Lawh-i-Istintaq

1 Glorified are You, O He who has established the essence within the essence through Himself, and has clothed the existence of antiquity with the garment of names and attributes. From Your pure name emerged the manifestations, from the beginning which has no beginning, and with Your concealed name, You have enfolded the innermost realities within the unseen of the unseen, such that what has appeared from the ancient of days will continue to appear until the end that has no end. With the rising of the sun of Your most radiant beauty, a luminescent dawn has ascended from the horizon of inception, bringing glad tidings to those in the divine blindness, filling permanence, and to the people of the realms that are not commemorated by the pen of creation, nor are their truths grasped by those endowed with admonition.

2 And then, regarding those in the most radiant human condition, [it is proclaimed] that this most splendid beauty and the most noble countenance has appeared through what is sanctified of my remembrance, my indication, my recognition, my evidence, my sanctification, my praise, my illumination, my glorification, my oneness, and my singling out of Him. And what is within the essence of my essence, the innate of my innate nature, in His mention and His glory. So, O You who have created within the explanation by my signs for His recognition, do not be veiled from that which the entire explanation was as a ring upon the finger of His will and a leaf from the pleasure of His command. So glorified are You, O One who cannot be signified by the remembrance, the Greatest Name, and cannot have the pen of old run over Your praise. So how can one be capable and able to articulate Your remembrance, this transient one who is the most abject of servants at the door of Your bounty, which has been opened to the nations, except by a spray from the oceans of Your generosity, which surged upon all existence, and overflowed from the surges of Your care, which churned upon those in the dominion of the foremost and the ultimate, where You have opened the tongues of all things with the most beautiful of remembrances, with the praise of Your chosen self, and the call arose from the heart of the deaf stone at the bottom of the seas, and what is upon the different forms, proclaiming that You are Allah, the Lord of what is seen and what is not seen.

3 Therefore, O my God, I ask You by this care that has encompassed all things, and by this mercy that has preceded those in creation, that You then send upon this transient being a breath from the breezes of Your giving bounty, and a fragrance from Your unique bounties with which the bones of the decayed have trembled, and the bodies of the dead have risen, because You are the Everlasting, the Perpetual, the Ancient, the Most Upright. With it, You praise Your beloved, and remember those whom You have made the lights of guidance among Your creation, the torches of unity among Your servants and Your creatures. Speak through what You inspire and impart to me from Your presence, for I know nothing, and You are the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. And You know, O my God, that my love for them and my remembrance at their side is purely for Your sake, purified from witnessing the other. I love, O my God, that they may glimpse the reality of matters in Your days as is their right to behold, and recognize what is hidden from them as is their right to recognize, so that by this their beings, their realities, their souls, and their likenesses in every realm of Your realms may remain knowing of Your truth, observant of what has manifested from You, and what You intended for them in the pavilions of Your care and favor. For if they were to gaze upon all matters and be veiled from anything, they would be veiled from Your Greater Countenance to that extent, and they would not turn towards You with complete vision. And this could not be except by sanctifying it from all that You have created and are creating, purified, or are purifying, as Your true and clear tongue has declared. If the vision were as vast as the heavens and the earth, and were to direct even a fraction of its glance elsewhere, who could then have the capacity to look upon this Highest Aspect in the way that is due for it in the right of sight?

4 Glorified, glorified is Your command, O my God, and exalted, exalted is Your appearance, O my Beloved! It has become exceedingly difficult for this servant above all hardship that anyone should be veiled during such days which the eyes of innovation have not seen their like, nor have those in invention beheld their equal; wherein You have purified through the camphor of Your beauty, and the chasteness of Your appearance, and the simplicity of Your belovedness. The heavens and the earth were encompassed with the manifestations of Your care and the emergences of Your subtleties, to the extent that every concealed matter, every hidden treasure, and every protected symbol was revealed, and the sun of meanings shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of eloquence, and You manifested through the appearances of Your most beautiful names and highest attributes upon those in possibility and the worlds, and those who wish to enter this exalted and impregnable carpet, this lofty and eminent abode, it behooves them that their hearts be sanctified from mentioning the signals of the past and the words which the forebearers of ignorance established, those who made themselves famous with knowledge and virtue.

5 Unto You be praise, O my God, for what You have appointed for those who approach this most exalted and supreme carpet, a station not attained by the birds of the hearts of those who abide eternally, nor by the realities of those in creation, as has been uttered by the manifestation of Your revelation and the dawning-place of Your inspiration, and the point of Your will—a drop from the ocean of the appearance of that revelation, stronger than all expression. Likewise, it descended in the Preserver of the Books and other Tablets in the mention of this most high station, a matter at which the minds of those endowed with understanding marvel. How sublime is the elevation of this creation which You have wrought from the simplicity of Your command and brought forth from the essence of Your innate nature! Therefore, O my God, how is it fitting that this wondrous creation, this exalted and sublime work, should find me bewildered, O my God, at the weight on some ears, the covering of some eyes, and the blindness of some hearts, so much so that at Your call, thrones do shake, the heavens are cleft asunder, the veils of the infinite are torn, and the mountains of the possibilities of creation are leveled, at a manifestation of the effulgences of the lights of Your countenance. With all this, some of Your servants and creatures do not attribute it to You, even though You call out at all times with the highest call above their heads and with all lights You stand right before their eyes. You have extended from the pocket of Will the hand of Desire and say with the authority of power and greatness, “Here is My hand of omnipotence which I have stretched forth over the divinity of My greatness, the might of My power, the sovereignty of My dominion, the realms of My eternity, and the regions of My command. I have folded all of them within My grasp by the encompassment of My knowledge therein. It is radiant with the lights of My face, a beam from the radiance of My countenance, and gleaming from the lights of My brow, given by My grace and bounty to whoever enters into My kingdom and might, while they mention amidst the surging of the seas of light, the tellers of the tales of darkness and delusion.”

6 O my God, all existence is embarrassed by their remembrance, yet they are not ashamed; and all possibilities are shy of their sayings, yet they do not become shy. Is the one who has been awakened by Your call, who has stood by the spirit of Your command, who has been vivified by the breath of Your mercy, and who has drunk from the cup of Your care, to let his tongue run with the imaginations that were on the tongues of the heedless among Your creatures and the ignorant of Your creation? No, by Your chosen beauty, except for the one whom You have made hearing an emblem of Your punishment, and sight a pit of hellfire in his face by Your command. O my God, I have committed with those remembrances in the presence of the authority of Your greatness, and indeed, You know that my very hairs flare up with fire by what I hear of the sayings of those who have not looked into the secrets of Your matter and the hidden things in Your knowledge, who have abandoned the high stations and are content with the low ranks, as if they have forgotten what has been revealed from the might of Your command. You said, and Your saying is the truth: “O son of the highest horizon! I have determined for you fruits from the most splendid tree, the purest fruits. How could you turn away from them and be satisfied with what is less? Return then to what is better for you in the highest horizon.” And I see some of them, O my God, they have veiled themselves with a word from the Book, after that which has indeed been revealed explicitly, without any obfuscation, that all the expression cannot equal a word from His presence, all that is mentioned of argument and proof, then evidence, signs, clear evidences, and indications, was nothing but for this greatest, most supreme Manifestation, such that no word is mentioned in it, nothing is found in it, and no letter is spoken except that it becomes a sign for Your matter and a proof for Your sovereignty, as has been spoken by the tongue of Will from Your presence, all that is created and will be created becomes a sign for it, created by His saying from His presence to be His proof for Himself on the day of His appearance. Indeed, O my God, You have made all expression contingent on Your permission and acceptance. He said, and His saying is the truth, “If You forgive the expression and those in it, it does not decrease from Your dominion anything, and if You do not accept the expression and those in it, it does not increase in Your dominion anything. Rather, if You accept that, You enter those captivated hearts into the shade of the shadows of Your love, and if You reject it, it perishes as if it never had a mention before.” Therefore, I ask You, O Owner of existence and King of the seen and the unseen, to aid everyone to turn towards the horizon of Your grace and favor, sanctified from the indications of nearness and distance, and to make them know what You have sent down in Your Book so they may grasp the essence of what is in it because this is Your intended purpose in what was sent down in truth, and Your beloved in what You have sent down in Your Books and Tablets. Indeed, You are the All-Powerful, the Overseer, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Wise.

7 “O Eternal God, You are the witness and aware that this servant at all times and moments has sought nothing but Your pleasure, and by Your grace, God willing, shall not do otherwise. Always, the eyes of this servant have been looking towards the greatest horizon and the heart attentive to the source of command. Whatever has been seen and understood has been presented in pure service to Your friends, so that perhaps receptive souls may drink from the fount of life that has flowed in the days of revelation from the finger of Your grace and bounty, and may turn their attention to the dawn of Your command and the orient of Your revelation. For some time, this servant has chosen silence over speech until it was observed in these days that the dark dust of oblivion stirred by the heedless souls is moving, and there was a fear that it might cloud some of the feeble sights. Therefore, relying on You and detaching from all else, this servant has deemed it necessary to relate some of the events that have taken place to Your beloved who are settled on the carpet of steadfastness and have drunk from the nectar of Your favor, so that perhaps they may protect the weak from the darkness of selfish desires and the satanic insinuations. By Your greatness, O Creator, at this time all the trembling members and unstable pillars of this servant, how can it be worthy that his words be accepted or his speech be mentioned? How can the how of existence rise up and where can the sheer non-existence encounter the appearance of existence? Because the mere presentation of these matters is an expression of existence, and that is counted among the greatest sins. But as it is presented for the sake of drawing nearer to the shore of Your proximity and the meeting, and for the souls to turn towards the Qibla of those in earth and heaven, therefore I beg forgiveness from the ocean of Your pardon, even though this servant certainly knows that You have always been independent of the remembrances and knowledge and the turning towards of people. Their approach does not benefit You, nor does their turning away harm You in any way. No description reaches Your sacred threshold, and no mention comes upon the mat of Your unity. Rather, any mention of unity in Your sacred threshold is purely sin and pure neglect, for the nobility thereof is in relation to You and is not attributed to it. If You were to drive them all away with their entirety, who could prevent You in that? And if You were to elevate them as You have elevated, who could object to Your action? Indeed, You are praiseworthy in all that You will and in all that You say and reveal. By Your might, O my God, I do not wish to choose for myself other than what You have chosen for me, nor do I want to speak except by what You command me to. My being shall look towards the horizon of Your commands and the orient of Your decrees. If You fold up the carpet of those who remember, which is spread out on the earth, I would say You are the sovereign in Your command, and if You command me with what is disliked among the kingdom, I would say You are the obeyed in Your decree. I ask You, O God, to make me among those who have not spoken except by Your permission and have not moved except by Your will. Indeed, You are the All-Powerful, the Most High, the Sovereign, the Sustainer.” “The presentation is made at the time of the entry of the beauty of the Divine Presence into the prison of Akka. For a while, the matter was very intense, and the details of it were presented to some of the friends during those days, and repetition is not necessary. Everyone was in utmost difficulty until one day a tablet from the source of the command was revealed and this servant proceeded to transcribe it. A verse from the heaven of will descended and named this prison ‘The Most Great Prison.’ This servant thought that this was directed to him, being named with this name, until one day verses were revealed saying, ‘Reflect upon why we have named this prison the Most Great.’ This discourse, which appeared from the dawn of divine revelation, made this servant very agitated and unstable, but trusting in God, I remained calm and in no way dared to ask until one day the mention of love and the turning towards one from the people of this city was presented to the divine throne. A specific tablet for him descended from the heaven of unity, detailing the events that had occurred on this earth, and that tablet is presently existing. After the revelation of that tablet, this servant knew that the greatness of this prison is due to the calamities that befall the Divine Presence until one day one of the companions, who was guilty and oppressive, got into a dispute and altercation with some of the companions, presented his case to the most sacred threshold and in that petition, claimed his innocence.”

8 “He is God. For a lover, self-display and self-awareness in the presence of the Beloved is not permissible. If one steps beyond this path, they are not counted among the lovers. Love does not accept the living ego, nor does the dead mouse catch prey. Yes, some lovers have managed to express their afflictions and tribulations in the court of the Beloved, and their aim has been engagement with the Beloved and listening to the Presence of the Desired One, not the mention of ego and whims. The condition of one with lofty aims is exalted and sublime, and he speaks with words; understand what he says and what he means. By God, if you knew and understood what lies beyond the veil of grandeur, the secrets of your Lord, the Most High, the Supreme, you would sacrifice yourselves in love for God, the Owner of Names. The storyteller, the Promised One, mentioned a tale that once we were on the Mount of Illumination, and the Beloved of horizons set out towards the mountains. With complete humility, from the claimants of love, it was hoped that this journey and migration, although apparently easy and simple, is, in essence, intense and a gate of trial. If in appearance it seems sovereign and authoritative, in meaning it is tribulation and distress beyond measure. Do not clear yourselves and do not impose hardship upon yourselves, and let me migrate by myself. The words of love and compassion, both implicitly and explicitly stated, did not bear fruit. This servant and a group, with the claim that we want no provision but the pleasure of the friend, and we have no aim but the countenance of the Beloved, secluding ourselves in our belief and heedless of the advice and certainty of the friend, resolved to travel. We became fellow travelers and companions on the path with the countenance of the Beloved. As far as we journeyed through the wilderness, the fire of love was subdued and the beauty of longing was veiled until we transcended this station. We saw good deeds as bad and counted bad deeds as the essence of good until we entered the Green Island. The Divine sphere in that spiritual land was established on generosity, and then on the mounts of passion in the wilderness of suspicions and illusions we traveled mornings and evenings, sometimes together, sometimes apart, sometimes in love, sometimes in negligence. We spent days and nights, and the stream of eloquence always flowed from the fountain of the Rahman’s mouth, yet thirst was absent, and the lights of the countenance from the horizon of majesty were shining, but the good fortune was not found. Every day we increased in illusion and speculation and decreased in attention to the truth. With these unpleasing conditions and unseemly behaviors, we were so immersed in the whirlpools of negligence and passion that we became heedless of our own states. In all conditions, we regarded the countenance of the Beloved with utmost compassion and tenderness. Some of us were perplexed—if the Divine knowledge encompasses all, how can we be accepted with these unworthy actions?”

9 “And ultimately, we considered the truth to be oblivious and ourselves as wise and knowledgeable, oblivious to the fact that divine mercy prevents the dishonor of secrets. If we served, we followed it up with favors or harm. Then, they intended to migrate from that land and once again prevented everyone from their presence. We did not perceive, nor were we aware of the reason for the prevention or what caused it. Once again we migrated and traversed the deserts with the Divine Presence until we entered another land and settled with the friend in one place. We became engaged in the whims of our egos until the flames of caprice prevailed, and we were barred from the luminous sight, and due to the multitude of encounters, the value of union was lost from sight, the veil of modesty was torn, and we have imprisoned the condition of the beloved in one place and at all times, sparing no efforts within our capacity and strength, from the arrows of suspicion and spears of illusion. For we have found it imprisoned and secluded. Our negligence reached a place that all the high dwellers are observers of, and from it, they derive blessing. In that blessed place, we audibly speak with ugly words and engage in the most losing deeds. Woe to us for the impact that the words of Allah have had on us, and yet we have not been aware nor have we at least refrained from doing wrong if we have not fulfilled our duty. Neither a night engaged in remembrance nor a moment in contemplation. It is told that Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad from Khurasan, who was among the most wretched of servants and highwaymen, fell in love with a maiden and came to her at night, climbing the wall when he heard someone reciting this verse: ’Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should humble themselves at the remembrance of Allah?’ And it affected his heart, so he said, ‘Indeed, my Lord, it has come,’ and he returned, repented, and headed towards the Sacred House of Allah, where he stayed for forty years until his soul ascended to the highest horizon. It is astonishing that the word of Allah heard from one of His servants had such an effect that in an instant, he turned from the depths of possibility to the horizon of the Merciful. And these servants have, night and day successively, listened to the divine breath of the Almighty from the tongue of power and majesty, and it did not impact us to at least be aware of the ugliness of our deeds, actions, suspicions, and illusions. When the story reached this point, the sphere of expression was struck by thunder and stunned, and the pen fell from the hand, senseless. We will not be afflicted with anything except what Allah has decreed for us. We ask Allah to open our eyes and make us aware of ourselves and our deeds, if we have not fulfilled the understanding of Himself, Glory be to Him, may we be successful in understanding our heedless selves, and may He lift the veils that hinder from our faces so that we may see Him shining from the horizon of grace and care, and we may sever ties with all in possibility and the worlds, and turn to Him entirely. For He is indeed our Lord, the Most Merciful. We ask Him to grant us success in repentance and returning to Him every morning and evening, and to preserve the east of the illumination of the lights of His face from the spears of His lovers, for He does not want a specific one besides Him. He is the initiator and the ultimate abode, and says, ‘There is no deity except Allah.’ The end.”

10 “Although it has been revealed to all, they have stated it is specific to those souls who now outwardly claim to love, yet what is hidden in their hearts will later become apparent. It was recited for a group of lovers, but remained hidden from him. All people have come to know and are aware that some of those who claim to be lovers of the Merciful in Iraq and other cities were engaged in unworthy deeds, yet the mercy of the Merciful prevented the veil from being torn and their deeds from being exposed. As for that oppressive soul, during the days of stay in Iraq, he was involved with drinking wine and some other actions. Towards the end of the days in Iraq, he sometimes openly transgressed, yet still, the people would circle around concealment, although continually the verses and admonitory words of God would descend, as mentioned in most of the revealed tablets. And the deeds and actions of some of the people of the Bayán were not hidden from anyone at the start and are not now, yet they knew that these matters were accepted and authorized by the holy presence, despite the fact that the mat of the holy commands of truth was devoid of disapproved and displeasing acts, and the sanctified presence was pure from unbecoming and unworthy conditions. The true self during the years of stay in Iraq and the days of migration, day and night, from heaven, the clear, explicit verses regarding the prohibition of servants from others than God were revealed and sent to all sides, until, praise be to God, some servants recognized what God willed and acted upon it, and the breeze of sanctification and exaltation of the divine command passed among creation. Out of consideration for people’s lack of awareness of divine commands, this phrase was heard from a unique tongue: ‘May God forgive what has passed.’ We ask God to grant them success in sanctification, exaltation, and acting according to what they have been commanded by the All-Knowing, the Aware.” 11 “Indeed, that oppressive soul and Reza Gholi were constantly engaged in vile deeds, and this servant frequently advised both of them, whether in Iraq, the land of Sar, or in the Most Great Prison, so that perhaps they would become aware and awaken from the sleep of heedlessness. But never did the admonitory words and healing statements that were made clear to them have any effect. Reza Gholi got involved openly with some Christians in drinking and vile actions, therefore God expelled him by His sovereignty, and he joined the vile ones, namely Seyyed Mohammad and Agha Jan. Some time passed, and one day he sent a petition to the Most Holy Court, expressing repentance for his past sins, and similarly a few days later another petition; but since he had repented many times and it was apparent that he had broken the covenant and pledge with God, his petitions were not accepted. Some actions of his became apparent which were incomparable and unprecedented and caused the waste of God’s Cause among His servants. This mortal servant does not wish to mention them, lest the angels who spread the actions might disseminate those rejected deeds of that man on earth. Verily, the curse of God be upon the wrongdoers. And in the connection of that man with the vile ones, the fire of sedition and hatred was kindled to an extent that cannot be encompassed by pen and explanation. But the Merciful extinguished and put it out, verily He is the Able, the Powerful. Every discerning eye recognizes, from the expulsion of the beauty of their presence, the scent of sanctification and exaltation. Indeed, the deeds of Reza Gholi and Agha Jan the vile are clear and evident to all. We ask God to open the eyes of the people and make them aware of His actions and decrees, which indicate the sanctification of His Essence, the purity of His Self, and the simplicity of His Cause. Although most people are asleep, yet some pure souls and sharp-sighted ones exist by the grace of the Merciful. They distinguish truth from falsehood and recognize whoever recognizes every matter in which their hearts and souls find tranquility, indeed they are honored servants.”

12 “The matter reached a point where the Beauty of the Step remained in his home and commanded that the door be closed to everyone, making meetings impossible for anyone. Based on the apparent situation, what was heard from the fabrications of the polytheists and the tricks of the haters was never from the origin of the divine commands until one day during the months of Rajab or Sha’ban, a written message from His Excellency Agha Sayyid [110, possibly a name or title], the elder brother of His Excellency Agha, ‘Esma’llah M, was presented after expressing what was in the letter before the Countenance. In response, the tablet of ’Amna Aqdas’ which God had made a mercy for the faithful and a retribution for the polytheists, descended from the horizon of the Merciful’s statement. After the revelation of that blessed Tablet, the horizon of this land changed and became entirely crimson, and each day the remembrance increased until one of the days when the signs of favor descended from the horizon of mercy. After hearing that, this servant became assured that, praise be to God, the divine wrath was specific to the vile souls. Some verses of that blessed Tablet were concerning the longing and yearning of the lovers, and some were about the dominance and power over the people of hypocrisy. The form of that blessed Tablet is this, His statement, exalted be His majesty:”

13 “Verily, O My Name, Mahdi, has presented before the Face what your brother has composed in praise of his Master, and we recognized from it longing and yearning, and We have sent down for him that which provokes ardor and burning in the love of God, the Owner of the Day of Meeting. Blessed is the one who reads and ponders what has been sent down from the presence of God, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. In the name of God, the Most Ancient, the Most Great, indeed the sincere ones have burned with the fire of separation,” to the end thereof, it concludes.

14 This servant, until that day, had not heard such vengeful verses from the Tongue of Grandeur to this degree; therefore, was very contemplative about what would occur and what matter would manifest from the horizon of the unseen. Indeed, every day, the corruption and aversion of the wicked was increasing until Reza Gholi mixed some paragraphs of those writings, which he had, with paragraphs of blasphemy and handed them to most of the people of this town, making it appear as if I was one of the dignitaries, and now I have repented and become a Muslim. He, Aqa Jan, and Sayyid Muhammad, all three, showed remorse before the people and registered themselves as Muslims. Thus, this town was so agitated that most of the people, loudly and with hatred, rose up, and Sayyid Muhammad, the vile one, when he saw that the beauty of the step in the house was settled and the door was apparently closed, and His Holiness the Greatest Branch was also out of sight of the companions, considered it an opportunity, established contact and friendship with some of the companions. And this servant, calm and patient, never initiated anything from the source of command, relying upon God, sat in his place to see what would appear and what splendor would be revealed from the pavilion of the unseen. Until on Monday, the twelfth of the month of Dhu al-Qi’dah, at eleven o’clock in the day, a commotion arose. It was observed that the Pasha of the town with all his soldiers, swords drawn, surrounded the house, and likewise arrested all the companions. This servant was busy writing the revealed verses, and the town was seen in such a state of turmoil that it was beyond description. Suddenly, all the people of the town along with the soldiers and officers were agitated, and the clamor and noise were so loud that the pen is incapable of describing it. In the meantime, they came before His face and He commanded, “Do not pay attention to their noise,” after the blessed Tongue spoke with verses. And this servant, busy with writing them, saw that the Greatest Branch was present and exposed before Him, stating that they wanted to take the beauty of the step to the government along with the Greatest Branch. The Eldest Branch and Aqa Mirza Mohammad Gholi and this servant wanted to accompany them but were forbidden. After an hour, they also took the Eldest Branch and this servant. After entering the place of the government, they mentioned that seven of the non-Arabs had gone and killed Aqa Jan, Sayyid Muhammad, and Reza Gholi. God is the judge of what He said about the youth: “From the soldiers of wrath, they left neither the thunder’s clap nor its echo. A people who, if faced, were like angels in goodness, and if fought, were like devils. And all the people were disturbed and afraid, and signs of wrath enveloped to the extent that most of the people and officials of the town were deprived of eating and sleeping that night. It is strange that although the beauty of the step, during the few months with the two Greatest Branches, had closed the door and never socialized with anyone from outside or inside, yet Sayyid Mohammad falsely claimed that all the companions have turned away. Nevertheless, after this vile and false incident, he went to the government assembly and claimed that the beauty of the step had ordered these souls to be killed, even though by God, the Sublime, the Self-Existing, that outwardly from the place of command nothing was issued, and He always forbade everyone from committing such acts, saying, “The dog barks and the wolf howls; leave them be and do not engage with them, and be among the patient.”

15 “One of the divine lovers inquired from this servant the details of the government council from a distant land. This servant presented what was in consideration to them, and now in this paper, it is mentioned repeatedly so that all creation may benefit from the divine statements on that night. It was the first night, around the time of the Isha prayer, that they went to the Pasha’s council. In that assembly, a large group had gathered, and all were in complete terror and anxiety. The beauty of their presence was at the head of the assembly, reclining and sitting, and never spoke, as the people of the assembly were busy with consultation and conversation among themselves. In that assembly, no one accompanied them except for the presence of the Greatest Branch. Afterward, the Pasha stood up and made it known that they should go to another place, as they now wanted to interrogate the other detainees. Thus, they went to another place, which is known as the prison administration, and in that prison, the two Greatest Branches, Aqa Mirza Muhammad Quli, Aqa Muhammad Ali Isfahani, Aqa Muhammad Javad, and Aqa Muhammad Hussein son of Haji Ali Asghar were present. Some of the household’s officers and others were present until the seventh hour at that place, and continuously, they spoke the verses of greatness, among which they said to this servant, ‘Do you remember the verses that were revealed the night before?’ and then they recited them eloquently, and those verses are as follows:”

16 “In the name of Him, the Everlasting, the Eternal, the Precious, the Supreme, the sea of tribulation has surged, and the waves have encompassed the ark of God, the Preserved, the Self-Subsisting. O sailor, do not be disturbed by the gales; indeed, the Splitter of the dawn is with you in this darkness that has enveloped the worlds. Trust in God in all states and do not fear the gusts of enmity’s storms. Seek refuge with God, your Mighty, All-Knowing Lord. He indeed preserves whom He wills with a dominion from Him. He is, verily, the All-Knowing, the Wise. In the midst of darkness, it was shining with a light that encompassed those in the heavens and the earth. In that state, we leave creation to God and we are not frightened by the assembly of those who have denied God when He came with a novel command. The thief has stolen what was sent down from the Throne and presented it before those who rule over the servants. Thus did that distant idolater act. Die in your rage, O ignorant one! Do you think that you precede us? No, by My Name with which the breaths of the spirit were diffused upon every minor and major. We have conveyed the matter through the hands of those who turned away. The plotting of the plotters does not harm Him. The retreater came with My Book among the people and thought that by it they would attack the dawning place of the matter and belittle the cause of God besides it. Thus did his soul prompt him, and the word of punishment from a Dominant, Encompassing One was justified upon him. Say, with that, His cause is elevated, His signs spread, and this mention that with it every wise matter is ordained is exalted. Would that the servants gather against us and shed our blood on this Straight Path! We have indeed sacrificed what we have for the sake of God. What I am in from tribulations and what is beyond it, the Pen with which the matter of God, the Mighty, the Wise is confirmed, testifies to that. Say, I am indeed waiting for the day in which I see myself among the factions from the armies of the oppressors. By God, then they will hear what they have not heard before and they will see what the eyes of those who preceded did not see. Indeed, He is the Judge over what He wills, and He is indeed the Strong, the Powerful. Say, O fly, can you fly”with the paper in this air” in which the birds of the worlds have not flown? Whatever comes upon us, indeed, it is a mercy for us. Every certain visionary testifies to that. The atoms lament for our harm, and we are in evident joy. We have manifested joy from the horizon of sorrows. Indeed, He does what He wills and decrees what He intends. And in those states, he never cared about the commanders, with his blessed face turned towards the presence of the Greatest Branch and the Greater Branch, my soul be a ransom for them, and some lovers who were present in service, after the words of the Merciful One, waves among which He said:”

17 Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has revealed to some of His prophets in some of His revelations, “By My might and majesty, I will surely cut off the hope of every hopeful who hopes in others beside Me, and I will surely clothe him with the garment of humiliation among people, and I will surely distance him from My grace and relief if he hopes in times of hardship in others beside Me, when the keys to them are in My hands. Why do I see My servant turning away from Me when I have given him what he did not ask Me? Should he ask and then I do not give generously? Of course not, is not generosity and honor mine? Is not the world and the hereafter in My hands? If every being from the inhabitants of the heavens asked Me for like the heavens and the earth and I gave it to them, it would not decrease what is in My Kingdom by the amount equivalent to a mosquito’s wing.” And like these statements, which mostly are not considered continuously, “from the fountain of the Most Merciful, the cups of discourse have been filled with the wine of your Lord’s remembrance. What has remained in the mind of this servant, I have presented. How can I convey what on that blessed night the verses of power, majesty, and sovereignty were running, pouring, and descending like the elixir of discourse bestowed upon those in existence, and the ocean of generosity has been sprinkled upon the nations, and the secret enveloped in the secret manifested upon those in the unseen and the witnesses, and many such discourses have not remained in sight.” Then, at the seventh hour, one of the officers came and took His Holiness the Step [Jamál-i-Qadam], the Greatest Branches [Ghusn-i-A`ẓam], and Mr. Mírzá Muhammad Qulí. As previously stated, His Holiness the Step and the Greatest Branch were taken to a place next to the barracks, Mr. Mírzá was taken to another location, and His Holiness the Greatest Branch was imprisoned in the barracks under iron restraint, this servant and the other friends were imprisoned in a very dark place under iron restraint. On the second night, a telegram from the governor came, changing the location of His Holiness the Step to a high dome above the barracks. The Greatest Branches and Mr. Mírzá were brought into the presence of the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, and they stayed in the dome for thirty-eight and a half hours, after which again on the fifth day, four hours after noon, they were called back to the palace for questioning. While turning attention to the assembly, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke with this utterance:

18 “You have taken hold of the roots of yourselves and discarded the roots of Allah behind you. What is the matter with you that you do not understand?” This verse was repeatedly recited by the Tongue of Grandeur, and after the arrival of the Presence of the Step [Jamál-i-Qadam], the assembly members apologized, stating that they were obliged to investigate because three people had been killed, and all the people of the town were afraid and alarmed. Therefore, it was necessary to act according to the law. It seemed that the poor [man] was not even aware of the law. Anyway, they asked about the blessed name and homeland and stated that according to the law, these questions must be asked and recorded. [Bahá’u’lláh] said, “It is more evident than the sun.” When asked again, He said, “It is not fitting to mention the name; look at the state decree you have with you.” Then, with utmost kindness, they said, “Please, you state it yourself.” Then, when the Person of Grandeur sat upright on the chair and spoke with the tongue of power and might, “My name is Bahá’u’lláh and my abode is Nur.” Then recognize this. Then He turned His face towards the Mufti and said in His exalted pride, “If you knew, I would have made you hear the roar of the pigeon of greatness on the branch of the divine Lote Tree, to show you what the essence of servitude is, the jewel of divine lordship.” And those present were astounded by the word of God eternal. And then, addressing everyone, He said, “The purpose of this is not but assembly and question and answer. If you desire, I will confess to what is your true intention and the hope of your hearts, for I do not like to be in the world for even the duration of an hour.” And from the verses of the Surah of Kings, He recited, among other blessed passages, “I have not passed by a tree but that my heart has addressed it: ‘Would that I were cut down for the sake of my name, and that my body were crucified upon you in the path of my Lord.’” In the midst of the discourse, the pillars of the Most Merciful began to tremble. Then after that, He rose and the Beauty of the Youth [Bahá’u’lláh] proceeded to another place, leaving the gathering. Indeed, it was a strange day and a time of wonders. In some people, the sun of the Word of God shone forth, manifesting love. Truly, this servant is incapable of mentioning the discourses of the Merciful. The author of the Mathnawi has mentioned something appropriate to this station:

19 “Those declarations which were uttered at that moment, if the Prophet were to speak in the night, it would turn to day, arising from that very night.” “The night would become bright as the dawn, I do not know, he spoke again that phrase.” “You indeed know what the sun in Aries says to the honest blossoms without deceit.” “You also know what that clear water says to the blossoms, to the saplings.” However, this servant has been and will always be incapable of mentioning the divine statements and heavenly terms. Afterwards, the Pasha sent word to return to your house and apologized for what had occurred. He said that returning to the original imprisonment is more suitable since many are imprisoned. Some have presented themselves, stating that the townspeople are in an uproar; it is not possible to release the prisoners. It is better if they wait for a few more days. After returning to the house, he said, and that was at eleven o’clock on Thursday. In summary, from the beginning of the beauty of the step’s departure from the sanctuary to the time of entry, sixty-nine and a half hours had passed. The first night’s stay in the inn was five and a half hours, imprisonment near the barracks was eighteen and a half hours, imprisonment in the dome above the barracks was thirty-eight and a half hours, and the second entrance and stay in the inn was seven hours. Thus the matter was decreed by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

20 And another matter is that the company is a disgrace from the people of wickedness, upon whom be the curse of God, as he innovated lies, and when he promised, he broke it, and when he was trusted, he betrayed. These are the traits of hypocrites, and a hundred thousand times worse are found in that vile one. Before this aforementioned event occurred, he entered this town and stayed in the abode of the idolaters, and for a while he associated with vile souls. Then he returned with sickening, false tales, and wherever he went, he mentioned fabrications. He and Aghajan, upon whom be the wrath of God, became narrators of invented, slanderous fabrications from the side of falsehood. As after the upheavals in the great city, and the dismissal of the advisor and the death of the grand vizier, they attributed these events to injustices that befell us, and they informed the head of the idolaters about these matters, all of which is an outright lie. And every fair-minded, rational person who has truly achieved impartiality will testify to their lies, because all souls, whether Arab, non-Arab, or Turk, were in favor of the beauty of the step and had stood up for him completely, and they did not consider others to exist. And what happened to the others was consequent to this. Anyway, the oppression of the oppressors and what has befallen them and what will befall them has been explicitly recorded in the tablet of the chief and other tablets. And now this servant mentions some of it so that all may know that those souls were and will be liars, and the revealer of divine verses and the fountain of Rahman’s effusions has informed of what has been sent down.”

21 Among them is the tablet to Mr. Ibn Nabil, upon him be the glory of God, which was revealed at the beginning of the entry into the Most Great Prison, and the original tablet is in the possession of the aforementioned gentleman, and a copy of it is with Mr. Zain al-Muqarrabin, upon him be the glory of God, and with the friends. They should seek and investigate so that they may know with certainty that the reins of knowledge are in the hand of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. None knows the unseen but He; He reveals it to whom He wills and conceals it from whom He desires. Whatever He wills, indeed, He is the All-Knowing, the Aware. Some of the revealed verses in the Tablet of Ibn Nabil are as follows:

22 He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! We called you from beyond the ocean of grandeur upon the crimson earth from the horizon of affliction. Verily, there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Bestower. Be steadfast in My command and be not of those who, when given what they desire, deny God, the Lord of lords. Soon, God will seize them with a might from Him; indeed, He is the Powerful, the Subduer. Know that those who have ruled against Us, God has taken their leader with power and authority. And after these verses, a few more were revealed until it reaches this verse, the saying of His Majesty glorified be His grandeur:

23 We will indeed remove the one who was like him and take their leader who rules over the servants. And I am the Mighty, the Compeller. As it happened, not long after, the one who was directly opposed to the truth and the family of God was exiled from the great city, and their leader, from whom all command was issued, met his fate. Now observe these revealed verses that were previously sent down in the divine Book and spread in the lands, the matter of Zanjani was mentioned after the occurrence, the leader of the oppressors gave news, but the curse of God be upon the liars. And also consider the chapter of the Leader that was revealed after the migration to the land of mystery and the entry to the sea shore, and likewise the verses of the Temple specifically revealed for the king of Paris and the people of that land, informing them of what had befallen it, the saying of His Majesty glorified be His grandeur:

24 “O King, indeed, heed the call from this blazing fire emanating from the green tree on this exalted Sinai, upon the holy white spot beyond the sea of eternity. Verily, there is no deity except Me, the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

25 “[Until He, Glorified be His Grandeur, said:] ’O King, indeed, we heard a word from you, which you spoke when the King of Russia asked you about the verdicts of the campaign, [saying]”Your Lord is indeed All-Knowing, All-Aware.” You said, “I was asleep on my bed when the call of the oppressed who were wronged woke me up,” until they were drowned in the black sea. Thus we heard, and your Lord is a witness to what I say. We testify that it was not the call that awakened you, but rather desire, for We have tested you and found you isolated. Recognize the tone of speech and be among the discerning. We do not wish for any word of evil to revert to you, preserving the status that We have granted you in the manifest life. We chose etiquette and made it the innate nature of those brought near. Indeed, it is a garment that suits souls, both young and old. Blessed is the one who made it the embellishment of their temple, and woe to those deprived of this great bounty. Had you been the owner of the word, you would not have cast aside the Book of God behind your back when it was sent to you from One Mighty, Wise. Indeed, We tested you with that and found you lacking in what you claimed. Rise and make amends for what has passed by you, for soon the world and what you possess will perish, and dominion will remain for God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of old. It is not befitting for you to limit matters to what your desires incline to. Beware of the sighs of the oppressed lest you be pierced by the arrows of the wrongdoers. By what you have done, affairs in your kingdom will change, and sovereignty will slip from your grasp as recompense for your deeds. Should you find yourself in manifest loss, and earthquakes seize all tribes, unless you rise to support this Cause and follow the Spirit on this straight path. What has honored you has deluded you; by My life, it will not last and will surely vanish unless you hold fast to this firm mountain. We see abasement looming behind you, and indeed, you are among those who are asleep.”

26 “It is known that during the days of My stay in the Land of Mystery, certain divine Tablets, which are hidden from the eyes of non-believers, were specifically revealed for some kings to complete God’s proof. Among them was a Tablet revealed to the king of Paris, who at that time was the leading monarch. The reason for this was that one day when I was present at the throne of God, it was ordained that after the dispute between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, the king of Paris rose with the support of the Ottomans. Following the conflict, strife, killings, and plunder, a group of kings came together, and a decree for reconciliation was established. Later, the king of Russia asked the king of Paris why, given that both of us belong to the same nation, you rose against your co-religionists and supported those of a different faith. The king of Paris wrote back stating that the only reason was that you suddenly attacked some subjects of the Ottoman Empire in the Black Sea and drowned many of them. The cries of those oppressed ones awakened me from sleep, and I rose to support them. After this incident, it was said that now we will send him a Tablet to test him; if he rises in support of the oppressed people of Baha, we will confirm what he has claimed, otherwise his lie in what he has asserted will become apparent. Therefore, a Tablet was revealed and sent to him, but no response was ever received from him, even though one of his ministers, who secretly expressed love for Me, had presented himself at the most holy court and claimed that he had personally delivered the Tablet to the king and had verbally explained it in detail. Yet, no reply was received. Because of the lack of response to that Tablet, this second one was revealed and written in French and sent. Now, observe in the Tablet what has befallen him, explicitly, not implicitly. Blessed are the readers, blessed are the contemplators, blessed are the sincere. Likewise, reflect upon the unique creation and its dispatch with power and might, and observe that after the completion of the argument and the demonstration of power, how calamities such as famine, inflation, and fear of foreigners surrounded them. The news of these matters has been revealed in various Tablets. By God, who there is no other deity but He, if souls reflect upon the unique creation, its dispatch, its Tablet, and what occurred afterwards, it will suffice them all, and the divine proof will become clearer than the sun to all who seek evidence. However, beings are occupied with their own worlds and have not taken a share of the divine breaths and the fragrance of the verses of the merciful.”

27 “And they will not carry [the truth] except for those whom Allah wills, as it is observed. Despite these great elevations, manifest greatness, and clear signs, some of the servants have chosen to follow souls that have always been behind veils and will remain so, and nothing apparent has ever emerged from those souls. What benefit is it that this servant has no opportunity, or else he would present everything that has appeared and will appear, all from the signs of Allah, which have been revealed explicitly, without allegory. We ask Allah to assist the servants in fairness and to erase the illusions they hold. And what was mentioned in the past, that wonder in the religion follows the ‘zifra’ [possibly meaning something false or insignificant] after the fragrance of the Beloved has diffused among the worlds. Like what happened with Sayyid Muhammad of Isfahan and his sayings, who was never aware of the essence of the matter and remained engaged in corruption, veiled from the most sacred truth. Although it is a common saying, it is fitting for this station: ‘Beware, the blind man who is a guide will become a blinder guide.’ By Allah, by Allah, every person of sight and scent who saw him once found on his face the mark of Hell and from his breath the scent of the people of Sijjin. Every day he is engaged in deceit. When we entered the greatest prison, we named him ‘Qaddus Efendi’, thinking that a meaningless name would elevate the named. Woe to him and those who follow him. And similarly, Aqa Jan was named ‘Chief of the Idolaters’, ‘Sword of Truth’, and was promised Iraq, as it is written in Aqa Jan’s own existing letter that he has cried out to the ‘Chief of the Idolaters’ about the promise given, asking when it will manifest. Anyway, in this land, he has told everyone that he is the ‘Sword of Truth’ and will soon conquer most lands. May Allah’s curse be upon the liars. In this station, verses from the heaven of divine will have descended, He says in His glory and majesty:​”

28 “The Most Holy, the Greatest, the Most Glorious, indeed, in the trial of the Possessor of Possibility at all times, there are signs for those in the worlds. He has accepted hardship for the ease of creation, and difficulty for the comfort of those within possibility. My soul is a sacrifice for His grace, and my existence a sacrifice for His mercy, and my spirit for His care that has encompassed the horizons. No morning comes but that it is surrounded by the darkness of insinuations from those who disbelieved in Allah, the Revealer of Signs. And indeed, nothing prevents Him from what He desires in the matter of Allah, the Master of the Day of Calling. At times He calls with His clear tongue, and at times He gestures with the Finger of Certainty, and He calls everyone to Allah, the Master of the necks. If we were to recount what has come upon us, the heavens would burst and the mountains would crumble. Those who disbelieved have boasted in what they have of titles. Indeed, the mute has named himself ‘The Holy’, and claimed in himself what the whisperer claimed. And another named himself ‘Sword of Truth’ and said, ‘Indeed, I am the conqueror of countries.’ And Allah has sent one who sealed his mouth to ensure that everyone is certain that he is a tail of Satan, cut off by the Sword of the Merciful. It was supposed to wait for the days of his honor and his manifestation with what he promised from disbelief in Allah, the Cleaver of the dawn. Thus, Allah takes those who turned away from Him and stood up to squander His affair among the servants. They perished. I commanded the breezes of spring, and opened the gates of heaven, and the clouds rained. Blessed is the one who succeeded in recognizing Allah in his days and cut off completely from all directions. Say, has not the Lord of the heavens and the earth sufficed you? Indeed, He has come with the truth with His name the Preserver over Creation. Indeed, you have illuminated your heart with the lamp of the Greatest, which the Possessor of Antiquity has lit. Then remain steadfast upon the command with the authority of your Lord, the Almighty, the Chosen.”

29 Someone in this city, among the scholars of the great city, was, dear sir, in contact with him, and he had mentioned to him in detail that I, Sayf al-Haq, will soon have the conquests of most countries in my hand. That ignorant scholar, although far from the path of truth, mentioned a good word as if the Holy Spirit spoke through his tongue, as he mentioned immediately after the killing of the idolaters, with the Pasha of the city, at my dear sir’s funeral bier. This accursed one used to say, “I am Sayf al-Haq,” now it has become known that the true Sayf al-Haq was the one who struck his waist and consigned him to the lowest depths of hell. Anyway, praise be to God, after this incident occurred and the idolaters were consigned to the lowest depths of hell, the showers of mercy rained day and night, after years in which mercy was withheld, and people were afflicted with famine and high prices. Once, when we were in Edirne, we noticed a letter written by that vile person to someone, among other things, it was observed that he had stolen a passage from a tablet that had been revealed in Iraq and written it in his own name, and that passage was this, “As the sun rises in the east and the moon appears,” and that vile heedless one did not realize that the arena of the Simurgh is not and will never be the playground of flies, and darkness does not have the right to claim to be the sun, by God. When he saw some people as weak and foolish, thus, he stood up with his own fabrications, as some of his penned forgeries were taken and read, indeed, the writer and reader have both lost. With various whispers and deceptions, he prevented people from [following] the Lord of the people and led some astray with old delusions. As such, someone met this servant in the market and mentioned that he wanted to meet me for a while, on the condition that no one but him and I would be there. I had not seen him before, I said very well, a time was set, and he came. Some discussions came up, and it became known that he was in contact with those who associate partners with God. He mentioned to me, “They say you are among the Shia.” At that moment, I was overtaken by laughter to the point that I lost the reins of patience. The man was surprised and said, “What is the reason for the laughter?” I said, “Poor soul, your Shia, who in the land of Iran are scattered like pebbles, have they reached a station or had any status with God, that now you want to follow their rejected and futile thoughts? Have you not seen that all they had was falsehood and they were in sheer misguidance, such that they martyred the truth with their own hands? May the curse of God be upon the wrongdoers.” After saying these words, he became very contemplative. Then, for the sake of God, I recited to him some of the compelling words I had heard from the source of command, and I saw that he was not devoid of potential. Among other things, I mentioned to him to think about what was among the Shia, and what they considered the foundation of their religion and nation, which of it was true, because now you want to enter into the sea of divine truth and wisdom based on those delusions and false words. Have these Shia, whom you speak of, realized the meaning of resurrection? He said no. I asked, “Have they known the balance?” He said no. I said, “Have they understood the gathering and resurrection?” He said no. I said, “What is mentioned about the Qa’im among them, to the extent that they have understood, was it true?” He said no. Then I said, you yourself are a witness that it was all false, now how do you know that what has been told to you is true? Then I sat upright facing him and spoke with what I had memorized from the verses of God, the King, the Dominant, the Self-Subsisting, and I conveyed to him what I was commanded by God, the Mighty, the Beloved. I said, “O servant, have you not heard what the tongue of greatness has uttered when it settled upon the throne of dominion over all that is witnessed and witnessed?” He said, and his saying the truth was, “Leave what you have of illusions, then listen to what the tongue of your Lord, the Mighty, the Knower speaks. How long will you follow whims? The sun of guidance has risen, turn to it sanctified from what was mentioned before by your scholars. By God, this is the appearance of God, and His signs that surpass everything cannot be compared to what was mentioned in eternity without end.”

30 “And none know of the words among you, words of the people of debate. Draw near to Him with eyes shining with light and faces aglow. Thus, you were commanded in the Tablets from the presence of God Almighty, the All-Knowing, the Aware. And His saying, exalted be His grandeur, addressing one of His servants, ‘We see you immersed in the pool of the veiled and the waters of the delusions of the heedless. If you emerge from it by My Name and My Authority, rise and immerse yourself in this greatest ocean from which every drop speaks, “There is no deity but I, the Almighty, the Most High, the Powerful, the Generous.”’ I said, ‘O man for the face of God, I speak purely for God; I make remembrance solely for Him. Cast aside these delusions and ascend from these filthy, limited ranks, and soar with the wings of divine mercy to the heavens of the Lord’s command, and may you be victorious. Today is the day to say “God” and then leave them to indulge in their play,’ as this blessed verse was revealed specifically for this day. It has become evident in this manifest and proven appearance that the essence of truth alone is the sovereign over all, without partner or equal. Although previously the people of faith acknowledged and confessed this truth, most were liars, for every day they appointed a partner for the truth, and afterwards, in this station, whatever was fitting, this servant presented and mentioned. Today, what is the duty? I said, ‘Act upon this verse that I have mentioned. Leave behind this imagined self and their statements, and enter into the fresh and pleasant expanse, so that you may drink the everlasting wine from the verse of divine mercy that states, “With a manifestation, the decree of innovation is established, and this is indeed a creation of the heavens and the earth,” and you may pass by what came before and after, with a pure soul observing it with clear sight, for everyone in this greatest appearance is commanded thus, and it is specific to this appearance. And then I mentioned that some weak souls have been prevented by these corrupt souls from such remembrances, chosen by me, as even Yahya wrote to some, ’You are of my followers,’ and the meaning of this statement is clear. Every lying scribe has gone astray. Now see where is the station of the remembrances of that corrupt soul and the station which the Lord of Lords has desired for His servants. O brother, cast away all these unworthy, limited words of before, and as a bird of innovation, soar in the pleasant space of novelty, so that by divine grace, you may drink from the wine of innovation and understand this new matter. And moreover, some servants have complained about certain acts of weak souls that circle around and have attributed it, by the truth of the Exalted and Mighty, to themselves as if someone mentioned that how can it be that while proclaiming the truth and elevating this matter that encompasses the world, some souls, claiming to be related to the truth, are engaged with unseemly acts. In any case, this clause is from the negligence of that heedless one, as if he has not heard this verse that is famous among people saying: [The text ends here and does not continue with the verse]”

31 If all the worlds become disbelievers, no speck will settle on His garment of Majesty. One day, I was present at the court of the Throne, and I was addressed by the face of God. He said, “Have you heard that the sincere ones are in great danger? O servant present at the Throne, scholars of the apparent have disputed among the companions of the Messenger about who truly qualifies as a companion. Some have said that the companions are those souls who have spent a year or more in the service of His Holiness and have stood for jihad in the way of Allah. Others have said that anyone who has confessed to the word of unity and met the Messenger is considered a companion, even if it was just once. Some have said that this term truly applies to the souls that the Holy Messenger has specifically addressed by this name. And some have said they are souls that were trusted in the presence of His Holiness, present both in travel and in stay. However, most scholars have said that everyone who has embraced Islam, seen the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions, even for the briefest moment, is indeed from the companions. Thus, at the farewell pilgrimage, there were forty thousand souls with His Holiness, and on the day of His Holiness’s death in Medina, one hundred and twenty-four thousand gathered. Yet, only a few of these souls have drunk from the pure wine of certainty and entered into the fountains of divine grace. However, conversations like these arise from negligence, and we ask God to support everyone in what He loves and is pleased with. So, O friends of truth, do not be satisfied with mere listening and do not close your hearts to the old illusions. By God, today evil souls have prevented the weak from the divine law with their former illusions. Listen to the address of this servant, a servant at the Throne, and stand upright on the path of unity, and manifest the truth in a manner that leaves no room for turning away. All the divine books indicate this, as recently one of the friends, who belonged to various religions, presented a petition, and in that petition, he put forward two narratives that have been translated from the Greek tongue into Arabic in the old books. The first statement says,”Satan will appear on the island of Qaf and will prevent people from the Merciful. When that time comes, turn to the Holy Land from which the breath of God passes.” The end. And it is known that Qaf, which is Cyprus, is famous as all Turks call Cyprus the devil’s island. And the Holy Land is now known to have become the established Throne. And the second statement says, “The bubble will appear on the appointed island. He is short-statured, with a lot of beard, a narrow forehead and chest, yellow eyes and hair, his hair reaching his back, and he will have disheveled hair like a lion. When that time comes, draw near to Mount Carmel, even crawling, then turn to the Holy Valley, the land of resurrection, the white spot.” The end.

32 It is known that Hubbab is the name of a satanic serpent. It is said that the devil will appear on the island associated with him, which is to be Cyprus, as it is commonly known as the devil’s island. And it is said, “When that time comes, draw near to Mount Carmel,” and Mount Carmel is a mountain opposite Acre, even if it means crawling on your chest. “Then turn to the Holy Valley, the land of resurrection, the white spot.” These three titles are the lands of Acre, as is famous among all and mentioned in the books. If only a soul would go to Cyprus and observe all these mentioned traits manifestly in that person. However, O servants of truth, there is no need for these recitations, and the likes of these recitations are purely for grace so that this humble servant hoped that with their likes, some might awaken from the sleep of negligence. Otherwise, the sacred truth is not known except by itself and cannot be described except by what has been attributed to His essence. Everything other than Him is a creation by His command and returns to its places in the worlds of His innovation and invention. We hope that the addresses of this servant, presented purely for the face of God, become the cure for hearts and the radiance of chests so that everyone stands firmly for the love of God, leaving no room for turning away or objection, and considering all that the polytheists say or are saying to be utterly nothing. Thus, I say, I turn to You, O my God, for what I have committed in Your precinct. Forgive me by Your authority and grace, for You are the Most Generous of the Generous, and all praise is for You, O God of all the worlds. Servant of God.