved, I fear the force of Your wrath and the manifestations of Your vengeance. You see the agitation of my soul, the trembling of my heart, and the turmoil of my body due to being overpowered by the fingers of this unbeliever who has not inhaled the fragrances of fairness from the paradise of Your justice and Your bounties, nor has he perceived the fragrant breezes of grace from the garment of Your favor and Your gifts.

So, O my God, by Your might, if You command me, I would split his belly with the power You have placed within my essence, so that perhaps my soul may find rest, and my heart may find tranquility, for he has used me to tear the veil of Your glory and honor. He has committed what has caused the hearts of Your chosen ones to burn in the pavilion of Your glory, and the hearts of Your trusted ones in the chambers of Your sanctified majesty and the tents of Your holy detachment. I beseech You, O my Beloved, by Your power, and by Your name, and by Your Manifestation, and by Your majesty, that if You do not command me to do what I have asked of You, then deliver me from this vile one and his fingers.

Ah, ah, O my Beloved! You created me for Your remembrance and to praise You, but I have been deprived of that for which I was created. What has appeared from me has torn the veil of grandeur and majesty, changed the faces of the people of the Most Exalted Assembly, annihilated the realities of those in the kingdom of names, and shaken the foundations of the cities of eternity. How, O my God, can I lift my head among the pens, when the shame of what has happened makes me lower my head before the near ones, at the appearance of the lights of Your beauty and at the threshold of the gate of Your grandeur? By Your might, if You clothe me with the robe of forgiveness and let the breezes of Your name, the All-Merciful, blow upon me from the direction of Your grace, and immerse me in the oceans of Your compassion and kindness, and forgive me for what I have done in Your days, by Your might, my heart would still not find peace, nor would my soul be at ease. Grant me, O my Beloved, that by Your grace and Your kindness, You purify me from sin. But how can I escape the scent of the shame that blows from my soul upon myself at all times, making me deprived of the fragrances of the paradise that You have placed above all other paradises?

And even if You, O my God and my Master, were to overlook my faults with Your forbearance and forgive my transgression by Your grace and bounty, how can I lift my head towards the city of Your majesty and meeting? By Your might, I have reached such a state of lowliness that if You looked at me with Your gaze of compassion, You would weep for this poor one who has become hopeless of himself and of every direction, for he has been deprived of the flashes of the lights of Your beauty, which have shone forth from the horizon of the sky of Your majesty and will. Ah, ah, for my despair on this day, in which the gates of Your union have been opened to all who are in Your earth and heaven, and You have called everyone to the seat of Your nearness and meeting. Ah, ah, for what was decreed for me in the Tablets of Your decree, and for how my share and the joy of my supplication at beholding the lights of Your face have been erased. Would that I had been deprived of all that You ordained for the good of Your creation and had never associated with those who neither knew You nor prostrated before You. They, through my assistance, have committed what caused the hearts of Your trusted ones and Your chosen ones to burn.

And if I were to say that this has come upon me for what I deserved, by Your might, O my Beloved, I would find no rest in myself when the winds of Your decree blow, nor would my essence have existence before the city of the dominion of Your power and might, nor would I have any mention in the face of the appearances of the grandeur of Your oneness. For one who has no existence in the face of Your Manifestation and Your power, how could he move without Your permission and will?

And if I were to say that You have afflicted me with this without my deserving it, that would be an injustice on my part toward You. For I have not comprehended the mysteries of Your Cause, the manifestations of Your wisdom, and Your decrees. Thus, I have become bewildered in my affair, and my understanding has not ascended to the heavens of Your wisdom, which You have concealed from the sight of Your creation and beings. The bird of my knowledge has not flown to the atmosphere of Your knowledge, which You have hidden in the treasuries of Your infallibility. Therefore, my agitation increases, and my sorrow, distress, and affliction grow.

Ah, ah, O my Beloved! How can I recount what I witness from the manifestations of Your action and the dimensions of Your command? Sometimes I witness that You have taken a pen like mine between the fingers of Your mercy, made it intimate with Yourself and a companion to Your beauty, and You move it with the fingers of Your glory and majesty, causing oceans of life to flow from it, from which a single drop raises the realities of existence and the hearts of the people of the worlds. From its writing, You have attracted the hearts of the near ones and the souls of the sincere. Yet at other times, I witness that You have subjected me to the fingers of the unbelievers and made me overwhelmed beneath their fingers. What has come from me has shaken the hearts of the inhabitants of the Most Exalted Assembly, the dwellers of the cities of eternity, and constricted the souls of those whose faces You have honored by keeping them turned toward none but You. You have sanctified them from the allusions of the people of Your earth and drawn them near in the shade of Your favor and bounty. By Your might, I fear that because of my disobedience, the pen of Your command will cease, and the Tablets of Your decree will be withheld, and the scrolls of Your judgment will be suspended. Would that I had never existed, and that I had never been mentioned.”

By Your might, O my God, I find no existence for myself after this. And if You do not return me to non-existence, then judge between me and this oppressor whose actions have caused my face to pale in shame before the sincere among Your creation and the near ones among Your loved ones. At that moment, O my God, I fled from him to You, coming to You with the lament of the lost, the cry of the sinners, and the wailing of the transgressors. So judge between me and him by the power of Your decree, the majesty of Your justice, and Your sovereignty. Is there any judge, O my Beloved, other than You, to whom I can turn for refuge? No, by Your might, there is no escape except to You, no refuge except in You.

This oppressed one has stood before the city of Your justice and mercy; this poor one has clung to the hem of Your richness, and this deprived one has sought shelter under the shade of Your sacred sanctuary and Your bounties. I beseech You by Your name, through which You have shattered the idols of delusion and desire, adorned the near ones with the robe of Your recognition and forgiveness, and stripped the veil of Your names and favors from the unbelievers, that You send from the clouds of Your power and the heavens of Your grace that which will calm my heart and soothe my soul. Ah, ah, O my Beloved, then distress and agony overtook me at the establishment of the Throne of Your chosen name, for even if You were to punish the oppressor who wronged me through the eternity of Your dominion and kingdom, it would not bring joy to my soul, nor would it alleviate my distress or calm my agitation. For my face, O my God, has turned pale from the shame of what has appeared from me, and this is a scent of disgrace that will never depart from me, even if the breezes of Your forgiveness from the right hand of Your grace were to blow upon me for all eternity. Can You see, O my Beloved, anyone more of a loser than I, or more humbled than I?

I had always, O my God, yearned for Your nearness, such that I would sleep at night in the hope of meeting You, and I would raise my head in the morning, eager to enter Your presence. And I remained in this state until the winds of Your decree blew from the right hand of Your will, and the manifestations of Your destiny appeared from the horizon of Your judgment, turning me away from Your direction toward the direction of Your enemies. Ah, ah, from this blowing! Ah, ah, from this turning! Ah, ah, from these dispatches that have overtaken me by Your power and placed me in the presence of the unbelievers and those who opposed Your beauty. Would that they had been content with what they had done during Your days and had come to Your presence! No, by Your might, they will not rest until they shed Your blood among Your creation and devour Your flesh with the fangs of hatred in the kingdom of creation. These are the wretched ones whose pride and arrogance cause Pharaoh to flee, whose tyranny and oppression cause Nimrod to run, and whose evil and malice cause Satan to seek refuge in You.

Ah, ah, O my Beloved! I called upon You when I was planted on the shore of the sanctity of Your oneness by Your name “The Compassionate,” then by Your name “The Merciful,” then by Your name “The Forgiving,” then by Your name “The Kind,” then by Your name “The Loving,” then by Your name “The Sufficient,” then by Your name “The Giver.” And whenever I found myself sorrowful, I consoled myself with the nearness of Your presence and meeting, and whenever I became agitated, I calmed myself with the mention of the days of Your nearness. Yet, when my being was completed, one of Your servants uprooted me from my place, and I was moved from hand to hand, from market to market, until I arrived in a market You know of, by Your knowledge that encompasses all things. Then one of Your creation purchased me. But, O my God and my Beloved, by Your might, when he took me in his hand, I realized that he was heedless, and I was bewildered within myself. For this lament arose from me without my choice.

In the secret of secrets, I called upon You with the cry of the yearning and the shout of the hopeful, asking You to reveal to me the secret of what had been veiled from me by the veils of Your decree and the clouds of Your judgment until I was carried to the land where You established Your throne of oppression. I found the scent of the garment from its soil and the fragrances of sanctity from its air. Joy and delight overtook me to such a degree that I felt as if I had ascended to the heights of grandeur and majesty, as if I had become the ruler over the greatest kings of the realms of eternity and a sovereign over all that exists in the kingdom of creation.

And I remained in that state until my carrier reached a path where two roads diverged: one to the right and one to the left. He turned from the right to the left. Ah, ah! Then I felt a great disturbance within me, and I was terrified, and everything was frightened by my terror until I was brought to a door. When it was opened, I found the scent of hell and the breath of damnation, such that if even a hint of it were to blow upon all that exists, they would return to pure non-existence. I was handed over to the hands of this oppressor who turned away from You, and from him came what altered the names and their dominions, and severed the attributes from their stations. When I perceived him and saw what he had committed with my assistance, I fled from him and his presence to the court of Your oneness and the station of Your throne of majesty.

So, look upon me, O my God, with the gaze of Your care, then turn the eye of Your grace toward this oppressed one who, through his actions, has become despondent of Your mercy and grace, and cut off from the wonders of Your bounty and favor. Ah, ah, from the magnitude of my affliction, from the depth of my bewilderment and burning! I do not know what to seek from the wonders of Your favor, for whatever my highest yearning reaches, I see that it will not calm my heart or bring peace to my soul. When I find myself in this state, I desire to entrust my affairs into Your hands and Your grasp, that You might decree what is best for my soul, my being, and my reality. So, I ask You, O my Beloved, by the manifestations of Your Cause in these days, by the dawning-places of Your revelation and the treasuries of Your knowledge, that You send upon me that which will illuminate my face between the heavens and the earth. Verily, You have power over all things, and You are the Almighty, the Watchful, the Most High.

Once again, O my Beloved, I am seized by anxiety due to my great sin, O You in whose hands are the dominions of judgment and the realms of decree. Every time I calm my soul and speak to it of Your mercy, which has encompassed all possibilities, and remind it of Your grace, which has embraced those on earth and in heaven, I say to it, “Be at peace and do not despair! My Beloved is merciful, my Sovereign is generous, my Lord is compassionate, and my Creator is forgiving.” Yet from within it arises the fire of regret and shame, and from it burns away my patience, my endurance, my calm, and its calm. Therefore, my cry before You will never cease, and my lament before Your face will never end. By Your might, I fear that the inhabitants of the realm of Your joy and the people of the kingdom of Your exultation may become sorrowful because of my sorrow. I beseech them, by You, not to prevent me from my cry and my lamentation before the city of Your oneness. For those who circle around Your throne, having drunk from the chalice of glory and hope, and tasted the sweetness of nearness and union, it is fitting that they look upon one who has been veiled from Your nearness and made deprived of the wonders of Your favors.

Ah, ah, O my Beloved! Ah, ah, O my Desire! Ah, ah, O my Hope! Ah, ah, O my Longing! How can I lift my head before the Pen of ’Alí, whom You have made the dawning-place of Your revelation and the rising-point of Your inspiration? How can I gaze upon the Pen that is attributed to Muḥammad, Your Messenger, through which the mysteries of Your decree and the Tablets of Your command have been inscribed? By Your might, O my Beloved, I would almost return to non-existence out of shame for what has come upon me in these days. How could I behold the Pen from which was revealed what You sent down to the Spirit from the ordinations of Your command, the mysteries of Your laws, and Your decrees, and through which was manifested what established the sanctity of Your essence above comparison and the exaltation of Your Self above likenesses? Or hear the sound of the Pen of Moses, through which Your laws, Your wisdom, the gems of Your unity, and the evidences of Your oneness were written?

O my Beloved, how could I behold the Pen of Abraham, which You raised up by Your command, and made a lamp of Your revelation among Your servants and the word of Your command among Your creation? Ah, ah, from my shame, which will never depart from me for the duration of Your majesty and the eternity of Your being! Even if You were to immerse me in the oceans of forgiveness, how could the scent of disobedience that emanated from me in Your days be removed from me? O my God, through Your forbearance, with which You have not seized Your enemies but rather prolonged their days with the dominion of Your decree, such that whoever sought to drag the sword of enmity across Your face, You sharpened it for them with wisdom, which was hidden from the sight of Your creation, and through Your grace, which was not withheld by the actions of the disbelievers in Your lands, return me to non-existence, and then raise me again in Your days by the power of Your will. Perhaps that will erase from my heart what has appeared from me in the first instance, and I would be oblivious to what I committed, so that this oblivion may be a blessing to my soul, mercy to my being, and grace to my essence. Verily, You are the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.”

By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if all in creation were adorned with the garment of justice, from the lamentation of the Pen and the sound it made between the hands of the Merciful, all would be cut off from everyone in the heavens and the earth and turn toward the abode of the Beloved, detaching themselves from the world and whatever has been decreed therein. However, in these days, such souls are rarely found, very rarely. When, then, will the holy and radiant faces emerge from the unseen, be perfumed by the breezes of God and His words, and become independent of all but Him? Verily, they are the choicest of creation in the sight of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Protector.

Although this servant (I) recounts each matter, I find myself regretful afterward, for it is uncertain whether the fire of divine love will be ignited in these hearts. Just as in the manifestation of the sixtieth year (the Báb), when the writings of the Point of the Bayán (may all besides Him be sacrificed) were brought before anyone, they would, in complete disregard, take it in one hand, glance at it for ten minutes or less, and cast it aside, saying, “These words are mere fabrications.” And if they had even a little fairness, they would not have traded a single word of it for all that is in the heavens and the earth. Listen to this servant, purify your heart and hearing from everything you have heard and perceived, then observe the verses previously revealed to the prophets and messengers, and witness these most wondrous and exalted verses, and judge for yourself with justice. If you act upon what has been mentioned, you will indeed attain the truth and be purified from the whisperings of devils.

It was intended that all the verses revealed from the heaven of the will of the Most High in this most wondrous and most mighty Cause be recounted, but I was forbidden and was told to wait and reflect for a time to discern in what rank and station the people of the Bayán stand and where the essence of their understanding lies—those souls who gaze upon none but God. Then, if appropriate, the hidden verses of the Bayán and their concealed meanings will be revealed from the heaven of divine will, so that a group may understand that the Pen of God has not moved except to describe this most exalted appearance, and the Tongue of God has not spoken except to proclaim this most sacred Beauty. The matter is in God’s hands, and indeed, He has power over all things.

Therefore, this poor servant is content with what has been radiantly revealed from the dawning-place of the words of the Sovereign of the Bayán. However, it is incumbent upon every discerning soul today to cleanse their heart from all signs, indications, and names, and to turn toward the essence of the Manifestation and what appears from Him. All were commanded to do this in the Bayán, for the names and utterances of all creation were and will be His. Today, the majority of the people of the Bayán are preoccupied with names, and before God, they are accounted as among His rejected servants. Those who, in the eyes of God, are the people of the Most Great Vision are those souls who have taken and consumed the fruits of the Divine Tree in this spring of singular divine glory. Those who cling to anything other than this Tree are rejected by God and considered among the people of negation and fire.

At this moment, the spirit has called out, “Write to the servants: No greater injustice is observed than that a soul seeks proof and evidence from the Manifestation of Truth other than what has appeared from Him and descended from His presence.” Look toward the Truth. If that proof by which the validity of the First Point was established is observed and manifest from God, then there is no room for hesitation. In such a case, no excuse from anyone will be accepted, even if they cling to the words of the ancients and the moderns. Thus does God make His matter clear if you are among those who comprehend.

As for what you wrote regarding Dayyán, Mírzá Ghugha, Shaykh Ismá’íl, and Ḥájí Mullá Háshem claiming the Cause and being proven false, such objections were raised by the polytheists at the beginning of the Bayán’s manifestation. They similarly said that certain souls before the Siyyid-i-Báb made such claims and were proven false. Therefore, God forbid, your statement is similar to theirs, and by such words, they turned away from the Truth. The polytheists of every age have busied themselves with such objections at the time of each Manifestation. But the discerning and detached ones are not prevented by such objections from the path of God. Rather, they become more steadfast and firm in their faith. It is clear that the greater the Manifestation and the more evident the Truth, the stronger the denials and objections of the people of negation have been and will be, as is witnessed now. However, those souls you mentioned—how has their falsity become apparent to you in the first place?

As for Dayyán, who was named by God with all His most beautiful names, he never made any claim that contradicted the truth. In the first year of his ministry, he sent a few supplications to the sacred presence, and in those tablets, nothing was observed but expressions of humility, submission, and faith in God and His Manifestations. However, the well-known soul (Mírzá Yaḥyá) saw that a person had appeared and written supplications, and his fire of jealousy flared so fiercely that he issued a decree for the execution of him and his followers. As a result, that manifestation of divine unity was martyred by the decree of the Point of the Bayán and the fatwa of that same soul. Later, in his writings, he attributed fabrications to Dayyán that were completely false. Above what Dayyán claimed, the Manifestation of the Bayán explicitly revealed verses concerning him. Look in the Bayán so that you may be among the knowing ones.

There were also others whom the well-known soul rejected and declared infidels, but before God, these souls are not rejected and will never be. Rather, a single strand of their hair is better than him, if you are among those with insight. Among them is Áqá Siyyid Ibráhím (upon him be God’s exalted glory), concerning whom verses were revealed. Among those verses is the one I will recount, so that you may understand and realize that none have gazed upon the First Point and what descended from Him, but rather, they acted out of love for their own leadership and a desire to preserve their honor, committing what no one has ever committed before. His words—exalted be His might—are: “Bear witness, O Ibráhím, you were, in a day, the Throne of the appearance of your Lord, and We were manifest before and after.” Observe that We created you, sustained you, caused you to die, and revived you until this moment. And those who were given the scriptures have remained veiled until now. When you descended to God, your Lord, the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, the Lord of the worlds, you heard the voice of those who followed your command and thought they were exalted in your love. Say: No, and again no! I was resurrected with those who followed me before God on the day when I was the Throne of the appearance of God with Moses. These souls do not follow me, and if they had followed me, they would have believed in Moses before Jesus, in Muḥammad after Jesus, and in the Point of the Bayán on the Day of Resurrection.”

Now observe how He has named him the Throne of Manifestation. He says, “See how We created, sustained, and revived you at this time, and those who believed in you remained veiled in their scriptures.” These are the veiled souls who did not follow me. Had they followed me, they would have attained faith in the later Manifestations.

Say: O deaf one of the age! Pay close attention and carefully reflect upon the divine words, which, explicitly without any ambiguity, refer to him as the Throne of Manifestation. All the divine names circled around him, and if He had addressed him with “You are God,” or “He is God,” or “from God,” or “to God,” or “the essence of God and the being of God,” all these ranks would have been established and confirmed in his station. Yet, today, this same person is called “Abú’l-Dawáhí” (father of calamities) by the people of the Bayán, and they have similarly condemned him and spread a verdict of disbelief against him. He has withdrawn from everything for many years. Alas, may God’s curse be upon the wrongdoers.

Now consider how much they have transgressed in the Cause of God and what deeds they have committed out of rebellion against Him.

And I wish that even one of these souls, who have been rejected by people, would have been mentioned in the sight of God. You have made illusion your Lord instead of God, and you do not realize what you are saying. But God bears witness to what you have committed in the false life, and He will seize you with His might, for He is the severest of avengers. Nevertheless, you consider such forsaken souls to be adherents of the Bayán, while you regard the one by whom the Bayán was manifested as forsaken. By God, you have spoken only through desire and have wandered only in the desert of illusion and arrogance, and you think in yourself that you are rightly guided.

Beyond this, these souls have not been manifest with the verses of God. And if you claim that they were possessors of verses and were rejected, this is an injustice from you against God, the Sovereign, the All-Subduing. For if the possessor of the verses were rendered false in your sight, then no faith would remain for you or for anyone on earth. Faith in all people is verified by the manifestations of the divine command, who are made manifest through the verses. If, God forbid, the possessor of the verses were false, how could you then prove the validity of the Point of the Bayán? How great is the word that comes from your mouths, O company of the heedless! It is clear that you have mentioned these souls merely to undermine the Cause of God, and you have compared this manifestation to those individuals. O heedless one, know that those souls were not and will not be rejected by God. Rather, the rejected one is the one who denied them, opposed them, and decreed their execution.

Among those souls you mentioned was Ḥájí Mullá Háshem. Letters sent by him to the presence of the Throne still exist today, and nothing has been observed from him but utmost humility. O claimant of knowledge, you have belittled all the mystics. It has been heard that one of the sages, while in the land of Ṣād, was declared an infidel by the scholars of that land, who ordered him to leave. A group attacked that poor, destitute person. Among those souls was Mullá Alí the famous philosopher from Núr. In that moment of oppression, he did not speak to any of the scholars but turned to MulláAlí and said a word that it is not pleasing to mention here. His intent was: “You consider yourself a philosopher, so why do you oppose a philosopher?” Now, you make such objections and yet claim wisdom and knowledge. Repent to God, who created and fashioned you, and do not oppose those who believe in God and His verses, for they have suffered in His path what none among creation can reckon. Affirming or denying souls will never suffice by mere imitation. A curse upon a reviler returns to himself, and a rejection returns to the one who rejects, and he does not perceive it within himself, being among the heedless.

Say: “Die in your rage!” The idol of illusion and desire has been shattered. By God, the One besides whom there is no other god, you have clung to an illusion that has no likeness in all creation. I do not know by what proof or argument you prefer a soul who rejected those other souls. Listen to this servant’s advice, and never reject anyone, for the Point of the Bayán enjoined all to avoid attacking one another. Even though the well-known soul (Mírzá Yaḥyá) plotted and schemed with great cunning to sever the divine Tree and revealed what was hidden in his heart, still, no one attacked him until letters of his arrived before the divine presence, all filled with rejection of God and His verses. These letters, in his own handwriting, still exist. Thus, divine verses were revealed from the realm of power, refuting those who opposed God. This was not from him but from God, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Invincible.

The verses are specific to the Manifestation, as the Point of the Bayán explicitly stated that after the setting of the Sun of Truth, no one will hear the verses of God except at the time of the next Manifestation. That same well-known soul spent nights and dawns in the presence of the one who would rise, and divine verses were recited to him. Then, after just a few words, he became so arrogant that he committed acts that none of the manifestations of negation had ever committed. Any soul with even a little awareness knows that he (Mírzá Yaḥyá) constantly served the Blessed Beauty, and whatever he understood was merely a drop from this surging ocean. Yet, you have written things that no sane person would write. By God, even if one hundred thousand like him were able to speak before the Almighty! These servants have seen with their own eyes, while you speak only from pure illusion. By God, may He curse that devil who has deceived both him and you, and may you never reap the rewards of worldly leadership.

And I do not know what Mírzá Ghugha did that caused such hatred to take root in the hearts of people like you. So much so that writings against him were composed. Many souls, in their moments of fervor and enthusiasm, say things, and he, too, has spoken some words. There is no need to be so intent on dishonoring God’s servants. Fear God and do not afflict the hearts of His servants! Nothing from people like you has emerged from which even a slight fragrance of truth could be sensed. We ask God to empty your hearts of hatred for His beloved ones, for He is powerful over all things.

The one who speaks—so great is his defiance and hypocrisy—says: “If the claimant of this station has a proof other than the verses, let him bring it forth. If it is the verses, then Mírzá Yaḥyá has not only explicit text and definitive proofs in his favor, but also greater and better claims, with numerous volumes in his possession.”

By God, he has spoken words that make one ashamed to even consider. How quickly you have changed the balance of God and have dishonored the sanctity of God! How swiftly you have begun distorting His words! By God, every discerning person will understand from what you have written your state and the state of the one who inspired you. Woe unto him and to those who follow him! This servant is bewildered as to which of these fabrications I should listen to and respond to. After all, what could have driven you in these fleeting days of life to engage in such baseless, self-deluding words, prompted by Satan, and thus be deprived of the shore of the Ocean of Oneness? Assume that all souls have taken him as their lord instead of God—what benefit has this brought to you or to him? By the One in whose hand is my soul, it is nothing but the loss of this world and the next.

You wrote that if the one who claims this Manifestation has anything other than the verses, let him present it, and this is in explicit contradiction to what the Point of the Bayán (may all besides Him be sacrificed) revealed throughout the Bayán. Anyone who speaks or has spoken this word is cursed, and all the atoms and the inhabitants of the realms of command and creation curse him. By God, you have deemed people to be fools, for if they were not fools, neither you nor that heedless soul would have been able to openly speak contrary to what God has declared. The Point of the Bayán explicitly revealed in the entire Bayán that the proof of the next Manifestation would be none other than the verses, yet you have explicitly written, “If there is any proof other than the verses, let it be produced.” And you speak without understanding.

The station you sought to establish for that heedless soul is based on the word of the First Point, and the First Point was affirmed through the verses of God. Now reflect on how far you have strayed from the path of truth and fallen into the desert of error. Reflect on what you have done and what you have spoken, so that perhaps you may awaken from your actions and be among those who seek forgiveness from God, who created everything by His command, manifested His Manifestation through His sovereignty, and made His veil sanctified from you, your assumptions, and your illusions, and from the illusions of the idols you have taken as lords besides God. Woe unto them from the punishment of a barren day.

By God, you are confident in the foolish ones of the Bayán, and you have every right to be. Now, let us set aside the verses; if that well-known soul can manifest something beyond what has appeared from the source of divine power, we will submit to your fabrications and those of that soul who associates partners with God. By God, you are not and will not be steadfast even in this matter, for we know that well-known soul, who in his claims and pretensions is the greatest of all, but in manifestation and deeds, he is the smallest of the small. O destitute and bankrupt one, I wish you had at least taken someone like yourself as your lord! What benefit is there when you are observed to be so utterly heedless? Otherwise, I would have mentioned certain matters so that you might grasp the illusion well and perceive his deceit.

And regarding what you wrote: If it is the verses, Mírzá Yaḥyá stood in opposition, claiming more, better, and superior [proofs], and he holds numerous volumes. How insignificant his stature and how grand his claim! This claim, born from the wellspring of arrogance and the self of desire, is like an ant in a barren valley claiming lordship—indeed, even greater in the sight of any illumined soul. For his very being was created by a single letter from these exalted, eternal verses. And what words have issued from him are in accordance with his own station. Open your eyes to recognize this! What he possesses will never be remembered in the sight of God unless he returns to Him, repents, and becomes one of the penitent and the seekers of forgiveness. By God, he has committed what no one before him has committed.

Now, you yourself must judge: Why has this word appeared, that he claims to stand in opposition and asserts greater, better, and more? Any ignorant person would be ashamed of such a statement, let alone a rational being. O blind one, the mere statement that he “stood in opposition” is clear evidence of his falsehood. Those who possess sacred discernment can smell the stench of arrogance, pride, and defiance against the Truth in such words. It seems as though he has never even recited the Qur’án, which states in the verse of God: Reflect a little on this revealed verse, that you might be convinced that whoever says, “I will bring something like what God has revealed,” by that very word, they are proven false and will always be proven so.

O true deaf one, listen to the melody of the divine Dove singing upon the highest branch of the Tree of the Bayán! It says, “If you were to appear at this moment, I would be the first of those to prostrate and the first to believe in You.” And yet you feel no shame before this statement of the Tongue of the Merciful and have explicitly written that he stood in opposition and claimed greater, better, and more. By God, such words are a clear proof of the opposition, disbelief, and hypocrisy of such souls. And He also says, glorified be His mention: If all the people of the Bayán were to be as versed in knowledge as he, it would bear no fruit except through his acknowledgment. It is abundantly clear that no one can match him in the essence of knowledge except for the Point itself. That divine Sun says such things about himself, and you, for a soul whom you seek to falsely prove his Cause by the words of that Sun of Truth, have engaged in uttering such unworthy words. Alas for you, for him, and for those who followed you both! By God, they are only in clear error.

Moreover, you write that he has numerous volumes in his possession. This statement is exactly like the words of those who opposed every manifestation, boasting of their writings and compositions and protesting against the Sovereign of names and attributes. If books could enrich a soul, the books of the earth during the Manifestation of the Point of the Bayán—may all besides Him be sacrificed—would have sufficed to enrich and fulfill the people. No, by God, all are poor at the threshold of His wealth, all are ignorant at the door of His knowledge, and all are powerless before the appearance of His might. Indeed, He is self-sufficient by Himself from all else, and He is the One mighty over all things.

I ask you to judge for yourself: If one person possesses a piece of ruby and another has a hundred thousand cartloads of pebbles, which one would you consider rich and self-sufficient? If a hundred thousand books were produced that bore no fruit—and will bear no fruit—except through recognition of the Manifestation, then what is their worth? The words are like a lamp, and love and remembrance of God are like the flame. If that lamp is devoid of the flame, it will be an idle object. Words are only good when the fragrances of divine love can be inhaled from them. After the loss of that station, such words are regarded like the lowest utterances of the people of the earth. Fear God and do not compare anyone with His servants, nor mention anyone else in the precincts of His holiness. Tear away the veils, then speak the praises of your Lord among the people.

In this regard, listen to what was revealed in the Bayán to one of the Letters of the Living. He says, exalted be His mention: If you recite or inscribe a single verse from that eternal Essence, it is more exalted in the sight of God than if you were to inscribe the entire Bayán. For that one verse will save you on that day, but the entire Bayán will not. It is like if someone during the time of the Messenger of God had transcribed all the heavenly books and what was written under their shade—it would have been judged as nothing for him. But if he had transcribed a single verse of the Qur’án, he would have been judged as a believer. This is the essence of knowledge and action.

Now observe the exaltation of the Cause and how high and great it is, and in contrast, observe your own lowliness, your words, and the words of the idolaters. The rising Sun is not veiled by these veils, and the Manifestation itself is not tainted by the defilement of these words. Indeed, He is sanctified from you and from your words, and He is by Himself the proof of God among His creatures. It is incumbent upon those on earth to follow what proceeds from Him, not what was with them. Indeed, this is the truth, and after the truth, there is only error, if you are among the discerning.

Many donkeys have borne loads of books, but they themselves are not aware of even a letter of them, as this parable has been mentioned in previous scriptures and has been explicitly revealed in the Book. By God, besides whom there is no other god, those volumes you speak of are best suited to be washed away with water or returned to their source so that their contents may be buried. These servants have seen many such volumes. If only you would shatter the idol of illusion and look with the eye of insight at his fabricated words. By God, every discerning and wise person laughs at them and at what he has produced.

And another statement was cast from that source of arrogance and pride: He (Mírzá Yaḥyá) says, “It is easy to claim that all the verses written by the claimant in his lifetime could be composed by me in a single day—better, more eloquent, and more fluent—that even a child would be able to discern.”

All your virtues and his have been made known through this one word. This servant is bewildered at what to say in response to this, for by God, even Pharaoh did not speak such a word in opposition to Moses. By the one true God, who has no equal, if he were to stand in opposition to even one of the humble souls circling around the Almighty, how then could he stand in opposition to the source and fountain of divine grace! Now, test this! That heedless one is present, and the servants of the House are also present. If he can oppose even one of the servants in any matter, we will believe all that you have said. However, much speaking does not establish truth and never will, for you have objected against God with these delusional arguments. Therefore, this servant responds to such words, lest any excuse or pretext remain for you. Otherwise, the holy sanctity of the All-Pure is far beyond all these arguments, words, and interpretations that you have clung to.

O heedless one, everything that has been revealed from the Heaven of the Bayán has already been revealed, and even a single verse is not matched by all that exists in the heavens and the earth. If you are observant of these matters, then come forward to witness for yourself that when the verses descend, no one is able to even transcribe them. Test it, O tester, after that which no one should ever test against God, for it is He who tests His servants and tries them, as He has tried you and returned you to the lowest depths of hell.

To every rational and mature mind, your proofs are like the words of children and will always be so. You have taken the Cause of God as a plaything and a jest. Soon God will seize you with His might, for He is the Subduer, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. The fragrance of your proofs and arguments has withered the blossoms of the divine proofs and evidences. If you would consider your words with even a little fairness, you would perceive their flaws more clearly than anything else. Have you ever heard from the beginning of creation until now of any soul who opposed the Truth with the kind of opposition that you have recorded in your accursed book? No, by the Lord of the worlds, no eye in all creation has witnessed anyone more veiled than you or more heedless than you, yet you rejoice in what you have written and are among those who exult. We ask God to replace your joy with the greatest sorrow unless you repent and return to Him and become among the penitent.

And another remark from that objector is written: “It is astonishing that they themselves claim that my expressions are verses, and their messengers say that even their seven-year-old children recite verses. Then how will the verses of He Whom God shall make manifest be a proof of His validity, when their own people also recite verses, and even their young sons do the same? If they claim that verses appear both from the realm of creation and from the essence of the primal point and the tree of truth, then the verse itself cannot serve as proof of the truth of the original tree; something else is needed. Let it be explained what that is.”

Indeed, if He wills that every soul should speak in praise of itself, He is capable, and He is indeed the Almighty, the All-Powerful. And if He wills to manifest a soul with all the verses, He is capable by His sovereignty, and no one can object to Him. And God is witness to what I say. Indeed, He made one of the children speak as a proof of Himself and as an evidence of His own reality. And this is the station for which you thank God and praise Him, yet you have opened your mouths in objection to this remembrance that has appeared in the name of Abhá between the heavens and the earth.

Now consider: has any ignorant person made such an objection, or does anyone do so? No, by God, except for you and the likes of you, who have been created from the air of desire, the water of rejection, the fire of envy, and the dust of hatred. So die in your rage! He has indeed manifested with the truth, and none can repel Him. Your Lord, the Most Merciful, has written upon Himself that He will manifest guides in the worlds to stand between the heavens and the earth, to speak in praise of Himself, and to raise the banners of victory among all the people. These are the servants whom God has made pure from all but Him, detached from what you possess, and firmly holding onto the cord of God, the firm and mighty.

These ones are not prevented by the indications of those on earth or the signs of the idolaters. Say: “O ignorant one, you have not distinguished between blessing and wrath, and you have considered pure good to be evil, and the essence of mercy and justice to be the soul of oppression. Yes, a child from among the children of the household at the age of six spoke the verses of God, and that child is present now. And by God, that same corrupt tree repeatedly said that what had happened to him had never occurred with anyone from the beginning of creation until the time of manifestation. He would spend most nights and days in praising him, and now the situation has changed to such an extent that he has turned away from the Exalted Truth. It is not enough that he has turned away from the children; he will not stop until the earth is stained with this pure blood. And this is what has been revealed in the tablets if you are among the seers.”

Many times it has been said that We made him speak the verses in his childhood so that it would be proof of this merciful appearance and the rise of the holy, eternal Lord. Yet you have considered this great mercy to be wrath. Instead of giving thanks to the Exalted Truth, you have begun to complain.

And regarding what is written that “they themselves claim that my expressions are verses,” this is a mockery of God in their own view. Take hold of yourself, O ignorant one! This is a station that your hands and the hands of the idolaters are cut off from. The Primal Point states that everything that exists on earth is His verses and will continue to be, so what of what has been revealed from Him and appeared from His presence? And the truth says: “Know that this is indeed what appeared before and what will appear after. And whoever differentiates between it and what appeared or will appear has disbelieved in God and His verses. And if one had keen sight, they would witness all manifestations in this manifestation that has appeared with clear verses.”

Know that all the proofs and evidences that have been manifested from all the prophets and messengers, from the first no beginning, have all been proofs of this manifestation. And what is proof in this manifestation has always been the proof of the proofs before and after, and will continue to be. However, this child has been specially made to speak the verses so that some souls who have been blessed with a drop from the infinite outpourings of this greatest ocean do not become arrogant before the station of the verses. That soul that is connected to him has always been before him, but was deprived of even a drop from the ocean of oceans. And he has returned to his abode in the fire, and indeed it is the abode of the wicked, and wretched is the abode of these evildoers if you are among the certain.

Know that there is an infinite difference between the sun and its manifestations on walls and stones. Even the weakest vision perceives this, so what of the most piercing sight? Moreover, the likeness of the sun is seen in a manifest mirror; can it be said that this is the very sun of the sky? Rather, the difference between earth and heaven is evident, and none deny this except every obstinate, hateful one. So today, if you refine your hearing and cleanse it from what it has heard from the idolaters, you will see the words of those who turn away from God like the words of children, or even more insignificant when compared to the words revealed from the heavenly throne of the Merciful. By God, there is no comparison to be made, rather they are unworthy even of mention. And they are worthy of mention only if they are assured by God’s grace, and after rejection, they are nothing and will continue to be nothing.

Know that the original proof has always been the verses of God, but from this greatest manifestation has appeared that which no one can match or will ever match. Fear God and do not follow the command of your desires; rather, follow the truth that has come to you from the sunrise of the spirit with the news of God, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Almighty, the Ever-Living. Indeed, He suffices you for all things, and besides Him, nothing will suffice you, even if you cling to the creation of the heavens and the earth, if you are among those who are certain. This is God’s counsel to you and His servants. Whoever accepts the counsel of his Lord, it is for his own benefit, and whoever turns away, God is indeed independent of all that was and all that will be.

And another remark from that objector: “If they say that others confirm them, then the same can be said of Mirza Yahya, who says that even if you recite verses, or a thousand others, as the Exalted One has said, ‘If I wish, I will send forth as many as all things with the tongue of verses,’ yet they must still confirm Me and remain under My shadow, because I am the first mirror, and all reflect from Me, since the primal nature of God is manifested from Me through the confirmation of the Point of the Bayan.”

On the assumption of confirmation, there have always been mirrors for the eternal Truth, and no one has ever counted the first of them, and this is not exclusive to one soul over another. Everything has been and will continue to be divine mirrors, but the previous manifestation complained of the mirrors as a whole in His words—exalted and mighty be He—“I will complain to You, O Mirror of Generosity, about all the mirrors. Each of them gazes at Me in their own colors.” And addressing that Name, He says, “You are the first mirror that has always reflected the Truth and will continue to reflect.” In another station, He has named the first believer the first mirror, and these statements are made in the lower realm. Otherwise, for the mirrors, there is no first and no last. All these mirrors are created and will continue to be created, and as long as they are settled under the shadow of the Tree of Oneness, the lights of Truth will shine in them so that nothing will be seen in them except God, and after deviation, they have been and will continue to be manifestations of Satan. By the One in whose hand is my soul, this complaint about all the mirrors is a great proof if you are among the poets.

This is the condition of the mirrors as stated by the Primal Point. Nevertheless, in the face of the sun, you mention mirrors, while the suns of the mirrors are nullified at the appearance of its effulgence and will continue to be so. If the Manifestation applies the term ‘mirror’ to all things in the primal station, it is indeed the truth, beyond doubt. Listen to the call of this servant and save yourself from these barren lands, and enter the realms of holiness! By God, these sayings add nothing but illusions and veils, and the more you occupy yourself with these words, the further you will remain from the matchless stream of the everlasting Lord. Cast away these parables! Gaze upon the truth and what appears from Him, for everything leads to Him and appears from Him. These words are good only for those like yourself in the fields of superficial ignorance, which you mistakenly call knowledge. Do not send a bitter salty drop to the sweet and flowing ocean! Know that whatever the word “existence” applies to has been and will continue to be created.

He has mentioned the nature of God, that all things have been created according to the nature of God, yet they have not understood this nature. Moving forward, hear the call of nature that has been sent forth in a form, speaking these words in front of the Greatest Gate. His exalted essence says: “And among the idolaters is one who says: ‘These verses were not revealed in accordance with the nature.’ By the truth of God, that nature appeared at that moment in the form of a servant and stood submissively at the Gate, crying out and saying: ‘Woe unto you, O assembly of the arrogant! By God, I was created by a command from Him.’ Thus it testifies to itself, but these wicked ones do not understand. By God, it takes pride in its relation to Us, the True One, while We have always been independent of it. We created it and all things by a command from Us, and none denies this except every obstinate disbeliever.”

And these are the verses that were previously revealed in reference to the original divine nature, from the heaven of Abhá. These topics belong to the people of the Furqan (those who discern), just as it is revealed in the Holy Book: “Establish.” This is what has been mentioned in the prophetic tradition: “Until the end.” This nature is the very nature of God, and this station is valid as long as it remains under the shadow of faith. After its deviation, it is counted among the idolaters, as the rest of the tradition states.

Say: “O vague and ambiguous one, today you witness with your own eyes and ears that the ocean of verses is surging and pouring down like abundant rain from the heaven of God’s will. Yet you write that Mirza Yahya claims that the verses reflect from him. O deprived one, this station is sanctified from reflection and refraction. If it were witnessed in the number of the One in the Bayan, the earth of understanding would have expanded, and all would have acknowledged that they had not comprehended a single letter of the Bayan. But until now, it has not been observed, and the matter remains in His hands.”

He, in his great heedlessness, says: “Disregarding all speech, Mirza Yahya now claims a station beyond which none can imagine, on the basis of the verses. Whoever claims this must bring forth something like it or higher.”

These words have not emerged except from the source of pride, the mine of falsehood, and the fountain of immorality. If one were to affirm his mirrorship, the Primal Point—may the spirit of all besides Him be a sacrifice unto Him—says: “If the mirror claims, ‘I am the sun,’ it is clear to the sun that it is but a reflection of it, uttering falsehood.” By God, this is a clear, explicit statement from the Bayan that after Him, they will object to the Truth, and those who claim mirrorship will assert their suns in the face of the Sun of Reality. Woe unto him and unto you! You invent lies against yourselves, then against God, and you are not aware.

And further, the statement is very shameful, saying: “Today, if anyone claims, they must bring verses like those of Mirza Yahya or higher.” O blind one, he was weak even when what descended from the might of the Bayan from God, the All-Powerful, the Generous, the Benefactor, appeared. By God, all things are bewildered by these words you have mentioned. His existence and being are not even worth mentioning today, let alone his words. Any discerning person knows that if a word of truth is found with him, it was taken from this most holy and pure sanctuary. You are greatly unaware! I ask God to grant you the kohl of understanding so that you may be cured of the blindness of illusions and gaze upon the words of the Sovereign, the All-Knowing, until you see all words as utterly non-existent before a single letter of the words of God. Thus has the command descended from the might of wisdom as a grace from Him upon all the worlds.

He, in his limited understanding, says: “Now, my brother, by God, the matter has become unclear to you. If you truly want to understand, without any ulterior motive, you are my representative. If it becomes clear to you, write to me, but do so with fairness. It is very easy for you. Civil policy has nothing to do with truth; this is practical wisdom, which is called the refinement of morals, household management, and civil policy. It is the knowledge of conduct with people and those who are associated with one, such as servants and followers, guiding each person with love and conduct according to their temperament. You are mistaken. This practical wisdom has become a veil for you from the essence of truth. If you wish to test it, set aside a day for trial. Read a page from the Qur’an and, with the utmost speed, ask someone who claims to be truthful to write down its content with a special rhythm without hesitation, and then again with a different rhythm, and so on. Whoever can do this is truthful in their claim, otherwise, they are a liar, unlike Mirza Yahya, who claims this station. Try both tests and report back to me, but with fairness. Surely whoever holds this station is the truth, and his words are truth, and all others are false.”

By God, anyone with keen insight would laugh at your words. It is as if the fragrance of God’s Paradise has never reached you, for today, whoever is associated with the Truth must have a manifest and evident effect. By God, your words appear even lower than the words of past nations. Because of the enmity against God in your heart, your pen has been deprived and barred from writing with the subtlety of mention. You are confused, having turned away from the party of the Most Merciful and joined the party of Satan. Anyone with insight knows that these servants, after five years of companionship, day and night, report only what we have seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears. Yet you cling to the words of a wicked person who is rejected by this servant, let alone by the inhabitants of the divine realms. You have completely barred yourself from the effulgent lights of the dawn of meanings that have shone forth in these merciful days.

Now, O fair-minded one, judge with fairness: Is the matter unclear to us, or to you? And as for what you wrote that there is no ulterior motive, by God, this very statement is pure motive and is driven entirely by self and desire. As you yourself wrote, ‘Now go and test it.’ You commanded this servant to conduct the test and then inform you of the results, even though you were not present, nor did you conduct the test yourself. So why, before the test, did you attribute so many falsehoods to the Truth and outright deny it? Now consider: who has ulterior motives? By God, if you were fair, you would find yourself in great loss. O sea of motives, fear God, who created you by a command from Him, and do not speak what every atom would reject. Fear God and be among the God-fearing! Now observe how your actions and deeds are exposed and manifest before God, and how your intellect has been taken by the hand of power, so much so that you write your own motives and enmity with your pen and affirm them, yet you do not realize. Therefore, all who are in the heavens and on earth bear witness to your ulterior motive, and then you yourself bear witness to it. And indeed, this is certain truth.

The intent of the idolaters has reached such a point that some like you have raised objections and have spoken ill of the character of the Beauty of the Most Merciful, making objections and accusations, while you bear witness to their conduct and then, with personal motive, raise objections. One is bewildered at which of these statements to believe. On one hand, the form of corruption has been sent in every direction with complaints, stripping away the divine character from the Manifestation of Divinity. These are the words written outwardly. On the other hand, they have suggested to you to write such things to those who circle around the House. If the character is true, then what sense does it make for them to deny it? If their lack is true, then what meaning does your mention of it have? By God, every discerning person knows that they have not spoken the word of truth and never will. At every opportunity, they speak and reason according to what they deem to be in the interest of their wicked souls.

Nevertheless, these servants testify that He is indeed of sublime character, and we bear witness that He is the proof of God among His creation, His evidence among His beings, the Manifestation of His command in His lands, and the dawning-place of glory among His servants. Whatever appears from Him is true, and anything other than His existence is null and void in His presence and lost at the appearance of His sovereignty. And He is indeed the Beloved of the knowing ones and the desired of the worlds. Whoever turns away from Him has turned away from God, the Mighty, the All-Powerful.

O people of religion, I swear by the Lord of the Day of Judgment, do you sense even the slightest fragrance of truth from these words? No, by the true essence, these words resemble the words of the lowliest people of the earth, who, in their disputes with one another, say things like “I am more powerful than you, and my strength surpasses yours,” and similar vain words that are exchanged among the ignorant. By God, we must now lament over this matter, for the Primal Point, with His station and rank, showed such humility, submission, and content

ment toward this Manifestation, yet you have spoken with words so base that even the vile ones are ashamed of them, using such words to argue against the truth. Indeed, the matter of God has descended to such a point that everything in the Bayan is now subject to your words, and those of Mirza Yahya, Siyyid Muhammad, Ali Muhammad Sarraj, and others like them, just as at the end of the time of the Furqan, all divine matters and the firm religious laws of the Lord were subject to the words of a few sheikhs.

It is clear that this [opinion] comes from the insinuations of Satan. It seems as though you possess no awareness of your own. You have fallen prey to the tempest of desire and ego, and it carries you wherever it wishes. You have not even thought about how this matter, for those who are perceptive, is clearly one of disbelief. There has been debate over what defines disbelief. Some say that disbelievers are those who name God with names that have not been authorized in the Divine Book. Others believe that disbelievers are those who derive names from the divine names and become devoted to these names instead of God. For example, they derived the name “Manat” from “Mannan,” and “Uzza” from “Aziz,” and “Lat” from “Allah,” and they worship and devote themselves to these names. Some others hold that disbelief is distortion, and this distortion pertains to meanings rather than words, as “luhd” (which means “grave” or “deviation”) also implies “covering” or “concealment.” These are the souls who conceal the meanings of God’s words with their desires, interpreting them according to their own whims. Others say that disbelievers are those who apply the meanings of others to the words of their own interpretations. These are the known interpretations of disbelief among people.

Now, what you have sought to argue does not fall outside these categories. In every case, it is and will be disbelief. You have taken this insinuation as a miracle for yourself, but beyond that, this is one of the easiest ways, though it seems difficult to you. The fact that you find it difficult is strange because, when the meaning exists, restricting words is the simplest and easiest task. Now observe how utterly unaware you are.

Furthermore, by God—He besides whom there is no other god—we have seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears things far greater than you could ever imagine. It is certain that you do not believe in the words of this servant, and had you believed, you would have distinguished truth from falsehood from the letter I sent you some time ago. In that case, it is necessary either for you to come yourself or appoint another representative and appear before me with all the heavenly books at hand. I pledge that divine verses will descend in such a way that no one will be able to produce anything comparable. This is the very request you made. Come and observe for yourself!

Beyond this, truth is not known through such things, and it never will be. God is the measure of all things, and His creation is not the measure of His recognition, nor will it ever be. This concept, as mentioned, is fundamentally flawed. You do not even comprehend that it is God’s right to test and try people, but His creation is not fit to test Him. However, since you have made this your measure and have not been satisfied with God’s own measure, I have asked, out of His grace and favor, for Him to accept this, and He has accepted. At that time, He says: “Bring the heavenly books before God, your Lord and the Lord of the first and the last. Then, recite what you wish in whatever manner you wish, and from the realm of God’s power, for every word, words of sublime majesty will descend in such a way that all the worlds will be incapable of producing anything like them. In any form and with any structure you choose, God will reveal them with truth from the heaven of sanctity, in such a way that all creatures will be unable to record them.”

These firm words have been revealed in response to your request, but it has been said with certainty that you will offer another excuse, for the word of truth increases the idolaters only in loss. I do not know what excuse you will now cling to and what measure you will seize upon. By God, O servant, you are very far from the shores of fairness and very distant from the abode of nearness. I do not know what has driven you to this point, given that you were not present before me, nor did you attain the honor of serving the previous manifestation. Before any trial, by your own claim, you have busied yourself with these false and fabricated words, rejecting those who are well informed about the matter and affirming someone like yourself, who has no awareness of anything.

Moreover, your words contradict each other. As you wrote in this position: “Surely, whoever possesses this station is the truth, and his words are truth, and all others are false.” Then you wrote: “Even if this is accomplished, it is not proof of that promised soul, but merely one of the saints of the Bayán era, and this is only after the confirmation of Mirza Yahya.” Now, judge with fairness! If certainty is the truth, how can it then be dependent on the confirmation of someone lesser than him? Now, there are only two options: either you must admit that the first statement was pointless and made without awareness, or the second statement was. By God, the mark of retribution is evident and manifest in the likes of such souls, for you are not aware of what you write or what you say.

Know this: today, whatever reaches your intellect, or the intellects above you or below you, none of it will ever be a measure of recognizing the Truth. The Truth is exalted, sanctified, and purified from all. Even if a soul ascends to the highest rank of knowledge or climbs to the loftiest peak of expression, it will not benefit them nor yield any fruit, except after acknowledging this greatest manifestation. Thus, the command was revealed in the Bayán, then in the Furqán, then in the Injíl, the Torah, the Psalms, and the Scriptures, if you are among those who are certain.

He, in his great falsehood and fabrication, says: “Judge with fairness: one who has spent twenty years in this era, and twenty years in the era of the mystics, writing four words or even a thousand words of mystical matters and expressions of verses, what does this have to do with innate nature? The difference between the two is what has already been explained. Even if they write in the same manner—though this is difficult—it still is not proof of that promised soul, nor is it evidence for denying or excommunicating Mirza Yahya. It merely shows that they are one of the saints of the Bayán era, provided they affirm Mirza Yahya, not deny or wrong him.”

First, O lying fabricator, how has it been proven that such matters were acquired? Where did they study, and who was their teacher? Second, who are these mystics who associated with that Most Holy Beauty? Your own soul refutes your lies, but you are not aware and remain heedless. What is clear and well known is that as long as their father was alive, they associated with no one except occasionally with those who served their father. All the people of Iran are aware that their father, outwardly, was not considered one of the learned. Investigate further, and perhaps you will find a path to the truth.

Even if some mystics visited the household and met with them, this had nothing to do with teaching or learning, and these are words that Mirza Yahya has insinuated. If, hypothetically, such visits did occur, all the atoms of existence testify that Mirza Yahya was in their service. In any case, he too was a participant.

Now reflect, O unfair one, on what you have said and what you are saying! During the Bayán period, with whom were they associating? Every soul who appeared before them acquired divine knowledge and wisdom, and none in the presence of that Most Holy Being were able to speak, let alone take something from them. We, the servants, were in Iraq and saw this with our own eyes. Ask those from Iraq, so perhaps you may become aware and be among the informed!

Furthermore, from the beginning of the Primal Point’s manifestation—may the spirit of all besides Him be a sacrifice unto Him—until the time of His rest, they had no peace, as most of the time was spent imprisoned and afflicted by enemies. After their father, Mirza Yahya appointed Mulla Mahdi Kandi as his teacher, who came daily for one hour to teach him. Now investigate the land of Ṭá! If you find anyone who says they studied or acquired knowledge, then the truth is with you.

However, none of these things are proof of any matter and never will be. The seeds of hatred have been well sown in your heart, and the fabrications have deeply taken root in your chest. During the manifestation of the Primal Point, the same words appeared from the idolaters, claiming that He associated with the Shaykhis and that He took from the words of Shaykh Ahmad. They even claimed that He studied and acquired outward knowledge in a certain land of Shín. May God curse the one who inspired you and cast into your chest what made you deserving of being distanced from Him.

And further, the form of verses has been mentioned. This is something that the idolaters have long spoken of. At times, they speak of the outer layer and the essence, and at other times, they refer to the form and substance of the verses. Whatever comes out of their mouths returns to them, and your Lord, the Most Merciful, is innocent of them and what they say. O poor blind one, you cannot distinguish between right and left, so how can you differentiate between innate nature and that which is not? A truth that you are its discerner is a truth that suits and befits you. If you had any insight, you would know and be certain that no words in the world equate to the verses that have been revealed with truth. All people who have been deprived of the shore of the ocean of divine knowledge have been so because they made their own understanding the measure of divine knowledge. Thus, they have been deprived and barred from the fountain of meanings. Today, every nation is awaiting their own proofs and arguments and is halted at the manifestations of the oneness of God. This is the condition of those who have, to some extent, sought knowledge. But people like you, who stand against the truth out of pure hatred and resentment, are neither remembered by God nor will you ever be.

If only you could hear the cries of your own limbs as you write these words, addressing you with what they say! Even the hair on your body takes refuge in God from your evil, deceit, and trickery. Know that every day the Exalted Truth is in a wondrous state, and human understanding has never been and will never be the measure of His knowledge. Many souls who, in a previous manifestation, were counted among the highest branches of the Lote-Tree of Paradise are now considered among the lowest trees of the fire of Sijjin in this manifestation. This was explicitly mentioned by the Primal Point—may the spirit of all besides Him be a sacrifice unto Him—and it was mentioned before.

And as for the false and fabricated words written by the pen, stating that the denial and excommunication of Mirza Yahya is unfounded, the tongue of God declares: “May God curse the first oppressor who wronged the Primal Point in His later manifestation, disbelieved in His verses, denied His appearance, rejected His proof, contested His authority, fought against Him, and sought to shed His blood, even after He came to them with clear verses of mighty glory.” Every atom testifies that He never objected to anyone and was more merciful to every soul than the soul was to itself. All things bear witness to this if you deny it.

By their own truth, they treated everyone with the utmost kindness, until, after great detail, some writings from Mirza Yahya were observed. The details of this have been mentioned before, in which he attributed all the evils of the first and the last to the Truth. After observing those slanderous and fabricated tablets, what was revealed was revealed in response to those who rejected God. And this was not from Him but from God, the All-Powerful, the Generous, the Noble.

O unjust one, by God, besides whom there is no other god, if there had been even a speck of divine love in your heart, you would have written to Him, asking on what grounds and proof you sought to cut down the divine tree and objected to the being who says: “O people, I am the proof of God among you, His evidence within you, and His mercy upon you. I have come to you from the horizon of meanings and explanation with news that was indeed momentous in truth. God has sent me and sent me with the same verses with which He sent all the prophets and messengers, and He has raised me up with the truth. So by what proof do you deny this matter, which has shone forth from the horizon of holiness with clear sovereignty? O people, do you object to the very thing by which your faith was established, the faith of every believer? Through it, your names were exalted, your ranks elevated, and the word of God appeared in the horizons. And God is witness to this.”

Despite this, you never gave Him even a word of advice for the sake of God. Instead, you took up a sword and busied yourself with opposing Him. This was an objection against Him, not against the Truth. By God, He has acted in a way that no one else has. A soul that issued rulings for the death of all the prophets was deemed truthful, and the one through whom the truth appeared and the truth was established was opposed. Alas for you and for what you committed in this false life! Woe unto you for wasting your life and being unaware!

Any soul, even one as insignificant as a speck, would be certain that if He had willed, Mirza Yahya would not have existed at all. For twenty years, in this matter, and for twenty years before it, they strove with utmost compassion and kindness to protect and educate him. The result is what you have heard. The heavens and the earth have wept, as have the air, the water, the stones, the trees, the fruits, and the leaves, but the idolaters are in great joy.

And where were you in this land to understand and attribute wrongdoing? By God, besides whom there is no other god, no one ever spoke harshly to that soul, let alone wronged him! You have considered the oppressor to be the oppressed and counted the idolater as a monotheist. You yourself acknowledged the noble character of the Truth, yet still attributed oppression to Him. You do not know what you are saying. At all times, he was busy with multiple women, living in comfort and indulgence. Yes, in this land, that corrupt leader, who may he never see good and may he never achieve his goal, instructed him in all that was instructed, and all these matters were orchestrated by him. Even though he himself, the original tree of rejection, by God, besides whom there is no other god, appeared with such deceit and trickery that none had ever seen or will ever see its like. Your understanding is clear; you grasp things well, as the winds of polytheism and hypocrisy blow you wherever they wish.

And as for the great slander, it is astonishing how things have changed: Previously, anyone who had renounced the world and its leadership was praised, but now you call such a stance “fear.” The one whom the Exalted One, in His tablets, referred to at the beginning of His letters as “from God” and “to God,” you now say was hiding in the tents of women. How strange! How strange that you have been a seeker of truth, and how well you have undermined the past prophets! Jesus sought refuge in caves, the Prophet hid in a blanket, and Zechariah sought refuge in a tree. And all the saints did not dare breathe out of fear or for other reasons, fleeing from city to city and land to land.

You have lied against God, who created all things. You have no knowledge of what was revealed by the Primal Point, nor do you possess it. Several tablets descended from the heaven of the Primal Point’s will, and in some of them, “from God to God” and in others, “from God to Him Whom God shall make manifest” was mentioned. The intent of all of them was this most holy, most exalted manifestation, which you and your kind have rejected and denied. One of them was revealed specifically for Mirza Asadullah, and the Primal Point called him “Dayyan” (Judge) and named him with all the most beautiful names, while your guide cursed and reviled him and issued a ruling for his death, leading to his martyrdom. Another was revealed specifically for His Holiness Aqa Sayyid Ibrahim from the heaven of the Almighty’s will, and your guide named him “Abu’l-Dawah” (Father of Calamities). Some of the matters related to these two individuals have already been mentioned, so read them to learn of the virtues of your guide and what befell them.

These words have been mentioned so that you do not speak without awareness and are not moved by every wind, and so that you do not turn away from the Truth, who, if He wills, is capable of returning all the names you count to a handful of dust. For one of the stations of describing the Truth is that since He sees the effects of His manifestations in all things, by the slightest outward verse on earth, all names and attributes return to Him, and will continue to do so. For the meaning of the most beautiful names with which He is addressed refers to that divine manifestation that, without direction, manifests within Him. As long as this verse manifests in all things, all names apply to all things, but after turning away, each is deprived and returns to the place of fire. If you were worthy of understanding, the ocean of meanings and knowledge would have offered you a drop. But it is better that you remain deprived and continue speaking with these limited, overturned words. Nothing comes from the people of Sijjin except the words of Sijjin.

And as for what you wrote: “Previously, anyone who renounced the world and leadership was praised, but now you call it fear, and write that so-and-so hid in the tents of women.” What was revealed from God, the Revealer of truth, is true and He is truthful in what He has said and says. You have found one who is detached! Yes, detached from the Truth, not detached from other things. By God, I am ashamed to mention his deeds, for you are unaware. The souls who were with him are still present. A soul that indulged so deeply in lustful desires that he could not refrain from violating the sanctuary of God, and tampered with the harem of the Point, by God, tore the greatest veil of chastity. And you, this shameless, disrespectful one, call him “detached.”

In past years, seven individuals were designated as the “fiery martyrs.” One of these souls, after becoming aware of his wrongdoing, repented, turned back to God, and sought His forgiveness. God clothed him in the garment of His pardon and the robe of His grace, raising him to the Garden of Abhá, beyond the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary, where he was named Musa in the Kingdom of Names. He is the one who ascended to the highest horizon and was then in the most glorious sight, encircled by the dwellers of the cities of eternity. That blessed soul was Mirza Musa Qummi—upon him be the glory of God—who shattered the idol of illusion and desire and was established by the permission of God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, in the celestial realm of Abhá. Afterward, he returned to God. Another soul never accepted this lie, as though the Holy Spirit informed and protected him from the fabrications of these slanderers.

To recount the full details would take too long. In short, three of these souls remained, and in a document, these individuals were designated as martyrs, with a statement written that each should send a virgin girl to them along with gold and silver coins. That document is still in existence. Surely, such deeds were considered acts of detachment. By God, these mentioned acts are considered virtuous compared to his other deeds, and I am ashamed to mention them. Until now, the majestic veil of God had covered his faults, but when he tore the veil, God revealed the truth. The wonder of wonders—indeed, the marvel of marvels—is that he could not distinguish between a worthless stone and a pearl. He has passed beyond this most holy seat and even attributed lies to the prophets and messengers in order to prove a deluded cause, opening his mouth in reproach against the sovereigns of existence.

O ignorant one, listen! As for Jesus, son of Mary, from the beginning of His mission, He spent most of His days conversing openly with the chiefs of the Jews, delivering the message without dissimulation, as recorded in the books, though you have not seen it. It is stated in the Gospels that when they brought that holy spirit of mercy before one of the Jewish leaders named Annas, and he asked Him, “What do You say? What is Your teaching?” Jesus replied, “Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me; for I have said nothing in secret but have spoken openly in the temple and the assembly of the Jews.” Afterward, one of the soldiers present slapped His blessed face, saying, “Why do you speak so boldly to the high priest?”

Then the leader ordered Him to be taken to Caiaphas, the judge of that year, who held the authority over the religious laws of the Jewish nation at the time. Even though the scripture clearly states that He preached the cause of God openly in the temple every day, you have written that Jesus hid in caves out of fear and could not breathe. You have greatly transgressed and gone beyond your station!

In this regard, let me recount a saying of the Spirit, perhaps you may enter the garden of divine praise through the fountain of the beauty of the Most Merciful: “When He saw the cross, He bore it with His own hands, embracing it and saying, ‘Come, O my beloved cross, for thirty-three years I have awaited you, seeking you out, and desiring to die upon you out of love for My sheep.’” Although the fragrance of this word can only be perceived by spiritual beings and its sweetness can only be tasted by those who gaze upon the Most Merciful, souls like you are and will remain deprived of this. You have not comprehended this station. Had you done so, you would not have penned such insolence and disrespect against the radiant suns of the horizon of detachment. Hear what He said when all the Jews had gathered to kill Him, and when they presented the cross, and His blessed eyes fell upon it, He said: “Come, come, for thirty-three years I have awaited you and yearned for you.” Where is this station, and where is the station that you have understood and written about?

There has been disagreement over this matter. What is clearly stated in the Gospels is that He was crucified, His blessed soul surrendered to God, and after thirty-six hours, He rose again and ascended to heaven. According to the traditions of the followers of the Qur’an, He was raised to heaven before the crucifixion. But the truth of the matter is known only to my Lord, in a book where nothing of the news of the first or the last has been left out. Most people have not grasped the meanings of the divine words, and thus they have spoken without understanding, remaining veiled from the true purpose.

This is a summary of the account of the Spirit, and now this Spirit addresses you, saying: “Come, come, O assembly of deniers, with your swords, spears, and arrows! I long for them as He longed for His. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Husayn, I am even more eager and filled with greater anticipation, but you do not perceive it.” You have not tasted from the fountain of meanings, nor have you drunk from the spring of love. Alas, alas, for what you have falsely attributed to the prophets of God, for the wrongs you have done to His manifestations, the dawnings of His revelation, the sources of His inspiration, the repositories of His knowledge, and the treasuries of His wisdom! You have committed this wrongdoing only because you wished to justify the actions of your guide. Thus, your soul has led you astray, making you one of the transgressors. Is someone who hides behind a veil the same as one who sacrifices his soul in the path of God?

You have not even read the Qur’an, which states the difference between the detached souls and the bound souls of the idolaters. Do not compare them, and do not cover the hem of the prophets’ purity with the dust of your suspicions and illusions! You wrote that they could not breathe out of fear, but such souls as yours will never be like them. Glory be to them, far beyond such accusations!

O misguided imitator, what use are such souls as yours? Your nature has been revealed by this word, showing what your belief is and what the belief of those who turn away from God has been and will be. You have equated the essence of existence with souls like yours, comparing the suns of truth to the souls of the idolaters. By God, all things trembled at your words. Know this much: whatever you reach in the highest rank of your understanding is merely a delusion born from your own self, and the chosen ones of God are sanctified and purified from it. By the sun of the glory of meanings, I swear that at all times, they have been eagerly waiting with utmost longing to sacrifice their lives in the path of the Most Merciful. Yet you write mockingly against God that the Prophet hid in a blanket. Your worth is known from your words. There were no other words left for you to write, so you clung to this disgraceful expression. Woe unto you and your shame! Your guide’s nature is the same as yours, and it will remain so.

By the same Manifestations of the Glory of Holiness, I swear that if there were even a speck of love in you, if all your limbs were cut into pieces by sharp swords, such base words would never have flowed from your dull, lifeless tongue about the Manifestations of the Oneness of God. Your guide has spoken many similar things, and even Siyyid Muhammad mocked him for them. Praise be to my Beloved, who has deprived such beings of the knowledge of His Manifestations and has barred them from the sweetness of love. Have you not heard that the Seal of the Prophets—may all besides Him be a sacrifice unto Him—was afflicted by the hands of His enemies for twenty years, with no hope for the night in the morning and no hope for the morning at night? By God, at every moment, He longed and yearned to offer His life in the path of His Beloved and to hasten to the Most High Companion.

O crow of the barren land, do not speak of the parrot of the Oneness of God! O buzzing fly, do not mention the sound of the exalted Pen, for you disgrace yourself and trouble me. Have you not heard how Husayn, son of Ali—may the spirits of all who dwell in the kingdom of creation be a sacrifice unto them—sacrificed His life in the path of truth with what passion and longing? And if you say, as the disbelievers have said, that He was afflicted at the hands of His enemies and had no choice but to be slain, then this statement is nothing but rebellion from you and them against God, the Mighty, the Ever-Living. For when He left Medina, He departed with this very intention and desire. By God, He set out with a yearning for the meeting with His Beloved and traveled each stage with the longing for reunion. When that radiant beauty left Medina, He specifically visited the sacred tomb of His pure forebear, from the unseen and the visible worlds, and spoke these most wondrous and sweetest words:

“By God, the fragrance of one of the breezes that blew from the garden of the love of God for His Beloved perfumed all existence and drew in the inhabitants of the realms of the seen and unseen. And His words in that station bewildered the dwellers of the highest assembly, and all existence wailed the cry of the yearning souls and wept the tears of the ardent lovers. And by the fire of His love, the torches of love between heaven and earth were ignited. And by His turning toward the land of Karbala to sacrifice His soul for God, all creation turned toward God.”

But this station has only been understood and perceived by a pure lover and a true seeker. God has placed it far beyond your understanding and that of your guide.

Take hold of yourself, O you who mock God and His beloved, His chosen ones, and His friends! This is what Ḥusayn says in that moment: “God has made this prison the land of Karbala for my soul. Now, I stand ready for the swords of destiny, eager for the arrows of affliction. I will fear no one, I will not flee from anyone, and I will not cover my face, for I am illuminated between the heavens and the earth. And I say: O spear, come with your point! O Khawli, bring your lance! O Shimr, hasten with your dagger! For I have spent my soul, my spirit, and my very being in the path of God, the Mighty, the Exalted, the Ever-Living. Every day, I have been and remain expectant of martyrdom.”

I am aware of what you have said to some of the pillars under the seduction of the corrupt tree, but know that the actions of Truth are clear and distinct from anything else, incomparable to anyone or anything else. He is the Manifestation of Oneness and the Dawning-Place of singleness among the servants. When the Beauty of Abhá entered the great city of Medina, several statements were made, some of which I will mention here, that perhaps you may remember and fear, and restrain your pen from lies, and perhaps you may return and repent to God, who created you and created all things, to whom all must return. And the statement is this:

“O breeze from the presence of the Beloved, blow gently for a moment toward the abode of the oppressed ones. Then say to Him, ‘O city of the Creator, how have you remained since your companion departed? Your beloved is in the hands of enemies, afflicted, like Ḥusayn in the land of Karbala. One Ḥusayn, yet a hundred thousand Yazids; one Beloved, yet a hundred wicked Abu Jahls. Like Moses among the Copts, or like the Spirit of God among the deniers. Like Joseph cast into a well, a well without end or escape.’”

It was said that what has been revealed has occurred, and more will become manifest. And none laid the foundation of this except those who slandered Him among the servants, and you are among them, for God’s knowledge has surrounded all that you have done. And then He says: “O assembly of the Bayán, this head of mine has been bare between the heavens and the earth, awaiting your swords. Strike it as you wish, and do not hesitate! This chest of mine longs for the arrows of hatred, so strike it as you will, O assembly of slanderers! This throat of mine yearns for your daggers; cut it, for I have given it in the path of my Beloved, the Beloved of the worlds! And in all of this, I thank Him and praise Him, for He is the goal of my soul, and what has appeared and will appear from Him has always been my goal, if you are among the discerning.”

Know that the station of the prophets is far beyond what someone like you can comprehend. Those radiant suns of oneness have always been filled with divine longing, and whatever befell those holy souls in the path of their Beloved, they were always content and thankful. They never neglected their duty to proclaim the cause of God. Have you not heard how much Noah grieved for the cause of God? He stood before the people every day, inviting them to the exalted path of the Lord, and every day after His proclamation, they intensified their torment of that Manifestation of God’s will to such an extent that the description is unimaginable. On some days, the intensity of the calamities that befell Him made Him think of death. All of these hardships were borne out of love for God. And if you have read in a book about the fear of the prophets, such as what is mentioned about Moses in the holy book, neither you nor your guides have comprehended His matter. If you wish to understand, ask, so that God may explain to you what He possesses, for with Him is the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the heavens and the earth.

As for the story of Zechariah, reflect a little if you have heard the introduction, for the details will become clear from that very account. This servant does not see it as wise to mention what has been granted from the source of divine knowledge. Know this much: all the prophets, in the utmost longing, surrendered their lives in the path of God. Some of them, even though they did not reach apparent martyrdom, were poisoned or subjected to other forms of deceit, and their knowledge rests with my Lord. Just as your guide—by God, besides whom there is no other god—busied himself with such matters, but God preserved the Manifestation of Himself by His power, for He is indeed the All-Powerful, the All-Mighty.

As for the account of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all besides Him be a sacrifice unto Him—when He was being transported from Fars to be taken to Azerbaijan, some of the companions, including His Holiness Aẓím—upon him be the glory of God—wrote to some of the friends in the land of Ṭá, saying, “We have persuaded the guards to accept some valuables, and we will take Him away under the cover of night from among these people and conceal Him.” They presented this plan to the Most Exalted Presence, glorified be His majesty. That radiant Sun of Oneness smiled. From His blessed smile, the companions thought He was pleased with what they intended. After the preparations were made, while He was staying in Kálin, they again presented their plan in the holy presence, saying, “Tonight we will take You from among these people.” He smiled again and said, “Even the mountain of Azerbaijan has its portion.” This was an action of truth, it appeared from the truth, it was in accordance with the truth, and the fragrance of truth emanated from it. But you and the likes of you will not perceive it, and you will remain among the heedless.

He said: “Write to that soul, and tell him that a word is being spoken for the sake of God—listen! Do not, out of enmity to this prisoner, dishonor the prophets, tear apart the veil of majesty, or violate the sanctity of God! Fear God, who created you and created all things, and do not be among those who fabricate lies about the prophets of God, His trustees, and His chosen ones! By the One in whose hand is my soul, each one of them, every day, calls upon his Lord and says, ‘Would that I had a thousand souls, a thousand bodies, and a thousand lives, that I might sacrifice them in Your path, O Beloved of the worlds, O goal of the yearning, O You who enflame the hearts of lovers!’ And if you wish to make an example of this station, look to the actions of this prisoner, as you have referred to other actions of his. Do not sully the hem of divine purity with the dust of ego and desire! This is my advice to you: if you listen, it is for your own benefit; if you turn away, it is against yourself. God is witness and watcher over us and you.”

Hear the call of this servant and advise those who slander! Enough is enough—they have exhausted themselves in wasting time. The matter has reached the point where they go from person to person, constantly spreading falsehoods. Say: “Fear God and do not slander Him! Fear for yourselves, for He has shielded you for a limited number of years and has concealed your actions and deeds. And now that you have become complacent, you have stepped out from behind the veil and have fabricated lies about Him, the likes of which none of the corrupt have ever invented.” The tongue of God, the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Generous, bears witness to this.

He said, in His great deceit and arrogance: “You have mentioned that Mirza alone rose up for the cause of truth. How can it be distinguished whether this was for the elevation of God’s cause or for the love of status, power, and wealth?” Indeed, those who truly arose for the cause of God were the ones who ate grass and leather in Mazandaran, not those who spent their days and nights in Baghdad, drinking tea with a samovar, surrounded by luxury, friends, servants, and idle chatter in coffeehouses, indulging in lavish feasts and colored sweets, gathering their companions in the city for comfort. What kind of rising up for the cause of God is this?

Every atom bears witness to this if your wicked soul is among the deniers. After the episode in Ṭá, the fire of divine love was extinguished in all hearts, and the lamp of affection was quenched in the breasts of the knowing ones. In the early years, when they arrived in Iraq, not a single breeze of the cause blew from any direction, and no fragrance of the robe of the love of the Most Merciful was inhaled from any quarter. The situation was so difficult that all hearts were disturbed, and most souls were shaken. If, in some lands, a few souls were present, they were hidden, extinguished, and veiled. Be just: who stood firm against the enemies at that time? There was neither honor nor people to establish leadership. Thus, He alone dwelt in Iraq.

And since in the eyes of the people of Iraq, this group was considered lowly and insignificant, to such an extent that no one would mention them except to curse, revile, and insult them, no one associated with them in order to be nourished by the fountain of divine knowledge and the infinite stream of God’s eternal wisdom. For the sake of mingling, they frequented a coffeehouse by the banks of the river for some time, where conversations with some of the people of Iraq eventually took place. After that, interactions began, and the cause of God was exalted to such a degree that everyone spoke in praise of God and turned their attention toward the object of our desire. O blind one, if you had even the vision of a bat, you would have admitted that His sitting in the coffeehouse for even a moment was more precious than you, your existence, and all that you have done and are doing, as well as the actions of your companions.

How similar is your objection to the objections the Jews made to Jesus, son of Mary! They objected to Him, saying that this Nazarene sits with tax collectors and dines in the company of sinners. By my Beloved, the Beloved of the knowing ones, what has been manifested in this divine manifestation must be the same as what appeared in the times of all the messengers, letter by letter. Furthermore, there must be individuals who rise up in rejection, who are the worst of all souls from the beginning to the end, as is being witnessed. But since you are entirely deprived of both outward and inward sight, you deny the radiance of the sun of truth and its meanings, and you will continue to do so.

After the cause was elevated in that land, pure and holy hearts from all directions turned toward the oneness of God. Every soul who came into His presence, whether from Iraq or elsewhere, attained their purpose by asking what they desired. But the denial of a bat does not veil the rays of the sun of truth, just as your rejection and enmity toward God and your objections to Him do not obscure the light of His radiant face. During their stay in Iraq, there was not a moment of rest, and there was no peace at any time, as enemies from all sides lay in ambush. You yourself know this, yet you deny it. You are among those who recognized God’s favor and then denied it. Say: Woe unto you, O rejected polytheist!

And during some days, it was even mentioned that there were orders to seize this group and send them to Ṭá. Specifically, the Blessed Beauty commanded that all should leave Iraq. This firm order was carried out in such a way that Zayn al-’Abidīn Khán, a well-known figure, came into His presence and, through the intercession of Ásiyid Ḥusayn Qannád, asked that His departure be delayed and that He be granted permission to stay. But no permission was given, and He too left Iraq. He said, “I love that I should bear all the calamities alone, and that what is decreed befall me, and that the friends of God remain protected.” Yet you, a slanderer, cover these radiant words of holiness and detachment with your spiteful expressions. Have you not heard what transpired in Iraq during the last two years and what was endured, such that most of the people and all the scholars rose in opposition? Be fair! In such circumstances, would there have been any hope of life left for anyone to even think of leadership? The actions of Truth in the cause of Truth are the clearest proofs, witnesses, and testimonies.

A soul who is detached from all who dwell on earth, outwardly radiant like the sun among His enemies, and on whose blessed body the arrows of hatred came from all directions—yet you feel no shame and have written what has caused all things to wail. And beyond this, you have not heard of the calamities that befell the Blessed Beauty in Iraq—so what do you have to say about what occurred in Ṭá, O ignorant and blind one? That very Mirza Yahya, along with Sulaiman Khan, was in hiding in Dizhshub, and after coming to Ṭá, he stayed hidden in Sulaiman Khan’s house for several days. When the conditions for corruption were gathered, he fled, and what happened, happened. Meanwhile, the Blessed Beauty was clearly and openly present in His dwelling, such that when they came to arrest Him, even though by God—besides whom there is no other god—He had just returned from the land of Karbala and had no knowledge of these events, He remained four consecutive months in chains and fetters. The suffering He endured during those days is beyond description.

And before that, in Mazandaran, Mirza Yahya was with Him, and they were both captured and taken from city to city, village to village. On the day when all the scholars and other people gathered to stone the Blessed Beauty, He was brought into the presence of the oppressors, and what happened, happened. The pen is ashamed to mention what befell the Manifestation of the Self of God. Afterward, they wanted to punish Mirza Yahya, but He said, “He was with me; if any fault has been committed, it is mine.” For this reason, they did not harm Mirza Yahya but inflicted upon that Radiant One what they inflicted. He also interceded for the other companions, including Mulla Baqir, the bearer of the letter “H” (Ḥayy)—upon him be the glory of God—who is still alive. Inquire from him.

Furthermore, in Nayala, a village in Dār al-Marz, suddenly five hundred or more people attacked that Radiant Beauty, and what happened there, happened. If you are just, you will acknowledge that from the very beginning of His manifestation until now, He has never seen a moment of peace. Despite this, you have written what you have written. Why did these events happen, and for whom did they happen? Perhaps you will deny these events as well, for it would not be surprising from such a soul as yours.

Now, speak of your guide, who has turned away from God—what happened to him in this matter? It is certain that he has always been engaged in eating, drinking, and indulging in women, committing actions that, by God, I am ashamed to even mention. After the corruption he caused in Ṭá, he fled to Iraq and took refuge in their house. So frightened was he that, despite the presence of the Blessed Beauty—whom all knew was the target of everyone’s malice—by the One in whose hand is my soul, as soon as any news arrived from Iran, he would flee from Iraq to other places and constantly engage in sensual pleasures. Yet, despite all that was witnessed, he denies it and writes, “How can it be known that this rising was for God?”

O misguided denier, how did you come to know that it was not for God? Never has that holy soul been protected even for a moment. In this regard, let me recount a passage from one of His prayers to God, that you may remember and take heed. Its meaning in Persian is as follows: “O my God, never have I preserved my soul in Your path, nor have I flattered Your enemies. At all times, I have been afflicted in the hands of Your enemies, and in moments of hardship, I have wished to offer my life. But You, O my Lord, in Your profound wisdom and hidden purposes unknown to the eyes of creation, have preserved Your servant. Yet this preservation was not for my comfort but for another divine purpose. And You are praised in all Your actions and beloved in Your will.” If people like you had reflected on the revealed words of God, they would have understood matters that no one has ever comprehended. But it has been decreed otherwise for you and them.

And regarding what you wrote, that those who supported the cause of God were the ones who ate leather in Mazandaran: He said, “During the days when we were imprisoned in Ṭá, there was not even leather available for anyone to eat in the first few days.” Alas for you, O heedless one, ignorant of all good and engaged in all evil! You speak of what you know not, and this is not from yourself but from what Satan has cast into your heart. We ask God to seize him with a mighty, overpowering grasp. All the atoms testify that the Beauty of Abhá stood alone against the enemies, just as some of the friends from the land of Karbala wrote in those days, asking that He conceal Himself for a few days. The situation had become so difficult that every soul who entered His presence daily brought new reports of the schemes of the plotters and the intentions of the deniers. The enemies had risen to such an extent that some were designated in the streets and markets to shoot Him as He passed by. Yet He never veiled His blessed face for a moment and would leave the house alone, never showing regard for anyone, constantly saying, “Oh, how I long to meet my Beloved!” The inhabitants of the Highest Assembly were astonished by His actions, and all proclaimed, “Blessed be God, the best of creators!” But you deny everything because you have become intimate with the souls of the wicked and have turned away from the Truth.

Indeed, the difference has been that this most wondrous manifestation forbade people from killing, conflict, and strife. During the years of His stay in Iraq, there was never a time when any battle occurred, and it was explicitly revealed in the verses that the victory and propagation of the cause were to be through goodly exhortations and clear, healing explanations, not through argument or warfare. This decree was revealed so firmly that it is mentioned in some of the divine writings that if anyone were to harm His own children or relatives, it would be more beloved to Him than for anyone to harm another soul. Reflect on what has been revealed in the Tablets, that perhaps you may be just within yourself and be among the fair-minded.

Thus, during this time, nothing occurred except that a few individuals from this community, by the command of your guide, killed one another, but they did not harm anyone else. In all the Tablets that were revealed, the purpose of this manifestation has been unity and agreement, not division and strife.

And as for what you wrote, that some spent their days and nights in Baghdad, drinking tea with a samovar and surrounded by luxuries, I say, O most wretched of beings, by God, besides whom there is no other god, if there were even a speck of nobility in you or your guides, you would never have written such words or caused the Spirit of God to suffer because of the joys of vile souls. Has any vile person ever written such things as you have? No, by the Lord of the worlds, except for you and those like you. Hear the call of the Primal Point and then feel ashamed before His beauty! Do not strike His beloved with the swords of hatred or pierce His chosen one with the spears of filth. Fear the day when all existence, both seen and unseen, will tremble, and the skins of all beings will shudder.

He—exalted be His glory and majesty—says: “In one night of the favors of God, nineteen of your number should gather before you if you are able to do so, and do not be grieved if you are unable.” He says that until the number of the Musta ghá th, if you are able to gather in one meeting, you are given permission. Yet, without understanding, you have objected to God, mentioning tea, samovars, food, sweets, and gatherings. Know that it is the decree of the Primal Point who says, “You shall host nineteen souls in nineteen days, even if all you have is water to offer them.” He also says that it is obligatory for every soul to have a crystal glass in their house. And again He says, “You are to live with the means by which your hearts are sustained, making use of gold and silver.” Yet you, of base nature and the lowest of beings, object to tea and samovars. All of these directives from the Primal Point were not given so that someone could say, “I ate barley bread and attained the highest station.”

Yes, it is true that a person should be content with little and grateful, and not be distracted from God by abundance. This is the essence of the matter. Otherwise, neither austerity nor lack of it is a sign of truth or falsehood. The signs of the lovers of truth are apparent and visible on their foreheads, as today the ring of the ruby of meanings is inscribed on the foreheads of the friends of God, reading, “This is one of the people of God among the worlds.” By God, the intention of this statement is none other than that, by divine favor, the servants might be freed from these limitations.

He said: “If it were possible, today I would command all the people of God to sit upon golden thrones, for all that has been created is, in its true essence, for the believers in God.” Where is this perspective, and where is the view of one who objects to drinking tea, when even tea drinking is part of the teachings of the Bayán?

O people of the Bayán, reflect on the objections of the deniers and what they have said! Reflect, that you may be among those who are discerning! How quickly they have turned all divine matters upside down! For it is well known that the Exalted One—may the spirit of all besides Him be a sacrifice—would drink tea every day, and He commanded all the friends to do the same. He said, “I did not reach this station through asceticism,” just as the Blessed Beauty says, “I never practiced asceticism, and I was not of the people of knowledge; rather, what has appeared is a favor from the Lord, without any merit on My part.” However, due to necessity, for many nights there was nothing available from the divine blessings before Him, not even bread. For two consecutive years, there were no means of sustenance available. Yet at all times, We were grateful and remained content.

Today, the friends of God should not impose hardship on themselves in any way. If possible, they should enjoy refined food and, at all times, act in moderation. And if there is only one kind of food, it is preferable in the sight of God. However, effort should be made for that one kind to be of refined quality, according to their capacity. The wealthy must not forget the poor, for the poor are the trust of God among His servants. “Spend, O people, from what God has given you, and be among the generous!” Thus it has been revealed in the Bayán, then in the Qur’an, and also in the Gospel, the Psalms, the Torah, and the scriptures of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Indeed, the cause of God is sanctified from all these matters. Everything that has been created between heaven and earth has been created for the Manifestations of the cause. Yet, by God, besides whom there is no other god, those radiant souls from the horizon of oneness have always been content with little, placing others above themselves in such matters. Many times, what was present in their house was sent to the friends, and the people of the household went hungry that night or day. Praised be God in all conditions, for He is aware of what you are not aware of, O assembly of slanderers!

If all the blessings of the earth and all that has been created, with its fine provisions and pure fruits, were gathered in one place out of love for God for the sake of a believer in Him, it would not be considered excess. But for you and those like you, if you eat even a morsel of bread, it is extravagance, for extravagance is seen in forgetfulness of God. That very morsel of bread consumed by the soul that turns away from God cries out to God, “O my Lord, for what crime have You made me the food of this evildoer who has disbelieved in You and Your signs?” But you are not aware, and you will never be aware.

Moreover, by God, besides whom there is no other god, I swear by His blessed countenance that most of the time in His household, there was no food for the day. Many times, near the afternoon, bread was obtained for the people of the household, and that too was acquired on credit. On occasion, when some of the companions hosted a meal, a few of the friends were invited out of love for God, and after the reading of the divine verses and the words of the All-Glorious, each person received according to their portion. This was done to express love. In those days, it was unthinkable that someone like you would appear, veiled in denial, to object to such matters. But by God, besides whom there is no other god, that very soul who has instilled all these words into you lived in comfort all his days, indulging in pleasures with multiple women. By the Blessed Beauty, he always had the riches of the world at his disposal, and whenever a conversation arose in Iraq, he would depart for Basra or other lands, as everyone knows. Yet the words of truth only increase your resentment and rejection.

O blind, ignorant one, what do you say of Ḥusayn, son of ’Alí, who, when departing from the blessed, noble city of Medina, traveled with golden litters and with all the means of outward luxury, such that people like you say that the caravan driver of His Holiness, upon seeing that His loincloth was embroidered with pearls, went after Him following His martyrdom, and what happened next, I am too ashamed to mention. Surely, you will attribute this to worldly desires as well.

And beyond all of this, no material means have been prepared in this manifestation for you or anyone else to object to. At every moment, We have been in immense tribulation and hardship, if you are among the just. And as for what has been written by that denier who has instilled this into you, saying that the Blessed Beauty associated with vagrants and lowly people, and was engaged in idle talk, your later words contradict your earlier ones. You write that He spent twenty years in the company of mystics and then say He associated with vagrants and ruffians. Die in your rage, O heedless one, for you are the one spoken of in the earlier book, where God—exalted be He—says: “They speak in all circumstances according to their desires and follow the path of their own souls.” Yes, by God, had He not associated with the vagrants, He would certainly not have associated with Siyyid Muhammad and his guide. The vagrants and ruffians are like these souls. Otherwise, who were the vagrants and who were the ruffians?

Certainly, you consider the words of God to be idle, for He has spoken of nothing but the divine verses. Go and ask the people of Iraq! Many truthful words have been revealed to you, but everything denies you, and yet you do not perceive it. Furthermore, O unjust tyrant, where were you, and what did you see that made you claim He sat with vagrants and ruffians? Certainly, you have deemed the believers in God to be the lowly and vile. In every manifestation, the polytheists have always spoken this way, as has been said before. It is only fitting that people like you speak such words. By God, this very word of yours is proof of the truth of the cause, and it will remain so. May God curse the first one who wronged the Primal Point in His subsequent appearance, who slandered Him, denied His signs, and filled his heart with hatred and enmity. With this curse, all who are in the heavens and the earth curse him.

By God, besides whom there is no other god, such tribulations have been inflicted upon this wronged Beauty that no one from the beginning of creation until now has endured. The matter is clear to all, yet you deny it. It is as if you all witnessed with your own eyes that in the cause of God, He never flattered anyone or sought refuge with any soul. When Sirkār Mushir wanted to associate with Him in Iraq, He refused, until finally, He went to the mosque, as all have heard. And after entering the Great City, He did not go to anyone nor did He turn His attention to anyone, and everyone bears witness to this. Yet you write that such a soul associated with the lowly and despicable. And the one who has gone from house to house begging for bread, sending a woman to beg at homes—who ran to Istanbul and sought refuge with every soul—that one’s actions are acceptable, while the deeds of the Truth are not acceptable. By God, this is what befits you and your likes.

Reflect for a moment on how immense a word such as this is for the likes of you, and how you have thought to veil the radiant sun with the veils of ego and desire, seeking to render His actions void. No, by God, no one but those like you will pay any attention to such words, for all have seen the actions of Truth with their own eyes. One day, He said: “Greater tribulations than these are veiled in the pavilion of fate and must descend.” He then narrated a dream He had in Iraq, saying, “I was asleep one night in the darkest of nights, and I saw that the prophets and messengers were gathered around Me. They were seated on all sides, wailing, weeping, and crying out. I was perplexed and asked them about it. They increased their weeping and wailing and said: ‘It is for Your own sake, O Greatest Mystery, O Form of Eternity!’ They wept over My condition, and I wept with them.”

He continued: “I then heard the weeping of the inhabitants of the Highest Realm, and in that moment, they addressed Me, saying: ‘Your tribulation is great, O Sidrat al-Muntaha! Your fate is immense, O Mystery of the First and the Last! Be patient, O Greatest Sign and Manifestation of the Primal Point! Then be patient, O Tree of the Utmost and Manifestation of Fate in the Kingdom of Execution! Soon you will see with your own eyes what no prophet has ever seen, witness what no one from among all creation has ever witnessed, and hear what no ear has heard from the elect and beloved. Be patient, be patient, O Hidden Mystery of God, O Concealed Symbol, O Sealed Word, O Hidden Book.’”

“I was with them that night, conversing with them until near dawn. I lifted My head from sleep, wondering to Myself: What is this tribulation that none has ever witnessed in creation? I did not mention it to anyone until one of the scholars of Iraq, named ’Abd al-Salām Effendi, came before Me. When he arrived, I told him of the dream and recounted to him what God had shown Me in the vision. He became deeply sorrowful upon hearing it. Such was the matter, yet people remain in evident heedlessness.”

This is the dream that He had in Iraq and recounted, and in these days, part of it has been interpreted, as we have heard from you things no one has ever heard before, and we have seen things no soul has ever seen. He said: “In all situations, We are patient and grateful.” The sole intention of such souls is to question why the Truth has appeared. By God, this is not from Me but from the One who sent Me with the truth and made Me a mercy to the worlds.

You mentioned that a woman was sent to plead at a house. Firstly, such oppression will only increase. Furthermore, congratulations to you for not only undermining one of the Prophets but for also attempting to disgrace the honor of other prophets and saints. Did not Fatimah take the hands of Hasan and Husayn and go to the homes of the Muhajirun and Ansar to claim her rights concerning Fadak? Bravo to you! Silence your tongue, O disbeliever in God! Then silence your tongue, O polytheist! Then silence your tongue, O one who wages war against God! And even if I were to repeat this phrase from now until the endless end of time, you would still deserve it, for nothing you say can be mentioned in comparison to what you have done in defiance of God, O heedless one of God’s cause and arrogant toward the Self of God!

After arriving in this land, the Blessed Beauty, the Primal Manifestation, and Mirza Yahya each resided in separate homes. This land is not one where a person wrongs another. The injustice that the polytheist committed occurred when the great division had not yet taken place. After the revelations of what was in his heart, division occurred, as has been mentioned. Since then, they have never met or exchanged a single word. Ask the people of that land so you may find your way to the truth.

Moreover, this country belongs to the Ottoman Empire, and all here are prisoners and strangers. After the exposure of his true intentions, He has not associated with anyone except Darvīsh Ṣidq ’Alī for his service, and there is one other who serves the Blessed Beauty, and one who serves the Primal Manifestation. The rest of the companions are scattered in separate houses. So what was this injustice, and where did it come from? All the atoms know that the cause of this injustice was that the oppressor was content with his own disgrace and caused division. Yet, you speak of what you do not comprehend.

You have mistaken the tree of injustice for justice and considered the tree of grace and justice as oppressive. This is nothing but deceit from you and them regarding God’s cause. You lack the intelligence to reflect upon what you have heard. During the same days when his wife went to beg at the house, by God, in the first month, he had received the same adornments that are sent to him in every city, along with a package of items from the darvīsh, who still serves him. There were also several individuals who had recently arrived in this land, and all were aware of it. Among them were Mírzá Ḥaydar ’Alí, Salmān, and Ustādh ’Abdu’l-Karīm from Ṣád. Nevertheless, he sent his wife to beg at the house, saying these words in reference to the Blessed Beauty: “He brought us here and does not provide us with bread or clothing.” A great scandal arose in this land, and one of the consuls was amazed, telling someone that a strange thing had occurred today. All the Persians mocked this group, saying that there is no chastity or modesty among them.

And your heedless soul knows very well that if the Jews came to him, he would not prevent them from taking any amount of material wealth. Yet, despite all this, you wrote what you wrote and stained the story of Fadak with filth. But be assured, in every land, you have your own “Lady of the Women” and many mirrors, one after another. The Blessed Beauty resided in Iraq for twelve years, and no one ever witnessed anything from Him that was even slightly inappropriate or contrary. Ask all the people of Iraq! Now, from that chain of perfect mirrors, one remains in Iraq. You should inquire about his condition from the people of Iraq. To him was written: “We have made you a shining light among the worlds,” and also: “He is light within light, and His likeness is as the light of God’s light.” And to the mother of wickedness, this blessed verse from the Qur’an was written to her exactly as it is.

By God, I write this with tears, for the situation has reached a point where we must engage in such statements. You have lost the honor of God and your own honor. Purify your heart from the filth of the delusions of the polytheists, and do not associate the mention of the prophets and messengers with the talk of polytheists! All those radiant countenances of the All-Merciful gave their lives in the path of their Beloved and paid no attention to anyone on earth for the sake of bread. Now be fair, O man of comparisons, and see how you have compared such an act to these souls. Be fair so that you may be treated with fairness! Have mercy on the cause for which the blood of the near ones and the pure servants of God has been shed.

You also mentioned the story of Ḥájí Sayyid Muḥammad in Istanbul. I am fully aware of it, as I was present. On the first night, he came to the embassy of Mushir al-Dawlah. Only Ḥájí Mírzá Ṣafí and I were present. Mushir al-Dawlah asked him why he had come, and he said it was to secure his release. I saw the letter he presented to ’Alí Páshá, and later, his messengers came and started to speak ill of him. He responded as much as was necessary because of their insults.

By God, who has blackened the face of the liar! If his sole purpose was release, then who informed the oppressors, something of which no one was aware? There were eight individuals, yet they claimed there were twenty-one. He delayed for six months until, through a thousand deceptions, he achieved his goal and the goal of his accomplice. They sold the Joseph of the Cause for a few meager coins. How despicable are they and their loyalty! By God, through their actions, they have squandered the Cause of God among the people.

The decree that arrived from Istanbul stated that some of their companions came forward, complaining that they were not given bread. That decree is still in hand, yet despite this, they have written what they have written. May God curse those who have exchanged the sanctity of God for worldly vanities! When they are alone with their devils, they renounce God and His cause, yet they write to their foolish followers: “We are the leaders of the Cause, the mirrors of the servants, the fruits of unity, and the leaves of detachment.” However, those whom God has endowed with sharp vision bear witness and see what they have committed in their false lives. Nothing is hidden from them, for they can detect from every act of theirs the stench of lies, hypocrisy, deceit, and discord. They are the gems of creation among God’s servants, and upon them rests the remembrance and praise of God at all times and in every moment.

By God, you are a worthy disciple, and you have become adept at concealing sin after witnessing it. But no secret is hidden from the one who sees all, and we know well what slanders have been said and how they have plotted to commit murder. It has even been said that they sent a person to Tehran for a vile purpose. May the curse of God be upon the slanderers and liars.

Now observe the actions of the Truth: He entered the city and associated with no one, and in the Cause of God, He did not flatter a single soul. When that vile one saw that the Iranian ambassador was displeased with Him, he entered that place out of deceit and hypocrisy toward the Truth, seeking refuge and saying whatever he said. If his intention had been to seek release, no one would have said anything to him, for he was neither more famous than Ḥájí Mírzá Aḥmad nor more esteemed than others who had come. By God, he came for a stipend, as the correspondence between him and Mírzá Yaḥyá to Bāb Mushīr attests, which is still in hand.

From Istanbul, they inquired about everything from here. He claimed there were seven people who had gone and that the rest were engaged in earning a livelihood, stating that he and Mírzá Yaḥyá were twenty-one in number and that they had no stipend. The governor specifically sent for verification and inquired, as the Sublime Porte had made such a statement. And now you write that it was all for release. Now that they have achieved their ultimate goal, I wish they would stop writing to others, saying they have no bread.

Now be fair: what scent of truth emanates from the actions of the Truth, and what from the actions of these people? By God, such leaders as they are well suited to the likes of you. But do not think for a moment that the Iranian ambassador is unaware. No, by God, the day will come when he will himself testify to the truth of the actions of the Truth and deny the actions of those souls. And even if it remains unclear to you, it will not remain unclear to him.

And as for the messengers, I do not know whom you mean. If you are referring to Jináb-i-’Abdu’l-Ḥaḍir, by God, he came specifically for a matter in that city that had nothing to do with him, as he did not meet with anyone. Everyone is a witness that the vile one attributed all sorts of reprehensible and ugly actions to the Truth, and that city has spoken things about him that no one has ever said about anyone else. Jináb-i-’Abdu’l-Ḥaḍir now says: “You yourself did not come and mention that Sayyid Muḥammad says such and such?” And how many inappropriate words did you attribute to Him, saying: “It is not good for a stipend to be discussed; whatever the situation, it should be resolved.” And I responded: “There has been no opposition, and there will be none. The avoidance of those souls is for the sake of God’s cause, not for worldly matters. Let them have all the stipends, for there is no dispute or conflict.” In multiple gatherings, I asked you to meet with him in one place so that it could be established that what had been said was slanderous fabrication. You came and said he would not accept.

By God, all existence is astonished by your lies and slanders. O witless one, for years Mírzá Yaḥyá was in His service—has anyone ever heard any ill word spoken against him by any of His companions? Even the most ignorant person knows that whatever happens, it has been an embarrassment to the Cause and will continue to be so. By God, He has always said that He would have preferred to be martyred a thousand times rather than have such matters discussed among the people, that one of His companions would complain about bread and send petitions to the cities. May God curse those who have caused everything to weep and have burned the hearts of the near ones.

By God, besides whom there is no other god, all these souls were content to be killed so that such words would never surface. What we are saying now, we are compelled to say because we see that some are determined to dishonor the sanctity of the Cause of God. They have no true faith and have only cast themselves into peril for the sake of leadership. For nearly five years we have endured in this land and have never sent anyone to the Sublime Porte, nor have we made any demands. Whatever has come, we have borne it out of reverence for God’s Cause. But that vile one has committed acts no one before him has dared commit. We hope they do not achieve their goal, just as they have completely defiled the honor of an entire lineage.

He has no rank and never will. Judge for yourself: where has his name ever been mentioned? Where did the leaders of the Ottoman Empire ever know him from? By whose influence did he become known? You know this yourself, but out of hatred for God, you conceal it. You are among those who have covered the sins of the polytheists and what they have committed to dishonor the sanctity of God. Thus the matter unfolded from this pen that speaks the truth, trustworthy and honest.

Now, as for your absurdity, it is truly astonishing. For nearly twenty years, you worshipped Mírzá Yaḥyá as a god, and I myself witnessed you admit this in Isfahan. Now he has been rejected. What should I say to Mírzá Muḥammad ’Alí, Mírzá Abul-Ḥasan, and others, including Mírzá Ḥusayn Varzanih? How should I explain that you people change your allegiance every day, recognizing someone as true one day and then declaring them false the next? This is due to their lack of discernment, for the truth does not become false, and this is a contradiction. Their faith is nothing but caprice, just as Mírzá Abul-Ḥasan said to me in Tehran: “What a shame for you! What evidence did you have that made him true at first, a god, and now false, a disbeliever?” How absurd! I ask you for one moment of fairness: by God, is this how it is?

This issue applies to you and your kind, for years you followed people as leaders who are among the worst souls in creation. According to their decree, they martyred the Manifestation of the Divine Self with utter cruelty. And secondly, we indeed had sincere affection for him, and we admit it, for in the words of the Blessed Beauty, certain descriptions were observed, and we thought those descriptions referred to that imagined soul. Until God revealed to us what He revealed, and we became aware of actions that neither Nimrod nor Pharaoh ever committed. Therefore, we shattered the idol of delusion and came to know what was truly meant by the blessed and wondrous words. Then we understood it, and His true purpose, which had been concealed from you and those like you, became clear. If you knew, you would flee from him and rend asunder the veils of majesty, turning toward the dawning of beauty, and would be among the assured.

We praise God that through the strength of trust and detachment, we shattered the idol of delusion and entered the path of certainty. And how we wish you had been there to witness it with your own eyes. We thank God for this and praise Him at all times. By God, if there were a shred of fairness in you, you would indeed speak night and day of the attributes of these servants, for our actions bear truthful witness to our faith, and they are a clear and evident testimony. For we broke the chains of imitation and attained the Truth, freeing ourselves from the delusion that had gripped all hearts. O poor one, so lost in delusion—if only you had seen Him, known Him, and become aware of what He holds. Would that you had met Him and come to know the wisdom that He shares in His assemblies, and had become aware of what you are now veiled from in these days.

And if you do not know us, we will introduce ourselves to you so that you may become informed and be among the knowledgeable. We are the servants whom God has endowed with sharp vision and whom He has made to know Him by Himself. We have detached ourselves from the world, and no obstacle or deceiver or schemer, nor the doubts of the arrogant, have ever hindered us. We praise God for having made us aware of His Self, the one who was promised in His sacred and wondrous Tablets. And nothing has prevented us from recognizing Him—not the veils of those who denied God nor the brilliance of those who associated others with His one and singular Self, mighty and praised.

It is truly astonishing that you are so engrossed in such investigations. When the shore has been reached, should anyone still seek the water of a stagnant pond? Be fair, O you foolish ones! And when the sun shines, is it fitting for anyone to light a lamp, even if that lamp were genuine? Be fair, O heedless one, whose negligence causes all things to mourn, though you are shrouded in thick veils. And when the greatest sea is in motion, does a rational person turn to a mirage in the desert? No, by our Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate. But you will never perceive what we mention because your heart has been deprived of the divine fragrances of God, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.

Even the women are ashamed of your arguments. Satan has been known in every heaven by different names, and for more than a thousand years, he was called by all names, yet suddenly he became the “accursed.” Such are the wonders of God’s power—will you deny them? If you do, God’s assured servants will confirm them.

Have you not heard that Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve apostles of the Gospel, and later manifested such wickedness that he betrayed the Word of God to the Jews? And how fortunate would your leader be if he had committed only what Judas did, for after his vile act, Judas repented. But your leader exchanged the Point of the Bayán, along with all the prophets, messengers, and the sanctity of God, for the trappings of the earth, as has already been mentioned—and you are fully aware of all of this.

And what do you say about Ismā’īl, the son of Imam Ṣādiq? After it had been written to all provinces that he was the Imam and the leader of the people after his father, over time, certain matters arose, and the Imam dismissed him, declaring him deposed. Some of his companions, such as Zurārah, asked the Imam, “O son of the Messenger of God, how can it be that someone is the rightful Imam of the people and, after a time, becomes false?” The Imam spoke of “badā’” (the alteration of divine will). Go and read the narration in al-Kulaynī’s book.

O poor one, you are ignorant of everything—not just the Bayán but also the Qur’an, the Torah, and the Gospel. In the appearance of this Cause, many upheavals have taken place. I have not mentioned them in detail for the sake of brevity, but they are recorded in your own books, just as some people today still consider Ismā’īl an Imam. You have not even seen the outward books and are uninformed. Your way is to engage in the talk of common folk and base your arguments on such reasoning. To the discerning and wise, nothing is confusing, nor will it be. Many things have occurred that none have known, for God had concealed them beforehand. Would that you had abandoned desire and settled for a time at the threshold of the Beloved, that some of the hidden mysteries might have been revealed to you.

And do you not know about Balaam the son of Beor, who was far more renowned than your leader? His leadership was established, yet after the manifestation of the Moses of your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate, he committed what he committed, and thus God exchanged his light for fire. Indeed, He is capable of all things. Would that you knew your leader! By God, who is beyond all else, the hand of power and might took a handful of dust, breathed into it a spirit from among the spirits that were created by His will. When it quivered and stood up, He clothed it in the garment of names between the earth and the heavens for a wisdom known to none but His knowing and wise Self. It was nothing more and will never be. When it turned back to God, God turned back on it as it had turned. Thus, does He deal with His rebellious servants.

Hear the words of this servant: Do not become the source of people’s delusions! Have mercy on God’s Cause and on the people! In every age, deluded souls have gathered and deprived the people of the shores of the ocean of oneness. Ponder how many delusions existed among the community of the Qur’an regarding the appearance of the Qá’im, the Resurrection, and the Hour. When the Point of the Bayán—may all else be sacrificed for Him—appeared, it became clear that they had all been mistaken, having not drunk even a drop from the ocean of knowledge. That Eternal Beauty endured with utmost difficulty to shatter the idols of delusion and desire. Yet even now, such souls intend to ensnare people in new delusions. Say: Fear God, the One True God, and do not commit an act that causes tears of blood to flow from the eyes of the near ones! Do not mistake the Truth for falsehood, nor falsehood for the Truth! Indeed, the Truth has always been and will always be, but you have failed to recognize it.

It has always been established that after the Point, the Truth rests solely in the Letters of the Living, for all the people of the Bayán were created in the shadow of the First One. The rights of every rightful person are confirmed through these souls, as are all the attributes and most excellent names. Yet, He addresses one of the Letters of the Living who asked about the next manifestation, saying: If I knew you would not attain faith in the Day of the Sun’s rising in its brightness, I would now issue the decree of disbelief against you. And if I knew a Christian would become a believer on that Day, I would now decree faith for him, even though he is not yet a believer and no beloved action has appeared from him. Ponder this deeply and recognize the Truth!

These souls are true as long as they remain under the shadow of the Truth, for at that time, nothing is seen in them but the Truth. But after the cessation of the dominion of the Sovereign, and when the creature returns to its former state and likeness, that Truth which has never been and will never become false is the Tree of Reality. Know this if you would be among the knowledgeable. Thus, the matter has been explained by the Ancient Revealer. Reflect, O servant, so that you may be among the guided.

O heedless and immature one, know that in “resurrection,” there are infinite stages, and distinguish the resurrection of the names from the resurrection of the realities. Many souls are resurrected in name without essence. This is due to a wisdom that no one knows. If you wish to understand it, ask God, your Lord, with humility, submission, and true repentance so that He may teach you what He possesses. Indeed, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. In previous Tablets, some of this has been revealed from the Pen of Command. If you wish, look into those Tablets, and perhaps you will be content with what has been stated there. The purpose of this mention is that you may not be veiled by names from the One who sends them down. Though it is unlikely that your veils will ever be torn apart except by the will and command of God.

The Point of the Bayán—exalted is His greatness—has also mentioned the transformation of realities, not to mention names, as some of this has been stated before. He also says, exalted be His mention: At every manifestation, the proofs that affirm it are transformed into negation, but in that manifestation, God establishes His Cause and perfects His handiwork, for in it, the light will not be exchanged for fire, except in the Manifestation of God. Indeed, my sorrow for all those in the Bayán is for that Day.

Observe that it is explicitly stated that light can be transformed into fire, as the light you assumed to be light has in fact turned into fire. Yet you remain unaware, fully engrossed in distorting the divine words. And when it is said, “except in the Manifestation of God,” do not think that before the Manifestation, light cannot be transformed. Indeed, even before the Manifestation, the true essence of light, other than the Manifestation itself, can and has been transformed. Such matters have been misunderstood by people until this Manifestation came to unveil them. When you tore the veil of the sanctity of God, your own veil was torn by the hands of power and might.

The difference is that upon the ascension of the Manifestation of God to the Supreme Companion, the outward will of the next Manifestation is not yet apparent to make judgments, even though He always lives in the highest realms of glory. However, since no one recognizes Him in this outward state, and all are barred from His meeting, the judgment of transformation remains hidden until the next Manifestation. If a person who once possessed light falters in the statement “Yes” during that time, the divine knowledge will issue a decree of fire upon them. This was seen in the previous Manifestation and can now be clearly observed both outwardly and inwardly in this one, where those who once called themselves light are judged as fire by God, yet they move without realizing it.

In every moment, I seek refuge in God that you do not remain veiled from the Manifestation, for He is and will always be the purpose. He is the Sign and the Sign itself, and all created things before Him are but reflections. But not every soul can understand this station, except those detached and exalted in knowledge.

Thus, the Point of Primordial Will—may all else be sacrificed for Him—when speaking of letters, mirrors, light, and the like, from the highest ranks of names and attributes down to the lowest level of things, says: these have no independent reality; only when they stand in front of the True Sun do they receive the infinite radiance of its manifestations. In this station, nothing is seen in those reflections but God. He says: Do not look at the names themselves, but look at what gives rise to the names, and also at what gives rise to the attributes. For all are adorned with unique, exalted garments of names because of their turning toward God and their faith in Him. Some are called letters, some mirrors, some guiding lights, and some manifestations of beauty and majesty, life and eternity, and so forth, from the Most Beautiful Names of God. The manifestations of these lights vary according to their capacities and preparedness, but the manifestation itself and the one who reflects it remain one.

A discerning and insightful person realizes that all these names are due to the faith within them. Leave aside delusions and observe the first who believed, and also the second who believed, for no soul has been described more highly in the Bayán than these two and the other Letters of the Living. As it is said in their visitation prayer: “O Pure Essence of God, O Reality of God, O Being of God,” and such similar phrases. Now, if the first to believe had not been that particular soul and had been someone else, this station would have been conferred upon them. If you immerse yourself in this ocean, you will comprehend some of the hidden, veiled secrets and discern the difference between the sun of meanings and its shadow. You will not commit actions that cause all the atoms to wail in mourning.

For example, consider this: if a handful of dust is taken by the blessed hand and it is said that this handful of dust is to be worshipped by all the worlds, that is the truth, without doubt. And likewise, if He were to take a hundred handfuls of dust and declare the same, the decree would still be true. For in this station, attention is focused on the command that emanates from the Source of Command, not on the thing as it is in itself.

As for those souls veiled by mention of “guardianship” and oblivious to what establishes the guardian and beyond it—prophethood, messengership, and lordship—know this first: by God, besides whom there is no other, the Primal Point never spoke such a word regarding any particular person in the Bayán. Yes, there was a tablet addressed to Mirza Suleiman, in the opening of which there was a word that left everyone incapable of understanding. Mirza Suleiman himself, upon returning from Maku, would say that this word is “guardianship” and that it was addressed to him. He claimed to possess this station. If only you had clung to him, for in this matter, he is more deserving of it in the sight of God than the one to whom you now cling. Beyond this, no mention of guardianship has ever been made, except for certain tablets that were written and falsely attributed to the Primal Point. All of them are lies before the Lord of Glory.

Furthermore, this rank of “guardian” is not one that can be taken away or affirmed for anyone. For what makes a guardian praiseworthy is the essence of guardianship itself, and after the severance of that essence, it is of no further mention before God, nor will it ever be. As the Primal Point—may all else be sacrificed for Him—says in this station: “The essence of everything is that it remains hidden from that which makes the guardian a guardian.” You should not look at the title of guardianship as a specific rank but rather at what sustains it, which is the divine tree of truth. If, hypothetically, the Prophet had not appointed someone by the name of “guardian,” today, mention would have been made of something other than guardianship. All of this is to ensure that on the day of the Manifestation, you are not veiled by names but look at what sustains the names of all things, even the mention of the Prophet.

Reflect for a moment so that you may understand that all are honored by His command and exalted by His mention, and this condition is true as long as they do not exceed their limits. Upon the advent of the primary cause, all these names lose their connection to their referents and return to the spiritual realms. If the decisive decree is issued once again, then all the most beautiful names of God apply to them. Otherwise, they return to their original state before the question of “why” or “how” is even asked.

So, remove your focus from these limitations and look toward that point that permeates all things, and do not assume that point to be a delusion. Just as all servants have previously been left in delusions and will remain so until God’s will determines otherwise. Even Mirza Yahya, by whom you turned away from God, was once present before me like one of the servants, listening to the divine words as they were revealed, just as some are present now, and they hear in the same way every night and day. But the difference is that this arrogant soul, after two words flowed from his tongue, committed actions that no denier had ever done. However, the present souls who stand before the face speak with the most wondrous words, and yet they have no authority except by His permission. Thus has it been decreed, if you are among the knowing.

Though the words of the idolaters have settled deeply in your heart, removing them is difficult unless you drink from this stream of grace that flows through the eyes of the words and permeates them. Thus, we have informed you, and we have told you what you were veiled from, so that you may tear the veils by the power of your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and witness what you had not witnessed before and know what you had been heedless of. But you will not succeed in this unless you sever yourself from all that has been created between the heavens and the earth and turn to God, the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Chosen One.

O servants, do not rely on the words and suggestions of the idolaters for recognition in this Manifestation, whether they affirm or deny it, but look to the essence of the matter. For most people have been, and will continue to be, veiled and deluded. The leaders of the time, in their efforts to maintain their authority, will continue to bar people from the shore of unity and from knowing the signs of God. Consider, for example, the Manifestation of the Qur’an. The Prophet appeared with the verses of God, and no proof or argument was offered except the revealed verses. Nevertheless, after the Prophet’s ascension to the Supreme Friend and the departure of the fragrance of the Merciful, the affair fell into the hands of the scholars. These souls completely barred people from knowing the signs, saying, “You cannot comprehend the verses of God; the knowledge of them rests with us.” As a result, the authority of the verses was undermined, and the reins of the people fell into the hands of those souls. They trained the people in delusions that cannot be described, as you have seen and heard. They interpreted the verses about the next Manifestation, the Resurrection, and similar matters according to their own whims, and the people followed them unknowingly, until the matter reached a point where the harm of those delusions was fully realized when it affected the tree of the next Manifestation.

After the appearance of the Promised One in the year sixty, the breezes of grace began to blow again, the heavens of knowledge rose high, the earth of understanding expanded, and the verses of God descended from the heaven of His will. However, because of previous delusions, the people hesitated in accepting the authority of the verses, claiming they could not comprehend them. Yet the Truth—exalted be His mention—is too great, too noble, and too merciful to send forth a manifestation of Himself, command all to know Him (which is the very knowledge of God), and then provide proofs that are beyond human understanding. Glorified be He from such a thing!

In the end, people remain preoccupied and veiled by their own misconceptions, to the extent that they do not suffice with the verses of God. This, despite the clear text of the Qur’an. Instead, they claim that since the verses are beyond our intellect and understanding, another proof must appear. They have exchanged the grace and proof of God for something else, something contrary to His will. Consequently, many turned away and returned to the abyss. The more intense the rejection of the disbelievers became, the more firmly the Sun of Meanings revealed the authority of the verses, to the point that all proof and argument were confined to the verses alone.

Despite the disbelievers’ objections, this verse was revealed from the heaven of oneness: “If an ant desired to grasp the Qur’an and its inner meaning and the innermost of its innermost according to the blackness of its eyes, it could do so, for the secret of self-sufficiency and the manifestation of oneness have vibrated in all things.” This verse was revealed so that all might sense that the doors of grace and favor are not closed, and that any soul who turns toward God can perceive the authority of the verses of God within the very essence of the verses themselves. The understanding of this station is not dependent on worldly knowledge and will never be; rather, it depends on pure souls and receptive hearts. Blessed are those who turn toward Him!

Likewise, that Pure One tore through the veils and delusions that existed before, which had ensnared people, and returned to the horizon of “Verily, I am alive in the highest summit.” Now, certain deluded souls, in an effort to establish and preserve their leadership, seek first to erase the authority of the verses from the Bayán. They have made great efforts in this matter and continue to do so, employing all manner of trickery and deceit. However, God has willed that His verses be established by the truth, even though the idolaters may deny them. And now, their hypocrisy has reached such a degree that if anyone speaks of the authority of the verses, they mock and ridicule them, just as the peoples of the past did, but these individuals are even more ignorant and hypocritical than those before, if you only knew.

The veiled souls have always sought to limit the expansive knowledge of God, and for this reason, most of humanity has been deprived of the bounties of the Merciful and the grace of the Lord. One day, a deluded soul mockingly remarked about the Point of the Bayán, saying, “He claimed that no one can produce a single verse, yet we see that some people can utter a few words that resemble verses. Therefore, by this standard, these people must also be considered true.” By God! Whoever perceives the fragrance of the divine garden of meanings will recognize in this statement the speaker’s disbelief, hypocrisy, arrogance, and objection against all the prophets and messengers.

It is evident that such a soul has not partaken of the fountain of meanings and remains utterly deprived of the spiritual garden of God. This is all the more clear because the intended meaning of the Point of the Bayán’s statement is obvious. Even if a word of truth consists of only two letters, it remains the sovereign over the words of the people of the earth. By God! The pure-hearted and knowledgeable discern the fragrances of truth from even a single word, turning toward His garden.

Consider this: If a cup of fresh water is drawn from a flowing river, those with refined taste immediately recognize that the water comes from a pure source, even though it is just a single cup of water. Since the fountain of knowledge, understanding, grace, and power flows continuously, the sincere and the devout understand and trace that word back to its source. Thus have these matters been explained for you so that you may be guided by the guidance of your Lord and not be misled by the armies of Satan.

If a person can utter two words but becomes incapable of continuing with a third, it is clear that their words did not come from that continuous and ever-flowing source. By God, O servant, the truth, in all its aspects, will always stand apart from all else. Do not deceive yourself! If you wish to test this, come forth and ask for a verse from the verses of God. Then you will witness an ocean that surges with its own power for its own sake, a sea whose waves have no end, and you will witness the treasure trove of meanings and wisdom, and be among the certain.

This supreme Manifestation, as the Point of the Bayán—exalted be His majesty—has decreed in the Bayán, has appeared solely through the verses, and so He has manifested through them. Otherwise, everything that has appeared from Him is a proof for the world. In this supreme Manifestation, all the signs of divine power in the heavens and on earth are visible, and none but the most deceitful and wicked would deny them.

Every soul today must avoid the vile, idolatrous souls, for they have appeared with a deceit so manifest that there is no comparison to it in all creation. For example, from the land of Ṣād, a letter was sent to the honored servant of God, Ásíyid Mihdí—upon him be the glory of God—stating that the mother of all abominations and sins had sent a letter to that land, claiming that a tablet had been buried in their house, written in the hand of the Exalted One. She claimed to have unearthed it and found written therein phrases attributed to the Point of the Bayán, supposedly recommending Mírzá Yaḥyá to the Manifestation of Bahá. By God! We were all astonished by the falsehoods of these souls and the deceit of this people. The command was issued for them to go and ask where exactly in the house this tablet was found and to show it, so that perhaps they might awaken and repent. They have reached such an extreme of falsehood! This whole affair is orchestrated by Mírzá Yaḥyá, who writes and sends instructions from here. May God curse the liars and the fabricators! The Point of the Bayán, seated on the Throne of Paradise, disavows them and says, “Loss be upon you, O assembly of the idolaters, and fire be upon you, O assembly of the wicked!”

Today, you must sharpen your vision, purify your heart, and cleanse your breast so that you may recognize and distinguish yourself from all others. This station, while lofty and sublime, is very simple and easy for the fair-minded, though the people of the Bayán have now reached such a state and have objected to the truth in matters that, from the beginning of creation until now, no one has ever objected to in such a way. All of us have been circumambulating around this Cause for years. By the Almighty God! There has never been any attachment to the vanities of this world, and if ever there was, we shared everything. Whenever anyone entered the Supreme House, they were treated as though they themselves were the owner of the house, with utmost kindness shown to them. Yet the people of the Bayán have objected to everything that has manifested from God, even to the drinking of tea and matters of clothing and similar things. Woe unto them and to their shame!

I do not know what has happened, but everyone seems to be stuck in the same pitfall. A tablet has recently been revealed from the source of divine will, specifically for one of the beloved in the east. I will mention it here in the hope that they may become aware and listen to the words of the Point of the Bayán, spoken again from the tongue of the most wondrous and exalted Manifestation, and be ashamed of their wailing and lamentation, and cease from their actions. Here is what was revealed from the realm of God, the Almighty, the Great:

In the name of the Most Holy, the Most High, the Most Exalted. This is the Book of the Primal Point to those who have believed in God, the One, the Unique, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. In it, He addresses those who have hesitated in this Cause from among the people of the Bayán, that they may be awakened by the wondrous words of God and arise from the slumber of heedlessness in this radiant and luminous dawn. Say: We commanded you in the Book not to place anyone ahead of the one from whom the Beloved of the knowers and the Desired One of those in the heavens and on earth will appear. And We commanded you that, if you were to attain the presence of God, you should arise before His face and proclaim on My behalf this exalted and mighty word: “Upon you, O Bahá’u’lláh, and upon your kindred, be the mention of God and the praise of all things in every moment and before every moment and after every moment.” We made this word a crown for the people of the Bayán, that they might, by it, ascend to the heights of sanctity and be among the winners. Yet they abandoned what they were commanded, so much so that none of them arose before His face with what We had enjoined them in the Tablets of mighty glory. Instead, from all directions, they cast the darts of hypocrisy at Him. Because of this, I wept, and the inhabitants of the realms of majesty and the Spirit of Faithfulness wept with Me.

Say: O people, show reverence before My beauty! Verily, He Who has appeared with the truth is indeed the Glory of the worlds, if you are of those who know. And He is the Glory of God, upon Him be the mention of God and His praise, as well as the praise of the hosts of the Most High, the praise of the hosts of the realm of eternity, and the praise of all things in every moment. Beware, lest you be veiled by what has been created between earth and heaven! Hurry toward the paradise of His pleasure and do not be among the heedless.

Say: His beauty was My beauty in truth, and His essence is My essence. All that We revealed in the Bayán was revealed for His most exalted and wondrous Cause. Fear God and do not argue concerning what We informed you about and foretold to you of His appearance. I made a covenant with His essence before I made a covenant with My own, and all things bear witness to this, if you are not of the deniers. By God, with a single melody of His, the realities of all things were born anew, and with another melody, the hearts of the near ones were enraptured. Beware that you are not veiled by anything from Him, whose meeting was the same as My own, and who sacrificed Himself in My path, just as I sacrificed Myself in His, out of love for His glorious, exalted beauty.

Say: Without Him, the letter “Ḥá” would not have joined with “Bá,” the form of “Há” would not have rested upon “Váv,” and nothing of what was or what is would have been created if you are among those who perceive. Without Him, I would not have cast Myself into the hands of the idolaters, nor would I have been suspended in the air. By God, through My longing for Him and My desire for His essence, I bore what no prophets or messengers have borne. I accepted all this upon Myself so that nothing would afflict His tender and delicate heart, which is more refined and lofty than all else. And We enjoined you throughout the Bayán that no one should grieve another, lest any sorrow reach Him. Otherwise, what do I care for you, O assembly of the heedless?

Verily, in the Bayán, I sought only His essence, and from the names, only His blessed, most sanctified, most wondrous, most sublime Name. By My life, if I spoke of lordship, I intended nothing but His lordship over all things. If the mention of divinity flowed from My pen, it was only His divinity that I meant. If the mention of the Desired One appeared, He was My desire. Likewise, He was the Beloved I sought, the Beloved of all those who know. If I mentioned prostration, I sought nothing but prostration before His exalted, glorious face. If I praised any soul, it was His own soul that My heart sought to praise. If I commanded the people to act, it was only to act in accordance with His pleasure in the day of His appearance. All that descended upon Me from the majesty of My Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, bears witness to this. I made all things dependent on His affirmation and His pleasure, and verily, He is the One who, in His very essence, was the God of all worlds and the Desired One of all seekers. And if you open your eyes, you will see signs under His shadow of those who are devoted in worship.

You have committed against Him what no people of the Qur’an committed against Me, nor what the hosts of the Jews did to the Spirit. Alas! Alas! for the burning of My heart and the sigh of My soul over what has befallen My Beloved from the hands of the idolaters! Woe unto you and your faithfulness, O assembly of the wrongdoers! Verily, We created loyalty and courtesy for His sake so that, at His appearance, you would not commit anything that would disturb My essence or the realities of all things. Yet you have transgressed beyond what was ordained in the Book of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, tearing the veil of decency and the covering of sanctity, committing deeds that the pen of creation is ashamed to mention between heaven and earth.

Alas! Alas! for what befell this solitary, strange wronged one at your hands, and I know not what more you will do to Him. Nay, by My all-knowing soul, I do know, and I possess the knowledge of all things in a tablet that God has safeguarded from the gaze of the idolaters. I informed Him beforehand of what has come upon Him and what is yet to come, even though He knew Himself what lies within the breasts of the worlds. Nothing escapes His knowledge, nor does anything elude His grasp, which He created by a word from His presence. There is no god but He, the Unique, the Raiser of the dead, the Quickener, the Destroyer.

Say: O people, He is the One who, if He so wills, can make all in the heavens and on earth a lasting proof from Himself, for such a thing is easy and effortless for Him. Verily, He is the One who created the paradise of the Bayán for His own sake, from Him all things began, and to Him all things return if you are among those who know. Yet you, with what was in His grasp, did not consent that He should even name Himself by any of the names, though these names and their dominions were created by His command, the Mighty, the Glorious. Alas! Alas! for your heedlessness, O assembly of the Bayán! Alas! Alas! for your veiling, O assembly of the idolaters!

You, after indulging yourselves, reached the heights of what you called knowledge and then began mentioning the guardianship of one of His enemies, using it as proof against God—the One through whom the laws of religions were ordained from the beginning to the end. You returned to the same arguments used by the followers of the Qur’an, despite the fact that We had forbidden you from making any mention of such matters except with His permission. And God was a witness and aware of all this. Therefore, reflect upon your station and your knowledge, and woe unto you, and to your intellects, and to your understanding, O assembly of the most lost!

Do you not know that We have folded up what the people possess and spread a new scroll? Blessed be God, the Sovereign, the Spreader, the Mighty, the Generous.

Say: O people, do not slander Me, for I have spoken only of this appearance and its praise. I have breathed only for His love, and I have turned only toward His radiant, shining face. I made the Bayán and all that was revealed therein but a leaf from the garden of Ridván for His sake, the Guardian, the Mighty, the Powerful. Beware lest you seize it and turn it over to him who sought to shed My blood once again, having followed his passions and desires, and who was among the enemies.

We explained the Bayán from a single word, then returned it to that word, and commanded that word to stand before the Throne, to witness the creation before it and rejoice in its own self, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Therefore, be just: Should its owner manage it, or someone else? What is wrong with you, O assembly of the veiled? We commanded the people of the Bayán to wear silk and to purify themselves and their garments so that nothing displeasing to Him would meet His eyes. Likewise, in all things, We have explained in detail in a clear Book. All of this was for His sake if you are among the fair-minded.

We created the heavens and the earth and all that was ordained between them for His loved ones. How, then, for His radiant, glorious, and shining beauty? And you clung to what We had ordained for Him and used it to object to My Beloved. What will benefit you today, O assembly of the hateful? And what will save you now, O assembly of the corrupt? You objected to Him and to all that appeared from Him after We enjoined you in the Tablets that whoever even thinks of His Most Great Name should rise from their place and recite: “Glorified be God, the Possessor of sovereignty and dominion,” nineteen times, and then say: “Glorified be God, the Possessor of might and majesty,” nineteen times, as revealed in a Tablet of great glory.

You disbelieved in Him and His verses, and you were not content with that. You failed to observe the rights of God in His regard, nor did you respect the command of God concerning His exalted, all-knowing self. Instead, you objected to every one of His actions, one by one, and were among the mockers.

I know not by what word you were created, O you whose deeds have bewildered the hearts of the hosts of the celestial realms and the hearts of the sincere and the near ones. Thus have We recounted for you in this Tablet, O servant, what the dove of the Bayán has sung before the Throne of your Lord, the Mighty, the Praised. Read what has been revealed therein, then guard the pearls of meaning from every treacherous thief among the hosts of the devils! If you find one with vision, spread it before his eyes that he may witness and be among the triumphant. Perhaps some of Our chosen servants, the righteous, may recognize what has befallen the Chosen Beauty from these wicked ones who have taken the calf as their lord, worshipping it in the morning and evening and rejoicing in it.

And you, be not saddened by what has come upon Us. Be patient as We were patient, for verily He is the best Helper and Sustainer. Remember your Lord in the nights and days, and speak His praise among His servants, that through His praise, the fire of His love may be kindled in the hearts of the doers of good. Then all will rise in praise of their Lord, the Lord of what is seen and unseen, and the Lord of your forefathers. Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.

Every person of insight and understanding will surely weep both for the truth and for themselves when they reflect on these revealed verses. They will lament for the exalted Truth, seeing it subjected to such oppression by the hands of such tyrants that neither creation has witnessed nor hearing has grasped. They will also lament for themselves, realizing that they have failed to rise as they should in support of this wondrous Cause. We ask God to raise up souls with His sovereignty who will accomplish what these people have neglected so that those holy souls may arise with the effort that is worthy of this revelation.

Those who circle around the Spirit say, “Do not conceal, tear away the veils, and reveal what has been hidden in the secret of God’s knowledge, the Omnipotent, the Ever-Watchful!” But those who circle around the intellect say, “Beware, beware! Be patient and do not disclose what would terrify the forms of the heedless and cause the breasts of the idolaters to tremble. Present to the servants what is appropriate for their station and their rank! Beware lest you give the infant the knowledge of maturity or share the secrets of the sanctuary of God with the deprived or the melodies of God with the deaf!”

O unjust and blind one, why did you not question the tree of rejection? Why has a soul, whose name you bore for twenty years and through whose words you established rank for yourself, now issued a decree for his death and committed actions that no one has ever done before, constantly conspiring to destroy his Cause? You and your kind were all created by his word, yet what should be said when whatever is spoken has no effect on the souls of the heedless and the idolaters?

It is clear that if any soul were touched by even a spark from the fire of God’s love, they would never busy themselves with such words or raise such objections to the Sovereign of Names and Attributes—actions unlike anything seen in creation before. Soon, God will raise up souls who will be awakened by His words, understand His purpose, turn towards Him, and sever themselves from the world.

And regarding what you wrote about answering Mirza Muhammad Ali, Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, and others, you are not the judge of creation. Be the judge of your own soul and concern yourself with how you will answer God, for answering creation is easy. O shameless and dishonorable one, you express bewilderment at answering a few creatures, yet you give no thought to how you will answer God. Consider: if you feel ashamed before a few people, what will we say when we stand in the presence of the Throne of the Most Great, where all the prophets and the near ones are gathered? Imagine yourself in that station, along with all the hosts of the Bayán, and the First Point addressing you and them from the right of the Throne.

Let it be said to you in Persian, so that you may fully understand: “O people of the Bayán, did I not inform you in all the Tablets that after Me a Manifestation would appear? Surely, you all say, ‘Yes.’ And by the True Self, in all the Tablets I gave glad tidings and took the covenant of that Most Exalted Luminary from all. Did I not tell you that that Ancient Beauty would appear with the verses of God? Did I not say that those who claim to possess the highest stations would fall lifeless in His presence? Did I not say that the highest tree of affirmation would be brought low by the lowest tree of negation? Did I not say that every being of light would appear as darkness in the radiance of His face? Did I not say that at the moment of His appearance, none would be aware of Him except His own Essence? Did I not say that in the time of His appearance, you should not be veiled by what has been revealed in the Bayán? Did I not say to the Letters of the Bayán, the first of His creation, that you should not be deprived of that Ancient Beauty? Did I not say that all the Bayán is but a leaf in the paradise of that Tree of Oneness? Did I not say that He has the power to turn away even the most exalted of creation? And did I not say that all the Bayán was created by Him before His previous appearance?”

Surely, you all affirm this, for it is explicitly written and recorded in the Tablets of the Bayán. Despite all these countless counsels and firm admonitions, what reason and proof did you have to draw the sword of injustice against this Blessed Beauty, to rise up in defiance of His sanctity, and to seek to shed His pure blood? You attacked Him from all sides with the swords of hypocrisy, despite His having manifested with the same proof with which I appeared before you, and with which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, appeared before you, and with which the Spirit appeared before you. If you say, “How do we know that these verses are from God?” I say, “By the same reason that you knew My verses to be from God.”

Though you acknowledge that these wondrous verses are spread throughout the world, and that at all times He has spoken words before which all creation is as naught, you have taken as your lord one who fights against God. Some of you cling to the fact that I called him ‘the fruit,’ yet in My own Book, I revealed that if a branch or leaf or fruit is seen that does not bow in worship before that Sun of Manifestation in the Day of His appearance, it is not of Me and does not return to Me.

And some of you cling to the fact that I called him ‘the mirror,’ yet I stated that a hundred thousand like him were brought forth by a single ray of that Sun. However, you do not understand the matter of the mirror. Even if you accept him as the mirror, it is clear that, according to My words, you have called him a mirror, and I clearly stated that you should not be veiled by what has been revealed in the Bayán from that Manifestation of the Lord of Lords. Furthermore, I said that those who claimed to possess the highest stations would be lifeless in the presence of that Greatest Manifestation, and that a hundred thousand mirrors like those you call mirrors, when compared to one of those radiant souls from the Sun of Oneness, would be nothing.

If you say that this mirror is now making the same claim, it is certain that this claim is false. For I explicitly stated that if the mirror claims the station of the Sun, it will be evident to the Sun that it is but a shadow of it. By this very statement, I made it clear that the mirror would make a claim of the Sun. This claim itself is proof of its falsehood, for after the appearance of the Sun of Oneness, it has spoken these words in defiance of itself, in rebellion against its own existence, and in arrogance towards its essence. Many of you have followed him in this.

Woe to you, O people of the Bayán, again woe to you, O people of the Bayán, again woe to you, O people of the Bayán, and woe unto you to the end that has no end! For because of your deeds, My heart has melted, My liver has burned, My innermost being has been torn apart, My limbs have been shattered, My body has trembled, My skin has shuddered, My soul has been shaken, My essence has gone mad, My inner reality has lamented, and My outer and inner being, both first and last, have grieved.

What you have said and continue to say, attributing it to Me and clinging to My words as your proof, has been refuted by the very Bayán. I explicitly commanded you in the Bayán that you should not be veiled by it from the Merciful One. I do not know, then, what excuse you have or to what rope you are clinging. You do not look to My Cause, and you have rejected the counsel of God. You have named one who now fights against God by one of My names, and by this, you are waging war and disputing with Me. Yet I have explicitly stated that all the manifestations of the Names will be servants and worshippers in that most exalted, sanctified Manifestation.

If I say He is One, that is one of His Names. If I say He is Sanctified (Subbuh), then the manifestation of that Name is one of His Names. If I say He is the Most Holy (Quddus), He is the One who manifests that Name, and will continue to do so through His chosen ones. If I say He is Mighty (’Aziz), every mighty one bows before the loftiness of His might. If I say He is Beloved (Mahbub), every beloved one has torn the veil of their heart in love and affection for Him. If I say He is Sovereign (Muhaymin), He is the King who, in the Day of His Manifestation, proves through His own proof that God has made Him Sovereign over all things by His command. If I say He is Self-Subsisting (Qayyum), then He is the Manifestation of One of the Sustainers of His realm of Oneness.

In these words, I have clearly mentioned all the Most Beautiful Names as being the servants at His court, while the essence of the Intended One, the Promised Countenance, is exalted, purified, and sanctified above all. Yet you have clung to a Name from My Book and have used it as a pretext to bring about what no nation before you has ever dared to do.

Thus has the Tongue of God, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, spoken. Can any soul answer these utterances of the First Point—may the souls of all in creation be His sacrifice? No, by God! Rather, we are all humbled, ashamed, and full of remorse. Those who have turned towards Him have not arisen with the conditions of acceptance, and the deeds of the heedless ones are well known, as they continue to rebel against Him.

It is explicitly mentioned by the First Point that all the Most Beautiful Names, from Muhaymin and Qayyum, and even those above and below them, are merely souls who, in the matter of this wondrous Manifestation, have been proven by the very proof of this Manifestation. Now reflect upon the rank of those who, by the pen, have written in affirmation of this Most Great Manifestation, expressing what was cast upon their pure hearts. By God, they are the most exalted and luminous of creation, such that none before them surpassed them, and no soul among the latter ones will surpass them.

O commanding soul (nafs ammara), why do you busy yourself with mentioning those souls and expressing bewilderment in answering? Why have you not pondered the deeds of those who sacrificed their lives for this Cause, and whose actions in affirming this Most Wondrous, Most Immaculate Manifestation stand as clear proof and manifest testimony in the heavens and on earth?

Among them is the beloved martyr, Siyyid Isma‘il of Zawrah, who lovingly sacrificed his own life for this Manifestation. No soul has ever doubted his piety, virtue, fear of God, knowledge, and faith in God. Yet, you have not been guided by the deed of such a soul, and instead, you mention souls whose current standing before the Throne remains unknown. Perhaps God will assist them in His Cause, sever them from you and your likes, and make them among the sincere.

It is necessary now to recount the details of Siyyid Isma‘il, the martyr—upon him be the glory of God, upon him be the praise of God, upon him be the light of God, upon him be the grandeur of God, upon him be the secret of God, upon him be the majesty of God, and upon him be the praise of all creation and the world.

Perhaps you may become aware of those souls about whom the Point of the Bayán—exalted be His power—foretold, that before the appearance of the Sun of Oneness, they would be kindled by the fire of His love. Addressing the future Manifestation, He said, in essence: “Although all people are and will be veiled from You, there will be souls created for You who, even before Your Manifestation, will be set ablaze by the fire of Your love.”

Indeed, Siyyid Isma‘il was enkindled before the Manifestation, and surely others like him will arise, even though you and your likes deny and reject this.

Siyyid Isma‘il entered Iraq and took up residence near the House of the Most Great, in the home of Muhammad Rida—upon him be the glory of God. He requested that the Blessed Beauty visit his home, though several days passed before this request was granted. Then, on a certain day, His blessed Person consented and entered his abode. Siyyid Isma‘il, with all his means, prepared a gathering and presented several trays of fruits, sweets, and delicacies. At that moment, the Face of God turned toward the one who would later be martyred in His path and addressed him: “Come, eat of what has been set before you from the bounties and blessings of God!”

He then spoke before God with humility, submission, weeping, and supplication, saying: “I desire from Your wondrous gifts that You nourish me with Your spiritual sustenance.” Then the Face of the Spirit was kindled, and He said: “Come, O servant!” He commanded him to sit before Him. The Tongue of God then uttered words from which the essence of meanings flowed upon all that was and will be. Indeed, I am unable to describe them or recount them. I do not know what bounties of spiritual sustenance were bestowed upon him by the hand of Providence, such that his soul, spirit, innermost being, and essence were entirely drawn towards the Beloved of the worlds. His soul was overtaken by the ardor of yearning to such an extent that he became oblivious to himself and all that was in the heavens and the earth. He turned with both his inner and outer being toward the Beloved until the gathering concluded and the Spirit returned to its abode.

However, after hearing the Words of God and tasting what he desired, he found no rest or peace within himself. In the following days, his yearning only increased, and his love for God intensified until, one morning, he arose before dawn, swept the courtyard of the house with his turban, and returned, took a knife, avoided the people, and left the city, arriving at the bank of the river. He stood facing the House, grasped his beard with one hand, and with the other, he severed his throat out of love for God, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Ever-Living. A great commotion arose among the people, and cries rang out from every soul. A large crowd gathered around him, and they saw that he had the knife in his hand and had placed his hand upon his chest. All creation was bewildered, as were the denizens of the Highest Realm, the cities of grandeur, and the kingdom of the Names and the realm of eternity. All prayed for him, extolled his face, descended upon him, circled around him, and inhaled the fragrances of his love. Were I to recount all that occurred on that day, you would neither believe it nor be able to comprehend it, and God bears witness to what I say.

In the Persian language, it is said that Siyyid Isma‘il, after the Blessed Beauty visited his home, requested spiritual sustenance, and He said, “Come, sit before Me!” After sitting, He uttered divine utterances that so inebriated Siyyid Isma‘il with the wine of the meanings of God’s Words that he became oblivious to himself and the world. Were all creation to attempt to describe that gathering or to express the sweetness of the meanings flowing from the eternal Ocean of the Countenance, they would surely find themselves incapable. The Words of God had such an effect on the heart of one who had turned to God that all his limbs were set ablaze with the fire of divine love. Only God knows what was bestowed upon him. He tasted what no one except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, has known.

After the gathering ended and the Blessed Beauty departed, Siyyid Isma‘il remained in a state of transformation. The fire of God’s love overtook him to the point that he became detached from eating and drinking. He lived in this condition for some time until one day, he composed poems in praise of God and shared them with the companions. These poems are still extant. If a soul were to reflect on them, they would perceive the flame of the innermost being of that sanctified soul. Eventually, one morning at dawn, he rose, turned toward the Most Great House, swept its courtyard with his turban, then took a knife, visited the home of Muhammad Rida, bid his companions farewell, and hastened to the altar of the Beloved, severed from all who are in the heavens and on earth. At that moment, all the angels in the highest heavens turned their faces toward him and accompanied him to the altar. Then, outside the city, near the riverbank, facing the House, he cut his blessed throat with his own hand, yearning for the love of his Lord, longing for His nearness, seeking His presence, and content with His decree.

When this news spread throughout the city, everyone heard of it. The gunner-in-chief and a group of Arabs and Persians came to that sacred spot and found the blessed figure lying there, with the knife in his hand, having sacrificed his life in this state. Upon seeing him, all were bewildered. That action caused some of the enemies to repent of their deeds and to attain the love of God. No such event had ever occurred in any age. Now observe that the name of this blessed soul was also Isma‘il, but unlike the Isma‘il who was returned from the altar of sacrifice, this Isma‘il did not return alive but gave his life for the Beloved. By God, this deed is a proof against all who are in the heavens and on earth, but neither you nor those like you perceive it. What business do you have with these worlds? Go and busy yourself with fabricated claims of succession and write treatises on that!

And also, there are other souls who have sacrificed their lives in this Manifestation, speaking of the Beloved as they reached the place of sacrifice. You have not mentioned these souls, who, like radiant suns, shine and rise among the people, due to your hatred toward God. Instead, you write, “What shall I say in response to this one or that one?” Verily, those who disbelieved in the signs of God, and followed you and your kind, have lost both in this world and the next. And their abode is the fire, and what a wretched dwelling it is for the deniers!

You wrote, “What answer shall I give when some people cling to one person today, deeming him right, and then tomorrow declare him wrong?” The truth you mention has always been created—merely exalted by a garment of names. But after arrogance, pride, and turning away, that garment was taken from him. Take hold of the pen, for through what has flowed from it, the inhabitants of the realms of eternity curse you. And the Tongue of God, the truthful and faithful, bears witness to this. He says: “In the next cycle, when a mere drop of that sovereign light radiates, the greatest ones of the past will be rendered lifeless and nothing in comparison.” Yet, you persist in asking how a mirror (that you claim) can become false or how a fruit can fall. It is explicitly stated that many trees of affirmation become trees of rejection in the next Manifestation, yet you cling to one fruit according to your imagination. Even if it were a true fruit, by its rejection, it falls from the Divine Tree and returns to its original abode in the fire.

At this point, a statement from the Point of the Bayán, the Countenance of the Most Merciful, and the Essence of the All-Praised—may the spirits of all in the realms of existence be His sacrifice—will be mentioned, perhaps so you may feel shame and refrain from extending your hand in transgression toward the canopy of God’s knowledge and understanding. Although you and your kind are reckoned among the deprived in the sight of God, the message is directed toward the near ones and always will be. He said, and His Word is truth: “O God, make this tree in its entirety for Him, so that it may bring forth the fruits God has created in it, for those God wills to reveal through it what He has ordained. By Your might, O Lord, I have not desired for there to remain any branch, leaf, or fruit on this tree that would not bow before Him on the day of His Manifestation or glorify You through Him as is befitting for the loftiness of His Manifestation and the exaltation of His inward essence. If, O my God, You witness any branch or leaf or fruit that does not bow before Him on the day of His Manifestation, then sever it from this tree, for it is not from me and does not return to me.”

My soul is His sacrifice, my spirit is His sacrifice, my innermost being is His sacrifice, my outer being is His sacrifice, and the kingdom and dominion are His sacrifice. The power and Divinity, the glory and ruby, the manifestation and the humanity, all that has been created in the realms of eternity are His sacrifice, for His pen moves only in this wondrous mention, this glorious Manifestation, this exalted, sublime Manifestation, this radiant, shining sun, this clear, resplendent, mighty, exalted Cause. Reflect deeply on what the Point of Existence, the Beauty of the Worshiped One, has said! He says: “O Lord, I have not willed that there should remain on this tree any branch or leaf or fruit that would not bow before Him on the day of His Manifestation. And if You witness, O my Lord, that any branch or leaf or fruit does not bow before Him on the day of His Manifestation, then sever it from this tree, for it is not from me and does not return to me.”

Reflect a little! The fruit of the tree of reality in the previous Manifestation is such that all the people of the Bayán dwell under its shade. This was the original intent of what was decreed for the previous tree. Now, whoever attains that station is mentioned as fruits, branches, and boughs, and whoever does not is fallen and cut off. Now mourn a little over the fruit you have taken aside from God! If it were a true fruit, the Point of the Bayán has clearly stated: “If it does not believe in the truth on the day of Manifestation, it is not from me and will never be.” With such a clear and manifest statement, how do you wonder how a fruit can become false or fall?

Now observe the greatness of God’s Cause and your own status, as well as that of your guide! Say: “O child of the school of ignorance, you have not yet reached maturity, for if you had, you would not busy yourself with such words. Alas for you, for what you possess and what you have deduced, and what brings you joy today!” The mature ones are those who have recognized the Manifestation of the Lord of all worlds and are seated on the thrones of stability and dignity. For you and your kind, it is very difficult to break through these veils, but for God—exalted be His glory—there are souls who, through His breaths, tear through all veils. They are the ones whose every breath dominates all the people of the Bayán, as well as their words, actions, and knowledge. As the Point of the Bayán has said: “The one-year-old infant of the next Manifestation is stronger than all those in the Bayán.” By God, if they were to ponder this statement of the Point of the Bayán, they would all sever themselves from everyone in the heavens and the earth, from spirit and soul and essence, and turn towards the One.

This word is exceedingly great if you reflect upon it. For if the Cause were not immense, how could such a statement issue from the Revealer of the Bayán? We testify that God, the Most High, the Mighty, has spoken the truth. For if He were not mightier than all creation, He could not tear through these veils of delusion and break these great idols with the strength of the Friend of the heavens. Where is the station of these servants and the station of the previous ones? These are the servants upon whom the denizens of the highest realm pray, as well as the realities of all things. But you are unaware.

You have written in slander that some people attribute sins to the Blessed Beauty and mentioned things too shameful for the pen to record. All you have mentioned is pure falsehood. These words have been cast upon you by that lying mischief-maker, and the one who spoke them has lied against God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Then the angels of sanctity from the highest Paradise address you, saying: “O you who associate partners with God, silence your tongue! From a drop of the oceans of His sanctification, we were created, and we were raised up. God has made us purified from anything besides Him, and we are exalted from mentioning anything but Him. And so, in this most exalted station, we glorify Him and sanctify Him.”

Then the angels of purification from the highest garden call to you, saying: “Take up your pen, O you who associate partners with God! By the blowing of the winds of His purification, we were created and raised up, and so we purify Him, glorify Him, and sanctify Him in this station, which God has made pure from your mention, your praise, and your knowledge, and the knowledge of the world.”

Then the angels of detachment in the highest Paradise call to you, saying: “Have shame, O you who have turned away from God! God has created us from the oceans of His detachment, and we are severed from every mention save His. We walk in this most exalted garden and mention Him, praise Him, and glorify Him every morning and evening.”

Then the inhabitants of the Garden of the Cause call to you, saying: “O you who are heedless of the mention of God and a combatant against Him with your own self! We were created by the command that flowed from His mighty, wondrous pen. It is He who, by His command, caused the Supreme Pen to inscribe on the tablets whatever He willed. It is He who rules over what He wills. He is not questioned concerning what He does, while all else will be questioned. If you are of those who understand. He is the chosen one in Himself, doing what He wills by His sovereign authority. No one has the right to object to Him. It is your rebellious soul to which your objections return. No other people have been more veiled than you. By the fire of your malice, the fire of hell has been kindled. Fear God and do not attribute to Him what your soul and desire command you, and do not be among the polytheists! By God, every atom bears witness to His sanctity, and all things proclaim His purification. The realities of all things declare His detachment, and the people of the cities of eternity testify to His oneness. If He were to decree that the essence of polytheism be regarded as monotheism, He could do so by His mighty authority. And if He desired to transform the sins of the possible beings into purity with a word from Himself, He could do so by His command. Only weakness belongs to you and your kind, O you who have made yourself deprived of the breezes of God in these most wondrous, radiant days.”

Alas for you and your understanding! Do you not know that the decree flows from Him and does not return to anyone else? He is the commander in the pre-eternal ages, and nothing else governs Him, for all are poor before Him and were created by His word, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Should a leaf that has fallen from the tree, yellowed by the wind of its own self, object to the Tree from which every leaf proclaims: “Indeed, there is no God but Him, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the Wise”? Should nothingness object to the Sovereign of the Footstool, or legislate for Him according to its own laws? No, by His most exalted Self! Listen to my word, then seek forgiveness throughout your life, that God may forgive you and purify you of what has afflicted you, and that He may sever you from yourself and your desires and bring you closer to that which is better for you than the kingdom of the heavens and the earth! By God, you have desired only to ruin the Cause of God, and we ask God to destroy you and those who supported you in what you have done and committed, for He is able over all things.”

This servant has been compelled to respond, for fear that if no answer is given, some weak souls may be deprived of the truth by these fabricated words. Yet, by God, there is no god but Him! The innate disposition does not incline towards neglecting the remembrance of God to respond to the words of the idolaters. But what can be done? The duty is to provide an answer to what has been stated, so that these fabrications do not become a veil between the servants and the Sovereign on the Day of Judgment.

The intention behind these false words, cast upon you, is nothing but to prevent some souls from reaching the shores of the Paradise of the All-Merciful and to ensnare them in the trap of idle words. During the twelve years of His stay in Iraq, everyone knows how much effort and struggle were made to remove certain vile ones from among this group. And if, God forbid, some have committed such deeds, they did so in secrecy. By God, O heedless one, you are unaware of the gravity of the matter on which you cast your objections. If you knew, you would be destroyed instantly.

The primary reason for the Blessed Beauty’s aversion to Mírzá Yaḥyá, by God, there is no god but Him, was that he violated the sanctity of the Household of the First Point—may all in existence be His sacrifice—although in all the Heavenly Books such acts are forbidden. His shamelessness reached the extent that he declared his own wives forbidden in his writings, yet he extended his hand of transgression and betrayal towards the sanctity of the Manifestation of the Sovereign of the worlds. Alas for him and his loyalty! And would that he had been content with his own self, but after committing the act, he delivered her to the idolaters, as all the people of the Bayán have heard and know. His vile deeds should be asked about from those who accompanied him.

Beyond these matters, what is astonishing is that the very statement you have written is itself a clear proof and decisive argument for the truth of this Cause, yet you have not realized it. The one whom you yourself acknowledge was neither learned nor among the sages nor recognized as a scholar or wearer of the turban, and who, according to you, mingled with the likes of Mírzá Mushír ad-Dawlih, suddenly manifests the fountains of divine meanings without any external cause, and the suns of divine wisdom rise and shine from the horizon of his will. O unjust one, this is a station above all other stations, if you are among the fair-minded. You have belittled this supreme favor, thinking that these words will mislead the people. You have erred, O criminal and sinner! Every discerning and insightful person who hears will, of course, become more steadfast and firm in the Cause of God.

Think of another approach for yourself, as these delusions only affect the souls inclined toward base desires, not those directed by the All-Merciful. The polluted, limited hearts may be distracted from the remembrance of the Sovereign of the Divine Unity by such false, disgraceful words, but the purified souls will turn to the All-Merciful with their entire being. Now, I ask you: If a soul, unknown for any knowledge or virtue and not recognized for wisdom or justice among the people, rises up and speaks the divine words of God as heard and being heard—would this soul be greater, or one who was educated among the people of knowledge? Without doubt, the first is greater, for he manifests purely by the power of God.

It is fitting that God—exalted be His glory—has spoken from your own tongue with words that are sufficient for the discerning in understanding such souls. God has always been the target of such objections, just as they objected to the Spirit of God for keeping company with the sinners and tax collectors. By God, in this Manifestation, despite the many counsels of the Point of the Bayán—exalted be His glory—such tribulations have descended that none of the previous Manifestations have experienced. The calamities of the past and future do not compare to the filth on this polluted paper that was sent to the Most Holy Court, while its author had no knowledge of the matter and spoke purely from ego and desire. These are the tribulations witnessed, but there are even greater afflictions in this Manifestation that none but God has comprehended.

As mentioned in the Tablet of Júd—upon him be the glory of God—there is a verse revealed that has melted the hearts of all in the world. He says—exalted be His glory—“You saw Me, and you lived with Me, and you witnessed the ocean of My tranquility and the mountain of My patience. Reflect on what caused Me to cry out between the heavens and the earth!” But what use is there in casting divine verses upon you, for it is like singing to a deaf bird. We ask God to purify the earth of your filth and the filth of those with you, for He answers the prayers of the beseechers.

It is well known that you have turned away from the truth based on the words of the most wicked and lowly people, clinging to the tree of ego and desire.

You wrote that in gatherings it is said that the Blessed Beauty has instigated corruption and sedition, and that it has become well-known that He first concealed His brother, declaring him the Qa’im, and then used him for personal gain. Curse be upon the one who cast these lies, and curse be upon the one who lied and slandered, rebelled, and became more arrogant, and then disbelieved and was wretched! By God, many people are found to be ignorant. Everyone knows that He came to Iraq by the decree of the government of Iran, and that Mírzá Yaḥyá fled to Iraq after the events in the land of Ṭá.

Say: “O polytheist, the one who sacrificed his spirit in the path of God, who stood before the people, who was struck by the arrows of fate every day, arrows so numerous that no one but God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, could count them—many people rose against him in the days he was in Iraq, and every day they plotted to capture him and send him to the land of Ṭá.” Some said: “They will drown him in the river,” and others said: “The government will exile him.” God was witness and aware of all this, and all things wept for Him due to the calamities that befell Him, yet you wrote what you wrote. Curse be upon the liars!

All things bear witness that during His years in Iraq, there was no hope for His life, and He was continually afflicted with new tribulations. Despite this, base souls such as these speak of bread and snacks. Consider how far removed from reason you have become. By God, anyone who examines your words will clearly and evidently see the wrath of God manifest upon you. Glory be to God! A soul that cannot even write two sentences in pure Persian dares to object to Him, by whose will the Supreme Pen was created and from whom flowed the sound of the Pen, attracting the hearts of all that was and will be. Alas for you and what has appeared from you!

But this heedless people are not far removed from preferring your words over the words of truth, just as they preferred and worshipped the calf over truth for countless years, and even now they remain engaged in it. It is a great pity that a person would speak such disgraceful words, for words reflect the inner reality of a person. Thus, the words of those who behold the Greatest Horizon are adorned with the garment of politeness. We ask God not to leave us bare of this robe, by which the worth of a human being is revealed among the people of the world and which distinguishes them from animals. Then we ask Him to draw us nearer to Him, sever us from all but Him, and purify us from the stench of delusion and imitation, and to make us among those who say: “God is our Lord,” and then stand firm, undeterred by the mockery of all the people or the gloating of the heedless.

O God, our God, open the eyes of these people so that they may see You manifest among Your creation and radiant in Your dominion! For if You were to open their eyes, You would not be afflicted by their mockery, the stones of their suspicions, or the arrows of their delusions, just as You opened the eyes of Your loved ones and made known to them what You did not reveal to others. If You were to lift the veils for them, as You have for Your loved ones, they would not have been veiled, nor would they have objected. But since You concealed it from them and revealed it to Your loved ones, the cry of the heedless has been raised from Your creation and the wailing of the deluded has ascended from Your dominion. Therefore, I ask You by Your very Self to lift the veils that have prevented them from recognizing You and the Manifestation of Your Self, so that all may gather on the shores of the ocean of Your oneness and the station of the majesty of Your sanctity and unity. Indeed, You are capable of whatever You will.”

Those who have claimed that they made bread in His name—by God, I am ashamed to mention such rude and base souls—and that one is none other than Siyyid Muḥammad, the wicked one. These words are not the words of the noble and will never be. Whoever has spoken such words is like one who says: “The sun is illuminated by darkness,” or “the nightingale learned to sing from the crow,” or “a piece of ruby gained its brilliance and color from a stone.” What benefit is there when that heedless one is unaware?

The souls who were among them denied it all, lest any truthful word should be spoken and the people should hear it. Siyyid Muḥammad, who by the Almighty God used to boast of standing in the Blessed Presence, has now come forth and fabricated such slanders against the Truth. Praise be to God, these servants have spoken nothing but the truth and righteousness and will never exchange their faith for worldly gain or turn away from the Truth. All give thanks for having attained faith in God in this Revelation. This servant cries out: “Would that I had never been born from my mother, and had I been born, that I had never been nursed, and had I been nursed, that my back had never been strengthened; how I wish I had been among the lost!”

In every soul that contains even the smallest particle of love for God, there is no satisfaction in witnessing such deeds. To God, we entrust the matter, and upon Him do we rely. We ask, by His wondrous grace, that He enable us to acknowledge His oneness, confess His singularity, and sever ourselves from all else, for He is indeed able to do all things. Then, we ask Him, by the Name through which He has separated truth from falsehood, to enable you to remember Him, recognize the Manifestation of His Self, and purify you from the allusions of these liars.

By God, there is no god but He! Tribulations have befallen in this land that none can count. Time and again, it has been said: “The sufferings in prison, under chains and shackles, and in the hands of the polytheists, being taken from place to place with bare feet and head, none of this is counted as affliction. The greatest calamity, the likes of which has not been seen in all creation, is that the Truth is subjected to the oppression of one who is known for justice by name but is, in reality, unjust.” For such a one, trusting in the fools of the earth, fears nothing and does whatever his selfish desires and base self command him to do. As it is observed, the one whom I nurtured and protected has, in arrogance against God, and out of disdain, inflicted such oppression as no tyrant has ever committed before. The cause of this oppression is his trust in the heedless people, for if he had been certain that the people were perceptive and would not accept his deeds, he would not have committed such acts.

The more benevolence bestowed upon certain people, the more they rise up in ingratitude. The story of Satan has been mentioned before, how he was known by many names in each of the heavens and described in the highest ranks of the kingdom, having spent centuries in worship, bowing, standing, and prostrating. Yet later, he sat in ambush and prevented the servants from reaching the shores of the All-Merciful. If only the polytheists of these days would have stopped at such deeds! But by Him in Whose hand is My soul, their thirst for hatred will not be quenched except by drinking My blood, and even Satan sought refuge before the All-Merciful from them and their deeds. Yet the people do not understand or perceive.

It is not clear what is meant by “snacks” that flowed from your foul pen. Never has the matter concerned transient things or worldly trinkets. It seems you are referring to the coins that were sent from the Sublime Porte to support the servants in each city. If this is the case, now they have turned to idolatry and attained their beloved. Woe to them for their shame and loyalty! They have severed themselves from the Gate of God and turned to every other gate, seeking refuge there, complaining about the Blessed Beauty until they achieved their aim. Well, you have found your truth—cling to it firmly so that perhaps by following those souls, you may enter the lowest hell!

O heedless one! The vile souls who have, through your idolatrous self, sought material gain have debased themselves to the utmost and have disgraced the Cause. Yet you consider such souls as the truth, turning away from the Truth itself, which has never paid attention to any soul, nor have His servants regarded them. May God curse the one who witnessed the proof of God and denied it, and who recognized His sanctity from all else yet turned away from Him!

O people of the Bayán! The objections of this outcast, who has written under the inspiration of Mírzá Yaḥyá and Siyyid Muḥammad, have been specifically mentioned so that you may understand the extent of the harm inflicted and perceive the lamentation and mourning of the First Point over the final Manifestation. That Blessed Beauty, knowing what the polytheists would do, therefore gave countless counsels in all of the Bayán, exhorting everyone with such emphasis that nothing greater could be imagined. It is revealed from the Supreme Pen that all should sanctify and purify themselves to the utmost, as well as their clothing and the household, so that God’s gaze, at the time of His Manifestation, might not fall upon anything unbecoming and thereby cause His pure heart to be grieved. With such counsels, observe the condition of the people of the Bayán, who have written malicious letters and sent them to the throne of God. This explanation is sufficient for those who possess hearts, dignity, and loyalty.

By God, what has befallen this Manifestation is unlike anything that has ever befallen previous Manifestations. And with all these calamities, tribulations, and trials, we remain grateful and patient, with no sorrow except for the neglect of God’s Cause. I swear by the Truth that it is incumbent upon everyone to lament and mourn over the Cause of God, for it has been so neglected that a sinful woman of the land has been called “the best of women.” Observe how God has revealed the falseness of this people! By God, this very act has completed the proof upon all, for many know this woman and are aware of her condition. From this “best of women,” infer the condition of “the best of men,” meaning that soul whom they have called “the lady of women.” By God, every atom curses him, yet he is not aware and rejoices in his own state. His shamelessness has reached the point where he named his own wives “the best of women” and violated the sanctity of the First Point’s Household. Woe unto them from the punishment of a mighty day!

In this station, the most wondrous and sweetest verses have been revealed from the tongue of the Exalted, the Most High:

“This is what was revealed from the Dominion of the Exalted. O people, know that We have chosen the mother of the First Point, and she was among the best of maidservants in the sight of the throne. It is forbidden to bestow this title upon anyone else. Thus has it been decreed by the Supreme Pen in the Tablet of Decree, which was preserved in the treasuries of the Sovereignty of your Lord. Indeed, she is the best of women, and after her, this title may only be bestowed upon the spouse of the Point, who has not departed from the fortress of chastity and has not been touched by the hands of traitors. Thus has the matter been decreed. And she who betrayed has been severed from the Point and cut off from God, Who has decreed every matter in a clear Tablet. Say: The polytheists thought that We intended to abrogate what was revealed by the First Point. Say: By My Lord, the Most Merciful, if We wished as they imagined, none could object to God, Who created everything by His command, for He has power over all things. Everything We will is what God wills, and what appears from Me is what appeared from Him. Every monotheist testifies to this. Yet God intended in this Manifestation to establish what was revealed by the First Point and to place its ordinances upon the necks of the Pharaohs from among the tyrants. The Truth Himself bears witness to this. We have desired to sacrifice Ourselves in His path, just as He sacrificed Himself in Our path. Fear God, O people, and do not fabricate lies against the One by whose radiance the Sun of the Bayán has shone and His command has been established among all the people! We will confirm His laws and manifest His signs on the earth with power and a clear authority.”

Today, the “best of women” is the mother of the First Point, and it is forbidden to bestow this title upon the maidservants of God. Likewise, permission has been granted to apply this title afterward to the spouse of the Point, who resides in Persia and has not left the fortress of divine chastity, having observed the sanctity of God, and the hands of traitors have not reached the hem of her purity. By My true self, she is the virgin, the pure one, the exalted sanctuary, the greatest purity. Serve her, O My loved ones, with manifest sincerity, for she is the remnant of God among you if you are among the knowledgeable. We ask God to keep her firm in her station and protect her from the touch of the violators, who are driven by the winds of selfish desire however they please. Those are in manifest error, and we ask that He keep her steadfast in this Cause, for He is capable of all things.”

O people, I have not desired myself in what I say, but rather the Self of God, if you are among the just. We convey to you what your Exalted and Great Lord has willed. The sanctity of God’s household has been made binding upon all, and in all circumstances, their protection is beloved. Likewise, those souls from whom the breath of the All-Merciful has been manifested among you—honor them, respect them, O people, and do not be among the heedless! All this grace is established as long as the cord of kinship remains unbroken.

You know, O my God, that I love these souls and all that is connected to Your Self. I perceive in them the fragrance of the garment of Your mercy, the breezes of the robe of Your majesty, and Your bounties. I long for their meeting, their company, and their fellowship. Thus, I ask You, O my God, by the Name You have made the Sovereign of Names between heaven and earth, by which You have shattered the idols of self and desire, washed the mystics and lovers, and purified them from the traces of all but You in the dominion of creation, to kindle within the breasts of these souls the flames of Your love, that by it the inhabitants of Your kingdom, those who have forgotten Your remembrance and Your praise and have strayed far from the shores of nearness to You and reunion with You, may be guided.

O my God, do not withhold from them what has appeared among them, nor deprive them of what has poured down in these days from the clouds of Your mercy and the heavens of Your grace! Then cause them to hear, O my God, at all times, the melodies of Your voice and the songs that have arisen from the throne of Your oneness and the seat of Your exalted unity! Then accept from them, O my God, what was abandoned by them in Your days, in which the Sun of Your Beauty dawned from the horizon of Your will, and the Sovereign of the Messengers walked among them by Your power and Your greatness. And You see, O my God, that my tears have prevented me from mentioning Your remembrance and Your praise and the praise of those who are connected to the Manifestation of Your Self, as my thoughts were occupied with the remembrance of my Beloved, my Desire, my Hope, and the mention of His days and His affairs.

By Your might, O my God, fidelity has been lost between heaven and earth, for my Beloved sacrificed His life in Your path, while I remain present in Your kingdom among Your creation. Yet You know, O my God, that at all times, I desire to offer my soul and my life in His path, and I am ever waiting for this. But I do not know from which cause I have been prevented from what I sought. By Your might, patience has departed from me out of love for Your meeting and desire for reunion with You, and my soul will not rejoice except at the moment when it beholds my face reddened with my blood. Whenever I have cast myself into the hands of the enemies, You have preserved me by the power of Your will. And whenever I have entrusted my body to the hands of the hateful ones, You have protected me with Your power and strength.

And since You have kept me from what I desired in Your path, draw me near to the land where My Beloved, the Beloved of the worlds, and My Desire, the Desire of the mystics, have been established, that I may find solace there, kiss its dust, and inhale from it the fragrances of Your sanctity and the breezes of Your mercy. Perhaps my soul will then find rest from its agitation, my spirit from its burning, and my body from its trembling. I ask Your forgiveness, O my God, for all of this, for indeed, at that moment, He is alive in the highest horizon, witnessing and beholding, and for this, my soul, my spirit, my being, my pen, my tongue, my outer self, my inner self, my first, and my last all bear witness. There is no God but You, the Exalted, the Supreme, the All-Powerful, the Omniscient, the Wise.

Know, O people, that this servant of the All-Merciful, in all times, has desired only to affirm what was revealed by His previous Manifestation, the Point of the Bayán—may my soul be His sacrifice. I have not moved except in accordance with His pleasure, just as He did not move except in accordance with the pleasure of this servant. And whatever is manifested from this will has always been His own will and desire, and He is sufficient as a witness. Yet the polytheists of the Bayán have supposed and wandered in the desert of their delusions, attributing to me the statement that the Point of the Bayán was created from a single letter of mine. No, by God! Whatever has been revealed is from the revealer of Truth—exalted is His sovereignty, exalted is His power, exalted is His majesty, exalted is His might, exalted is His glory, exalted is His exaltation, exalted is His cause, and exalted is His beauty—and it always will be.

Say: O shameless ones of the earth, what has been revealed in this Manifestation is precisely the same as what was revealed by the First Point and will remain so. And this servant has ever loved nothing but pure servitude to the Friend. By Him in Whose hand is My soul, servitude has been the joy of My life, to the extent that whenever I witness a place upon the earth, I desire to fall down in prostration upon it for the sake of God, My Beloved, and the Beloved of the knowers. Would that I could prostrate on every particle of its dust to God, My Lord, and the Lord of the worlds! And what has been mentioned in the Tablets regarding exalted stations has been in reference to the Cause of God, His majesty, His glory, and His grandeur, as the Point of the Bayán has stated: “He speaks in all things, saying, ‘Verily, I am God; there is no god but Me. O My creation, worship Me!’ And had it not been for this station, by the Beloved Self, I would have mentioned nothing but pure servitude to the True One.”

Thus has the matter been, but the people do not perceive.

In this station, a prayer that was revealed for one of the loved ones from the heaven of the Exalted is mentioned, so that all may know that in all ranks, they have surpassed all previous Manifestations, even in the station of servitude:

“Glorified are You, O my God. The tongues of all possibilities bear witness to Your sovereignty and Your power, and to my poverty and destitution in the face of the appearances of Your wealth. Therefore, O my God, look upon this sinner, who has ever looked toward the shore of Your forgiveness and whose heart has turned to the horizon of Your grace and bounties. And verily, O my God, since the first day You created me by Your command and gave me life through the breezes of Your mercy, I have not turned to anyone but You. I have risen to face the enemies for the sake of Your sovereignty and power, and I have called all to the shore of Your oneness and the heaven of Your singleness. And in all my days, I did not seek to preserve myself from the tyrants of Your creation but to exalt Your remembrance among Your people. Because of this, I have borne what no one from among Your creation has borne.

How many days, O my God, have I been alone among the sinful ones from Your servants, and how many nights, O my Beloved, have I been a captive among the heedless ones from Your creation? In the midst of afflictions and hardships, I was ever speaking Your praise between Your heaven and Your earth, mentioning the wondrousness of Your remembrance in the kingdom of Your cause and Your creation, even though everything that appeared from me was unworthy of the sovereignty of Your oneness and did not befit Your station and power. By Your might, O my Beloved, I find myself without existence in the presence of the city of Your majesty, and whenever I desire to praise Your Self with a fitting praise, my heart prevents me because none can soar in the atmosphere of the kingdom of Your nearness or ascend to the heaven of the might of Your meeting.

By Your might, I see that if I were to prostrate myself before a handful of dust forever for its association with Your Name, the Creator, I would still find myself far from being close to it. And I see that my actions are unworthy of it, being limited by the bounds of my self. If I were to serve one of Your servants by standing before him as long as Your kingdom endures and Your dominion persists, because of his association with Your Name, the Creator, by Your might, I would still find myself falling short in serving him and deprived of what is fitting for him. For in this station, nothing is seen but their association with Your Names and Your attributes.

He whose station is such, how could he mention the One Who, by a mere motion of His finger, created the Names and their kingdom, the attributes and their dominion, and by another motion combined the letters of ‘Be’ and ‘it is,’ bringing forth what the highest hearts of the nearest ones among Your chosen ones and the most exalted senses of the sincere ones among Your friends are incapable of comprehending?

By Your might, O my Beloved, I have become bewildered by the manifestations of Your handiwork and the dawning places of Your power. I see myself unable to recognize the least of Your signs, let alone comprehend Your Self. Therefore, I ask You, O my God, by Your Name, by which You have caused the lovers to soar in the air of Your will and guided the yearning ones to the ridvan of Your nearness and reunion, to send forth from the Ridvan of Your grace the breezes of tranquility upon the agitated ones among Your loved ones in these days, in which the winds of trial have encompassed them from all directions. The souls have been troubled by the might of Your decree, and the foundations of existence have been shaken by what has descended upon them from the heaven of Your destiny. Their agitation has reached such a degree that the lamp of Your love and remembrance in the lamps of their hearts is on the verge of being extinguished. Verily, You are powerful over whatever You will, and You are the Forgiving, the Generous.”

O my God and my Lord, You hear the cries and the wailing of Your lovers from all regions due to what has befallen them at the hands of those whose hearts have been deprived of the breezes of Your love. They have no helper to assist them nor any defender to protect them, while their enemies have none to restrain them from harming these souls. Thus, they do as they wish and act as they please. So, aid Your loved ones, O my God, with the wonders of Your victory, those who have sought no help but from You and have turned to none other than You. Their eyes are ever expectant of the wondrous bounties and favors of Your grace. Then, have mercy on them, O my God, through the wonders of Your mercy, and admit them into the fortress of Your protection and care. Verily, You have always been the refuge of the fearful and the haven of the distressed.

I beseech You not to withhold from these weak ones the wonders of Your bounty and grace, and do not leave them in the hands of those whose very beings were created from the fire of Your wrath and fury. These souls have not found the scent of mercy or justice. The world and its deceptions have misled them to such an extent that they have denied Your proof, associated others with You, disbelieved in Your verses, and shed the blood of Your loved ones and Your trusted ones. By Your might, O my Beloved, they have committed what no one has ever committed before them, and thus have earned Your wrath and the lashes of Your punishment. Seize them by Your power, then send over them one who will not show them mercy unless they turn to You, seek refuge in Your care, and repent to You. Verily, You have always been, and will always remain, the Almighty and All-Powerful. You are indeed the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Just, and the Wise.

Glorified are You, O my God. Grant victory to this wronged one who has been afflicted at the hands of the oppressors among Your creation and the polytheists among Your enemies, after he has not breathed except by Your permission and Your command. I was resting upon the cradle of tranquility, when the breezes of Your grace and Your favors passed over me, awakening me with Your power and bounties. You raised me up among Your servants to proclaim Your praise and exalt Your word. Yet most of Your creatures have opposed me.

By Your might, O my God, I did not expect from them what has appeared, after You had announced to them this Manifestation in the scrolls of Your command and the Tablets of Your decree. No word has descended from You, except that You took a covenant from Your creation and servants through this youth. I was left bewildered, O my God, and I did not know what to do among these people. Whenever I remain silent regarding the wondrousness of Your remembrance, the Spirit speaks through me between Your heaven and Your earth. Whenever I seek peace, I am moved by what blows from the right hand of Your will and Your command, and I find myself like a leaf moved by the winds of Your decree, carried wherever You will by Your command and permission.

Thus, by what has appeared from me, every discerning person is certain that the matter is not in my hands, but in Yours, and the reins of choice are not in my grasp, but in Yours and under Your power. Despite this, O my God, the people of Your kingdom have gathered against me, and at all times, there descends upon me that which causes the very essence of Your chosen ones and trusted ones to tremble. I therefore beseech You, O my God, by Your Name, through which the lovers were guided to the stream of Your bounty and favors, and the yearning ones were drawn to the paradise of Your nearness and meeting, to open the eyes of Your creation so that they may witness, in this Manifestation, the appearance of the glory of Your unity and the dawning of the lights of Your face and beauty. Then purify them, O my God, from doubts and illusions so that they may find the fragrance of sanctity from the garment of Your Manifestation and Your command. Perhaps they will not block themselves from the breezes of Your merciful attributes in the days of the appearance of the Manifestation of Yourself and the dawning-place of Your command, and will not commit what makes them deserving of the manifestations of Your wrath and anger.

And You know, O my God, that I was among the people of the Bayán, one of them, and I lived with them in yearning and longing, calling them to You at dawn and dusk with the wonders of Your revelation and inspiration. What came upon me from them is beyond the ability of the inhabitants of the cities of creation to recount. By Your might, O my Beloved, I did not rise in the morning without becoming a target for the arrows of their malice, nor did I rest at night without receiving the spears of their hatred. And even though You made me aware of what was in their hearts and gave me power over them, I covered and was patient, waiting for Your appointed time.

But when the promise was fulfilled and the time came, I lifted the veil but slightly. Then those in the realm of command and creation were shaken, except for those who were created from the fire of Your love, the air of Your longing, the water of Your care, and the dust of Your grace. These souls are blessed by the inhabitants of the highest realms and the dwellers of the cities of eternity. Praise be to You, O my God, for having protected the monotheists and destroyed the polytheists, distinguishing between all with another word that proceeded from the mouth of Your will and appeared from the pen of Your command. Thus, those servants, who were created by a word from Your command and raised by Your will, opposed me. They reached the point of rejection where they disbelieved in You, denied Your signs, and waged war against Your Self.

By Your might, O my Beloved, the pen is incapable of recounting what has been inflicted upon the Manifestation of Your command, the dawning place of Your revelation, and the source of Your inspiration. Praise be to You in all of this. By Your might, O my God, I was ever longing for what had been decreed in the heaven of Your will and the kingdom of Your decree, for whatever befalls me in Your path is the beloved of my essence and the goal of my soul. This could only be by Your power and strength. I am the one, O my God, who by Your love has been made independent of all who are in the heavens and the earth, and by it, I will not be distressed, even if all the world’s afflictions descend upon me.

Would that the time had come when my blood would be spilled upon the face of the earth in Your presence, and that I might be seen in the state in which You beheld the near ones among Your servants and the chosen ones from the best of Your creation. Praise be to You, O my God, for what You have decreed by the sovereignty of Your decree and what You will continue to ordain by Your judgment and command. I ask You, O my Beloved, by Your Name through which the banners of Your command were raised, and the lights of Your face shone forth, to send down upon me and upon Your sincere servants every good thing that You have destined in the Tablets. Then, grant us a place of truth in Your presence, O You in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things. Verily, You are the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Merciful.

O people, beware that you do not alter the words of God from their rightful places! Bear witness to what God has testified, and then be brothers, seated upon thrones, facing one another. Unite in such a manner that no one among you senses the scent of discord! Through your unity, the Cause of God will be made manifest among His creatures, His traces will be established among His servants, and His light will shine forth among all peoples.

It is my hope that all will be gathered around the unifying word, engaged in the praise and glorification of God, and will appear on earth with complete detachment, enkindled with the fire of divine love to such a degree that all may be ignited by its heat, turning towards the sacred realm.

Whenever divine verses are not understood, they should be referred to the source and origin of the Revelation. The purpose of this statement is to ensure that no differences arise among the friends of God regarding the meanings of the divine words. Know that all divine utterances have proceeded from a single point and return to it. Be mindful not to perceive differences in them. Although the verses may appear diverse in outward form, they all refer back to the same Word and the same Point.

It has been mentioned in one place that no one can truly comprehend the meanings of the divine verses except God. Without a doubt, this statement is true, for every letter of the revealed words in each of the infinite worlds has a specific effect and unique meaning in accordance with the exigencies of that world. Similarly, every divine letter and word is a treasure of divine knowledge, and none but God is fully aware of what has been hidden within them. No one can comprehend them in their true essence.

However, it has also been mentioned in another place that all can understand the divine verses, for if the recipients of the verses were not capable of grasping them, their authority would not be established. These two statements may seem different outwardly, but those who possess insight know that when it is said that all can comprehend, it refers to their ability to grasp according to their own capacity, not according to the full measure of what has been revealed by God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Today, there are souls who are attempting to violate the sanctity of the Bayán, as you have seen and heard. Out of their ignorance, they have even claimed to be the bearers of divine authority. May God’s curse be upon those who have transgressed the bounds of the Bayán, violated the sanctity of God, broken His covenant, disbelieved in the Primal Point and His Beloved, the one who appeared in the Most Glorious Name between earth and heaven, and from whom the hearts of the near ones and the breasts of the sincere have been illumined. Yet they have erred in their assumptions by the power and strength of God. The fortress of the Cause will be preserved by the hand of His power. Verily, He is capable of all things.

At the end of this discourse, the Dove of the Cause sang upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of exalted majesty, saying: “O people of the Bayán, fear God and do not cause corruption in the land after its reformation, nor commit indecency! Purify yourselves from all that is forbidden in the Book of God, the Exalted, the Great. Beware of shedding blood, for whoever sheds blood is not of Me, and God is free from him. This is what was revealed at the beginning of this Manifestation from the Kingdom of your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.”

Beware of committing what your minds and hearts detest. Fear God, O assembly of the believers! Turn away from the world and all that is therein, and do not interfere with the wealth of others except with their permission. Thus have We revealed before, and now again, from the presence of the All-Mighty, the Most Beauteous. Be the trustees of God in the lands, such that if you pass by cities of gold, your eyes will not turn toward them. This is how it should be for you, O people of true oneness. Support your Lord, the Most Merciful, with your deeds, so that the servants of God may perceive from you the fragrance of truth between the heavens and the earth. Adorn yourselves, O people, with the attributes of God and do not commit what would degrade the sanctity of the Manifestation of His Self among His creation. Thus has God counseled you in the Tablets of mighty preservation.

Do not contend with anyone, nor engage in disputes. If you find one who is receptive, remind him of the Greatest Word, and if you encounter one who turns away, then turn away from him and turn toward God, your Lord, for He is sufficient for you above all others.

Unite, O My loved ones, and come together around the law of My command. Be not among the differing! The closest of you to God are the most reverent and humble, if you are among those who know. By the truth of God, it is more pleasing to Me that you be wronged than that you wrong another. This is of My nature and one of My best qualities, if you are among the certain. Be patient, O My loved ones, in adversity and hardship, and if a wrongdoer wrongs you, refer his judgment to God, in whose hand is the dominion of all things. Verily, He is the Almighty, capable of what He wills, and He is the most severe of avengers.

We have advised you in many Tablets not to contend with anyone, yet you have done what has brought harm to the exalted Lote-Tree. O people, fear God and do not transgress what you have been commanded in the Tablets! This is better for you than all you possess, if you are among those who know. Avoid those who have disbelieved and associated others with God, contended with His signs, and waged war against His exalted Self. Be patient, as We have been patient, and do not fight against any of the polytheists. Trust in God in all matters, for He will assist Me as He did in the beginning, when I was in prison under chains and shackles, and He helped Me with the truth through the hosts of heaven and earth, until He released Me with a manifest power. In His grasp is the dominion of all things. He assists whom He wills, as He wills, and verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Mighty.

Beware, O people, of clinging to names and disputing with the One who created them by His command. There is no God but Him, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. Say: He created the names as He created all things, if you are among those who understand.