Ishráqát (Splendors)
This is the Epistle of God, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting
He is God, exalted
is He, the Lord of wisdom and utterance.
This Point is the focal
center of the circle of Names and marketh
the culmination of the manifestations of Letters in the world of creation. Through
it have appeared indications of the impenetrable Mystery, the adorned Symbol,
He Who standeth revealed in the Most
Great Name—a Name which is recorded in the luminous Tablet and is
inscribed in the holy, the blessed, the snow-white Scroll. And when the Point
was joined to the second Letter1
which appeareth in the beginning of the Mathání,2
it traversed the heavens of exposition and utterance. Then the eternal Light of
God shed its radiance, flared up in the midmost heart of the firmament of
testimony and produced two Luminaries. Glorified be the Merciful One, unto Whom
no allusion can be made, Whom no expression can
define, nor any assertion reveal, nor any evidence describe. He is in truth the
Ordainer, the All-Bountiful, both in the beginning
and in the end. And He provided for them protectors and defenders from among
the hosts of power and might. Verily, He is the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the
Unconstrained.
The preamble of this
Epistle is being revealed twice, even as was the Mathání3
Praise be unto God Who
hath manifested the Point, hath unfolded therefrom the knowledge of all things,
whether of the past or
of the future—a Point He hath chosen to be the Herald of His Name and the
Harbinger of His Great Revelation which hath caused the limbs of all mankind to
quake and the splendor of His light to shine forth above the horizon of the
world. Verily, this is the Point which God hath ordained to be an ocean of
light for the sincere among His servants and a flame of fire to the froward amidst His creatures and the impious among His
people—they who bartered away the gift of God for unbelief, and the celestial
food for hypocrisy, and led their associates to a wretched abode. These are the
people who have manifested sedition throughout the world and have violated His
Covenant on the Day when the immortal Being mounted His throne and the Crier
raised His Voice from the haven of security and peace in the holy Vale.
O followers of the Bayán!
Fear ye the All-Merciful. This is the One Who hath been glorified by Muhammad,
the Apostle of God, and before Him by the Spirit4
and yet before Him by the One Who discoursed with God.5
This is the Point of the Bayán calling aloud before
the Throne, saying: “By the righteousness of God, ye have been created to
glorify this Most Great Announcement, this Perfect Way which lay hid within the
souls of the Prophets, which was treasured in the hearts of the chosen ones of
God and was written down by the glorious Pen of your Lord, the Possessor of
Names.”
Say: Die in your wrath,
O malicious ones! Verily He Whose knowledge nothing escapeth
hath appeared. He Who hath caused the countenance of divine knowledge to be
wreathed in smiles is come. Through Him the kingdom of utterance is
embellished, every receptive soul hath set his face towards the Lord of
Revelations, everyone resting on his knees hath stood up, and every indolent
one hath rushed forth to attain the Sinai of assurance. This is the Day that
God hath ordained to be a blessing unto the righteous, a retribution for the
wicked, a bounty for the faithful and a fury of His wrath for the faithless and
the froward. Verily He hath been made manifest,
invested by God with invincible sovereignty. He hath revealed that wherewith
naught on the earth or in the heavens can compare.
Fear ye the
All-Merciful, O people of the Bayán,
and commit not that which the followers of the Qur’án
have committed—they who in the daytime and in the night season professed belief
in the Faith of God, yet when the Lord of all men did appear, turned aside from
Him and pronounced so cruel a sentence against Him that, on the Day of Return,
the Mother Book sorely bewailed His plight. Call ye to mind and ponder upon
their deeds and words, their stations and merits and the things they brought to
pass when He Who conversed on Sinai unloosed His tongue, when there was a blast
on the Trumpet, whereupon all that are in heaven and on earth swooned away
except such as are reckoned among the letters of affirmation.
O people of the Bayán!
Abandon your idle fancies and vain imaginings, then with the eye of fairness
look at the Dayspring of His Revelation and consider the things He hath
manifested, the words He hath divinely revealed and the sufferings that have
befallen Him at the hands of His enemies. He is the One Who hath willingly
accepted every manner of tribulation for the proclamation of His Cause and the
exaltation of His Word. At one time He suffered imprisonment in the land of Tá (Tihrán), at another in the
land of Mím (Mázindarán),
then once again in the former land, for the sake of the Cause of God, the Maker
of the heavens. In His love for the Cause of God, the Almighty, the
All-Bountiful, He was subjected there to chains and fetters.
O people of the Bayán!
Have ye forgotten My exhortations, which My Pen hath revealed and My tongue
hath uttered? Have ye bartered away My certitude in exchange for your idle
fancies and My Way for your selfish desires? Have ye cast away the precepts of
God and His remembrance and have ye forsaken His laws and ordinances? Fear ye
God and abandon vain imaginings to the begetters thereof and leave
superstitions to the devisers thereof and misgivings to the breeders thereof.
Advance ye then with radiant faces and stainless hearts towards the horizon
above which the Daystar of certitude shineth resplendent at the bidding of God,
the Lord of Revelations.
Praise be unto God Who
hath made the Most Great Infallibility the shield for the temple of His Cause in
the realm of creation, and hath assigned unto no one a share of this lofty and
sublime station—a station which is a vesture which the fingers of transcendent
power have woven for His august Self. It befitteth
no one except Him Who is seated upon the mighty throne of “He doeth what He pleaseth.” Whoso accepteth and recognizeth that which is written down at this moment by
the Pen of Glory is indeed reckoned in the Book of God, the Lord of the
beginning and the end, among the exponents of divine unity, they that uphold
the concept of the oneness of God.
When the stream of words
reached this stage, the sweet savors of true knowledge were shed abroad
and the daystar of divine unity shone forth above the horizon of His holy
utterance. Blessed is he whom His Call hath attracted to the summit of glory,
who hath drawn nigh to the ultimate Purpose, and who hath recognized through
the shrill voice of My Pen of Glory that which the Lord of this world and of
the next hath willed. Whoso faileth to quaff the
choice wine which We have unsealed through the potency of Our Name, the
All-Compelling, shall be unable to discern the splendors of the light of divine
unity or to grasp the essential purpose underlying the Scriptures of God, the
Lord of heaven and earth, the sovereign Ruler of this world and of the world to
come. Such a man shall be accounted among the faithless in the Book of God, the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
O thou honored inquirer!6
We bear witness that thou didst firmly adhere unto seemly patience during the
days when the Pen was held back from movement and the Tongue hesitated to set
forth an explanation regarding the wondrous sign, the Most Great Infallibility.
Thou hast asked this Wronged One to remove for thee its veils and coverings, to
elucidate its mystery and character, its state and position, its excellence,
sublimity and exaltation. By the life of God! Were We to unveil the pearls of
testimony which lie hid within the shells of the ocean of knowledge and assurance
or to let the beauties of divine mystery which are hidden within the chambers
of utterance in the Paradise of true understanding, step out of their
habitation, then from every direction violent commotion would arise among the
leaders of religion and thou wouldst witness the people of God held fast in the
teeth of such wolves as have denied God both in the beginning and in the end.
Therefore We restrained the Pen for a considerable lapse of time in accordance
with divine wisdom and for the sake of protecting the faithful from those who
have bartered away heavenly blessings for disbelief and have chosen for their
people the abode of perdition.7
O thou seeker who art
gifted with keen insight. I swear by Him Who attracted the Concourse on High
through the potency of His most sublime Word! Verily, the birds abiding within
the domains of My Kingdom and the doves dwelling in the rose-garden of My
wisdom utter such melodies and warblings
as are inscrutable to all but God, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and
heaven; and were these melodies to be revealed even to an extent smaller than a
needle’s eye, the people of tyranny would utter such calumnies as none among
former generations hath ever uttered, and would commit such deeds as no one in
past ages and centuries hath ever committed. They have rejected the bounty of
God and His proofs and have repudiated the testimony of God and His signs. They
have gone astray and have caused the people to go astray, yet
perceive it not. They worship vain imaginings but know it not. They have taken
idle fancies for their lords and have neglected God, yet
understand not. They have abandoned the most great
Ocean and are hastening towards the pool, but comprehend not. They follow their
own idle fancies while turning aside from God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.
Say, by the
righteousness of God! The All-Merciful is come invested with power and
sovereignty. Through His power the foundations of religions have quaked and the
Nightingale of Utterance hath warbled its melody upon the highest branch of
true understanding. Verily, He Who was hidden in the knowledge of God and is
mentioned in the Holy Scriptures hath appeared. Say, this is the Day when the
Speaker on Sinai hath mounted the throne of Revelation and the people have
stood before the Lord of the worlds. This is the Day wherein the earth hath
told out her tidings and hath laid bare her treasures; when the oceans have
brought forth their pearls and the divine Lote-Tree
its fruit; when the Sun hath shed its radiance and the Moons have diffused
their lights, and the Heavens have revealed their stars, and the Hour its
signs, and the Resurrection its dreadful majesty; when the pens have unloosed
their outpourings and the spirits have laid bare their mysteries. Blessed is
the man who recognizeth Him and attaineth
His presence, and woe betide such as deny Him and turn aside from Him. I
beseech God to aid His servants to return unto Him. Verily He is the Pardoner,
the Forgiving, the Merciful.
O thou who hast set thy
face towards the Realm on High and hast quaffed My sealed wine from the hand of
bounteousness! Know thou that the term “Infallibility” hath numerous meanings
and diverse stations. In one sense it is applicable to the One Whom God hath
made immune from error. Similarly
it is applied to every soul whom God hath guarded against sin, transgression,
rebellion, impiety, disbelief and the like. However, the Most
Great Infallibility is confined to the One Whose station is immeasurably
exalted beyond ordinances or prohibitions and is sanctified from errors and
omissions. Indeed He is a Light which is not followed
by darkness and a Truth not overtaken by error. Were He to pronounce water to
be wine or heaven to be earth or light to be fire, He speaketh
the truth and no doubt would there be about it; and unto no one is given the
right to question His authority or to say why or wherefore. Whosoever raiseth objections will be numbered with the froward in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. “Verily
He shall not be asked of His doings but all others shall be asked of their
doings.”8
He is come from the invisible heaven, bearing the banner “He doeth whatsoever
He willeth” and is accompanied by hosts of power and
authority while it is the duty of all besides Him to strictly observe whatever
laws and ordinances have been enjoined upon them, and should anyone deviate
therefrom, even to the extent of a hair’s breadth, his work would be brought to
naught.
Consider thou and call
to mind the time when Muhammad appeared. He said, and His word is the truth:
“Pilgrimage to the House9
is a service due to God.”10
And likewise are the daily prayer, fasting, and the laws which shone forth
above the horizon of the Book of God, the Lord of the World and the true
Educator of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. It is incumbent upon
everyone to obey Him in whatsoever God hath ordained; and whosoever denieth Him hath disbelieved in God, in His verses, in His
Messengers and in His Books. Were He to pronounce right to be wrong or denial
to be belief, He speaketh the truth as bidden by God. This is a station wherein sins or trespasses neither exist
nor are mentioned. Consider thou the blessed, the divinely revealed verse in
which pilgrimage to the House is enjoined upon everyone. It devolved upon those
invested with authority after Him11
to observe whatever had been prescribed unto them in the Book. Unto no one is
given the right to deviate from the laws and ordinances of God. Whoso deviateth therefrom is reckoned with the trespassers in the
Book of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.
O thou who hast fixed
thy gaze upon the Dawning-Place of the Cause of God! Know thou for a certainty
that the Will of God is not limited by the standards of the people, and God
doth not tread in their ways. Rather is it incumbent upon everyone to firmly
adhere to God’s straight Path. Were He to pronounce the right to be the left or
the south to be the north, He speaketh
the truth and there is no doubt of it. Verily He is to
be praised in His acts and to be obeyed in His behests. He hath no associate in
His judgment nor any helper in His sovereignty. He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever
He pleaseth. Know thou moreover that all else besides
Him have been created through the potency of a word from His presence, while of
themselves they have no motion nor stillness, except at His bidding and by His
leave.
O thou who soarest
in the atmosphere of love and fellowship and hast fixed thy gaze upon the light
of the countenance of thy Lord, the King of creation! Render thanks unto God,
inasmuch as He hath unraveled for thee that which was hidden and enshrined in
His knowledge so that everyone may become aware that within His realm of
supreme infallibility He hath not taken a partner nor a counselor unto Himself.
He is in truth the Dayspring of divine precepts and commandments and the
Fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom, while all else besides Him are but His
subjects and under His rule, and He is the supreme Ruler, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
O my God! O my God! I
yield Thee thanks that Thou hast directed me towards Thyself, hast guided me
unto Thy horizon, hast clearly set forth for me Thy Path, hast revealed to me
Thy testimony and enabled me to set my face towards Thee, while most of the
doctors and divines among Thy servants together with such as follow them have,
without the least proof or evidence from Thee, turned away from Thee. Blessing
be unto Thee, O Lord of Names, and glory be unto Thee, O Creator of the
heavens, inasmuch as Thou hast, through the power of Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting,
given me to drink of Thy sealed wine, hast caused me to draw nigh unto Thee and
hast enabled me to recognize the Dayspring of Thine utterance, the
Manifestation of Thy signs, the Fountainhead of Thy laws and commandments and
the Source of Thy wisdom and bestowals. Blessed is the land that hath been
ennobled by Thy footsteps, wherein the throne of Thy sovereignty is established
and the fragrance of Thy raiment is diffused. By Thy glory and majesty, by Thy
might and power, I desire not my sight save to behold Thy beauty, nor my
hearing save to hearken to Thy call and Thy verses.
I am the one, O Lord,
whose heart and soul, whose limbs, whose inner and outer tongue testify to Thy
unity and Thy oneness, and bear witness that Thou art God and that there is no
God but Thee. Thou didst bring mankind into being to know Thee and to serve Thy
Cause, that their station might thereby be elevated upon Thine earth and their
souls be uplifted by virtue of the things Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures,
Thy Books and Thy Tablets. Yet no sooner didst Thou manifest Thyself and reveal
Thy signs than they turned away from Thee and repudiated Thee and rejected that
which Thou didst unveil before their eyes through the potency of Thy might and
Thy power. They rose up to inflict harm upon Thee, to extinguish Thy light and
to put out the flame that blazeth
in Thy Burning Bush. Their iniquity waxed so grievous that they conspired to
shed Thy blood and to violate Thy honor. And likewise acted he12
whom Thou hadst nurtured with the hand of Thy
loving-kindness, hadst protected from the mischief of
the rebellious among Thy creatures and the froward
amidst Thy servants, and whom Thou hadst set the task
of writing Thy holy verses before Thy throne.
Thou seest
me, O my God, writhing in anguish upon the dust, like unto a fish. Deliver me,
have mercy upon me, O Thou Whose aid is invoked by all men, O Thou within Whose
grasp lie the reins of power over all men and women. Whenever I ponder my
grievous shortcomings and my great trespasses, despair assaileth
me from every direction, and whenever I pause to meditate upon the ocean of Thy
bounteousness and the heaven of Thy grace and the daystar of Thy tender
compassion, I inhale the fragrance of hope diffused from right and left, from
north and south, as if every created thing imparteth
unto me the joyous tidings that the clouds of the heaven of Thy mercy will pour
down their rain upon me. By Thy might, O Thou Who art the Mainstay of the
sincere ones and the Desire of them that enjoy near access unto Thee! Thy
manifold favors and blessings and the revelations of Thy grace and
loving-kindness have truly emboldened me. How, otherwise, can utter nothingness
magnify the Name of Him Who hath, by a word, brought creation into being, and
how can an evanescent creature extol Him Who hath demonstrated that no
description can ever express Him and no word of praise magnify His glory? He
hath from everlasting been immeasurably exalted above the understanding of His
creatures and sanctified from the conceptions of His servants.
O Lord! Thou beholdest
this lifeless one before Thy face; suffer him, through Thy generosity and
bountiful favor, not to be deprived of the chalice of immortal life. And Thou seest this afflicted one standing before Thy throne; turn
him not away from the ocean of Thy healing. I entreat Thee to enable me at all
times and under all conditions to remember Thee, to magnify Thy Name and to
serve Thy Cause, though I am well aware that whatever proceedeth
from a servant cannot transcend the limitations of his soul, nor beseem Thy
Lordship, nor be worthy of the court of Thy glory and Thy Majesty.
Thy might beareth
me witness! Were it not to celebrate Thy praise, my tongue would be of no use
to me, and were it not for the sake of rendering service to Thee, my existence
would avail me not. But for the pleasure of beholding
the splendors of Thy realm of glory, why should I cherish sight? And but for
the joy of giving ear to Thy most sweet voice, of what use is hearing?
Thou seest,
O my God, what hath befallen me in Thy Path at the hand of those who have
denied Thy Truth, have violated Thy Covenant, caviled at Thy signs, rejected
the blessings Thou didst vouchsafe, disbelieved the verses Thou didst send down
and have refused to acknowledge the testimony Thou didst fulfill.
O Lord! The tongue of my
tongue and the heart of my heart and the spirit of my spirit and my outward and
inmost beings bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness, Thy power and Thine
omnipotence, Thy grandeur and Thy sovereignty, and attest Thy glory, loftiness
and authority. I testify that Thou art God and that there is none other God
besides Thee. From everlasting Thou hast been a treasure hidden from the sight
and minds of men and shalt continue to remain the same for ever and ever. The
powers of earth can never frustrate Thee, nor can the might of the nations
alarm Thee. Thou art the One Who hath unlocked the door of knowledge before the
faces of Thy servants that they may recognize Him Who is the Daystar of Thy
Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thy signs, the Heaven of Thy manifestation and
the Sun of Thy divine beauty. In Thy holy Books, in Thy Scriptures and Thy
Scrolls Thou hast promised all the peoples of the world that Thou Thyself shalt
appear and shalt remove the veils of glory from Thy face, even as Thou didst
announce in Thy words unto Thy Friend13
through Whom the Daystar of Revelation shone brightly above the horizon of Hijáz, and the dawning light of divine Truth shed its
radiance among all men, proclaiming: “The Day when mankind shall stand before
the Lord of the worlds.”14
And before Muhammad Thou didst impart this glad-tiding unto Him Who conversed
with Thee,15
saying: “Bring forth thy people from the darkness into the light and remind
them of the days of God.”16
Moreover Thou didst proclaim this truth unto the Spirit17
and unto Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, whether of the remote or more recent
past. If all that which Thou hast sent down in glorification of this Most Great
Remembrance, this Great Announcement, were to stream forth from the wellspring
of Thy most august Pen, the inmates of the cities of knowledge and
understanding would be dumbfounded, except such as Thou wouldst deliver through
the potency of Thy might and wouldst protect as a token of Thy bountiful favor
and Thy grace. I bear witness that Thou hast in truth fulfilled Thy pledge and
hast made manifest the One Whose advent was foretold by Thy Prophets, Thy chosen ones and by them that serve Thee. He hath come
from the heaven of glory and power, bearing the banners of Thy signs and the
standards of Thy testimonies. Through the potency of Thine indomitable power
and strength, He stood up before the faces of all men and summoned all mankind
to the summit of transcendent glory and unto the all-highest Horizon, in such
wise that neither the oppression of the ecclesiastics nor the onslaught of the
rulers was able to deter Him. He arose with inflexible resolve and, unloosing
His tongue, proclaimed in ringing tones: “He Who is the All-Bountiful is come,
riding aloft on the clouds. Advance, O people of the earth, with shining faces
and radiant hearts!”
Great indeed is the
blessedness of him who attaineth
Thy presence, drinketh the wine of reunion proffered
by the hand of Thy bounteousness, inhaleth the
fragrance of Thy signs, unlooseth his tongue in celebrating
Thy praise, soareth high in Thy heavens, is carried
away by the sweetness of Thy Voice, gaineth
admittance into the most exalted Paradise and attaineth
the station of revelation and vision before the throne of Thy majesty.
I magnify Thy Name, O my
God, and offer thanksgiving unto Thee, O my Desire, inasmuch as Thou hast
enabled me to clearly perceive Thy straight Path, hast unveiled Thy Great
Announcement before mine eyes and hast aided me to set my face towards the
Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Fountainhead of Thy Cause, whilst Thy
servants and Thy people turned away from Thee. I entreat Thee, O Lord of the
Kingdom of eternity, by the shrill voice of the Pen of Glory, and by the
Burning Fire which calleth aloud from the verdant Tree, and by the Ark which
Thou hast specially chosen for the people of Bahá,
to grant that I may remain steadfast in my love for Thee, be well pleased with
whatsoever Thou hast prescribed for me in Thy Book and may stand firm in Thy
service and in the service of Thy loved ones. Graciously assist then Thy
servants, O my God, to do that which will serve to exalt Thy Cause and will
enable them to observe whatsoever Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.
Verily Thou art the Lord
of Strength, Thou
art potent to ordain whatsoever Thou willest and
within Thy grasp Thou holdest the reins of all
created things. No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
O Jalíl!
We have unveiled to thine eyes the sea and the waves thereof, the sun and the
radiance thereof, the heavens and the stars thereof, the shells and the pearls
thereof. Render thou thanks unto God for so great a bounty, so gracious a favor
that hath pervaded the whole world.
O thou who hast set thy
face towards the splendors of My Countenance! Vague fancies have encompassed
the dwellers of the earth and debarred them from turning towards the Horizon of
Certitude, and its brightness, and its manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings
have withheld them from Him Who is the Self-Subsisting. They speak as prompted
by their own caprices, and
understand not. Among them are those who have said: “Have the verses been sent
down?” Say “Yea, by Him Who is the Lord of the heavens!” “Hath the Hour come?”
“Nay, more; it hath passed, by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Verily,
the Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath appeared with proof and
testimony. The Plain is disclosed, and mankind is sore vexed and fearful.
Earthquakes have broken loose, and the tribes have lamented, for fear of God,
the Lord of Strength, the All-Compelling.” Say: “The stunning trumpet-blast
hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God’s, the One, the Unconstrained.” And
they say: “Hath the Catastrophe come to pass?” Say: “Yea, by the Lord of
Lords!” “Is the Resurrection come?” “Nay, more; He Who is the Self-Subsisting
hath appeared with the Kingdom of His signs.” “Seest
thou men laid low?” “Yea, by my Lord, the Most High,
the Most Glorious!” “Have the tree-stumps been uprooted?” “Yea, more; the
mountains have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of attributes!” They
say: “Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?” Say: “The one is reunion with Me;
the other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God and doubtest.” They say: “We see not the Balance.” Say:
“Surely, by my Lord, the God of Mercy! None can see it except such as are
endued with insight.” They say: “Have the stars fallen?” Say: “Yea, when He Who
is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the Land of Mystery.18
Take heed, ye who are endued with discernment!” All the signs appeared when We
drew forth the Hand of Power from the bosom of majesty and might. Verily, the
Crier hath cried out, when the promised time came, and they that have
recognized the splendors of Sinai have swooned away in the wilderness of
hesitation, before the awful majesty of thy Lord, the Lord of creation. The
trumpet asketh: “Hath the Bugle been sounded?” Say:
“Yea, by the King of Revelation! when He mounted the throne of His Name, the
All-Merciful.” Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning light of the mercy
of thy Lord, the Source of all light. The breeze of the All-Merciful hath
wafted, and the souls have been quickened in the tombs of their bodies. Thus hath the decree been fulfilled by God, the Mighty, the
Beneficent. They who reject the truth have said: “When were the heavens cleft
asunder?” Say: “While ye lay in the graves of waywardness and error.” Among the
faithless is he who rubbeth his eyes, and looketh to the right and to the left. Say: “Blinded art
thou. No refuge hast thou to flee to.” And among them is he who saith: “Have
men been gathered together?” Say: “Yea, by My Lord! whilst thou didst lie in
the cradle of idle fancies.” And among them is he who saith: “Hath the Book
been sent down through the power of the true Faith?” Say: “The true Faith
itself is astounded. Fear ye, O ye men of understanding heart!” And among them
is he who saith: “Have I been assembled with others, blind?” Say: “Yea, by Him
that rideth upon the clouds!” Paradise is decked with
mystic roses, and hell hath been made to blaze with the fire of the impious.
Say: “The light hath shone forth from the horizon of Revelation, and the whole
earth hath been illumined at the coming of Him Who is the Lord of the Day of
the Covenant!” The doubters have perished, whilst he that turned, guided by the
light of assurance, unto the Dayspring of Certitude hath prospered. Blessed art
thou, who hast fixed thy gaze upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent
down for thee—a Tablet which causeth the souls of men
to soar. Commit it to memory, and recite it. By My
life! It is a door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is it with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn. We, verily, heard thy
praise of this Cause, through which the mountain of knowledge was crushed, and
men’s feet have slipped. My glory be upon thee and upon whomsoever hath turned
unto the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. The Tablet is ended, but the theme is
unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is patient.
These are verses We sent
down previously, and We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be
acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken, when God came unto them
with might and sovereignty. The foundations of idle fancies have trembled, and
the heaven of vain imaginings hath been cleft asunder, and yet the people are
in doubt and in contention with Him. They have denied the testimony of God and
His proof, after He came from the heaven of power with the kingdom of His
signs. They have cast away what had been prescribed,
and perpetrated what had
been forbidden them in the Book. They have abandoned their God,
and clung unto their desires. They truly have strayed and are in error.
They read the verses and deny them. They behold the clear tokens and turn
aside. They truly are lost in strange doubt.
We have admonished Our
loved ones to fear God, a fear which is the fountainhead of all goodly deeds
and virtues. It is the commander of the hosts of justice in the city of Bahá.
Happy the man that hath entered the shadow of its luminous standard,
and laid fast hold thereon. He, verily, is of the Companions of the
Crimson Ark, which hath been mentioned in the Qayyúm-i-Asmá.
Say: O people of God!
Adorn your temples with the adornment of trustworthiness and piety. Help, then,
your Lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. We have
forbidden you dissension and conflict in My Books, and My Scriptures, and My
Scrolls, and My Tablets, and have wished thereby naught else save your
exaltation and advancement. Unto this testify the heavens and the stars
thereof, and the sun and the radiance thereof, and the trees and the leaves
thereof, and the seas and the waves thereof, and the earth and the treasures
thereof. We pray God to assist His loved ones,
and aid them in that which beseemeth them in this blest, this mighty, and wondrous
station. Moreover We beseech Him to graciously enable
those who surround Me to observe that which My Pen of Glory hath enjoined upon
them.
O Jalíl!
Upon thee be My glory and My loving providence. Verily We have enjoined the
people to do what is meet and seemly and yet they have committed such things as
have caused My heart and My Pen to lament. Incline thine ear to that which is
sent down from the heaven of My Will and the realm of My good-pleasure.
I sorrow not for My captivity, nor for the things that have befallen Me at the
hand of Mine enemies. Nay, My sorrows are occasioned
by those who claim to be related to Me and yet commit that which causeth the voice of My lamentations to be lifted up and My
tears to flow. We have exhorted them at length in various Tablets and beseech
God to graciously assist them, to enable them to draw nigh unto Him and to
confirm them in that which would bring peace to the hearts and tranquility to
the souls and would stay their hands from whatsoever ill-beseemeth
His days.
Say, O My loved ones in
My lands! Give ye ear unto the counsels of Him Who admonisheth
you for the sake of God. He hath in truth created you, hath revealed before
your eyes that which exalteth you and promoteth your interests. He hath made known unto you His
straight Path and hath acquainted you with His Great Announcement.
O Jalíl!
Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear is the chief commander of the army
of thy Lord. Its hosts are a praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Through
it have the cities of men’s hearts been opened throughout the ages and
centuries, and the standards of ascendancy and triumph raised above all other
standards.
We will now mention unto
thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof in the estimation of God, thy
Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of days We repaired unto Our Green
Island. Upon Our arrival, We
beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight playing
in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the pen is
powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the eye of the Lord of
Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that blest, and
most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on one of the Beauties
of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of light, and calling aloud
saying: “O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance,
and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True One! I am
Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I will
recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and station,
and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most great
ornament of the people of Bahá, and the vesture of
glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the supreme instrument
for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of assurance unto all beings.”
Thus have We sent down for thee that which will draw
men nigh unto the Lord of creation.
The Pen of the Most High
turneth
from the eloquent language19
to the luminous one20
that thou, O Jalíl, mayest appreciate the tender
mercy of thy Lord, the Incomparable One and mayest be of them that are truly
grateful.
O thou who hast fixed
thy gaze upon the all-glorious Horizon! The Call is raised but hearing ears are
numbered, nay nonexistent. This Wronged One findeth
himself in the maw of the serpent, yet He faileth not
to make mention of the loved ones of God. So grievous have been Our sufferings
in these days that the Concourse on High are moved to tears and to lamentation.
Neither the adversities of the world nor the harm inflicted by its nations
could deter Him Who is the King of Eternity from voicing His summons or
frustrate His purpose. When those who had for years been hiding behind the
veils perceived that the horizon of the Cause was resplendent and that the Word
of God was all-pervasive, they rushed forth and with swords of malice inflicted
such harm as no pen can portray nor any tongue describe.
In response to thy
request the Pen of Glory hath graciously described the stations and grades of
the Most Great
Infallibility. The purpose is that all should know of a certainty that the Seal
of the Prophets21—may
the souls of all else but Him be offered up for His sake—is without likeness,
peer or partner in His Own station. The Holy Ones22—may
the blessings of God be upon them—were created through the potency of His Word,
and after Him they were the most learned and the most distinguished among the
people and abide in the utmost station of servitude. The divine Essence,
sanctified from every comparison and likeness, is established in the Prophet,
and God’s inmost Reality, exalted above any peer or partner, is manifest in
Him. This is the station of true unity and of veritable singleness. The
followers of the previous Dispensation grievously failed to acquire an adequate
understanding of this station. The Primal Point23—may
the life of all else but Him be offered up for His sake—saith: “If the Seal of
the Prophets had not uttered the word ‘Successorship,’ such a station would not
have been created.”
Beseech thou God, the
True One, that He may graciously shield the followers of this Revelation from
the idle fancies and corrupt imaginings of such as belong to the former Faith, and
may not deprive them of the effulgent splendors of the daystar of true unity.
O Jalíl!
He Whom the world hath wronged now proclaimeth: The
light of Justice is dimmed, and the sun of Equity veiled from sight. The robber
occupieth the seat of the protector and guard, and
the position of the faithful is seized by the traitor. A year ago an oppressor ruled over this city, and at every instant
caused fresh harm. By the righteousness of the Lord! He wrought that which cast
terror into the hearts of men. But to the Pen of Glory the tyranny of the world
hath never been nor will it ever be a hindrance. In the abundance of Our grace
and loving-kindness We have revealed specially for the rulers and ministers of
the world that which is conducive to safety and protection, tranquility and
peace; haply the children of men may rest secure from the evils of oppression.
He, verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the Giver of victory. It is incumbent
upon the men of God’s House of Justice to fix their gaze by day and by night
upon that which hath shone forth from the Pen of Glory for the training of
peoples, the upbuilding of nations, the protection of man and the safeguarding
of his honor.
The first Ishráq
When the Daystar of Wisdom rose above the
horizon of God’s Holy Dispensation it voiced this all-glorious utterance: They
that are possessed of wealth and invested with authority and power must show
the profoundest regard for religion. In truth, religion is a radiant light and
an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the
world, for the fear of God impelleth
man to hold fast to that which is good, and shun all
evil. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue,
and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquility and peace cease to
shine. Unto this will bear witness every man of true understanding.
The second Ishráq
We have enjoined upon all mankind to
establish the Most Great
Peace—the surest of all means for the protection of humanity. The sovereigns of
the world should, with one accord, hold fast thereunto, for this is the supreme
instrument that can ensure the security and welfare of all peoples and nations.
They, verily, are the manifestations of the power of God and the daysprings of
His authority. We beseech the Almighty that He may graciously assist them in
that which is conducive to the well-being of their subjects. A full explanation
regarding this matter hath been previously set forth by the Pen of Glory; well
is it with them that act accordingly.
The third Ishráq
The fourth Ishráq
In this Revelation the hosts that can
render it victorious are the hosts of praiseworthy deeds and upright character.
The leader and commander of these hosts hath ever been the fear of God, a fear
that encompasseth
all things and reigneth over all things.
The fifth Ishráq
Governments should fully acquaint
themselves with the conditions of those they govern,
and confer upon them
positions according to desert and merit. It is enjoined upon every ruler and
sovereign to consider this matter with the utmost care that the traitor may not
usurp the position of the faithful, nor the despoiler rule in the place of the
trustworthy. Among the officials who in the past have governed in this Most
Great Prison some, praise be to God, were adorned with justice, but as to
others, We take refuge with God. We beseech the One
true God to guide them one and all, that haply they may not be deprived of the
fruit of faith and trustworthiness, nor be withheld from the light of equity
and justice.
The sixth Ishráq
is union and concord amongst the children
of men. From the beginning of time the light of unity hath shed its divine
radiance upon the world, and the greatest means for the promotion of that unity
is for the peoples of the world to understand one another’s writing and speech.
In former Epistles We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House of Justice
either to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new
one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be
taught in all the schools of the world. Thus will the
earth be regarded as one country and one home. The most glorious fruit of the
tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and
of one bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country,
let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind. Concerning this We have
previously revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction of the world
and the unity of nations. Blessed are they that attain thereunto. Blessed are
they that act accordingly.
The seventh Ishráq
The Pen of Glory counseleth
everyone regarding the instruction and education of children. Behold that which
the Will of God hath revealed upon Our arrival in the Prison City and recorded
in the Most Holy Book.24
Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in
the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy
Tablet. He that putteth away that which is commanded
unto him, the Trustees are then to take from him that which is required for
their instruction, if he be wealthy, and if not the matter devolveth
upon the House of Justice. Verily, have We made it a shelter for the poor and
needy. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he
hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving-Kindness, My
Mercy, that have compassed the world.
The eighth Ishráq
O people of God! That
which traineth
the world is Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment.
These two pillars are the sources of life to the world. Inasmuch as for each
day there is a new problem and for every problem an expedient solution, such
affairs should be referred to the House of Justice that the members thereof may
act according to the needs and requirements of the time. They that, for the
sake of God, arise to serve His Cause, are the recipients of divine inspiration
from the unseen Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be obedient unto them. All
matters of State should be referred to the House of Justice,
but acts of worship must be observed according to that which God hath
revealed in His Book.
O people of Bahá!
Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and the daysprings of His
loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly.
Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favorably received, your end is
attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that soul to himself and turn unto
the Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much
less of discord and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true
education in the shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in
accordance with that which God desireth. Ye are all
the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.
The ninth Ishráq
The purpose of religion as revealed from
the heaven of God’s holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the
peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension and strife. The
religion of God and His divine law are the most potent instruments and the
surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men. The
progress of the world, the development of nations, the tranquility of peoples,
and the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances
of God. Religion bestoweth
upon man the most precious of all gifts, offereth the
cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind. It behooveth the chiefs and rulers of the world, and in particular the Trustees of God’s House of Justice, to
endeavor to the utmost of their power to safeguard its position, promote its
interests and exalt its station in the eyes of the world. In like manner it is
incumbent upon them to inquire into the conditions of their subjects and to
acquaint themselves with the affairs and activities of the diverse communities
in their dominions. We call upon the manifestations of the power of God—the
sovereigns and rulers on earth—to bestir themselves and do all in their power
that haply they may banish discord from this world and illumine it with the
light of concord.
It is incumbent upon
everyone to firmly adhere to and observe that which hath streamed forth from
Our Most Exalted Pen. God, the True One, beareth
Me witness, and every atom in existence is moved to testify that such means as
lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the protection and the
regeneration of the peoples of the earth have been clearly set forth by Us and
are revealed in the Holy Books and Tablets by the Pen of Glory.
We entreat God to
graciously aid His servants. What this Wronged One doth expect from everyone is
justice and fairness. Let no one be content with mere hearing; rather doth it behoove
everyone to ponder that which this Wronged One hath revealed. I swear by the
Daystar of utterance, shining above the horizon of the Kingdom of the
All-Merciful, had there been any expounder or speaker discernible, We would not have made Ourself the
object of the censure, ridicule and slander of the people.
Upon Our arrival in ‘Iráq
We found the Cause of God sunk in deep apathy and the breeze of divine
revelation stilled. Most of the believers were faint and dispirited, nay
utterly lost and dead. Hence there was a second blast on the Trumpet, whereupon
the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these blessed words: “We have sounded the
Trumpet for the second time.” Thus the whole world was
quickened through the vitalizing breaths of divine revelation and inspiration.
O ye that judge with fairness!
If this Cause is to be denied
then what other cause in this world can be vindicated or deemed worthy of
acceptance?
Such as have turned away
from the Cause of God are diligently seeking to collect the Holy Writings of
this Revelation; and they have already, through gestures of friendship, managed
to secure certain of these Writings from those who held them in their
possession. Moreover, when they meet the followers of any religion, they hold
themselves out as believers therein. Say, die ye in your wrath! Verily He hath
appeared with so great an authority that no man of vision, of hearing, of
insight, of justice or of equity can ever deny Him. Unto this beareth
witness in this resplendent Hour the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days.
O Jalíl!
Upon thee be My glory. We exhort the loved ones of God to perform good deeds
that perchance they may be graciously assisted and may hold fast to that which
hath been sent down from the heaven of His Revelation. The benefits arising
from this divine utterance shall fall upon such as observe His precepts. We
beseech God to enable them to do that which is pleasing and acceptable unto
Him, to grant that they may deal equitably and may observe justice in this
all-compelling Cause, to acquaint them with His Holy Writings and to direct
their steps towards His straight Path.
Our Exalted Herald—may
the life of all else besides Him be offered up for His sake—hath revealed
certain laws. However, in the realm of His Revelation these laws were made
subject to Our sanction, hence this Wronged One hath put some of them into
effect by embodying them in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas
in different words. Others We set aside. He holdeth
in His hand the authority. He doeth what He willeth
and He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.
He is the Almighty, the All-Praised. There are also ordinances newly revealed.
Blessed are they that attain. Blessed are they that observe His precepts.
The people of God should
make the utmost endeavor that perchance the fire of hatred and malice which smoldereth
in the breasts of kindreds and peoples may, through the living waters of
utterance and the exhortations of Him Who is the Desire of the world, be
quenched and the trees of human existence may be adorned with wondrous and
excellent fruit. He is, in truth, the Admonisher, the Compassionate, the
All-Bountiful.
May the brightness of
His glory shining
above the horizon of bounty rest upon you, O people of Bahá,
upon every one who standeth
firm and steadfast and upon those that are well grounded in the Faith and are endued
with true understanding.
As to thy question
concerning interest and profit on gold and silver: Some years ago the following
passage was revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful in honor of the one
who beareth
the name of God, entitled Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín25—upon
him be the glory of the Most Glorious. He—exalted be His Word—saith: Many
people stand in need of this. Because if there were no prospect for gaining
interest, the affairs of men would suffer collapse or dislocation. One can
seldom find a person who would manifest such consideration towards his
fellow-man, his countryman or towards his own brother and would show such
tender solicitude for him as to be well-disposed to grant him a loan on
benevolent terms.26
Therefore as a token of favor towards men We have prescribed that interest on
money should be treated like other business transactions that are current
amongst men. Thus, now that this lucid commandment hath descended from the
heaven of the Will of God, it is lawful and proper to charge interest on money,
that the people of the world may, in a spirit of amity and fellowship and with
joy and gladness, devotedly engage themselves in magnifying the Name of Him Who
is the Well-Beloved of all mankind. Verily He ordaineth
according to His Own choosing. He hath now made interest on money lawful, even
as He had made it unlawful in the past. Within His grasp He holdeth
the kingdom of authority. He doeth and ordaineth. He
is in truth the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
Render thou thanks unto
thy Lord, O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín,
for this manifest bounty.
However, this is a
matter that should be practiced with moderation and fairness. Our Pen of Glory
hath, as a token of wisdom and for the convenience of the people, desisted from
laying down its limit. Nevertheless
We exhort the loved ones of God to observe justice and fairness, and to do that
which would prompt the friends of God to evince tender mercy and compassion
towards each other. He is in truth the Counselor, the Compassionate, the
All-Bountiful. God grant that all men may be graciously aided to observe that
which the Tongue of the One true God hath uttered. And if they put into
practice what We have set forth, God—exalted be His glory—will assuredly double
their portion through the heaven of His bounty. Verily He is the Generous, the
Forgiving, the Compassionate. Praise be unto God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
Nevertheless
the conduct of these affairs hath been entrusted to the men of the House of
Justice that they may enforce them according to the exigencies of the time and
the dictates of wisdom.
Once again
We exhort all believers to observe justice and fairness and to show forth love
and contentment. They are indeed the people of Bahá,
the companions of the Crimson Ark. Upon them be the peace of God, the Lord of
all Names, the Creator of the heavens.
• • •