Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude)

Part One: Rejection of the Manifestations of God

In the name of our Lord, the Most High, the Most Great.

1 The door mentioned in the statement that the servants will not reach the shore of the sea of knowledge except by completely cutting off from everything in the heavens and the earth. Purify yourselves, O people of the earth, so that you may reach the position that God has destined for you, and enter into a pavilion that God has raised in the sky of explanation.

2 The essence of this door is that seekers on the path of faith and those who seek the cups of certainty must purify and sanctify their souls from all incidental matters, meaning they must turn their ears away from hearing sayings, their hearts from thoughts related to the glories of majesty, their spirits from attachment to apparent causes, and their eyes from observing perishable words. They should rely on God and seek refuge in Him, so that they become capable of manifesting the illuminations of the suns of divine knowledge and gnosis, and become the place for the appearances of the outpourings of the infinite unseen. Because if a servant wants to gauge the sayings, deeds, and actions of servants, both knowledgeable and ignorant, by the standard of true recognition of God and His friends, he will never enter into the pleasure of the knowledge of the Lord of Might, will not reach the destination of eternal life, and will not be blessed with the cup of nearness and pleasure.

3 Look back to previous times when people, high and low, were always waiting for the manifestations of oneness in holy temples, to such an extent that they were watchful and waiting at all times and moments, making prayers and pleas, hoping that the breeze of divine mercy might start to blow and that the promised beauty would step from the pavilion of the unseen into the arena of appearance. And when the doors of favor opened, and the cloud of honor was raised, and the sun of the unseen was manifested on the horizon of power, they all started to deny it and sought to avoid meeting Him, which is like meeting God. This is detailed in all heavenly books.

4 Now, consider for a moment what was the cause of people’s objection after their pursuit and hopes. They objected in such a way that all tongues, expression, and writing are incapable and inadequate to mention it. No one appeared from the holy manifestations and studied oneness without being afflicted with the objections, denials, and disputes of people. As it says, “Alas for the servants! Never does a messenger come to them but they mock him.” And in another place it says, “And every nation plotted against their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by means of falsehood to refute the truth thereby.”

5 Similarly, the words that have descended from the cloud of Absolute Power and the sky of Divine Glory are beyond the count and comprehension of servants. For those with understanding hearts and insight, Surah Hud is sufficient. Contemplate a little on that blessed Surah, and consider it with your innate nature, so you might gain some knowledge of the wonders of the affairs of the prophets and the denial and rejection of the divine words. Perhaps you may guide people from the dwelling place of worldly negligence to the abode of unity and divine knowledge, to sip from the ever-flowing stream of wisdom and the fruits of the tree of knowledge of the Majestic, and become blessed. This is the portion of the souls detached from the eternal holy feast.

6 If you become aware of the trials of the prophets and the cause and reason for the objections of servants to those suns of essence, you will become informed about most matters, and the more you observe the objections of people to the dawning places of the suns of oneness, the stronger and more steadfast you will become in your faith and in the cause of God. Therefore, some stories of the prophets are briefly mentioned in these tablets so that it becomes known and proves that in all ages and eras, they brought to the manifestations of power and the study of majesty what the pen is too shy and inactive to mention. Perhaps these remembrances will prevent some people from being disturbed by the aversions and objections of the scholars and the ignorant of the age, and instead increase their certainty and assurance.

7 Among the prophets was Noah, who lamented for nine hundred and fifty years, inviting servants to the secure valley of the spirit, and no one responded to him. Every day they inflicted so much harm and injury on that blessed being that they were certain of his destruction. What levels of mockery, ridicule, and insinuation were inflicted upon him, as it is said: “And whenever an assembly of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him. He said, ‘If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule. So you will know.’” And after periods, he promised his companions the descent of victory several times at a specified promise, and at each level, it seemed to fail. Some of the few companions turned away due to the appearance of failure, as detailed in most famous books, and certainly it is or will be apparent to the exalted perspective. Until nothing remained for him but forty souls or seventy-two souls as mentioned in the books and reports. Until finally the cry, “Lord, do not leave any of the disbelievers on the earth.” was drawn from his soul.

8 Now you must ponder why, during this period, these servants protested in this way and sought avoidance, and did not take pride and succeed in removing the shirt of negation to affirmation? And why did the divine promises appear to fail, causing some of the receptive ones to turn away? You must reflect greatly to become aware of the mysteries of the unseen matters, and catch a spiritual scent from the true rose garden, and affirm that divine trials have always been and will always be among His servants so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, guidance from misguidance, happiness from misery, and thorns from flowers. As He said, “Did people think that they would be left alone because they say, ‘We believe,’ and not be tested?”

9 And after Noah, the beauty of Hud shone forth from the sunrise of creation, and for nearly seven hundred years or more, according to differing accounts, he invited the people to the good-pleasure of the Lord of Majesty. And what a multitude of tribulations rained down upon him like a pouring rain, until the multitude of his calls led to the multitude of their avoidance, and the intensity of his concern became the cause for the intensity of their closing their eyes. “And nothing does their disbelief increase the disbelievers in but loss.”

10 And after this, the edifice of Salih emerged from the spiritual and unseen good-pleasure, inviting the servants to the enduring laws of nearness, and for a hundred years or more he commanded the divine orders and forbade the prohibitions, but it bore no fruit and no effect appeared. And he chose to be absent several times, even though that eternal beauty was calling the people to nothing but the city of divine unity. As he says: “And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than Him” to the end of the verse: “They said: O Salih! you were one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this; do you forbid us that we should serve what our fathers served and we are surely in disquieting doubt with respect to that to which you invite us.” And it granted no benefit until they all returned to the fire with a single cry.

11 And afterwards, the beauty of Abraham lifted the veil and the flag of guidance was raised, inviting the people of the earth to the light of piety. Regardless of how much he emphasized his advice, it bore no fruit but envy and gave no gain but heedlessness, except for those who were totally detached towards God and ascended on the wings of certitude to a station that God has set beyond understanding. The details of his life are well-known, showing the extent to which enemies surrounded him until the fire of envy and aversion was ignited. And after the story of the fire, they expelled that divine lamp from their land, as is mentioned in all epistles and books.

12 And afterwards, when Abraham’s time had passed, it was Moses’ turn. He appeared on the scene of manifestation from the divine love of Pharaoh with the staff of command and the white hand of knowledge. With the serpent of divine power and majesty from the Sinai of light, he invited all those in the kingdom to the everlasting kingdom and the fruits of the tree of loyalty. It was heard how Pharaoh and his entourage objected, and how much the stones of suspicions from the idolatrous souls were cast at that blessed tree. To the extent that Pharaoh and his entourage conspired to extinguish the divine Lote Tree with the water of denial and aversion, ignorant of the fact that the fire of divine wisdom is not extinguished by elemental water, and the lamp of divine power is not extinguished by opposing winds. Rather, in this station, water is the cause of ignition, and wind is the reason for preserving the flame, if you perceive with the vision of certainty and tread on God’s pleasure. And how eloquently did the believer from Pharaoh’s family speak, as God the Almighty narrates his story to His beloved: “And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh who concealed his faith said: ‘Are you going to kill a man because he says, ’My Lord is Allah,’ while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is a liar, then upon him is his lie; but if he is truthful, then some of what he promises you will befall you. Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar.’” And in the end, the matter led to the martyrdom of this believer under the severest of tortures. May the curse of Allah be upon the wrongdoers.

13 Now, reflect a little on these matters, what could have caused these differences, so that with each Divine Manifestation which appeared in the realm of possibility from the horizon of impossibility, such turmoil, chaos, injustice, and upheaval would be seen throughout the world? Despite the fact that all the prophets, during their appearances, gave glad tidings to the people of the coming prophet and mentioned a sign of the next manifestation, as is recorded in all the scriptures. Despite people’s desire and anticipation for holy appearances and the mention of signs in the books, why should such events occur in the world that all prophets and chosen ones in every covenant and age are subjected to such oppression, coercion, and aggression? As He says: “Then is it that whenever there came to you a messenger with what your souls did not desire, you grew arrogant? So a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.” He says, every time and age when a messenger came to you from the Lord with something against your lower desires, you grew arrogant and didn’t become convinced, and you denied a group of those prophets, and a group you killed.

14 In conclusion, ponder over this: what was the cause of such actions that they would behave in such a way towards the dawning of the beauty of the All-Glorious? And whatever was the cause of the aversion and indignation of those servants at that time is now the cause of the heedlessness of these servants. If we were to say that the Divine Proofs were not complete and perfect, and therefore the cause of the objection of the servants, this would be explicit disbelief. Because it is far from the overflowing grace and expansive mercy of God to select a soul from among all His servants to guide His creation, and yet not grant him sufficient and complete proof, and then punish the creation for not turning towards him. Indeed, the bounty of the Sovereign of existence has encompassed all possibilities through the appearance of the manifestations of His Self, and His grace never ceases, nor is the rain of His mercy ever withheld from the clouds of His bounty.

So these incidents are only brought about by limited selves that move in the valley of pride and vanity, travel in the deserts of remoteness, and hold onto their presumptions and what they have heard from their scholars. For this reason, they have nothing but aversion, and they will achieve nothing but ignorance. It is clear to anyone with insight that if these servants were to purify their eyes, ears, and hearts from what they have seen, heard, and perceived at the appearance of each of the manifestations of the Sun of Truth, they would undoubtedly not be deprived of the Divine beauty and would not be forbidden from the sanctuary of proximity and the study of the Divine.

However, since at every time they judged the proof based on their own understanding that they had heard from their scholars, and it did not accord with their weak intellects, thus such unpleasant incidents were made manifest from them in the world. They measured the Manifestations of God by the yardstick of their own understanding, limited by what they had learned from their scholars. When the Divine manifestations did not conform to their limited understanding, this led to various forms of dissatisfaction and rebellion against these Divine manifestations.

Corruption of the Leaders of Religion

15 In every age, the reason for the deviation of the masses and their prevention from reaching the shores of the sea of divine unity has been the scholars of that age, who held the reins of the people in their hands. These leaders, some motivated by a love for leadership and others due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, hindered the people from recognizing the divine truth. It was due to the orders and verdicts of these scholars that all the Prophets had to drink from the chalice of martyrdom and ascended to the highest horizon of glory. Great injustices have been perpetrated by the leaders and scholars of every age against these sovereigns of existence and gems of divine purpose.

They remained content with these fleeting days and remained away from the realm that never perishes, depriving their eyes of witnessing the lights of the beloved’s beauty, and making their ears deprived of the unique melodies of the desired Beloved. This is why the conditions of the scholars of every age have been mentioned in all divine scriptures. As it is said: “O People of the Book! Why do you deny the signs of God while you bear witness to them?” (Quran 3:70). Similarly, it is said: “O People of the Book! Why do you mix truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth while you know?” (Quran 3:71). In another place, it is said: “Say, O People of the Book! Why do you block the path of God?” (Quran 3:99).

It is clear that the “People of the Book” who have hindered people from the straight path are the scholars of that age, as the names and descriptions of them are mentioned in the scriptures, and this is evident from most of the verses and narrations if you look through the lens of divine justice.

16 So, try to contemplate with the divine insight upon the horizons of divine knowledge and the depth of perfect words of the Eternal, so that all the secrets of spiritual wisdom, free from the limitations of worldly grandeur, become apparent from behind the curtains of divine grace and benevolence. Most of the objections and disputes raised by people are due to their lack of understanding and comprehension.

For instance, they failed to comprehend and connect with the divine truths revealed in the signs and utterances of God’s beauty. Consequently, they raised the flag of corruption and incited chaos and conflict. It is clear that the interpretations of eternal words can only be comprehended by eternal beings, and the melodious songs of spiritual realities can only be heard by the listeners who belong to the world of eternity. An oppressive Copt can never partake from the justice-filled wine of the Israelite lineage, and the Pharaoh of disbelief cannot grasp the wisdom encapsulated within the pure essence of Moses. As it is said: “None know its interpretation save Allah and those firmly grounded in knowledge.” (Quran 3:7)

Despite this, they sought the interpretation of the Book from those veiled from the divine truth and did not seek knowledge from its true source.

17 For example, when the days of Moses passed and the lights of Jesus enveloped the spiritual world, all the Jews objected. They claimed that the promised figure mentioned in the Torah should be a promulgator and fulfiller of the laws of the Torah. But this young Nazarene, who called himself the Christ of God, had abrogated the laws of divorce and Sabbath, which were among the most important laws of Moses. Furthermore, they argued that the signs of the appearance mentioned in the Torah had not yet manifested, as they are still waiting for that appearance.

They missed the holy manifestations of the Divine Unity and the emanation of eternal light that appeared after Moses due to their satanic veils of self and imaginary doubts. They are still veiled and waiting for the appearance of a fabricated temple with the mentioned signs that they have perceived. As such, God punished them for their sins, took away the spirit of faith from them, and punished them with a fire that resides in the depths of hell.

This happened only due to their lack of understanding of the written statements in the Torah concerning the signs of the coming era. As they could not comprehend the truth of these statements, and since the literal events did not happen as they expected, they were deprived of the beauty of Jesus and failed to meet God. They were among the waiting ones. They clung to these baseless thoughts and made themselves deprived of the blessings flowing from the subtle, gentle springs of wisdom.

The same phenomenon persists among all nations, who hold on to such baseless ideas, and thereby deprive themselves of the blessings flowing from the subtle and gentle sources of wisdom.

18 In unveiling these mysteries, some of the statements of the Prophets were referred to in the melodies of Hijazi inscriptions on the previously written tablets for one of the beloved ones. Now, in response to the desire of that person, we mention them again in these pages with the sweet tunes of the Iraqi melody. Perhaps this may guide those who are thirsty in the deserts of the future towards the ocean of proximity, and may lead those lost in the wilderness of separation to the tents of closeness and unity, so that the clouds of misguidance may lift, and the sun of guiding light may rise from the horizon of the soul.

I rely on God and seek His assistance, hoping that this pen may write something to revive the hearts of people, so that everyone may rise from their slumber of heedlessness and may hear the divine tunes from the leaves of paradise, from a tree that was planted in the divine garden by the hands of divine power, with the permission of God.

The Unity and Return of the Manifestations

19 Indeed, it is known and clear to the possessors of knowledge that when the fire of the love of Jesus burned away the veils of Jewish boundaries and his command was generally executed outwardly, one day that hidden beauty mentioned to some of his spiritual companions the subject of parting and ignited the fire of longing, saying, “I am going, and I will come again,” and in another place, he said, “I am going, and another will come to say what I have not said and to complete what I have said.” These two statements are, in truth, one if you witness in the manifestations of unity through the eyes of God.

20 If seen with the eye of spiritual insight, in truth, during the era of the Seal (Muhammad), both the book of Jesus and his command were affirmed. In the place of the name, he himself said: “I am Jesus.” He also confirmed the signs, news, and book of Jesus, stating that it was from God. In this respect, there is no discernible difference in themselves or any notable otherness in their books since both were established by the command of God and both spoke in the remembrance of God, and the books of both were conscious of God’s commands. This is why Jesus himself said, “I am going, and I will return.” It’s like the sun, if today’s sun says, “I am the sun of the previous day”, it’s truthful, and if it says, “I am different from the sun of other days,” it’s also truthful.

Similarly, if you observe in all matters that if it is said that all is one thing, it is correct and true. If it is said that they are different in terms of specific names and forms, that is also true. As you can see, even though they are one thing, each has a different name, different characteristics, and different forms that are not found in the other.

By this explanation and rule, understand the detailed positions, differences, and unity of the holy manifestations. So you can comprehend the implications of the words of that Creator of names and attributes in both collective and individual aspects, and you will become knowledgeable and aware. The answer to your question about recognizing that eternal beauty in each of its positions by its specific name and form will be fully attained.

21 After that, the disciples of Jesus asked about the signs of His return and appearance: “What are the signs, and when will this happen?” They asked this question of the unparalleled Jesus on several occasions, and in each situation, he mentioned different signs, as is recorded in the four Gospels.

The Signs of the Return of Jesus Christ

22 And I will mention one such sign and offer hidden blessings from the reserved Lote Tree for the sake of God to the servants of God so that the transient temples may not be deprived of the everlasting fruits. Perhaps they may be successful with a drop from the ever-flowing rivers of the glorious presence, which is flowing in the Abode of Peace, Baghdad, without asking for any reward or gratitude. “We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.” This is a nourishment by which luminous spirits and hearts attain everlasting life. This is indeed the same table of which it is said: “Our Lord, send down to us a table from heaven.” And this table will never be severed from its people, nor will it ever be depleted. It always sprouts from the Tree of Grace and descends from the heavens of mercy and justice. As it has been said: “Have you not considered how Allah sets forth a parable of a good word being like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches are high in the sky. It produces its fruit all the time.”

23 What a loss it would be for a person to deprive oneself of this delicate gift, to exclude oneself from this everlasting bounty and eternal life. So understand the value of this spiritual table so that perhaps the dead bodies may find new life from the unique graces of that true Sun, and the withered souls may attain limitless spirituality. My brother, we must strive while days remain to drink from the cups of eternity. The breeze of life does not always blow from the Egypt of the Beloved, nor do the rivers of elucidation always flow. The doors of paradise do not remain open forever. There will come a time when the nightingales of paradise will fly from the holy garden to the divine nests, then neither the melody of the nightingale will you hear, nor the beauty of the flower will you see. So while the eternal dove is in song and dance, and the divine spring is in display and adornment, do not leave the ear of your heart bereft of its melody. This is the advice of this servant to that gentleman and the friends of God. So whoever wishes, let him accept, and whoever wishes, let him turn away. Verily, Allah is self-sufficient, transcendent over what is witnessed and seen.

24 These are the melodies of Jesus son of Mary, who in the paradise of the Gospel spoke with the majestic tunes about the signs of the next appearance. In the first book attributed to Matthew, when asked about the signs of the next appearance, he replied, “And for the time after, there will be great distress in those days, the sun will darken, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will shake. At that time, the signs of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with great power and glory, and he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call.” End of quote. The Persian translation is as follows: After the hardship and adversity that encompass all people, the sun is prevented from effusion, that is, it becomes dark, and the moon remains from giving light, and the stars of the sky descend to the earth, and the pillars of the earth shake. At this time, the signs of the Son of Man appear in the sky, that is, the beauty of the promised one and the essence of existence comes from the realm of the unseen to the world of witnessing after the appearance of these signs. He says, “At that time, all the tribes that live on earth will mourn and cry, and they will see the creatures of that unified beauty coming from the sky in a state that is riding on the cloud with great strength and generosity, and he sends his angels with the sound of a great trumpet.” End of quote. The same expressions are mentioned in the other three books attributed to Luke, Mark, and John. As it was detailed in the Arabic tablets, we did not repeat it in these papers and we were satisfied with mentioning one of them.

25 The scholars of the Gospel, as they did not become acquainted with the meanings of these statements and the purpose hidden in these words, and adhered to the apparent meaning of them, were therefore barred from the beneficence of the Muhammadan law and from the cloud of Ahmad’s grace. And the ignorant of that sect also sought adherence to their scholars, and were deprived of visiting the beauty of the Sultan of Glory, because such signs as were mentioned did not appear at the emergence of the Ahmadian sun. This is why centuries have passed, epochs have come to an end, and that spiritual essence has returned to the eternal seat of its sovereignty, another breath from the spiritual breath has been breathed into the divine forms, and the dead souls from the graves of negligence and misguidance have been resurrected to the land of guidance and the place of attention. Yet, that group is still waiting for when these signs will appear, and that promised edifice will come into existence, so that they can assist it, spend their wealth in its way, and sacrifice their lives for it. Just as other nations have also remained distant from the Kawthar of meanings of the infinite mercy of the Lord due to their illusions, and are occupied with their own imaginations.

26 Moving past this statement, there is another declaration in the Gospel which states: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”. The meaning of this in Persian is that it is possible for heaven and earth to perish, but my words will never perish and will always remain constant among people. This is why the people of the Gospel say that the laws of the Gospel will never be abrogated and whenever the promised manifestation appears with all its signs, it must confirm and establish the exalted laws in the Gospel so that no other religion remains in the entire world except this one. This sentence is among the established and confirmed matters for them. They have come to believe that even if a person is sent with all the signs of the promised one and passes judgments contrary to the apparent laws in the Gospel, they will certainly not admit or accept it, but rather they will declare him a disbeliever and mock him. This was evident during the emergence of the Muhammadan sun. Now, if people had asked the manifestations of the Divine Unity in every appearance about the meanings of these words revealed in the books, which all people are veiled from due to their inability to reach the ultimate heights and the farthest Lote Tree, they would certainly have been guided by the lights of the sun of guidance and would have become acquainted with the secrets of knowledge and wisdom.

27 Now, I will mention some of the meanings of these words so that those with insight and natural disposition may understand their implications within all divine words and indications in holy expressions. This way, they will not be deprived of the bounty of divine names and attributes, and they will not be veiled from the lamp of Divine Unity, which is the place of the manifestation of the Divine Essence.

Interpretation of the Signs

Distress of Those Days

28 The phrase “after the distress of those days” means a time when people are afflicted with hardship and constriction. This happens when the traces of the Sun of Truth and the fruits of the Lote-Tree of Knowledge and Wisdom disappear among people, when the reins of society are taken over by the ignorant, when the gates of Divine Unity and knowledge - which is the main purpose of human creation - are closed, when knowledge turns into conjecture, and guidance succumbs to misguidance. This is observed today as the reins of every group have fallen into the hands of the ignorant who guide their people according to their desires. Among these people, nothing of God remains except a name, and nothing of the ultimate purpose remains except words.

The winds of desires and self-interests have blown so strongly that they have extinguished the lamps of reason and the heart in many souls. Even though the gates of divine knowledge have been opened by the keys of divine power and the potential existences have been illuminated and guided by the light of knowledge and the holy effusions. So much so, that in everything a gate of knowledge has been opened, and in every atom traces of the Sun have become apparent.

Despite all these manifestations of knowledge that have encompassed the world, they still consider the gate of knowledge closed and the showers of mercy to be severed. Clinging to conjecture, they have distanced themselves from the firm handhold of knowledge. It seems as if they have no natural inclination towards knowledge and do not even fantasize about its appearance because they have found doors in conjecture to earn their livelihood and in the appearance of the manifestation of knowledge, they have found nothing but sacrificing their lives.

They are fleeing from this and clinging to that. And although they consider the divine command to be one, they observe two breaths on one command. They do not seek anything other than divine desire and they do not want a path other than error. They consider leadership as the ultimate attainment of the desired and pride and arrogance as the peak of maturation towards the beloved. They prefer self-deception over divine determinations. They have bypassed submission and contentment and are busy with scheming and pretense. They try with all their might and power to preserve these positions so that no deficiency finds its way into their grandeur or any defect touches their glory.

And if an eye is brightened with the kohl of divine knowledge, it will observe a few predators that have fallen upon the carcasses of the souls of servants.

29 Now, what distress and constriction could be more severe than the aforementioned conditions? If one wants to seek truth or knowledge, they wouldn’t know where to go or whom to seek. This is due to the diversity of opinions and the multitude of paths.

This distress and constriction is a condition of every Manifestation that until it does not occur, the emergence of the Sun of Truth does not occur. Because the dawn of the guidance of the Manifestation comes after the night of misguidance. This is what is meant by the narrations and traditions that speak of disbelief engulfing the world, darkness prevailing, and similar themes as mentioned earlier.

As for me, I have not elaborated on the statements of the traditions due to their widespread fame and for the sake of brevity.

30 Now, if the meaning of this distress is perceived to be physical worldly distress or other considerations imagined in their own mind, it will never be observed, and they would indeed argue that this condition for the emergence [of the Manifestation] has not been met, as they have said and continue to say. But indeed, the meaning of ‘distress’ is the constriction in regards to divine knowledge and the understanding of divine words. This is the distress that afflicts people during the time of the setting of the Sun [of divine guidance] and its mirrors, not knowing to whom they should turn, as mentioned earlier.

Thus, we teach you the interpretation of the traditions and cast upon you some of the secrets of wisdom, so that you may apprehend what is intended and be among those who have drunk from the cup of knowledge and gnosis.

Sun, Moon, and Stars

31 And his saying: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky.” The sun and the moon referred to in the words of the prophets are not limited to this visible sun and moon that we observe. Rather, they have indicated many meanings for the sun and the moon, and in each context, they refer to an appropriate meaning.

For example, one meaning of the sun is the Suns of Truth, which rise from the horizon of the Divine Presence and bestow grace upon all possibilities. These Suns of Truth are the universal manifestations of the divine in the worlds of His attributes and names. Just as the visible sun nourishes visible objects, such as fruits, trees, colors, fruits, minerals, and the like that are observable in the physical world, by the command of the True Deity and with His assistance, similarly the trees of monotheism, the fruits of singularity, the leaves of abstraction, the flowers of knowledge and certitude, and the fragrant herbs of wisdom and eloquence become manifest through the care and grace of these spiritual suns.

This is why, during the illumination of these Suns, the world becomes renewed; the rivers of life flow; the oceans of benevolence are set in motion; the clouds of grace are raised; the breezes of generosity blow upon the bodies of creatures; and it is from the heat of these divine Suns and the spiritual fires that the heat of divine love is generated in the pillars of the world, and it is through the grace of these detached spirits that the everlasting animal soul is bestowed upon the transient dead bodies.

In truth, this visible sun is a sign of the manifestation of that spiritual Sun, which has no counterpart, resemblance, similarity, or equal and cannot be observed. Everything exists due to it, appears by its grace, and returns to it. From it, all things have appeared and returned to the treasuries of its command. From it, all possibilities have begun and returned to the treasures of its decree.

32 And the fact that in the context of expression and mention, some of the names and attributes are specified as you have heard and will hear, is only for the understanding of imperfect and weak intellects. Otherwise, He has always been and will always remain sanctified from any name, and will remain exalted from any attribute. The essence of the names has no path to His sacred domain, and the subtleties of the attributes have no way in the dominion of His honor.

So glory be to God, that His chosen ones cannot be recognized except by their own selves, and His friends cannot be described except by their own selves. He is exalted beyond what His servants mention in their descriptions, and He is exalted beyond what they understand. The divine essence is utterly beyond comprehension and is independent of any attribute or name ascribed by His creations. He is absolutely transcendent and indescribable.

33 The usage of the term ‘suns’ for those abstract lights has been frequent in the discourses of the infallible ones. For instance, in Du’a Nudba (a Shia prayer), it is said: “Where are the rising suns? Where are the illuminating moons? Where are the shining stars?” So, it is understood that the primary implication of ‘suns’, ‘moons’, and ‘stars’ is referring to the prophets, the saints, and their companions whose divine knowledge enlightens both the unseen and the seen worlds. These are the spiritual luminaries that guide humanity with their divine knowledge and wisdom.

34 In another context, the ‘suns’, ‘moons’, and ‘stars’ refer to the leading scholars who are present during the advent of a new divine emergence. They hold the reins of the religion of the people. If they become illuminated by the light of that new spiritual ‘sun’, they are accepted, enlightened, and clear. Otherwise, the rule of darkness applies to them, even though they may appear to be guides. This is because all these states - faith or disbelief, guidance or misguidance, happiness or misery, light or darkness - are conditional upon acknowledging that divine spiritual ‘sun’.

The judgment of faith for each scholar is determined at the onset of recognition on the Day of Mutual Disillusion (Yawm at-Taghabun) and the judgment of knowledge, approval, light, and faith regarding the new spiritual ‘sun’ is truthful for them. Otherwise, the judgment of ignorance, denial, disbelief, and darkness is applicable to them.

35 Indeed, it’s observable to any discerning observer that just as the light of a star fades with the rise of the physical sun, likewise the ‘sun’ of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding fades and becomes obscured with the rise of the true spiritual ‘sun’. When the spiritual ‘sun’ or divine manifestation arises, it outshines all else, making other sources of knowledge and wisdom appear dim in comparison. It’s a metaphysical representation that the ultimate knowledge and wisdom is the direct divine revelation, and all other sources of knowledge pale in comparison to it.

36 Indeed, the term ‘sun’ is used metaphorically for those scholars due to their elevated status, renown, and recognition, such as the well-known scholars of the Muslim era who are renowned across lands and recognized amongst people. If they bear witness to the divine ‘sun’, they are considered among the lofty ‘suns’. However, if they do not, they are considered among the ‘suns’ of the infernal world, as is said, “The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation” (Qur’an 55:5).

The meaning of the ‘sun’ and ‘moon’ in the aforementioned verse is well known, so there’s no need to elaborate on it here. Every soul who is part of the ‘element’ of this sun and moon, that is, inclined towards falsehood and turning away from truth, will indeed be subject to the visible calculation and will return to the calculation (divine judgement).

37 So, oh seeker, we must hold tightly to the “firmest handhold” (Qur’an 2:256) so that we might be led from the darkness of misguidance to the light of guidance, that we might flee the shadow of negation to find refuge in the shadow of affirmation, and that we might escape from the fire of calculation (divine judgement) to become illuminated in the light of the beauty of the Most Generous. Peace be upon you.

Just as such, we provide you with the fruits of the tree of knowledge, so that you may remain in the satisfaction of God’s wisdom, as one of the scholars.

38 In another context, the sun, moon, and stars metaphorically refer to the elevated sciences and rulings in each religious law, such as prayer and fasting, which are the most firm and greatest of all rulings in the Qur’an’s law, following the veiling of the Muhammadan beauty. This is as indicated in various hadiths and reports, and due to their well-known nature, there is no need for further mention. Indeed, in every era, the ruling of prayer has been firmly established and enforced.

39 As it has been reported from the radiant light of the Muhammadan sun that the ruling of prayer has been revealed to all prophets in every era, ultimately, in each era, it is assigned specific new sections and etiquette as required by the time. Because in every subsequent revelation, the clear, established lofty sciences, customs, and solid rulings of the previous revelation are abrogated, they have thus been metaphorically referred to as the sun and the moon. This is in accordance with the verse, “That He may test which of you is best in deed.” (Qur’an 67:2)

40 Indeed, in a hadith, fasting and prayer have been referred to as the sun and the moon respectively. It has been said, “Fasting is a radiance and prayer is a light.” However, I remember an incident when I was sitting in a place and a renowned scholar came in. On one occasion, he mentioned this hadith and said: As fasting creates heat in one’s temperament, it is likened to radiance, which is represented by the sun. And the night prayer, as it requires coolness, is thus represented by light, symbolized by the moon.

I observed that the scholar hadn’t grasped even a droplet from the ocean of meanings and hadn’t attained a spark from the Lote Tree of Divine wisdom. After a while, with utmost respect, I pointed out that what he had mentioned regarding the meaning of the hadith is commonly cited in languages and mouths of people. However, it seemed that another purpose could also be inferred from the hadith. He asked for this explanation. I mentioned that the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of the Pure Ones have metaphorically referred to the exalted religion in the Qur’an as the sky due to its highness, elevation, greatness, and encompassing all religions.

Just as in the visible sky, two greatest and firmest pillars have been established, named the sun and the moon, which are luminous, similarly, in the sky of religion, two luminous elements have been determined, which are fasting and prayer. “Islam is the sky, fasting is its sun, and prayer is its moon.”

41 Indeed, this is the intent behind the symbolic expressions of divine manifestations. Thus, the usage of sun and moon in these contexts for these mentioned positions has been affirmed and established through revealed verses and transmitted traditions.

The purpose of mentioning the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars is to illustrate the misguidance of scholars and the abrogation of the high rulings in the Shariah, a notion which is metaphorically communicated through these traditions.

However, not everyone can partake from this cup of understanding; only the virtuous have a share, and only the best receive a portion. As the Qur’an states: “Indeed the virtuous will drink from a cup mixed with kafur.” (76:5). This verse metaphorically expresses the purity and reward of the righteous and their reception of divine knowledge and enlightenment.

42 It is firmly established that in each subsequent divine manifestation, the sun of knowledge, rulings, commands, and prohibitions that were exalted in the previous manifestation, under whose light and shade the people of that era were enlightened and guided, becomes dark. This means that its ruling and effect come to an end.

Consider, then, if the followers of the Gospel had understood the intended meaning of the sun and the moon, or had sought clarification from the manifestation of divine knowledge without obstinacy or quarreling, they would undoubtedly have understood its meanings, and they would not have fallen prey to the darkness of self and desire. However, because they did not draw knowledge from its source and origin, they fell into the destructive valley of disbelief and misguidance and have met their ruin. They have yet to realize that the universal signs have appeared, and the promised sun has dawned on the horizon of manifestation, while the sun and moon of knowledge, rulings, and recognitions from the previous era have become dark and set.

43 Now, step onto the path of true certainty with the eye of knowledge of certainty and the wings of the essence of certainty. “Say, ‘God,’ then leave them in their discourse, playing.” So that you may be counted among those who say, “Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remained on a right course, the angels will descend upon them.” And so that you may witness all of these mysteries with your own eyes.

44 O my brother, take the steps of the soul so that you may swiftly traverse the vast desert of distance and separation, and enter into the divine pleasure of nearness and union. In a single breath, you may attain to divine realities. With physical steps alone, these stages will never be traversed, and the intended goal will never be reached. Peace be upon those who follow the truth with truth, and who stand on the path of the divine command at the shore of gnosis, paused in the name of God.

45 This is the meaning of the blessed verse where it says: “So I swear by the Lord of all the easts and the wests.” (Quran 70:40). This is because each of these mentioned suns has a place of rising and setting. But because the scholars of interpretation did not have information about the reality of these mentioned suns, they were stuck in the interpretation of this blessed verse.

Some have mentioned that since the sun rises each day from a different point than the day before, the verse refers to this plurality. And some others have written that the four seasons are meant, as the sun rises and sets from a different place in each season, hence the use of the plural “easts and wests”. These are the degrees of knowledge of the servants. But despite this, what ignorance and defects they attribute to the essence of knowledge and the subtleties of wisdom!

Splitting of the Sky

46 And likewise, comprehend the splitting of the sky, which is among the signs of the Hour and the Resurrection, from these clear, firm, precise, and non-analogous statements. This is what it says: “When the sky has split open” (Quran 82:1). The intended sky is the sky of religions, which is raised in each appearance and then split in the next appearance, that is, it becomes invalidated and abrogated.

I swear to God that if one looks properly, the splitting of this sky is greater than the splitting of the physical sky. Consider for a moment. A religion that has been raised for years, and everyone has thrived and flourished under its shade, and have been nurtured for years by its bright commands, and from their fathers and ancestors have heard nothing but the mention of it, to the extent that eyes have perceived nothing but the infiltration of its command, and ears have heard nothing but its rules, then suddenly, someone appears and disperses all these things by divine strength and power, and separates them, in fact, negates all of them.

Now think, is this not greater than the splitting of the physical sky?

47 Reflect on the hardship and bitterness of those divine manifestations, who establish God’s boundaries in the face of all people of the world without any apparent supporter or helper. Consider the harm inflicted on those blessed, delicate beings, and yet how they bear all with utmost patience and endurance.

This highlights the struggles and trials that divine manifestations (such as prophets and other spiritual leaders) endure in the course of their missions. These figures, despite facing numerous hardships, continue to establish and uphold God’s commandments, reflecting their commitment, fortitude, and unwavering faith. Their patience and resilience in the face of adversity serve as powerful lessons for their followers, emphasizing the spiritual strength that can be found in faith and devotion.

Transformation of the Earth

48 Also, grasp the meaning of the transformation of the earth. The clouds of mercy from that sky transformed the lands of those hearts that had been receptive to the grace, into the land of knowledge and wisdom. How the fragrances of monotheism have sprouted in the gardens of their hearts, and how the anemones of the realities of knowledge and wisdom have been seen to bloom from their radiant breasts.

If the earth of their hearts was not transformed, how could men who had never received any formal education, who had never seen a teacher, and who had never stepped foot in any school, articulate words and possess knowledge that no one else could comprehend? As if they were molded from the clay of eternal knowledge and kneaded with the water of Divine wisdom.

This is what is meant when it is said: “Knowledge is a light that God casts into the heart of whomever He wishes.” And it is this kind of knowledge that is praiseworthy and enduring. Not the limited sciences that are created from clouded and veiled thoughts, which are sometimes plagiarized and then boasted about to others.

49 “If only the hearts of the servants would become clear from the imprints of these restrictions and obscure words, perhaps they would win through the manifestation of the lights of the Sun of Knowledge, meanings, and the jewels of the mysteries of divine wisdom. Observe now, if these earthly existences were not transformed, how could they become the place of the emergence of the secrets of oneness and the blossoming of the jewels of singularity? This is what He says:”On the day when the earth will be changed to other than the earth.”

50 “And from the breezes of generosity of that Sovereign of existence, the physical earth too has been transformed, if only you would contemplate in the mysteries of these manifestations.”

51 “Further understand the meaning of this verse where it says: ‘And the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.’ The content of this verse indicates that all of the earth will be grasped, in His hand on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens will be folded, in His right hand. Now, some fairness is required: if the intent is what people have understood, how well would it fit? It is self-evident that it is impossible to attribute to the Essence of the Almighty a visible hand that performs these operations - such a belief is sheer disbelief and an outright falsehood. If you say that they are the manifestations of His command that will be ordered to do this on the Day of Resurrection, this too is extremely far-fetched and pointless. Rather, the meaning of ‘earth’ is the earth of knowledge and understanding, and by ‘heavens’, the heavens of religions are meant. Now consider how the earth of knowledge and understanding, which was previously spread out, was gathered up by the might and power, and a new exalted earth was spread out in the hearts of the servants. He caused new breezes and unique flowers and majestic trees to sprout from their enlightened hearts.”

52 And likewise, observe how the lofty heavens of the past religions were folded by the hand of power, and the heaven of divine Revelation was elevated, adorned with new, wondrous commands as its sun, moon, and stars. These are the mysteries of words, unveiled without a veil, so that you may perceive the dawn of meanings, extinguish the lamps of suspicions, doubts, and uncertainties with the power of trust and detachment, and ignite the new lamp of knowledge and certitude in the lanterns of the heart and soul.

God Tests the Servants

53 The purpose of all these enigmatic utterances and puzzling allusions emerging from the divine sources is to test the servants, as has been mentioned, in order to distinguish the fertile, radiant hearts from the barren, transient ones. This has always been the divine practice among the servants, as recorded in the sacred books.

The Direction of Prayer

54 Also, consider the verse about the direction of prayer (Qiblah). After the Sun of the Muhammadan Prophethood migrated from the East of Mecca to Yathrib, they would direct their face towards the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during the time of prayer. This continued until certain Jews made unsuitable comments, which are not worth mentioning here and would prolong the discussion. This distressed the Prophet greatly and He often looked towards the sky in contemplation and bewilderment. Then Gabriel descended and recited this verse: “We have indeed seen the turning of your face towards the sky, so We will surely turn you to a Qiblah which you will be pleased with.”

One day, the Prophet and a group of His companions were engaged in the noon prayer. They had performed two units of the prayer when Gabriel descended and said, “Turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque.” In the middle of the prayer, the Prophet turned from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and faced the Kaaba in Mecca. This immediately caused a commotion and disturbance among the companions, to the point that some of them disrupted their prayer and turned away.

This trial was not for anything except to test the servants. Otherwise, that True Sovereign had the power to not change any direction of prayer at all and could have chosen the Holy Temple in that age as well, and not have this honor taken away from it.

55 As was the case during the time of most of the Prophets who were sent after Moses, like David, Jesus, and those who came in between them, the command of the direction of prayer was not changed. All these messengers, by the order of the Lord of the worlds, directed the people towards that same direction. The relation of all lands is the same to that True Sovereign, except for any land that He specifically designates for the manifestation of His signs. As it is said: “To Allah belong the East and the West, so wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah.”

Despite the truth of these matters, why was the change made that caused distress and fear among the servants and caused a commotion and disturbance among the companions? Indeed, such occurrences that cause terror in all souls do not happen except for everyone to be put to the test by God, so that the truthful and the liar can be distinguished and separated from each other.

This is why, after the disagreement among people, it is said: “We did not make the direction of prayer that you were on except to know who follows the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels.” The meaning of this is: we did not turn and disrupt the direction of prayer, which was the Holy Temple, except to know who follows you and who turns back on his heels, meaning who turns away, does not obey, and invalidates his prayer and runs away, like “terrified donkeys fleeing from a lion.”

56 If you ponder a bit on this subject and statement, you will see the doors of meanings and clarifications opening up, and you can see all its knowledge and secrets unveiled. These matters are only for the purpose of educating and liberating souls from the cage of self and desires. Otherwise, that True Sovereign has always been in His essence independent of the recognition of beings and will always remain in His existence independent of the worship of the possible ones.

A single breeze from His richness can adorn the entire world with the robe of wealth, and a single drop from the ocean of His generosity can endow all existence with eternal life. But, as the aim is to distinguish truth from falsehood and sunlight from shadow, this is why the trials dispatched from the Lord of Honor flow incessantly like pouring rain.

Moses Killed a Man

57 If you contemplate a bit on the previous prophets and their appearances, things will become very clear to the people of the world in such a way that they will not remain veiled from deeds and sayings that are contrary to the self and desires. They will burn all veils with the fire of the Lote-tree of Gnosis and rest on the Throne of tranquility and reassurance.

For instance, Moses, the son of Amran, who was one of the great prophets and the bearer of the book. In the early stages of his life, before his prophecy, he was passing by a market one day. Two men were quarreling with each other. One of them sought help from Moses. Moses helped him and killed the adversary, as it is recorded in the book, and mentioning the details would distract from the main purpose.

News of this spread in the city and Moses became fearful as the scripture says. He was informed that “Indeed, the nobles are plotting against you to kill you.” So he left the city and resided in Midian in the service of Shuaib. On his return, he entered the blessed valley that is the Valley of Sinai. He observed the manifestation of the Sovereign Unity from a tree that was neither of the east nor the west. He heard a soul-nourishing spiritual call from the divine ignited fire, and was commanded to guide Pharaoh’s souls to rescue people from the valley of ego and desire and to introduce them to the soul-enriching wilderness of guidance.

When he entered Pharaoh’s house and preached as he was ordered to, Pharaoh rudely said, “Were you not the one who committed murder and became one of the disbelievers?” As if the Lord of Majesty informed Moses through Pharaoh’s tongue: “And you did your deed which you did, and you were one of the disbelievers. So I did it then, and I was of the misguided, so I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me one of the messengers.”

58 Now, consider the divine trials and the unique ways God tests us. A soul that is known for killing another soul and confesses to its injustice as stated in the mentioned verse, one who was raised for approximately thirty years or a little less, apparently in the house of Pharaoh, nurtured with his food, is chosen from among the servants and is assigned to guide.

While the capable Sovereign had the power to prevent Moses from committing murder so that he would not be known among the servants by this name, which would cause terror in hearts and caution in souls. But this wasn’t the case. It’s a clear indication of the unique and sometimes baffling ways God chooses to test his creations, demonstrating that even those who commit serious mistakes can be given a chance to reform and serve a higher purpose. The spiritual path is filled with such trials and tests, all designed to help individuals grow and evolve. The divine trials and the extraordinary ways God tests individuals are beyond human comprehension. God’s wisdom and plans are mysterious and cannot be fully understood by humans.

The Situation of Mary

59 Also consider the situation of Mary, whose extraordinary situation caused such amazement and bewilderment that she wished for non-existence, as understood from the blessed verse where, after the birth of Jesus, Mary lamented and spoke these words: “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.” (Quran 19:23)

By God, hearts melt and spirits weep upon hearing these words. This anxiety and grief was due to the scorn of enemies and the objection of disbelievers. Think for a moment, what could Mary have said in response to people? How could a child with no designated father be presented to people as a product of the Holy Spirit?

In this predicament, Mary carried the child back to her people. When they saw her with the baby, they exclaimed, “O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.” (Quran 19:28). Look at this great trial and profound test.

In both Moses and Mary’s stories, we see God’s wisdom in testing and guiding his servants through immense trials, yet also providing them the strength and means to endure and ultimately fulfill their divine roles. These are instances of the grand tests that God places before his servants, highlighting the struggles they faced and the triumphs they achieved in their quest for spiritual fulfillment and service to God.

60 Indeed, surpassing all, that essence of spirit, known among his people for his fatherless birth, was granted prophethood by God. He was made a proof of God’s truth for all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. Jesus, despite the circumstances of his miraculous birth, was chosen by God to be a prophet and a sign for humanity. He exemplifies the divine wisdom and power, standing as a testament to God’s ability to bring about the extraordinary. His life and teachings continue to inspire millions around the world, highlighting the potential for transcendence and holiness in all of us, regardless of our circumstances.

61 Indeed, the ways of God may seem contrary to the wishes and desires of His servants. However, once you perceive the jewels of secrets behind these, you come to understand His true intent. You begin to see the actions and words of that sovereign Creator in alignment, such that what you observe in His actions is reflected in His words, and what you perceive in His words manifests in His actions. These deeds and sayings may appear as punishment for the wicked in their outward form, but within, they are a mercy for the righteous. If observed with the eye of the heart, the words revealed from the heavens of Divine Will are seen to be one with the manifested affairs from the dominion of Divine Power. They are perceived as one entity, as was discussed.

In other words, to truly comprehend the Divine Will, one must look beyond the surface, beyond what is simply perceived by the physical senses. It is necessary to observe with the eye of the heart, the spiritual insight, to understand the unity of God’s words and actions, and to recognize the deep mercy inherent in all divine affairs. Through this profound comprehension, one realizes the Divine’s transcendent wisdom and infinite mercy, even in what may outwardly appear as trials or tribulations.

How Would People React in this Era?

62 Indeed, my brother, consider this: if such circumstances were to appear in this era, if such stories were to emerge, how would people react? I swear by the Creator of existence and the One who sends down the words that, immediately, without any discussion, they would likely pronounce disbelief and demand punishment. Would they listen if it was said that Jesus emerged from the breath of the Holy Spirit, or that Moses was commanded by a firm order? Even if a hundred thousand cries were raised, it would reach no one’s ears that one without a father has been appointed to prophethood, or that a murderer from a burning tree has declared, “Indeed, I am God.”

In our current age, such assertions would likely be met with disbelief and skepticism, just as they were in the past. This reflects the challenge of understanding and accepting divine intervention and prophecy, particularly when it comes in unexpected forms or contradicts prevailing norms and expectations. People often struggle to accept what they cannot understand within their limited human framework. However, faith requires openness to the mysterious and the divine, which often exceeds our limited human understanding.

63 If the eye of justice were to open, it would become evident from all these statements that the Manifestation of all these affairs and the outcome of all these days is now apparent. Even though the likes of these events have not occurred in this appearance, they have still been rejected due to their adherence to their own conjectures. What accusations they have made and what calamities they have caused, which have not even appeared in the formulation of their doubt.

Fresh Tidings For the Soul

64 Allahu Akbar. The explanation that has reached this station has wafted a spiritual fragrance from the Eternal Dawn, and the morning breeze from the city of the everlasting Sheba has blown. Its hints have bestowed fresh tidings to the soul and immeasurable victories to the spirit. It has spread a new carpet and brought countless, boundless gifts from that sign-less Beloved. The cloak of remembrance falls short of His graceful stature, and the garment of expression is too brief for His radiant form. He reveals the mysteries of meanings without words and pronounces secrets without a tongue. He teaches the nightingales of longing and separation to lament and moan. He imparts the rules and customs of love and infatuation, and the mystery of devotion. He instructs the exotic flowers of the celestial garden of closeness and union in the art of coquetry and the manners of allure. He confers the secrets of truths to the poppies of the garden of love and entrusts the delicate mysteries and fine writings to the leaders of the lovers. By His grace, at this moment, He has caused the Holy Spirit to yearn intensely. He has given a droplet the waves of an ocean and endowed a particle with the ornament of the sun. He has taken kindness to a level that makes the pursuit of the musk-deer’s navel seem insignificant, and has chosen the bat to face the sun. He has resurrected the dead with the breath of life from their bodily graves, placed the ignorant at the summit of knowledge, and set the oppressors at the height of justice.

65 And the world of existence has become pregnant with all these blessings until the effects of this unseen grace become manifest in the earthly realm, and brings the fallen thirsty ones to the crystalline Kawthar of the beloved, and leads the lost ones in the desert of distance and non-existence to the pavilion of nearness and existence of the beloved. So that in the land of hearts, these sacred grains may sprout and from the gardens of souls, the poppies of unseen realities may bloom. Indeed, the love’s lote-tree in Sinai of affection has ignited in such a way that it can’t be cooled or extinguished by the waters of expression. The thirst of this whale is not quenched by oceans, and this flaming phoenix chooses to nest nowhere but in the fire of the beloved’s face. Therefore, my brother, kindle the lamp of the spirit in the difficulties of the heart with the wick of wisdom, and preserve it with the glass of intellect, so that the breaths of polytheistic souls do not extinguish it and do not withhold from the light. Thus, we illuminate the horizon of the sky of discourse with the lights of the suns of wisdom and knowledge, so that your heart may be at ease with it, and you may be among those who soared with the wings of certainty in the air of their merciful Lord’s love.

The Sign of the Son of Man Appears

66 And His saying: “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.” He says: After the eclipse of the sun of divine knowledge and the falling of the stars of established laws, and the darkening of the moon of knowledge which is the educator of servants, and the extinction of the flags of guidance and prosperity, and the darkness of the dawn of truth and righteousness, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. And what is meant by sky is the physical sky. Soon the equatorial heavens will manifest and the orbit of guidance will run over the sea of greatness, a star will appear in the sky, according to the outward appearance, which heralds the creation of the heavens of the advent of that greatest luminary. Similarly, in the sky of meaning, a star will appear that heralds the people of the earth to that dawn of the most upright and generous. And these two signs in the outward and inward sky have appeared before the advent of every prophet, as you have heard.

67 Among them was Abraham, the friend of the Most Merciful. Prior to his appearance, Nimrod saw a dream and asked the astrologers. They informed him of the rise of a star in the sky. Similarly, a person appeared on the earth who was giving glad tidings to the people of the upcoming appearance of that great figure.

68 After him, the story of Moses, the Speaker with Allah, took place. The astrologers of that time informed Pharaoh about the rising of a star in the sky, indicating the formation of a child who would be the cause of his and his people’s destruction. Similarly, a scholar appeared who would comfort and reassure the children of Israel at night, as is recorded in the books. If the details of these matters were to be mentioned, this letter would become a book. I don’t wish to recount past events. Allah is the witness of the state that this exposition is only due to the utmost love for that noble one, so that perhaps some of the poor of the earth may enter the shores of wealth, or a group of the ignorant may enter the sea of knowledge, or the thirsty for knowledge may reach the stream of wisdom. Otherwise, I would consider my engagement in these discussions to be a great sin and a major rebellion.

69 Similarly, as the appearance of Jesus neared, several Magi who were informed about the appearance of the star of Jesus in the sky followed the star until they entered the city where Herod had his royal residence. In those days, the dominion of those kingdoms was under his control.

70 And they were saying: “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” After investigation, they revealed that the child was born in Bethlehem of Judea. This is the sign in the literal sky.

As for the sign in the inner sky, which is the sky of knowledge and meanings, it was the appearance of John the son of Zechariah who was giving people the glad tidings of the arrival of Jesus. As the verse says: “Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining.” The word referred to here is Jesus, and John was the harbinger of his advent.

It is also recorded in the divine scriptures: “John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” And the John referred to here is John the Baptist.

71 Also, before the emergence of the Muhammadan beauty, signs appeared in the literal sky. The inner signs that were giving people on earth the glad tidings of the emergence of that sun of essence were four individuals, one after the other. Rozbeh, who came to be known as Salman, had the honor of serving them. When the time of death approached for each one, they would send Rozbeh to another until he reached the fourth one.

On his deathbed, he said: “O Rozbeh, after my burial, go to Hijaz (the region in western Saudi Arabia where Mecca and Medina are located), for the Muhammadan sun is about to shine, and may the wind bring you good tidings of meeting him.”

72 Until he arrived at this wondrous and magnificent event. Most of the astronomers had reported the appearance of a star in the literal sky. Similarly, on earth, there were two luminous lights, Ahmad and Kazim, may God sanctify their resting place.

73 So, from these meanings, it’s evident that before the appearance of each one of the mirrors of Divine Unity, signs of that appearance become apparent in both the literal and the metaphysical sky, which are the domains of the sun of knowledge and the moon of wisdom, and the stars of meanings and expressions. And that appearance is of the perfect human, prior to any manifestation, for the education and preparation of the servants for the encounter with that sun of essence and the moon of unity.

The Son of Man Comes on the Clouds of Heaven

74 And His saying: “And all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” The implication of this statement is this: meaning at that time, the servants will mourn due to the absence of the sun of divine beauty, the moon of knowledge, and the stars of divinely inspired wisdom. And in those moments, it will be witnessed that the promised radiance and the adored beauty descends from the sky while riding on the clouds, meaning that divine beauty will manifest in a human form from the heavens of divine will.

The meaning of “sky” here does not refer to the physical sky but signifies height and elevation, which is the place of manifestation of those holy dawns and ancient rises. Even though these eternal beings seemingly emerge from the wombs of earthly mothers, in reality, they descend from the heavens of command. Even though they dwell on earth, they lean on the fluttering of meanings. Even though they walk among people, they fly in the atmospheres of closeness. Without physically moving, their spirits stroll. Without wings, they fly towards the ascents of unity.

In every breath, they traverse the east and the west of creation and in every moment, they roam through the kingdoms of unseen and seen. They stand on the throne of “No affair distracts Him from another affair” and reside on the seat of “Every day He is in some affair.” They are dispatched from the heights of the power of the Eternal Sovereign and the loftiness of the will of the Supreme King. This is what is meant by His saying: “descending from the sky.”

Heaven

75 The term “heaven” is applied in the discourses of the Suns of Meanings at many levels, such as the heaven of command, the heaven of will, the heaven of desire, the heaven of gnosis, the heaven of certainty, the heaven of explanation, the heaven of appearance, the heaven of inner realities, and the like. In each instance of the use of the term “heaven,” it signifies a meaning that is inaccessible to anyone other than those who are acquainted with the mysteries of unity and those who drink from the cups of eternity.

For example, it is stated: “And in the sky is your sustenance and what you are promised,” even though sustenance sprouts from the earth. Similarly, “The names descend from the sky,” while the names appear from the tongues of servants.

If you purify the mirror of your heart from the dust of worldly desires, you will perceive all the implied meanings of the Words in each appearance, and you will become aware of the secrets of knowledge. However, until you burn away the veils of conventional knowledge, which is common among servants, with the fire of detachment, you will not attain the dawn of the light of true knowledge.

76 Knowledge is divided into two types: divine knowledge and satanic knowledge. The former arises from the inspirations of the true Sovereign, while the latter emerges from the imaginations of dark souls. The teacher of the former is the Creator Himself, while the instructor of the latter is the whisperings of carnal desires. The divine knowledge is described as: “Be conscious of Allah, and Allah will teach you,” whereas the satanic knowledge is described as: “Knowledge is the greatest veil.”

The fruits of the tree of divine knowledge are patience, longing, gnosis, and love, while the fruits of the tree of satanic knowledge are arrogance, vanity, and pride. None of the scent of these dark sciences, which have overshadowed all lands, can be smelled in the discourses of those who speak in the language of knowledge.

This satanic tree brings forth nothing but transgression and obscenity, it grants nothing but rancor and animosity. Its fruit is a deadly poison, and its shade is a destructive fire.

The speaker indeed speaks truth when he says:

“Grasp the tails of desires and cast off modesty,

Abandon the path of the devout, even if they are noble.”

77 So, one must purify the heart from all that has been heard and sanctify the soul from all attachments, so that it becomes a place capable of perceiving divine inspirations and a treasury of the secrets of divine knowledge. As it is said, “The seeker on the bright path and the red pillar will not reach the status of his homeland except by letting go of what is in the hands of people.” This is a condition for the seeker. Reflect and contemplate correctly so that you may stand without any veil before the purpose of the Book.

78 Indeed, we have strayed far from the topic, although everything we’ve mentioned is part of it. I swear by God, while I aim to be concise and provide the least necessary, I see that the reins of the pen have slipped from my hand. Despite this, there are countless unsung nights remaining hidden in the shell of the heart, and there are numerous hidden meanings hidden in the chambers of wisdom that no one has touched, “Untouched before them by man or jinn.”

Despite all these explanations, it seems as if not a single word about the intended purpose has been mentioned and not a single hint about the desired subject has come up. Until when will a confidant be found who will adhere to the sanctity of the beloved’s sanctuary, who will reach the intended Kaaba, and without ears and tongue, will hear and understand the secrets of expression?

Clouds

79 So, from these firm and clear statements, the intended meaning of the “sky” in the revealed verse became clear and understood. And when it is said: “He descends with the clouds”, the intended meaning of “clouds” refers to those matters which are contrary to the desires and wishes of people. This is as mentioned in the said verse: “So whenever a messenger came to you with something your souls did not desire, you became arrogant, and so a group of them you denied, and another group you kill.”

For example, changes in laws, alterations in religious rulings, lifting traditional rules and customs, the advancement of believers from the masses over the deniers among scholars, and the manifestation of that eternal beauty within human limitations like eating, drinking, poverty, wealth, honor, humiliation, sleep, and wakefulness, and the like. These are things that throw people into doubt and prevent them. All these barriers are metaphorically referred to as “clouds”.

80 And this is the cloud that splits and tears open the skies of knowledge and wisdom for all who are on earth, as it says: “On the day the sky will split open with clouds.” And just as clouds prevent people’s eyes from observing the physical sun, likewise, these mentioned affairs prevent people from perceiving that true Sun. This is mentioned in the Book from the language of the disbelievers: “And they say, ‘Why does this messenger eat food and walk in the markets? Why was not an angel sent down to him, to be a warner with him?’”

Examples of this are the apparent poverty of the prophets, apparent trials, and the physical necessities of the body like hunger, sickness, and possible accidents. When these conditions appeared from those holy bodies, people were left bewildered in the deserts of doubt and suspicion, and the wilderness of illusion and confusion. They wondered how a soul could come from God and show dominion over all who are on earth and attribute the reason for the creation of the universe to itself, as it has said: “If it were not for you, I would not have created the orbits.” And yet, it is subjected to these minor affairs?

As they have heard about each prophet’s trials and his companions from poverty, disease, and humiliation, such as sending their heads as gifts in cities, preventing them from what they were commanded, and each one was afflicted at the hands of the enemies of the religion to the extent that they did to them what they wanted.

81 It is understood that the changes and transformations that occur in each manifestation are the dark clouds that obstruct the vision of the knowledge of the servants from recognizing that divine Sun, which shines from the east of its essence. For years, servants have remained in the imitation of their forefathers, and they have been brought up in the manners and ways that have been established in that religion.

Once they hear or observe someone who has been among them and is identical to them in all human boundaries, and yet, he removes all those religious boundaries that they have been brought up with for successive centuries, and those who deny and oppose it are considered infidels, sinners, and immoral, these are certainly veils and clouds for those whose hearts have not drunk from the fountain of detachment and have not sipped from the Kawthar of recognition.

Upon simply hearing these matters, they become so veiled from perceiving that Sun that they immediately judge his disbelief without question or answer and issue a fatwa for his murder, as they have seen and heard from the earlier generations, and it has also been observed in this time.

82 Thus, one must strive so that, with divine assistance, we are not prevented by these dark veils and divine tests from observing that radiant beauty, and that we recognize Him for who He is. If we seek evidence, we should be content with a single argument and proof, so that we may attain the source of infinite grace, where all other graces are insignificant in comparison. We should not indulge in daily objections based on illusions or cling to unfounded beliefs.

83 SubhanAllah, despite the fact that these matters have been hinted at in peculiar ways and indicated by strange signs so that everyone can be informed and not deprive themselves of the ocean of divine graces on that day, it still occurs as it is observed. These themes are also revealed in the Quran as it says: “Do they then wait for anything other than that Allah should come to them in the shadows of the clouds…”. However, some scholars of the apparent have misunderstood this verse as one of the signs of the Day of Judgment, which they themselves have rationalized.

The content of the verse is as follows: Are they waiting for nothing else but that Allah should come to them in the shade of the clouds? This theme is mentioned in most of the divine books and in all places where the signs of the appearance are mentioned, as previously stated.

84 Also, the Quran says: “On the Day the sky will produce a visible smoke, covering the people, this will be a painful torment.” The content of this verse is as follows: A day will come when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke that will envelop the people, and this will be a painful torment. These matters, which go against the evil desires and contrary to the whims of the people, are used by the Almighty Lord as a measure and test for His servants. It separates the fortunate from the unfortunate, the one who turns away from the one who turns towards Him, as mentioned before. The variations, abrogations, and destruction of traditional customs and the elimination of defined boundaries are referred to as “smoke” in the aforementioned verse.

And what smoke is greater than this smoke that has enveloped all people and is a torment for them, as they are unable to remove it despite their attempts? And they are tortured with a new torment at every moment by the fire of their own selves. For every time they hear that this divine decree and firm command of the Eternal is manifesting itself across the earth and is rising every day, a new fire is kindled in their hearts. And what they observe of the power, determination, and steadfastness of these people of truth who grow stronger and more deeply rooted each day through divine grace, gives rise to new anxieties in their souls.

During these days, praise be to Allah, the divine power has so prevailed that they do not dare to speak, and if they encounter one of the people of truth who would willingly sacrifice a hundred thousand lives in the path of the Beloved, they would profess faith out of fear, and when they are alone, they engage in cursing and reviling. As the Quran says, “When they meet you, they say, ‘We believe.’ But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips in rage against you. Say, ‘Die in your rage. Allah is fully aware of what is in the hearts.’”

85 It is near at hand that you will witness the proclamation of divine power raised in all lands, and observe the evident signs of His domination and sovereignty in every region. Indeed, most scholars have not grasped these verses and have not understood the true meaning of the Resurrection; therefore, they interpret everything through the lens of an assumed afterlife, without being fully aware.

The One God is witness that if there is even a little insight, one can understand all the intended meanings just through the subtle hints in these two verses and, with the grace of the Merciful, they will reach the bright dawn of certainty. Just so, may the dove of eternity sing to you upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Glory, that you may travel in the paths of knowledge and wisdom by the permission of Allah.

Angels

86 In the verse you’ve quoted, “He sends His angels…” and so forth, the ‘angels’ in question refer to those souls who, through spiritual power, have burnt away their human attributes in the fire of Divine love and have embodied the exalted and cherubic traits. As Imam Sadiq says in describing the cherubim: “There are some among our followers who are behind the Divine Throne.”

While the phrase ‘behind the Throne’ has many intended meanings, both exoteric and esoteric, in one context, it signifies the absence of true followers (Shi’a). In another context, he says: “The believer is like red sulfur.” Then he asks his listener: “Have you seen red sulfur?” Pay attention to this metaphor, which, being more eloquent than explicit description, implies the non-existence of true believers. This is a saying of that Imam.

Now, observe how many of these unjust people, who have not perceived the fragrance of faith, nonetheless ascribe disbelief to those who, according to the Imam’s words, would be considered to possess true faith.

87 Indeed, when these holy beings were purified and sanctified from human afflictions, and adorned with spiritual morals and characterized by holy attributes, they were therefore referred to as angels. Truly, this is the meaning of these words, each section of which has been demonstrated through clear verses, solid evidence, and compelling arguments.

Corruption of the Scriptures

88 The people of Jesus have not reached these meanings, and since these signs have not appeared in the way that they and their scholars have understood, they have not turned towards the holy manifestations from that Day until now. Consequently, they have been deprived of all the holy effusions and have been veiled from the novelties of the words of the Eternal One. This is the state of these servants on the Day of Resurrection.

They have not realized that if the signs of appearance in each age, as described in the news, appear in the outer world, then who else would be left to deny and turn away? And how could a distinction be made between the fortunate and the unfortunate, the criminal and the pious?

For example, consider, if the expressions written in the Gospel appeared literally, and angels with Jesus son of Mary descended from heaven on a cloud, who else would be worthy of denial, or who would be capable of denial and arrogance? On the contrary, immediately, everyone on earth would be so overwhelmed by a kind of apprehension that they would be unable to speak, let alone reject or accept.

This lack of understanding of these meanings led some Christian scholars to oppose the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They asked him, “If you are the promised prophet, why aren’t the angels with you, which are written in our books to accompany the promised beauty, to support him in his cause, and to warn the servants?” As the Lord of Glory has reported from their tongues, “Why is there not sent down to him an angel to be with him a warner?” which means: “Why isn’t an angel sent down with Muhammad to be with him as a warner and a frightener of people?”

89 This has been the case in all eras and epochs, with such objections and differences among people always present. And people have always been preoccupied with verbal adornments, saying that certain signs did not appear, and certain clear proofs did not emerge. And these maladies did not afflict them, but they were clinging to the scholars of the age for confirmation or denial of these abstract jewels and divine structures. And these scholars, due to their immersion in psychological affairs and preoccupation with ephemeral worldly matters, saw these everlasting suns contrary to their knowledge and understanding and opposed to their efforts and struggles. They interpreted and explained the meanings of divine words, hadiths, and news of divine letters based on their apparent understanding. Therefore, they made themselves and all people despair of the spring of divine grace and mercy, even though they themselves admit and acknowledge the famous hadith that says: “Our speech is difficult, very difficult.” And in another place, it says: “Our affair is difficult, very difficult, no one can bear it except a close angel or a sent prophet or a servant whose heart Allah has tested for faith” and it is agreed among themselves that none of these three categories is true for them. The first two categories are clear, but as for the third, they did not survive the divine trials, and in the manifestation of the divine criterion, nothing other than deception came from them.

90 Glory be to God! Despite acknowledging this hadith, how can scholars, who are still in doubt and suspicion about jurisprudential issues, claim knowledge of the mysteries of divine principles and the jewels of the secrets of holy words? They say that such and such hadith, which is among the signs of the appearance of the Qa’im, has not yet appeared, even though they have never understood the essence of the meanings of the hadiths. They are oblivious to the fact that all signs have appeared, the path of the affair has been drawn, and the believers pass by it like lightning, and they are waiting for the appearance of the sign. Say, “O assembly of the ignorant, wait as those before you from the waiters waited.”

91 Indeed, if they are asked about the conditions for the appearance of the prophets after the ones mentioned in the previous books, including the signs of their emergence and the rise of the Mohammadan sun, as mentioned, none of which have visibly appeared, why then do you reject Christians and the like and rule on their disbelief? When they cannot answer, they claim that these books have been distorted and are not from God, while the content of the verses themselves testifies that they are indeed from God. The essence of these verses can also be found in the Quran, if only you could understand. Truthfully, I say that they have not comprehended the meaning of distortion in this period.

92 Yes, indeed, the distortion by the high-ranking and the alteration by the arrogant are mentioned in the revealed verses and the Ahmadi mirror words, but they are mentioned in specific contexts. An example of this is the story of Ibn Suriya at the time when the people of Khaybar asked about the punishment for an adulterous married man and woman. The Prophet declared the divine law to be stoning. They denied that there was such a ruling in the Torah. The Prophet asked: “Who among your scholars do you accept and trust his word?” They accepted Ibn Suriya, so the Prophet summoned him and said: “I swear by Allah who parted the sea for you, sent down manna upon you, made the clouds a shade over you, saved you from Pharaoh and his courtiers, and favored you over all people, to tell us what Moses ruled for the punishment of an adulterous married man and woman in the Torah.” The meaning of this was that the Prophet swore Ibn Suriya by these firm oaths to reveal what the Torah had decreed as the punishment for adultery by a married person. He said: “O Muhammad, it is stoning.” The Prophet asked: “Why then has this law been abrogated among the Jews and is no longer applied?” He said: “When Nebuchadnezzar burned the Temple of Jerusalem and killed all the Jews, none of them remained on earth except a few. The scholars of that era, considering the scarcity of Jews and the abundance of their enemies, gathered in consultation and decided that if they acted according to the law of the Torah, those who survived Nebuchadnezzar would be killed by the law of the book. They decided to completely eliminate the law of capital punishment in this circumstance.” During this, Gabriel descended upon the enlightened heart of the Prophet and recited this verse: “They distort words from their [proper] usages.”

93 This was one context in which distortion was mentioned. And in this case, the meaning of distortion is not as these ignorant ones have understood. Some people claim that the Jewish and Christian scholars erased verses describing the rise of Muhammad from their books and established the opposite. This claim is utterly meaningless and baseless. Is it possible for someone who has faith in a book and believes it to be from Allah to erase it? Moreover, the Torah was present all over the earth, not confined to Mecca and Medina that they could alter or change it. But the meaning of distortion is exactly what all the scholars of the divine law are engaged in today: interpreting and giving meaning to the book according to their own desires and whims. As in the time of the Prophet, when the Jews interpreted the verses of the Torah that were a model for the Prophet’s advent according to their desires and were not satisfied with his explanation, the ruling of distortion was issued against them. It’s evident today how the followers of the divine law distort the verses of the book related to the signs of the advent, interpreting them according to their whims and desires, as can be seen.

94 In another place, it says: “And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, ‘This is from Allah,’ but it is not from Allah. And they speak untruth about Allah while they know.” This verse is also an example of the distortion of the meanings of divine words, not the erasure of literal words, as can be understood from the verse. And this is also understood by upright minds.

95 In another place, it says: “So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ in order to exchange it for a small price.” Until the end of the verse. This verse was revealed about the Jewish scholars and their elders who, to please the wealthy, attract worldly adornments, and express their disbelief, wrote several tablets to refute the Prophet and justified their claims with various proofs which are not permissible to mention, attributing their justifications to the books of the Torah.

96 As can be observed today, ignorant scholars of the present age have written a great deal in rejection of this novel matter, assuming that these fabrications are in accordance with the verses of the Book and in line with the words of the wise.

97 Indeed, the purpose of these reminders is that if they say the mentioned signs from the Gospel have been corrupted and reject them, holding onto their verses and reports, know that it is utter falsehood and pure fabrication. Yes, the mention of corruption is in the sense that it has been mentioned in specific places, some of which we have mentioned, so it becomes clear and proven to every observer that even the knowledge of the apparent sciences is with some of the divine illiterate ones. Thus, opponents should no longer fall into this illusion and object that such and such a verse is proof of corruption, and these people have mentioned these grades and topics out of lack of knowledge. And moreover, most of the verses that are signs of corruption have been revealed about the Jews, if you are searching in the islands of the knowledge of distinction.

98 Although some foolish people on earth have said that the celestial Gospel is no longer in the hands of Christians and has ascended to heaven, they are oblivious to the fact that by this statement, they affirm the utmost injustice and oppression for the Almighty Creator. This is because after the sun of the beauty of Jesus was absent from his people and ascended to the fourth heaven, the Book of Truth, which is his greatest evidence among his creations, also became absent. Then, to what were these people adhering from the time of Jesus until the emergence of the sun of Muhammad? And to what were they commanded? And then, how do they become subject to the vengeance of the true Avenger, and become the place for the descent of punishment and the whip of the spiritual king?

Apart from all this, it would mean that the bounty of the Giver is cut off and the door of mercy of the King of creation is closed. So we seek refuge in God from what the servants presume about Him, for He is exalted above what they know.

99 O Beloved, in this eternal dawn, where the lights of “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth” envelop the universe, and the pavilion of infallibility and protection of “And Allah refuses but to perfect His light” is elevated, and the hand of power “in whose hand is the dominion of all things” is extended and established. We should firmly gird up the loins of our resolve, that perhaps by the grace and generosity of the Divine, we may enter into the holy city of “Indeed we belong to Allah”, so that we may find residence in the stations of glory “to Him we shall return”.

God willing, we must cleanse the eye of the heart from the hints of water and clay so that you may perceive the limitless stages of gnosis and see the truth clearer than that which you need evidence to establish its existence or seek an argument to cling to.

100 O seeker of love, if in the breeze of the spirit you see the Bird of Truth manifest above all else to the extent that you find nothing other than Him. “He was Allah, and there was nothing with Him.” And this sacred station is not one that can be deduced by any evidence or can appear by any proof. And if in the space of ultimate sanctity, all things are known by His familiarity and He is known by Himself and will always be known.

And if you dwell in the land of reasoning, suffice it to what He Himself has stated: “Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book?” This is the argument that He Himself has established, and there is no argument greater than this: “His signs are His proof, and His existence is His affirmation.”

101 At this time, I invoke the people of eloquence, mystics, philosophers, scholars, and martyrs to not forget the divine commands that are mentioned in the Book, and to always be observant of the essence of the matter, so that they may not cling to some phrases of the Book when the essence of essences, the truth of truths, and the light of lights appear, attributing to Him what has come down in the Quran.

Verily, that sovereign of identity is capable of taking away the life of all expression and creation with a single word of His wondrous speech or to grant eternal unique life to all with a single word and resurrect them from the graves of self and desire. Be vigilant and observant, for all ends in faith in Him and realization of His days and meeting with Him.

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah and the Last Day.”

Listen, O people of eloquence, what We have enjoined upon you by truth, perhaps you will dwell under a shadow that was extended in the days of God.

Part Two: The Sovereignty of the Manifestations of God

Mirrors of the Essence of God

102 The aforementioned Gate in the statement that the Sun of Truth and the Manifestation of the Essence of God will indeed be a sovereign over all who are in the heavens and the earth, even if not a single one of the inhabitants of the earth obeys Him, and independent of everyone in the kingdom, even if He has not a dinar. Thus do We reveal to you the secrets of the matter and cast upon you the jewels of wisdom so that you may indeed fly with the wings of detachment in the air that was hidden from the sights.

103 The subtleties and gems of this gate are meant to become evident and clear to those possessing pure souls and sanctified mirrors. This is to show that the Suns of Truth and the Mirrors of Unity, in every age and time when they emerge from the tent of identity into the realm of witnessing, do so with a conquering sovereignty and a dominant authority for the edification of possibilities and the bestowal of grace upon all beings. Indeed, this hidden gem and concealed treasure is the locus of the manifestation of “God does what He wills and decrees what He desires.”

104 It is clear to those with knowledge and enlightened hearts that the unseen Identity and the sanctified Essence of Unity have always been, and will always remain, exalted and beyond emergence, manifestation, ascent, descent, ingress, and egress. He is above the descriptions of any describer and the perceptions of any perceiver. He has always been hidden in His essence and will always remain veiled from all sights and observations in His existence. “Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the Acquainted.” There is no possible relationship, connection, disjunction, union, proximity, distance, direction, or reference between Him and anything that could possibly exist, for everything in the heavens and the earth came into existence by His command and stepped into the realm of existence and being from sheer non-existence by His Will, which is the Breath of His Command.

105 Glorified be God! In fact, there is no relation or connection even between the possible beings and His Word. “And Allah cautions you (to remember) His (own) Self” is a clear proof of this point, and “He was Allah, and there was nothing with Him” is a manifest evidence. Thus, all prophets, successors, scholars, mystics, and wise individuals have admitted and accepted their inability to comprehend the essence of that Gem of gems, and their impotence to understand and reach that Reality of realities.

106 And when the doors of understanding the essence of the Pre-eternal were closed to the realm of possible beings, thus, in accordance with His boundless mercy - “His mercy encompasses everything” - He manifested luminous and holy gems from the spiritual realms in the form of noble human bodies among the creation, to recount the tales of that Pre-eternal Essence and the Eternal Entity. These holy mirrors and reflections all recount from that Sun of Existence and Desired Essence; for instance, their knowledge is from His Knowledge, their power is from His Power, their sovereignty is from His Sovereignty, their beauty is from His Beauty, and their manifestation is from His Manifestation. They are the repositories of divine sciences, the locales of the Unseen Wisdom, the manifestations of the infinite effusion, and the mirrors reflecting the Everlasting Sun, as He says: “There is no difference between You and them except that they are Your servants and Your creation”. And this is the station of “I am He and He is I” that is mentioned in the hadith.

The Potentials of All Humans

107 And there are numerous traditions and narrations proving this point, which I have not mentioned for the sake of brevity. Indeed, all that is in the heavens and the earth are venues for the manifestation of divine attributes and names. As in each atom, the effects of the manifestation of that True Sun are clear and visible, as if without its manifestation in the physical world, nothing would be honored with the robe of existence or endowed with being. Consider the suns of knowledge that are concealed in an atom, and the oceans of wisdom that are hidden in a droplet.

Especially human beings, among all creatures, have been distinguished with this garment and honored with this nobility. Indeed, all divine names and attributes are manifested in human beings in the most perfect and noblest way, and all these names and attributes relate to them. This is why it is said, “Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery.” And numerous verses that subtly and delicately allude to this exquisite point are recorded and mentioned in all heavenly books and divine scriptures. As He says: “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves.” And in another place He says: “And in yourselves, then will you not see?” And in another place He says: “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget their own selves.” As the Sultan of eternity, may my soul be sacrificed for him in the pavilion of the unseen, says: “He who knows himself knows his Lord.”

108 I swear by God, my esteemed one, if you reflect a little on these statements, you will find the doors of divine wisdom and the portals of infinite knowledge opening before you.

109 Indeed, from these statements it becomes clear that all things speak of the divine Names and Attributes. Each one, according to its capacity, testifies and gives evidence to divine knowledge, to the extent that it encompasses the manifestations of attributive and nominal realities across all unseen and seen realms.

As it has been said: “Can there be for anyone other than You from the manifestations what is not for You, until He becomes the Manifest for you. Blind is the eye that does not see You.” And again, the Sultan of eternity says: “I have not seen anything except that I have seen God in it, before it, or after it.” And in the narration of Kumayl, it says: “A light shone from the dawn of eternity and its traces appear on the bodies of Unity.”

And human beings, who are the most noble and perfect of creatures, give the strongest indication and greatest tale of all known things, and the most perfect and superior among humans are the manifestations of the sun of Truth. In fact, everything else that exists does so by their will and is set in motion by their bounty. “Were it not for you, I would not have created the orbits.” Indeed, everything in their holy presence is utterly non-existent and completely lost.

Their mention is exalted above that of others, and their description is sanctified above the description of anyone else. These holy embodiments are the primeval mirrors of eternity, which have told of the unseen of all unseen, and of all His Names and Attributes - from knowledge and power to sovereignty, greatness, mercy, wisdom, dignity, generosity, and kindness. All these Attributes are manifest and apparent from the appearance of this Jewel of Unity.

Apparent and Non-Apparent Attributes

110 These attributes are not exclusively for some, without others. Rather, all the close prophets and holy saints are described with these attributes and named with these names. The end of some in some ranks appear more manifestly and brighter. As it says: “Those are the messengers; We have favored some of them over others.”

Therefore, it is clear and certain that the place of appearance and emergence of all these lofty attributes and infinite names are His prophets and His saints, whether some of these attributes appear apparently in those luminous structures or not. It is not the case that if an attribute does not appear apparently from those detached spirits, that attribute would be negated from those potential divine attributes and mines of divine names.

Therefore, the rule of all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, greatness, and the like, applies to all these enlightened existences and unique emergences, even though they may not appear apparently in sovereignty and the like. This paragraph is established and verified for anyone with insight, no further proof is needed.

111 Indeed, these servants, having not drawn from the clear and enlightened springs of divine knowledge, the explanations of the holy words, thus wander thirsty and desolate in the valley of conjectures and heedlessness, and being averse to the sweet river of abundance, revolve in the salt whirlpool. As it is described about them in the divine verse: “And if they see the way of righteousness, they do not adopt it as a way; and if they see the way of error, they adopt it as a way. That is because they have denied Our signs and were heedless of them.”

The translation of which is: If they see the way of righteousness and salvation, they do not adopt it and do not turn towards it. But if they see the path of falsehood, rebellion, and misguidance, they consider it their path to truth. This inclination towards falsehood and turning away from the truth did not manifest, meaning they did not fall into this misguidance and straying, except as a punishment for denying Our signs and being heedless of the revelation and appearances of them.

Rejection of the Bab

112 As observed in this remarkable and impressive manifestation, millions of divine verses have descended from the heaven of power and mercy. Yet despite this, the majority of creation has turned away and clung to the words of servants who do not comprehend a single one of these verses. This is why they cast doubt on such clear matters and deprive themselves of the divine knowledge and the gardens of everlasting wisdom. It is a tragic situation where the abundance of divine guidance is rejected in favor of limited human understanding, leading to ignorance and deprivation from divine wisdom.

The Bab’s Sovereignty

113 Indeed, returning to the subject that was asked about, that the sovereignty of the Qa’im, although it has been narrated in traditions from luminous stars, no sign of manifest sovereignty has appeared, rather the opposite has come to pass. His followers and allies are and have been afflicted and besieged by people, and are in the utmost state of humiliation and impotence in the temporal realm. However, the sovereignty mentioned in the scriptures for the Qa’im is a certainty, beyond a doubt, but it is not the kind of sovereignty and rule that everyone can comprehend. Also, all previous prophets who have given the good tidings to the people about the upcoming manifestation, have all referred to this aspect of sovereignty of the future manifestation, as recorded in the previous scriptures. This is not specific to the Qa’im; rather, for all previous and subsequent manifestations, the establishment of sovereignty and all the attributes and names are affirmed and confirmed, as they are manifestations of unseen attributes and studies of divine secrets, as mentioned earlier.

114 And another point is that the sovereignty in question is His Holiness’s encompassing power and authority over all possible things, whether it manifests in the physical world as overt rule or not. This is subject to His Holiness’s own will and discretion. However, it is well known that the sovereignty, wealth, life, death, resurrection, and recompense mentioned in earlier texts do not refer to what people nowadays understand and perceive. Instead, the sovereignty referred to is a kind of sovereignty that becomes apparent on its own, for its own sake, during the days of the manifestation of each of the suns of truth. It is a kind of internal encompassment that encompasses all who are in the heavens and the earth, and then it appears in the physical world according to the capacity of existence, time, and creation, as can be seen in the current apparent and manifest rule of the Holy Messenger among the people. And at first, the state of His Holiness was as you have heard. Consider how much the infidels and the misguided - who were the scholars of that era and their associates - imposed upon that innate nature and naive clay. Think of how much rubble and thorns they scattered on the path of His Holiness. And it is clear that these individuals, with their wicked, satanic suspicions, thought that by causing harm to that eternal edifice they were paving the way for their own salvation, because all the scholars of the era, like Abdullah Ubay, Abu Amir the Monk, Ka’b ibn Ashraf, and Nadir ibn Harith, all denied His Holiness, accusing him of madness and slandering him, and attributing to him things that God forbid should ever be recorded by a pen or carried on tablets. Indeed, these false accusations caused people to harm His Holiness. It is clear and evident that if the scholars of the time reject and discard someone, and do not consider them a believer, what befalls that person is what happened and was seen with this servant.

The Sovereignty of the Prophet Muhammad

115 This is where His Holiness said: “No prophet has been harmed as much as I have been harmed.” The allegations and abuses that were made against His Holiness are all mentioned in the criterion (Quran). So turn to it, perhaps you can gain insights into the situation. It even reached a point where it was very hard on His Holiness that nobody was interacting with him and his companions for a while and anyone who came to serve His Holiness caused him the utmost harm.

116 At this time, I mention a verse which if you open your insightful eye, you would lament and mourn for the oppression of that Holy Personage for as long as you live. The verse was revealed at a time when that Holy Personage, due to the severity of afflictions and the people’s aversion, was utterly depressed and desolate. Gabriel descended from the lote tree of the utmost boundary and recited this verse: “And if their aversion is hard on you, then if you can seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky.” The translation is that if the aversion of the averters is heavy upon you and the turning away of the hypocrites and their harm is difficult for you, then if you can, seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky, implying that there is no solution and they will not let you be unless you hide underground or flee to the sky.

117 Observe today how many of the sultans pay homage to His name, how many territories and people living under His shadow take pride in their association with Him, mentioning this blessed name with utmost respect and reverence on pulpits and platforms. Even the sultans who have not entered under His shadow and have not renounced their cloak of disbelief also acknowledge the greatness and majesty of this sun of grace. This is the apparent sovereignty that you observe. Undoubtedly, this is the case for all prophets, whether during their lifetime or after their ascension, they become manifest and established in the true abode as observed today. But the sovereignty that is intended does not cease to revolve around them, is always with them, and does not find any separation. This is the inner sovereignty that encompasses everything in the heavens and the earth.

118 Part of that sovereignty manifested from that Sun of Oneness. Haven’t you heard how it distinguished between light and darkness, the fortunate and the unfortunate, the believer and the disbeliever with just one verse? All the signs and indications of resurrection, including the gathering, resurrection, accountability, book-keeping, and more, were made clear and brought to the arena of witnessing with the revelation of that single verse. Also, that revealed verse was mercy for the righteous, meaning those souls who said “We hear and obey” while listening, and it became a punishment for the wicked, meaning those who said “We hear and disobey” after listening. It served as the Sword of God to distinguish believers from disbelievers and fathers from sons. As you have seen, those who acknowledged and those who denied were willing to risk their lives and wealth. How many fathers turned away from their sons, and how many lovers sought protection from their beloved ones. This wondrous sword was so sharp and decisive that it severed all relationships. From one perspective, observe how it united. As it was observed, a group of people, who for years had the seeds of resentment and hostility sowed among them by the satan of self, became so united and agreed due to faith in this unique and resolute Cause that it seemed they emerged from a single lineage. In this way, God unites the hearts of those who have turned to Him and believed in His verses, and they were among those who drank from the abundance of His grace with the hands of might. Moreover, observe how many people of various beliefs, sects, and dispositions have worn the new garment of oneness from this divine breeze of goodwill and this spiritual garden and have drunk from the cup of singularity.

119 This is the meaning of the well-known Hadith which states that the wolf and the sheep will eat and drink from the same place. Now, look at the lack of understanding of these ignorant ones, like the previous nations, who are still waiting for when these animals will gather on a single dining spread. This is the state of people. It’s as if they have never drunk from the cup of fairness and have never taken a step on the path of justice. Apart from all this, how beautifully does the occurrence of this matter manifest in the world of creation? What a blessing it is that what has been revealed about their condition: “They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see.”

120 Also, observe how the account of creatures was drawn out by the revelation of just this one verse from the heaven of the divine will. Whoever confessed and sought favor, his good deeds exceeded his bad deeds, and all his sins were forgiven and pardoned. This confirms the divine attribute that He is swift in taking account, and it’s how God changes bad deeds into good ones if you could discern the horizons of knowledge and scales of wisdom.

Similarly, whoever partook from the cup of divine love received from the ocean of everlasting blessings and the clouds of eternal mercy, and gained everlasting spiritual life. And every soul that did not accept suffered from eternal death. The meaning of death and life mentioned in the scriptures refers to spiritual death and life.

It is due to the lack of understanding of this meaning that the majority of people objected in every divine manifestation, did not find guidance from the sun of guidance, and did not follow the eternal beauty.

121 Just as when the Muhammadan lamp was ignited in the niche of Ahmad’s [Muhammad’s] prophecy, the command of resurrection, assembly, life, and death was declared to the people. This led to a rise in opposition and the doors of mockery were thrown open. As has been reported from the mouth of the pagans by the Trustworthy Spirit (Gabriel): “And if thou say, ‘You will indeed be resurrected after death,’ those who disbelieve will surely say, ‘This is nothing but obvious magic’.” (Quran 10:45)

Resurrection, Life, & Death

The essence of this is that if you say to these pagans that you are resurrected after dying, undoubtedly those who have disbelieved in God and His signs will say, ‘This is nothing but clear and obvious magic.’ In another place, it says: “And if you are astonished, then astonishing is their saying: ‘When we are dust, will we indeed be [created] in a new creation?’” (Quran 13:5)

This means that if you are amazed, then amazing is the statement of the disbelievers and those who turn away. They said, out of mockery: “Were we dust? Are we the ones to be resurrected?” Thus, in another place, He angrily says to them: “Do we then weary with the first creation? But they are in confusion over a new creation.” (Quran 50:15)

The essence of this is: Are we incapable or weary of the first creation? Rather, these pagans are in doubt and confusion about a new creation.

122 The exegetes and the people of the literal interpretation, not understanding the meanings of divine words and being veiled from the main purpose, thus justified their interpretation based on grammatical rules, such as “اذا” (when/if), which, when placed at the beginning of a past tense verb, conveys a future meaning. Then, they became perplexed in cases where the word “اذا” was not used, such as the verse: “And the Trumpet will be blown; that will be the Day whereof Warning had been given. And every person will come forth along with an (angel) to drive (him), and an (angel) to bear witness.” The apparent meaning of which is: a blast was sounded on the Trumpet, and that is the Day of Threat which seemed far off to the views, and every soul came for reckoning, and with each is a driver and a witness.

In such instances, either they considered the word “اذا” as implicit, or they reasoned that since the Resurrection is certain to occur, it is conveyed in the past tense as though it had already happened. See how lacking in perception and discernment they are. They do not comprehend the Muhammadan blast, which is explicitly mentioned, and they deprive themselves of the outpourings of this divine silver, waiting instead for the Trumpet of Israfil who is one of His servants, even though the existence of Israfil and the likes of him has been affirmed by His Holiness Himself.

Say, do you prefer to replace that which is better for you with that which is worse? What a terrible replacement you’ve chosen in place of the truth! You were a people who were evil and lost.

123 Rather, the meaning of the Trumpet is the Muhammadan Trumpet that was blown over all possible things, and the Resurrection was His eminence’s rise over the divine command. The heedless ones, who were in the graves of dead bodies, were all clad by Him in new garments of faith and brought to life in a new, wonderful life. This is the time when that Unique Beauty willed to reveal a secret from the mysteries of Resurrection, Gathering, Paradise, Hell, and the Day of Judgment. Gabriel brought the revelation of this verse: “Soon they will swing their heads towards you and say, ‘When will it be?’ Say, ‘Perhaps it is near.’” This means soon these misguided ones in the valley of misguidance will sarcastically move their heads and ask when will these affairs appear. In response, you should say that perhaps it is near. The hint in this single verse should be enough for people if they observe closely.

124 Glory be to Allah, how far that people were from the path of truth. Although the Resurrection was due to His eminence’s rise and His signs and lights had encompassed the entire earth, they still scoffed and clung to images that the scholars of the era had sought in vain and misguided thoughts. They became oblivious of the sun of divine grace and the showers of sublime mercy. Indeed, the bat is deprived of the eternal holy fragrances and flees from the manifestation of the world-enlightening sun.

125 And this has been the case during all eras when the manifestations of truth have appeared. As Jesus says, “You must be born again.” And elsewhere he states, “Whoever is not born of water and spirit cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh, and what is born of spirit is spirit.” This translates as: The soul that has not been revived by the water of divine knowledge and the holy spirit of Jesus is incapable of entering into the divine kingdom, because whatever manifests and is born from the flesh is flesh, and that which is born from the spirit, which is the soul of Jesus, is the spirit.

In summary, the meaning is that any servant who is reborn and brought to life by the spirit and breath of the holy manifestations in each appearance is subject to the decree of life, resurrection, and entrance into the paradise of divine love, and apart from that, the decree is the opposite, which is death, heedlessness, and entrance into the fire of disbelief and divine wrath.

In all the books, tablets, and scriptures, the people who have not drunk from the delicate cups of knowledge and have not been blessed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the time their hearts are open, are judged to be dead, destined for the fire, and devoid of sight, heart, and hearing. As previously mentioned: “They have hearts with which they do not understand.”

126 In another place in the Gospel it is written that one day the father of one of Jesus’s disciples died. He was serving Jesus at the time and asked for permission to go and bury and shroud his father before returning. That essence of detachment said, “Let the dead bury their dead.”

127 And similarly, two people from Kufa came to serve Imam Ali. One had a house that he wished to sell and the other was a buyer. They had agreed to bring this transaction to the attention of Imam Ali so that a contract could be written. That Manifestation of the divine command told the scribe to write: “A dead man has bought a house from another dead man, a house bounded by four limits: one boundary is to the grave, one to the coffin, one to the path, and one either to Paradise or to Hellfire.” Now, if these two individuals had been resurrected by the lofty life and had been sent from the grave of oblivion to the love of Imam Ali, certainly they would not be referred to as dead.

128 And in no era or covenant was the true life, resurrection, and gathering the aim of the prophets and saints other than. And if one reflects a little on the statements of those, all matters will be revealed, such as the intended meaning of the grave, tomb, path, Paradise, and Hellfire. But what can be done, when all people are veiled in the tomb of the soul and buried in the grave of desire? In short, if we are blessed with a little of the crystal-clear knowledge of God, you will know that true life is the life of the heart, not the life of the body. For in the life of the body, all people and animals share, but this life is exclusive to those who have enlightened hearts, who drink from the sea of faith and are blessed with the fruit of certainty. This life is not followed by death, and this perpetuity is not followed by oblivion. As they have said: “The believer is alive in both realms.” If the intended life is the apparent bodily life that is observed, death takes it away.

129 Similarly, other statements that are mentioned and recorded in all the books are models for this sublime point and the exalted word. Also, the blessed verse that was revealed for Hamza, the Master of Martyrs, and Abu Jahl is a clear proof and argument. It says: “Is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge from it?” And this verse descended from the heaven of the divine will at a time when Hamza was adorned with the holy robe of faith, and Abu Jahl was firm and steadfast in disbelief and rejection. From the source of Divine greatness and the sanctuary of the Great Lordship, the decree of life after death was made concerning Hamza and, in contrast, concerning Abu Jahl. This ignited the flame of disbelief in the hearts of the polytheists, and the wind of rejection began to stir. They cried out asking when Hamza had died and when he had been revived and when this life had been bestowed upon him. Because they did not understand these noble statements and did not adhere to the people of remembrance so that they might bestow upon them a trickle from the Kauthar of meanings, this type of corruption occurred in the world.

130 Just as today, you can see that despite the sun of meanings, all people from the highest to the lowest have sought the dark shadows and devilish appearances, and are seeking their complicated issues from them. They answer in a way that does not harm their apparent causes due to their lack of knowledge. It is clear and evident that their shadows have not received a part of the breeze of the musk of eternity and have not stepped into the pleasure of the spiritual breezes. So how can they transmit the fragrance to others’ senses? This has always been and will always be the case for these servants. And none will benefit from the signs of God except those who have turned towards Him and turned away from the devilish appearances. In this way, God has established the ruling of this day from the pen of dignity on a tablet that was hidden behind the curtain of honor.

If you pay attention to these statements and ponder over their outward and inward aspects, you will understand all the complicated issues that have become a barrier between the servants and the knowledge of the Day of Summoning, and you will no longer need to ask questions.

God willing, we hope that you will not turn away from the shore of the divine ocean thirsty and deprived, and that you will not return without benefit from the sacred shrine of eternal purpose.

Power, Dominance, and Ascendancy

131 Indeed, what can your effort and struggle do? Surely, the purpose of these clear statements was to affirm the sovereignty of the King of all Kings. Now, judge fairly: is this sovereignty, which has so much influence, dominance, and hegemony through a single word and statement, greater and more magnificent, or is the sovereignty of these earthly kings who, after the support of their subjects and the poor, exhibit superficial power for a few mornings while being opposed and dismissed by all hearts? This sovereignty has made the world subservient with a single word, given it life, and caused existence to overflow. There is no comparison for the Lord of all Lords. All relationships cease in the sanctity of His sovereignty.

If you look closely, the servants of His court hold sovereignty over all creatures and beings, as it has been and will continue to be apparent.

132 Indeed, this is one aspect of the inner sovereignty that was mentioned according to the capacity and capability of people. There are such dimensions and radiant aspects of sovereignty related to that noble origin that this humble servant is incapable of expressing, and the creation is not capable of perceiving. So, glory be to Allah, above what His servants describe in His sovereignty, and He is exalted above what they mention.

133 We ask a question from that dignity: If the purpose of sovereignty is manifest rule, dominance, and apparent monarchical power that subjugates all people, making them apparently obedient and submissive so that friends are comfortable and honored, and enemies are humiliated and afflicted, then for the Lord of Majesty, whose sovereignty is undeniably associated with His name and everyone acknowledges His greatness and majesty, this kind of sovereignty does not seem truthful. Especially when we observe that most of the earth is under the control of His enemies, everyone moves contrary to His pleasure, all are unbelievers, turning away and back-turning from what He has commanded, and they are committed and active in what He has forbidden. His friends are always afflicted and subjugated at the hands of His enemies. All of these are clearer than the sun.

134 So know, O questioner and seeker, that apparent sovereignty has never been and will never be considered significant by the Truth and His saints. Also, if the purpose of dominance and power is meant to be apparent power and dominance, it would be very difficult for that Dignity. As it says, “And indeed, Our soldiers will be the victors.” And in another place, it says, “They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it.” And again: “He is the dominant over all things.” Most of the Qur’an clearly emphasizes this point.

135 And if the purpose is, as these lowly people say, there is no choice for them but to deny all these sacred words and eternal indications. Because there was no soldier from Hussein bin Ali, the exalted, on the earth who was closer to Allah, and that person had no equal or likeness on the earth. If it were not for him, there would be no one like him in the kingdom. Despite this, you have heard what happened. Indeed, may Allah’s curse be upon the unjust people.

136 Now, if you interpret these verses superficially, they do not seem to hold true for the saints of God and His soldiers in the literal sense. As such, his Excellency, whose soldierly character is as obvious as the sun, eventually suffered and faced oppression in the land of Taff, drinking the cup of martyrdom. Similarly, in the blessed verse which states: “They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses but to perfect His light, even if the disbelievers dislike it.” If interpreted in a material sense, this verse would not correspond to reality, as the divine lights have always been extinguished superficially, and the eternal lamps have been put out. Despite this, where does the dominance appear, and what is the meaning of the prohibition in the noble verse which says, “And Allah refuses but to perfect His light”? If one observes, all lights suffered at the hands of the polytheists, unable to find safe refuge, and did not taste comfort. The oppression of these lights was so significant that it impacted the very essence of existence in a way that everything was comprehended and accounted for. Despite all this, how can people interpret the meanings and explanations of these divine words and sublime verses?

137 Indeed, the purpose is not as they have understood, but the meaning of dominance, power, and encompassing pertains to a different status and a different matter. For instance, observe the dominance of the exudation of the blood of his Excellency, which was exuded on the soil, and how, due to the nobility and dominance of that blood, the soil commanded dominance and influence over the bodies and spirits of people. So much so, that every individual who sought healing by means of a particle of that blessed soil found cure, and every being who, with complete certainty and firm knowledge, kept a bit of that sacred soil for the protection of their wealth, found all their wealth preserved. These are the effects of that [soil] on the external level. If we mention its internal effects, they will certainly accuse us of considering the soil as the Lord of Lords, and of having completely left the religion of God.

138 And also observe, despite the utter humiliation, his Excellency was martyred, and there was no one to support him in the external sense, or to wash or shroud him. Nonetheless, see how people from all around and from every corner of the lands embark on journeys to be present in that land, to bow their heads at that threshold. This is the divine dominance and power, the awe and grandeur of the divine.

139 And don’t you think that these matters occurred after his Excellency’s martyrdom and what fruit it brings for him, for he is always alive with divine life, dwelling in the flutter of divine nearness and the height of union. These jewels of existence are continuously in a state of spending everything, that is, they have spent and continue to spend their souls, wealth, selves, and spirit all for the sake of the Beloved, and there is no rank more beloved to them than this state. Lovers desire nothing but the satisfaction of the Beloved, and they seek no purpose other than meeting the one they love.

140 Indeed, if I were to attempt to mention even a droplet from the secrets of martyrdom and its fruits, certainly these tablets would not suffice and would not reach the end. God willing, we hope that a breeze of mercy will blow and the tree of existence will don a new garment from the divine spring, so that we may understand the secrets of divine wisdom and become independent of the gnosis of everything due to His grace. To date, no soul has been observed to reach this rank except for a few who are unknown until after the divine decree, what it requires, and what appears from behind the curtain of the signature. Thus do we mention to you from the wonders of the divine matter and we cast upon you from the melodies of Paradise, so that you may reach the sites of knowledge and be provided with the fruits of knowledge.

So, it must be understood with certainty that these suns of greatness, though they may be seated on a point of dust, dwell on the highest throne, and even if they do not have a penny at their disposal, they soar on the flutter of abundance, and while afflicted in the hands of their enemies, they dwell on the right of power and dominance. Despite apparent abasement, they are seated and reclined on the throne of eternal dignity, and in the ultimate apparent helplessness, they stand on the seat of sovereignty and power.

141 This is when Jesus, son of Mary, once sat on a throne and expressed statements in the melodies of the Holy Spirit, the essence of which is: “O people, my food comes from the plants of the earth, with which I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the surface of the earth, and my lamp in the nights is the light of the moon. My mount is my own feet. Who then is richer than me on earth?” I swear by God that a hundred thousand affluences revolve around this poverty and a hundred thousand kingdoms of dignity seek this humility. If you attain a droplet from the ocean of these meanings, you will pass through the world of sovereignty and existence in an instant, and like a bird of fire, you will frolic around the luminous lamp of the soul.

142 A similar narration has been mentioned from Imam Sadiq, where one day a person from his followers came to him and complained about his poverty. That eternally beautiful Imam said, “You are rich and have drunk from the wine of affluence.” The man was bewildered by the radiant expression of the Imam, wondering how he could be rich while he needed a single dirham. The Imam asked him: “Don’t you have our love?” He replied: “Yes, O son of the Messenger of God.” The Imam asked: “Would you exchange it for a thousand dinars?” He replied that he would not give it up for all the world and what is in it. The Imam then said: “How can a person who possesses something that he would not trade for the world be considered poor?”

143 This notion of poverty and wealth, humiliation and honor, sovereignty and power, and everything else considered valuable by this ignorant mass, does not exist in the aforementioned divine realm. As it is said in the Quran: “O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.” (Quran 35:15). Therefore, the intended meaning of wealth is being free of need from everything else except Allah (Ghaniyyun ’an ma siwahu), and by poverty, it means to be needy towards Allah (Faqirun ilallah).

144 And another time when the Jews surrounded Jesus son of Mary and demanded that he admit that he claimed to be the Messiah and a prophet, so that they could declare him an infidel and apply the death sentence to him. They then presented this sun of spiritual meanings to the council of Pilate and Caiaphas, who were the greatest scholars of that era. All the scholars were present in that meeting, and a large crowd gathered to watch, ridicule, and torment him. They asked him numerous questions hoping for him to confirm their accusations, but he remained silent and did not respond to any allegations. Until a cursed one stood up and came forward, swearing at Jesus, asking, “Did you not say that you are the Messiah of God, and you are the king of kings, and you are the owner of the book, and you are the violator of the Sabbath?” He then raised his blessed head and said, “Don’t you see that the son of man is sitting on the right hand of divine power and might?” meaning, don’t you see that the son of man is seated at the right hand of God’s power and might? Even though there were no visible signs of power with him, except for the hidden power that had encompassed all who are in the heavens and the earth. What else to mention about what happened to him after this statement and how they treated him. In the end, they tried so hard to harm and kill him that he fled to the fourth heaven.

145 And likewise, it is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke that one day Jesus passed by a Jew who was afflicted with paralysis and had fallen on his bed. When he saw Jesus, he recognized him through signs and cried out for help. Jesus said to him, “Get up from your bed, your sins are forgiven.” A few Jews present there objected, saying “Can anyone forgive sins but God?” Jesus turned to them and said, “Which is easier, to say ‘Get up and carry your bed,’ or to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

146 And let us step with certainty on the path of truth, so that perhaps the breeze of acceptance from the divine gardens may blow and bring these mortals to the eternal kingdom, and become aware of the meanings of sovereignty and the like that are mentioned in traditions and verses.

Also, consider that which was verified and known to that scholar: the Jews and Christians sought to adhere to it and objected to the beauty of Muhammad. Now, at this time, the people of distinction are clinging to the same thing and objecting to the point of the statement, “My soul is in the kingdom of command, sacrificed for him”. Look at these foolish ones who are today uttering the words of the Jews and are not poets. What has been previously revealed about them is apt: “Leave them in their indulgence, to play” and “By your life, they are wandering in their intoxication.”

147 When the eternal unseen and naive essence commanded the Muhammadan sun to rise from the horizon of knowledge and meanings, among the objections of Jewish scholars was that no prophet should be sent after Moses. However, it is mentioned in the scripture that a rising must occur, that would promote his nation and religion and make the law of the Torah encompass all the earth.

This is what the king of unity says from the tongue of those remaining in the valley of distance and error: “And the Jews say, ‘The hand of God is chained.’ Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended.” The translation of this is that the Jews said God’s hand is tied. May their hands be tied and cursed for the lie they fabricated. Indeed, the hands of divine power are always open and supreme, “God’s hand is above their hands.”

148 Even though various interpretations of the descent of this verse have been mentioned by exegetes, let’s focus on its intended meaning. It says: it’s not as the Jews imagined that the real Sovereign created the Moses-like radiance, endowed him with the mantle of prophecy, and then His hands were tied and He was unable to send a messenger after Moses. Notice this meaningless statement, how far it is from the law of knowledge and understanding. And today, all of these people are busy with such nonsense. Over a thousand years have passed that they have been reciting this verse and objecting to the Jews unconsciously, not noticing and not realizing that they themselves secretly and openly say what the Jews believed.

As you’ve heard, they say all manifestations have ended and the doors of God’s mercy have closed. No more spiritual sun rises from the holy east, no waves appear from the sea of the eternal step, and no visible temple comes from the tent of divine unseen. This is the understanding of these ignorant people. They have considered the universal grace and expanded mercy, which can never be severed by any intellect or perception, to be limited. From all sides, they’ve tightened the belt of oppression and lost ambition, trying to turn the fire of the lotus tree into salty, stale water, oblivious that the glass of power keeps the lamp of unity safe in its fortress.

This humiliation is enough for this group who have been deprived of the real purpose and veiled from the subtlety and essence of the matter. The ultimate divine grace that has been destined for the servants is to meet God and recognize Him, to which everyone has been promised. This is the ultimate grace of the ever-gracious foot for His servants and the perfection of absolute favor for His creation, none of whom have been blessed with this boundary and have not been honored with this great dignity.

Despite the many verses that have been revealed and explicitly point to this great subject and significant matter, they have denied and interpreted it according to their own desires. As it says: “And those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah and meeting Him, those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.” It also says: “Those who think that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.” In another position: “Those who assume that they will meet God, how often a small group overcomes a large group.” In another position: “So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous work.” In another position: “He regulates the command, He details the signs, so that you will be certain of the meeting with your Lord.”

Day of Resurrection

149 All these verses clearly indicate the meeting with God, a command more firm than which is not observed in the heavenly books, yet they have denied and deprived themselves of this lofty and exalted rank. Some have mentioned that the intended meeting is God’s manifestation on the Day of Judgment. But if they say the general manifestation is intended, this is present in all things. As we’ve established before, all things are the location and appearance of the manifestation of that real Sovereign, and the traces of the shining sun’s illumination exist and are obvious in the mirrors of beings.

If one’s spiritual divine vision is opened, one would see that nothing exists without the appearance of the manifestation of the real King. If you observe all possibilities and creations, they bear witness to the appearance and emergence of that spiritual light. You will observe that the doors of divine approval have been opened in all things for the entrance of seekers into the cities of knowledge and wisdom, and for the entry of those who have reached into the gardens of knowledge and power.

In each garden, you see the brides of meanings sitting in the utmost adornment and refinement in the chambers of words. Most of the verses of the Criterion are signs and indications of this spiritual subject. “And there is not a thing except that it praises Him with His praise,” is a speaking witness. “And everything We have enumerated in a book,” is a truthful witness.

Now, if the intended meeting with God is to meet these manifestations, then all people are honored with the meeting with the continuous and unparalleled radiance of that King. Then why is it specifically assigned to the Day of Judgment?

150 And if they say the intended manifestation is specific, and if it is in the essence itself in the presence of eternal knowledge, as some Sufis have described this station as the “most holy emanation”, assuming the acceptance of this rank, the truth of meeting oneself in this station does not hold true. This is because this rank is realized in the unseen of the essence, and no one can achieve it. “The path is blocked, and the search is rejected.” The hearts of the near ones do not fly to this station, let alone the limited and veiled minds.

151 And if they say the second manifestation, which is referred to as the “sacred emanation”, is certainly in the realm of creation, meaning in the world of primary appearances and secondary emanations. This station is specific to the Prophets and the Friends of God, as there is no greater or larger existence in the realms of existence. Everyone agrees and acknowledges this. They are the manifestations and mirrors of all eternal attributes and divine names. They are the mirrors that tell the whole story, and everything that relates to them, in truth, relates to the manifest yet hidden presence.

Recognition of the origin and attaining Him can only be achieved through the recognition and attaining of these existences, illuminated by the sun of truth. Thus, from meeting these sacred lights, one attains the meeting with God; from their knowledge, one attains the knowledge of God; from their face, one attains the face of God. And the primordiality, ultimateness, outer and inner realities of these abstract jewels establish that for the sun of truth, He is “the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward.” And so too are all the exalted names and transcendent attributes.

Thus, every soul that is successful and victorious in any appearance, to these illuminating and inaccessible lights, and to these rising suns, is successful in meeting God, and enters into the city of everlasting and eternal life. And this meeting cannot be facilitated for anyone except on the Day of Resurrection, which is the self-resurrection of God in His all-encompassing manifestation.

152 This is the meaning of the Resurrection as written and mentioned in all scriptures, and all have been given glad tidings of that Day. Now, consider whether a day can be conceived as more precious, greater, and more majestic than this day, that a person would let such a day slip away and deprive himself of the blessings of this day which, like the April showers, are flowing from the Merciful.

After demonstrating convincingly with all evidence that there is no day more magnificent than this day and no matter more glorious than this matter, how can a person lose hope in such a great grace due to the conjectures of the deluded and the skeptical?

And after all these strong, refined proofs which allow no escape for any rational person, and no denial for any gnostic, have they not heard the famous narration that says: “When the Qa’im (the one who will rise) rises, the Resurrection rises”?

Similarly, the Imams of Guidance and the unfading lights have interpreted the verse “Are they waiting for God to come to them in canopies of clouds?” which is undoubtedly considered as one of the occurring matters in the Resurrection, in the context of the presence of the Qa’im and his manifestation.

153 So, my brother, grasp the meaning of the Resurrection and keep your ears pure from the words of these rejected people. If you step a little into the realms of detachment, you will testify that there is no day more magnificent than this day, and no resurrection greater than this resurrection. One act on this day is equivalent to the deeds of a hundred thousand years. Indeed, God forbid that we limit it, because the action of this day is sanctified beyond finite recompense.

These ignorant people, failing to grasp the meaning of the Resurrection and the meeting with God, have thus been completely veiled from His bounty. Even though the purpose of knowledge and its labors is to achieve and understand this station, they are all preoccupied with exoteric sciences. It’s as if they are inseparable from them, and they turn a blind eye to the essence of knowledge and what is known. It’s as if they have not tasted even a drop from the ocean of divine knowledge, and have not been fortunate enough to receive even a droplet from the cloud of God’s merciful bounty.

154 Now consider this: if someone does not attain the bounty of divine meeting and understanding the manifestations of truth on the day of God’s revelation, can they truly be regarded as a scholar, even if they have spent a thousand years studying and have acquired all the bounded exoteric sciences? It is evidently clear that such a person would not be truly recognized as a scholar of the divine.

However, if someone has not seen a word of knowledge but has achieved this great honor, they are undoubtedly counted among the divine scholars because they have reached the farthest ends of knowledge, its culmination, and its ultimate purpose.

155 This rank is also one of the signs of the advent, as it is said: “He will make your highest ones your lowest ones and your lowest ones your highest ones.” Similarly, in Surah Al-Furqan, it is said: “And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors.”

We see today how many of the scholars, due to their indifference, have descended into the lowest lands of ignorance and their names have been erased from the register of the high and learned. And how many of the ignorant, due to their ambition, have ascended to the highest horizon of knowledge, and their names have been recorded in the tablets of knowledge with the pen of power. Thus, “God erases what He wills, and confirms, and with Him is the mother of the Book.”

This is what has been said: “Seeking evidence when the intended is achieved is ugly, and being occupied with knowledge after reaching the known is reprehensible.”

Say, O people of the earth, this is a fiery youth who runs in the wilderness of the spirit and brings you good news of the lamp of God and reminds you of the command that was from the horizon of holiness in the half of Iraq, under the veils of light, with the cover seen.

156 My friend, if you take a little flight in the heavens of the meanings of Furqan (The Criterion) and stroll in the land of divine knowledge that is spread therein, many doors of knowledge will open to you in the face of that noble presence. You will be certain that all these matters that today prevent these servants from entering the shore of the eternal sea also prevented the people of that era from recognizing that Sun at the emergence of the point of Furqan and from acknowledging it.

Similarly, you will gain insight into the secrets of Raj’at (return) and Ba’that (resurrection), and you will find a place in the highest chambers of certainty and tranquility. This spiritual journey and exploration of divine knowledge can lead you to an understanding that goes beyond surface appearances, and it can provide you with a broader perspective on the mysteries of life and existence. It is a journey of self-discovery, of understanding one’s purpose in the grand scheme of existence, and of achieving spiritual tranquility and certainty in one’s beliefs and actions.

157 Among the events was when a group of deniers of that unparalleled beauty and those deprived of the eternal Kaaba, mockingly stated, “Indeed, Allah has made a covenant with us that we will not believe in a messenger until he brings us a sacrifice consumed by fire.” The content of this is that the Lord has made a pact with us that we won’t believe in a messenger unless he performs the miracle of Abel and Cain, meaning he sacrifices something and a fire from the sky comes and consumes it, as it’s mentioned in the story of Abel and written in the books. His Holiness replied, “Indeed, messengers have come to you before me with clear signs and with what you demand, so why did you kill those messengers of God if you are truthful?” The translation of this is that His Holiness said: Prophets came to you before me with clear signs and with what you are demanding, so why did you kill those messengers of God if you are truthful? Now be fair, in the apparent age and time of His Holiness, where were these servants during the time of Adam or other prophets? There was a gap of several thousand years between the era of Adam and that time. Despite this, why did His Holiness attribute the killing of Abel or other prophets to the servants of his time? There is no choice but to say that God forbid, either you attribute a lie or futile words to His Holiness or you say that those wicked people were the same wicked people who opposed the prophets and messengers in every era until they eventually martyred all of them.

158 Reflect carefully on this explanation so that the sweet breeze of gnosis from the land of Mercy may be smelled, and the soul may be led to the garden of understanding by the sweet discourse of the Beloved. This is why the heedless people, unable to comprehend the lofty and complete meanings of these statements, and not finding the answer in accordance with their own assumptions and questions, therefore attributed lack of knowledge and madness to those jewels of knowledge and wisdom.

159 Likewise, in another verse addressing the people of His time, He says: “They used to seek victory in battles over the disbelievers and when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it. So the curse of Allah is on the disbelievers.” It states: This group used to fight against the disbelievers in the path of God, seeking victory for the cause of God. But when the one whom they had recognized came to them, they disbelieved in him. Therefore, may God’s curse be on the disbelievers.

Now, observe from the verse that it is understood that the people of His time were the same people who, in the time of previous prophets, argued and fought to promote that religious law and deliver God’s command. Even though the people of the time of Jesus and Moses were different from the people of His time.

Furthermore, the one they had previously recognized was Moses, the bearer of the Torah, and Jesus, the bearer of the Gospel. However, why does He say, when the one they had recognized, whether Jesus or Moses, came to them, they disbelieved in him? Given that He, in appearance, was known by a different name, which is Muhammad, and appeared from a different city and came with a different language and different law. How then is the judgment of the verse confirmed and comprehended?

160 Now grasp the command of return, which has been revealed so explicitly in the Qur’an itself, and yet no one has understood it to this day. What do you say? If you say that He was the return of the previous prophets, as inferred from the verse, and likewise His companions would be the return of previous companions, as from the mentioned verses the return of previous servants is clear and obvious. And if they deny, they have spoken against the command of the Book, which is the greatest proof.

So, just like this, understand the command of return, resurrection, and gathering in the days of the appearance of His manifestations, so that you may observe the return of the holy spirits in pure luminous bodies directly, and purify the dusts of ignorance and the darkness of the self with the water of divine knowledge. Perhaps by the power of God, divine guidance, and the light of the lamp, you distinguish the path of the dawn of guidance from the dusk of misguidance, and make a separation.

161 It is known that those who bear the divine trust manifest themselves in the world of dominion by a new decree and a novel command. As these celestial beings descend from the heaven of divine will, they all stand by a firm divine command. Therefore, they hold the command of being one spirit and one essence, for all drink from the chalice of divine love and are blessed by the fruits of the tree of unity.

These manifestations of truth have two established stations. One is the station of pure abstraction and the essence of singularity. In this station, if you attribute all to one name and form, there is no harm, as He says, “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” For they all invite people to the unity of God and give glad tidings of the endless abundance of grace. All are graced with the mantle of prophethood and honored with the robe of dignity. This is what the Point of the Bayan says, “As for the prophets, I am.” And similarly, He says, “I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.” The same has been stated by the Luminous Countenance.

Such statements, which are symbols of unity at those stations of abstraction, have appeared from the channels of eternal utterances and the treasuries of knowledgeable nights, and have been mentioned in the aforementioned books. These effulgences are occasions for judgment and the study of the divine command, and the holy command is beyond the veils of multiplicity and the impediments of plurality. This is what He says, “And Our command is but one.” And when the command becomes one, the manifestations of the command are also one. Similarly, the leaders of religion and the lamps of certainty have said, “Our first is Muhammad, our last is Muhammad, and our middle is Muhammad.”

162 Indeed, it is known and certain that all the Prophets are the temples of the command of God who appeared in different forms. And if you observe subtly, you will see all of them dwelling in one Paradise, flying in one sky, sitting on one carpet, speaking one word, and commanding one command. This is the unity of the essence of existence and the infinite, uncountable Suns. So if one of these holy manifestations says, “I am the return of all Prophets,” he is truthful. And likewise, it is confirmed that in every subsequent appearance, the truth of the return of the previous appearance is established. Since the return of the Prophets is confirmed and consistent with the verses and traditions, the return of the saints is also confirmed and certain. And this return is more obvious than that which requires a reason or proof.

For example, consider among the Prophets, Noah, who when he was sent with prophethood and commanded by God to stand for the divine command, every soul that believed in him and submitted to his command truly attained a new life. The truth of an extraordinary life and a new spirit was evident in him, because before his belief in God and confession to the manifestation, his soul was attached to worldly possessions like wife, children, food, drinks, and the like. So much so that his days and nights were spent in acquiring adornments and the means of subsistence, and he lost himself in the pursuit of transitory things.

Beyond these stages, before entering the turmoil of faith, he was so firmly rooted and established in the traditions of his ancestors and the customs and laws of them that he might accept death rather than changing any traditional matters among his people. As all his people raised the cry, “Indeed, we found our fathers following a religion, and we are following their footsteps.”

Divine Transformation

163 Indeed, these individuals, despite all these limiting veils and boundaries, once they sipped the wine of faith from the cup of certainty at the hands of the Divine Manifestations, would completely transform. So much so that they would forsake their wives, children, possessions, burdens, and even their lives and faith, indeed everything, and become consumed by the overwhelming attraction of Divine love and the magnetism of divine tastes. They would consider the world and everything in it as mere chaff. Can’t we say that they’ve been born anew and returned in these instances?

Also, observe that these souls, before they won the Divine Favor, would protect their lives with a hundred thousand tricks and strategies from the possibilities of destruction, avoiding even a thorn, and fleeing from a fox, for example. But after they gained the Supreme Victory and the Grand Divine Favor, they would give away a hundred thousand lives freely; rather, their holy souls would feel repelled from the cage of the body, and a single individual among these warriors would fight against a group.

Yet, how could it be that if these souls are the same souls as before, such actions, which are contrary to human habits and against bodily desires, should appear from them? Indeed, this profound transformation speaks to the power of the divine and the capacity of the human spirit to evolve and transcend its previous state in the light of faith and divine guidance. The stark contrast between the material-focused lives they led before and the spiritual, self-sacrificing lives they adopt after accepting the divine message is a testament to the transformative power of faith.

164 Indeed, it is clear that without divine transformation, it is impossible for such effects and actions, which bear no resemblance to their previous deeds and actions, to emerge from them and come into existence in the universe. As their anxiety would turn into tranquility, doubt would transform into certainty, and fear would be exchanged for courage. This is the nature of the divine elixir, which transforms servants in a single moment.

165 For example, consider a copper substance. If it remains preserved in its own mine under the domination of dryness, it reaches the status of gold over seventy years. Although, some consider the copper itself as gold, which due to the predominance of dryness has become ill and has not reached its own status.

166 Indeed, in any case, the perfect elixir brings the copper substance to the status of gold instantly, completing the journey of seventy years in a moment. Can it be said afterward that the gold is copper or has not reached the realm of gold? Meanwhile, there is a touchstone present, clearly demonstrating the qualities of gold from copper.

167 Similarly, these souls, through the divine elixir, traverse the earthly realm instantly to set foot in the holy realms, and with a single step, they connect from the confined place to the divine placeless. Strive to attain this elixir, which in an instant takes you from the west of ignorance to the east of knowledge, turns the dark night of uncertainty into a radiant morning, points the far desert of doubt towards the spring of proximity and certainty, and dignifies the transient structures with the everlasting paradise. Now, if the judgment of copper is true for this gold, then the judgment of pre-faith servitude is also true and established for these servants.

168 O brother, these clear, sufficient, and comprehensive explanations reveal the secrets of new creation, return, and resurrection without any veil or cover. God willing, with unseen supports, you will shed the old garment of body and soul and honor yourself with the new, everlasting attire.

169 This means that in each subsequent revelation, the souls who have excelled in faith, who have sipped the pure waters of understanding from the beauty of divine unity, and who have soared to the highest levels of faith, certainty, and detachment - they are considered, nominally and practically, in action and in word, and in matter, as the returning souls of the previous ones who had reached these levels in the previous revelation. For what appeared from the servants of the past is clearly manifested in these servants of the present. For example, if there is a branch of a flower in the east of the earth, and in the west, from another branch, the same flower appears, the name of the flower is attributed to it. In this position, there is no regard for the boundaries and shape of the branch, but attention is paid to the fragrance and scent that is manifested in both.

170 Therefore, purify and sanctify your sight from the boundaries of outward forms, so that you may perceive all as one in name, form, essence, and truth, and observe the secrets of the return of words in the revealed verses. Consider to some extent the companions of the Point of the Criterion, how they became detached and sanctified from all human aspects and carnal desires due to the holy breaths of His Holiness, and before all the people of the earth, they succeeded in the honor of meeting, which was the very meeting with God, and became detached from all the people of the earth. As you have heard, how they offered their lives in the presence of that Manifestation of Glory. Now, observe the same steadfastness, solidity, and detachment clearly in the companions related to the Point of Declaration, as you have observed how these companions raised the banner of detachment from the novel gifts of the Lord of Lords.

Indeed, these lights have appeared from one lamp, and these fruits have been seen from one tree. In truth, there is no noticeable difference, nor any apparent change. All of this is from the bounty of God, He grants it to whomever He wills of His creation. God willing, we will move from the land of negation to the sea of affirmation so that we can observe the divine realms of gathering, separation, unity, differentiation, definition, and abstraction with a sight that is sanctified from elements and opposites. And we may soar to the highest horizon of proximity and sanctity of His divine meanings.

The First, Last, and the Seal of the Prophets

171 So, from these statements, it became clear that if at the end of all ends a dawn appears and rises upon the same matter upon which the first of all firsts dawned, each mirror of truth from the first dawn reflects onto the last dawn. Because the last of all lasts has risen upon the same matter upon which the first of all firsts had risen. This is why the Point of Declaration, may our soul be his sacrifice, likened the Suns of Unity to the sun that, if it rises from the first of all firsts to the last of all lasts, is the same sun that rises. Now, if it is said that this sun is the same as the first sun, it is correct, and if it is said that it is the return of that sun, it is also correct. And likewise, from this truthful discourse, the mention of finality applies to the dawn of initiation, and vice versa, because what the dawn of culmination rises upon is precisely what the beauty of initiation had risen upon.

172 While this point is abundantly clear to those who imbibe the wine of knowledge and certitude, yet how many souls, due to their lack of maturity, have obscured themselves from this truth by invoking the term “Seal of the Prophets” and thus become barred from all divine bounties. Even though that noble figure himself declared: “As for the Prophets, I am them,” and likewise asserted: “I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus,” as has been mentioned. However, they do not contemplate that just as it is true for that eternal beauty to declare: “I am the first Adam,” it is equally valid for him to state: “I am the last Adam.” And just as he ascribed the first of the Prophets, who was Adam, to himself, the same applies to the last of the Prophets also being attributed to that divine beauty. It is evident that after the first of the Prophets is true for him, it is equally true for him to be the “Seal of the Prophets.”

173 In this revelation, all the peoples of the earth have been tested by this point, as most of them have clung to this phrase and turned away from the source of the phrase. And I don’t know what these people have perceived from the primacy and ultimacy of the truth, may His mention be exalted? If the meaning of primacy and ultimacy is worldly primacy and ultimacy, then as the worldly causes have not yet reached their end, how can ultimacy be true for that essence of oneness? Rather, in this rank, the primacy is the essence of ultimacy, and the ultimacy is the essence of primacy.

174 Indeed, just as in the beginning, the truth of ultimacy applies to that teacher of the seen and unseen, in the same way it applies to His manifestations. At the same moment His name is the First, His name is also the Last. And while they sit on the bed of inception, they also reside on the throne of seal. And if vision could be made keen, one would see that the manifestations of firstness and lastness, outwardness and inwardness, inception and seal, are these holy essences, these detached spirits, these divine souls. And if one could fly in the air of sanctity, “there was Allah and nothing was with Him,” one would see all these names disappear and be lost in that realm, and one would no longer be veiled by these veils, signs, and words. What a delicate and lofty station this is, where Gabriel seeks not without a guide, and the holy bird cannot fly without unseen aid.

175 Now, understand the words of His Holiness, the Prince, who said, “The unveiling of the glories of majesty is without indication.” And among those glorified glories are the scholars of the age and the jurists of the time of the appearance, who, due to their lack of comprehension, their busyness, and their love for outward leadership, do not submit to the command of Allah, nor do they listen to hear the divine melody. Rather, “but they put their fingers in their ears.”

And the worshipers, who have taken them as protectors besides Allah, are waiting for the approval or rejection of these old sticks because they do not have sight, hearing, or a heart of their own to differentiate and discern between truth and falsehood.

176 Even though all the prophets, the purified ones, and the saints were commanded by Allah to listen with their ears and observe with their eyes, they have not heeded the advice of the prophets and have followed their own scholars and always will.

And if a poor or destitute person, who is devoid of the clothing of the learned, says, “O my people, follow the messengers,” they respond by saying that all these learned and virtuous people, with their outward leadership and delicate fragmented attire, have not understood and have not discerned truth from falsehood, yet you and your likes have understood, and they are immensely astonished at such a statement.

Even though the previous nations were more numerous, greater, and larger, and if the multitude and the attire of knowledge were the reason and cause of knowledge and truth, then undoubtedly the previous nations are superior and more advanced.

177 Even though it is clear that at all times of the appearance of the holy manifestations, the scholars of the age have prevented the people from the path of truth, as mentioned and recorded in all the heavenly books and scriptures. Not a single prophet was sent but became the object of animosity, denial, rejection, and insult by the scholars. May Allah punish them for what they did before and what they will do afterwards.

Now, which of the splendors of glory is greater than these edifices of misguidance? By Allah, revealing it is the greatest of matters, and breaking it is the most significant of deeds. May Allah enable us and you, O assembly of the spirit, so that you may be guided by this at the time of seeking help, and may you not be veiled from the meeting of Allah in His days.

178 Indeed, the mention of the Seal of the Prophets and the like is one of the splendid mysteries, the unveiling of which is one of the most significant matters for these ignorant ones. All have remained veiled by these limited veils and magnificent mysteries. Have they not heard the song of the bird of love that says, “I have wedded a thousand Fatimas, all of whom were daughters of Muhammad bin Abdullah, the Seal of the Prophets”?

Observe now how many secrets are concealed under the pavilion of divine knowledge, and how many jewels of His knowledge are hidden in the treasuries of infallibility. This will surely show you that His creation has no beginning or end, and that His decree is more expansive than can be defined or traversed by the flight of hearts. His divine determinations are greater than can be grasped by any soul. His creation has been since the beginning without a beginning, and no end has taken His last. The manifestations of His beauty will be until the end without an end, and no one has seen His beginning.

Observe now in this very explanation how the rule of it applies truthfully to all these manifestations.

179 Also, understand the song of the eternal beauty, Hussain bin Ali, who said to Salman that its essence is: I was with a thousand Adams, with a gap of fifty thousand years between each Adam and the next, and with each one, I presented the guardianship of my father. And he goes into detail until he says: I have fought a thousand times in the divine path, the smallest and least of which was like the battle of Khaybar where my father fought and argued with the infidels. Now, from these two narrations, comprehend all the secrets of the seal, return, the principle of no first and no last of the divine act.

180 O my Beloved Creator, the song of divinity is sanctified that it would be limited to the hearing and understanding of the human essence. How can the ant of existence step onto the field of the deity? Although weak souls may deny these difficult pronouncements due to their lack of understanding and may reject such narrations. Indeed, only those of understanding would recognize this. Say, He is the seal which has no seal in creation and no beginning in invention. Therefore, O inhabitants of the Earth, you bear witness in the manifestations of the beginning and the revelations of the seal.

181 It is indeed surprising that this group clings to some levels that align with their desires and whims in the Criterion (the Quran) and the most authentic narrations, and completely turns away from some that oppose their desires. “Do you then believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest?” How do you make judgments about what you do not perceive?

For example, in the clear Book (the Quran), the Lord of the Worlds, after mentioning the finality of prophethood in His exalted verse: “But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets,” has promised all people a meeting with Himself. As such, the adorned verses about meeting that eternal King are mentioned in the Book and some of them have been mentioned before. And the One God is a witness to the discussion that there is no greater matter than meeting Him, and nothing is more explicitly mentioned in the Criterion (the Quran) about it. So, blessed is the one who succeeds in it on a day most people turn away from, as you witness.

182 Yet, despite this, they have turned away from the second matter due to the judgment of the first, even though the decree of the meeting on the Day of Resurrection is explicitly stated in the Book. And the Resurrection has also been confirmed and validated by clear proofs, with the intended meaning being the rise of His manifestation over His command, and similarly, from the meeting, it is to meet His beauty in the structure of His appearance. For, “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision.”

Despite all these established matters and clear explanations, they have clung to the mention of the seal in a way they do not realize, and have completely veiled themselves from the originator of the beginning and end on the Day of His meeting. “And if Allah were to seize people for what they have earned, He would not leave a creature on its back, but He postpones them until a specified time.”

They have turned a blind eye to all these stages. If these people had sipped from the gentle spring of “He does what He wills and He rules what He wants,” they would not have made these unsatisfactory objections to the place of the command. Command, word, and action are in the grip of His power. Everything is captive in the grip of His power, and indeed, that is easy and simple for Him. He is the doer of what He wills and the agent of what He desires. Whoever asks why and for what, has disbelieved.

And if these deterministic servants become conscious of what they have committed, they will perish and return themselves to the fire, which is their abode and destination, with their own hands. Have they not heard that it is said: “He will not be questioned about what He does”? And with these statements, how can one dare and engage in decorative words?

Salvation on the Day of Judgement

183 Glory be to Allah, the ignorance and folly of the servants have reached such a degree that they have turned to their own knowledge and will, and have turned away from the knowledge and will of the Truth, exalted and mighty.

184 Now, be fair. If these certain servants understand these precious words and holy indications, and know that the Truth does as He wills, how then would they cling to and seek these trivialities? Instead, they would confirm and submit to whatever He decrees. I swear by God, if predestined determinations and divine wisdom had not preceded, He would have obliterated the land of all these servants. But He delays that to a known appointed day.

185 It’s been twelve hundred and eighty years since the emergence of the point of distinction, and all these ignorant folks have recited the criterion (Qur’an) every morning, yet they have not attained a word of the intended purpose. They themselves read some verses which are explicitly about holy subjects and manifestations of the Sublime Eternality, yet they have perceived nothing. In this period, they have not even understood that the purpose of reciting the books and reading the pages in every era is to comprehend their meanings and to ascend to the heights of their secrets. Otherwise, recitation without comprehension indeed bears no significant benefit.

186 As it happened, someone was present with this humble servant in the ocean of meanings one day, and the signs of the resurrection, gathering, dispersion, and accounting came up. They insisted on asking how the accounting of the creations had taken place at the miraculous manifestation, as no one was aware of it? Then, to the extent of the listener’s comprehension and understanding, some aspects of scholarly forms and administrative matters were conveyed.

Then it was mentioned that all this time, didn’t you recite the Criterion (Qur’an) and see the blessed verse that says: “On that day, neither man nor jinn will be questioned about his sin.”? And you have not paid attention to the intended meaning that questioning is not as you understand it, rather questioning is not with language and expression, as indicated and implied by this very verse.

Then it continues: “The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet.”

187 This is how the accounting of creations is drawn, and disbelief, faith, and disobedience all become apparent. As can be seen today, the people of misguidance are clearly distinguished from those of guidance by their marks. And if these servants observe the verses of the Book purely for God’s sake and seeking His pleasure, they will undoubtedly comprehend all that they are seeking.

I swear that they will perceive all the incidents happening in this manifestation, both globally and individually, in His verses as clear and disclosed. Even the emergence of the manifestations of names and attributes from their origins, the turning away and heedlessness of nations and governments, and the tranquility and establishment of the universal manifestation in a known specific land can all be discerned in His verses. However, none comprehend this but those endowed with understanding.

188 I conclude my words with what was revealed to Muhammad before, so that its end is the musk that guides people to the pleasure of the Illuminated Holy One. He, the Truth, has said: “And God invites to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to a straight path.” “For them will be the Home of Peace with their Lord, and He will be their protector because of what they used to do.”

May this grace precede the world, and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

189 We have reiterated the discourse in every matter, so that every soul, high or low, may draw its share and portion from these discourses according to its capacity. And if a soul is incapable of comprehending one discourse, it may perceive its aim through another. So that every group of people may know their own path.

190 I swear by God, this earthly dove has no melodies other than these, and no secrets other than these discourses, each point of which is sanctified beyond what has been expressed and flowed from the pen. Until the divine will is determined, when will the brides of meanings step forth unveiled from the spiritual palace into the field of manifestation. And there is no matter except after His permission, and there is no power except by His strength and His power, and there is no god but He. To Him belongs the creation and the command, and everyone speaks by His command, and from the secrets of the spirit, they speak.

No Distinction, Yet Differentiation

191 Previously, we have explained two stations in regard to the Suns of the Divine East. One is the station of Oneness and the rank of Singularity, as previously mentioned: “We make no distinction between any of them.” The other station is that of differentiation, the realm of creation, and the rank of human limitations. In this station, each has a distinct form, a designated command, a predetermined manifestation, and specific limits. Each is known by a name, characterized by a description, commanded by a unique order, and a new law. As He says: “Those Messengers, We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit.”

192 The diversity of these stations and ranks is why different expressions and words appear from those fountains of sanctified knowledge. However, in truth, among the knowers, all divine matters, in their different aspects, are considered as one single word. Since most people are not informed about the aforementioned stations, they become confused and unsettled by the different expressions of those unified temples.

193 Indeed, it has been and will always be clear that all these differences in words are due to the differences in stations. In the station of unity and the height of abstraction, the pure designation of lordship, divinity, and oneness is attributed to those essences of existence. This is because they all reside upon the throne of God’s manifestation and stand on the seat of God’s innermost essence. That is to say, the manifestation of God is apparent through their manifestation, and the beauty of God shines through their beauty. Thus, the melodies of lordship emerge from these unities of existence.

194 And in the second station, which is the station of distinction, detail, definition, and the indications and symbols of dominion, pure servitude, utter neediness, and absolute annihilation are manifested from them. As it is said: “Indeed, I am the servant of God, and I am nothing but a human being like you.”

195 Through these established and affirmed explanations, may you find answers to your inquiries, so that you may become firm in the divine religion and not be shaken by the variations in the statements of the prophets and the chosen ones.

Divinity and Servitude

196 If one hears from the collective manifestations: “Verily, I am God”, it is true and there is no doubt in it. As was frequently demonstrated, the appearance of God, the name of God, and the attributes of God manifest themselves on Earth through them. As it is said: “And you did not throw when you threw, but it was God who threw.” and also “Verily, those who pledge allegiance to you are indeed pledging allegiance to God.”

And if they raise the song of “Verily, I am the messenger of God”, this too is true and there is no doubt in it. As it is said: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the messenger of God.” At this stage, they are all sent from that ultimate, eternal Sovereign.

And if they all raise the call of “I am the Seal of the Prophets”, that too is true and there is no room for skepticism, for they all carry the decree of the same entity, the same breath, the same spirit, the same body, and the same order. They all manifest the primacy, seal, firstness, lastness, outwardness, and inwardness of that ultimate Spirit of spirits and the essence of essences from eternity.

Similarly, if they say: “We are the servants of God”, this too is established and evident. For they appear in the utmost rank of servitude, and it is not fitting for anyone to manifest such servitude. It is from this gem of existence, in the stage of immersion in the oceans of sanctity and ascension to the degrees of the meanings of the ultimate Sovereign, that the remembrance of Lordship and Divinity appears. If observed correctly, they see themselves in this stage as utterly nonexistent and annihilated in contrast to the absolute existence and pure perpetuity, considering themselves as utterly non-existent and their mention as polytheistic in that arena. For the absolute mention at this stage is the evidence of existence and being, and this is a great error according to those who have reached, let alone the mention of the other, or that the heart, tongue, soul, and life be occupied with anything other than the remembrance of the Beloved, or the eye observe anything other than His beauty, or the ear hear anything other than His melody, or the foot walk any path other than His.

197 At this moment, the breath of God has surrounded and His spirit has encompassed, the pen has been restrained from motion and the tongue has been cut off from articulation.

198 Indeed, according to this rank, the mention of divinity and the like has been revealed from them. In the rank of Messengership, they have announced their Messengership, and similarly, in each rank, they have made a mention according to its requirements, attributing all of it to themselves from the realm of command to the realm of creation, and from the realms of divinity to the realms of dominion.

This is to say, whatever they express and whatever they mention from divinity, lordship, prophecy, messengership, guardianship, imamate, and servitude, all of it is true and there is no doubt about it. Thus, contemplation must be given to these established expressions so that no one may be disturbed or shaken anymore by the differences in the sayings of the unseen manifestations and the divine studies.

Divine Knowledge Requires Deeper Understanding

199 Indeed, one must contemplate the words of the Suns of Truth, and if they are not understood, one should ask those who possess the treasures of knowledge to explain and clarify them, not interpreting sacred words according to one’s incomplete understanding and raising objections when they do not conform to personal desires.

Like the scholars and jurists of today who sit on the seat of knowledge and virtue, naming ignorance as knowledge and injustice as justice. If they do not hear an answer from the Sun of Truth that corresponds to their preconceived ideas, or if they do not perceive from the Book what they have themselves understood, they indeed deny knowledge from that mine and source of knowledge. This has happened in every era.

200 As mentioned earlier, when the people questioned the Master of Existence about the new moon, he answered by divine command, “They are times appointed for men.” Upon hearing this, they denied his knowledge. This reflects a common pattern: when people don’t understand the wisdom behind certain explanations, they often tend to dismiss them, rather than seeking deeper understanding.

201 Similarly, regarding the verse about the soul, where it is said, “And they ask you about the spirit, say, the spirit is by the command of my Lord.” When this response was given, they all cried out in disbelief, saying how could one who does not know what the soul is, claim to possess divine knowledge. And today, when the scholars of the age take pride in the name of that Holy Existence, and see their ancestors acknowledged him, they accept his ruling out of imitation. If they were fair, and today heard a similar answer to such questions, they would certainly reject it and raise objections, just as they did before.

Despite this, these luminous beings are sanctified from all these invented knowledge, exalted beyond all these limited words, and are beyond the understanding of every perceivable being. All these sciences are pure lies in the presence of that knowledge, and all these perceptions are pure illusion. Rather, whatever emerges from those mines of divine wisdom and treasures of eternal knowledge is true knowledge. “And knowledge is a point that the ignorant have multiplied” is evidence for that, “And knowledge is a light that God casts into the heart of whom He wills” confirms this statement.

202 Indeed, because they have not comprehended the true meaning of knowledge, and have named their fictitious thoughts, which are the outcomes of the appearances of ignorance, as “knowledge”, they have imposed upon the origin of sciences what you have seen and heard.

203 For instance, I once came across a book by one of the worshippers who is renowned for his knowledge and virtue, considering himself among the learned ones. He rejected and disparaged all enlightened scholars, as evident throughout his book. Since I had heard a lot about him, I decided to peruse his writings. Although I had little inclination to delve into the words of others, I felt obliged to examine his works because many individuals were inquiring about them and sought clarification. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find his Arabic works until someone mentioned a book of his, named “Irshad al-Awaam” (Guidance for the Common People), available in this city. The title reeked of arrogance and pride, suggesting that he regarded people as common and himself as learned. This very title of his book was indicative and proved that he was driven by ego and desires, lost in the wilderness of ignorance and blindness, seemingly forgetting the famous Hadith: “Knowledge is the sum of what is known, and power and dignity are the sum of creation.”

Regardless, I procured the book and kept it for a few days. I glanced through it twice. On the second occasion, I came across the account of the Night Journey (Mi’raj) of the Master of Prophets. He wrote that understanding nearly twenty or more sciences is a prerequisite to comprehend the Mi’raj. It appeared that if one does not correctly understand these sciences, one would fail to comprehend this supreme and exalted event. Among the sciences, he mentioned philosophy, chemistry, and alchemy, considering the understanding of these fleeting and deprecated sciences a precondition for understanding the everlasting, sacred sciences.

204 SubhanAllah (Glory be to God), with such understanding, what objections and accusations have been made against the infinite divine edifices of knowledge. As it has been well said:

You dare accuse those whom truth has made,

The trusted keepers of Heaven’s seventh grade.

And no one of true insight, knowledge, or owners of sciences and intellects have paid attention to these absurdities. Although it is clear and obvious to any person of insight that such kinds of knowledge have always been rejected by the truth. How could the understanding of those sciences, which are rejected by true scholars, be a prerequisite for understanding the ascensions of the mi’raj, when the owner of the mi’raj himself did not carry any word from these limited and veiled sciences, and the illuminated heart of that Lord of all beings was pure and sanctified from all these implications? As it is well said:

All perceptions on lame donkeys ride,

Truth mounts the wind, a swift arrow’s glide.

By God, anyone who wants to understand the secret of the mi’raj, or sip a drop from the ocean of gnosis, even if these sciences are with him - that is, if the mirror of his heart is dusted with the patterns of these sciences - he must definitely cleanse and sanctify it so that the secret of this matter may manifest in the mirror of his heart.

205 And today, those who are immersed in the ocean of Divine knowledge, and the dwellers in the sphere of Divine wisdom, forbid people from acquiring these sciences. Their illuminated hearts, praise be to God, are sanctified from these implications and consecrated from these veils. We have burned the greatest veil, of which it is said, “Knowledge is the greatest veil,” with the fire of the Beloved’s love. We have set up another tent and take pride in the fact that, Praise be to God, we have consumed the glories of splendor in the fire of the Beloved’s beauty. We have left no room in our hearts and souls for anything other than the Beloved. We cling to no knowledge other than the knowledge of Him, and we adhere to no known other than the manifestation of His lights.

206 Indeed, I was extremely surprised. From these statements, it appears that he wants to convey to the people that all these sciences are within his grasp, while by God, he has not heard a breeze from the gardens of Divine knowledge, nor has he been informed about any of the secrets of Divine wisdom. Rather, if the meaning of knowledge is mentioned, he would certainly be disturbed, and the mountain of his existence would crumble. Yet, despite these frivolous and meaningless statements, he has made excessive claims.

207 SubhanAllah, I am astonished at the people who have relied on him and have become followers of such a person. They have been content with dust and sought fortune. They have turned away from the Lord of Lords, and they have been content with the flaw of a crow and the beauty of a crow instead of the song of a nightingale and the beauty of a flower. And other things were observed from the imaginary words of this book. In truth, it’s a pity that the pen is occupied with writing about these matters, or that time is spent on them. However, if a criterion were found, truth would be distinguished from falsehood, light from darkness, and the sun from the shadow.

208 Among the sciences that this man claims to have is the art of alchemy. I am very eager for a ruler, or a person who is capable, to demand the manifestation of this knowledge from him, from the world of words to the world of witnessing, and from saying to doing. I wish this man, who claims such sciences, to contest this with those who don’t possess these sciences and do not regard the possession or lack thereof as the cause of knowledge or ignorance, so the truth and falsity become clear. But what is the use? From the people of this time, I have seen nothing but the wounds of teeth and tasted nothing but deadly poison. The mark of iron is still on the neck, and the signs of cruelty are still apparent all over the body.

209 In the degrees of knowledge and ignorance, gnosis, and certainty, he has mentioned in his book that left no topic unaddressed: “Indeed, the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the sinful.” Afterward, he made other statements, ending with the phrase: “Taste, indeed you are the honorable, the generous.” Let’s pay attention to how clearly and explicitly his description has been mentioned in the robust book. And this person has also referred to himself in his own book as being humble, a sinful servant mentioned in the book, honored among the cattle, and generous in name.

210 He has reflected on the blessed verse “And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores of it, and We send it not down but in a known measure.” until its meaning is firmly inscribed in the tablet of the heart. Despite this, some have come to believe in him, turning away from Moses of knowledge and justice, clinging to the Samaritan of ignorance. They have turned away from the sun of meanings, which is continually shining in the divine eternal sky, as if they had never been inscribed.

211 Indeed my brother, the nights of divine knowledge cannot be obtained except from the divine source, and the fragrance of the spiritual basil cannot be inhaled except from the real rose garden. The flowers of the science of Oneness do not bloom except in the city of pure hearts. “And the good land - its vegetation emerges by permission of its Lord; but that which is bad - does not emerge except sparsely.”

Divine Affirmations Instead of Acquired Sciences

212 Indeed, when it became clear that the melodies of divine knowledge can only be comprehended by its people, it is therefore necessary and obligatory for every soul to present the difficulties of divine matters and the complexities of the holy indications to the possessors of enlightened hearts and the bearers of divine secrets. They can solve these matters through divine affirmations and heavenly outpourings, not through the affirmations of acquired sciences. “So ask the people of the message if you do not know.”

213 Indeed, my brother, the striving individual who decides to embark on the path of seeking and journeying in the way of knowledge of the Eternal Sovereign, must initially purify the heart, which is the place of the appearance and manifestation of the divine hidden secrets, from all the dark dust of acquired sciences and satanic indications. They must cleanse the chest, which is the seat of entrance and the dwelling of the love for the Eternal Beloved, making it subtle and clean. Likewise, they must sanctify the heart from the love of water and clay, meaning from all ghostly shapes and shadowy forms, to such an extent that the effects of love and hatred do not remain in the heart, lest that love unduly draws them towards one direction, or hatred unjustly prevents them from another.

Today, most people, due to these two aspects, are held back from the eternal face and the presence of meanings and are grazing without a shepherd in the deserts of misguidance and forgetfulness. They must, at all times, place their trust in the truth, turn away from creation, detach from the worldly realm, break off, and bind themselves to the Lord of Lords. They should not prefer themselves over the oneness of God, and they should wash away pride and arrogance from the tablet of their heart, bind their heart with patience and perseverance, make silence their emblem, and avoid pointless speech.

Indeed, the tongue is a fire kindled, and excessive speech is a deadly poison. The outward fire burns the bodies, while the fire of the tongue melts the spirits and hearts. The effect of that fire fades within hours, while the effect of this fire lasts for centuries.

214 And they must consider backbiting as misguidance and never step into that arena, for backbiting extinguishes the luminous lamp of the heart and kills the life of the heart. They should be content with a little and refrain from seeking more. They should count the company of the detached as gain and consider isolation from the clingy and arrogant a blessing. They should engage in remembrance during the predawn hours, and strive with all their effort and capability in seeking their Beloved. They should burn neglect in the fire of love and remembrance and pass beyond everything other than God like a lightning bolt. They should distribute portions to the portionless and not withhold gifts and benevolence from the deprived. They should aim to take care of animals, let alone human beings and the people of speech. They should not withhold the life of the soul from the Beloved and not seek protection from the Creator’s scorn because of people’s mockery.

They should not like for others what they do not like for themselves and not promise what they cannot fulfill. They should forgive transgressors at the height of their power and seek forgiveness. They should draw the pen of pardon on sinners and not look down upon them, for the goodness of the end is unknown. Many a sinner attains the essence of faith at the moment of death, drinks the wine of immortality, and hastens to the highest assembly. Many an obedient and faithful person experiences a reversal at the time of the soul’s ascension and finds a home in the lowest layers of hellfire.

Indeed, the purpose of all these refined expressions and firm indications is that the seeker and traveler must consider everything other than God as perishable and count everything other than the object of worship as non-existent.

215 And these conditions are the qualities of the elevated and noble spiritual individuals who have been mentioned in the conditions of the strugglers and the path of the travelers in the paths of certain knowledge. After the realization of these stages for the freed seeker and the sincere seeker, the term ‘struggler’ truly applies to him. And when he is supported by the action of “And those who strive for Us,” he will indeed be given the glad tidings of “We will surely guide them to Our paths.”

216 And when the lamp of seeking, striving, taste, longing, love, passion, attraction, and love illuminates in the heart and the breeze of love blows from the realm of unity, the darkness of doubt and suspicion will vanish, and the lights of knowledge and certainty will encompass all aspects of existence. At that time, the spiritual herald will rise like the true dawn with spiritual glad tidings from the divine city, awakening the heart, soul, and spirit from the sleep of heedlessness with the forms of gnosis. The divine support and blessings of the Holy Spirit will bestow new, fresh life to such an extent that one sees oneself as the owner of new eyes, wondrous ears, and a fresh heart and soul.

One returns to the clear cosmic verses and the hidden secrets within the soul and observes an open gateway in every atom to the divine reality, for the attainment of the levels of certainty by direct vision, truth of certainty, and the light of certainty. And in all things, one observes the secrets of divine unity manifesting and the effects of the eternal divine reality appearing.

217 I swear by God, if the seeker of the path of guidance and the one pursuing the lofty ascents of piety reaches this high station, they will inhale the fragrance of Truth from distant miles, perceive the luminous dawn of guidance from the Orient of everything, and every atom and thing will indicate their beloved and desired one to them. They will become so discerning that they distinguish truth from falsehood as clearly as the sun from shadow. For instance, if the breeze of Truth blows from the East of creation and they are in the West of invention, they will certainly sense it.

In the same way, they will discern all signs of Truth from the splendid words, firm deeds, and slick actions, distinguishing them from the actions and deeds of all that is other, just as a pearl expert differentiates a pearl from a stone, a human discerns spring from autumn, and warmth from cold. When the sense of the soul is cleansed from the cold of the world and possibility, it will certainly detect the fragrance of the beloved from distant abodes and, following the trace of that scent, enter the city of certainty of the munificent presence and observe the wonders of wisdom of the sublime presence in that spiritual city.

They will hear all the hidden sciences from the changes in the leaves of the tree of that city, listen to the glorification and sanctification of the Lord of the lords with the outer and inner ear from the soil of that city, and observe the secrets of return and departure with the eye of the secret. What can we say about the effects, signs, manifestations, and illuminations that are destined by the order of the sultan of names and attributes in that city? They quench their thirst without water, and the warmth of love for God increases without fire.

In each plant, a mature spiritual wisdom is hidden, and on the cheek of each flower, thousands of speaking nightingales are in attraction and excitement. From its unique tulips, the secret of the Mosaic fire becomes apparent, and from its holy breezes, the breath of the Holy Spirit of Jesus is shining. It bestows wealth without gold and grants immortality without annihilation. In each leaf, there is hidden bliss, and in each chamber, a hundred thousand stored wisdoms.

218 And the ones who struggle in the way of God, after disconnecting from everything other than Him, become so attuned to that city that they never detach from it. They hear definitive proofs from the spikes of that gathering, and they derive clear arguments from the beauty of the flowers and the song of the nightingales. And this city is renewed and beautified at the head of a thousand years, or more, or less.

219 So, my beloved, we must strive to reach that city and reveal the glorifications of majesty through divine blessings and Lordly inspections so that we fully devote our languished souls in the path of the beloved. We must express a hundred thousand helplessness and needs in order to achieve that success. And that city is the divine books in every era. For example, during the time of Moses, it was the Torah; during the time of Jesus, it was the Gospel; during the time of Prophet Muhammad, it was the Quran; in this age, it is the Bayan; and in the era of the one whom God will send, it is His book, which is the return of all books and is the guardian over all books.

In these cities, provisions are determined, and the enduring blessings are ordained. They provide spiritual sustenance and let you taste the ancient blessings. They grant the blessing of monotheism to those who are detached, bestow the share of generosity to those without a portion, and offer the cup of knowledge to those who are wandering in the desert of ignorance.

Guidance, favor, knowledge, understanding, faith, and certainty for all that is in the heavens and the earth are hidden and stored in these cities.

The Qur’an Served As a Fortress

220 For instance, the Quran served as a mighty fortress for the followers of the Messenger, in his time. Anyone who took refuge in it was safeguarded from the attacks of devils, the assaults of adversaries, annihilated suspicions, and notions of polytheism. Similarly, they were bestowed with the wholesome fruits of monotheism, the products of the tree of divine knowledge, and drank from the rivers of unpolluted water of understanding. They also tasted the wine of the secrets of oneness and singularity.

Hadith Is Not Needed

221 In the same way, all the needs of that community, regarding the rules of the religion and the laws of the leader of all messengers, were present and specified in that apparent pleasure [the Quran]. And it remains as the enduring proof for its people after the distinction point, for its rule is accepted, and its command is indeed occurring. All were obliged to follow it until the occurrence of the wondrous appearance in the year sixty [1844 in the Islamic calendar]. And it is what leads the seekers to the pleasure of union and grants the strugglers and migrants victory in the pavilion of nearness. It is a solid proof and a supreme argument. Other than that, from narrations, books, and hadiths, this honor does not come because the existence and speech of the hadith and the people of hadith are proven and verified by the book’s rule. Besides, there is much disagreement in the hadiths, and the doubts are countless.

222 For example, the Point of Adjudication (referring to Prophet Muhammad) stated at the end of His mission, “Indeed, I am leaving among you two weighty things: The Book of God and my progeny.” Despite the fact that many traditions had descended from the source of His Message and the mine of His guidance, He did not mention anything other than the Book, and designated it as the greatest cause and the strongest evidence for the seekers, to guide the servants until the Day of Resurrection.

When Muhammad’s Progeny Ended, the Qur’an is the Only Proof

223 Now, observe with the eyes of fairness, a pure heart, and a cleansed soul what has been established as proof for recognizing the truth amongst the servants in the Book of God, which is accepted by all, both the general and the specific. You and I and everyone on earth should adhere to its light, discerning truth from falsehood, and guidance from misguidance. For the proof has been reduced to two: the Book, and the progeny. The progeny has passed away, so it all comes down to the Book.

224 And the beginning of the Book says: “Alif Lam Meem. That is the Book, there is no doubt in it, it is a guide for the pious.” In the disconnected letters of the Qur’an, secrets of the divine essence are hidden, and the nights of unity are stored in the shell of these letters. This is not the place to discuss it, but according to the apparent meaning, it is addressed to the Prophet: “O Muhammad, this book is revealed from the heaven of unity, there is no doubt or suspicion in it, it is guidance for the pious.” Observe that this Qur’an has been decreed and ordained for the guidance of all in the heavens and the earth, and the divine essence, the unseen identity, testifies to it that there is no doubt or suspicion in it, it guides the servants until the Day of Judgement.

Is it fair for the servants to doubt or be suspicious about the weightiest testimony that God has testified to its truth and decreed its authenticity, or to turn away from what He has decreed as the cause of guidance and the means of attaining the heights of knowledge, and to seek something else, or to sow doubt with embellished words to the people that such and such said this and such and such has not appeared, when if there was something or an event other than the divine Book as a cause and evidence for the guidance of the creation, it would surely have been mentioned in the said verse.

Affirmation of the Qur’an Is Required

225 Verily, we should not deviate from the firmly decreed divine matter and from the determined ordination of the Eternal, which is mentioned in the verse, and we should affirm the wondrous books. For if we do not affirm these books, the affirmation of this blessed verse will not be achieved. As it is clear that anyone who does not affirm the Qur’an, in reality, has not affirmed the books before the Qur’an. And these meanings can be inferred from the apparent text of the verse. And if the hidden meanings of it are mentioned, and its concealed secrets are explained, time would surely not reach the end and the universe could not bear it. And God is a witness to what I say.

Those Who Needed More Than the Qur’an Are Not Believers

226 Also, in another place, it says: “And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful.” The apparent translation of this is: If you are in doubt and skepticism about what We have revealed to Our servant Muhammad, then bring forth a surah similar to these revealed surahs and call your witnesses, meaning your scholars, to assist you in the revelation of the surah if you are truthful. Now observe how great is the status of the verses and the greatness of its value, to which the conclusive proof, the perfect argument, the overwhelming power, and the compelling will have been sealed. And that Sovereign of Unity has not made anything a partner in the expression of His proof, among the proofs and evidences, the verses are like the sun, and beyond that, they are like the stars. It is the enduring proof and the established argument, and the shining light from the side of the real Sovereign among the servants. Nothing reaches its merit and nothing precedes it. It is the treasure of divine nights and the storehouse of the secrets of unity. It is the firm thread, the strong rope, the firm handhold, and the inextinguishable light. The laws of divine knowledge flow from it and the fire of mature wisdom of the Eternal gushes from it. This is a fire that has two effects apparent at one time, it creates the heat of love in the favorables and brings the chill of negligence in the unfriendlies.

227 O friend, we should not transgress the divine command and be satisfied with what He has established as His proof, and we should submit to it. In summary, the argument and evidence of this revealed verse is greater than what this frail one can establish. And Allah speaks the truth, and He guides the way, and He is the Dominant over His servants, and He is the Mighty, the Beautiful.

228 He also says: “These are the signs of Allah which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allah and His signs do they believe?” He says: These are the revealed verses from the heaven of essence, we recite them to you. So, in which statement do they believe after the emergence of truth and the descent of His verses? If you pay attention to the implication of this verse, you will understand that there has never been a manifestation greater than the prophets, and there has not appeared in the world a proof greater and more magnificent than the revealed verses. Rather, a proof greater than this is not possible, except for what your Lord wills.

229 And in another place, He says: “Woe to every sinful liar, who hears the verses of Allah recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.” That is, woe to the lying sinner who hears the verses descended from the heaven of divine will recited to him, then behaves arrogantly as if he had not heard them. Therefore, announce to him a painful punishment. The indications of this verse are sufficient for all those in the heavens and the earth, if people would reflect on the verses of their Lord.

As you hear today, if the divine verses are recited, no one cares, as if the divine verses are the lowest of matters to them, while there has been and will be nothing greater than the verses. Tell them: O unknowing ones, you are saying what your ancestors said before. If they saw the fruit of their own negligence, you too will see. And soon you will find your abode with your forefathers in the fire. So, the fire is their abode, and what a terrible dwelling for the wrongdoers.

230 And in another place, He says: “And when he learns something of Our verses, he takes them in ridicule. Those have a humiliating punishment.” That is, when he becomes aware of something from our verses, he ridicules them. For such people, there is a humiliating punishment. Among their ridicule was that they would ask for a different miracle or bring a different proof. One said “So cause a piece of the sky to fall upon us,” and another mentioned “If this is the truth from you, then rain down upon us stones from the sky.”

This was similar to the Jews during the time of Moses, who turned the heavenly banquet into lowly items such as onions and garlic. That group was also seeking to change the revealed verses into their impure assumptions. As it is observed today, a spiritual feast has descended from the heaven of divine mercy and the clouds of divine honor, and the oceans of life in the paradise of divine pleasure are in motion and coming together over dead bodies by the command of the Creator. They have contented themselves with a salty pond which is nothing but brine.

Praise be to God, it is absolutely bewildering that after the declaration of the signified has been raised, people ask for evidence, and after the sun of the known has appeared, they have clung to the signs of knowledge. It is like asking for proof from the sun for its light or seeking evidence from the spring rain for its beneficence. The proof of the sun is its light that illuminates and covers the world, and the evidence of spring is its generosity that has given the world a fresh new garment. Indeed, the blind will not benefit from the sun except for its heat, and the barren land will not recognize any bounty from the spring rain.

It’s no wonder that from the Qur’an nothing is gained except some script, just as from the sun, a blind eye will perceive nothing but heat.

231 And in another place, He says: “And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, ‘Bring back our forefathers, if you should be truthful.’” That is, when Our verses are recited to them, their only argument is to say, ‘Bring back our forefathers if you are truthful.’ Observe what arguments they used against these vast and perfect blessings. They ridiculed verses that were more majestic than the creation of the heavens and the earth, verses that breathed life into the dead of desire and passion through the spirit of faith, and they said, ‘Bring our fathers out of the grave.’ This was the obstinacy and arrogance of the people. Each of these verses is a firm argument and a great proof for all on earth, sufficient for the whole world, if only you contemplate the verses of Allah. And in this mentioned verse, there are hidden secrets. If there is pain in the overall context, the remedy arrives.

232 Don’t listen to the absurd claims of some people who say that the Quran and its verses can’t serve as evidence for the common people because they don’t understand or comprehend it, even though the Quran is a proof for the east and the west of the world. If the people didn’t have the ability to comprehend it, how could it serve as a universal proof?

By this logic, there would also be no obligation to understand the divine reality, which is not necessary because understanding God is more difficult than understanding His Book, and common people lack the capability to comprehend it. But this perspective is flawed. God has created us all with inherent abilities to seek, understand, and connect with the divine reality, each according to their capacity. The wisdom and teachings contained within the Quran are accessible to all, and serve as a universal guide for humanity. The Quran itself asserts that it has been made easy to understand and remember (54:17).

233 Indeed, such a claim is utterly baseless and unacceptable. It seems to be voiced out of arrogance and vanity, aimed at distancing people from the gardens of Divine pleasure and to keep them tightly under control. However, in the sight of God, these common people are far more acceptable and appreciated than their scholars who have turned away from the truth.

Understanding divine words and grasping the messages from spiritual sources does not rely on external, worldly knowledge. Rather, it depends on the purity of the heart, the purification of the soul, and the freedom of the spirit. There are indeed some devout individuals who have never engaged in formal learning yet sit on the wings of knowledge, their hearts adorned with the flowers of wisdom and tulips of understanding, fed by the clouds of divine grace. Blessed indeed are the sincere ones in the light of a great day.

234 Indeed, it is also stated: “And those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah and the meeting with Him, those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.” And it is also said: “And they say: ‘Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?’.” The meaning of this verse is clear. Notice what they said after the revelation of the verses: are we abandoning our gods for a mad poet? They referred to the Prophet as a poet and mocked the divine verses, saying: “These are tales of the ancients,” meaning that these were words spoken in the past and Muhammad is just rearranging them, claiming they are from God.

235 Just as you hear today, similar to that, they attribute to this matter, saying that these words have been composed with earlier words, or that the words are mixed. Their claim is grandiose, but their stature is diminished.

A Spiritual Disease - The Ummah Clings to One Verse

236 This is after these denials and objections were mentioned, they said: After Moses and Jesus, according to the scriptures, there should not be sent an independent prophet who abrogates the law. Someone must come who complements the previous law. This blessed verse, which is a symbol of all divine matters and an example of the continuity of Rahman’s blessings, was revealed: “And Joseph had already come to you before with clear proofs, but you remained in doubt of that which he brought to you until when he died, you said, ‘Never will Allah send a messenger after him.’ Thus does Allah leave astray he who is a transgressor and skeptic.” And it was clearly understood that Joseph had come to you with proofs before, yet you remained in doubt of what he brought to you, until when he died, you said, ‘Allah will never send a messenger after him.’ Thus, Allah leads astray those who transgress and harbor doubt in their Creator.

So understand from this verse and be certain that in every age, the Ummah clings to a verse from the book and they uttered such nonsensical words that no prophet should come to innovate. Like the verse of the Gospel that was mentioned, the scholars argued it to prove that the law of the Gospel will never be abrogated and that no independent prophet will be sent except to affirm the law of the Gospel. And most of the nations have fallen prey to this spiritual disease.

237 Just as you see the people of discernment clinging to the phrase “Seal of the Prophets” in the same manner as the previous nations, despite them acknowledging that “And none know its interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge.” When one who is deeply rooted in sciences and their depths, souls, essences, and substances provides an explanation that contradicts their desires, you then see what they say and do. These are none other than the heads of people in religion who have not understood anything divine other than their own desires, have not found any doctrine other than their school of thought, have veiled themselves with the veils of knowledge, and have lost their way due to its misguidance. As explicitly stated by the Lord of all creatures: “Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?”

It refers to the heedless one who has made the whims of his own soul his god and whom Allah has led astray in spite of his knowledge, has sealed his hearing and his heart and has set a veil over his eyes. So, who after Allah will guide him? Do you not take heed?

238 In the meaning of “And Allah has led him astray due to knowledge.” Although the outward meaning is as mentioned, to this humble one, the verse’s purpose refers to the scholars of the age who have turned away from the beauty of truth and clung to their own knowledge, derived from their ego and desires, and used it to argue against divine revelation and His command. “Say, ‘It is great news that you turn away from.’” And similarly, it says: “And when Our clear signs are recited to them, they say, ‘This is nothing but a man who wants to divert you from what your fathers were worshiping,’ and they say, ‘This is nothing but a fabricated lie.’” And the truth says: when it is recited to them, i.e., to those impudent disbelievers, the sacred, unique verses, the ignorant polytheists say, ‘This is nothing but a man who wants to prevent you from what your fathers were worshiping,’ and they further say, ‘This is nothing but a fabricated lie.’

239 Hear the divine holy call and the sweet melody of the Eternal One, how it subtly warns those who deny His verses and expresses disdain for those who reject His sacred words. Observe the people’s distance from the fountain of nearness, and their arrogance and denial of that holy beauty. Even though that essence of kindness and generosity guides the structures of non-existence to the arena of existence, and indicates the wealth of the holy Shariah to the true destitute, still some say, ‘This is a man who fabricates lies about the Lord of the worlds,’ and some say, ‘He is preventing people from the religion’s Shariah and faith,’ and some attributed madness to Him, and the like.

240 As you observe today, consider the frivolous words attributed to that eternal essence and the false associations and errors ascribed to that source and mine of infallibility. Despite the divine book and the holy tablet of the Eternal One, which, in all its pages and words, warns those who deny and deviate from its verses, and brings good news to those who accept it, consider how many objections have been raised against the verses descending from the celestial realms of holiness.

Even though the eye of possibility has never seen such grace, and the ear of the universe has never heard such favor, with verses flowing like spring rains from the clouds of divine mercy. The great prophets, whose dignity and station are as clear and evident as the sun, each took pride in a book in their hands, observed and its verses enumerated. Yet from this cloud of divine mercy, so much has descended that no one has yet fully enumerated.

As of now, twenty volumes have been received, and who knows how much has not yet arrived, and how much has been scattered and fallen into the hands of the idolaters, with no knowledge of what they have done.

241 O Brother, we must open our eyes and reflect, seeking refuge in the divine manifestations. Perhaps we may learn from the clear admonitions of the Book, become alert by the advice mentioned in the Tablets, not object to the verses revealed, surrender to His command with all our hearts, accept His decree with our entire soul and being, and submit so that we might enter the realm of mercy and find a dwelling on the shores of grace. Indeed, He is forgiving and merciful to His servants.

242 And He also says: “Say: ‘O People of the Scripture, do you resent us except [for the fact] that we have believed in God and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed before, and because most of you are defiantly disobedient?’” How clear is the intent in this verse, and how demonstrative is the authority of the revealed verses. This verse was revealed at a time when the disbelievers were causing harm to Islam and were attributing disbelief, just as they were attributing to the companions of His Holiness, saying you have disbelieved in God and have become believers and confident in a lying sorcerer.

At the outset of Islam, when the matter did not yet have apparent strength, wherever the friends of His Holiness were encountered, they were subjected to the utmost harm, torture, stoning, and abuse by those turning towards God. At this time, this blessed verse descended from the singular heavens as a clear proof and apparent evidence. It taught the companions of His Holiness to say to the disbelievers and polytheists: “Are you tormenting us and committing injustice against us? Nothing emanated from us except that we believed in God and the verses that were revealed to us through the tongue of Muhammad, as well as the verses that were revealed to His prophets before.”

The aim is that we are not at fault except that we considered all the new divine verses revealed to Muhammad, as well as the ancient verses revealed to previous prophets, as from God, and we accepted and admitted them. This is an evidence that the Sovereign of the Singular has taught His servants.

243 Despite this, is it permissible for one to turn away from these novel verses, which have encompassed the East and the West, while considering themselves among the faithful? Or should they become believers of the Revealer of the verses, by arguing that He Himself does not regard the affirmers among the faithful? Far be it, then far be it, for Him to expel those turning towards and affirming His singular verses from the gates of His mercy and to threaten those clinging to His established proof. Indeed, He affirms the truth with His verses and substantiates the command with His words. He is indeed the Empowered, the Guardian, the Capable.

244 And He also says, “Even if We had sent down to you a Scripture written on paper, and they touched it with their own hands, those who disbelieve would say, ‘This is nothing but clear magic.’” And most of the verses of the Qur’an demonstrate this point, and I have abbreviated to these mentioned verses. Now observe that in the entire Book, besides the verses that He has established as proof for recognizing the manifestations of His beauty, is there any other matter mentioned to which they could cling and object? Rather, in all cases, those who deny His verses and mock them have been promised the fire, as has become apparent.

245 Now, if someone comes with millions of verses, sermons, scrolls, and supplications without having received instruction, on what basis can they object and be deprived of this greatest bounty? What will they answer after the ascent of the soul from the body of darkness? Will they cling to the excuse that they adhered to a particular tradition, and because they did not find its meaning apparently, they objected to the Manifestation of the Cause and turned away from the ordinances of Truth?

Have you not heard that among the reasons why some of the Prophets were of the ’Ulu’l-’Azm (those who possessed constancy) was the revelation of a Book upon them? And this is established. Despite this, how is it permissible that they should follow those who, out of their ignorance, twist some words of the possessor of these many volumes of Scriptures to cast doubt into the hearts of the people, becoming a Satan of the age to misguide the servants and lead astray those in the lands, and thus remain bereft of the Sun of divine grace?

Beyond all these degrees, do they seek to avoid this holy and merciful Breath, and turn their backs? I do not know to what they would cling and to which aspect they would turn. Indeed, “For each [religious following] is a direction toward which it faces.” We have shown you the two paths in these two methods; then walk on what you choose for yourself. And this is the statement of truth, and anything after truth is nothing but misguidance.

246 Among the proofs affirming this truth is that in every era and age, when the identity of the unseen was manifested in human form, some people who were not well-known and had no desire for worldly matters became illuminated by the radiance of the Sun of Prophethood, guided by the lights of the Moon of Guidance, and they succeeded in attaining divine presence. That’s why scholars of the time and the wealthy of the era would scoff at them. As it is said on the tongue of those lost ones: “The eminent among his people who disbelieved said, ‘We do not see you as anything but a human like us, and we see only the lowliest among us follow you without thinking. We see no merit in you over us; rather, we think you are liars.’”

They protested and said about those holy manifestations that only our contemptible ones, who are unworthy of any consideration, have followed you. What they meant was that the scholars, the wealthy, and the knowledgeable among the people did not believe in you. And with such reasoning and the like, they were arguing against the validity of the one with the truth.

The Proofs of the Bab’s Greater Sovereignty

247 As for this manifestation, it is more apparent and of greater sovereignty. A group of enlightened scholars, perfect nobles, and mature jurists have been blessed from the cup of nearness and unity, and they have succeeded due to immense grace and have transcended the realms of possibility in the path of their Beloved. The names of some of these individuals are mentioned, perhaps to ensure the steadfastness of troubled souls and those who are not certain. However, without providing specific names, I cannot proceed with further detailed information.

The Testimony of the Bab’s Followers

248 Among them is Mulla Husayn, where the sun of appearance has shone. If it were not for him, God would not have settled on the throne of his mercy, nor would he have settled on the footstool of his oneness. And dignified is Seyyed Yahya, who was the unique of his era and the solitary of his time. And Mulla Muhammad Ali Zanjani, Mulla Ali Bastami, Mulla Sa’id Barfurushi, Mulla Na’imatullah Mazandarani, Mulla Yusuf Ardibili, Mulla Mahdi Khuyi, Aqa Seyyed Hussein Torshizi, Mulla Mahdi Kandi and his brother Mulla Baqir, Mulla Abdulkhaliq Yazdi, Mulla Ali Barqani, and the likes of them. They were almost four hundred people whose names are all registered in the preserved divine tablet.

249 All these became guided, acknowledged, and submitted to that sun of manifestation to the extent that most of them passed beyond their possessions and families, and joined in the satisfaction of the Glorious One. They rose from the soul for the Beloved and spent everything they had been blessed with. To the point where their chests became the place for the arrows of opponents and their heads the adornment of the spears of polytheists. There was no land that had not drank from the breath of these detached spirits and no sword that was not wiped against their necks. Their deeds are enough evidence of their truthful words.

Does not the martyrdom of these holy souls, who sacrificed their lives for the Beloved in such a way that the whole world was astonished by the devotion of their hearts and souls, suffice for these servants who exist, and deny some worshippers who have corrupted the religion, turned eternity into annihilation, exchanged the Kawthar of nearness with salty springs, and sought nothing but the acquisition of people’s wealth? As observed, all are preoccupied with the decorations of the world and have remained distant from the highest Lord.

250 Now, be fair. Whose testimony is acceptable and heard? The testimony of those whose words and actions match, whose appearance and inner self correspond, whose deeds confound the minds, and souls marvel at their perseverance, and whose bodies have endured so much. Or the testimony of those who are in denial, who cannot bring anything but their self-interest, who have not found salvation from the cage of false assumptions?

Those who do not rise from their bed during the day except to pursue the transient world like nocturnal bats, and do not rest at night except to work on petty matters. They are preoccupied with their self-serving plans and oblivious of divine destiny. They spend their days struggling for their livelihood and their nights preparing their beds.

Is it permissible in any religion or nation to cling to the aversions of these limited souls and ignore the acceptance and verification of souls who have transcended their wealth, reputation, honor, shame, and name for the satisfaction of the truth?

251 Did they not previously consider the cause of the Master of Martyrs as the greatest of affairs and the grandest evidence of his truth? They used to say that such a thing has never happened in the world and the truth has not manifested with such perseverance and appearance? Even though the cause of that honorable one did not extend from morning to noon, but these holy lights have been passing through eighteen years in which calamities have rained on them from all sides.

With what love, affection, and passion they freely gave their lives in the path of the Sublime, as is clear and evident to everyone. Despite this, how do they consider this matter easy? Has such a grave matter ever manifested in any era? And if these companions are not striving for God, then who will be the striver? Were they seeking honor, position, and wealth? Did they have any purpose other than pleasing God?

If all these companions with these strange effects and peculiar deeds are false, then who else is worthy to claim truth? I swear by God that their deeds alone are sufficient proof and complete evidence for all on earth, if people pondered the secrets of the matter. “And those who have wronged will know to what return they will be returned.”

252 Moreover, the sign of truth and falsehood has been established and fixed in the book. All the claims and pleas of the servants should be tested against this divine criterion to distinguish the truthful from the liar. This is what He says: “So wish for death if you are truthful.” Now observe these truthful martyrs, for the text of the book testifies to the truth of their word, as you have seen that they have all expended their lives, wealth, wives, children, and all they possess and have ascended to the highest chambers of Divine pleasure.

Isn’t the testimony of these lofty emanations and detached souls acceptable in affirming this high and exalted matter, and the testimony of this group who have left their faith for gold and have sought caution for being first, is admissible and acceptable in denying this light? Although all people have recognized them and have perceived this much, that they do not pass over a speck of worldly apparent credit for the sake of divine religion, let alone life, wealth, and the like.

The Muslim Leadership Failed the Divine Test

253 Now observe how the divine criterion has clarified in the text of the book and has distinguished the pure from the fraudulent, yet they have still not become poets and are occupied in the sleep of negligence with the pursuit of the fleeting world and superficial leadership.

254 O son of man, days have passed over you, during which you have been preoccupied with the delusions and illusions that your soul desires. How long will you continue to sleep on your bed? Raise your head from sleep. For the sun has risen at midday, perhaps it will illuminate you with the lights of beauty. Peace be upon you.

255 But it should be known that these scholars and jurists who have been mentioned did not have any outward leadership. It is impossible for the renowned and powerful scholars of the age, who sit on the seat of judgment and are settled on the bed of command, to follow the truth unless your Lord wills. Such a thing has not appeared in the world of manifestation except for a few: “And few of My servants are grateful.”

As in this age, none of the famous scholars who had the reins of the people in their hands of authority sought acceptance. Instead, they tried to repel with complete hatred and denial to the extent that no ear has heard and no eye has seen.

256 And the Lord Most High, may our souls be a sacrifice to Him, has especially issued a signature to all scholars in every country, and He has mentioned in detail in His signature the degrees of turning away and neglect of each one of them. “So take a lesson, O possessors of insight.”

The purpose of mentioning this was so that the people of explanation would not object at the appearance of the one crying for help in the last resurrection, that a group of scholars had confirmed in the appearance of explanation and why it did not happen in this appearance, and we seek refuge in God from adhering to such nonsense and becoming deprived of divine beauty.

Indeed, most of the scholars who were mentioned were not famous and by the grace of God, they were sanctified and exalted from the outward leadership and ephemeral adornments. That is from the bounty of Allah, He gives it to whom He wills.

The Bab’s Steadfastness

257 Another proof and evidence, which shines like the sun among the evidences, is the steadfastness of that eternal beauty in the divine order. Despite being in their youth and facing a matter that was contrary to all the people of the earth, including the low and noble, the rich and poor, the mighty and the humiliated, the ruler and the ruled, they still rose up and adhered to that divine order as if all had heard them. They showed no fear of anyone or anything and paid no attention to them. Can this be anything other than a divine command and a divine, confirmed will?

I swear by God that if anyone even imagines such a thing, they would be destroyed instantly. And even if they had the hearts of the whole world in their own heart, they still would not dare to undertake such a significant matter unless it were by God’s permission and their heart connected to the divine outpourings and their soul assured by divine care.

What do they attribute this to? Do they attribute it to madness, as they did with the previous prophets? Or do they say that they have exposed these matters for the sake of outward leadership and gathering the ephemeral adornments of the world?

258 Glory be to God! In the beginning of their book, which they have called the “Qayyūm al-Asmā”, the first, greatest, and most grand of all their books, they give news of their own martyrdom. In one place, they recite this verse: “O Remnant of God, I have given my whole self for you, and have accepted to suffer in your path. I have desired nothing but martyrdom in your love, and God, the Most High, is sufficient as an eternal protector.”

259 Also in the interpretation of the [letter] “Ha” they expressed their desire for martyrdom: ‘It is as though I heard a crier cry within my secret, ’Sacrifice the dearest of things to you in the path of God, just as Husayn (peace be upon him) sacrificed in My path.’ And if it were not that I am looking at that impending secret, by the One in whose hand is my soul, even if all the kings of the earth were to gather, they could not take from me a single letter, so what of the servants who have no concern with this, and indeed they are rejected.’…until he said, ‘So that everyone may know my position of patience, satisfaction, and sacrifice in the path of God.’

260 Could the bearer of such a proclamation ever tread a path other than the divine straight path or seek anything other than His pleasure? Hidden within this verse is a gust of renunciation that, if it were to blow, all the structures of existence would donate their souls and pass away. Now, observe how unappreciative and ungrateful they are, to the point of absolute ingratitude, their eyes blind to all of this as they rush back to the carrion from which the outcry of the stolen wealth of Muslims emerges. And in spite of this, what inappropriate attributions they make to the study of sanctity. Thus, we recount for you what the hands of those who disbelieved and turned away from meeting God on the Day of Resurrection have wrought. God punished them with the fire of their polytheism and prepared for them in the afterlife a punishment by which their bodies and souls will burn. This is because they said that God was not capable of anything and that His hand was tied from bestowing grace.

261 And steadfastness in the divine command is a grand proof and a tremendous evidence. Just as the Seal of the Prophets said, “The two verses have aged me,” meaning the two verses that both embody steadfastness in God’s command, as it says, “So remain on a right course as you have been commanded.”

262 Now observe how this Lote Tree of divine glory began to proclaim the cause of God in early youth and how much steadfastness was manifested from that beauty of oneness that all the people on earth could not deter it. Whatever harm was inflicted on that blessed Lote Tree only increased its longing, and the fire of its love became more intense. This is clearly evident, and no one denies it. Eventually, it sacrificed its life and hastened to the Supreme Companion.

263 Among the evidence of the Manifestation, dominance, power, and encompassing reality, that emanated from the Essence of Being and the Manifestation of the Divine, was apparent throughout all regions of the world. Indeed, that Eternal Beauty revealed itself in Shiraz in the year sixty and unveiled itself. Despite this, in a short time, signs of dominance, power, sovereignty, and authority from that Jewel of Jewels and Ocean of Oceans became apparent in all lands. To the extent that from each country, the signs, indications, evidences, and symbols of that divine Sun became clear.

How many pure, refined hearts have spoken of that eternal Sun, and how many drops of knowledge have flowed from that ocean of divine knowledge that encompassed all possibilities, even though in every country and city all scholars and nobles rose to prevent and deny them. They tightened the belts of envy, oppression, and injustice to resist them. They killed holy souls, who were gems of justice, out of oppression, and destroyed spiritual structures that purely emanated knowledge and action with the worst of punishments.

Despite all this, each of these beings was occupied with the remembrance of God until their last breath, flying in the atmosphere of submission and contentment. They were so transformed and influenced that they sought no desire other than His will, chose no command other than His, surrendered to His pleasure, and attached their hearts to His thought.

264 Now consider for a moment, has such influence and encompassing reality ever been possible for anyone else? And all these sanctified hearts and holy souls hastened with complete satisfaction in the face of destiny, and nothing but gratitude emanated from them in times of complaint, and nothing but contentment was witnessed from them in times of calamity.

It is clear that all the people of the earth had so much hatred, resentment, and enmity towards these companions. As if they considered the suffering and torment of those spiritual holy effulgences as the cause of their salvation and deliverance, and as the means for their eternal success and prosperity. Has there ever been such an uproar in any history from the time of Adam until now, and has such a disturbance ever been caused among the servants?

And with all this torment and distress, they became the place of curse for all people and the subject of blame for all servants. It seems as if patience in the world of existence became manifest from their forbearance, and loyalty in the pillars of the world became existent from their action.

265 Truly, reflect upon all these incidents and narrated events to understand the magnitude of the matter and the greatness of it, so that with the grace of the Merciful, a spirit of tranquility may be breathed into existence, and you may rest and sit on the bed of certainty. The one God is the witness that if you reflect upon all of these established matters and mentioned proofs in their entirety, the rejection, cursing, and condemnation of the people of the earth on these knights of the field of submission and selflessness is the greatest proof and the strongest evidence of their truthfulness.

And the more you think about the objections of all people from scholars, virtuous, and ignorant about this firm matter, the more solid, firm, and established you become. Because all that has happened has been foretold by the sources of divine knowledge and positions of eternal commandments.

Prophecies Fulfilled By the Bab

266 Although this servant did not intend to mention the previous narrations, considering your love for them, I will cite a few that are appropriate for this context. However, in truth, there is no need, as what has been mentioned is sufficient for all the earth and its inhabitants. Indeed, all books and secrets have been mentioned in this summary, so that if one contemplates enough, they will grasp all the secrets of the divine words and apparent matters from that true sovereign from what has been mentioned.

Yet, as all people are not on the same level and status, I will therefore mention a few narrations so that it can be a means for the reassurance of wavering souls and the tranquility of disturbed minds, and so that the divine proof upon the highest and the lowest of the servants is complete and perfect.

267 Among the narrations is this one that says: “When the banner of truth appears, it will be cursed by the people of the East and the West.” Now, you need to drink some from the wine of detachment, and roost upon the branch of abstinence, and keep in mind that “contemplation for an hour is better than seventy years of worship”. What could be the reason for this strange occurrence that all people, despite their declaration of love and seeking of the truth, curse the people of truth after its manifestation, as it is understood from the narration?

It is clear that the reason is the abrogation of norms, customs, and manners to which all people have been confined. Otherwise, if the beauty of the Most Merciful were to operate within the same norms and manners and confirm people in what they are engaged in, why would so much conflict and corruption appear in the realm?

This noble narration is confirmed and affirmed by His saying: “The Day the caller calls to something forbidding.” (Quran, 50:41)

268 Indeed, when the divine herald calls people from beyond the sacred veils to complete detachment from what they possess, and since this divine call contradicts their desires, it gives rise to all these trials and tests. Observe the state of people who do not mention these firm narrations that have all come to pass, but cling to those narrations whose authenticity and invalidity are not known, asking why they have not come to pass. Yet, what they did not comprehend has indeed become manifest and evident.

The signs and evidences of truth are as apparent as the sun at noon, yet the servants have remained lost in the wilderness of ignorance and unknowing. Even though many of the Verses of the Qur’an and the authentic narrations all indicate a new law and a novel command, they still await the promised appearance to pronounce judgement according to the Qur’anic law, just as the Jews and Christians make the same claim.

269 Among the phrases suggesting a new religious law and unique command are excerpts from the Supplication of Nudba, which say: “Where is the one held in reserve for the renewal of obligations and traditions? Where is the chosen one for the revival of the community and the Sharia?” In a visitation, it is said: “Peace be upon the new truth.” “Abu Abdullah was asked about the path of the Mahdi. How is his path? He said: ‘He will do what the Messenger of Allah did, and he will demolish what was before him, just as the Messenger of Allah demolished the matters of ignorance.’”

270 Observe that despite such narrations, they make arguments against the change in religious rulings, even though the purpose of every appearance (of a divine figure) is to usher in a change and transformation, openly and secretly, outwardly and inwardly, in the foundations of the world. If in no way the earthly matters change, the appearance of universal phenomena would be cancelled.

Yet in “Awalim”, a book that is considered reliable and popular, it says: “A child from Banu Hashim will emerge with a new book and new rulings,” until he says, “And most of his enemies are scholars.” In another place, it mentions Sadiq bin Muhammad who said: “Indeed, a child from Banu Hashim will appear and command people to pledge allegiance to him, and he is with a new book. He will have people pledge allegiance to a new book. He is severe upon the Arabs. If you hear anything from him, hasten to him.”

Well, they followed the advice of the Imams of the religion and the lamps of certainty. Although it says: if you hear that a young man from Banu Hashim has appeared and is calling people to a new divine book and novel divine rulings, hasten towards him. Despite this, they all permitted the judgment of disbelief and leaving the faith to that Master, and they did not go towards that Hashemite light and sublime appearance except with drawn swords and hearts filled with grudges.

Also observe the hostility of the scholars which is so explicitly mentioned in the aforementioned book. Despite all these clear narrations and clear, authoritative indications, all people have turned away from the pure essence of knowledge and expression, and have inclined towards the manifestations of misguidance and tyranny. And with these narrated narrations and revealed words, they say what their souls desire. And if the essence of truth states something that contradicts the desires and whims of this group, they immediately declare disbelief, and they say: This contradicts the saying of the Imams of the religion and clear lights and such a matter and ruling have not been issued in the solid religious law. Just as today, such futile words are emanating and appearing from these transient bodies.

271 Now consider this narration, which has foretold all matters in advance. In “Arbaeen”, it is mentioned: “A child from Banu Hashim will appear with new rulings. He will call upon people, and no one will respond to him. Most of his enemies are the scholars. When he makes a ruling about something, they will not obey him. They will say, ‘This contradicts what we have from the Imams of the religion’,” and so on with the rest of the narration. Just as today, they are all repeating these same words, and it doesn’t matter to them that the presence is seated on the throne, doing what he pleases, and is situated on the seat, ruling what he desires.

272 And no understanding can precede the manner of his manifestation, and no gnosis can encompass the quantity of his affair. All sayings are contingent upon his confirmation and all matters are in need of his command. All other than him are created by his command and exist by his decree. He is the one who manifests divine secrets and clarifies the wisdom of the unseen.

As mentioned in “Bihar al-Anwar”, “Al-Awalem”, and in “Yanbu”, from Sadiq bin Muhammad, he said: “Knowledge is twenty-seven letters. All that the messengers have brought are two letters, and people have not known until today except these two letters. When our Qa’im arises, he will bring out the twenty-five letters.”

Consider this, he defined knowledge as twenty-seven letters and all the prophets from Adam to the last one have explained only two letters of it. And they were sent with these two letters. And he says: The Qa’im will manifest all these twenty-five letters. From this statement, realize the rank and degree of his eminence which is greater than all the prophets and his affair is higher and more elevated than the gnosis and understanding of all the saints.

And an affair that the prophets, saints, and chosen ones have not been informed of, or have not expressed due to God’s decisive command, these ignorant people measure it with their deficient intellect, sciences, and understandings, and if it doesn’t conform, they reject it. “Do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even more astray in the path.”

273 What do they interpret this specific Hadith, which is explicit about the manifestation of unseen matters and new extraordinary affairs during the time of his eminence? These extraordinary affairs will cause differences among people to the extent that all scholars and jurists will decree the killing of his eminence and his companions and all the people of the earth will oppose his uprising.

As stated in “Kafi” in Jabir’s hadith about “The Tablet of Fatima,” it describes the Qa’im: “Upon him is the perfection of Moses, the splendor of Jesus, and the patience of Job. His allies will be humiliated during his time and their heads will be exchanged just as the heads of the Turks and the Daylam are exchanged. They will be killed and burned and they will be afraid, terrified, and horrified. The earth will be soaked with their blood, and woe and lamentation will spread among their women. Truly, they are my allies.”

Consider this, that nothing remains of this hadith except what has already happened. As in many places, their noble blood was spilled, they were taken as prisoners in every country, and they were circulated through provinces and cities. Some of them were burned.

Yet, no one considered that if the promised Qa’im were to appear according to the previous Shari’ah and decrees, why would these hadiths be mentioned and why would such disagreement appear to the extent that they would deem it obligatory to kill these companions and consider the torment of these holy souls as a means to reach the stages of proximity?

274 Furthermore, observe how all these events and actions have been mentioned in the previous Hadiths. As in “Rawdat al-Kafi” in the description of Zawraa, it is said:

“Mu’awiya ibn Wahb narrates from Abu Abdullah who asked: ‘Do you know Zawraa?’ I replied: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, they say it is Baghdad.’ He said ‘No,’ then he asked: ‘Have you entered Rayy?’ I replied: ‘Yes.’ He asked: ‘Have you come to the animal market?’ I replied: ‘Yes.’ He asked: ‘Did you see the Black Mountain on the right of the road? That is Zawraa. Eighty men from the lineage of so-and-so will be killed there, all of them suitable for the caliphate.’ I asked: ‘Who will kill them?’ He said: ‘The children of the Persians will kill them.’”

This is another clear example of the Hadiths foretelling the tragic and tumultuous events that will unfold in the time of the Qa’im.

275 Indeed, this is the fate and order of the companions of that revered figure, as was foretold. And now, observe that Zawraa according to this narration is the land of Rayy. These companions were brutally murdered in that place, and all these sacred beings were martyred by the Persians, as mentioned in the aforementioned Hadith, and as has been heard and is clear and proven to the whole world.

So why don’t these deceitful people of the earth ponder over these Hadiths, all of which have become clear as the sun in the middle of the sky, and seek the truth? Why do they turn away from the manifestation of the truth and the beauty of Allah due to some Hadiths whose meaning they fail to comprehend? Why do they choose hell as their abode?

Isn’t this turning away simply because of the jurisprudents of the time and the scholars of the era? This is why Sadiq bin Muhammad has said, “The jurists of that time are the worst jurists under the shade of the sky. From them comes fitnah (trial and discord), and to them, it returns.”

This highlights the corruption of religious leadership in that era and how it contributes to the misunderstandings and trials faced by the followers.

The One Eyed One’s Opposition To Baha’u’llah

276 I call upon the scholars and jurists to avoid such a course of action. They should not bring to the Divine Essence, the divine light, the pure eternal, and the origin and end of unseen manifestations in the time of “Mustaghath” what they have brought to this blind one. They should not rely solely on their intellect, understanding, and knowledge, and not oppose that manifestation of infinite divine knowledge.

Despite all these admonitions, it is seen that a one-eyed individual who is a leader of the people will rise in extreme opposition. Similarly, in each country, some rise to deny that holy beauty, and the companions of that existence’s king and the desired essence flee to mountains and deserts, hiding from the oppressors. Some entrust themselves to God and sacrifice their lives in complete detachment.

It seems apparent that a person who is known for his asceticism and piety, so much so that all people consider his obedience obligatory and his command necessary, will rise to fight against that divine tree’s origin and rise in extreme efforts and strive in opposition. Such is the condition of people.

277 Indeed, we hope that the people of understanding may be nurtured, may fly in the air of the spirit, and reside in the atmosphere of the soul. They should distinguish the truth from falsehood and recognize the confusion of falsehood with their insightful vision.

However, these days a scent of envy has arisen, and I swear by the nurturer of existence from the unseen and witnessed, from the very first structure of the world’s existence—although it is not the first—that such jealousy and hatred have not appeared before and will not appear again.

Some, who have not smelled the scent of fairness, have raised the banners of hypocrisy and unanimously oppose this servant. They openly launch spears from every direction and fly arrows from every side. Even though I have not claimed any superiority over anyone and have not sought any merit for myself. I have been a companion to everyone with utmost kindness and have been a friend with the utmost patience and generosity. I have been like the poor with the poor and have been in complete submission and satisfaction with the scholars and the great.

However, by Allah, the one besides whom there is no god, despite all the trials, hardships, and injuries that came from enemies and the People of the Book, they are nothing compared to what came from the beloved. It is utterly lost and completely missing.

278 Verily, what can I express that if fairness were possible, it could not endure this explanation. This servant, upon first entering this land and generally learning about the newly occurring matters, chose to migrate beforehand and set my head in the deserts of separation. I spent two years alone in the wilderness of alienation, with my eyes like flowing springs and my heart like surging seas. There were nights when my strength failed, and days when my body found no rest.

Despite these descending tribulations and consecutive calamities, I swear by the One who holds my life in His hand, there was complete joy and manifest happiness. This is because I had no awareness of loss or gain, health or illness. I was occupied with myself and oblivious of others. Unaware that the divine decree’s rope is broader than imagination and the sanctified arrow of His determination is beyond planning. There is no escape from His lasso and no solution to His will other than acceptance.

I swear by God, there was no thought of returning during my migration, and no hope of continuation in my journey. The aim was nothing other than to avoid becoming a source of disagreement among the beloved, a cause of upheaval among companions, a reason for someone’s harm, or a cause of sadness in someone’s heart. Apart from what I have mentioned, there was no other thought, no other purpose. Even though everyone tied a burden and harbored their own thoughts.

Finally, the command to return was issued from the source of the command and I submitted without a doubt, and I returned.

279 My pen is now incapable of recounting what was observed after my return. Two years have now passed, during which my enemies have been utterly diligent and attentive in their efforts to annihilate this transient servant, as everyone has been made aware. Despite this, not a single soul among the beloved has shown any support, nor intended to lend any assistance. Instead of support, consecutive sorrows, both verbally and practically, are constantly pouring down like a torrential rain.

In perfect contentment, I am ready to lay down my life, hoping that by the divine favor and sublime grace, the aforementioned matter would be made known. I am ready to sacrifice myself for the sake of the ultimate point and the supreme word, and to give up my life. If it were not for this thought, I swear by the One who set the spirit speaking by His command, I would not have lingered in this land - and God is sufficient as a witness.

I conclude with there is no power and no strength except with God, and verily we belong to God, and verily to Him we are returning.

Conclusion

280 The ones who possess insight, who have tasted the pure wine of love, and have not let themselves be ruled by their desires, will observe the evidences, proofs, and testimonies that are manifest in all phenomena for this extraordinary matter and divine revelation, clear as the sun in the fourth heaven. Observe now how people turn away from the divine beauty and instead incline towards their base desires.

Despite these perfected verses and firm signs that are contained in the greater weight, a divine trust amongst the servants, and these clear hadiths that are more explicit than any explanation or clarification, they have turned away and become oblivious. They cling to a few hadiths that do not accord with their understanding, and of which they have not grasped the meaning, adhering to their outward form and thereby remaining deprived of and despondent about the unceasing, crystal-clear stream of the everlasting beauty’s wine.

281 Observe that in the traditions, the year of the appearance of that luminous essence has also been mentioned, yet they have not taken heed, nor have they detached themselves from their base desires for even a moment.

Consider the tradition of Mufaddal, where he asked about Imam Sadiq, “My master, how will it be at the time of his appearance?” The Imam replied, “In the sixtieth year, his cause will appear and his mention will rise.”

282 Indeed, it is perplexing how these servants have avoided the truth despite these clear indications. For instance, consider the mention of sorrow, imprisonment, and tribulation that befell that Essence of divine nature as foretold in the traditions.

In Bihar al-Anwar, it is stated: “Indeed, in our Qa’im there are four signs from four Prophets: Moses, Jesus, Joseph, and Muhammad. As for the sign from Moses, it is fear and expectation. As for the sign from Jesus, it is what they said about him. The sign from Joseph is imprisonment and dissimulation. The sign from Muhammad is that he will appear with evidence similar to the Quran.”

With this firm tradition that explains all matters in accordance with what has happened, still, no one has taken notice, and I do not expect that anyone will take notice hereafter, except for those whom your Lord wills. Indeed, God causes to hear whomever He wills, but I cannot make those hear who are in the graves.

283 Indeed, it is known to that personage that the birds of his essence and the eternal doves have two modes of expression. One mode of expression is according to the outward, uttered without riddles or veils or barriers, so as to serve as a guiding lamp and a path-illuminating light, leading the wayfarers to the ascents of sanctity and drawing the seekers to the carpets of intimacy, as mentioned in the unveiled traditions and clear verses.

The other mode of expression is veiled and concealed, spoken so that those who hide what is in their hearts may be revealed and their truths may become apparent. This is why as-Sadiq bin Muhammad said, “By Allah, they will surely be sieved, and by Allah, they will surely be sifted.” This is the divine balance and the weight of the Eternal that tests His servants.

Only those with reassured hearts, contented souls, and detached hearts can grasp the meanings of these expressions. The intended meanings in such expressions are not the outward meanings that people comprehend.

This is why it is said, “For every knowledge, there are seventy aspects, and among people, there is only one. When the Qa’im rises, he will spread the remaining aspects among the people.”

Also, it was said, “We speak a word, and we mean from it one and seventy aspects, and we have an exit for each of them.”

284 Indeed, the mention of these levels is intended to ensure that individuals do not become disturbed by certain traditions and expressions whose effects have not yet manifested in the physical world, and that they do not attribute the lack of comprehension to the absence of the meanings of the traditions. This is because it is not known to those servants what the intended meanings of the Imams of the faith were, as can be understood from the traditions.

Therefore, servants should not exclude themselves from the outpourings of such expressions, but rather should ask those who belong to this realm, so that the hidden secrets may appear unveiled and clear without any veil. It’s crucial for individuals to ask, seek, and continue their spiritual journey with an open heart and mind, willing to comprehend the profound wisdom of the sacred traditions.

285 Indeed, it seems that no one among the people of the earth is seen to be a seeker of the truth so as to refer to the manifestations of divine unity in the matters of mysteries. Everyone dwells in the land of forgetfulness and follows the people of transgression and rebellion. But Allah deals with them as they act and forgets them as they forgot His encounter in His days. Thus was the decree upon those who disbelieved, and so shall it be decreed upon those who denied His signs. This reflects the need for individuals to strive in their pursuit of spiritual truth and not be led astray by those who reject divine teachings.

286 And I conclude my statement with His exalted saying: “And whoever is blind to the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We assign to him a devil, and he becomes his constant companion.” “And whoever turns away from My remembrance, indeed, he will have a difficult life.”

287 And so it was revealed before, if only you could understand.

288 What is revealed is from the Ba and the Ha.

289 And peace be upon whoever hears the melody of the butterfly in the Lote Tree of the farthest boundary.

290 So glorified is our Lord, the Most High.