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Title: Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas
Author: `Abdu'l-Bahá, 1844-1921
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.
*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas" ***
Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas
by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Edition 1, (September 2006)
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CONTENTS
Baha’i Terms of Use
Volume I
Frontispiece
Introduction
“A sufficient number of Tablets having been gathered together,...”
“He is God!...”
“These Tablets were originally written in Persian and all...”
“For the information of those who know little or nothing...”
“Just as this book was going to press the introduction to...”
“He is God!...”
Tablets of Abdul-Baha
“O thou party who art assisted by the hosts of the Kingdom...”
“O my God! O my God! We are servants who...”
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are attracted! O ye...”
“O ye who are firm in the Covenant!...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm! O ye who...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O ye servants of the Threshold of God!...”
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm in the Covenant...”
“O ye who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O ye firm ones in the Covenant!...”
“O God! O God!...”
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are firm! O ye...”
“O ye who are chosen! O ye who are firm! O ye who...”
“Your three reports, together with the public...”
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“*** Thou has written concerning the Board of...”
“O ye leaves of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants...”
“When you assemble in the meeting of teaching (the...”
“O ye verdant and flourishing leaves of the Blessed...”
“O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
“O ye crying voices in the region of America!...”
“O thou son of the associate and companion of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O Thou kind God! That scattered assembly is...”
“O ye my divine friends!...”
“O ye children of the Kingdom!...”
“O ye Cohorts of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
“O ye two accepted ones in the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye two truthful believers!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Word of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God, who art supplicating unto the...”
“O thou who art advancing to the Dawning-point of...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou flower perfumed by the Breaths of the Love...”
“O thou who dost believe in the Unity of God!...”
“O servant of God!...”
“O thou who art supplicating unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O dear servant of God!...”
“O thou who art uttering the praise of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou lamp ignited by the fire of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou bird of pleasing tones!...”
“O thou spiritual lad!...”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art ignited through the brilliant Flame...”
“***O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou leaf who art well watered through the out-pouring...”
“O servant of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou candle shining by the light of the Love of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O servant of God!...”
“O thou spiritual friend!...”
“O thou kind friend!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou plant in the garden of the Love of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O Spiritual Assembly !...”
“O God! Confirm them in the promotion of Thy...”
“O ye two birds warbling in the Garden of Wisdom....”
“O thou handsome child!...”
“O thou blooming rose in the garden of the Love of...”
“O thou who art anticipating the appearance of the Gift...”
“O my tender friend!...”
“O thou lamp who art illuminated with the light of the...”
“O thou who hearest and seest in this wonderful Cause!...”
“O thou who art agitated as oceans by the winds blown...”
“Verily, I read thy magnificent letter, thy brilliant...”
“O thou who art enkindled by the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou who art marching onward to God!...”
“O thou who art submissive and humble before the...”
“O thou whose heart is soaring in the sky of the love of...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye two birds in the open-space of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art longing for the Orb of the Horizons!...”
“O thou Secretary of the meanings emanated from the...”
“O ye who have advanced! O ye who are rejoiced!...”
“O ye sincere ones and ye who are attracted and moved...”
“O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye who are set aglow with the fire of God’s Love!...”
“O thou who art turning unto God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to God!...”
“O thou opened rose in the garden of El-ABHA!...”
“O thou who art tested with a great calamity!...”
“O thou who art patient and resigning thyself to the...”
“O thou who hast humbled thyself before the Kingdom...”
“O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of...”
“O maid-servant of God who art swayed like a strong...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art assured by the grace of thy Lord!...”
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
“O thou who art hoping for the Kingdom!...”
“O dear servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of Holiness!...”
“O thou who art cheered through the Fragrances of...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who has sought shelter in the Impregnable...”
“O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God!...”
“O thou illumined youth!...”
“O thou revered sincere one!...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O thou who are enkindled by the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou who art made happy by the Fragrances of God!...”
“Convey my love to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........,...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Breath of God!...”
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God, and...”
“O thou who art imploring God!...”
“O visitant of the Resort of spirits (who are) sincere in...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou slave of the Beauty of ABHA!...”
“O thou who art awakened from the sleep of negligence...”
“O thou fortunate and righteous, sincere and pious!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
“O thou at whose mention I am rejoiced!...”
“O thou who art assured in God!...”
“O thou who art advanced towards God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou sincere servant of the True One!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O God who art without likeness!...”
“O thou servant of Baha’!...”
“O servant of Baha’!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
“O my dear, intimate friend!...”
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou beloved of my heart!...”
“O thou who art partaking of the Heavenly Food!...”
“O thou tree, developed in the garden of the Love of...”
“O thou spiritual man and merciful being!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Holy Fragrances!...”
“O thou who art accepted of God!...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of the Deity!...”
“O ye who are longing for the beauty of El-ABHA!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“***O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art marching unto God!...”
“Rejoice, O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art afflicted by a visitation by which thine...”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye illumined faces! O ye divine souls! and O ye...”
“O ye who are attracted to the Heavenly Kingdom! O...”
“O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! Leaves of the...”
“O ye firm, steadfast, and faithful Believers!...”
“O ye dear friends and maid-servants of God!...”
“O thou servant who art near and dear to the Glorious...”
“O thou who art turning to the divine Kingdom!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O servant of God!...”
“O thou who art near to the Threshold of ABHA!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O my spiritual beloved!...”
“O thou fresh, slender branch saturated with the abundant...”
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art nurtured from the breasts of the Kingdom...”
“O thou spiritual temple whose heart is drawn unto the...”
“O thou heavenly, brilliant and precious pearl!...”
“O thou faithful servant of the True One!...”
“O thou son of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art rejoicing at the Glad-tidings of God!...”
“O thou who art drawn unto God and kindled by the Fire...”
“To him who is looking unto God! O thou who art...”
“O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn...”
“O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who hast arisen to render service to the Cause...”
“O thou who hast sought illumination from the Light of...”
“O my Lord, my Hope!...”
“O my Lord, my Hope!...”
“O thou seeker of the True One!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art a young tree in the Garden of the Love...”
“O thou who art quickened by the Divine Fragrances!...”
“O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of God!...”
“O thou bright pearl!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of God! —may...”
“O thou who art sincere in the Religion of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Speech of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!...”
“O thou whose heart is overflowing with the love of God!...”
“O thou who art confident in the appearance of the Kingdom...”
“O thou who art directed unto God!...”
“O Thou Forgiving Lord!...”
“O thou sign of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art commemorating the praises of God!...”
“O thou dear one!...”
“O thou young in age and great in mind!...”
“O my God, my God!...”
“O thou who art attached to the Beauty of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Light of Guidance!...”
“O thou who hast gained illumination from the Light of...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou wonderful leaf of the Tree of the Love of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou bird who art warbling in the Garden of the...”
“O ye two doves, flying in the verdant Gardens of the...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Bounty of El-ABHA!...”
“O thou messenger in the command of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Divine...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou sincere servant of the Lord of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou whose heart is filled with the Love of God!...”
“O thou favored maid-servant in the Threshold of the...”
“O loving God! I am a young child, a suppliant, a...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!...”
“O thou whose face is illumined with the Light of the...”
“O thou who art enkindled with the Fire of the Love...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Threshold of...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art esteemed in the Threshold of the...”
“O thou who hast attained to Truth!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou favored maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou spiritual maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou whose breast is dilated with the Fragrances...”
“O thou who art rejoiced at the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou herald of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom...”
“Thy letter was received. It became conducive to...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Call of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!...”
“O thou whose heart is empty and pure through the...”
“O thou who art shining with the Kingdom’s Lights!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom of the Lord, the...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art longing to witness the lights from the...”
“O thou spiritual clarion!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou flower of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou dazzling gem by the light of the Love of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of...”
Volume II: pp. 239–484
Frontispiece
“It is hoped that wonderful effects will be displayed...”
“Abdul-Baha Abbas...”
“O thou who art attracted by a Breath that passed upon...”
“O thou honorable lady!...”
“O thou who art advancing towards God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou believer in God!...”
“O thou who has turned towards the Lights of the...”
“O thou who art directed unto God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou kind maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire burning in the...”
“O thou who has advanced towards Baha’!...”
“O thou who art anticipating the descent of the Gift of...”
“O thou shining ray!...”
“O thou effulgence of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art desirous of the Kingdom of God!...”
“O tho dear friend!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye shining Assembly!...”
“O ye members of the shining assembly! Each one...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou whom I mention with my heart and tongue!...”
“O thou spiritual youth and merciful young man!...”
“O thou who art directed to the Light of Guidance!...”
“O ye who are advancing towards the Kingdom of...”
“O My God! O My God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
“O thou confirmed by an inspiration from the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of El-Abha!...”
“O thou who hast spread the Fragrance of God!—may...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou whose nostrils are perfumed with the Fragrances...”
“O dear servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art calling in the Name of God and heralding...”
“O thou who art firm in the love of God!...”
“***O ye shining faces and spiritual beings!...”
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are united! O ye...”
“O ye longing ones! O ye cheered ones! O ye attracted...”
“O thou who art kindled by the Fire of Guidance which...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“My God! My God! Elohim ....”
“O maid-servant of God, thou who hast given up thy...”
“O thou who in truth art attracted through the Breaths...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art wholly advancing unto God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Word of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of the...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God and...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou artery pulsating in the body of the world!...”
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Loving Lord!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O bird without a nest!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of the...”
“Inquire after the health of Miss .........., send...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art favored in the Kingdom of the...”
“O thou favored maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing towards the Shining Orb of...”
“O thou who art spreading the Cause of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou bird warbling in the Garden of the Love of...”
“O thou who art conscious!...”
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances...”
“O thou who art commemorating the Name of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art remembered by Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou whose heart is moved by a breeze blowing from...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who dost believe in the Spirit of Christ, in the...”
“O ye who are considering the Kingdom of your august...”
“O ye two singing birds in the Garden of Belief!...”
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye two pilgrims of the Holy Shrine!...”
“O ye two lamps of the Love of God!...”
“O thou respectful soul!...”
“O thou faithful maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art seeking for the Power of the Holy...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Light of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who hast been attracted by the Magnet of the...”
“O thou whose heart hath been filled with the love of...”
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!...”
“My God! My God!...”
“O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god...”
“O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of...”
“O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy...”
“O thou honored friend!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou friend of old and O thou incomparable companion!...”
“O Lord! O Beloved!...”
“O thou herald of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou Thahbet (Firm) in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O ye beloved of God and His sincere friends!...”
“O ye sincere ones! O ye firm ones! O ye heralds of...”
“O ye two revered persons, ye servants in the vineyard...”
“O ye sincere, O ye firm and steadfast in the Testament...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O ye friends of God and daughters of the Kingdom!...”
“O ye dwellers of the Kingdom!...”
“O Thou Pure God!...”
“O thou whose breast is dilated (with joy) for the Kingdom...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art honored and dear!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou child of the Kingdom and firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou speaker in the remembrance of God!...”
“O thou pure soul who art kindled by the fire of the love...”
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who hast approached the Kingdom of God and...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“Verily I approach Thee, O my God, in the darkest hour...”
“To the beloved of God in Persia!...”
“El-Baha, praise, light, blessing and peace be upon thee,...”
“O thou peerless, matchless, glorious martyr!...”
“The first light which shone forth from the horizon of...”
“O ye beloved servants of Abdul-Baha and the maid-servants...”
“O servants of the Blessed Beauty!...”
“O ye sincere ones! O ye favored ones! O ye beseeching...”
“Glory be unto Thee, O Thou whose mercy hath encompassed...”
“O thou who art sweet tongued!...”
“O bird of the Rose-garden of Fidelity!...”
“O thou friend!...”
“O ye brilliant realities!...”
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are remembered!...”
“O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!...”
“O thou whose breast is dilated by the Fragrances of...”
“O thou who seekest for the Will of God!...”
“O thou seeker of the True One!...”
“O thou cup overflowing with the Wine of the Love of...”
“O thou whose tongue is uttering the Name of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of...”
“O thou who art turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of...”
“O thou who art baptized by the Spirit of the Love of...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou faithful and confident!...”
“O thou my dear friend, my associate and companion!...”
“O thou spiritual friend!...”
“O thou my spiritual companion!...”
“Honorable Dr. ............”
“O Spiritual ........!...”
“O thou bearer of the Great-tidings of the Kingdom of...”
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Word of God!...”
“O thou who art kindled as a lamp with the Fire of the...”
“O thou who art cheerful in heart, by the Fragrances...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Love of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“I ask God that thou mayest find a perceiving eye, an...”
“***O ye real friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn...”
“O ye elect and chosen ones of the Kingdom!...”
“O ye sons of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou whose heart is attracted and whose breast is...”
“O ye servants of God and maid-servants of the...”
“O ye beloved! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
“O ye whom God hath chosen from among those who...”
“O ye esteemed maid-servants of God, and ye revered...”
“O ye my dear friends!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
“O thou who art supplicating unto God!...”
“O thou young, incomparable tree of the Rose-garden...”
“O thou who hast approached toward God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant of God!...”
“O thou who art directed toward the Light of Guidance!...”
“O thou who art rejoiced by the Divine Glad-tidings!...”
“O thou dear and honorable!...”
“O thou spiritual son!...”
“O thou dear friend!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fire of the Love of...”
“O thou sincere servant of God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou my dear friend!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
“What thou hast written was read and its contents...”
“Thy last letter was received and its contents brought...”
“O God!...”
“O God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou servant of Baha’!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou sincere servant of God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant and Testament!...”
“O thou my beloved friend!...”
“The letter was received and its contents became evident....”
“O thou who hast confessed and believed in the Words...”
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
“O thou who hast prayed to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye two maid-servants of God!...”
“O thou thrall of the Lord of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye members of the shining assembly!...”
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
“O thou seeker of the Heavenly Kingdom!...”
“O my dear friend!...”
“O thou who art cheerfully moving by the Fragrances...”
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“If the people live and act in accord with...”
Volume III
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O God! O thou Attracted of the hearts of the favored...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“Your letters have been received. God willing, answer...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“Thy letters were received. Although thou hast...”
“O thou who are firm in the Covenant!...”
“O heavenly one!...”
“O ye illumined friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
“O thou who art advanced toward the Kingdom!...”
“O thou yearner after the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye two dear maid-servants of God!...”
“O ye two dear maid-servants of God!...”
“Say to [Dr.] ... that “he studied physical...”
“Convey my respectful greetings to [Dr.] ......”
“Express my affection to Mrs. ... and say:...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou confident leaf!...”
“O ye two advancers towards the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou honorable one!...”
“O thou seeker after Truth!...”
“O thou yearner after the Truth!...”
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
“O thou that mirror in which the Light of Guidance is printed!...”
“O thou who art always calling on God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art calling in the cities, the bearer of the...”
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom!...”
“O thou tree planted in the Garden of the Love of God!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou yearning one!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou pure soul who hath turned with a submissive...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art witnessing the Light of Guidance!...”
“III-530...”
“O thou kind maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O ye blessed souls!...”
“O ye two kind and beloved maid-servants of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!...”
“O thou wooer of Truth and attracted one toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou dear wise man!...”
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O thou seeker after Truth!...”
“O ye seekers of Truth!...”
“O thou dear friend!...”
“O ye seekers of Truth!...”
“O thou Glorious Lord!...”
“O thou plant of the Garden of the Love of God!...”
“O thou dear friend!...”
“O thou faithful one!...”
“O thou who art advanced toward God!...”
“O thou servant of the True One!...”
“O thou heavenly one!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
“O ye spiritual assembly!...”
“O ye friends!...”
“O thou lamp of the Love of God!...”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art attracted toward the Kingdom!...”
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou who hast addressed Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou who art the single one of Japan and the unique...”
“O thou youth of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Word of god to the...”
“O thou spiritual youth!...”
“Announce greeting on my behalf to the two young...”
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I supplicate unto...”
“Glory be unto Thee, O my God!...”
“O ye beloved ones of Abdul-Baha! This servant...”
“O ye beloved ones! It is the moment of the ecstasy...”
“O Thou Pure God!...”
“O ye real companions! Day and night Abdul-Baha...”
“O ye beloved of God and maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
“O pure friends of God!...”
“O ye two , servant and maid-servant of the Beauty of...”
“O thou who art skilled in the Knowledge of God and...”
“O seeker for the Truth!...”
“O thou darling dear!...”
“O thou worshipper of Truth!...”
“O thou whose face is radiant with the light of the Love...”
“O thou yearner after Truth!...”
“O thou yearner after the Kingdom!...”
“O thou flower of the Rose-garden of God!...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye spiritual ones! O ye heavenly ones!...”
“O ye servants of the True One and the maid-servants...”
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
“Thou hast written concerning the universal peace,...”
“O thou who art attracted by the brilliant lights of the...”
“O thou who art illuminated by the Light of Knowledge!...”
“O thou who art gazing toward Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the call of the Lord of the...”
“O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted to the...”
“O thou who art ablaze with the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou seeing one!...”
“O thou who art speaking the praise of god in that vast...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art rejoiced at the explanation of the maid-servant...”
“O thou who art awakened to the Cause of God!...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
“My Lord! My Lord!...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O my God! O my God!...”
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
“O my Lord, my Beloved, my Desire!...”
“O my Lord!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
“O thou lamp glowing with the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!...”
“O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the...”
“O ye dear children!...”
“O thou advancer to the Kingdom of God!...”
“Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the...”
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
“O thou excellent maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou favored maid-servant of the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye blessed maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
“O thou pure and spiritual one!...”
“O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O thou who art tranquilized by the Call of the Kingdom...”
“O thou who art yearning for the Glad-tidings of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye friends of this prisoner!...”
“O thou near servant to the Threshold of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
“O ye two merciful assemblies!...”
“O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the Love of...”
“O thou advancer to God!...”
“O thou pure soul who art turning toward the Lord of...”
“O thou whose heart is pure and whose souls is rejoiced!...”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his...”
“O thou servant of God!...”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Face of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou advancing maid-servant of God!...”
“”O Compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for...”
“O ye friends of God!...”
“O thou servant of the Threshold of God!...”
“O my spiritual friends!...”
“As to [what thou hast heard concerning] the child...”
“O thou spiritual beloved!...”
“O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom of the...”
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
“O thou confident soul who art content and patient!...”
“O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may God...”
“O thou who art esteemed and guarded!...”
“O thou who art rejoiced by the Appearance of God!...”
“O thou who art exhilarated by the Wine of the Love of...”
“To the servant of God!...”
“To the servant of God, .........:...”
“O seeker of the truth!...”
“Thy letter was received and its contents noted. In...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O ye who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O ye maid-servants of God and leaves of the Tree of...”
“If you arise in accord with the exhortations and commands...”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
“Convey my respectful greeting to Mr. ......... and...”
“O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art waiting for the Appearance of the...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!...”
“O thou who art uttering the mention of God!...”
“O thou who art kindled by the fire of the Love of God!...”
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
“O thou attracted one!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou spiritual leaf who art verdant and well-watered...”
“O thou bird of the Garden of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou seeker of the Divine Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art longing for the Heavenly Kingdom!...”
“O thou plant in the Garden of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!...”
“O ye maid-servants of His Majesty, the Lord—daughters...”
“O seeker of Truth!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O ye dear servants of God!....”
“O servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou sincere servant of Baha’o’llah!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art longing for the Kingdom!...”
“O thou leaf who art moved by the Breeze of God!...”
“O thou tree planted in the Vineyard of God!...”
“O thou who art seeking fire from the Fire of the Love...”
“O thou son of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
“***O ye children of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou lover of humanity!...”
“O thou who art rejoicing by the Glad-tidings of God!...”
“O thou maid-servant of God, who art guided to the...”
“O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted unto...”
“O thou seeker after the Beauty of the True One!...”
“O thou advancing maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou ignited candle!...”
“O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of...”
“O maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
“O thou attracted one of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou illumined maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of God!...”
“O thou who art preparing to receive knowledge from...”
“O thou who are supplicating to God and turning to...”
“O thou that virtuous soul and individual who art ready...”
“O thou gem of the Kingdom and brilliant leaf!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the “Spirit of Truth!”...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of Holiness!...”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
“O thou lamp who art enkindled with the fire of the...”
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
“The contents of thy last letter were extremely rejoicing,...”
“O thou servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Holy Spirit!...”
“O thou flame of the Love of God!...”
“O thou dear sister!...”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
“O thou sign of the Kingdom and the bird singing with...”
“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!...”
“Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. .........”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of Abha!...”
VOLUME I
Frontispiece
“In reality thou art spiritually hungry and athirst for the Water of Life.
Therefore I send thee spiritual food and bestow upon thee the Water of
Life Eternal. That food is the divine advices and exhortations revealed in
the Tablets and the spiritual outpourings of the Breath of the Holy
Spirit. I hope ere long it will reach thee and thou wilt behold what an
exhilaration and beatitude it produceth and what cheerfulness and serenity
and what heavenly emotions it createth!”
Abdul-Baha Abbas.
Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas
Volume I
Published by
BAHAI PUBLISHING SOCIETY
P. O. Box 283
CHICAGO, U.S.A.
Introduction
This book is a reproduction of the Tablets of Abdul-Baha as contained in
the archives of the House of Spirituality(1) of Bahais of Chicago from the
recipients for the purpose of safe preservation in accordance with the
purpose mentioned in the following letter sent out by that Body:
March 21, 1908.
To the Friends of God in the Light of El-Abha, throughout America.
Greeting:—
For a number of years the House of Spirituality has been gathering copies
of Tablets, received by the Friends in America from Abdul-Baha Abbas, for
sacred preservation in its archives, in accord with permission from him to
do so in a Tablet addressed to it dated April 21, 1903, as follows: “As to
the compiling of the Tablets in a Book for the House of Spirituality, this
depends upon the consent of the receivers of the Tablets; if the owners of
the Tablets consent, copies should be kept and collected in the House of
Spirituality and it will be acceptable.”
Although many Tablets, both published and unpublished, were known to be in
circulation among the believers, and notwithstanding the restriction to
collect only copies sent in with the consent of the recipients, yet, in
the spring of 1907, through the hearty response and co-operation in this
endeavor about 500 copies of different Tablets had been received,
acknowledge and filed with data concerning each in a safety deposit vault
equipped with all modern appliances for protection.
We believe the Friends everywhere will be further interested in knowing
that at that time a draft of the Tablets was made by the Librarian of the
House of Spirituality for the Bahai Publishing Society (who contemplated
issuing same in book form), with all references to personalities
eliminated, and said compilation was taken by Mr. Agnew to the presence of
Abdul-Baha, who inquired especially as to elimination of all names of
persons and everything of a clearly personal nature, and as to whether the
recipients of the Tablets had consented to publication of them, etc.—to
all of which he gave approval and instructed the Publishing Society to
proceed with the work.
The purpose of this communication is therefore twofold: First, that the
endeavor be continued to preserve a copy of every Tablet obtainable; and
second, that it be accomplished at the earliest possible moment in order
to make the forthcoming Volumes of Tablets (now being prepared by the
Publishing Society) as complete as possible, for only the Tablets in the
archives of the House will be used, as therein is recorded the desire of
the recipients.
In sending copies of Tablets, kindly see in so far as possible that
together with each is given: (1) Full name of recipient (2) present
address, mentioning street number, city or town, and state, (3) on or
about date translation, (4) name of translator, (5) clearly state whether
or not permission to publish all or only a portion of same is granted.
Should there be any doubt as to whether or not a copy of any certain
Tablet is already in the archives, you may be assured in knowing that
every Tablet received has been acknowledged on a special printed form,
signed by the Librarian.
Concerning this important matter the following words of Abdul-Baha will be
of interest to all: “Verily know, that the Tablets (Book) of Abdul-Baha
and his address is a hidden mystery and concealed fact; no one is informed
of its greatness and importance at these times. But in the course of times
and future centuries, the signs thereof will be manifested, the lights
thereof will dawn, the fragrance thereof will be diffused, and the
greatness, the importance thereof will be known. The truth I say unto
thee, that each leaflet from Abdul-Baha will be a wide-spread Book; nay,
rather, a glistening Gem on the Glorious Crown. Know thou Its value and
hold great Its station!”
Thanking you in advance, we are your fellow servants in the Vineyard of
El-Abha,
The House of Spirituality
“A sufficient number of Tablets having been gathered together,...”
A sufficient number of Tablets having been gathered together, they have
been entrusted to the Baha’i Publishing Society for publication in this
concrete form for the enlightenment of the English-speaking world.
The Tablets appear in the book in the order received and filed in the
archives, i.e. the first to respond to the above letter sent out by the
House of Spirituality appear first in the book, and, so far as possible,
all the Tablets to any one person or to a family or to an assembly have
been placed together.
Regarding publications, the following Tablet from Abdul-Baha was received
by this Society in October, 1906:
“He is God!...”
He is God! O ye heavenly Assemblage!
Your letter was received and its contents became known. Ye have written
concerning the printing and publication of the Tablets.
The translation of the Surat-ul-Hykl(2) is of the utmost difficulty. It
must be translated by a committee who are exceedingly efficient both in
Persian and English, exercising the closest and most minute attention.
Otherwise the text would not become intelligible. The same rule applieth
to other Writings and Tablets. For the present the organization of such a
committee of translators is not possible and there is no other means than
the translations made by individuals. In the future, God willing, means
will be brought about. Translations will be made by a committee composed
of two most erudite Persians and two learned Americans, all of them having
the utmost proficiency in both languages and possessing a certain
knowledge of sciences and arts. Then others from among the scholars and
thinkers must assist. At that time Tablets will be translated correctly
and published. What ye have in your hands and what is already printed will
impart a certain degree of information. Whatever matter the spiritual
Boards of Council in New York, Chicago, Washington and Kenosha unanimously
deem advisable to print and publish, ye may print and publish; and have
the utmost union and oneness with each other.
Regarding the Tablets of Abdul-Baha: Each of them is important. Print ye
those which are in detail.
As to the question of annihilation and destruction of the Spirits(3) : Mr.
Phelps hath not not fully understood the matter or else the translator
hath made some mistake. It was not intended to convey the idea that the
unbelieving souls are absolutely annihilated. Nay, rather, it was meant
that the existence of the evil spirits in comparison to the existence of
the sanctified souls was like unto annihilation. As you clearly behold,
the existence of mineral in comparison with the existence of man is like
unto non-being. When the body of man is destroyed and disintegrated, it
returneth to the mineral.
Concerning the income of the printing and publishing society, as ye write,
it must be expended for charitable purposes.
O ye believers of God! I am pleased with you and seek for your assistance
and confirmation. I hope that ye may, day by day, add to your love,
steadfastness, purity of intention and service to the Cause of God.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
Abdul-Baha Abbas.
“These Tablets were originally written in Persian and all...”
These Tablets were originally written in Persian and all bear the caption,
“He is God!”(4) and close with expressions of good will, such as, “Upon ye
be greetings and praise!” These expressions have been omitted from this
compilation; also such portions as are clearly of a personal nature, as
well as names of persons, as instructed by Abdul-Baha.
Omission of names of persons has been designated by the sign, thus
........; omission of purely personal portions of the text have been
designated by the sign, thus ***. The translator’s interpolations are
enclosed in parentheses, thus ( ); editor’s interpolations are enclosed in
brackets, thus [ ]. For messages within Tablets a special sign has been
found necessary and these messages are enclosed within this special sign,
thus ~ ~. Quotations are shown by the usual sign, thus “ ”.
The great labor of translating these Tablets from the original language
has been entrusted to the following translators, whose inestimable service
is hereby gratefully acknowledged: Anton Haddad, Mirza S. M. Raffie, Mirza
Housein Rouhy, Ali Kuli Khan, Dr. Ameen U. Fareed, H. S. M. Taki Manshadi,
Mirza Ahmad Esphahani, Mrs. Getsinger, Miss Barney and Mirza Moneer Zane.
The House of Spirituality desires to thank all who have assisted in this
matter of gathering in copies of Tablets for preservation in its archives,
and requests the Bahais everywhere to continue the endeavor as outlined in
the circular letter sent out by that Body, as herein quoted. Address such
communications to the Librarian of the House of Spirituality, P. O. Box
283, Chicago, Ill.
Only a portion of the Tablets now on file with the House of Spirituality
are contained in this volume. Other volumes will be issued as soon as
possible. Tablets coming in will take their place in order according to
the date received and appear in forth-coming volumes.
The Bahai Publishing Society.
Feast of Naurooz, March 21, 1909.
“For the information of those who know little or nothing...”
For the information of those who know little or nothing of the Bahai
Revelation, we quote the following account translated from the (French)
Encyclopaedia of Larousse:—
Bahaism the religion of the disciples of Baha’o’llah, an outcome of
Babism.—Mirza Husain Ali Nuri Baha’o’llah was born at Teheran in 1817 A.
D. From 1844 he was one of the first adherents of the Bab, and devoted
himself to the pacific propagation of his doctrine in Persia. After the
death of the Bab he was, with the principal Babis, exiled to Baghdad, and
later to Constantinople and Adrianople, under the surveillance of the
Ottoman Government. It was in the latter city that he openly declared his
mission. He was “He whom God would make manifest,” whom the Bab had
announced in his writings, the great Manifestation of God, promised for
the last days; and in his letters to the principal Rulers of the States of
Europe he invited them to join him in establishing religion and universal
peace. From this time, the Babis who acknowledged him became Bahais. The
sultan then exiled him (1868 A. D.) to Acca in Palestine, where he
composed the greater part of his doctrinal works, and where he died in
1892 A. D. (May 29). He had confided to his son, Abbas Effendi Abdul-Baha,
the work of spreading the religion and continuing the connection between
the Bahais of all parts of the world. In point of fact, there are Bahais
everywhere, not only in Mohammedan countries, but also in all the
countries of Europe, as well as in the United States, Canada, Japan,
India, etc. This is because Baha’o’llah has known how to transform Babism
into a universal religion, which is presented as the fulfillment and
completion of all the ancient faiths. The Jews await the Messiah, the
Christians the return of Christ, the Moslem the Mahdi, the Buddhists the
fifth Buddha, the Zoroastrians Shah Bahran, the Hindoos the reincarnation
of Krishna, and the Atheists—a better social organization! Baha’o’llah
represents all these, and thus destroys the rivalries and the enmities of
the different religions; reconciles them in their primitive purity, and
frees them from the corruption of dogmas and rites. For Bahaism has no
clergy, no religious ceremonial, no public prayers; its only dogma is
belief in God and in his Manifestations (Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus, et al.,
Baha’o’llah). The principal works of Baha’o’llah are the Kitab-ul-Ighan,
the Kitab-ul-Akdas, the Kitab-ul-Ayd, and numerous letters or tablets
addressed to sovereigns or to private individuals. Ritual holds no place
in the religion, which must be expressed in all the actions of life, and
accomplished in neighborly love. Every one must have an occupation. The
education of children is enjoined and regulated. No one has the power to
receive confession of sins, or to give absolution. The priests of the
existing religions should renounce celibacy, and should preach by their
example, mingling in the life of the people. Monogamy is universally
recommended, etc. Questions not treated of are left to the civil law of
each country, and to the decisions of the Bait-ul-Adl, or House of
Justice, instituted by Baha’o’llah. Respect toward the Head of the State
is a part of respect toward God. A universal language, and the creation of
tribunals of arbitration between nations, are to suppress wars. “You are
all leaves of the same tree, and drops of the same sea,” Baha’o’llah has
said. Briefly, it is not so much a new religion as Religion renewed and
unified, which is directed today by Abdul-Baha.—(Nouveau Larousse
Illustre, supplement, p. 66.)
“Just as this book was going to press the introduction to...”
Just as this book was going to press the introduction to it appearing on
the following page was received from Abdul-Baha.
“He is God!...”
He is God!
O Thou Almighty Lord!
Strengthen all mankind that they may do according to the instructions and
teachings recorded in these writings, so that wars and strifes may be
eliminated from the world of man; that the roots of enmity may be
destroyed and the foundations of love and affection be established; that
the hearts may be filled with love and the souls be attracted; that wisdom
may advance and the faces become brightened and illumined; that there be
no more wars and strifes and that reconciliation and peace appear; that
the Unity of the world of man may pitch its tent on the “apex of the
horizons,” so that peoples and parties become as one nation, that
different continents become as one continent and the whole earth as one
land; that the sects of antagonizing and dogmatic religions be unified;
that the world of creation be adorned and all the people of the earth
abide in unity and peace.
Verily, Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, the Beholder!
(signed) Abdul-Baha Abbas.
TABLETS OF ABDUL-BAHA
“O thou party who art assisted by the hosts of the Kingdom...”
O thou party(5) who art assisted by the hosts of the Kingdom of El-Abha!
Blessed are ye who are assembled in the shadow of the Word of God, who are
abiding in the cave of the Covenant of God, who are comforted by dwelling
in the Paradise of El-Abha(6), who are cheerfully moved with the breezes
which blow from the point of the providence of God, and who have arisen to
render service to the Cause of God, to promulgate the Religion of God, to
promote the Word of God and to hoist the standards of sanctity in those
regions and climes.
By the life of El-Baha! Verily, the perfect and divine power will breathe
in you with bounties from the Holy Spirit and enable you to accomplish a
thing the like of which hath never been seen by the eye of existence.
O party of the Covenant! Verily, the Beauty of El-Abha hath promised the
most great assistance to the beloved who are firm in the Covenant and to
confirm them through the mightiest power. Ye will surely find in your
luminous assembly such signs as will shine within hearts and souls. Adhere
to the hem of the robe of the Lofty One and do your best to spread the
Covenant of God and to kindled with the fire of the love of God, so that
your hearts may move with joy through the fragrances of humbleness which
are being diffused from the heart of Abdul-Baha. Make feet firm,
strengthen hearts and rely upon the everlasting bounties which will
successively pour on your from the Kingdom of El-Abha. Know, verily, the
lights of Baha’ will shine forth onto you during your gathering together
in the brilliant Paradise.
It is incumbent on you to have union and harmony. It is incumbent upon you
to have affinity and accord, so that ye may become united in body and soul
as the Pleiades, and as strings of brilliant pearls. Thereby your
foundation will be laid, your argument will become manifest, your stars
will beam forth and your souls will be comforted.
When ye enter the spiritual meeting of Consultation, chant the following
commune, your hearts beating with the love of God and your tongues
purified from aught else save the commemoration of God; so that the Most
Might Power may confirm you by the greatest assistance:
“O my God! O my God! We are servants who...”
O my God! O my God! We are servants who have sincerely turned our faces
unto Thy grand face, severed ourselves from all else save Thee in this
great day and are assembled together in this glorious meeting, of one
accord and desire, and unanimous in thought to promulgate Thy Word amid
Thy creatures.
O my Lord! O my Lord! Suffer us to be signs of guidance, standards of Thy
manifest Religion throughout the world, servants of Thy Great Covenant—O
our exalted Lord! —appearances of Thy oneness in Thy Kingdom, the El-Abha,
and stars which dawn forth unto all regions.
O Lord! Make us as seas rolling with the waves of Thy great abundance,
rivers flowing from the mountains of Thy glorious Kingdom, pure fruits on
the tree of Thy illustrious Cause, plants refreshed and moved by the
breeze of Thy gift in Thy wonderful vineyard.
O Lord! Cause our souls to depend upon the signs of Thy Oneness, our
hearts to be dilated with the bounties of Thy Singleness, so that we may
become united as are ripples on a waving sea; become harmonized as are the
rays which shine forth from a brilliant light; so that our thoughts,
opinions and feelings become as one reality from which the spirit of
accord may be diffused throughout all regions.
Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Bestower! Verily Thou art the Giver,
the Mighty, the Loving, the Merciful!
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are attracted! O ye...”
O ye(7) who are sincere! O ye who are attracted! O ye who are yearning! O
ye who are arising for service to the Cause of God, for the promotion of
the Word of God and the spreading of the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read your excellent letter, its beautiful composition, eloquent
words and deep meanings. I praised God and gave glory to Him for that He
hath strengthened you and confirmed you in serving His glorious vineyard.
Your faces shall be enlightened with the radiance of supplication to God,
invocation to Him, Humbleness and submissiveness to the friends
(believers), and your assembly will be made a magnet for the lights of
assistance from His Great Kingdom.
It is incumbent upon you to commemorate and ponder upon the signs of God,
to implore to God and to be evanescent and subservient in the Cause of
God. This is what makes you the signs of guidance among the people, stars
shining in the supreme horizon and thriving trees in the Paradise of
El-Abha.
Then know ye that Abdul-Baha is in cheerfulness and joy and in the
happiness of great glad-tidings through being in this far distant
prison.(8) By the life of El-Baha! —this prison is my supreme paradise, my
utmost desire, the joy of my heart and the dilation of my breast, my
shelter, my asylum, my inaccessible cave and my high protection. By it I
glory among the angels of heaven and the Supreme Concourse.
Be rejoiced, O friends of God, with this confinement which is a cause of
freedom, this prison which is a means of salvation (to many) and this
suffering which is the best cause of great comfort. Verily, by God, I
would not change this prison for the throne of the command of the horizons
and would not exchange this confinement for all excursions and enjoyments
in the gardens of the earth.
Verily, I hope, through the kindness of my Lord and His mercy, bounty and
generosity, to be suspended in the air in His path and that my breast may
become the target to be be pierced by thousands of bullets; or that I may
be cast into the bottomless seas, or thrown into the wilderness and plains
of barrenness. This is my utmost aim, my supreme desire, the animation of
my spirit, the healing of my bosom and the sight of my eyes.
As to you, O friends of God: Make firm your feet in the Cause of God with
such firmness as cannot be shaken by the most great disasters of this
world. Be not troubled by anything under any condition. Be as lofty
mountains, dawning stars from the horizon of existence, brilliant lamps in
the assemblies of oneness and lowly souls, pure hearted, with the friends.
Be signs of guidance; lights of piety; severed from the world, holding
fast to the firm rope; spreaders of the spirit of life; abiders in the ark
of safety; manifestations of mercy; dawning-stars of the mysteries of
existence; points of revelation; day-springs of light; strengthened by the
Holy Spirit; attracted toward God; sanctified from all things and from the
(natural) qualities of people, and characterized with the attributes of
the angels of heaven—so ye may attain to the greatest gift in this great
century and new age.
By the life of El-Abha! No one will obtain this great favor save he who
cuts himself from this world, being attracted by the love of God, who is
dead to the desires and appetites of self, sincere to God in all things
and meek, humble, imploring, pleading and lowly before God.
“O ye who are firm in the Covenant!...”
O ye who are firm in the Covenant!
The report of the Spiritual Gathering, which is dated *** and sent by you,
was received and its contents were a source of great fragrance and
spirituality. I was glad to read the names of the revered members.
The signature of that meeting should be the Spiritual Gathering (House of
Spirituality) and the wisdom therein is that hereafter the government
should not infer from the term “House of Justice” that a court is
signified, that it is connected with political affairs, or that at any
time it will interfere with governmental affairs.
Hereafter, enemies will be many. They would use this subject as a cause
for disturbing the mind of the government and confusing the thoughts of
the public. The intention was to make known that by the term Spiritual
Gathering (House of Spirituality), that Gathering has not the least
connection with material matters, and that its whole aim and consultation
is confined to matters connected with spiritual affairs. The was also
instructed (performed) in all Persia.***
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!
These are servants who have turned to Thy Kingdom and hearkened unto Thy
voice. Their hearts were dilated by Thy call, responded unto Thy summons,
were attracted unto Thy beauty, acknowledged Thy proofs, believed in Thy
signs, confessed Thy Oneness and arose for the service of Thy Cause and
the promotion of Thy Word.
O Lord! O Lord! Make them lamps of guidance, lights glistening in the
supreme apex, sparkling stars in heaven, holy angels moving on earth and
thriving trees bearing delicious and fragrant fruits.
O Lord! O Lord! Purify their qualities, clarify their consciousness,
cleanse their hearts and illumine their faces. Verily Thou art the
Powerful, the Precious, the Protecting!
O ye spiritual ones! The rules for election are those which are customary
in that country. The period of election is five years.
O Lord! O Lord! Bless this Spiritual Gathering, strengthen them by Thy
power for the spreading of Thy divine fragrances, cause them to follow Thy
will which is effective in the realities of all things, and aid them by a
confirmation such as never hath preceded to any one in former
centuries.(9) For these are servants of Thy servants and Thou hast crowned
them them with this diadem, the most luminous (Abha) gems of which will
shine unto all the horizons.
Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Giver!
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm! O ye who...”
O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm! O ye who are steadfast!
Verily, I received a letter from that brilliant body and Spiritual
Gathering—those who have arisen and called out for the Kingdom of God
among the peoples of America.
Verily, know with certain knowledge that ye will be confirmed by hosts
from the Kingdom of El-Abha and with inspirations from the Supreme
Concourse in the promotion of the Word of God. Verily, Abdul-Baha is with
you and supplicates unto God, desiring His heavenly blessings to surround
you, His divine favors to encompass you, the appearances of the Sun of
Truth to shine in your hearts, the glad tidings of God to rejoice your
spirits, the fragrances of holiness to perfume your nostrils, the verses
of guidance to be chanted in your gatherings, and the lamp of the Supreme
Concourse to illumine your meetings. Know with real assurance that this
light will encompass the horizons (the world) with great brilliancy.
I ask God to make ye lamps ignited by the great Light, so that ye may
stand with all power, meekness, humbleness, sacrifice and self-resignation
and thus become examples for the people and pure types for the world, be
salt of the earth, stars of guidance, great trees with broad foliage and
excellent fruits of fragrant scent, growing by the bounty of the cloud of
the Kingdom of El-Abha.
I praise God that ye were firm in faithfulness in that ye testified and
acknowledged the efforts which Mirza Assa Ullah(10) manifested in
spreading the fragrances of God and that ye thanked him for his labor and
teaching for you, and this is what gladdens the heart of Abdul-Baha.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou(11) who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I say unto thee the truth, that I am with you in spirit and in
heart, that I rejoice by your joy and am happy by your happiness; and hear
with the ear of spirit your calling and scent with the spiritual nostrils
the fragrances of your garden.
O ye friends of God! Arise from the corporeal beds (bodies) and ask for
the divine favors, so that ye become revived by the Holy Spirit through
the breath which the Spirit breathes into the souls.
By the glory of my Lord, there will be for your brilliant assemblage an
evident sign and great effects in the spirits and the hearts. Therefore,
gladden the friends of the Merciful with the glad-tidings of thy Lord in
this time, and convey to them greeting from Abdul-Baha in this promised
century, so that they may arise with me in servitude to the Threshold of
El-Baha.
“O ye servants of the Threshold of God!...”
O ye servants of the Threshold of God!
The weekly reports of *** were received and I was informed of their
beautiful meanings which proved firmness and steadfastness in the Cause of
God and solidity in the Covenant of God.
Through the favor and providence of the Beauty(12) of Abha I trust that
Spiritual Gathering will develop day by day and will be reinforced by the
strength of God.
Communication with the friends of God in other countries is a source of
fragrant spirituality.
O ye members of the Spiritual Gathering! Appreciate this favor. This is
the glorious crown of the Kingdom, which, in this century, the Hand of the
Great Favor has placed on your head, and the gems of this brilliant diadem
will surely glisten unto all centuries.
Thank God that ye became a manifestation of such favor and are addressed
by such speech.
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!
Verily I read your reports with great joy. They are a cause of
spirituality and fragrance and a source of dilation of souls. If this
Spiritual Meeting, by the divine fragrance and heavenly confirmation, be
firmly established (or continued) it will become a source of great signs
and will be confirmed in matters of paramount importance.
The Spiritual Meetings, which are organized in this cycle of God and this
divine century, have never had their simile or likeness in bygone cycles.
For the great meetings (organizations) were under the protection of
aristocratic men, while these meetings (or organizations) are under the
protection of the bounty of El-Abha. The helper or supporter of those
(organizations) was either a prince or a king; either a priest was the
principal, or a great republic (the cause); but the Helper, the Assistant,
the Confirmer and the Inspirer of these spiritual meetings (or
organizations) is His Majesty the Everlasting God.
Consider not the present condition, but rather foresee the future and the
end. A seed in the beginning is very small, but in the end a great tree.
One should not consider the seed, but the tree and its abundance of
blossoms, leaves and fruits.
Consider the days of Jesus, when there was only a small body of people,
and then observe the great tree which grew from that seed and what an
abundant fruit it produced. This is greater than that, forasmuch as it is
the calling of the Lord of Hosts and the Voice of the Trumpet of the
Living God; it is the summons unto the harmony and unison of the world,
and it is the banner of faithfulness, trustworthiness and friendship among
the difference nations and sects of the universe; it is the light of the
Sun of Truth and the spirituality of the Majestic One. Verily this great
cycle (dispensation) will encompass all the horizons and ultimately all
the nations will gather together under this standard.
Therefore, know the importance of this seed which was planted in the
divine field by the heavenly Gardener, watered with the rain of grace and
nurtured by the heat and light of the Sun of Truth. Thus, O ye friends of
God, give thanks unto His Majesty, the One, that ye became (or were made)
the manifestation of such a gift and the recipient of such favor.
Blessed are ye! Good-tidings unto you for this great blessing!
“O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm in the Covenant...”
O ye who are sincere! O ye who are firm in the Covenant of God in this new
cycle!
Verily I praise God for that He confirmed you in the service of the Cause
of God in His great vineyard.
Write to Mrs. ........ and convey to her greetings and praise and say to
her that her Lord will aid and strengthen her in attaining her desire.
Convey my greeting and salutation unto the maidservant of God, the
attracted one, Mrs. ........, the respected. I ask God to make her a
spreader of the new Gospel, an utterer in praise of her Lord in that vast
region.
Convey my kindness and love unto the maid-servant of God, who is thrilled
by the fragrances of God, Miss ........ of [that place] so that she may be
rejoiced by my greeting to her, the fullness of my favor, and that she may
be drawn by the love of God even as the magnet attracts the iron.
O my precious friends in the Kingdom of God, the members of the Spiritual
Meeting! Communicate with all parts of Persia; write replies to the
letters which are sent to you, with all joy, happiness, fragrance and
spirituality; because the friends of God in Persia are all rejoiced in
commemorating you in the meetings and assemblies, in houses and
Mashrak-el-Azcars.(13)
“O ye who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O ye who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read your letters which uttered your steadfastness in the Cause
of God, your firmness in His Religion and your joy by the breezes wafted
from the garden of the Kingdom of God.
The truth, I say unto you, “Verily, the Supreme Concourse utter praise
upon you, because ye forsook the desires of self, were illumined by the
light of guidance, clothed yourselves with the garment of sanctity and
called in the Name of El-Abha among the people. Verily, ye shall reap what
ye sow and obtain the fruits of what ye plant. This is a pre-ordained
fact.”
O ye beloved of God! When the winds blow severely, rains fall fiercely,
the lightning flashes, the thunder roars, the bold descends and storms of
trial become severe, grieve not; for after this storm, verily, the divine
spring will arrive, the hills and fields will become verdant, the expanses
of grain will joyfully wave, the earth will become covered with blossoms,
the trees will be clothed with green garments and adorned with blossoms
and fruits. Thus blessings become manifest in all countries. These favors
are results of those storms and hurricanes.
The discerning man rejoiceth at the day of trials, his breast becometh
dilated at the time of severe storms, his eyes become brightened when
seeing the showers of rain and gusts of wind, whereby trees are uprooted;
because he foreseeth the result and the end (of these trials), the leaves,
blossoms and fruits (which follow this wintry storm); while the ignorant
(short-sighted) person becometh troubled when he seeth a storm, is
saddened when it raineth severely, is terrified by the thunder and
trembleth at the surging of the waves which storm the shores.
As ye have heard of the former times, when (for example) Christ—glory be
to Him! —appeared, a storm of trials arose, afflictions appeared, the
winds of tests blew, the thunder of temptation descended and hosts of
people (Pharisees) surrounded the houses of the friends; then the weak
ones were shaken and were misled after once being guided; but the
disciples withstood the hardships and endured the storms of ordeals,
remaining firm in the Religion of God. Then observe that which occurred
after the storm and what appeared subsequent to that severity, whereby the
members (followers) trembled.
God hath changed the sorrow to joy, the destructive darkness of calamity
into the shining light from the Supreme Concourse. The people at the
beginning persecuted and reviled the believers in God and said of them:
“These are the people of aberration.” Then, when their light appeared,
their stars shone and their lamps illuminated, the people returned into
love and affinity; they prayed to them, offered words of glory night and
day (in their name) and remembered them in eulogy, reverence, honor and
majesty.
Therefore, O ye beloved of God, be not grieved when people stand against
you, persecute you, afflict and trouble you and say all manner of evil
against you. The darkness will pass away and the light of the manifest
signs will appear, the veil will be withdrawn and the Light of Reality
will shine forth from the unseen [Kingdom] of El-Abha. This we inform you
before it occurs, so that when the hosts of people arise against you for
my love, be not disturbed or troubled; nay, rather, be firm as a mountain,
for this persecution and reviling of the people upon you is a pre-ordained
matter. Blessed is the soul who is firm in the path!
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant(14) of God!
***Trust no man save him whose breast hath been dilated by God through the
light of faith, whom God hath confirmed in His Religion, and who is
severed from all else save God and attracted by His Fragrances.
In future, of course, certain people will come to you claiming faith; do
not believe them nor trust them, unless after critical examination, search
and investigation, and a long period of waiting, they shall appear to be
faithful and truthful in word, confident in heart, attracted in spirit,
pure in intention, patient in hardship, enduring the most severe tests;
then associate with them. Because some sects will send certain men to
mingle with you in order to throw suspicion upon those who are weak,
therefore avoid them carefully.*** But let such [deliberations] be hidden
that you may not become a cause of hindrance [to such souls].(15)
“O ye firm ones in the Covenant!...”
O ye firm ones in the Covenant!
The report of [your meeting] was noted. All the arrangements of the
meeting are suitable and acceptable. The reading of the Tablets which are
sent to special persons dependeth upon their consent. First send the
Tablets to them and if they should agree, the same may be read in the
meeting. All the arrangements were good and suitable.
A special letter is enclosed for the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........
Forward it. As to letters for Chicago and its vicinity, if God so willeth
(Inshallah), they will be sent through the House of Spirituality. As to
the copying of the Tablets in a book for the House of Spirituality, this
dependeth upon the consent of the receivers of the Tablets. If the owners
of the Tablets consent, copies should be kept and collected in the House
of Spirituality and it will be acceptable. Nevertheless, this should be
with perfect consent of the receivers.
Regarding arrangements for the Bahai Sunday meeting for the purpose of
worship, this is very suitable. But, in a meeting for worship, first,
prayer should be chanted and supplication made until all gather; then
communion should be made. After praying, sacred readings with melodious
voices should be read by all together. As this is the commencement of
holding meetings, this is sufficient.
“O God! O God!...”
O God! O God!(16)
Thou dost look upon us from Thine unseen Kingdom of Oneness, [beholding]
that we have assembled in this Spiritual Meeting, believing in Thee,
confident in Thy signs, firm in Thy Covenant and Testament, attracted unto
Thee, set aglow with the fire of Thy love, sincere in Thy Cause, servants
in Thy vineyard, spreaders of They Religion, worshipers of Thy
Countenance, humble to Thy beloved, submissive at Thy door and imploring
Thee to confirm us in the service of Thy chosen ones. Support us with
Thine unseen hosts, strengthen our loins in Thy servitude and make us
submissive and worshiping servants, communing with Thee.
O our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy divine face; feed us from Thy heavenly
table by Thy godly grace; help us through the hosts of Thy supreme angles
and confirm us by the holy ones of the Kingdom of Abha.
Verily Thou art the Generous, the Merciful! Thou art possessor of great
bounty and verily Thou art the Clement and Gracious!
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are firm! O ye...”
O ye who are attracted! O ye who are firm! O ye who are zealous in the
service of the Cause of God and are sacrificers of possessions and lives
for the promotion of the Word of God!
I perused your recent letter, dated *** and my heart was filled with joy
through its beautify meanings and its eloquent contents. Truly they were
suggested by the breaths of confirmation from the Glorious Lord.
O friends of Abdul-Baha and his co-sharers and partners in the servitude
of the Lord of Hosts! Verily, the greatest affair and the most important
matter today is to establish a Masharak-el-Azcar(17) and to found a Temple
from which the voice of praisings may rise to the Kingdom of the majestic
Lord. Blessings be upon you for having thought to do so and intending to
erect such an edifice, advancing all in devoting your wealth in this great
purpose and in this splendid work. You will soon see the angels of
confirmation following after you and the hosts of reinforcement crowding
before you.
When the Mashrak-el-Azcar is accomplished, when the lights are emanating
therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the
prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom (of
heaven), the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme,
then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow
with the love of the All-living and Self-existent (God). The people shall
hasten to worship in that heavenly Temple, the fragrances of God will be
elevated, the divine teachings will be established in the hearts like the
establishment of the Spirit in mankind; the people will then stand firm in
the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. Praise and greetings be upon you.
“O ye who are chosen! O ye who are firm! O ye who...”
O ye who are chosen! O ye who are firm! O ye who are calling! O ye who are
sincere!
Verily I praise my Supreme Lord for choosing you to call in His Name among
the people, for attracting you to the beauty of El-Abha and for
strengthening you in rendering His Cause victorious.
I trust in Him to make your faces shine forth with glorious lights in that
clime, glistening as the face of heaven by the light of the early dawn,
unto the horizons.
Verily I herald unto you the confirmations which will sustain you by the
mercy of your Lord. For ye have arisen with all your power to serve God’s
Cause in that vast region. Ponder over this great bounty and manifest
attainment!
I send you the glad-tidings of the erection of the Temple of worship
(Mashrak-el-Azcar) in Ishkabad [Russia], with all joy and great happiness.
The friends of God assembled together with rejoicing and conveyed the
stones themselves, upon their backs, while attracted by the love of God
and for the glory of God. Soon that great Temple will be completed and the
voice of prayer and praise shall ascend to the sublime Kingdom.
I was rejoiced through your endeavors in this glorious cause, made with
joy and good interest. I pray God to aid you in exalting His Word and in
establishing the Temple of Worship, through His grace and ancient mercy.
Verily you are the first to arise for this glorious cause in that vast
region. Soon will ye see the spread of this enterprise in the world and
its resounding voice shall go through the ears of the people in all parts.
Exert your energy in accomplishing what you have undertaken, so that this
glorious Temple may be built, that the beloved of God may assemble therein
and that they may pray and offer glory to God for guiding them to His
Kingdom.
Convey my greeting and praise to the beloved of God in that city.
“Your three reports, together with the public...”
(18) Your three reports, together with the public announcement(19), were
received. Praise be to God! all the contents indicated firmness,
spirituality and goodness. The friends of the Spiritual Meeting are indeed
manifesting efforts in the Cause of God. Soon the unseen strength of
heaven will become evident, and such zeal and earnestness will become
manifest in that country that it will affect all parts of the world.
Souls are like unto mirrors, and the bounty of God is like unto the sun.
When the mirrors pass beyond all coloring and attain purity and polish,
and are confronted with the sun, they will reflect in full perfection its
light and glory. In this condition one should not consider the mirror, but
the power of the light of the sun, which hath penetrated the mirror,
making it a reflector of the heavenly glory.
I hope that the House of Spirituality will become a heavenly mirror and
the lights of the Sun of Truth will so penetrate it that all parts will be
illuminated through it.
Your public announcement was carefully considered, and in some places
slight corrections were made, and it was returned to you. This
announcement should be given forth with wisdom, and not in haste, for it
would be a cause of stirring up. When ye find a soul manifesting a demand
for Truth, then ye may give this to him, that he may be informed of the
rudiments of the Cause.
But my name should be confined to Abdul-Baha in all writings. This is the
collective name which will gather all the people, and it is the strong
fortress and protection of the Cause of God. The beloved ones must limit
themselves to this. However, ye may mention me as the Light of the Love of
God, the Flame of the Guidance of God and the Banner of Peace and Harmony.
I trust in God that ye may ever be confirmed through the Holy Spirit.
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!
Your long letter was considered and its contents were a source of
happiness. Thank God that ye, western friends, have become dawning-points
of the love of God and stars of knowledge leading to Him; night and day
are ye thinking of imparting life to souls and of educating people of
discernment.
Regarding the blessed word, the Greatest Name: Its writing or spelling is
according to its pronunciation (i.e., it is spelled as it is pronounced)
in the Persian language. Baha is correct; Beha is incorrect. However this
question must not cause inharmony and grief among the friends. This truth
shall become manifest.
Should ye attribute a mistake to a person, it will be a cause of offense
and grief to him—how much greater would this be if it is attributed to a
number of people! How often it hath occurred that a slight difference hath
caused a great dissension and hath been made a reason for division. Now,
you write Baha’u’llah,(20) but do not object to any person. All will
eventually follow the correct spelling.
O ye beloved ones of God! The manifestation of the Light of Unity is for
binding together the people of the world. If this unity is not attained,
the tree of life is made fruitless, the heavenly bounty is not utilized.
The blessed blood (of the saints) was shed for bringing about unity and
harmony. These souls gave their lives as sacrifice in order to produce the
love that bindeth the hearts of all the people. Therefore, ye should all
spend your efforts in uniting and reconciling (the people), so that the
light of God’s love may permeate the universe.
The Spiritual Meeting of men (House of Spirituality) and the Spiritual
Meeting of women (Assembly of Teaching) in Chicago are indeed endeavoring
to serve. If they unite, as they should, they will produce great results.
Especially, if the Spiritual Meetings of Chicago unite with those of New
York and become bound together, in a short while the fragrance of the
divine garden, which giveth life, will perfume all regions.
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!
Your letter was considered; its contents were a source of satisfaction to
the heart and its meaning indicative of firmness and steadfastness in the
Cause of God.
That gathering is under the shelter and protection of the mighty Lord. I
hope that, as it should be, ye may be confirmed by the fragrance of the
Holy Spirit and day by day may grow in love for God and attraction to the
eternal beauty of the Sun of the horizons.
The spiritual love of God maketh man pure and holy and clotheth him with
the garment of virtue and purity. And when man attacheth his heart wholly
to God and becometh related to the Blessed Perfection, the divine bounty
will dawn. This love is not physical, nay, rather, it is absolutely
spiritual.
The souls whose consciences are enlightened through the light of the love
of God, they are like unto shining lights and resemble stars of holiness
in the heaven of purity.
The real and great love is the love of God. That is holy above the
imaginations and thoughts of men.
The beloved of God must each be the essence of purity and holiness; so may
they be known by their purity, freedom and meekness in every land; they
may drink from the eternal chalice of the love of God, enjoy its ecstasy,
and through meeting the Beauty of Abha, they should be joyful, active,
aglow with zeal and wonderful. This is the station of the sincere. This is
the quality of those who are firm. This is the illumination of the faces
of those who are near.
Therefore, O ye friends of God, ye must in perfect purity attain spiritual
unity and agreement to a degree that ye may express one spirit and one
life.
In this condition physical bodies play no part: the command and authority
are in the hand of the spirit. When the spirit becometh all inclusive, the
Spiritual union shall be attained. Night and day endeavor to attain
perfect harmony; be thoughtful concerning your own spiritual developments
and close your eyes to the shortcomings of one another.
By good deeds, pure lives, humility and meekness be a lesson for others.
Abdul-Baha wisheth no one’s heart to feel hurt, nor will he be a source of
grief to any one; for there is no greater satisfaction than being a source
of joy to the hearts.
I ask God that ye may become like angels of heaven, sources of happiness
to souls.
“O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha!
The blessed letter indicating the election of the Spiritual Meeting was
received and proved a source of joy. Thank God, the beloved of that city,
in perfect unity, love and oneness, held the new election and were
confirmed and strengthened to elect such holy souls as are near the divine
Threshold and known by the republic of the beloved to be firm and
steadfast in the Covenant.
Now they (the members of Spiritual Meeting) must, in perfect spirit and
fragrance, in sincerity of heart, in attraction by the fragrances of God
and by the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, engage in service; in the
promotion of the Word of God; the diffusion of the fragrances of God; the
training of the souls; the promulgation of the most great peace. They must
raise the Banner of Guidance and become the host of the Supreme Concourse.
Indeed, blessed souls have been elected. When I read their names,
spiritual joy was immediately realized, for, praise be to God! certain
souls have appeared in that continent who are servants of the kingdom,
self-sacrificing ones of the Peerless Majesty.
O ye friends of mine! Illuminate the meeting with the light of the love of
God, make it joyful and happy through the melody of the Kingdom of
holiness, and with heavenly food and through the “Lord’s Supper”(21)
confer life.
Congregate in the utmost of joy and happiness and commence with this
commune:
O Lord of the Kingdom! Although we are assembled, yet we are Thy scattered
ones; captives of Thy Shining Face. Although we are incapable, yet we
anticipate the manifestation of Thy strength and ability. Although we are
without capital and commodity, yet we are aided by the treasury of the
Kingdom. Although we are a drop, yet we emanate from Thy sea of seas.
Although we are an atom, yet we are illumined by Thy most bright Sun.
O Lord! Confirm us so that each one in this gathering become a bright
candle, a witness of the meeting, a caller to the Kingdom; that the world
of matter become the mirror of heaven.
O ye dear friends of mine! The assemblies of those regions must be
connected with one another and must communicate (correspond) with each
other. Even communicate with the assemblies of the East, so that this may
become the means of the great unity and concord.
O ye spiritual friends! Firmness (constancy) must reach a degree that if
all the souls (Bahais) be destroyed by the evil wishers and there remain
but one, that one singly and alone should be capable of withstanding all
who live on earth, and of spreading the fragrances of holiness.
Therefore, when any terrible new or calamitous tidings reach you from the
land of desire (Acca), ye should not grow cold, sad, or be affected
thereby. Nay, rather, ye must immediately in the utmost firmness, arise
for the service of the Kingdom.
This servant of the Threshold of His Majesty the eternal God, hath always
been and is in danger; there hath never been a hope for rest. The utmost
of his hopes is that in the arena of martyrdom the cup of grace become
replete and the wine of great bounty lend the wondrous ecstasy. This is
the utmost of my hopes and desires.
The Tablets of Israghat, Tarazat, Bescharat, Tajaliat and Kalamat,(22)
according to what is heard have been translated and printed in those
regions. Hasten to become imbued with the qualifications and attributes
set forth therein.
And this letter(23) will close with reverential greetings, in the utmost
kindliness, from me to the beloved ones and to the maid-servants of the
Merciful.
“*** Thou has written concerning the Board of...”
(24) *** Thou has written concerning the Board of Consultation.
It is very proper thou shouldst exert thyself with heart and soul so that
this assembly shall become a source of merciful events, and enter the
shadow of the protection and preservation of His Highness, the One God.
The more this gains strength and becomes effective, the greater will
become the penetration of the Word of God, and the more will the doors of
confirmation be opened.
As to the Assembly of Teaching, the revered members of which are the
maid-servants of the Merciful, they are also assisted by the help and the
providence of the Beauty of El-ABHA. They will soon discover that they are
strengthened by the invisible hosts, and rendered successful by the
abundant bounty of the Kingdom of the Forgiving Lord. They will set such a
flame to the regions as will kindle the heart of the universe, and will
cause the pillars of the world to tremble. But all of their mention and
thought in their meeting should be confined to teaching the truth, and to
constantly persuade people in pure and divine brilliancy and in absolute
godlike spirituality. They should not interfere with the affairs which
have regard to the Board of Consultation, because confusion of thought
conduces to division and causes disturbance to the mind, and then pure
spirituality would cease. But if all mentions are turned into one mention,
and all thoughts concentrated in one point, then man will find (a higher)
spirit, and witness (a higher) confirmation. His power and penetration
will increase, and his armies and hosts will gain successive victories. By
this it is intended that the assembly of the maid-servants of the Merciful
should be with pure spirituality and with absolute brilliancy, and become
a torch of that blessed fire, a center of the merciful feelings.
The Assembly of Teaching is in this day of the first importance, and is
promised to be assisted and protected through the assistance of His
Highness, the One God.
Announce infinite glad-tidings to the revered maid-servants of God—the
members of the merciful assembly, so that they may arise with the utmost
tranquillity (to further) prosperity and success, because Abdul-Baha is
their strong and firm assistant through the help and the providence of the
Lord of Hosts.
Concerning organizing Houses of Justice of men and Assemblies of Teaching
of maid-servants of God, the more endeavor is made, the more agreeable it
will be. It is very useful. Likewise, electing men and women teachers, and
their traveling and journeying in all parts, and their going and coming in
cities and villages, is greatly conducive to the solidity of the Cause.***
“O ye leaves of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants...”
O ye leaves(25) of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants of the
Merciful!
Verily, I read your words of thanksgiving to God, and of celebrating the
praise of God, for that He hath illuminated your faces with the lights of
guidance, hath transfigured Himself on your hearts with the bounties of
spirit, and hath made you as lofty and magnificent trees bearing ripened
fruits in the Paradise of El-ABHA. These signs will surely become manifest
in your faces, these lights will shine within your hearts, the splendor of
oneness will envelop you, and your brows will glitter with rays shining
from the Kingdom of El-ABHA.
O maid-servants of the Merciful! Know that, verily, this day is the day of
teaching, this day is the day of diffusing the fragrances of God, being
severed from aught else save God, attracted to the Word of God, and
clinging to the Covenant of God. There is no work greater than this. Be ye
entirely spiritual, purely brilliant, cut your dependence from any other
mention, thought or purpose, and confine your mentions, thoughts and
occupations to spreading the fragrances of God, and devote your attention
to this great work. By God, the True One, verily, the Sun of Truth will
cast forth its lights in your assemblies and will make you shining lamps,
glittering stars, brilliant signs, and as souls attracted to the Holy
Spirit. This is the great prosperity! This is the manifest light!
Upon you be greeting and praise!
“When you assemble in the meeting of teaching (the...”
When you assemble in the meeting of teaching (the truth), it is incumbent
on you to chant the following supplication and commune:
O God, O God! We are Thy humble and submissive servants, leaves of Thine
exalted and verdant paradise, drops from the basins of Thine abundant
mercy, and scattered particles flying about in Thy shining rays.
O Lord, O Lord, render us successful through Thy conquering power, in that
which Thou lovest and approvest, so that we may become standards of
guidance, signs of Thy Kingdom, the El-ABHA [and that we may] adore Thee,
supplicate before the Kingdom of Thy mercy, beseech Thy realm of might, be
submissive to Thy servants, humble before Thy maid-servants, severed from
aught else save Thee, sincerely turned unto Thy face, aflame with the fire
of Thy love, diffusing Thy fragrances, united in Thy Cause, of one accord
in Thy religion, and firm in Thy Covenant. O God, strengthen us through
the fragrances of Thy sanctity, that we may become sanctified from the
stain of egotism and lust, baptized with Thy Holy Spirit, with the fire of
Thy love and the water of Thy bounty.
Verily, Thou art the Bestower, the Assister, the Confirmer, the
Beneficent, the Merciful!
“O ye verdant and flourishing leaves of the Blessed...”
O ye verdant and flourishing leaves(26) of the Blessed Tree!
Verily, I read your letter, which expressed your spiritual attraction to
the fragrances of God, your service to the Cause of God, your firmness in
the Covenant of God, your joy in this blessed and great day, your union
and harmony in the religion of God, your happiness in diffusing the light
of the knowledge of God, and your work in the Vineyard of God—the Paradise
of El-ABHA. Such prosperity, success, blessing and salvation behooveth one
like you! Blessed are ye, O ye stars who are beaming with the light of the
love of God! Blessed are ye, O ye lamps lighted with the fire of the love
of God! Blessed ye are, O ye who are attracted to the Kingdom of God!
Glad-tidings be unto you, O you who are severed from aught else save God!
Blessed ye are, O ye pure and chaste ones! Glad-tidings be unto you
through the gift of the Covenant, from the light of which all regions are
illuminated! Be rejoiced that the lights of the Sun of Truth are shining
forth unto all parts; be gladdened at the gifts of your Lord, which have
surrounded all the universe; dilate your breasts by chanting the verses of
God, and console your eyes by witnessing the bounties of the Supreme
Concourse.
By God, the True One, verily, the angels of heaven praise you every morn
and eve from the loftiest apex, and announce to you a favor which will
surely appear as clear and lucid as the sun in mid-day. Then your faces
will shine with a light which will gleam forth unison and harmony, in
diffusing the fragrances of God, in preaching the Beauty of El-ABHA, and
promoting the word of God. Let each one of you be attracted to the love of
the other, so that ye may become as fountains flowing from one source,
stars beaming with one life, myrtles verdant and flourishing by the
abundance of one rain. By this your hearts will be purified, your
consciences illumined, your souls made clear, your banners hoisted, and ye
will become signs of guidance among the maid-servants, standards of
chastity and piety throughout all the nations of the earth, and the
appearances of the gifts of your Lord among women.
Verily, I implore God to gaze upon you with the eye of His mercy, to raise
you through a godlike power, to move you by the breezes of His glory, to
make you fluent in irrefutable and divine proofs and arguments, to sever
you from the world and all therein, to purify and sanctify you from every
material grade, and enable you to diffuse the bounties of the Divine
Worlds.
“O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!
Be rejoiced with the glad-tidings of God and thank your Lord for that He
assembled you in the brilliant gathering with illumined faces, pure
hearts, wherein the mysteries of God are printed, and spirits gladdened by
the fragrances of God. This is from His favor to you in this glorious
century.
I ask God to adorn your heads with the pearls of His favor, to ignite in
your hearts the fire of the love of God, to free your tongues in utterance
of eloquent words and excellent meanings and mysteries in the gathering of
the pious, to make ye roses of the paradise of El-ABHA, angels of heaven,
united in opinions, harmonious in thoughts and to manifest in your faces
signs of holiness of the Kingdom among the people.
Soon will your Lord make you growing trees in His wonderful vineyard,
blossoming, leafing and bearing fruits of the paradise of El-ABHA through
the shadow of His Name, the Merciful, the Clement.
“O ye crying voices in the region of America!...”
O ye(27) crying voices in the region of America!
Make level the path of the Covenant of God! BE firm in the Alliance of
God!
I surely read your answer to my words, and my heart overflowed with joy
and fragrance, when I heard of your supplication to God, and of your
entreaty to God, and of your begging assistance of God, and of your
endeavor in the service of the Cause of God, and of your effort in
publishing the Alliance of God, and of your yearning after and your
longing for harmony and union in the love of God.
Ye shall soon behold the lights of confirmation shining forth unto your
hearts and your spirits from the Kingdom of ABHA.
Stand up, as the standing of the souls by whose lights of sincerity in the
Cause of God the horizons are shining, and guard the sheep of God with the
staff of the instructions of God.
I beg God to confirm thee to His will, as He confirmed the Apostles (of
Jesus) aforetime.
I know, verily, that the universal, never ending, eternal, bright and
divine establishments are only the diffusing of the breaths of God, and
the spreading of the instructions of God, and all that are beside these,
though they be the reigning over all the regions of the earth, or the
construction of railroads from the earth to the heavens, or means of
transportation with the rapidity of rising lightning from the globe of
earth to the globe of the sun, all are but mortal, perishing, demolishing
and disadvantageous, in comparison with the divine establishments. Because
the latter (divine establishments) are intrinsic matters, while the former
are but metaphorical matters; the latter are truth, while the former are
imaginary.
Verily, I yearn after your visit as the yearning of the thirsty after the
fountain of the water of Euphrates (agreeable water), but at present your
remaining in that region (America) is obligatory. Please God, when it will
be the occasion, I will inform you to come; and (now) I will
circumambulate instead of you the Holy Tomb.(28) Glory be upon you!
“O thou son of the associate and companion of Abdul-Baha!...”
O thou son of the associate and companion(29) of Abdul-Baha!
You brought many letters with you from those regions, but on account of
the great disturbance it was not possible to write the answers. You saw
what a commotion was set up in the Blessed Spot(30) throught the
instigation of the jealous brother. It still continues. Therefore you must
apologize: Say that Abdul-Baha has considered every one of the letters
with the eyes of the spirit, has read each, and through the valid
messenger—that is, through the spiritual susceptibilities—has sent each
the message of peace and greeting. Therefore, let them turn to the blessed
and Radiant Spot with a pure heart and an attracted spirit, that they may
receive answer through the lights radiating therefrom.
Communication is not confined to writing. This is a trace, while the
spiritual message is fruitful and effective. That is the essential, and
without it communication is useless.
“O Thou kind God! That scattered assembly is...”
O Thou kind God! That scattered assembly(31) is Thine, and that gathering
of friends is of Thee. Their eyes are opened, their hearts in tune with
Thy love, and their ears in communion with Thy hidden mysteries.
O Thou who art self-sufficient! Let a beautiful song reach this people
from the birds of that garden, that they may warble, rejoice and be happy,
implore and supplicate the Lord.
O Thou Educator! Train that assembly of the righteous; comfort them; set
their hearts aglow with the fire of Thy love; acquaint them with Thy
mystery and commune with them, so that they may find Thy kingdom of
mysteries, become of the people of piety and leading in liberty.
Grant them the soul immortal; enrich them above the world, and detach them
from the world; usher them into the tent of Thy Kingdom and give them a
portion of the divine bounty.
Bestow upon them the everlasting life and bless them with the new
teachings. Make every one a lighted torch and a warbling nightingale—the
king of the rose in the garden. Reveal to them Thine attractive beauty;
make each a growing tree on the shore of Thy guidance, bearing the fruit
of Thy grace. Thus may the East illumine the West and the West become the
East of the Supreme Heaven.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Almighty, and verily Thou art the
Precious, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient!
“O ye my divine friends!...”
O ye my divine friends!(32)
At a time when the sea of tests had become tempestuous and the waves of
calamity were heaving and the hosts of nations were in the utmost violence
and the people of oppression dealt with infinite injustice, some of the
calumniators, uniting with our unkind brother, wrote a letter replete with
false accusations and engaged in seditions and calumnies.
They confused the mind of the government and agitated the state
authorities. From this it is evident how a prisoner in this ruined walled
city would fare and how the conditions are so full of perplexity and
confusion as to baffle all description! Notwithstanding, this imprisoned
exile is in the utmost firmness and calmness, trusts in His Highness the
Peerless God, and wishes for every calamity and affliction in the path of
the love of God! (To us) the arrow of oppression is a rich flow of divine
bounty, and deadly poison is a swift-healing antidote.
We were in such a state when a letter came from the friends in America.
The whole of its contents showed an agreement on their part to be in unity
and harmony in all respects, and it was signed by all, determined to be
self-sacrificing in the path of the love of God, in order thus to secure
eternal life.
Upon perusing that letter and looking at the name signed to it, such a joy
and gladness came over Abdul-Baha as is beyond description, and he thanked
God that such friends are found in that country, who in utmost joy and
fragrance are in union and accord and one in agreement with each other.
The more this Covenant is strengthened, the happier, the better, the
sweeter it will be and it will thus attract the divine confirmations. If
the friends of God are wishing for confirmation in order to enjoy the
friendship of the Supreme Concourse, they must exert themselves to confirm
and strengthen this Covenant; for the making of a covenant, and an
alliance for brotherhood and unity is like unto the irrigation of the tree
of life which is conducive to eternal life!
Briefly, O ye friends of God! Make your feet firm, make a firm compact,
and in union and accord endeavor to diffuse the fragrance of the love of
God and to spread the divine teachings, in order that ye may impart life
to the dead body of this world, and bestow a real healing on every one
diseased (in soul).
O ye friends of God! The world is like the body of man—it hath become
sick, feeble and infirm. Its eye is devoid of sight, its ear hath become
destitute of hearing and its faculties of sense are entirely dissolved.
The friends of God must become as wise physicians and care for and heal
this sick person, in accord with the divine teachings, in order that—God
willing—it may perchance gain health, find eternal healing and that its
lost powers may be restored; and that the person of the world may find
such health, freshness and purity that it will appear in the utmost beauty
and charm.
The first remedy is to guide the people, so that they may turn unto God,
hearken unto the divine commandments and go forth with a hearing ear and
seeing eye. After this swift and certain remedy hath been applied, then
according to the divine teachings, they ought to be trained in the
conduct, morals and deeds of the Supreme Concourse, encouraged and inspire
with the gifts of the Kingdom of ABHA. The hearts should be purified and
cleansed from every trace of hatred and rancor and enabled to engage in
truthfulness, conciliation, uprightness and love toward the world of
humanity; so that the East and the West may embrace each other like unto
two lovers, enmity and animosity may vanish from the human world and the
universal peace be established!
O ye friends of God! Be kind to all peoples and nations, have love for all
of them, exert yourselves to purify the hearts as much as you can, and
bestow abundant effort in rejoicing the souls. Be ye a sprinkling of rain
to every meadow and a water of life to every tree. Be ye as fragrant musk
to every nostril and a soul-refreshing breeze to every invalid. Be ye
salutary water to every thirsty one, a wise guide to every one led astray,
an affectionate father or mother to every orphan, and, in the utmost joy
and fragrance, a son or daughter to every one bent with age. Be ye a rich
treasure to every indigent one; consider love and union as a delectable
paradise, and count annoyance and hostility as the torment of hell-fire.
Exert with your soul; seek no rest in body; supplicate and beseech with
your heart and search for divine assistance and favor, in order that ye
may make this world the Paradise of ABHA and this terrestrial globe the
arena of the Supreme Kingdom. If ye make an effort, it is certain that
these lights will shine, this cloud of mercy shall rain, this
soul-nourishing breeze shall waft, and the scent of this most fragrant
musk be diffused.
O ye friends of God! Be ye not concerned with the events transpiring at
this Blessed Spot, and give no thought thereto. Whatever may happen is
good, for calamities are bestowal itself, hardship is the reality of
mercy, discomposure is but composure of mind, and sacrifice of life is a
manifest gift. Whatever may happen is a bounty from God, the Most High. Be
ye engaged in your own affairs; be employed in guiding the people; train
the souls in the qualities and nature of Abdul-Baha, and convey the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom of ABHA to the people. Do not seek rest during
night and day and sit not tranquil for a minute. Bring these glad-tidings
to the hearing of mankind with the utmost exertion, and accept every
calamity and affliction in your love for God and reliance on Abdul-Baha.
Endure the censure of enemies and bear the reproaches of the people of
oppression with patience. Follow the example of Abdul-Baha and at every
moment wish to offer yourselves in the path of the Beauty of ABHA. Shine
ye like unto the sun and roar and move like unto the sea; impart life to
mountain and desert like unto clouds, and similar to the vernal breeze,
bestow freshness, grace and elegance on the trees of human temples.
“O ye children of the Kingdom!...”
O ye(33) children of the Kingdom!
It is New Year; that is to say, the rounding of the cycle of the year. A
year is the expression of a cycle (of the sun); but now is the beginning
of a cycle of Realty, a New Cycle, a New Age, a New Century, a New Time
and a New Year. Therefore it is very blessed.
I wish this blessing to appear and become manifest in the faces and
characteristics of the believers, so that they, too, may become a new
people, and having found new life and been baptized with fire and spirit,
may make the world a new world, to the end that the old earth may
disappear and the new earth appear; old ideas depart and new thoughts
come; old garments be cast aside and new garments put on; ancient politics
whose foundation is war be discarded and modern politics founded on peace
raise the standard of victory; the new star shine and gleam and the new
sun illumine and radiate; new flowers bloom; the new spring become known;
the new breeze blow; the new bounty descend; the new tree give forth new
fruit; the new voice become raised and this new sound reach the ears, that
the new will follow the new, and all the old furnishings and adornments be
cast aside and new decorations put in their places.
I desire for you all that you will have this great assistance and partake
of this great bounty, and that in spirit and heart you will strive and
endeavor until the world of war become the world of peace; the world of
darkness the world of light; satanic conduct be turned into heavenly
behavior; the ruined places become built up; the sword be turne dinto the
olive branch; the flash of hatred become the flame of the love of God and
the noise of the gun the voice of the Kingdom; the soldiers of death the
soldiers of life; all the nations of the world one nation; all races as
one race; and all national anthems harmonized into one melody.
Then this material realm will be Paradise, the earth Heaven, and the world
of Satan become the world of Angels.
“O ye Cohorts of God!...”
O ye(34) Cohorts of God!
A letter which was signed by you in general was received. Its content was
of the utmost beauty, sweetness, eloquence and perfection. While reading
it the utmost happiness was produced. It spoke of fasting during the month
of the Fast. Happy is your condition for you have executed the divine
command; and have arisen to fast in these blessed days. For this physical
fasting is a symbol of the spiritual fasting, that is, abstaining from all
carnal desires, becoming characterized with the attributes of the
spiritual ones, attracted to the heavenly fragrances and enkindled with
the fire of the love of God.
Likewise your letter was an evidence of the union and affinity of the
hearts. I hope that through the bounty and favors of the Most Glorious
Lord, in this new age, the regions of the West become the East of the Sun
of Truth, the believers of God become the dawning-places of lights, the
manifestors of the signs, be protected and guarded from the doubts of the
heedless ones, remain firm and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament,
and strive day and night in order to awaken those who are asleep, to make
mindful those who are heedless, to make confident of the mysteries of the
Kingdom those who are deprived, to confer a share from the never-ending
outpouring upon those who are helpless, to become the heralds of the
Kingdom and to call the inhabitants of this terrestrial world to the
Celestial Realm.
O ye Cohorts of God! Today in the present world each community is
wandering in a wilderness, moving in accord with some passion and desire,
and running to and fro in pursuance of his own imagination. Among the
communities of the world, this community of the “Most Great Name” is free
from every thought, keeping aloof from every project and scheme, arising
with the purest designs and intentions, and striving and endeavoring with
the utmost hope to live in accordance with the divine teachings in order
that the surface of the earth become the delectable paradise, the nether
world become the mirror of the Kingdom, the universe become another
universe, and the human race attain to higher morals, conduct and manners.
O ye Cohorts of God! Through the protection and help of the Blessed
Perfection—may my life be a sacrifice to His beloved ones! —you must
conduct and deport yourselves in such a manner that you may stand out
among other souls distinguished by a brilliancy like unto the sun. If any
one of you enters a city he must become the center of attraction because
of the sincerity, faithfulness, love, honesty, fidelity, truthfulness and
loving-kindness of his disposition and nature toward all the inhabitants
of the world, that the people of the city may all cry out: “This person is
unquestionably a Bahai; for his manners, his behaviour, his conduct, his
morals, his nature and his disposition are of the attributes of the
Bahais.” Until you do attain to this station, you have not fulfilled the
Covenant and the Testament of God. For according to the irrefutable texts,
He has taken from us a firm covenant that we may live and act in accord
with the divine exhortations, commands and lordly teachings.
O ye Cohorts of God! Now is the time when the signs and the perfections of
the “Most Great Name” become manifest and clear in this golden cycle in
order that it may become demonstrated and established beyond doubt that
this period is the period of the Blessed Perfection, and this cycle is
distinguished from all other cycles and epochs.
O ye Cohorts of God! If you observe that a soul has turned his face
completely toward the Cause of God, his intention is centralized upon the
penetration of the Word of God, he is serving the Cause day and night with
the utmost fidelity, no scent of selfishness is inhaled from his manners
and deeds, and no trace of egotism or prejudice is seen in his
personality—nay rather is he a wanderer in the wilderness of the love of
God, and one intoxicated with the wine of the knowledge of God, occupied
wholly with the diffusion of the fragrances of God, and attracted to the
signs of the Kingdom of God; know ye of a certainty that he is confirmed
with the powers of the Kingdom, assisted by the heaven of Might; and he
will shine, gleam and sparkle like unto the morning star with the utmost
brilliancy and splendor from the horizon of the everlasting gift. If he is
alloyed with the slightest trace of passion, desire, ostentation or
self-interest, it is certain that the results of all efforts will prove
fruitless, and he will become deprived and hopeless.
O ye Cohorts of God! Praise be to God! —that the Blessed Perfection hath
freed the necks from the bonds and fetters and released all from racial
attachments by proclaiming, “Ye are all the fruits of one tree and the
leaves of one branch.” Be ye kind to the human world, and be ye
compassionate to the race of man, deal with the strangers as you deal with
the friends, be ye gentle toward the outsiders as you are toward the
beloved ones, know the enemy as the friend, look upon the satan as upon
the angel, receive the unjust with the utmost love like unto a faithful
one, and diffuse far and wide the fragrances of the musk of the gazelles
of Kheta and Khotan(35) to the nostrils of the ravenous wolves.
Become ye a shelter and asylum to the fearful ones, be ye a cause of
tranquillity and cease to the souls and hearts of the agitated ones,
impart ye strength to the helpless ones, be ye a remedy and antidote to
the afflicted ones, and a physician and nurse to the sick ones. Serve ye
for the promotion of peace and concord and establishe in this transitory
world the foundation of friendship, fidelity, reconciliation and
truthfulness.
O ye Cohorts of God! Strive ye that this human world may be changed into a
luminous realm and this mound of earth become the Paradise of ABHA.
Darkness hath environed the world upon all sides. Savage tempers and
inclination predominate. The human world has become the battlefield of the
rapacious savages and the arena of the heedless and ignorant ones. The
souls are either bloodthirsty wolves or beasts with degenerate reason.
They are either deadly poison, or worthless plants. There are a few souls
who in reality have some humanitarian intentions and are thinking of the
well-being and prosperity of human kind. You must in this instance (that
is, service to humanity) sacrifice your lives, and in sacrificing your
lives celebrate happiness and beatitude.
O ye Cohorts of God! His Highness, the Supreme(36)—may my life be a
sacrifice to Him! —hath given up His life, and at every moment the Blessed
Perfection(37) in His own life sacrificed hundreds of lives, endured dire
calamities and oppressions. Laden with fetters He was thrown into the dark
dungeon, He was exiled and banished to distant lands and finally passed
His days in the Most Great Prison(38) . Likewise a multitude of friends
drank the sweet chalice of martyrdom and sacrificed soul, possession,
family and relatives for the Cause. How many houses were overthrown! How
many residences were pillaged and rapined! How many magnificent palaces
were turned into a desolate tomb! All these phenomena transpired only that
the world of humanity may become a luminous realm; ignorance be changed
into wisdom, human souls become merciful, warfare and bloodshed be
destroyed to their very foundation, and the Kingdom of Peace become
paramount over all men. Now strive ye, that perchance this Beloved of
Hopes appear in the assemblage of the world and this Providence become a
realized fact.
O ye Cohorts of God! Beware lest ye offend the feelings of anyone, or
sadden the heart of any person, or move the tongue in reproach of and
finding fault with anybody, whether he is friend or stranger, believer or
enemy. Pray in behalf of all and entreat God for forgiveness and bounty
for all. Beware, beware that any soul take revenge or retaliate over
another even if he be a bloodthirsty enemy. Beware, beware that any one
rebuke or reproach a soul, though he may be an ill-wisher and an ill-doer.
Do ye not look upon the creature, advance ye toward the Creator. Behold ye
not the rebellious people, turn your faces toward the Lord of Hosts. Look
ye not upon the ground, raise your eyes to the world-illuminating Sun,
which hath transformed every atom of the gloomy soil into bright and
luminous substance.
O ye Cohorts of God! In the moment of catastrophe, find ye patience,
resignation and submission.
The more the calamities are intensified the less become ye disturbed.
Withstand ye, with perfect assurance, the flood of trials and calamities,
through the power of His Highness, the Almighty.
Last year some of the known and unknown, friends and strangers, slandered,
calumniated and presented false accusations against these exiled ones,
before the throne of His Imperial Majesty, the Padeshah of the Ottomans;
while these oppressed ones were entirely free from those calumnies. The
government, conformable with prudent measures, arose to investigate these
calumnies and dispatched some commissioners (or examiners) to this city.
Therefore it is evident that the field which was found by the ill-wishers
and the flood which was brought about by them, can neither be written nor
explained. However, relying upon God, we conducted ourselves with the
utmost patience and submission, resignation and calmness; so much so that
if one did not know anything about these matters, he would have thought
that we were in perfect ease of soul, enjoying the tranquillity of heart
and mind, and were engaged in happiness and felicity. The matters reached
to such an issue that the plaintiffs and calumniators entered into
alliance and intrigue with the officials, in regard to the carrying out of
the work of investigation. Consequently, the plaintiff, the magistrate and
the witness became as one single soul. Therefore it is clear what things
transpired! But here one witnesses the fairness and impartiality of His
Imperial Majesty, the Padeshah of the Ottomans, who so far has not given
any consideration to these slanders, statements, stories and calumnies,
but has dealt with the utmost justice and equity. Truly, I say, if there
had been any other person except this Padeshah, no trace of these exiled
ones would remain. This is the truth! We must not overlook justice. In
reality today in the Asiatic world, the Padeshah of the Ottoman Empire and
the Shah of Persia, Mozeffer-Eddin, are peerless and have no equals. If
you could realize the degree of the malignity of the enemies, and the
wickedness and mischief done by the ill-wishers, especially by the unkind
brother, both here and in Persia, and that notwithstanding these seditions
and villainies, these two kings have treated us with tranquillity and
mildness, ye would undoubtedly feel sure that both are just. If they were
like kings of bygone ages, unquestionably every day thousands of souls
would have been deprived of life in Persia. Therefore pray ye earnestly in
behalf of these two kings, beseech for them protection and confirmation in
the threshold of the Almighty, and ask for them, from God, victory and
triumph; especially for the Padeshah of the Ottoman Empire, who has dealt
at all times in justice with these exiled ones.
O Thou Omnipotent God! Perfume the nostrils of the friends in the Occident
with the breaths of the Holy Spirit; and illumine the horizon of the West
with the light of guidance. Make the remote ones the near ones, change the
strangers into compassionate friends, awaken those who are asleep, and
make heedful those who are heedless.
O Thou Glorious Lord! Confirm and assist these noble friends with Thy good
pleasure, suffer them to become the well-wishers of the known and unknown,
enter them in the world of the everlasting Kingdom, confer upon them a
share from the outpouring of the Realm of Might, make them real Bahais and
sincere godly ones, deliver them from superficiality and establish them in
Truth, make them the signs of the Kingdom and brilliant stars in the
horizon of the world, make them the cause of the prosperity and composure
of the world of humanity and the servants of the universal peace,
intoxicate all of them with the wine of Thy commands and exhortations and
grant to all good morals and conduct in the path of Thy teachings.
O my God! The desire of this Servant of the Threshold is to see that the
friends of the West have embraced the beloved of the East, and the
individuals of the world of humanity are with the utmost kindness the
members of one assemblage, the drops of one ocean, the birds of one
rose-garden, the pearls of one sea, the leaves of one tree and the rays of
one sun.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I received thy letter which proved thy yearning to the Kingdom of
God, thy exceeding desire to the Beauty of God and thy great attachment
unto the Word of God.
Know, verily, that thy letters did not reach me until now; but I love thee
with all my heart and my soul, for the sake of God.
Regarding thy presence, at this time, in this Brilliant Spot(39)—it is not
in accord with the wisdom revealed in the Book. But I pray God to make
thee a manifestation of His hidden favors, so that thou be with me in His
Sublime Kingdom.
We send for thee and thy revered wife, stones of the Greatest Name.(40)
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto God!
Verily I pray to God to make thee and thy revered husband—under the shadow
of His Greatest Name—confirmed in all conditions, aided in the service of
the Cause of God with a confirmation on the part of the Merciful Lord.
O my God! O my God! I ask thee to protect these two birds in the orchard
of Thy mercy, confirmed in joy and happiness in the garden of Thy
bounties, warbling with the best melodies in the wood (garden) of Thy
knowledge. Verily Thou art the Precious, the Mighty, the Protecting!
“O ye two accepted ones in the Kingdom of God!...”
O ye two(41) accepted ones in the Kingdom of God!
Your letter was read and its contents caused joy and happiness. Thank God
that in such a cycle ye have stepped into the plane of existence, attained
the glory of the Lord of the Kingdom, obtained light from the Sun of Truth
and were ushered in under the shadow of the Tree of Life in the paradise
of joy.
Give the name “Rooha” (i.e., Spiritual) to your new born child, and let
your own name be “Saffa” (this, in Arabic, means Peter or Rock).
“O ye two truthful believers!...”
O ye two(42) truthful believers!
Your letter was received. It contents were faith, certainty and sincerity.
It was an evidence of perceiving eyes, attentive ears and acute mind. Were
it not so, ye would not have witnessed the lights of the Sun of Truth,
heard the divine Call, nor attained the knowledge of God.
Although in body we are far from one another, yet—praise be to God! —with
life and heart we are present in one assembly; we enjoy the spiritual
meeting, abide under the shadow of one Blessed Tree, are attracted to the
beauty of one Beloved and gaze in the direction of one Object. Therefore,
be not sorry on account of the remoteness, but rather engage in the
commemoration of God and praise Him. I hope that we may be together in all
the worlds of God.
Teach the dear child Rooha this commune:
O God! Rear this little babe in the bosom of Thy love and give it milk
from the breat of Providence. Cultivate this fresh plant in the
rose-garden of Thy love and nurture it by showers from the clouds of
Providence. Make it a child of the Kingdom and lead it to the divine
world. Thou art powerful and kind! Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, whose
blessings precede all else!
“O thou who art attracted by the Word of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Word of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which contained new significances. I ask God to
make thee a new creature so that the lights of human perfections may shine
through thee and to make thee kind hearted unto all human beings so that
thou mayest be a mercy unto souls, absolute goodness to all, a sign of
kindness, a word of tenderness. Verily, thy Lord is the Mighty, the
Powerful! He reviveth whomsoever He wisheth by the spirit of righteousness
and granteth unto whom He wisheth great bounty, guideth whom He wisheth
unto the path of life and confirmeth whom He desireth in attaining the
Kingdom of God.
As to thee, be confident in the mercy of thy Lord, and ask what thou
desirest. Verily, God is the Generous, the Giver!
“O maid-servant of God, who art supplicating unto the...”
O maid-servant of God, who art supplicating unto the Sublime Kingdom!
Grieve not at the divine trials. Be not troubled because of hardships and
ordeals; turn unto God, bowing in humbleness and praying to Him, while
bearing every ordeal, contented under all conditions and thankful in every
difficulty. Verily thy Lord loveth His maid-servants who are patient,
believing and firm. He draws them nigh unto Him through these ordeals and
trials.
Be not sorrowful on account of the departure of thy good son. He hath
indeed departed from this narrow and gloomy world which is darkened by
unlimited sorrow, unto the Kingdom which is spacious, illumined, joyous
and beautiful. God delivered him from this dark well and promoted him unto
the Supreme Height! He gave him wings whereby he soared to the heaven of
happiness. Verily this is the great mercy from Him who is precious and
forgiving.
“O thou who art advancing to the Dawning-point of...”
O thou who art advancing to the Dawning-point of Lights!
Extend the hands of communion unto the sacred and brilliant Threshold and
read the following prayer:
O my God! O my God! Glory be unto Thee for that Thou hast confirmed me to
the confession of Thy Oneness, attracted me unto the word of Thy
Singleness, enkindled me by the fire of Thy love, and occupied me with Thy
mention and the service of Thy friends and maid-servants.
O Lord, help me to be meek and lowly and strengthen me in severing myself
from all things and in holding to the hem of the garment of Thy Glory, so
that my heart may be filled with Thy love and leave no space for the love
of the world and the attachment to its qualities.
O God! Sanctify me from all else save Thee, purge me from the dross of
sins and transgressions and cause me to possess a spiritual heart and
conscience.
Verily Thou art merciful and verily Thou art the Generous, the Helper.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy likeness (photograph) was received through Mrs. .......... and was
seen. The light of faith shone in thy brow and the smile of the Kingdom in
thy face. When I saw that likeness, I supplicated and implored, at the
Threshold of the Lord of the Kingdom, to make thee a dear one of the two
realms and to free thee from every fetter save the love of God.
“O thou flower perfumed by the Breaths of the Love...”
O thou flower perfumed by the Breaths of the Love of God!
Verily, I read thy written letter and have supplicated unto God to receive
thee in His Kingdom, to make thee worthy to be called a child of the
Kingdom, to be firm in the Covenant of God as firm mountains and to
proclaim in His Great Covenant which He hath entered into which the people
of heaven and earth by a trace of His Supreme Pen, until thou mayest be
confirmed to diffuse the fragrance of holiness in those climes and
regions.
“O thou who dost believe in the Unity of God!...”
O thou who dost believe in the Unity of God!
Know verily nothing will benefit a person save the love of the Merciful
One. Nothing illuminates a man’s heart save the radiance which shines
forth from the Kingdom of God! Put away every thought and doubtful
mentioning and keep thy thoughts entirely on that which uplifts man to the
heaven of the gift of God and that which causes every bird that belongs to
the Kingdom to soar unto the incomparable realms, the center of
everlasting grandeur in this world.
“O servant of God!...”
O servant of God!
What thou hast written and that which thou hast retained in mind are
evident. Appreciate Mrs. ...... who reminds you of God and explains His
divine mysteries.
Regarding thy question concerning a verse in the 22nd chapter of Exodus:
We gave a brief explanation of it in a letter to Mrs. .......... Please
refer to that. Owing to the great (press of) work, I have not the time for
several explanations.
I ask God that thou mayest attain such a state of perception, as will
enable thee to expound with knowledge the words of the Holy Bible.
“O thou who art supplicating unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art supplicating unto the Kingdom of God!
Rest assured in the mercy of thy Lord; be rejoiced for my remembering
thee; gladden thyself by the appearance of the Kingdom of God, be
attracted by the fragrance of God and call out: “Ya Baha El-ABHA!”—from
the depths of thy heart with all meekness and supplication, attracted by
the fire of the love of God. (Then annoint or rub all the parts of the
body.)
Verily, I say unto thee, if thou attainest the condition we demonstrate to
thee (i.e., if thou followest the directions given) be confident in the
speedy recovery through the favor of God.
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!
I ask God to make thee a helper to the maid-servants of the Merciful, to
walk in the path of salvation, to disperse the clouds of doubt from the
horizon of the hearts, to make the sun of knowledge manifest unto souls
and spirits and to confirm thee in a matter which will make thee to raise
the banner of the Covenant in the world.
“O dear servant of God!...”
O dear servant of God!
Observe how dear thou wert that He guided thee to the Kingdom of Light,
and how near to His Threshold, that He granted thee admission into His
Court. Thou were poor in spirit; He led thee to the Heavenly Treasure.
Thou wert in quest of illumination; He enlightened thee through the rays
of the Sun of Truth. Thou wert athirst; He led thee to the Spring of Life.
Thou wert sick; He bestowed upon thee the Heavenly Remedy.
I have read thy letter and have considered its contents. Know this: That
today whoever turns to the Kingdom of the Glorious God, holds communion
with the Almighty One, the Omniscient, and lives wholly the true and good
life, the doors of progress and help will be opened unto him everywhere;
such an one will be aided, victorious and protected.
Therefore, turn to the Supreme Kingdom, forget thyself entirely and remain
firm in the spiritual trials, so that thou mayest see the favors of the
Kingdom and realize the heavenly confirmation.
“O thou who art uttering the praise of God!...”
O thou who art uttering the praise of God!
Verily I read thy letter, which expressed thy surprise at some of the
commandments of the law of God, such as that concerning the hunting of
innocent animals. Be not surprised at this. Ponder over the contingent
realities, their mysteries, wisdom, connection and relations. The world is
harmonious in all things and the connection therein is mighty and nothing
is missing. All things are eaters and eaten in the physical creation. The
plant sucks from the mineral, the animal eats and swallows the plant, and
the human eats the animal. Then the mineral (in turn) eats the human body.
Physical bodies are transferred from death to death and life to life.
Therefore, all things are subject to transfer and change except the Cause
of existence, which cannot be changed or transferred, because it is the
foundation for life in all kinds and species and in all possible realities
in the world of creation.
If thou observest closely through a microscope the water which man drinks
and the air which he breathes, thou wilt see that in every breath which
man breathes, that breath contains numerous animals, and in every draught
of water great number of animals exist. This could not be prevented
because the existent beings are eaters and eaten and, by this, existence
is caused; otherwise, the relations between existent things would cease.
When a thing decomposes and decays, being bereft of life, it becomes
promoted to a world of life greater than the former. For instance, it
ceased in a mineral life and was promoted to the vegetable life; then
leaves the vegetable life and is elevated to that of the animal; then
leaving the animal life it advances to the human, and this is on account
of the favor of thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.
I ask God to strengthen thee in comprehending the mysteries deposited in
the reality of existence, to lift up the veil before thee and thy sister,
so that the concealed mystery and the hidden reality become manifest as
the sun at noon, and to confirm thy sister and thy husband in entering the
Kingdom of God, and heal thee from all physical and spiritual disease in
the world of creation.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy writing was considered. I ask God that thy mind(43) may be illumined
with the light of knowledge and faith to the extent that thy face will
radiate its glory, even as a light, when set aglow in the lamp, will cast
its rays to the surrounding regions.
I hope that the darkness of evil suggestions shall be dispersed and that
the veil of uncertainty shall be torn asunder; that the beauty of truth
may become manifest with glory and the light of mercy become radiant. Thus
mayest thou, O maid-servant of God, with thy honorable husband and revered
son, become free from the severe trials and appear with grace in the
gatherings of the people of God.
The nineteen-day fast(44) is a duty to be observed by all. All should
abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. This fast is
conducive to the spiritual development of the individual. The Greatest
Name should be read every day.
“O thou lamp ignited by the fire of the Love of God!...”
O thou lamp ignited by the fire of the Love of God!
I ask God to make thee a sign of love, standard of agreement, means of
union and harmony and spreader of peace among the people.
O maid-servant of God! Strive with all thy powers in diffusing the spirit
of real union among the people, so that all who are on earth become one
family, loving, united, agreed, bound by the bonds of love and united with
all harmony in all things and conditions; this is the greater happiness of
the human race in the world of possibilities and the cause of attaining to
all hopes and reaching unto the Supreme Kingdom, after ascending unto the
world of God.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I chanted thy poem. Its significance was beautiful, its
composition eloquent and its words excellent. It was like the melody of
the birds of holiness in the paradise of El-ABHA. The breasts of the
maid-servants of the Merciful were exhilarated by its chanting. Blessed
art thou for uttering forth such an excellent poem and brilliant pearl.
Verily, these verses shall be sung in the divine meetings and in the
assemblages of the spiritual in the course of ages and centuries to come,
for thou hast uttered the praise of thy Lord and expressed significant
meanings in eulogy of thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement. All poems shall
be forgotten in the course of time save those that are extraordinary; thy
poem shall be chanted with melody and best voices in the Center of Worship
(or Mashrak-el-Azcar) forevermore.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy poem, which contained new significances and beautiful
words. My heart was dilated by its eloquent sense. I prayed God to make
thee utter more beautiful compositions that this. Thus thou mayest be the
first to praise the Beauty of El-ABHA and the first utterer of His Name
among the women.
Chant the verses of guidance among the people and commence [the
composition of] melodies of great beauty and effect in praise and
glorification of the Generous Lord.
We sent those poems to all countries, so that the friends of God may
remember thee and pray for confirmation and aid in this great Cause in thy
behalf.
O maid-servant of God! Warble as birds in the garden of joy and pray to
thy forgiving Lord, so that the souls may rejoice through the psalms of
the descendant of David.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter reached me and I prayed God to bless thee by His heavenly
blessing in thy marriage with Mr. ........ and to confirm both of you with
comfort and repose and the turning of your heart to the Kingdom of God.
May His divine providence abide with you in all conditions and
circumstances.
“O thou bird of pleasing tones!...”
O thou bird of pleasing tones!
Thy little book of poems, which were very sweet, was read. It was a source
of joy, for it was a spiritual anthem and a melody of the love of God.
Continue as long as thou canst this melody in the gatherings of the
beloved; thus may the minds find rest and joy and become in tune with the
love of God. When eloquence of expression, beauty of sense and sweetness
of composition unite with new melodies the effect is very great,
especially if it be the anthem of the verses of oneness and the songs of
praise to the Lord of Glory.
Endeavor your utmost to compose beautiful poems to be chanted with
heavenly music; thus may their beauty affect the minds and impress the
hearts of those who listen.
“O thou spiritual lad!...”
O thou spiritual lad!
May God uphold thee and edify thee in the flower of thy youth and in the
spring-time of thy life and may He illumine thy face with the lights of
advancement unto God and turning unto the Kingdom of God. If thou become
firm and steadfast in the love of God, thou shalt be confirmed with a
confirmation whereby thy face will be gladdened, thy heart rejoiced and
all thy family will be happy and pleased. Therefore, confine thy thoughts
and ideas in turning to God and submitting unto Him and chant the signs
(verses) of thanks and praise for that by reason of which He hath
strengthened thee to attain this great gift.
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thank and praise God that He hath cause thee to drink from the cup of the
gifts and caused thee to suckle from the bosom of guidance while yet very
young and didst possess but a few years of age. I beg of God and hope that
the love of God may be mingled (and mixed) in thy flesh and bones and run
in thy whole being, like the running (or circulation) of the spirit in the
veins and in the arteries.
“O thou who art ignited through the brilliant Flame...”
O thou who art ignited through the brilliant Flame which is blazing in
this Blessed Spot!
Verily, I considered the meanings of thy letter and my heart overflows
with perfect and spiritual love unto thee and unto the beloved ones of
God, whose eyes are brightened by witnessing the lights of God and whose
innermost hearts are purified by the love of God and whose consciences are
made clear by the knowledge of God and whose hearts are tranquilized by
the commemoration of God. Theirs is the treasury of the Kingdom and the
abundant wealth of the storehouse of the divine world! They are wealthy,
not poor; they are powerful, not weak; they are grandees, not mean
persons; and they are kindred, not strangers! Because, verily, their
wealth and honor is divine and supreme and will never be consumed. Blessed
are they! Glad-tidings be unto them!
As to those souls who are preaching the Word of God, it behooveth them to
shake the dust of every land which they have passed by off their shoes and
to be with God and without need of the rich—although their bed is the
soil, their light is the stars of the sky and their food is the herbs of
the desert—because theirs is the wealth of the Kingdom, the honor of the
realm of might and the bounty of the divine world; and they are not in
want of this world and its cares. Their throne is the mat of humility,
their honor is in suffering every lowliness in the path of the Loving Lord
and their wealth is being empty-handed from the pomps of the world and its
vanities and their provision is trusting in God and being severed from all
that is on the earth and its wealth.
As to thee: Associate thou with the poor and be united with the weak souls
and hold intercourse with the needy, with a compassionate heart and great
love. Because thereby is ordained for thee an eternal glory in the Kingdom
of God. Invite thou the people to the Exalted World, to the Supreme
Horizon and to the Kingdom of El-ABHA!
There is no harm in thy loneliness in those regions; for verily, the hosts
of confirmation are thy help, thy Glorious Lord is thy protector and the
angels of the Kingdom are thy fellow-speakers. Glad-tidings be unto thee
for this! Blessed art thou for this!
“***O maid-servant of God!...”
***O maid-servant of God!
If thou seekest eternal glory, let thyself be humble and meek in the
presence of the beloved of God; make thyself the servant of all, and serve
all alike. The service of the friends belongs to God, not to them. Strive
to become a source of harmony, spirituality and joyfulness to the hearts
of the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful. This is a cause of
great satisfaction to Abdul-Baha.***
“O thou leaf who art well watered through the out-pouring...”
O thou leaf who art well watered through the out-pouring of the cloud of
favor from God!
Verily, I beseech, with all earnestness, the Omnipotence of Might and
Glory to brighten thy face by the light gleaming from the lamp of the
Alliance and to quicken thy mind by the spirit which out-pours from the
Kingdom of God and to make thee a sign of His signs which are shining in
the horizons. He grants that which He wisheth and to whomsoever He
wisheth. Verily, He is powerful and mighty!
“O servant of God!...”
O servant of God!
Faith is the magnet which draws the confirmation of the Merciful One.
Service is the magnet which attracts the heavenly strength. I hope thou
wilt attain both.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
How blessed thou hast been to have entered the Kingdom of God! HOw near
thou hast been to the Paradise of ABHA to have been ushered in!
I hope that thou mayest become a source of joy to the hearts, a good
example for people, imbued with spiritual qualities in the world of
humanity, and mayest promulgate the divine teachings, so that the various
people may find unity and become freed from discord.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Verily I read thy letter of wonderful expression and eloquent composition
and thanked God that He hath poured upon thee the bounty of guidance and
hath made thy heart a lamp of piety.
Verily I beseech God, with all humbleness, to remove the covering from
thine insight and to show unto thee His great signs, and to make thee a
banner of guidance, severed from all else save Him, enkindled with the
fire of His love, engaged in His praise and apprehending the realities of
things; so that thou mayest see with thine eyes, hear with thine ears and
not imitate any of the fathers and ancestors; have perception in the
matter of thy Lord, for the people are in dark veils. By God, the True
One, verily the doors of the everlasting paradise are opened before the
faces of the devoted ones and the Tree of Life therein overshadows the
spiritual ones. Happy are those who enter it and are sheltered under its
shadow!
“O thou candle shining by the light of the Love of God!...”
O thou candle shining by the light of the Love of God!
That which thou hast inscribed and conceived of in thy mind was manifest
and clear. The contents indicate spiritual signs and the meanings were
like unto a sweet chalice. I trust in God that thy pure mind may become
reflective of light; thus thou mayest become prepared for the divine
manifestation and attract the light of guidance from the Heavenly Star.
O servant of God! Through the power of God’s love the weak become mighty,
the poor become rich, the little bird becomes a great eagle soaring on the
ethereal wave, the tiny plant grows into a great palm tree.
O servant of God! Trials and tests are severe. If thou seekest progress
and advancement in the Kingdom, remain firm and withstand. When it is
possible for thee to visit this land(45) in all fragrance and
spirituality, thou art permitted to come.
If thou canst help the up-building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar in Chicago, it
will be most acceptable.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
I am in the blessed place of the Holy Land and thou art in foreign parts
and I do not see thee with my material eyes, but I see thee with the eyes
of my heart and I remember thee in recalling to thee that which the Christ
promised to the believers, the great blessing and favor, the light of
which illuminates those present and those absent.
O maid-servant of God! Be thou rejoiced because of this good news which
draws (inclines) the sanctified hearts from all worldly conditions and
know thou the value of this great gift (favor) and do not exchange it for
the great sovereignty (of the world), for, verily, the sovereignty of the
world is a mortal rule and follows pride. However, this gift is an eternal
and a divine favor, the light of which illumines the passing of times and
periods.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I noted thy letter and utterance. God hath accepted thy devotion,
prayer and worship and hath manifested upon thee the lights of His great
favor, ushered thee into His Kingdom, gave thee to drink of the wine of
His love and made thee to hear the melodies of the birds of holiness in
this wonderful day.
Thank God that He enriched thee beyond the delicacies of this mortal world
and caused thee to taste the sweetness of His love in His New Kingdom.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee, since thou hast attained
the knowledge of God and His love, to sacrifice thy spirit and all thy
conditions for the life of the world, bearing every difficulty for the
comfort of the souls, sinking to the depth of the sea of ordeals for the
sake of the love of faithfulness and burning with the fire of torture and
regret like unto a lamp while the light is shining from thee unto the
surroundings.
O maid-servant of God! The mystery of sacrifice is that man should
sacrifice all his conditions for the divine station of God. The station of
God is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, sacrifice, favor, grace and giving
life to the spirits and lighting the fire of His love in the hearts and
arteries. I asked God to make thee a sign of mercy, the banner of kindness
among His maid-servants.
O maid-servant of God! Sing with beautiful melodies in the meetings of the
maid-servants, praising and glorifying thy Supreme Lord.
O maid-servant of God! The human spirit hath an impression and effect in
the world, but the divine Spirit giveth life to the souls and conferreth
eternal life upon those who are attracted to the fragrances of God. This
is the Great Cause from the Kingdom of thy Lord. Be attached to this New
Spirit which hath effective power in the realities of things and creates
new creatures.
O maid-servant of God! forsake every thought, every remembrance and every
praise, while holding to the Word of God. Confine thy interests, thy works
and efforts to the Cause of God. Thus the spirit of power and might will
confirm thee and the manifest light will shine upon thy brow.
“O servant of God!...”
O servant of God!
I was very happy to receive thy letter because it showed thy servitude to
the One God and indicated belief and assurance in the Cause of His
Presence. Thank God that thou art favored with this blessing, that thou
servest the friends of God and thou waitest at the Threshold of the
Merciful. I beg of God that thou mayest be baptized by the baptism of
BAHA’O’LLAH and become free from all the stains of the mortal world and
that thou mayest take delight in the favors of God in the paradise of
unity, and that thou mayest be able to become pleasing to God and mayest
appear with thy face illuminated as a candle in the world of eternity.
“O thou spiritual friend!...”
O thou spiritual friend!
Verily, I was informed of the contents of thy letter and increased
gratitude unto God, for that He hath granted the friends clear
consciences, pure and holy hearts, attraction unto the Kingdom of God,
enkindlement by the fire of the love and humbleness to God.
Glad-tidings unto ye for this abundant blessing, sufficient bounties, wide
mercy, glorious appearances; therefore, be united in hearts and spirits,
strive so that ye may obtain the great favors, attain to the overflowing
chalice, perform charity (good deeds), gain the spirit of life, attracted
by the fragrance and depend on the Lord of Signs. At that time your faces
will be illumined, your souls holy, your hearts severed from this world
and attached to the Supreme Concourse, and you will call out with the most
loud voice: “Glad-tidings unto us through these divine favors and blessed
are we by this heavenly guidance!”
I was glad in heart when I saw thy likeness in the photograph and looked
at the resemblance like the reality of thy identity and thanked God
witnessing the light of God in thy beautiful face.
“O thou kind friend!...”
O thou kind friend!
Thy letter was received and its contents considered. Man must, under all
conditions, be thankful to God, the One, for it is said in the blessed
text: “If ye be thankful I will increase thee.”
Man must seek shelter in the mercy and protection of God, for he is
constantly subject to a hundred thousand dangers. Save for the refuge and
protection of the Most High, man is without shelter.
I ask God to help thy children to gain knowledge, to attain virtues and
morals which are the refinements of the reality of man, and to strengthen
thee to remain firm.
Convey my respect and greeting to Mr......... and Mrs. ......... I trust
in the providence of God that thou mayest ascertain what is worthy and
fitting for Bahais, and that day by day the love of God may increase in
the hearts.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Be exceedingly grateful to the maid-servant of God, Mrs......... who
guided thee, led thee to the Kingdom of Glory and invited thee to the
heavenly table, so that thou mayest attain eternal life and enjoy the
happiness of the Kingdom.
Thou didst write: “How can I serve Thee?” The greatest service is thine
own firmness and steadfastness and thy withstanding severe trials when
they come. Through firmness thou wilt perceive the opening of the doors of
grace.
“O thou plant in the garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou plant in the garden of the Love of God!
Open the tongue of praise to the Horizon of ABHA, for having received
light from Him in the age of youth, and for having been planted by Him in
the paradise of glory.
I hope thou shalt be a child of the Kingdom, shalt learn sciences, arts
and significances, may become a full grown tree, fruitful and green in the
vineyard of God and be happy and full of cheer through the showers of the
clouds of paradise.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
I rejoiced to read thy letter, for it indicated thy progress unto the
Kingdom of thy Glorious Lord, thy wish to serve in His vineyard and thy
faith in this Cause which has shed its light upon those regions.
Blessed art thou for having opened the door of thy home unto the people to
come and hear of the Kingdom.
The maid-servant of God remembered thee in her letter, mentioning thy
great joy and progress in the Cause of thy Lord.
Verily, I pray God to make thy home a center for the radiation of light
and the glowing of His love in the hearts of His people. Know that in
every home where God is praised and prayed to, and His Kingdom proclaimed,
that home is a garden of God and a paradise of His happiness.
“O Spiritual Assembly !...”
O Spiritual Assembly(46) !
Everything produces an impression in existence and results in the course
of ages. The (earthly) assemblies established in the different parts of
Europe, Asia and America have no results save the help of the physical and
the mortal life in this lesser world, for the removal of its conditions
and reformation of its customs, and in the end no name will remain
thereof. But every spiritual assembly of solid foundation, good structure
and unwavering constancy will last forever and will send forth its
illumination unto all regions.
Observe the gatherings of the disciples after Christ: Their light is still
shining, their power is still revealing and their trumpets still
resounding throughout the ages. Such is the spiritual meeting.
“O God! Confirm them in the promotion of Thy...”
O God! Confirm them in the promotion of Thy Word among the people and in
strengthening and multiplying Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Bounteous,
the Merciful!
“O ye two birds warbling in the Garden of Wisdom....”
O ye(47) two birds warbling in the Garden of Wisdom.
Verily, I saw your photographs, whose beauty proved the turning of your
hearts unto the Center of Guidance and the dilation of your breasts by the
appearance of the Kingdom of God. The light of God is verily shining in
the face of the man who is of the Kingdom, spiritual, heavenly, divine and
Bahai. The rest among the people are like animals; nay, they are led
astray from the Path.
Thank God for that He enlightened your faces by the light of guidance,
deposited in your hearts the sign of faith, and made you of the chosen
ones in this new century.
The truth I say unto you! If ye were aware of what God hath destined for
you in the kingdom of His glory, verily ye would rejoice exceedingly and
soar with the wings of joy unto the heights of happiness, crying with the
most loud voice: “Blessings and happiness from this great attainment and
evident bounty.”
“O thou handsome child!...”
O thou handsome child!
Thy spiritual father and thy good mother sent me thy radiant picture and I
rejoiced on seeing it. I pray God to illumine thy heart with the light of
the Manifestation, to nurture thee in His mercy so that thou mayest attain
maturity in His love; thy spirit be enlightened with beholding His light
and thy spirit revived by the bounty of the Holy Spirit, so that thou
mayest be a sign of the love of God, speaking in the name of God, joyous
by the favors of God, attaining unto the sea of the mercy of God, and
being baptized with the water of life, the fire of love and the spirit of
attraction.
“O thou blooming rose in the garden of the Love of...”
O thou blooming rose in the garden of the Love of God!
Verily, the heavenly angels address thee from the Supreme Horizon, saying:
“O maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced for God hath chosen thee for His love
and sheltered thee under the shade of His Kingdom, the lights of which
shone forth, the signs of which were manifested, the mysteries of which
were unfolded, the fragrance of which emanated, the waves of which surged,
the causes of which were promulgated, the suns of which appeared, the
moons of which shone and the stars of which sparkled.”
Therefore, praise God for that He honored thee with presence in this great
century and new cycle and caused thee to attain this new bounty.
I ask God to send down upon thee a blessing and upon thy family a favor
from His Kingdom.
“O thou who art anticipating the appearance of the Gift...”
O thou who art anticipating the appearance of the Gift of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which indicated that thou hast turned unto the
Blessed Spot, that the Truth (of God) hath revealed itself to thee, that
thy fear is quieted and that thou hast attained to composure, assuredly
believing in this great Cause.
Know thou, verily, there are many veils in which the Truth is enveloped:
gloomy veils; then delicate and transparent veils; then the envelopment of
Light, the sight of which dazzles the eyes, as doth the sun which is
enveloped only in its own light and, as we look at it, the sight is
blinded and eyes are dazzled.
I beg of God to remove all the veilings and familiarize the light with all
eyes, so that man may not be veiled from witnessing the Sun of Truth.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, the tests and trials of God are very great
and very violent. Beseech thou God to protect thee from all doubts and to
guard thee from the interpretations of parabolical(48) verses, as made by
those who know not in what valley they are roving, who speak according to
their own selfish purposes and after their own evil inclinations; who
accept and then reject; who believe in God and then deny Him; and who
appear firm and then backslide: thus thou beholdest these oscillating
daily.
“Leave them to amuse themselves with their own vain discourses,” and turn
thou to the light of the Testament, and rejoice at the bounty of the
effulgence, and seek shelter under the shadow of the standard of the
Covenant. Thou wilt soon find it fluttering on the highest summits of
glory, surrounded by the valiant hosts of the angels of heaven and
assisted by spiritual armies of great number that proceed from the Supreme
Concourse.
“O my tender friend!...”
O my tender friend!
Verily, the union between myself and thee is on a solid foundation and a
well made basis. Neither the winds can remove it nor the events of time
annihilate it. It is everlasting and eternal, heavenly, spiritual and
divine, and it is of no end or termination. Consequently be rejoiced at
these words which cheer the hearts of the righteous and the souls of the
pious when hearing them.
“O thou lamp who art illuminated with the light of the...”
O thou lamp who art illuminated with the light of the Love of God!
Leave thou the world and abandon the people and turn unto the Kingdom of
thy independent Lord. Beseech Him every morn and eve and supplicate to the
Gate of His Oneness to make thee firm and steadfast in the Testament and
to guard thee from all calamities, with the eye of His protection, and
protect thee from the tests which are (so violent) as the whirlwinds which
uproot trees.
“O thou who hearest and seest in this wonderful Cause!...”
O thou who hearest and seest in this wonderful Cause!
Verily, I read thy interesting letter, its beautiful composition and I
noted its purpose which indicated spiritual aspiration to the Kingdom of
thy Great Lord.
Thank God for guiding thee unto the Straight Path, manifesting unto thee
the Evident Light. He shall give thee a draught of the cup whereby thy
spiritual power will be increased. Thou shalt advance unto the Lofty
Station, acquire heavenly qualities and attain knowledge of the
significances of the words of God in this glorious day.
It is incumbent upon thee to turn wholly unto the Kingdom of God, to enter
entirely into this wonderful Cause, and to make thy thought, remembrance
and effort confined to the education of thy character, the enlightenment
through the Light of ABHA, and to guide the people to the Source of the
mercy of thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful.
Comfort thy mother and endeavor to do what is conducive to the happiness
of her heart. Approach not those who are drowned in the sea of this world,
but rather be enkindled by the fire of the love of God. Be thou such a
flame whereby the hearts may be set aglow.
It is incumbent upon thee to assemble continuously with the beloved of God
and to meet with those whose faces are illumined with the light of the
love of God. Verily, I supplicate to God to make thee sincere in this
love, to illumine thee with the light of His Kingdom, to destine unto thee
the illumination by the light of His attributes, to make thee a sign of
mercy, a bird warbling the verses of unity; that thou mayest be nurtured
in the bosom of His providence, and become a growing tree bearing fruit in
the Paradise of El-ABHA.
Verily, thy Lord confirmeth him whom He willeth, and He is the Forgiving,
the Merciful.
“O thou who art agitated as oceans by the winds blown...”
O thou who art agitated as oceans by the winds blown from the direction of
the Kingdom of God!
Verily I read thy wonderful letter, declaring the grandeur of thy nature
and the excess of thy love and thine attaining the knowledge of God.
Verily its contents were as spiritual meanings poured forth from a heart
throbbing by the spirit of the love of God. I beseech God to confer on
thee, and on thy noble husband, a perfect favor from His Supreme Kingdom,
until your faces may sparkle by its light, among the creatures, and by
which the fame of your love in God may be renowned among the horizons.
By my life, this is a favor for which the angels of heaven and the spirits
of the holy ones are longing in the Supreme World. And (I beg God) to
prepare for you your greatest desire—that is, the attaining (the visit to)
the blessed, perfumed, amber-scented Tomb,(49) diffused in all horizons.
“Verily, I read thy magnificent letter, thy brilliant...”
(50) Verily, I read thy magnificent letter, thy brilliant writing, and
found its meanings as the chanting of the verses of guidance and its
foundation based on righteousness and piety. Verily I beseech God to make
thee a sign of supplication, humbleness and submissiveness unto God, so
that thou mayest commune with thy Lord, in the gloomy hours of night and
in the morn and eve while being enkindled with the fire of the love of
God, attracted to His fragrances of holiness, strengthened by His Spirit,
speaking His praise and bowing down before His Threshold of Sanctity.
Verily, He is the Assister, the Beneficent!
Then know thou that, verily, the hosts of confirmation from the Kingdom of
God will assist every soul who is severed from aught else save God, is
associated with the commemoration of God and is rejoiced at the
glad-tidings of God. Cut thyself from this world and rely on the Supreme
Concourse, so that thou mayest heart the call from the Lofty Apex and thy
face may become illuminated with a light shining forth from the Kingdom of
El-ABHA.
“O thou who art enkindled by the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art enkindled by the fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I was informed of the text of thy letter, wherein thou praisest
the firm servant of God, Mirza ........ and was rejoiced in heart for the
signs of joy which are manifested in thee in this illustrious day. I ask
God to make thee a sign of guidance, fountain of knowledge and a caller in
His name, the Merciful, so that the hearts may become gladdened by the
mention of God and the souls be led to the Kingdom of God, to this Great
Dwelling Place and Sublime Home.
As to the four stations which I refer to in the divine treatise: I ask God
to open the door before thy face, that thou mayest enter therein, that
thou mayest attain to its lights and become informed of its mysteries. I
shall not give a detailed explanation thereof, on account of the great
work (i.e., because of the exceeding press of business).
Regarding the treatise (or pamphlet) which thou didst compile in proof of
the appearance of the Kingdom of God—thou didst well! I shall read it at a
leisure time, and ask God to aide thee in compiling other useful writings
in demonstration of God.
As to organization of other meetings for the maid-servants of the
Merciful, for the spread of the fragrances of God; this is the best deed
and most complete action. I ask God to strengthen thee in this matter so
that you may organize many gatherings for the spread of the teachings of
God. Thus the Lord of Hosts will confirm you by armies of the Supreme
Concourse and hosts of the angels of heaven. Verily it is the army of
inspiration and the hosts of benediction.
“O thou who art marching onward to God!...”
O thou who art marching onward to God!
I have read thy beautiful letter which contained delicate meanings, and I
am made glad by its contents which expressed spiritual feelings. I have
prayed to God to send down upon thee a blessing from the Kingdom of Heaven
and thus make thy heart beat with joy in the love of God, and make thee
meek and humble before the good maid-servants of God, and pure and holy in
His Kingdom.***
“O thou who art submissive and humble before the...”
O thou who art submissive and humble before the Holy Threshold!
Know thou, verily, submissiveness is the good quality of the maid-servants
of God, and humility is the character of the God-fearing leaves(51) who
have sprung forth from the Tree of Mercifulness.
Thou oughtest to be characterized with these, that thou mayest be an
example for the maid-servants of the Merciful and a leader of the leaves
who are moved by the winds of the love of God. Abandon the concerns of
mankind and be naturalized with the attributes of the angels of the
Supreme Concourse, because these angels humble themselves to the lowest
thing of the things despite their honor, glory, the loftiness of station
and the greatness of their might. This is seemly to the unitarian women
and an honor for those women who are surely believing in God! This is the
consolation of the heart of the God-fearing women, and this is a
tranquility to the soul of those women who are attracted to the fragrances
of the Lord of Signs!
“O thou whose heart is soaring in the sky of the love of...”
O thou whose heart is soaring in the sky of the love of God!
Praise be unto Him whose light hath risen, whose appearance hath become
exalted, whose signs are promulgated and whose evidences are fulfilled.
The tongue of the realities of all things hath uttered: “Glory be to my
God, the El-Baha!” Thanks for His manifest Beauty and for His Great
Splendor! —for He hath quickened mankind with the spirit of guidance and
hath rendered clear the White Path of Gifts, through the arguments which
are brilliant and clear to the hearts of the intelligent and thereby these
hearts are moved, enlightened, illuminated and become cognizant of the
Mighty Message(52) in this Manifest Day of the Manifestation of the
Honorable Station(53) when the mystery of existence flows just as do the
souls in the bodies.
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!
This, Thy servant, hath advanced toward Thee and is passionately wandering
in the desert of Thy love and is walking in the path of Thy service, is
expecting Thy favors, hoping for Thy bounty, depending upon Thy Kingdom
and intoxicated by the wine of Thy gift.
O my God! Increase his fervor in Thy affection, his constancy in Thy
praise and his ardor in Thy love.
Verily, Thou art the Generous and endued with great bounty. There is no
God save Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful!
“O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!
I received thy letter and considered its wonderful expressions and found
therein facts which show thine approach toward God, thy passionate love of
the Beauty of God, thy cheerfulness in the Cause of God and thy turning
unto the Center of the Testament, for that thou art brightened through the
light of the effulgence.
Then praise God for that He hath made thee to show the light of guidance,
to lay hold on the hem of the robe of greatness and to be attracted by the
breaths of the Supreme Concourse. This is a matter which will satisfy thee
from aught else save God and make thee above all needs and will cause thee
to acquire an immortal wealth. Then thank God for this heavenly bounty on
which the life of spirit depends entirely in all the worlds.
“O ye two birds in the open-space of the Love of God!...”
O ye(54) two birds in the open-space of the Love of God!
Verily I read your letter and I inhaled therefrom a spiritual fragrance
which perfumes the nostrils of the spirit. Thank ye God that He hath
filled for you the cup of gift with the wine of the great guidance and
hath abundantly bestowed His benefit on you and hath enabled you to be
healed from spiritual ailments which deaden the souls. Truly, I say unto
you verily this guidance is a precious pearl and a gem, the lights of
which glitter and the rays of which beam forth during centuries and ages.
Appreciate ye its value and show forth spiritual virtues, merciful
characteristics and brilliant manners; so that ye may be submerged in the
seas of great mercy and shine forth from the horizon of mighty gift.
“O thou who art longing for the Orb of the Horizons!...”
O thou who art longing for the Orb of the Horizons!(55)
Verily, I read thine eloquent, accurate and wonderful letter, whereby the
feelings of thy heart and the loftiness of thy thoughts and the craving of
thy spirit for the Kingdom of God were expressed.
Thank thou God that He hath given thee a power for discriminating the
reality of things, hath made thy feet firm in the Path, hath made thy
heart overflowing with His love and hath exhilarated thee with the wine of
His knowledge.
I beg of God to entirely remove the veiling from thine insight, so that
thou mayest become duly cognizant of the teachings of Baha’. And I beg of
God to forgive thy sins and to illumine thy face with the light of
forgiveness, so that thou mayest conquer the self which desires the
earthly world and prevent it from its wishes and appetites.
As to the spiritual meeting which ye have organized for diffusing the
fragrances of God (i.e., for teaching the Truth), this is a good thing
that ye have performed. I beg of God, to make the Holy Spirit breathe
there in such fragrances which may perfume all regions.
Be not grieved at the smallness of your number and thank God for the power
of your spirits. He shall assist you with such a confirmation whereat
minds will be astonished and souls will be amazed.
“O thou Secretary of the meanings emanated from the...”
O thou Secretary of the meanings emanated from the hearts of the people of
the Kingdom.
Verily, I have read thine eloquent letter and brilliant writing, which
indicated the attraction of the people of God by the fragrances of His
Kingdom, and their gathering in the assembly of the merciful feelings and
the congregation of the upright.
I do supplicate God to confirm that spiritual assembly, that gathering of
commemoration, to that whereby the merciful faces brighten, and I beseech
Him to assist them and thee to that whereby man ascends the highest and
noblest station of excellence and the loftiest apex of honor, to make them
humble and courteous before the beloved of God, to become severed from
aught else save God, to beseech the Kingdom of ABHA, to be freed from
every mention save the commemoration of God, and to be sanctified from all
the grades of passion and desire, with pure, holy hearts which are devoid
of every feeling except entire attention unto God, the Lord of the present
and the world to come.
I have written answers to the letters which thou hast sent and I enclose
them with this Tablet. I wrote also a Tablet to the assembly(56) ; read it
unto them with a fluent tongue and a heart overflowing with the love of
God.
“O ye who have advanced! O ye who are rejoiced!...”
O ye(57) who have advanced! O ye who are rejoiced!
Verily, God hath, through His grace and generosity, guided you toward His
Kingdom, hath facilitated unto you every good, hath favored you with the
bounty of guidance, hath made you signs of piety, hath caused a blessing
to descend upon you from heaven, and hath made you banners of His
commemoration among mankind.
Thank ye God for this gift, by reason of which the hearts of the Supreme
Concourse are exhilarated. The fragrances of holiness shall soon be
diffused and the breeze of grace shall blow from the direction of the
providence of your Lord, whereby your mentioning will be exalted, your
light will become scintillating, your backs will be strengthened and you
joy will be perfected.
Make you feet firm in the love of God, arise to carry on the teachings of
God, purify souls from desire and illumine faces with the light of
guidance; so that ye may obtain the might gift and the great mercy.
“O ye sincere ones and ye who are attracted and moved...”
O ye(58) sincere ones and ye who are attracted and moved by the breeze of
the favor of God!
Verily, I have read the names of your beloved assembly which deserves to
be mentioned with sanctity and which attracts the confirmation of the
loving Lord and seeks to attain to the favors of God, the Mighty, the
Compassionate!
I beseech God at all times, with all supplication, humility and lowliness,
to confirm these souls who have no purpose in their deliberation and
consultations save to seek the merciful bounties and the divine invisible
confirmations.
I hope and request, through the bounty of my Lord, that the greatest
assistance and the most eminent confirmation be granted unto you when ye
are firm and steadfast and withstand every difficulty which may befall you
in spreading the Cause of God in those regions.
By the life of God, all the confirmations of the Kingdom of God will
surround those whose hearts are firm, whose feet are steadfast and whose
souls are tranquilized in the Most Great Cause.
Consider ye the past centuries, how a single one of the beloved of God
withstood all the people on the earth because of his firmness in the love
of God, and his entire turning of the heart toward the Kingdom of God and
with the cup of his heart overflowing with the wine of the knowledge of
God.
Be ye assured with the greatest assurance that, verily, God will help
those who are firm in His Covenant in every matter, through His
confirmation and favor, the lights of which will shine forth unto the east
of the earth, as well as the west thereof. He will make them the signs of
guidance among the creation and as shining and glittering stars from all
horizons.
Consequently, do ye beseech unto God and pray and supplicate Him and ask
Him for the greatest gift and eminent favor.
“O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who hast acknowledged the Kingdom of God!
I received thy letter wherein thou hast confessed the appearance of the
Kingdom of God at this time, declared His Oneness and believed in His
Words. Blessed art thou for this clear confession! Thank the maid-servant
of God .............. for she hath guided thee to this Path and declared
to thee the Call of God. Shouldst thou offer all the treasures of the
earth to her, they would not equal this great guidance.
Depend upon God, be sincere and sever thyself from all else save Him. Thus
thou wilt receive the teaching of God and thy heart will be made happy.
May thy tongue praise Him and thy sight behold the light shining from the
Sun of Truth.
Verily, this is a rich blessing for which the saints of the past longed.
Be happy and say: “God chooses for His favors whomsoever He willeth. He is
the Merciful, the Generous!”
“O ye who are set aglow with the fire of God’s Love!...”
O ye who are set aglow with the fire of God’s Love!
Blessed are ye for having been chosen by God for His love, in this new
age, and joy be to you for having been guided to the Great Kingdom!
Verily, your Lord hath chosen you to show the path to the Kingdom of God,
among the people. The attracted maid-servant of God, ............ praised
you in beautiful expressions and informed me of your earnest endeavors in
serving, teaching and offering the chalice of Truth to the maid-servants
of God. I rejoiced to hear of your efforts in the Cause of God. This is
indeed good service.
“O thou who art turning unto God!...”
O thou who art turning unto God!
Thy letter was an inheritance of joy and happiness unto me, for its
significance was a supplication and an entreaty unto God to make thee a
pure servant, exempt from all material desires, sanctified and severed
from all save God, that thou mayest be characterized with the attributes
of the heavenly angels, cleansed from all desires and earthly wishes, with
thy heart severed from all save the knowledge of the divine teachings.
Verily, I pray God to nourish thee upon the breast of bounty and rear thee
in such a manner that all men of learning shall be amazed, and to make
thee a miracle of guidance among the servants.
“O thou who art attracted to God!...”
O thou who art attracted to God!
I send this letter written by my own hand, that thou mayest thank God, thy
Lord, the Supreme, grow in happiness in the love of God and be kindled by
the fire of His love, chanting verses of greetings and thanks, and be
quickened by the breezes of life blown from the garden of the knowledge of
God.
“O thou opened rose in the garden of El-ABHA!...”
O thou opened rose in the garden of El-ABHA!
I have perused thy excellently worded letter showing what is moving in thy
heart by the emotions of the love of God.
O maid-servant of God! Chant the Words of God and, pondering over their
meaning, transform them into actions! I ask God to cause thee to attain a
high station in the Kingdom of Life forever and ever.
“O thou who art tested with a great calamity!...”
O thou who art tested with a great calamity!
Be not grieved nor troubled because of the loss which hath befallen thee—a
loss which caused the tears to flow, sighs to be produced, sorrow to exist
and hearts to burn in great agony; but know, this hath reference only to
the physical body, and if thou considerest this matter with a discerning
and intelligent eye, thou wilt find that it hath no power whatsoever, for
separation belongeth to the characteristics of the body. But concerning
the spirit, know that thy pure son shall be with thee in the Kingdom of
God and thou shalt witness his smiling face, illumined brow, handsome
spirit and real happiness. Accordingly, thou wilt then be comforted and
thank God for His favor upon thee.
“O thou who art patient and resigning thyself to the...”
O thou who art patient and resigning thyself to the judgment (of God)!
Be not grieved at the calamity which hath unexpectedly come upon thee and
for the misfortune which heavily weigheth upon thee. It behooveth one like
thee to endure every trial, to be pleased with the decree and to commit
all thy affairs to God, so that thou mayest be a calm, approved and
pleasing soul before God. Know thou, that thy beloved son hath soared,
with the wing of soul, up to the loftiest height which is never-ending in
the Kingdom of God. Rejoice at this great prosperity which the chosen ones
were longingly asking from the Holy and Exalted Threshold (of God). Truly,
I say unto thee, wert thou informed of the position in which is thy son,
thy face would be illuminated by the lights of happiness and thou wouldst
thank thy forgiving Lord therefor and thou wouldst long for ascending to
that praiseworthy position.
“O thou who hast humbled thyself before the Kingdom...”
O thou who hast humbled thyself before the Kingdom of God!
Blessed art thou that thine heart is attracted to the Beauty of God, is
illumined with the light of knowledge and the ray of the Kingdom hath
shone within it.
Know thou, verily, God is with thee under all circumstances and guards
thee from the concerns of the world and makes thee a servant in His great
vineyard.
As to thy question concerning training children: It is incumbent upon thee
to nurture them from the breast of the love of God, to urge them towards
spiritual matters, to turn unto God and to acquire good manners, best
characteristics and praiseworthy virtues and qualities in the world of
humanity, and to study sciences with the utmost diligence; so that they
may become spiritual, heavenly and attracted to the fragrances of sanctity
from their childhood and be reared in a religious, spiritual and heavenly
training. Verily, I beg of God to confirm them therein.
As to thy revered husband: It is expedient that thou shouldst behave
toward him in the best way and persevere in his good pleasure (i.e.,
please him) and treat him with kindness under all aspects; until (or so
that) he may find that through thy turning toward the Kingdom of God
(i.e., by becoming a believer) thy affection toward him and thy love for
God is increased and that thou hast regard for his good will in every
condition.
Verily, I beg of God to make thee steadfast in His love and to cause thee
to diffuse the fragrances of sanctity in those places (i.e., to teach the
Truth).
“O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of...”
O thou loving torch, flaming by the fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I read thy letter sent by thee and was rejoiced in heart by the
wonderful meaning and eloquent content, which proved thy extreme sincerity
in the Cause of God, thy steadfastness in the path of the Kingdom of God
and thy firmness in the religion of God, forasmuch as this is of the
utmost importance before God.
How many souls advanced unto God, entered the shadow of the Word of God
and became celebrated in the world, as Judas Iscariot. Then, when the
tests became severe and trials great, their feet turned from the path;
turned from confession to denial; changed from love and affection to
severe enmity. Then the power of tests, whereby the foundations shake,
were manifested.
Judas Iscariot was one of the greatest disciples, was called unto Jesus;
he thought that Jesus increased his kindness to Peter, the disciple, when
saying to him: “Thou art Peter; upon thee I shall build my church.” This
speech affecting Peter with special impression whereby envy was created in
the heart of Judas and, therefore, he turned after advancing, denied after
confessing, hated after loving, until he became the cause of the
crucifixion of the Glorious Lord and Manifest Light. This is the end of
envy which causes people to turn from the right path. Such has taken place
and will occur in this Great Cause; but there is no harm in it, as it is
the cause of manifesting the firmness of the rest and the arising of the
firm souls who are as solid as the lofty mountains in the love of the
Manifest Light.
As to thee, convey unto the maid-servants of the Merciful that they must
be firm in the love of El-Baha at the time of the severe trials and tests;
forasmuch as the storms and winds occur during the winter seasons; then
comes the spring with the wonderful scenery and it adorns the hills and
plains with flowers and beautiful birds sing the melodies of joy on the
branches of the trees and warble beautiful tunes on the roofs of bowers,
in wonderful melodies. Soon shalt thou see that the lights have shone
forth, the banners of the Kingdom have been raised, the fragrances of God
diffused, the hosts of the Kingdom descending, the angels of heaven
confirmed and the Holy Spirit breathed into those horizons (regions). Then
shalt thou see the waverers frightened and at loss. This is a complete
matter on the part of the Lord of Signs.
Blessed art thou for keeping firm in the Cause of God. I pray God to give
thee a divine spirit, spiritual blood and to make thee a growing and
thriving leaf on the Tree of Life, so that thou mayest serve the
maid-servants of God in fragrance and spirituality.
Thy generous Lord will confirm thee in serving in His great vineyard and
will make thee an instrument for spreading the spirit of concord and union
among the maid-servants of the Merciful, will open thine insight by the
light of knowledge and forgive thee thy sins and change them to good
deeds.
Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful and Possessor of Great
Bounty!
“O maid-servant of God who art swayed like a strong...”
O maid-servant of God who art swayed like a strong branch by the breeze of
God!
I have read thy letter which evinces the abundance of thy love and the
warmth of thy devotion and thy zeal in acknowledging God.
Commit thyself to God; give up thy will and choose that of God; abandon
thy desire and lay hold on that of God; that thou mayest be a holy,
spiritual and heavenly example among the maid-servants of God.
O maid-servant of God! Know thou that in the sight of God, the conduct of
women is the same as that of men. All are the creatures of God and He has
created them after His form and likeness; that is to say, after the form
and likeness of the Manifestations of His names and His attributes. From
the spiritual point of view, therefore, there is no difference between
women and men. “The nearer we draw to God, the nearer He comes to us”
without regard to whether the person be a man or a woman. How many women,
thus drawn to God, have surpassed men in the shadow of Baha’ in bringing
men under it—women famous throughout the world!
The House of Justice, however, according to the positive commandments of
the Doctrine of God, has been specialized to the men, for a (specific)
reason or exercise of wisdom on the part of God, and this reason will
presently appear, even as the sun at midday.
And as to you—you other maid-servants attracted by the perfume of
God—establish spiritual gatherings (assemblies) and heavenly meetings.
This work is the beginning of the diffusing of the perfume of God and the
foundation of the elevating of the Word of God and the making known of the
commandments of God. Is there a blessing greater than this? These
spiritual gatherings (assemblies) are sustained (reinforced) by the Spirit
of God, and their protector is Abdul-Baha, who spreads his wings (over)
above them. Is there a blessing greater than this? These spiritual
gatherings (assemblies) are glowing lamps and heavenly gardens which cast
the light of knowledge upon the contingent world and cause the spirit of
life to penetrate to every quarter. This, then, is the best means of the
progress of the human race in all conditions and circumstances. Is there a
greater blessing than this?
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy beautifully composed letter and thank God for that He
granted thee characteristics, attributes and deeds which made thee dear
and loved by the maid-servants of God and chosen to be the president of
the “Assembly of Teaching.” Thank God for that He confirmed thee by this
wonderful bounty, and, verily, I supplicate unto Him to strengthen thee in
rendering this great service in His great vineyard, and to strengthen thy
respected husband in patience and forbearance in this test which will pass
away, by the help of God, and the veil be removed; difficulty will be
replaced by ease; hardships and trouble be changed into comfort, in the
shadow of His great Kingdom.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thank God that thou hast come near unto the Holy Threshold and art dear in
the Kingdom of His Glory. Thou art president of an assembly which is a
type of the assemblages of the Supreme Concourse and a reflection of the
semblances of the Kingdom of God. With heart and soul, with entire
devotion, supplication, humbleness and submissiveness, endeavor to
promulgate the law of God and strive to diffuse the fragrances of God.
Exert yourself to become the real president of assemblies of spiritual
ones and a companion of the Kingdom of the Merciful.
Thou hast asked in regard to the 10th verse of the 21st chapter of
Revelation and to the 17th verse:
Know that the firmament of the bright sun of the world of possibilities is
divided into twelve sections, according to mathematical principles, which
are called the twelve constellations; likewise, the Sun of Truth manifests
and pours forth His bounty in twelve constellations of holiness. By these
constellations are meant holy souls who are the manifestations of purity
and the dawning-points of the lights of Unity. Observe that in the day of
His Holiness the Speaker of God (Moses), there were twelve holy souls who
were the leaders of the Truth. In like manner, in the cycle of His
Holiness the Spirit (Jesus Christ), note that there were twelve apostles
under the shadow of the light of the Most High, and the Sun of Truth was
manifested through those bright dawning-places like unto the phenomenal
sun. Likewise, in the time of His Holiness Mohammed, consider that there
were twelve dawning points of holiness who were the manifestations of
confirmation. Such is the case.
Accordingly, St. John, the divine, declared in his vision regarding the
twelve doors and the twelve foundations. By the great and holy city of
Jerusalem, which is descended from heaven, is meant the sacred law of God.
This subject has been repeatedly explained in many Tablets and in the
Scriptures of the ancient prophets. For example, it is said in one place:
“I beheld Jerusalem marching on to the wilderness.” The purport is that
this Heavenly Jerusalem has twelve doors through which the advancing souls
enter into the City of God. These doors are the souls who are the stars of
guidance and doors unto bounty and knowledge. “At the gates twelve angels
stood.” By “angel” is meant the power of the confirmation of God; that the
candle of the power of the divine confirmation shines forth and is
illumined in those souls. That is to say, that each one of those souls
will be confirmed by the mightiest power. Those twelve gates surround the
whole universe. This signifies that all existence is under the shadow of
those souls; also, that these doors are the foundation of the city of God,
the divine Jerusalem; that upon each of these foundations the name of one
of the Apostles of His Holiness the Spirit(59) is written. That is to say,
the manifestation of the perfections, glad-tidings, virtues and high
attributes of that holy soul.
In brief, it is said that: “And he that talked with me had a golden rod to
measure the city and the gates thereof and the walls thereof.” The purport
is this, that certain souls guided (people) with a rod of the plant, that
is, a reed wherewith he shepherded the sheep, like unto the rod of Moses;
other trained (the people) with a rod of iron and drove them, as in the
time of Mohammed (The scepter of Mohammed was the sword). In this Greatest
Day the rod of the plant and the rod of iron are changed into a rod which
is of pure gold and is from the endless treasuries of the Kingdom of God.
By the instrumentality of this, all people shall be trained. Observe the
difference: In a certain time the teachings of God were like unto the
twigs of a tree and by them the signs of God were spread, the law of God
promulgated and the religion of God founded. Later a time came when the
rod of the divine Shepherd was like iron, and now in this blessed and
glorious cycle that rod is become like unto pure gold. What a great
difference exists between them! Therefore know that the law of God and the
divine teachings prove a great advance in this day. They have reached a
degree of supremacy, compared with former ages. Nay, rather, this is pure
gold, while that was iron and wood.
This answer was written briefly because there was no more time. You will
certainly excuse. The maid-servants of God must reach a station wherein
they themselves shall comprehend the realities and meanings, to give clear
explanations for each word and the fountains of wisdom gush forth from the
reality of their hearts like a full flowing stream.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I noted the contents of thy letter, which was beautifully
composed, was informed of thy sorrow, the shedding of thy tears and the
glowing of thy heart on account of the imprisonment of Abdul-Baha.
O maid-servant of God! This prison is indeed more precious and sweet than
a garden to me, this fetter is greater than any liberty and the
confinement is broader than the most spacious wilderness. Therefore,
grieve not on this account. Verily, if my Lord destine unto me and causes
me to taste the sweetness of the cup of the great martyrdom, my greatest
desire will be fulfilled. Fear not if this Branch be severed from the
material earth and cast aside the leaves—nay, rather, its leaves will
flourish, for this Branch will grow after it is cut from the earth
(world), will ascend until it shelters the universe, its foliage will
reach the Supreme Apex and bear fruits, imparting fragrant perfume unto
the world. Therefore, turn unto thy Supreme Lord and say:
O my God! O my God! This Thy maid-servant supplicates to Thee, trusts in
Thee and directs herself unto Thee, asking Thee to shed Thy divine mercies
upon her, to manifest Thy spiritual mysteries and to show forth Thy
majesty unto her. O Lord! O Lord! Illumine the sight of my husband, cheer
his breast by the light of knowing Thee, attract his heart unto Thy
manifest Beauty and gladden his spirit by the manifestation of Thy radiant
light. O Lord! Withdraw the veil from his sight, grant him Thy compassion,
exhilarate him with the wine of Thy love among the people, make him an
angel of Thine walking upon the earth, let his spirit soar unto heaven and
make him a lamp glistening with the light of Thy knowledge in the
community. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Precious, the Bestower!
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Be rejoiced through the grace of thy Lord and happy through the bounties
of thy God, the Most Merciful of the Merciful. Thy Lord hath indeed chosen
thee for His love, guided thee unto the straight path, attracted thee by
the magnet of His knowledge, from among women, and crowned thee with the
diadem of guidance among the maid-servants. Praise thy Lord for this great
favor, heavenly mercy and bounty which hath no equal in the world of
creation. Gladden the maid-servants of the Merciful through the grace of
thy Lord. Thus their breasts may become dilated by the holy fragrances
emanating from the Kingdom of El-ABHA.
Soon the lights will glisten and the Sun of Truth will shine with the
burning ray in that country. At that time the maid-servants who are firm
and constant will rejoice; while every doubtful soul who wavers will
regret. Woe unto him, woe unto him, in that day wherein the beloved will
attain joy by the surrounding Kingdom of thy Lord, the Precious, the
Beneficent! Verily, the end is for them who are ushered into the tent of
the Covenant of thy merciful Lord.
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily I am acquainted with the contents of the letter which thou hast
addressed to ............ the servant of God, and I find its significance
excellent, proclaiming the Truth about which there can be no doubt or
uncertainty.
Now the day has arrived in which the edifice of God, the divine sanctuary,
the spiritual temple, shall be erected in America! I entreat God to assist
the confirmed believers in accomplishing this great service and with
entire zeal to rear this mighty structure which shall be renowned
throughout the world. The support of God will be with those believers in
that district that they may be successful in their undertaking, for the
Cause is great and great; because this is the first Mashrak-el-Azcar in
that country and from it the praise of God shall ascend to the Kingdom of
Mystery and the tumult of His exaltation and greetings from the whole
world shall be heard!
Whosoever arises for the service of this building shall be assisted with a
great power from His Supreme Kingdom and upon him spiritual and heavenly
blessings shall descend, which shall fill his heart with wonderful
consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the glorious and eternal
God!
Give my greetings and salutations to thy honorable husband and say to him
from me: “Notice the sign which shall soon appear in those regions and
then your searching heart shall be assured. Verily thy Lord is the
Powerful!”
“O thou who art assured by the grace of thy Lord!...”
O thou who art assured by the grace of thy Lord!
I have perused thy excellent letter which shows that thou art turning thy
face unto the living, eternal One and grasping the hem of His Grandeur and
thy attraction unto the Call of thy Supreme Lord. Well done! Well done! O
maid-servant of God, for thou hast believed in the Glorious Beauty (of
El-ABHA) and art confirmed in the manifestation of the Kingdom of God,
during this time.
It behooveth thee to sever thyself from all desires save thy Lord, the
Supreme, expecting no help or aid from anyone in the universe, not even
from thy father or children. Resign thyself to God! Content thyself with
but little of this world’s goods! Verily, economy is a great treasure. If
one of thy relations oppress thee, complain not magnificent patience
during every calamity and hardship. Verily thy Master is the Lord of
Faithfulness! Forgive and overlook the shortcomings which have appeared in
that one, for the sake of love and affection. Know that nothing will
benefit thee in this life save supplication and invocation unto God,
service in His vineyard, and, with a heart full of love, be in constant
servitude unto Him.
If thy daily living become difficult, soon (God) thy Lord will bestow upon
thee that which shall satisfy thee. Be patient in the time of affliction
and trial, endure every difficulty and hardship with dilated heart,
attracted spirit and eloquent tongue in remembrance of the Merciful.
Verily this is the life of satisfaction, the spiritual existence, heavenly
repose, divine benediction and the celestial table! Soon thy Lord will
extenuate thy straightened circumstances even in this world.
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
O thou dear servant of God!
Thy letter was received and its contents noted. As to instructions which
thou desirest, they are as follows:
Believe in God; turn unto the Supreme Kingdom; be attracted unto the
Beauty of ABHA; remain firm in the Covenant; yearn for ascending unto the
heaven of the sun of the universe; be disinterested in the world; be alive
with the fragrances of holiness in the Kingdom of the Highest; be a caller
to love; kind to the human race; gentle with humanity; interested in all
the people of the world; wish for harmony and seek friendship and honesty.
Be a healing for every wound, a remedy for every sick, a source of harmony
among the people; chant the verses of guidance; pray to God; arise for the
guidance of the people; let thy tongue explain and thy face illumine with
the glowing of the love of God. Rest not a moment and breathe not a breath
of repose until thou becomest a sign of God’s love and a banner of God’s
favor.
“O thou who art hoping for the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art hoping for the Kingdom!
Thank thou God that He hath guided thee, led thee to the Kingdom of Being,
ushered thee under the shade of the bounties of the Lord of Hosts, and
that thou hast stepped into the Paradise of ABHA.
Do not grieve on account of the death of thy son, neither sigh nor lament.
That nightingale soared upward to the divine rose-garden; that drop
returned to the most great ocean of Truth; that foreigner hastened to his
native abode; and that ill one found salvation and life eternal.
Why shouldst thou be sad and heartbroken? This separation is temporal;
this remoteness and sorrow is counted only by days. Thou shalt find him in
the Kingdom of God and thou wilt attain to the everlasting union. Physical
companionship is ephemeral, but heavenly association is eternal. Whenever
thou rememberest the eternal and never ending union, thou wilt be
comforted and blissful.
“O dear servant of God!...”
O dear servant of God!
Thy letter hath arrived and the contents have given glad-tidings that the
ground for the Temple hath been bought and also told about the meeting
which was held concerning the needs for the Temple. From this news great
fragrance and joy were produced. Thanks be to God that thou wast helped to
establish a meeting for this purpose. I hope that the members of this
meeting will become the receivers of the divine benevolence and be aided
by the heavenly assistances. But consult with the House of Spirituality of
Chicago. Ye must all be perfectly united and harmonious until, through
this harmony, ye may perpetually receive help from the Kingdom of God.
Concerning the members of this spiritual meeting, you suggested that they
be selected from all the spiritual meetings of the other cities of
America. I quite approve and am very much pleased with this plan. This
will become the cause of harmony in the Word in all America. Therefore,
ask every spiritual meeting in the other cities that they will each select
one and send him, and from these selected ones and with those who are
selected from the Chicago meetings, establish a new meeting for the
provision of the needs of the Temple. If this be established with perfect
fragrance and joy, it will produce great results. In this new meeting,
especially for the establishment of the Temple, ladies are also to be
members.
Give to all the divine friends the glad-tidings of the boundless heavenly
blessings and tell them that the glances of the eyes of Providence are
upon them and the perfect favor and bounty are descending upon them.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter, concerning the celebration of the anniversary of the
declaration of His Holiness the Supreme(60)—may my spirit be sacrificed
for Him!—which was held on the land of the Mashrak-el-Azcar(61), was read.
The utmost joy was attained, for—praise be to God! —the friends of the
Merciful passed some time on that day joyous and singing in the land of
the Mashrak-el-Azcar and enjoyed commemorating the Lord of the verses with
the greatest joy.
That melody was heard by the Supreme Concourse and that rose-song of the
nightingale of faithfulness gladdened the people of the rose-garden of
ABHA.
I am hopeful that, during the coming Rizwan(62), a great feast shall be
held in the land of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, a spiritual celebration prepared
and the melodies of the violin and the mandoline and hymns in praise and
glorification of the Lord of Hosts make all the audience joyous and
ecstatic.
A few days ago an epistle was written—therefore, brevity is considered
here.
Treat thy dear daughter, for me, with the utmost kindness and, likewise,
the other friends and maid-servants of the Merciful.
“O attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O attracted maid-servant of God!
The epistle written (and sent) through Mirza...... was received. The
account of the land designated for the Mashrak-el-Azcar, of your placing
therein, in company with Mrs. ........, nine stones and pouring thereon
attar, water and olive oil, and of your commemorating the Beauty of ABHA
and His Holiness the Supreme(63), was all understood.
That land is blessed because it is mentioned by the name of
Mashrak-el-Azcar. Surely, the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the
Merciful in all the cities of America must put forth the utmost of effort
in order that the Mashrak-el-Azcar be raised in that land.
I am hopeful through the aids and confirmations of God that the beloved
ones and maid-servants of the Merciful may achieve this service.
Express the utmost love and kindliness on behalf of Abdul-Baha to all the
beloved and the dear maid-servants of the Merciful, especially Mrs.
.......... and thy dear daughter.
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
I have considered thy writing, which indicates brightness of heart and the
love of God. Blessed art thou for having been thus favored and for having
attained to guidance.
You have asked me two questions: “That if the same spirit is manifest in
all the Manifestations and Prophets, then what is the distinction or
difference between Christ (or rather Jesus) and the other Prophets; also
[what is the difference] between Father and Son?”
Know that the human spirit is one, but it manifests itself in various
members of the body in a certain (measure or) form. The human spirit is
existent in the sight (eyes); it is also existent in the brain, which is
the location of great functions and powers; it is also existent in the
heart, which organ is largely connected with the brain or the center of
the mind, and the heart, or that center which is connection with the
brain, has a distinct and separate function, effect and appearance. In
this connection, the hair and nails have no command (nor direct feeling).
Figuratively speaking, the Father is the center of the brain and the Son
is the center of the heart; the rest of the Prophets are members and
parts. Fatherhood and Prophethood, in this case, are two expressions of
the same thing, as man and creature are two names of the same reality. The
word “man,” however, is greater than the word “creature” because it bears
a weightier meaning than the name “creature”; both are the same.
O maid-servant of God! I pray God to confirm thee forever anew. Give
greeting to thy dear mother. Superstition hath somewhat overcome her. When
the imagined Satan overpowers, let her say: “O Baha-el-ABHA!” She should
then turn to the highest Kingdom. Thus will the imagined Satan leave her.
[She] has a form of obsession; therefore, you may not heed her sayings.
Cultivate the land and thus, through its fruits, you will obtain benefits.
God will relieve you from care (on account) of your mother.
Give your good husband my spiritual greeting. I pray that he may be made a
recipient of the divine bounties and attain to the grace of God.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of Holiness!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of Holiness!
Be dilated in thy heart by the gentle breeze which emanates from the
garden of Eternal Life and enkindled in the Tree of Sinai in the center of
Paradise; so that thou mayest be a pillar of fire and a cloud of light in
this age, wherein a drop grows into a large wave of the sea, and a lamp
glistens with the light of the dazzling stars, and this is from the power
which is manifested by thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful. ***
Be firm in the worship of God, fasting, praying, imploring and invoking
unto thy God, the Generous; so that He shall destine to thee the honor of
sacrifice in the path of thy Beloved, the Ancient.
I ask God to grant thee thy greatest wish in this wonderful time.
“O thou who art cheered through the Fragrances of...”
O thou who art cheered through the Fragrances of God!
When thou desirest and yearnest for meeting in the world of vision; at the
time when thou art in perfect fragrance and spirituality, wash thy hands
and face, clothe thyself in clean robes, turn toward the court of the
Peerless One, offer prayer to Him and lay thy head upon the pillow. When
sleep cometh, the doors of revelation shall be opened and all thy desires
shall become revealed.
Endeavor to guide thy mother and confirm her in faith; when the heart
becometh confident, the imagination of Satan and evil vanisheth away. If
the heart becometh absolutely tranquil, suspicion and imagination will
entirely pass away.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was read and I am very happy that thou art active and full of
life through the spirit of Life and that thou art firm and steadfast in
this great Cause.
To enter the Kingdom is easy, but to remain firm and constant is
difficult. The planting of trees is easy, but their cultivation and
training to strengthen their roots and to make them firm is difficult.
Now, as thou art a firm tree, thou shalt certainly grow and send out
branches, leaves and blossoms and bear fruits.
These branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits are the souls who may be
guided, through the providence of God, by thee. Therefore, thou art
confirmed and strengthened.
Some of the friends intended to visit the Holy Land, but hindrances
prevented them and they have deferred their coming. You should also remain
with your mother and serve her until a suitable time arrives.
Give my greetings and praise to my spiritual friend [thy husband] and
gladden him with the joyful tidings of God; also, give the same to the
friends of God and His maid-servants.
“O thou who has sought shelter in the Impregnable...”
O thou who has sought shelter in the Impregnable Cave!
Verily, the glad-tidings of God have encompassed Abdul-Baha from all
directions. While his heart is beating with the love of God, he holds a
cup full of the knowledge of God in his right hand and wishes to give the
seekers to drink of this wine, so that they may, perchance, be exhilarated
with this cup, which is overflowing with the signs of God.
Be thou rejoiced at these words, because thou wilt partake of this wine
which refreshes hearts and souls.
“O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God!...”
O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God!
Verily, I read thy letter and I besought God to cause thee to promulgate
His divine Manifestation, to be rejoiced at the bounty of His Kingdom, to
adhere to His Testament, to hold fast to the hem of the robe of His
grandeur, to exert thyself in His Cause, to desire the unity of His dearly
beloved ones, and the harmony amongst His chosen ones and to endeavor to
remove the doubts which are being emanated from deceitful souls.
By the might of my Lord, verily, the Lord will assist only those who will
remain firm in His Cause, and desire union, love, humility and
submissiveness, and to become separated from aught else save God. Every
forehead which is illuminated with these lights will be a lamp of guidance
and a star whereby all horizons will be lighted.
Exert thyself with all thy heart and soul and with all strength, so that
thou mayest become a sign of firmness and as a banner of the Word of God
which may wave on every lofty edifice through the favor of thy Glorious
Lord.
As to thy question concerning the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes: This is
prophecy regarding the coming of Jesus in that book, the signs and marks
of which were fulfilled with the appearance of the Promised One of the
Bible(64) ; but since the Jews did not understand the meaning thereof, so
they denied Jesus and— God forbid! —said that He was the deformed
(Antichrist). Then it is said by Jesus in the Gospel, that similar signs
would appear in the “last day”—or in other words—in the day when Christ
will come the second time in this world.
The interpretation of these statements is mentioned in the clearest manner
and with the most wonderful proofs in the Book of Ighan(65) . His honor,
Ali-Kuli-Khan, has already translated this Book which will soon be
published in America(66) . Then you will be informed of the explanation
and interpretation of these verses and statements as elucidated by the
Blessed Perfection. Therefore my interpretation is not necessary.
As to thy question concerning the 54th chapter of Isaiah: This chapter
refers to the Exalted Leaf, the mother of Abdul-Baha. As a proof to this
it is said: “For more are the children of the desolate, than the children
of the married wife.” Reflect upon this statement and then upon the
following: “And thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate
cities to be inhabited.” And truly the humiliation and reproach which she
suffered in the path of God is a fact which no one can refute. For the
calamities and afflictions mentioned in the whole chapter are such
afflictions which she suffered in the path of God, all of which she
endured with patience and thanked God therefor and praised Him, because He
had enabled her to endure afflictions for the sake of Baha’. During all
this time, the men and women (nakazeen) persecuted her in an incomparable
manner, while she was patient, God-fearing, calm, humble and contented
through the favor of her Lord and by the bounty of her Creator.
As to thee—O thou who art confessing the Oneness of God! —rise with all
thy power to keep firm in the Testament of God, and firmly believe that,
verily, all troops are defeated save those of the Testament and all
banners are reversed, save that of the Covenant of God, which will wave
over all horizons and will overshadow the hosts of spirit, love and peace,
while agitated by the breeze of the favor of God. Be thou of the number of
this great host and among the vanguard of this great and powerful army.
“O thou illumined youth!...”
O thou illumined youth!
Thank thou God, for that the tongues spoke in thy praise and the pends
moved with thy love, thy knowledge and thy enkindlement by the fire of the
love of God. One of them is the pen of Abdul-Baha. Therefore, be a sign of
knowledge, standard of assurance and a light of God, so that thou mayest
become strengthened by the breaths of the Holy Spirit in these days.
“O thou revered sincere one!...”
O thou revered sincere one!
Know thou, verily, the brilliant realities and sanctified spirits are
likened to a shining crescent. It has one face turned toward the Sun of
Truth, and another face opposite to the contingent world. The journey of
this crescent in the heaven of the universe ends in (becoming) a full
moon. That is, that face of it which is turned toward the divine world
becomes also opposite to the contingent world, and by this, both its
merciful and spiritual, as well as contingent, perfections become
complete.
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast spoken concerning thy lack of ability
and capacity. Wert thou without ability and capacity, thou wouldst not
have advanced toward the Kingdom of ABHA.
Consider how there are thousands of heedless souls who are asleep, while
there is one who is conscious and awake! Even as His Holiness Christ has
said, the friends of God are the salt of the earth, and the salt is but a
little part of the whole. Undoubtedly the friends of God have been endowed
with ability and capacity, on which account this became of the “chosen”
and not of the “called.”
O thou spiritual friend! This world is a prison for heavenly souls, and
this earthly world is but a cage, and not a nest, unto the divine birds. A
prisoner who is awake and conscious will certainly seek for freedom, and a
mindful bird will certainly wish for deliverance from the cage. When the
heart becometh free from attachment unto this world, it will crave for the
world of the Kingdom and seek for eternal life.
“O thou who are enkindled by the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who are enkindled by the fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I received thy good and beautiful letter and I found it to be a
sign of thy love and an evidence of thy being attracted to the Beauty of
El-ABHA. I ask God to make thee a caller to the Kingdom of El-ABHA, in
those regions; to give thee a draught of the wine of grace, to attract
thee to the center of guidance, to cause thee to ascend unto the Supreme
World and to confirm thee by the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, until thou
mayest guide the people unto the kingdom of immortality, revive the hearts
by the fragrances of God and plant the seed of guidance in the field of
the souls, by a help from thy Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.
As to the wonderful melody whereby thy spirit was revived, verily it is a
melody of the melodies of the divine music, which will cause the spirits
to ascend unto the Supreme Horizon and will (cause) the mysteries to be
unfolded.
O maid-servant of God! Be one of the angels of peace and a saint in the
world. Verily thy Lord will cause thee to listen to that wonderful melody,
through the spiritual instrument.
Regarding thy visit to this region(67), it is not permissible at this
time. But when the time comes, permission will be granted thee to present
thyself at this Source of Light and Dawning-Point of the love of thy Lord,
the Forgiver.
“O thou who art made happy by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art made happy by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I have not forgotten thee and will never forget thee. I supplicate
my Lord and thy Lord to make thee a sign of His love among the
maid-servants of the Merciful and an overflowing chalice with the wine of
His knowledge among the women, so that thou be filled with the love of thy
Lord and be severed from aught else save Him. Verily thy Lord is the
Generous and the Giver. He will give thee what will dilate thy breast,
enlighten thine eyes and attract thee in all conditions and circumstances.
“Convey my love to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........,...”
(68) Convey my love to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........, and say:
“Serve God all you can, for this service is eternal and lasting.”
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thank God for choosing thee, saving thee and granting thee of these great
blessings and glorious attainments. Verily, thy Lord shall confirm thee in
that which shall surprise the minds, through the glowing of its love and
the manifestations of the signs of its favors. It is incumbent upon thee
to be pure and holy. It is incumbent upon thee to be severed from all else
save thy Lord. Confine thy attention and thoughts to the Cause of thy
great Lord and to diffusing His fragrances in that country.
O maid-servant of God! Commune with thy Lord, saying:
O my God! my God! Thanks be to Thee for guiding me unto Thy Kingdom, for
opening before my face the door of Thy guidance, enlightening my eyes with
beholding Thy signs, and filling my heart with the feelings of Thy love.
O Lord! O Lord! Make me severed from the world and void of its conditions,
attracted by the fragrances of Thy holiness among Thy maid-servants, free
in heart, happy in soul, cheerful in mind, longing for the Kingdom of Thy
Beauty, and glowing with the fire of Thy love in the world. Thus may I
enkindle the light of guidance in the hearts of Thy servants.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Bestower, the Precious, the Mighty!
“O thou who art attracted by the Breath of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Breath of God!
With all joy I read thy brilliant letter and was informed of its
expression and meanings, which showed thine abundant love in God, thy
humility before the beloved of God, thine attraction to the fragrances of
God and thy firmness in the Testament of God.
I beg of God to make thee promote perfect harmony among the believers of
God and pure affection amid the chosen ones of God and make thee [to]
cause greatest tranquillity to all the creatures and [to] show kindness
towards all the people on the earth, because the bounty of the Merciful
God is but pure love, great prosperity and universal peace among the
different people in all regions and laying the foundation of great
happiness and felicity for all the creatures.
Consequently, O thou who art attracted by the fragrances of God, exert
thyself and fail not to infuse affection throughout all hearts and souls;
[fail not] to gather all the souls together in the assemblage of union and
cheerfulness, so that the beloved of God may become as a levied army of
the Supreme Concourse and as a host of salvation descending from the
Kingdom of ABHA and conquer the countries of hearts and the cities of
souls with their tongues, similar to sharp swords whereby fortresses and
castles are conquered.
By the Life of God! Verily I love thee with all my heart and pray for thee
every eve and morn that the forgiving Lord may enable thee to serve in His
excellent vineyard and make thee a sign of His signs, to cause thee to
deliver His Cause, diffuse His breath (and I beg of Him) to strengthen
thine honorable wife to that which behooveth these days. Verily He is the
Giver of Confirmation in all circumstances!
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
O thou who art assuredly believing in God!
Verily, I read thy brilliant letter and thanked God for that He hath
created a maid-servant for Baha’, who prays for Abdul-Baha and beg the
confirmation and assistance of God in his behalf, because I am earnestly
fond of the prayer of the maid-servants of God in my behalf and of their
asking the blessing of God for this servant!
I begged of God to ordain all good unto thee for thy praying for
Abdul-Baha.
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God, and...”
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God, and looking unto the
Day-spring of the lights of God!
I, with the utmost joy and cheerfulness, have perused the contents of thy
letter, which shows thy faith in God, thy assurance in the Kingdom of God,
the gladness of thy breast in hearing the voice of God and the adherence
of thy heart to the word of God.
O servant of God! rejoice through the glad-tidings of God, be happy by the
wafting of the fragrance of God, and cling to the Kingdom of God in such
wise that it makes thee separate thyself from the world and kindle in thy
heart the fire of the love of God to such an extent that any one who
approaches thee will feel its warmth; and if thou desirest to attain to
this station, thou shouldst turn thyself wholly unto God. Perhaps an
illumination will descend upon thee by which the fragrances of God will be
diffused throughout those regions and districts and thou wilt be a lamp of
guidance from which the lights of knowledge will emanate and spread in
those far countries and distant lands.
“O thou who art imploring God!...”
O thou who art imploring God!
I was indeed acquainted with the great misfortunes and afflictions which
have befallen thee, but I hope that through the bounty of thy Lord, He may
ordain unto thee heavenly fragrance and spirituality, attractive and
internal perceptions and incorporeal susceptibilities; that He may grant
thee strength after weakness, give thee rest after trouble, bring thee
nigh to Him, and make thee a sign of His love among all His maid-servants,
and forgive thy father, mother, brother and grandfather their sins.
Verily, He is the Pardoner, the Forgiver.
“O visitant of the Resort of spirits (who are) sincere in...”
O visitant of the Resort(69) of spirits (who are) sincere in the Religion
of God!
Blessed is the mother who bore thee and the breast whose milk suckled thee
and the bosom wherein thou wert nurtured, because thou hast apprehended
the Day of the Lord, hast prepared thyself to enter in unto His kingdom,
hast set thy face singly toward His Gracious Countenance, hast believed in
the Manifest Light, hast rejoiced in the Abundant Grace, hast responded to
the Voice of thy Lord with a sincere and beating heart and hast presented
thyself from those regions at the Glorious Threshold and hast marked thy
forehead with the pure, holy, fragrant Tomb(70), the breaths of whose
sanctity are spread abroad throughout the lands as fragrant musk is
diffused unto the distant place! Then thank thy Lord, the Merciful, the
Clement, for this great salvation (or fruition, achievement, or
attainment) and exceeding grace!
Now as to what thou askest concerning the spirit and its “return” to this
world of humanity and this elemental space: Know that spirit in general is
divided into five sorts—the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human
spirit, the spirit of faith, and the divine spirit of sanctity.
The vegetable spirit is the virtue augmentative, or growing or vegetative
faculty, which results from the admixture of the simple elements, with the
co-operation of water, air and heat.
The animal spirit is the virtue perceptive resulting from the admixture
and absorption of the vital elements generated in the heart, which
apprehend sense impressions.
The human spirit consists of the rational, or logical, reasoning faculty,
which apprehends general ideas and things intelligible and perceptible.
Now these “spirits” are not reckoned as Spirit in the terminology of the
Scriptures and the usage of the people of the Truth, inasmuch as the laws
governing them are as the laws which govern all phenomenal being (i.e.,
all existences belonging to the phenomenal or material universe, called
“the world of generation and corruption”), in respect to generation,
corruption, production, change and reversion, as is clearly indicated in
the Gospel where it says: “Let the dead bury their dead;” “That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
Spirit”; inasmuch as he who would bury these dead was alive with the
vegetative, animal and rational human soul, yet did Christ—to whom be
glory! —declare such dead and devoid of life, in that this person was
devoid of the Spirit of Faith, which is of the Kingdom of God.
In brief, for these three spirits there is no restitution or “return,” but
they are subordinate to reversions and production and corruption.
But the Spirit of Faith which is of the Kingdom (of God) consists of the
all-comprehending Grace and the perfect attainment (or salvation,
fruition, achievement) and the power of sanctity and the divine effulgence
from the Sun of Truth on luminous light-seeking essences from the presence
of the divine Unity. And by this Spirit is the life of the spirit of man,
when it is fortified thereby, as Christ saith: “That which is born of the
Spirit is Spirit.” And this Spirit hath both restitution and return,
inasmuch as it consists of the Light of God and the unconditioned Grace.
So, having regard to this state and station. Christ announced that John
the Baptist was Elias, who was to come before Christ (Matt. 11:14). And
the likeness of this station is as that of lamps kindled (from one
another): for these in respect to their glasses and oil-holders, are
different, but in respect to their light, One, and in respect to their
illumination, One; nay, each one is identical with the other, without
imputation of plurality, or diversity or multiplicity or separateness.
This is the Truth and beyond the Truth there is only error.
But as to the question of the Trinity, know, O advancer unto God, that in
each one of the cycles wherein the Lights have shone forth upon the
horizons (i.e., in each prophetic dispensation) and the Forgiving Lord
hath revealed Himself on Mount Paran (see Habbakkuk 3:3, etc.) or Mount
Sinai, or Mount Seir (see Ezekiel 35), there are necessarily three things:
The Giver of the Grace, and the Grace, and the Recipient of the Grace; the
Source of the Effulgence, and the Effulgence, and the Recipient of the
Effulgence; the Illuminator, and the Illumination, and the Illuminated.
Look at the Mosaic cycle: The Lord, and Moses, and the Fire (i.e., the
burning bush), the Intermediary; and in the Mohammedan cycle: The Lord,
the Apostle (or Messenger, Mohammed), and Gabriel (for, as the Mohammedans
believe, Gabriel brought the Revelation from God to Mohammed). Look at the
sun and its rays and the heat which results from its rays; the rays and
the heart are but two effects of the sun, but inseparable from it; yet the
sun is one in its essence, unique in its real identity, single in its
attributes, neither is it possible that anything should resemble it. Such
is the essence of the Truth concerning the Unity, the real doctrine of the
Singularity, the undiluted reality as to the (Divine) Sanctity.
But as to the question concerning the atonement on the part of the Holy
Redeemer, I have explained this to thee by word of mouth in a plain and
detailed manner, devoid of ambiguities, and I have made it clear to thee
as the sun at noonday.
And I ask God to open unto thee the gates, that thou mayest thyself
apprehend the true meanings of these mysteries. Verily, He is the
Confirmer, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
The means of communication being severed(71), your letter of *** was
received only in these days. You have made mention of the persons who have
lately accepted the Truth. Convey most wonderful ABHA greetings to Mrs.
........ and say: “Thank thou God for thou hast worn a crown studded with
gems of the knowledge of God and partaken of the fountain of the Water of
Life.” Convey also most wonderful greetings to Mrs. ........ and say:
“Thou wast in darkness and thou hast attained the world of lights. Thou
was not informed of Almighty God. I hope thou wilt witness signs.”
O thou real friend! Another letter [hath just been] received for thee. Its
contents bear upon the cablegram which was sent to prevent publication. By
thy dear life, thou wast not meant by it; for numerous publications were
seen in newspapers and magazines which were not proper. The purpose of
that cablegram is this: That each one of the beloved ones of God
(believers in general who may wish to publish any writings or articles,
etc.) should first send the same to the Holy Land, to be seen (or
examined) and then printed. And this matter is general and this (message)
was sent equally to America, Persia, India and Turkestan. I have the
utmost love for thee and thy family for thou servest me—how can I be
offended at you? Be assured and happy. Convey my greetings to thy sons and
also to the maid-servant of God, thy wife.
“O thou slave of the Beauty of ABHA!...”
O thou slave of the Beauty of ABHA!
Thy letter was received. Praise be to God! It indicated thy firmness and
steadfastness in the love of God—therefore, it was the cause of happiness.
Thou hast written regarding the meeting of his honor Mr. ........, his
respected wife and daughter. Truly, I say, Mr. ........ is a blessed soul
and is engaged in the service of the Cause and his extreme hope is to
bring about affinity between the souls and cause the believers to be
united and agree. This is also my highest hope. I hope, God willing, this
unity and agreement will be established and this imprisoned one, immersed
in the sea of trials, become exhilarated and rejoiced. The aim of the
appearance of the Blessed Perfection—may my life be a sacrifice for His
beloved ones! —was the unity and agreement of all the people of the world.
Therefore, my utmost desire, firstly, is the accord and union and love of
the believers and after that of all the people of the world. Now, if unity
and agreement is not established among the believers, I will become
heartbroken and the afflictions will leave a greater imprint upon me. But
if the fragrance of love and unity among the believers is wafted to my
nostrils, every trial will become a mercy, every unhappiness a joy, every
difficulty an expansion, every misery a treasure and every hardship a
felicity.
Convey on my behalf the utmost love and kindness to the favored
maid-servant of God [thy wife], and thy worthy and noble sons.
“O thou who art awakened from the sleep of negligence...”
O thou who art awakened from the sleep of negligence and forgetfulness!
Thank God for that He hath awakened thee from thy sleep, found thee after
thy being lost and quickened thee after thy death. Verily, I beg God to
confirm thee by a power by which thou mayest be enabled to worship God and
to serve His Cause and to be submissive and lowly before the beloved of
God.
Verily, I remember thee in my prayers an din my invocation, beseeching the
Heavenly Father, the Lord of Hosts, to confirm thee by a power and cause
thee to be firm and to work and serve in the olive garden of God and to be
lowly and submissive before His Holy and Exalted Threshold.
“O thou fortunate and righteous, sincere and pious!...”
O thou fortunate and righteous, sincere and pious!
Thank thou God for that by reason of which the breath of God hath awakened
thee and the spirit of God hath quickened thee and raised thee from among
the dead with a joyful spirit of life.
In my prayers I supplicate God to bestow upon thee in all cases and
aspects an influential and penetrating power that thou mayest be a firm,
faithful and successful servant in the garden of El-ABHA, and a skillful
laborer in the vineyard of God.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I supplicate God to illuminate thy heart through the light which
is shining from the Supreme Concourse that His mightiest power may
strengthen thee to be firm, steadfast, submissive and lowly before the
Kingdom of God, and to be an example of good deeds among the maid-servants
of the Merciful. And I beseech Him to make thy breast a clear mirror to
reflect the light of the spirit of God.
“O thou at whose mention I am rejoiced!...”
O thou at whose mention I am rejoiced!
By God, the True One, verily pure hearts are as clear and brilliant
mirrors which imprint the one on the other, and hearts discover the
secrets of hearts. Therefore, they (hearts) chant the verses of longing
and recite the odes of glorification and praise. Consequently, the
recourse is to pages of hearts, not pages filled with written lines.
Give my greetings to thy revered wife and announce to her the glad-tidings
of a gift from God; and I beg of God to make her a spark from out the fire
of His love. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty!
“O thou who art assured in God!...”
O thou who art assured in God!
Verily we read thy letter and asked for thee confirmation. Verily thy Lord
will strengthen thee in great spirituality and cause thy heart to overflow
with the gifts of God.
All the servants of the Merciful here convey to thee greetings and praise.
***
“O thou who art advanced towards God!...”
O thou who art advanced towards God!
Verily I implore God to cause thee to be a sign of the book of Genesis,
declaring His mentionings and His praise among the creatures, with
brilliant face, smiling mouth, dilated breast and rejoiced heart, for the
manifestation of His evident glory and the appearance of His illumining
Beauty from that wonderful horizon.
Surely a day will come when all thy desires will be attained and God will
answer all that which thou hast prayed for in thine heart, and I beg of
Him to make all that which thou hast longed for long ago very attainable.
Then thine heart will be overflowed with joy on account of such a great
bounty.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read thy new letter and was informed of its meanings, which
proved thy lowiness to thy Glorious Lord.
Verily we promised thee, by the favor of thy Lord, last year, that thy
Lord would grant thee “sight of eyes” (i.e., a son), a blessed birth.
Thanks and praise be unto God for that He granted thee a good descendant
and dilated thy breast by this great bounty. It is incumbent on thee to
offer many thanks to the Merciful Lord for this great favor in the world
of humanity. Verily I implore unto God to make him a sign of His Kingdom,
illuminated, spiritual and god-like among the children.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Thank God for giving and granting thee “sight of eyes” (i.e., a son)
whereby thy bosom becomes dilated and thy heart rejoiced.
Then make his name “Ruhullah” (i.e., the Spirit of God), so that the
Spirit of thy Lord, the Merciful of the Merciful, will confirm him.
O maid-servant of God! Know, verily, that the one who bore similar name
(i.e., Ruhullah), son of Varga, was martyred in the path of God in the
twelfth year of his life. While he was beneath the unsheathed sword he
called out “Ya Baha-el-ABHA!” until he was killed in the path of God.
We called thy son by this noble name so that he may have a great station
in the Kingdom of God.
“O thou sincere servant of the True One!...”
O thou sincere servant of the True One!
Thy letter caused joy to the hearts. Its meanings perfumed the nostrils
like unto a tender flower and a red rose. The heat of thy longing was felt
and thy wish to present thyself to the blessed Threshold was recognized.
Happy art thou who hast entered this Supreme Paradise under the shadow of
the Tree of Life and hast partaken of the Heavenly Table. This Servant
hath also the utmost longing to see thee and hopeth that some day this
wish may be attained. But in these days, owing to the sedition of these
faithless ones (i.e., violators), coming to this blessed region is
(subject to) great caution. Therefore, leave it to some other time and be
engaged in diffusing the lights of the Sun of Truth.
Turn thou unto the Kingdom of Oneness and chant thou the verses of
Singleness. Be thou invested with a robe, the embroidery of which is
purity and sanctity and the woof and warp of which is the spirituality of
the Mighty Lord, so that thou mayest inhale the fragrance of the divine
rose-garden from the garment of the real Joseph and so divest thyself of
the mantle of bodily things that angelhood and ideal spirituality become
realized (in thee).
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
I have seen the letter which thou hast written to Mr. ......... The
opinion (expresssed therein) was very agreeable. The Spiritual Meeting of
Consultation of New York must be in the utmost union and harmony with the
Spiritual Meeting of Consultation of Chicago, and that which they deem
advisable to publish, these two Meetings of Consultation must unitedly
approve of it and deem its publication advisable. Then the Meeting of
Consultation must send one copy thereof to Acca, in order that it may be
also approved of here and then returned, and that the it may be printed
and published.
That the two Spiritual Meetings of Chicago and New York must be in unity
and harmony is very important, and when a Spiritual Meeting may be also
organized in Washington in a befitting manner, these two meeting (of
Chicago and New York) must be also in unity and harmony with that meeting.
To be brief, it hath been decided by the Desire of God that union and
harmony may day by day increase among the friends of God and maid-servants
of the Merciful One, in the West. Not until this is realized will the
affairs advance by any means whatever! And the greatest means for the
union and harmony of all is Spiritual Meetings. This matter is very
important and is as a magnet (to attract or) for divine confirmation. If
the beauty of this Divine Beloved One—that is, unity of believers—does
appear in the ornament of the Kingdom of ABHA, it is certain that those
countries will, in a short time, become the Paradise of ABHA and the light
of Unity (or Oneness) and Singleness will shine upon the whole world from
the West. We(72) are endeavoring with all heart an soul, have no rest
night and day, nor a moment of tranquillity, so that we may make the world
of humanity the mirror of the divine unity; how much more the beloved of
God! And this wish and hope shall appear and shine forth at that time when
the true friends of God may arise and act in accord with the teachings of
the Beauty of ABHA—may my life be a sacrifice to His beloved ones! One of
the teachings is that love and faithfulness must so prevail in the hearts
that men may see the stranger as a friend, the sinner as an intimate
fellow, may count enemies as allies, regard foes as loving comrades, call
their executioner the giver of life, consider the denier as a believer and
the unbeliever as a faithful one—that is, men must behave in such a manner
as may befit the believers, the faithful, the friend and the confidant. If
this lamp may shine in a befitting manner in the assemblage of the world
you will find that the regions will become fragrant and the world become a
delectable paradise, the surface of the earth will become an excellent
garden, the world will become as one home, the different nations will
become as one kind, and the peoples and nationalities of the East and West
will become as one household. I hope such a day may come and such lights
may dawn and such a Countenance may appear in the utmost beauty.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Though thy letter was brief in words, it was ample in significance. It
indicated that thy heart is illumined, thine inner sight is open and thine
ear of understanding is familiar with the mystery. This is a gift from
God, the Independent.
Thine expression of kindness to Miss ........ is very acceptable. Be thou
kind to all on the earth, a care-taker (or helper) to every sick person,
an open treasure to every indigent one; offer thou salutary water to the
athirst; bestow the bread (or food) of life upon the hungered; console
thou the helpless, exhort the ignorant and seek forgiveness for the
sinner.
If, hereafter, thou mayest write a letter to Miss ........, deliver unto
her this my message:
“O Miss ........! The Tree of Life is full of blossoms, leave and fruits!
—the shade thereof is a peace to soul and a rest to the consciousness.
Whosoever is under this Tree will certainly partake of fruit. But shade
trees are many in the forest, which, though fresh and verdant, are,
nevertheless, fruitless. This truth shall finally become clear and
manifest unto thee.”
Kiss thou the face and hair of Ruhullah on my behalf.
“O God who art without likeness!...”
O God who art without likeness!
The servant of Thy Kingdom, Mr. ........, reached the Holy Threshold in
the utmost of sincerity and longing and sought Thy good will. It is some
time that he hath been engaged in the land of America with Thy
commemoration and known by Thy commendation. To the beloved he is a cause
of joy and to the friends a means of unity and gladness.
O world Creator! For his life—well done! —for he is alive with Thy name
and thoughtful of Thee night and day. Confer upon him Thy grace that he
may daily receive a new life, attain a fresh bounty, offer a new service
to Thy Threshold and serve Thy Throne.
Thou art the Giver, the Forgiver and Thou art the Pardoner, the Educator.
“O thou servant of Baha’!...”
O thou servant of Baha’!
Thy visit is accepted and thy name ever mentioned in the presence of
Abdul-Baha. I forget thee not for a moment but remember thee always. I
seek confirmation and strength from God for thee. Rest thou assured and be
happy in the love of Abdul-Baha. Know for a certainty that divine
confirmation will arrive and great attainment be made.
“O servant of Baha’!...”
O servant of Baha’!
Thy letter written to his honor, Mirza ........, with the enclosed map of
the ground of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, hath been seen.
The place is suitable, but if it were possible to have a wider piece of
ground, so that the building should stand in the middle, surrounded by a
flower garden, it would be better and more pleasing; otherwise, if this is
not possible, the building on the present ground is also permissible.
The flowers which Ruhullah picked on the ground of the Mashrak-el-Azcar
and thou didst send to me brought with them and exhaled a very sweet
fragrance. This fragrance is just as thou didst write, “the fragrance of
the rose-garden of the unity of the East and West.” I hope that daily
these fragrances may become more powerful and more diffused throughout the
world.
Thou must hasten to send his honor .... ...... all the writings for which
he asked, to Rangoon, India.
An utmost happiness was produced by the news of the good health and safety
of the friends of God.
My spiritual beloved, his honor, Mr. ........, is rendering a great
service to the Kingdom of ABHA and becoming a means of strong attraction
towards, and connection with the world above by making this long tour(73)
and giving the news of the Holy Spot and diffusing the fragrances of the
love of God.
As to the calamities and afflictions of Abdul-Baha: These are not
calamities, but bounties; they are not afflictions, but gifts; not
hardships, but tranquillity; not trouble, but mercy—and we thank God for
this great favor.
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto God!
Praise God that He guided thee to the Path of His Kingdom, blessed thee
with the word of holiness, and illumined thy heart with a light shining in
the lofty Kingdom.
O maid-servant of God! Every star hath a setting, but the star of the
knowledge of God in the divine heaven; every light shall darken save the
light of the guidance of God; every dignity shall vanish away save the
glory under the shadow of the Word of God.
Verily, I pray God to make thee firm in this Path; to cause thee to enter
the Ark of Safety; and to strengthen thee in becoming humble and meek to
the maid-servants of the Merciful, and in overcoming self and passion
through the power of God.
“O my dear, intimate friend!...”
O my dear, intimate friend!
Verily, I address thee with such an appellation whereby the hearts of
those who are endowed with intelligence, are dilated with joy; because,
verily, this is from my heart which is overflowing with the love of
God—and an appellation that proceeds from love will certainly be as a
spirit for the souls, as a light to the eyes, as a life to bodies and as a
dressing for the hearts and bodies which are wounded and lacerated by the
afflictions of this world. Then be consoled by the praise of thy Lord,
whenever thou art attacked by grief and sorrow.
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
O thou candle of the Love of God!
I ask God to grant thee by His favor and grace that which is thy utmost
desire; that the closed doors become opened, the uneven roads become even,
thy face shine by the love of God, thy sight become brighter by witnessing
the signs of God; that thou mayest attain spiritual joy, eternal happiness
and heavenly life.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thank God that thou dost believe in the Greatest Manifestation, art
confident in the Word of God and dost hold to the divine teachings. I hope
that thou mayest be confirmed to give the Message to thy friends and
relatives and guide them also. Be patient and forbearing and treat them
with great love and kindness. Surely the attributes of the people of God
will have their effect eventually upon the people.
“O thou beloved of my heart!...”
O thou beloved of my heart!
Verily, my soul longs for thee, for the lamp of the love of Baha’ is
lighted within thy heart and I love to look upon thy face, for it is
glittering with the light of guidance among the creatures. Glory be to Him
who hath united hearts together! Glory be to Him who hath brought the East
and West under the shadow of the Blessed Tree, the root of which is firmly
fixed in the earth and the branches of which reach unto the Supreme
Concourse!
“O thou who art partaking of the Heavenly Food!...”
O thou who art partaking of the Heavenly Food!
Know thou verily the Divine Food is descending from heaven, but only those
taste thereof who are directed to the light of guidance, and only those
can enjoy it who are endowed with a sound taste. Otherwise every diseased
soul disliketh the delicious and merciful food and this is because of the
sickness which hath seized him, whereby the El-Zekkum(74) is sweet (to his
taste) while he fleeth from the ripe fruit of the Tree of the Living and
Pre-existent God—and there is no wonder in that.
In a similar way, thou beholdest some women who have abandoned the
Testament, and to them the bitterness of discord is sweet. They keep aloof
from the Extended Shadow and dwell under the shade of a “black smoke.”
Alas for them and grief for them! They will surely lament and find
themselves in loss. Verily, this is but an evident truth!
“O thou tree, developed in the garden of the Love of...”
O thou tree, developed in the garden of the Love of God!
Be well watered with the abundant rain falling from the clouds of the
Testament of God, that thou mayest bring forth fresh and ripe fruits which
are beneficial to the hearts and souls.
“O thou spiritual man and merciful being!...”
O thou spiritual man and merciful being!
I have read thy brilliant letter which showeth the utterance of thy praise
upon the Beauty of El-ABHA, the Most Glorious. Blessed thou art!
Glad-tidings unto thee for that by reason of which thou hast drunk from
the cup which is overflowing with the wine of the love of God, and hast
become intoxicated from that pure wine which was given to thee from the
hand of Providence in the meeting of the knowledge of God.
Take the cup of sanctity in thy right hand and pass the glass of the
Kingdom, in the social meeting—which is the wine of the love of God and
the sweet, pure, cool water of the knowledge of God—and give to drink to
those who are in attendance, that they may rejoice, be happy and sing the
hymns of sanctity and unification, offering their praise to the Supreme
Kingdom.
“O thou who art attracted to the Holy Fragrances!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Holy Fragrances!
The light of truth hath made thine eyes to see, the voice of God hath made
thine ears to hear and the lights emanating from the beauty of the Light
of the World both made thine heart attracted and astonished. I hope that
thou wilt cut thyself from all that is in this world; wilt sever thyself
from all desires of this transitory world; wilt attach thy heart entirely
to the light of truth and wilt, at all times, rise in the service of truth
in the rose-garden of God.
The deriding of the enemy addeth to the joy of the heart and taunting of
the ignorant becometh the means of spirituality and fragrance.
Observe that the Pharisees called His Holiness, the sweet and the divine
Christ, Beelzebub or the head of evil spirits. This people (the people of
the world) are in the depths of ignorance and their reproach and
detraction are like praise and congratulation.
I hope that, in the path of the love of God, thou wilt exert thyself
exceedingly and thus wilt enjoy life.
The letter which thou hadst written to Mrs. ...... was perused by me.
Indeed, its contents were indicative of divine knowledge and showed that
thou art really attracted to the Beauty of God. Thou hast very well
explained the question of the progress of man in the higher stations and
his reaching the life eternal. This explanation is indeed from the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit.
“O thou who art accepted of God!...”
O thou who art accepted of God!
Know thou that, verily, the eye of favors is directed to thee and is
beholding thee with a divine glance, so that thou mayest, with clear eyes,
see the lights of the Kingdom upon the horizon. Remember, at all times,
this great favor and thank thy Lord and supplicate to Him every day.
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant of God!
According to what I have heard, thou hast experienced a great financial
loss. Do not feel sorry, for thou wilt be compensated. I hope that
whatever thou hast lost will come back to thee. But this material loss is
not a very grave one; it is for a time and shall pass away.
Alhamdallah!(75)—that thou hast a share in the Kingdom of God and art
receiving gifts from the treasury of the Holy Spirit. Do not feel sorry;
do not brood over the loss; do not sit down depressed; do not be silent;
but, on the contrary, day and night be engaged in the commemoration of thy
Lord in the greatest joy and gladness.
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of the Deity!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of the Deity!
Verily, I have read thy clear letter, and was heartily cheered at its
elegant style, because it indicated thy sincerity in the Cause of God, thy
hearty adherence to the Word of God, and thy service in the vineyard of
God.
O thou maid-servant of God! Be tranquil and know, verily, that indeed, the
Holy Ghost in this glorious age teacheth every soul that is sincerely
faithful, firm and drawn to the Kingdom of the Great Lord. Verily, I
address thee with a heart overflowing with the love of God.
I beg of God to ordain for thee all that which thou desirest and grant
thee the honors of meeting, and that thou mayest be a true maid-servant,
emptied of all save Him, that thou mayest be apt in serving in His
vineyard and in guiding thy two children into His Right Path.
Indeed thou wilt see the teachings of God spread in those regions by the
breath of the Holy Spirit, and thou wilt discover the fragrances of the
paradise of the Kingdom.
Verily, these glad-tidings are very great for thee, and also for the
maid-servants of the Merciful One, and for the men of God in that wide
region (i.e., America).
“O ye who are longing for the beauty of El-ABHA!...”
O ye(76) who are longing for the beauty of El-ABHA!
Verily that Light (i.e., the Light of the Manifestation) shone forth from
the horizon of the Manifestation, appeared upon the horizon of existence,
and the darkness was changed into light; the Sun of Guidance dawned in the
horizon of heaven, whereby the eyes which were looking unto the Kingdom of
God were illuminated, the breasts which were filled with God’s love were
dilated, and the heavenly spirits were attracted by the magnet of the Holy
Spirit, so that the hearts became as pure mirrors reflecting the godlike
appearances and manifesting the heavenly lights—except the eyes which were
in the veil of imitation of the forefathers (i.e., those who followed the
theories of their fathers) were hindered from or veiled from witnessing
that brilliant and godlike illumination, and the people held to the
superstitions of the Pharisees and neglected the mystery of God and the
glad-tidings (recorded) in the Holy Scriptures, which elucidated the
appearance of the Lord of Hosts in the promised day.
As to you—O ye who are attracted to the fragrances of God! —kneel down and
thank God for choosing you to enter His wonderful Kingdom.
How many of the Pharisees were waiting for the appearance of the Spirit
(i.e., Jesus) then were veiled from it. But ye have taken away the veil
and were guided unto the light, have given up imitating forefathers and
directed your eyes to the Sun of Truth, which is shining in the Supreme
Horizon. This is a favor to you on the part of your Lord, and a gift for
you.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was understood. Thou hast asked, very humbly, for certain
things and all were worthy to be coveted. Thou desirest forgiveness of
sins; didst ask for great unity and peace; sought nearness to the
Threshold of God; hoped to be detached from thine own will, seeking the
will of God; prayed for rescue from self-love (or selfishness); hoped for
progress in the station of knowledge; desired to serve God; and prayed
that thy honorable husband and thy children may be set aglow with the fire
of the love of God and may manifest light on their brows through the
radiance of the knowledge of God. All these wishes are well worthy of
asking. Especially the rescue from self-love. This is a strange trait and
means of the destruction of many important souls in the world. If man be
imbued with all good qualities but be selfish, all the other virtues will
fade or pass away and eventually he will grow worse.
I hope the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful will be
entirely freed from selfishness. Should this become their nature, they
will indeed become manifestations of great bounties, and the doors of the
divine grace will open.
Be thou grateful to Mrs. ........ for having led thee to the Straight Path
and guiding thee to the Kingdom of God. If thou shouldst thank her a
thousand times an hour, thou wilt fail to thank her sufficiently for the
attainment.
“***O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
***O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Know thou that the heart of Abdul-Baha is overflowing with great love for
thee, and verily he is night and day invoking and beseeching the Kingdom
of God that He may make thee a sign of His mercy among His creatures, a
cause of love and harmony and a means of hinging [or a pivot for] every
good among the people of all regions, and to make thee announce to the
people the opening of the door of the Kingdom. “Verily God will
appropriate His mercy unto whom He pleaseth.”
O thou servant of God! Turn thy face thoroughly unto God, so that He may
make thee to show forth the Greatest Gift and make thee to be a source of
those signs which may prove thy proper relationship unto God and the joy
of thy heart, through the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, in every moment
and instant.
Be thou sure that, verily, thy deceased child is now one of those babes
who are suckled in the Kingdom of Life, under the charge of the Beauty of
El-ABHA. “Verily, God confirmeth whom He wisheth!”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read thy excellent letter which contained thy praises of the
Supreme Lord. Verily I supplicate God to confirm thee in that which He
desireth, to protect thee from conceit and self-exaltation and from
selfish concerns, to make thee devoted unto Him and resigned unto Him and
to be the means of promoting the divine love amongst the dearly beloved of
God. And I beseech Him to preserve thee from the confirmed tests and great
trials which break backs and perish souls and to make thee a sign of
submissiveness and a standard of meekness, lowliness and humility before
the Kingdom of the Mighty and Omnipotent God.
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily I noted thy writing and was made glad by thy letter. I pray God to
cause thee to attain the bounties of the Kingdom, so that thou mayest
arise for the service of the Cause of God and that of the world of
humanity—and (may God’s) blessing descend upon thy honorable wife. Verily
my Lord is kind unto His servants and is the Generous, the Giver of
Bounty!
Know that the return of Christ for a second time doth not mean what the
people believe, but, rather, signifieth the One promised to come after
Him. He shall come with the Kingdom of God and His power which hath
surrounded the world. This power (or reign) is in the world of hearts and
spirits and not in that of matter (or bodies). For the material world is
not comparable to a single wing of a fly, or rather less in the sight of
thy Lord, wert thou of those who know! Verily Christ came with His Kingdom
from the beginning which hath no beginning and will come with His Kingdom
to the eternity of eternities, inasmuch as in this sense Christ is an
expression of the divine reality, the simple essence and heavenly entity
which hath no beginning or ending. It hath appearance, arising and
manifestation and setting in each of the cycles.
“O thou who art marching unto God!...”
O thou who art marching unto God!
Thy letter was read. Its contents indicated thy devotion to the Horizon of
the Living God and thy love for the Promised Perfection. Firmness is,
however, a requisite. Thou must remain solid and firm as a great mountain.
Regarding thy revered wife, thou hast written that a warmer place is more
suitable than the cold. If this winter thou shouldst go to those regions,
it is better. I ask God that thou, thy wife and thy friends may draw nigh
unto the Spiritual Beauty.
“Rejoice, O maid-servant of God!...”
Rejoice, O maid-servant of God!
—for that thou hast known God and heard His call and art attracted to His
breaths! Then prostrate thyself and kneel down before the gracious Lord,
in His great Kingdom, and say:
“My Lord! My Lord! I praise Thee and I thank Thee for that whereby Thou
hast favored Thine humble maid-servant, Thy slave beseeching and
supplicating Thee, because Thou hast verily guided her unto Thine obvious
Kingdom and caused her to hear Thine exalted Call in the contingent world
and to behold Thy Signs which prove the appearance of Thy victorious reign
over all things.
“O my Lord, I dedicate that which is in my womb unto Thee. Then cause it
to be a praiseworthy child in Thy Kingdom and a fortunate one by Thy favor
and Thy generosity; to develop and to grow up under the charge of Thine
education. Verily Thou art the Gracious! Verily Thou art the Lord of Great
Favor!”
“O thou who art afflicted by a visitation by which thine...”
O thou who art afflicted by a visitation by which thine eyes are
overflowing with tears!
Be not grieved and afflicted for this calamity which hath befallen thee;
nay, rather, rejoice that God hath favored (thy babe) with His heavenly
gifts. Truly, I say unto thee, wert thou informed of that felicity which
thy babe hath attained in the worlds of God, thy breast would be dilated
and thy soul would be purified. Truly, I say unto thee, thy child will be
fostered from the breast of the gift of God in the Exalted Kingdom and
will be nursed in the bosom of mercy in the Supreme World of God.
Therefore, be filled with delight, for the favor of thy Lord is very
great!
I beg of God to pour on thee becoming patience, so that thy heart may be
consoled with the fragrance of His mercy and that thy breast may be
dilated with His favors, that thou mayest attain to the spiritual states
which are lasting forever and ever.
Thou oughtest to bear it with becoming patience. Again, thou oughtest to
patiently bear this calamity which hath flowed thine eyes with tears and
hath greatly afflicted thee.
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I read thy beautiful letter, its good composition, and I scented
from the garden of its significances the fragrance of God’s love. I pray
God to confirm thee in the Path, to cause thee to enter the Ark of Safety,
to reveal unto thee the signs and manifest to thee the evidences; thus
thou mayest be firm in the love of God, steadfast in the religion of God
and a growing tree by the bounty of the Kingdom of El-ABHA.
O maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced for God hath made thee a believing
maid-servant in His Holy Threshold and a leaf of the leaves of the Tree of
Life. If God giveth thee good descendants and a manly son, rest assured in
that he will be a good son, looking unto the Supreme Horizon and confident
in his soul by the favors of the Lord of the High Heavens.
I supplicate God to make His beloved ones in Cincinnati (O.) glow with the
fire of Sinai, imploring unto the Kingdom of El-ABHA, meek and lowly for
the sake of God among His beloved, denying self and passion, grasping the
rope of piety, so that they may be lamps of guidance in those regions. I
pray God to make thee a maid-servant whose garment shall be faithfulness
and the crown of her head the love of El-Baha.
Convey greeting and praise from me to thy honorable husband. I ask God to
aid him with a strength whereat minds shall amaze in the Cause of the
Living God.
“O ye illumined faces! O ye divine souls! and O ye...”
O ye(77) illumined faces! O ye divine souls! and O ye spiritual temples!
Verily, I read your letter which uttered your extreme love and entire
attraction to the Kingdom of God, your trust in God, your immersing into
the deep seas of the bounties of God and your chanting the verses of
thanksgiving to God, because He guided you to His Eternal Kingdom,
manifested to you His evident light, descended upon you a heavenly table
through His great favor, planted you in His glorious vineyard and caused
you to become manifestations of guidance among the people and
dawning-points of wisdom among the creatures.
Servants of God! Sanctify the soul and dilate the breast by the promise
your Lord gave you, that, verily, He confirms you through the hosts of
inspiration. Ye will see (the time when) your faces shine as stars in the
horizon of guidance and your heads crowned by the crown of success in the
Supreme World.
O Thou kind Lord!
These souls are Thy friends and this gathering is longing for Thee. They
are captives of the lights of Thy Beauty and ecstatic by Thy musk-scented
locks. Their hearts are Thine; they are Thy poor, humble and homeless;
they have severed themselves from relative and stranger and have
established the relationship of unity with Thee. They have adored Thee.
They were sons of earth; Thou hast made them new fruits of the Kingdom.
They were plants of the desert of bereavement; Thou hast made them trees
of the rose-garden of knowledge. They were silent; Thou hast made them
speak. They were extinct; Thou hast lighted them. They were sterile soil;
Thou hast made them the rose-garden of significances. They were the
children of the world of humanity; Thou hast caused them to attain
development and the maturity of the Kingdom!
O kind One! Grant them shelter and security under Thy protection, preserve
them from tests and trials, send them invisible help and confer upon them
the doubtless bounty, O Thou kind Beloved!
They are the body and Thou art the Life. The body is dependent for its
life and freshness upon the Spirit—therefore they are in need of
confirmation and long for the Breaths of the Holy Spirit in this new
Cause!
Thou art the Able! Thou art the Giver, the Educator, the Forgiver, the
Pardoner and the Light shining from the Invisible Realm!
“O ye who are attracted to the Heavenly Kingdom! O...”
O ye(78) who are attracted to the Heavenly Kingdom! O ye who are
enlightened by the Light of Guidance! O ye lamps lighted by the Light of
Love and Affection!
Verily, I have read your brilliant letter, which indicated your
enkindlement by the fire of the love of God and prayed [for] your entrance
into the Kingdom of God.
Blessed ye are, O ye who are firm and steadfast in the Covenant of God!
Blessed ye are, O ye shining stars from the horizon of the love of God!
I supplicate to God to make you the heralds of His mercy, spreaders of the
fragrances of His holiness, utterers of His name, servants in His vineyard
and dwellers in the Paradise of El-ABHA; so that ye may become signs of
guidance, standards of love and divine fruitful trees, cheerfully moved by
the breezes of God.
Make firm your feet in the Cause of God; dilate your breasts by the
glad-tidings of God and turn to the kingdom of God with pure hearts,
sanctified souls, cheerful spirits, brightened eyes and illumined faces.
Verily, I say unto you then (when ye become so) the angels of holiness
will welcome you by the glad-tidings of God, the Mighty, the Powerful.
“O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! Leaves of the...”
O ye(79) maid-servants of the Merciful! Leaves of the Tree of Life!
Thank ye the Lord, for He hath removed the covering from off your insight,
illuminated your eyes by witnessing the Sun of Truth, purified your souls,
and hath quickened your hearts through the holy fragrances which are being
diffused from the garden of the kingdom of His Great Glory!
O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! It is incumbent upon you to soar up
with wings of joy and happiness unto the apex of exultation and gladness;
for He hath assigned unto you the greatest guidance in the Day of
Resurrection, and hath crowned you with the diadem of glory and divine
honor among the women of the whole world, and hath chosen you above the
queens of the world for His great bounty.
Verily, the crowns which are on the heads of the noble women—the queens of
the world—all their bases will be finally broken, their gems scattered
away, their luster removed and will become as dispersed dust. But your
magnificent crowns are everlastingly brilliant and permanently glorious
and mighty and their gems scintillating throughout cycles and ages.
This is the highest gift! This is the greatest bestowal! Thank ye your
Lord for this great bounty and favor! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!
verily, your Lord, the Supreme, is calling upon you from His Ancient
Kingdom and announces unto you such glad-tidings, whereat the hearts of
the angels of heaven rejoice.
It is incumbent upon you to strip yourselves of every old garment (i.e.,
old beliefs and past customs). It is incumbent upon you to be severed from
this contemptible earthly world. It is incumbent upon you (to seek after)
the Kingdom, in this great Day!
Purify ye your hearts, sanctify your souls and cleanse your spirits; so
that ye may attain to this great success. Then ye will become the angels
of heaven, will enter among the Supreme Concourse and will permanently
abide in the paradise of union (with God), and will be associated with the
Beauty of El-ABHA.
“O ye firm, steadfast, and faithful Believers!...”
O ye(80) firm, steadfast, and faithful Believers!
Verily, I, from this brilliant and Blessed Spot, speak to you face to
face, while ye are in that far distant country, saying:
“O people of loyalty, O people of faithfulness, O people who are awakened
by the Breath of God, O people who are inhaling the scent of life from the
Spirit of God! The path hath become smooth, the way straightened, the
carpet of the Kingdom is spread, the Tabernacle hath been elevated upon
the Hill of Might, the powers of heaven have been shaken, the corners of
the earth have quaked, the sun has been darkened, the moon ceased to give
light, the stars have fallen, the nations of the earth have lamented, and
the Son of Man hath come upon the clouds of heaven with power and great
glory, and He hath sent His angels with the sound of the great trumpet,
and no one knows the meaning of these emblems save the wise and informed.
“Ye are the angels, if your feet be firm, your spirits rejoiced, your
secret thoughts pure, your eyes consoled, your ears opened, your breasts
dilated with joy, and your souls gladdened, and if you arise to assist the
Covenant, to resist dissension and to be attracted to the Effulgence!
Verily, I say unto you that the Word of God has assuredly been explained
and has become an evident sign and a strong and solid proof, and its
traces shall be spread in the East and West, and to these all heads shall
bow and all souls shall submit and kneel down with their faces to the
ground.”
“O ye dear friends and maid-servants of God!...”
O ye(81) dear friends and maid-servants of God!
A good fragrance is coming from the rose-garden of Kenosha and a pleasing
breeze is blowing from the orchard of the hearts of the friends and
maid-servants of the Merciful.
Praise be to God, that town, by the presence of the beloved ones and the
maid-servants of the Merciful, hath become a veritable paradise and its
space, like unto the heavens, is illuminated with radiant lamps. If this
conflagration and attraction continue for a period, Kenosha will soon
attain great provisions, will travel with speed through the degrees of
existence and make great progress in the orders of the Kingdom.
Therefore, this prisoner implores and supplicates at dawn, seeking
strength and confirmation for the beloved of that town. Thus may heavenly
confirmation become your associate and the morn of eternal happiness dawn
upon ye and the Sun of Reality rise with such brilliancy as to dispel
entirely the gloom of ignorance from those horizons.
O ye real friends and dear maid-servants of God! The Lover of the East in
perfect love has outstretched His two hands to embrace the beloved of the
West and to rejoice in that love and unity.
O ye beloved of God! As long as ye can strive to set aglow the hearts with
love, be attracted to one another and be members of each other. Every soul
of the beloved ones must adore the other and withhold not his possession
and life from them, and by all means he must endeavor to make that other
joyous and happy. But that other (the recipient of such love) must also be
disinterested and life-sacrificing. Thus may this Sunrise flood the
horizons, this melody gladden and make happy all the people, this divine
remedy become the panacea for every disease, this Spirit of Reality become
the cause of life for every soul.
O ye friends and maid-servants of the Merciful! It is life-offering,
rejoicing, happiness and the manifestation of Divine Favors.
“O thou servant who art near and dear to the Glorious...”
O thou servant who art near and dear to the Glorious Threshold!
Give thanks to God for having been ushered into His Kingdom, partaken of
the heavenly table and the “lord’s supper,” attained ecstasy by the wine
of His love, become enrolled as a soldier for life among the hosts of the
Lord, and [for His having] blessed thy head with a crown of great
guidance, whose gems and pearls illumine the ages.
Convey the greetings of this imprisoned one to the beloved of God in the
spiritual assembly of Kenosha. Say unto them: “The Cause is Great! Great!
and the Kingdom of the Majestic Lord overshadoweth heaven and earth. Your
spiritual assembly should be a source of joy to the world of humanity and
be so illumined with light as to dispel the darkened horizons, withstand
the power of tests, remain firm and constant, be not disturbed by ordeals
and feel no difficulty in spreading the light of guidance. If ye attain
this attitude of firmness, the confirmation of the Divine will verily
penetrate the world through your meeting. But this requires
disinterestedness in worldly things and devotion to the Kingdom of ABHA,
perseverance and effort are requisites and firmness is a necessity. I beg
God to illumine the faces of each of you so that they may shine as stars
in the high firmament.”
“O thou who art turning to the divine Kingdom!...”
O thou who art turning to the divine Kingdom!
The lengthy epistle was considered. Notwithstanding lack of time and
opportunity, on account of exceeding love an answer will be written.
Thank God thou didst become a soldier of life; subdued the domain of
hearts with the arms of the love of God and the sword of concord and
peace; didst go after the army of the Kingdom of ABHA; followed the
Supreme Concourse and by the aid of the Spirit made many conquests.
The merciful assembly of Kenosha hath in reality taken food and provisions
from the Kingdom of ABHA and become confirmed by the aid of the Sun of
Reality. Therefore, I am hopeful that, day by day, it may advance and
progress.
The members of the Spiritual Meeting (the Board of Consultation) must
endeavor, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make the souls real Bahais.
If they attain this glorious purpose, that country will be illumined and
that land will become a veritable paradise, all nations will look to that
assembly and from the explanation and exposition thereof receive realities
and meanings.
O thou servant of Baha’! Always remind the friends of the greatness of the
great message.
Convey longing greeting of great love from me to the members of the
Meeting of Consultation: * * * Whenever I think of them I find soulful
repose and conscious joy.
The feast (supper) [every nineteen days] is very acceptable and will
finally produce good results. The beloved and the maid-servants of the
Merciful must inaugurate the feast in such wise as to resurrect the feast
of the ancients—namely, the “lord’s supper.” The attracted maid-servant of
God, Mrs. ........, I hope will be inspired so she may become the means of
unity among the friends in every city. That meeting for feast for which
thou wert preparing and providing, should recur every so often, so that it
may prove a means of attracting the confirmation of the Kingdom of ABHA.
Inform the maid-servant of God, who prepared her home as a [temporary]
Mashrak-el-Azcar, that this service was accepted in the Kingdom of ABHA.
Inform the near (dear) maid-servant of God [thy wife], who hath organized
a school of industry in order that children may learn an industry and
chant communes, that this is very agreeable.
O thou servant of God! To look after the sick is one of the greatest
duties. Every soul who becomes sick, the other friends should certainly
offer the life (of service) in the utmost kindness.
Thou hast asked regarding the naming of children: When thou wishest to
name a babe, prepare a meeting therefor; chant the verses and communes,
and supplicate and implore the Threshold of Oneness and beg the attainment
of guidance for the babe and wish confirmated firmness and constancy; then
give the name and enjoy beverage and sweetmeat. This is spiritual baptism.
His honor, Mr. ......, Mrs. ...... and ...... arrived. They were attracted
by the fragrances of God and ignited by the fire of the love of God. With
a new spirit and fresh life they returned.
O son of the Kingdom! Thy services in the Kingdom of ABHA are evident,
well known and accepted. Indeed thou art a truthful servant of the Holy
Threshold and a firm caller to the divine Kingdom.
Strive so that the odor of violation cease and all come under the
protection of the Covenant.
Remain in and about that town and know that trial is the cause of
promotion. But thou must deal with all in the utmost love and do kindness.
Although they lift up the head of pride, show thou greater humility and
meekness and treat them with the utmost submission and lowliness.
Show the utmost kindness in my behalf to the near maid-servant of God (thy
wife).***
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
This is a blessed address. If thou fulfill its requirements, which are
purity of intention, attractive love, insight, discovery of truth and
absolute spiritual attitude, thou wilt become entirely free from the
physical conditions and wilt soar to the spiritual realms.
“O servant of God!...”
O servant of God!
The content of thy letter was replete with spiritual feelings and was a
source of pleasure and of joy.
Of my freedom thou hast expressed great joy. I am free, although I should
remain in prison. All fortresses and castles shall not confine me, and the
dungeon cannot bring me under the narrow bondage of the world. The spirit
is every soaring, even if the body be in the depths. What can these
ignorant creatures do? They might imprison the body, but the spirit they
cannot; the spirit will ever soar in the atmosphere of eternal bliss and
glory. Therefore, neither the prison is a cause of sorrow, nor freedom
from it a source of joy.
When thou findest the way to the Kingdom, the earthly world shall be of no
account; and when thou art illumined the darkness will not affect
thee—nay, rather the four corners of the earth will then be radiant and
every thorn will become a rose and a rose-garden.
“O thou who art near to the Threshold of ABHA!...”
O thou who art near to the Threshold of ABHA!
I have considered what thou hast written to Mirza ...... as well as the
letter addressed to me. Thou hast written concerning the publication of
some proofs and arguments along with the Hidden Words. Now, since they are
published, circulate them among the people. I hope that it may produce
beneficial results. Perchance some of the souls who are truth-seekers may
get a little information about this Cause.
But afterward, if thou desirest to get the translation of a Tablet from
the Blessed Writings, it must be translated by a committee of two Persian
translators together with two competent English writers. The Persians
should translate, and the writers mould the significance into profound,
musical and perfect cast of style in English, and in such wise that the
musical sweetness of the original Persian may not be lost. Then the
material must be forwarded to me. I will consider the matter and give
permission for its publication and circulation. Consequently, rejoice thou
that thou hast already become specialized with this permission, that thou
hast circulated publications.
In brief, translation is one of the most difficult arts. In both Persian
and English utmost proficiency is necessary, that the translator be a
writer and use as the vehicle of expression great eloquence and fluency of
tongue.
I hope that thou mayest be confirmed with great service in the Cause of
God.
Announce to ...... on my behalf longing greeting, and show to him kindness
and love with thy whole energy, for he is very dear to me.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
The letter which thou hast written to his honor, Mirza ......, was
received. Its contents imparted the utmost happiness. Thank God that thou
hast crossed the ocean of the East and the West, reached to the Goal of
Desire and attained to the visit of the Holy Threshold.
Although the length of thy stay in this Most Great Prison was very short,
yet I hope that it may become like unto the oil, which no sooner comes in
touch with the fire than it becomes ignited. Therefore, God willing,
important results will be the outcome of this visit.
O thou who are firm in the Covenant! Be thou firm in the Cause and be
engaged in service. Awaken the souls and make mindful the (heedless)
minds. The spiritual outpouring will become uninterrupted and the meetings
of heart to heart constant. Rest thou assured upon the favor and bounty of
the Beauty of ABHA.
I became very sad upon hearing the news of the death of Mr. ......, but I
implored and entreated the Threshold of Oneness and sought mercy in his
behalf. Convey my greeting and love to his son and say: “Do thou not
lament on account of the death of thy father. Trust thou in God. Rely upon
the Kingdom of ABHA. That father of thine hastened to the world of
immortality and took a share from the realm of the Merciful and with the
utmost joy hath attained to eternal life in the everlasting universe. Walk
thou also in the footsteps of thy father and be characterized with his
attributes and qualities. Enkindle thou his lamp and fructify his garden,
so that thou mayest become his real son and worthy of the favors and gift
of the Almighty.”***
“O my spiritual beloved!...”
O my spiritual beloved!
The days of association and intimacy(82) are not forgotten and the
sweetness of that love and meeting is still tasted in my heart.
Praise be to God! Its signs are apparent and its results manifest. Thank
thou God thou wast assisted in teaching the maid-servant of God, Mrs.
......, and supplicate Him that thou mayest be confirmed in the guidance
of innumerable souls. The confirmation of the Kingdom is with thee. Rest
thou assured. Loosen thy tongue with the utmost fluency and eloquence and
summon the souls to the Kingdom, explain the proofs and give forth the
arguments, and instruct the people in the exhortations and advices of God.
I pray in thy behalf and supplicate for thee from the Kingdom of Glory
protection and providence.***
“O thou fresh, slender branch saturated with the abundant...”
(83)O thou fresh, slender branch saturated with the abundant rain of His
bounty!
I ask God to continue the heavenly abundant gifts upon thee and to grant
thee more freshness, tenderness and fineness day by day. Verily I say unto
thee that man is likened unto a tree. And as the life of a tree and its
tenderness and brilliancy depend on the abundant rain descending from the
clouds, so also the happiness of man, his pleasure, dignity, loftiness of
position and highness of rank depend on the abundant bounty of the Kingdom
and the light of the Sun of Truth coming from the horizon of the gift of
God.
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!
Thou shouldst establish a divine and heavenly transaction. By God the
Truth! Every divine transaction is eternal and everlasting and giveth the
heavenly spirit to the pure hearts attracted to God, enlighteneth the
world with the bright shining [light] of love and unity, affinity and
agreement. But every worldly transaction, although it be a gift through
which the far and the near be profited, still it is transient and
temporary and will not last for ages and its blessings will not extend
successively to the righteous people in the ages to come. And as the
heavenly abundance and the divine gifts and the omnipotent grace come in
these days successively and uninterruptedly, therefore, thou shouldst
establish a heavenly edifice to facilitate and level the way before the
divine transaction, to carry out the divine order, to gladden the pure
hearts of every one, to sanctify thyself from everything but God and to
keep aloof from all the worldly things for the Cause of God; to be kindled
with the fire of the love of God, to spread the fragrance of God and to
expose thyself to the gentle breeze of God.
O my dear! If thou lovest to be happy and pleasant, this is the cup that
is full of the wine of glee and delight; and if thou desirest to have the
ancient glory, the eternal retinue and the everlasting dominion, thou must
look after these gifts which wave in the horizon of bounty with a
brilliant light to all sides and regions.
By my life! If thou knowest what thou art commanded and speak openly of
it, the dominion is for thee, the Kingdom is for thee and thy shining star
will never set, thy brilliant light never sink, thy brimful treasure never
be consumed and thy brave army never be deafeated.
“O thou who art nurtured from the breasts of the Kingdom...”
O thou who art nurtured from the breasts of the Kingdom of God, who wert
brought up in the lap of the Guidance of God!
I supplicate to God—exalted and glorified is He! —with a submissive,
imploring and attracted heart unto the Kingdom of God, to assist thee,
while still very young and of small age, with that by reason of which the
vigorous men and the greatest souls were assisted in attaining perfection.
Do not be amazed or astonished at the command of God, according to the
ordinances of Christ—glory be to Him! —unto the children who have been
fostered from the breasts of the bounty of God. I ask God that thou mayest
be as one of them. This is glad-tidings emanating from a heart filled by
the love of God. Therefore, know its value and station.
“O thou spiritual temple whose heart is drawn unto the...”
O thou spiritual temple whose heart is drawn unto the Horizon of
Certainty!
Verily, I am now in the Assembly of the beloved of God, whose hearts are
kindled with a burning, blazing and flaming fire from the fragrance of
God, and I have mentioned thee with a heart overflowing with thy love. By
my God! It is love which hath surrounded me from all directions and thus I
mention thee with a beating heart and with a spirit turned unto the
horizon of El-ABHA.
Therefore, thank God for this bounty, the traces of which I hope will be
spread, its lights shine and the fragrance of its breath diffused in the
whole world of existence forever and ever.
“O thou heavenly, brilliant and precious pearl!...”
O thou heavenly, brilliant and precious pearl!
I greet thee from this Holy Land with a fragrance from God and I desire
that thy heart become animated through the gentle breeze of God, thy bosom
dilated with joy by the miracles of the gifts of God, thine eye consoled
by seeing the lights of God, thy tongue by uttering the mention of
BAHA’O’LLAH, and thy taste to become sweet through the divine table
descending from heaven. Verily, I say unto thee that the gifts of thy Lord
are encircling thee in a similar way as the spirit encircles the body at
the beginning of the amalgamation of the elements and natures in the womb;
the power of the spirit begins then to appear in the body gradually and
successively according to the preparation and capacity to receive that
everlasting abundance. I ask God to help thee that the spirit will carry
out its power in thee as desired and wished.
“O thou faithful servant of the True One!...”
O thou faithful servant of the True One!
I received thy letter and its contents caused the utmost joy and fragrance
within me, because it showed thy firmness in the Cause of God and proved
thy steadfastness in the love of the Word of God. Its meanings were the
mystery of unity and its expression showed thy firm intention in serving
the glorious Lord.
I beseech the Threshold of Unity with all humility and supplication to
make thee confirmed in His service and to enable thee to be serviceable in
the Holy Threshold; that thou mayest not be a moment at rest nor take a
breath of composure; nay, rather to pass all thy life in this greatest
gift and this supreme favor employed in diffusing the breath of God; that
thy sincerity of heart, thy sanctity and purity may increase and that thou
mayest become entirely separated from aught else save God. Except a man be
purified and sanctified from the soil of his dependence on this world, the
spiritual purity will not become manifest in him. The more the mirror is
clear and pure the greater will the rays and the bounties of the Sun of
Truth show forth from it.
As to those things published in journals against thee: Thou shouldst not
be grieved nor sorry therefor, because thousands of journals have written
traducing Abdul-Baha, have given false and base accusations and awful
calumnies. Notwithstanding these he was neither troubled nor grieved
thereby; nay, rather these cause me to exert myself more than usual in the
path of God and to drink the cup of sacrifice and to boil in the fire of
His love. Man must seek to gain the acceptance of God and not that of the
different classes of men. If one is praised and chosen by God, the
accusation of all the creatures will cause no loss to him; and if the man
is not accepted in the threshold of God, the praise and admiration of all
men will be of no use to him.
By all these it is meant that thou must not be sorry and grieved because
of these things the papers have written against thee; nay, rather trust in
God and be unmoved by either the praise or the false accusations declared
by people towards thee, depend entirely on God and exert thyself to serve
His holy vineyard. All else save this is but imagination, though it be the
praises of all people in thy behalf; because all else is of no result and
bears no fruit.
As to thine action against the journal which hath libeled thee: It is not
at all best to bring action against them, because there is no profit in
doing that; nay, it will lead to more sayings of a similar nature. Under
these circumstances silence is best. Thou must not be disappointed, sorry
or grieved thereat; God will remove all these difficulties. If thou wilt
employ thyself in the service (of the Cause of God) the past losses will
be recovered and all the troubles will be settled.
This is the manifest truth.
Send my greeting to the enlightened leaf, the maid-servant of God, thy
noble wife.
“O thou son of the Kingdom!...”
O thou son of the Kingdom!
Consider the bounty of the Lord and the gifts of thy Creator. He hath
chosen thee to love Him and selected thee from among His beings to know
Him and distinguished thee particularly with the gift of dazzling light
through which the faces of the righteous will shine. Verily I say unto
thee that this gift now signifieth a globule and a date stone which shall
spring up and grow until it becometh a tree of solid root and the branches
thereof will extend to the East and West. Then the tongues shall utter:
“This is naught but a great bounty!”
“O thou who art rejoicing at the Glad-tidings of God!...”
O thou who art rejoicing at the Glad-tidings of God!
Thank thou God for that by reason of which He hath enabled thee to
traverse the seas and countries and come safe to a Spot wherein the lights
are shining with great brilliancy. Thank Him for the help He rendered thee
to visit the pure and Holy Tomb and revolve around it, the fragrance of
which hath excelled that of the flowers of the dawn.
Go back to those regions where thy return is expected by those souls who,
through the signs of thy Lord, became attracted unto Him, the
Unconstrained, and say unto them: “Glad-tidings unto you who are sincere!
Glad-tidings unto you who are faithful servants! Verily I have seen the
Kingdom of God with its doors open, the garden of El-ABHA with extensive
sides and regions, with dazzling lights, rolling seas, verdant and
beautiful orchards, overflowing beds, green trees, fresh and bright
leaves, perfumed flowers, sweet rivers, gentle breeze, beautiful air,
magnificent views, elegant and handsome lips and mouths.”
Tell them that “The suns of the garden of El-ABHA are still shining, the
moons rising, the stars brightening, the gifts perpetual, the grace
perfect, the glad-tidings spreading, the signs of singleness and oneness
are chanted in the cloister of its Godhead and the flags of sanctity are
waving above the palaces of its glory. Come here! Come here!”
“O thou who art drawn unto God and kindled by the Fire...”
O thou who art drawn unto God and kindled by the Fire which burned on Mt.
Sinai!
Set aside every mention save the mention of God and abandon everything
save the divulgence of the Testament, be attracted by the magnet of the
Covenant that thou mayest see the triumph of the angels of the King of the
Kingdom and the valor of the hosts of the Lord of Might. By the life of
the Lord! The Invincible Power will indeed strengthen, the Holy Spirit
will speak in thy mouth, the Word of God will be revealed in thy heart,
the sound of the trumpet of the Lord will gladden thee, the light of unity
will shine from thy brow, the doors of success and prosperity will be
opened upon thy face and the secrets of the Holy Books will be unfolded.
Then, at that time, thou shalt cry at the top of thy voice, saying:
“Blessed I am for this great bounty! Blessed I am for this evident
victory! Blessed I am for this power which could not be resisted by the
powers of whomsoever is upon the earth!”
“To him who is looking unto God! O thou who art...”
To him who is looking unto God! O thou who art gazing unto the Center of
the Covenant—may God confirm thee!
I supplicate God, beseech Him and pray to Him that He may deliver the
souls from the deluge of tests and kindle the lamp of sincerity in the
midst of the hearts. As to thee—O thou who art sincere in the Cause of
God, looking unto the Kingdom of God and uttering the praise of God!
—thank thou Him for that by reason of which He hath made thee wholly
faithful in His Cause, kindled thy heart with the fire of the Testament,
illumined thy mind with the light and conveyed unto thy spirit the
glad-tidings of the breaths of the Holy Spirit in the world of effulgence.
Therefore, roll up thy sleeves to serve the Covenant, make the hearts firm
in the Covenant of the beloved Lord, create harmony and agreement among
the believers and impart to them the glad-tidings of the confirmation
which they will receive from God if the differences of opinion be removed
and if they unite and agree, be firm in spreading the fragrance of God,
divulging the traces and chanting the signs of God. Verily, I send thee
good news of the confirmation which thou shalt receive, the like of which
was never seen by the eyes in those regions, and of the success, the
lights of which will brilliantly shine in those regions—if thou wilt arise
with all thy power to assist the Testament of God and to serve the
Covenant of God.
Give all the beloved salutations and praise. El-Baha is upon you all, O
people of El-Baha!
“O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn...”
O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn unto the Holy Fragrance
diffused from the Garden of El-ABHA!
Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His
vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a
success on His part is given unto you. Verily, He shall support you by the
angels of His holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit
that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart
the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts,
guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, and give
the blessings. Ye have to use every effort in your power and strive
earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts
is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit
your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper. Be not idle,
but active and fear not. Look unto those who have been in the former
ages—how they have resisted all nations and suffered all persecutions and
afflictions, and how their stars shone, their attacks proved successful,
their teachings established, their regions expanded, their hearts
gladdened, their ideas cleared and their motives effective. Ye are now in
a great station and noble rank and ye shall find yourselves in evident
success and prosperity, the like of which the eye of existence never saw
in former ages.
El-Baha and salutations be upon every one who is firm in the Covenant,
free from dissension, sanctified from deceits and steadfast in the path.
“O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou herald of the Kingdom of God!
Hearken with the ears of (thy) spirit to the Concourse of El-ABHA, and
thou wilt hear, verily, the angels of the Supreme Concourse blessing and
praising thee, while saying: “Be thou rejoiced, O thou who hast arisen to
serve the Cause of God and to promote the Word of God, and be gladdened at
the light of the gift of God!”
By God, the True One, verily, the gifts of God are in such profusion as to
rush like a torrent, overflow as a sea, and shower as rain. Gird up thy
loins, strengthen thy back, make firm thy feet, and exert thyself in
quickening souls, dilating breasts, illumining insights, giving hearing to
ears, and attracting hearts. Unseal the jars of the choice wine of the
love of God, and give the craving ones to drink from this cup which is
overflowing with the knowledge of God.
O my friend, the affection of my heart unto thee cannot be expressed
through any interpretation, and I can hardly write it or acknowledge it:
Turn with thy breast unto the heart of Abdul-Baha, and then this concealed
fact will be disclosed, and the hidden mystery [be] unveiled unto thee.
Verily, I beseech God to make thee a tree with ripened fruits within
reach, overshadowing those regions.
It is incumbent upon thee to be meek, to be humble, to be submissive and
suppliant before the Threshold of the Merciful. It is incumbent upon thee
to serve the beloved of God in that spiritual clime.
Send my greeting and praise to thy revered wife, to thy esteemed daughter
and to thy other children. I beg of God to enable all of them to render
service to His Cause in His great vineyard.
“O thou who hast arisen to render service to the Cause...”
O thou who hast arisen to render service to the Cause of God in His Great
Vineyard!
Verily, I have already written thee several letters, and sent them to thee
at different times. Now, I address thee with such words whereby the souls
of the proximate ones are rejoiced, and the faces of the sincere ones are
cheered.
O my friend, verily the Cause is great and great, and the penetration of
the Word of God in the temple (body) of all the regions is similar to the
pervasion of the soul in a sound body.
By the life of Baha’, verily, the power of the Kingdom of God hath taken
hold of the pillars of the world, and hath possessed all the nations. Thou
wilt surely find the standards of the Testament waving in all regions, the
chanting of the verses of unity raised in exalted assemblies, and the
lights of the Sun of Truth and its heat dispersing the thick clouds massed
on the horizon. Be rejoiced at this glad-tidings, whereby the hearts of
the sincere among the beloved are cheered.
O my friend, isolate all thy faculties and senses from every other mention
and thought, and follow the example of Abdul-Baha in servitude to the Holy
and Exalted Threshold. Hasten to the field of sacrifice, craving for the
most great martyrdom; expend thy life and all of thy grades in love for
God and in attraction to the Beauty of El-ABHA.
By God, the True One, man should seek only this bounty, inasmuch as it is
everlasting, eternal, divine, spiritual, luminous and merciful. Be
sanctified from all the universe, and send my greeting and praise to the
spiritual leaf, the being who relies upon the grace of her Lord—the
maid-servant of God, thy revered wife, and say unto her that she may
address the veiled ones (those blind to the Truth), saying: “Verily, eyes
are dazzled by gazing at the sun, and it is impossible to consider it
because of the intensity of its rays; and verily the sea cannot be
contained in a cup. The weakness of eyes does no harm to the sun, nor the
smallness of the cup to the sea.”
Then let her explain to the people, and make known to every questioner, by
saying: “Verily, minds are limited, and the splendor of lights is so great
as not to be comprehended by (man’s) reflective faculties. Ye ought to
have the sigh of the heart so that ye may apprehend the reality of the
mysteries of God which are deposited behind coverings.”
“O thou who hast sought illumination from the Light of...”
O thou who hast sought illumination from the Light of the Guidance of God!
Verily I read thy words of thanksgiving to God for that He hath directed
thee to His Kingdom, illuminated thine insight with the light of guidance,
and baptized thee with the water which hath descended from heaven, with
the fire which was ignited in the Sinaitic Tree, and with the Holy Spirit
which quickeneth hearts and souls. Then, thank thou God for this gift
whereby thy face is shining amid the concourse of Chosen Ones.
Know thou, verily, man before reaching (spiritual) maturity passes his
days and only apprehends trivial things which are clear on account of
their exoteric indications, but when he attains full development, then he
grasps the reality of things and their esoteric facts. Every day after
maturity is equivalent to one year before it, on account of (man’s)
perception, understanding apprehension and discoveries.
Now, thou hast reached development and apprehended the degree of maturity:
Gaze at the grades of the existence, the realities of beings, the
allegories in the epistles of God, and the mysteries in the Old and New
Testament. By the life of Baha’, the covering will be removed from off
thee (i.e., facts will be unfolded to thee), and thou wilt be informed of
that which all the philosophers and wise men are unable to apprehend.
Verily, this is a gift which God assigns only to such of His chosen
servants as He willeth. Verily, thy Lord will inspire thee with the
mysteries of God, the Protector, the Self-subsistent.
Verily, I beseech the Lord of Hosts to increase thy faith each day over
that of the previous day, to confirm thee through His Holy Spirit, to give
thee capacity to partake of the lights of knowledge and wisdom, to make
thee a herald of the Covenant in those regions, and to instruct thee in
that which thou knowest not; so that thou mayest become a physician for
bodies as well as souls, to heal bodies with the medicines which are
useful and beneficial for physical (sickness), and to cure hearts and
souls with that antidote which quickeneth hearts and souls.
O my friend, it is incumbent upon thee to be severed (from all else save
God), to be attracted, to be sincere, and to spend thy life in the path of
God. Be thou holy, spiritual, divine, lively, brilliant, godlike,
sanctified, pure, with merciful character, firm in the Covenant, fluent
and knowing; and gaze toward the Kingdom of El-ABHA with a heart brimming
over with the love of God, with tears flowing the commemoration of God,
with a face scintillating through the light of God, with a heart sincere
to the beloved of God, and with a sword which divides truth from
falsehood. By God, the True One, the Spirit of Baha’ will assist thee with
such strength that all the concourse of the earth will fail (to
withstand).
“O my Lord, my Hope!...”
O my Lord, my Hope!(84)
Praise be unto Thee, for Thou hast sent down unto us this spiritual table,
supreme benefit and heavenly blessing. O our Lord! Strengthen us to
partake of this heavenly food, so that its fine essence may run through
the pillars of our spiritual being and that we may thereby obtain a
celestial power for serving Thy Cause, promulgating Thy signs and adorning
Thy vineyard with lofty trees, the fruits whereof shall be near (to
gather) and of perfuming fragrances. Verily Thou art the Possessor of
great bounty! Verily Thou are the Clement, the Merciful!
“O my Lord, my Hope!...”
O my Lord, my Hope!(85)
Thanks be unto Thee for these foods and benefits. O Lord! Suffer us to
ascend to Thy Kingdom and to sit at the tables of thy divine world.
Nourish us with the food of Thy meeting and cause us to attain to the
sweetness of beholding Thy beauty, forasmuch as this is the utmost wish,
the mightiest gift and the greatest bestowal. O Lord, O Lord! Make this
feasible unto us. Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Giver! Verily Thou
art the Bestower, the Mighty, the Merciful.
“O thou seeker of the True One!...”
O thou seeker of the True One!
If thou wishest the divine knowledge and recognition, purify thy heart
from all beside God, be wholly attracted to the ideal, beloved One; search
for and choose Him and apply thyself to rational and authoritative
arguments. For arguments are a guide to the path and by this the heart
will be turned unto the Sun of Truth. And when the heart is turned unto
the Sun, then the eye will be opened and will recognize the Sun through
the Sun itself. Then (man) will be in no need of arguments (or proofs),
for the Sun is altogether independent, and absolute independence is in
need of nothing, and proofs are one of the things (of which absolute
independence has no need). Be not like Thomas; be thou like Peter. I hope
you will be healed physically, mentally and spiritually.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thank God, thy faith increased and thou didst become attached to the
Kingdom of the Merciful. Endeavor and supplicate and pray God that, day
unto day, thy firmness and steadfastness may grow and that thy countenance
may radiate through the light of guidance. Thus shalt thou stand solid as
an iron mountain. For firmness attracts the bounty of God and
steadfastness is a magnet to receive His strength. Pray thou God for this
(attainment), and I will pray to Him to awaken the two people that they
may avoid alcoholic drinks.
Hypnotism hath a weak influence over bodies, but hath no result. But the
power of the Kingdom of God is great. If thou canst, endeavor to obtain a
share of that power.
I ask God to help [thy son] in attaining faith and assurance and in
directing himself to the desired One. Although young, he shall attain
maturity. May the love of God take root in his heart from his youthful
age.
“O thou who art a young tree in the Garden of the Love...”
O thou who art a young tree in the Garden of the Love of God!
I supplicate to God that He may develop and flourish thee with the shower
of mercy, the heat and light of the Sun of Truth and the soul-imparting
breeze of the Paradise of ABHA and to bestow upon thee a great limitless
delicacy and freshness.
“O thou who art quickened by the Divine Fragrances!...”
O thou who art quickened by the Divine Fragrances!
I considered thy letter. Its expression was wonderful and indicated the
brilliancy of thy heart and conscience. Be hopeful of the mercy of the
Lord of Creation, whose grace is infinite and the sea of whose gift is
boundless. I beg of the abundant favor of that Ancient Lord that thou
mayest decorate thy spiritual reality (being) with the human perfections,
be endowed with a new life, keep steadfast in the Covenant, diffuse the
fragrances (i.e., teach the Truth) and deliver the Cause of God.
“O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of God!...”
O thou who art acknowledging the Oneness of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which contained beautiful meanings and wonderful
texts; was informed of thy turning unto God and thy attainment unto the
bounty of the Kingdom, which is apparent and manifest by the appearance of
God.
O maid-servant of God! Let not thy hands tremble nor thy heart be
disturbed, but rather be confident and firm in the love of thy Lord, the
Merciful, the Clement.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, all existence is [a book of] pages and
tablets which utter the glad-tidings of the appearance of the Kingdom of
thy Lord, the Supreme, the Great.
Observe the pages of the universe and discover the traces which appeared!
Hast thou seen or heard in any of the previous centuries or generations
that which is manifested in this Glorious Age? If the writings of the
previous centuries, the middle centuries and the later centuries, be
compared with that which is manifested in this single century, they will
not weigh against it! nay, rather, they are as drops of water in
comparison with the ocean. Magnified is He, who hath crowned this century
with the appearance of His Kingdom!
As to thee, turn unto God with a heart cheerfully swayed by His love and
kindled by the fire of His desires, both day and night. The lights of God
will appear unto thee, the mysteries of God be unfolded to thee and thy
bosom healed by the exhortations uttered by the Supreme Pen.
Convey my greeting and praise to thy respected husband and say to him that
the Jews are still expecting Christ and long to see Him in all
anticipation and great zeal, while His light was manifested, His beauty
shone forth, His call was raised, His trumpet blown, His standard hoisted,
and His stars sparkled; but the Pharisees are yet in an amazing slumber,
immersed in former traditions, and they make play with the signs of Thy
Lord, the Merciful, the Clement.
Thank God that He guided thee unto the fountain of guidance, gave thee to
drink from the cup of affection, summoned thee unto His Supreme Kingdom
and chose thee from among those people. This is a favor wholly above
comprehension and is not realized by the intellects which are negligent of
the Lord of hosts and angels.
O thou friend! Endeavor so that thou mayest ascend to the station which is
above the firmaments, near to the Generous Lord who created and made thee.
“O thou bright pearl!...”
O thou bright pearl!
Endeavor, and spare no effort, and hasten to the Kingdom of thy Lord, the
Lord of the shining and clear evidences and arguments.
Verily, by Truth, every seed cast in this great and magnificent century
(period) will be cultivated by God and produce plants through the
abundance of the clouds of His mercy, which preceded the postulates, and
from which all the existing beings have been awakened and issued, and to
which they will return.
Therefore, use thy utmost power to sow and cast those pure seeds, the
divine teachings, in the hearts which move and cheer by the fragrance of
God.
Convey my greeting and praise to thy honored, noble-minded husband, for I
love him with all that is within me.
“O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of God! —may...”
O thou who art attracted by the Breaths of God! —may God confirm thee!
Verily I read thy letter, which contained expressions like as of “the pure
sealed wine,” showing what throbs of the thoughts of the love of God in
the mind of that righteous one (thyself) and that which shines of the
lights of the knowledge of God in the heart of that beloved one.
I beseech God to ordain thee as a sign of His great signs, to confirm thee
to shine as a light in the lantern of America; to cause thee to be
stripped and cut from all positions, to announce the good tidings of God,
to diffuse the breaths of God, to speak the praise of God and to turn thy
face to the Kingdom of ABHA, to be freed from depending on this world, to
be kindled by the fire of the love of God, to be adorned with the ornament
of perfection; to be the center of those virtues and characteristics
wherewith the inner qualities of man are ornamented, to be confirmed by
the breaths of the Holy Ghost, to call on the name of God.
O my beloved one! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm in the Covenant and
to stand up and serve the religion of God. Verily, this is the magnet of
confirmation and assistance, the attracter of all success and the leader
of hosts of gifts.
May God protect thee from all accidents! May the Glory of ABHA be upon
thee!
Convey my greetings to the spiritual leaf, the servant of God, thy honored
wife, the esteemed ........, and say unto her: “Serve in the olive garden
of God, that God may help thee by those confirmations by which intellects
are astounded and the perceptions are cleared.”
“O thou who art sincere in the Religion of God!...”
O thou who art sincere in the Religion of God!
Verily, the maid-servant of God, the assured leaf [thy wife] hath
presented herself in the Sacred Spot and is blessed by the pure and holy
dust, inhaled the fragrances of God from the meadow of Abdul-Baha. She
will soon return unto thee, while being watched over by the glance of the
providence of God.
I beseech God to cause thee to partake of the heavenly table, to be firm
in the love of God and to transmit His lights in those regions; to make
thee severed from all else save Him and to be a servant of His Cause, and
to strengthen thee with a power which may penetrate into the reality of
things.
“O thou who art attracted by the Speech of Abdul-Baha!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Speech of Abdul-Baha!
Verily I speak unto thee through the tongue of my spirit, from the
spiritual direction, and explain for thee the mysteries of the kingdom and
the meanings of the sacred, heavenly books. Direct thyself unto the Lord
of the Supreme World and loosen thy tongue, so that He shall confirm thee
by the spirit of Beyan (i.e., explanation) and breathe into thy mouth the
Holy Spirit and move thy tongue with the best meanings and mysteries.
Trust in God and rely on His great bounty, because His bounty is
overflowing like the seas, brilliant like unto the lights, flowing like
currents of water and raining like the clouds. It is incumbent upon thee
to be humble, lowly and submissive at the appearance of the lights of the
gifts of thy Lord, in every instant. Serve the friends of God under all
circumstances and conditions. This is the station of the spiritual ones;
this is the honor of the Bahais; this is the glory of the sincere ones and
this is the sovereignty of the unitarians.
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!...”
O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of ABHA!
Verily I call thee, from this Spot, with a speech whereby the spirit is
breathed into hearts and bodies, and address thee with a calling whereby
His clear wine overflows in the fountain of a heart which is consumed by
the love of God.
Verily, I love thee with my heart, my spirit and my mind, and associate
with thee in spirit (and converse with thee) by my innate tongue. I love
for thee to arise for that to which I have arisen in servitude to the
Sublime and Holy Threshold, turning unto God, hoping for martyrdom, so
that thou mayest attain to the gift, the lights of which glisten in the
eternal horizon.(86)
“O thou whose heart is overflowing with the love of God!...”
O thou whose heart is overflowing with the love of God!
Verily, I received thy beautiful letter and praised God for kindling the
fire of His love in thy heart and cheering thy spirit with the cup of the
gift of thy Lord. I ask God to increase thy intoxication with this wine
and gladden thy spirit with this great gospel. I wrote letters to those
whose names thou didst mention in thy letter. Deliver them with rejoicing
face, revived heart, and tongue uttering the name of the Merciful.
“O thou who art confident in the appearance of the Kingdom...”
O thou who art confident in the appearance of the Kingdom of God! Verily I
read thy letter, which was beautifully composed and which proved thy great
love, the extent of thy knowledge and the illumination of thy sight, by
witnessing the signs whereunto the heads bow in reverence and faces show
respect.
O beloved! Thank God that He chose thee for His love and elected thy wife
for the calling of the appearance of the Kingdom of God. Verily, this is a
great favor, and wert thou aware of the results which will follow it in
the Kingdom of God, thou wouldst, verily, rejoice exceedingly and wouldst
call with loud voice: “Blessed are we for this great favor, and
glad-tidings be unto us for this glorious attainment.”
Consider the past, so that thou mayest become informed of the mysteries
which shall be disclosed in the future. When the disciples were calling in
the name of Christ, the Jews scoffed, scorned and laughed at them. They
were saying, “They (i.e., the disciples) are taken with madness, and
madness is made an art.” They even beat them with whips, threw stones at
them, prevented the people from approaching them, and were saying, “This
man (Christ) is naught but a sorcerer, blasphemeth God and is possess of a
devil.”
Then observe how that persecution and scorn were changed to glory, honor
and reverence. Ultimately, they (the Jews) honored their sublime stations
and acknowledged their loftiness, which was exalted, promoted and
glorified in the center of the horizons until it reached the degree of
exaggeration in deeds. They made for them likenesses and pictures,
decorated with jewels shining in the eyes; they placed these likenesses or
pictures in the temples, churches and monasteries built on the tops of the
mountains, and worshipped them with respect, glory, majesty and reverence.
This is the condition of the neglectful ones who are deprived of the Truth
(the Manifestations of God) at the day of their existence among them.
After the ascension of their (the prophets’) spirits unto the Center of
Purity and Piety, then the negligent ones repent and return, making
likenesses and pictures according to their own ideas, which do not bear
resemblance, and worship the same. This is the station of the ignorant
ones who are as animals, following every croaker and shaken by every wind.
“Forsake them to play in their shallow waters.”
As to thee: Be happy because of what thy Lord, the Clement, the Merciful,
hath given thee; choosing thee and thy esteemed wife for entrance into His
Kingdom, for calling in His name, praising Him in assemblies, gatherings
and meetings.
The truth I verily say unto thee, this divine grace cannot be exchanged
for the sovereignty of the earth, the east or the west. For that (the
worldly kingdom) is naught but dreams, torture to the spirit, trouble for
the hearts; its mortality is certain and its destruction a well known
fact—while this spiritual kingdom and divine grace will shine, and it is
an ABHA (Glorious) jewel which will glisten on the diadems of great glory
in the course of centuries and cycles.
“O thou who art directed unto God!...”
O thou who art directed unto God!
Thy revered wife, Mrs. ........, is indeed confirmed by the fragrances of
the spirit and rendered victorious by the hosts of the Kingdom. Verily,
she hath abandoned comfort and ease; calleth in the name of God in those
regions; hath remained firm in God’s religion; and no power of test hath
shaken her. Rest thou assured! Her light shall shine in the globe of the
love of God and her face shall be illumined with the light of God’s
bounty!
I pray for a heavenly blessing to descend upon the heart of [thy wife],
for she arose for the spreading of God’s fragrances. I ask God to protect
thee and her from the winds of trial. May thy tongue be moved to utter
beautiful explanations and may the hearts of the people of Johnstown
(N.Y.) become tender, so that they may be guided to the Fountain of the
Water of Life and be illumined by the lights shining from the kingdom of
heaven.
(87) Be not in despair, but rather smile by the mercy of thy Lord; and be
not sorrowful when meeting with worldly difficulties and depressions, for
they pass away—and thine shall be immortality during ages and centuries,
times and cycles.
(88) Be not sad on account of poverty, nor be sorrowful when the people
scorn thee. Remember the poverty of Jesus, the persecution of the Jews to
His glorious person and the scorn of Him. Verily, that poverty is the
glory of the beginning and the ending. It is a light which hath illumined
the heavens and the earth. ***O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of
God!
***Consider not the present state, for it is the time of sowing seeds in
that country (America) and, of course, great difficulties are met with,
differences and hindrances of the people being severe. Firmness must
uphold us. As the servants and the maid-servants of the Merciful stand
firmly and persevere, the good see will soon grow and bear the fruit of
blessing. Then will spirit and fragrance prevail, and joy and rejoicing
come from the heavenly sphere; the sorrows and toils shall be forgotten
and the eternal peace and rest appear. I trust, through the bounty of
ABHA, that ye may be strengthened to serve and to spread the Word of
God.***
The giving .... the ring(89) of the Greatest Name is very beautiful. The
ring should be worn on the small finger of the right hand.
The prayer for forgiveness(90) is behalf of those who have passed,
ignorant, from this world, will be sent as requested.
Regarding the “two wings” of the soul: These signify wings of ascent. One
is the wing of knowledge, the other of faith, as this is the means of the
ascent of the human soul to the lofty station of divine perfections.***
“O Thou Forgiving Lord!...”
O Thou Forgiving Lord!(91)
Although certain souls finished the days of life in ignorance, were
estranged and selfish, yet the ocean of Thy forgiveness is, verily, able
to redeem and make free the sinners by one of its waves. Thou redeemest
whomsoever Thou willest and deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not(92) !
Shouldst Thou treat justly, we all are sinners and deserve to be deprived;
and shouldst Thou observe mercy, every sinner shall be made pure and every
stranger shall become a friend. Therefore, forgive and pardon and grant
Thy mercy unto all. Thou art the Forgiver, the Light-giver and the
Compassionate!
“O thou sign of the Love of God!...”
O thou sign of the Love of God!
Be rejoiced that thou hast held the cup of providence in thy hand and
drunk the choice wine of guidance, opened thine eye and witnessed the
lights of the Kingdom, unstopped thine ear and heard thy voice of the Lord
of Hosts.
Be not grieved at the death of thy dear daughter. This divine bird flew
away to the rose-garden of the Merciful and that plant of humanity
hastened to the garden of the Kingdom of El-ABHA. That drop returned to
the Most Great Sea and that ray betook herself to the Most Great Orb. Be
happy and thankful because thou wilt see her face shining in the divine
Kingdom and wilt find her as a lamp amid an assembly in the spiritual
heaven.
“O thou who art commemorating the praises of God!...”
O thou who art commemorating the praises of God!
Verily, I read thy letter of elegant expression, for which I supplicate to
God to make thee meek, humble and fit for the effulgence of the light of
His love among the maid-servants; and (I beg of God) to make all mankind
the children of His mercy! This is the utmost mercy of Abdul-Baha for
which he is endeavoring night and day and is summoning all to this
fountain which is flowing with the pure water of the gift of God. Verily,
I pray God to assembly all mankind in the shadow of the standard of peace
and under the tents of love in the Paradise of El-ABHA; so that all of
them may become the children of God and His beloved ones. Verily thy Lord
is compassionate to the servants who are rightly guided.
As to thee: Appreciate the value of thy father, for he taught thee to
await the manifestation of the Light of Lights. Verily he hath inhaled the
fragrance of the Paradise of El-ABHA and his nostrils are therewith
perfumed. Therefore, he bade thee to anticipate and prepare thyself for
the appearance of the Kingdom of God.
“O thou dear one!...”
O thou dear one!
Blessed art thou, for thou hast entered into the bosom of the training of
God and drunk the cup of knowledge while thou art young in age among
girls. Thank thou God for that He hath caused thee to taste the sweetness
of His love at thy earliest childhood. I beg of God to protect thee from
wavering in the Cause of God, to make thee firm in the Covenant of God, to
guard thy mother in the stronghold of His great Kingdom and to make thee a
girl successful and nurtured from the breast of the love of God, refreshed
from the milk of His knowledge in this great day.
“O thou young in age and great in mind!...”
O thou young in age and great in mind!
[There is] many a young child who is mature and grown up, and many an aged
[one] who is ignorant and stupid. Growth and maturity are in intellect and
understanding and not in age and duration of life. Verily thou hast know
thy Lord while thou art young in age; but there are thousands of women who
are heedless of the commemoration of God, veiled from the Kingdom of God
and deprived of the bounty of the gift of God. As to thee, thank thy Lord
for this great gift. I beg of God to heal thy mother, who is revered in
the Kingdom of God.
“O my God, my God!...”
O my God, my God!
I am a servant attracted to Thee, humbly coming to the door of Thy Oneness
and addressing the kingdom of Thy mercy.
Yes, my God, permit that I should be entirely Thine, occupied in thinking
of Thee, inflamed by the fire of Thy love and separated from all except
Thee, so that I may work in Thy Cause, spread Thy wisdom, transmit Thy
knowledge and the joy of knowing Thee.
Yes, my God, I am a flame lighted by the hand of Thy power. Do not permit
that it be extinguished by the winds of trials. Increase my love for Thee,
my ardor for the Beauty of Thy Oneness, the fire that burneth in me in the
Sinai of Thy Singleness, and the eternal life in me, through Thy bounty
and grace; for Thou art the Protector, the Watcher, the Pitiful and the
Merciful!
“O thou who art attached to the Beauty of God!...”
O thou who art attached to the Beauty of God!
Verily, I was rejoiced when I read thy excellent letter, which portrayed a
spiritual attraction and a rejoicing at the (news) of the merciful
Kingdom! Know thou verily, the hand of divine Providence hath attracted
thee to the Throne of the Kingdom, and the divine glad-tidings hath caused
such joy and happiness in thee, that thou hast removed the covering and
lifted the veiling from the Countenance of the Divine Beauty, beheld the
Brilliant Face through thine insight, and became cognizant of the
mysteries of purity and sanctity in this divine Cause!
Now, with a heart overflowing with the love of God, supplicate to God with
all joy, and thank thou God for this guidance and this high gift. And know
thou, that verily, the vanguards of the gifts of thy Lord shall overtake
thee from all sides (parts) when thy feet become firm in the Path.
“O thou who art attracted to the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Light of Guidance!
Verily, I read the signs of thy thanks to God, for He hath guided thee
unto the Path of the Kingdom, dispelled the darkness, caused thee to enter
into the light of faith, and awakened thee to the proof and argument. This
is through the grace of thy Lord, the Merciful, who hath chosen thee for
His knowledge and hath adorned thy head with the crown of His love which
is scintillating in the apex of glory and beneficence.
Verily, I beseech the Threshold of Mercifulness to kindle the lamp of
light within thy heart, so that thy breast may thereby be dilated and thy
soul rejoiced.
Thou art present in spirit in a meeting (in Acca) in which the gifts of
God are radiating, even though thou art remote in regard to body in the
far away land.
As to thy coming here now, this is not in accord with the wisdom revealed
in the Gospels. But the time shall come and thou wilt attain to the gifts
of thy Lord. But for the present, make thy tongue fluent in praising thy
clement Lord at every moment and time, so that thou mayest attain to all
good under the shadow of the Lord of Generosity and Beneficence.
“O thou who hast gained illumination from the Light of...”
O thou who hast gained illumination from the Light of Guidance!
Verily, I perused thy brilliant letter, which showed that thou hast
advanced toward God, thy sight illumined by witnessing the signs of God,
thy heart cheered by the sacred and spiritual breeze which is being blown
from the garden of the Kingdom of God.
It behooveth thee to spend thy life, body and blood in the path of God,
for this mighty gift.
Verily, I inhale the fragrance of faithfulness from the believers of that
brilliant and pure city. I beg of God to make His beloved and
maid-servants in that city as one band, united in soul, heart and tongue,
even as stars assembled in the constellation of Unity, although the
distance between them is extensive and the interval infinite.x
O maid-servant of God! Know thou, the first bounty from the True One is
love, unity and harmony, and without these all the deeds pass in vain and
give no result. Love is the result of the Manifestation and the glorious
purpose of the rising of Light on the Mount, in the Sinai of the Forgiving
Lord.
It is incumbent upon you (to act) with merciful harmony and spiritual
unity, so that the bounties of your Lord may embrace you and make you as
waves in this sacred, moving sea. This is seemly of the believing women!
This is the spirit of the assured women! This is the light of the peaceful
women! This is the ultimate wish of the attracted women!
Verily, I beseech God to illumine thy sight by witnessing the light of
hopes and cause thee to speak His praise among the maid-servants, and to
make thee steadfast in this path, on which feet have slipped through the
power of tests.
And I beg of Him to enable thee to confirm thy parents and make thee a
servant in His great vineyard, and cause the consolation of thine eye, thy
noble child, to enter the garden of His exalted Kingdom.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thine excellent letter and was informed of thy turning unto
God, thy drawing near unto the lofty holy Threshold, thy drinking from the
Fountain of Life and that thine heart hath partaken of the lights of
heaven. Verily, I beg of God to ordain for thee in the future to come to
this Blessed and White Land, to cause thee to hear the melodies of the
Dove and to grant that thou mayest present thyself before the hands of
Abdul-Baha.
Exert thyself, O maid-servant of God, that thou mayest guide thy relatives
and bring union and accord among the beloved ones and harmony among the
maid-servants of God; and that thou mayest become of the myrtles of the
Paradise of Oneness and of the trees of the Reality of Singleness.
Every flock of the sheep of God which is protected under the shadow of the
Divine Shepherd will not be scattered, but when the sheep are dispersed
from the flock, they will necessarily be caught and torn by the wolf.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to flock together! It is incumbent
upon you to be united! It is incumbent upon you to expose yourselves to
the fragrances of God at every time and moment!
Verily, I am with you when you turn unto God and are attracted to the
fragrances of God, and I pray for confirmation, union, harmony and love in
your behalf.
Deliver my greetings and praise to the maid-servants of God there.
“O thou wonderful leaf of the Tree of the Love of God!...”
O thou wonderful leaf of the Tree of the Love of God!
All that thou hast written was perused. It was read from beginning to end,
and it caused joy and fragrance. But we write a brief but useful answer,
on account of the lack of leisure. Engage thou in commemorating God at
every morn and turn unto the Horizon of Mercifulness.
Take some honey, recite “Ya Baha-ul-ABHA,” and eat a little thereof for
several days. For these thy prevailing diseases are not on account of
sins, but they are to make thee detest this world and know that there is
no rest and composure in this temporal life.
I beg of God that thou mayest find a cheerful life, cause the increase of
the longing of all present in the meetings of the maid-servants of the
Merciful One and bring joy and happiness to the handmaidens of God; so
that thou mayest diffuse the fragrances and chant the manifest verses.
Supplication to God at morn and eve is conducive to the joy of hearts, and
prayer cause spirituality and fragrance. Thou shouldst necessarily
continue therein.
I beg of God that the closed door may be opened before the face of the
friends and that they may be enabled to visit the Holy Threshold.
Trust thou in the divine grace and have hope in the merciful gift. If thou
wishest for everlasting joy and happiness, engage thou in delivering
(teaching) the Cause of God night and day, for the commemoration of God
attracts confirmation and assistance like unto a magnet.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and thy words produced effect in the hearts. For
thy letter showed thy love for the Glorious Lord, proved thy knowledge of
His Highness, the Merciful One, and indicated thy effort and exertion in
unifying the beloved ones and creating harmony among the chosen ones.
O thou esteemed (or dear) maid-servant of God! All that thou hast looked
upon—even in the dominion of Victoria, the Queen of England—is but an
image on the water and a mirage of phantasms! That which is a reality and
is eternal and everlasting is the love of God, is the knowledge of His
Highness, the Forgiver, is the spread of the perspicuous religion of God,
the uplifting of the Word of God, and the diffusion of the lights of the
guidance of God!
I beg of God, that thou and thy revered husband and thy affectionate
father will be confirmed by the gift of the Merciful One; and that thy
brother will also follow you, in order that he may, through the gems and
pearls of the guidance of God, wear a kingly crown on his head.
O thou favored maid-servant of God! I give thee the name Natekah (i.e.,
Speaker—gifted with speech; it can also be written Náte_gh_eh), in order
that thou mayest find an eloquent speech in teaching (the Truth); that
thou mayest kindle the lamp of light in those parts, especially in
Baltimore, and bestow joy and happiness upon the hearts through the
commemoration of God.
My good pleasure is in this, that thou shouldst devote thy time wholly to
teaching (the Truth), so that thou mayest train the souls, illumine the
eyes, and make the ears hearing.
“O thou bird who art warbling in the Garden of the...”
O thou bird who art warbling in the Garden of the Guidance of God!
Verily, I read thy excellent and brilliant letter. It showed how thou hast
sought the fire of guidance from the Sinaitic Tree, and art shining by the
light of faithfulness of the Supreme Concourse.
Blessed art thou; again, blessed art thou! Glad-tidings be unto thee;
again, glad-tidings be unto thee!
Appreciate the worth of this peerless and choice Pearl (of the Truth). By
the life of God, verily, this is the most splendid jewel which glitters on
the crown of glory, among all the people of the world.
“O ye two doves, flying in the verdant Gardens of the...”
O ye(93) two doves, flying in the verdant Gardens of the Kingdom!
Thank ye your Lord for that by reason of which He hath guided you into the
Path of Safety, led you unto the Fountain of Life, turned your faces unto
the Lord of the evident Signs, and baptized you with the Water of Life,
and the everlasting spirit of safety, in this new and glorious century.
Your pictures came to the presence of the servant of God, who is
supplicating to His Kingdom that He may cause to descend upon you the
heavenly blessings. He was rejoiced by seeing your likenesses, for his
spirit is attached to the Spirit. And from the flowers, which were
enclosed in your note, he has smelled the scent of the gardens of your
hearts, which are ornamented by the flowers of faith and assurance; and I
ask God to continue sending upon you the gifts of His merciful benevolence
at all times.
“O thou who art attracted to the Bounty of El-ABHA!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Bounty of El-ABHA!
Verily, I have read thine excellent message, which announced thy praise to
thy Supreme Lord, and I have understood thine effort and endeavor in
spreading the perfume of guidance and propagating the Supreme Word!
Verily, I implore God to keep thee and thy wife steadfast in such service
with which both of your faces may shine in the Concourse of El-ABHA!
Indeed, this is the treasure of the Kingdom, which (treasure) ceaseth not;
and I beg of Him to cause you (both) to be in no need of the false beauty
of the world and to be as two rising stars in the horizon of existence!
“O thou messenger in the command of God!...”
O thou messenger in the command of God!
Blessed art thou for guiding ........ unto the Fountain of the Water of
Life, caused him to enter the Ark of Safety, demonstrated unto him the
manifest signs, and proved to him the elegant proofs. May God reward thee
with the best of rewards, in the end and the beginning. Therefore,
continue spreading the fragrances of God in this new age, which dawns as
the sun with the lights of favors unto the horizon of ages and
centuries.***
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Be rejoiced at the mercy of God and be delighted by the remembrance of thy
Master! Thank thou Him, for He hath removed the veils from thy wight and
shown thee a Glorious Face! Blessed art thou, as thou hast sought
martyrdom in the Cause of God! Know thou verily, He will strengthen thee
to the service of His Cause in His vineyard.
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!
Thy letter reached me and I noted its beautiful contents. I ask God to
augment thy faith, certainty, steadfastness and firmness, that thus thou
mayest be a cause for enkindling the fire of the love of God in the hearts
of the maid-servants of God.
We sent thee a rosary, as thou didst so wish. Mention God(94) with this
and thus thou mayest be strengthened in spirit and fragrance, in joy and
love.
Convey my greeting and praise to thy honorable husband, Mr. ........, the
beloved, the precious and honored.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!
I received thy letter and was informed of the content of thy speech.
Know thou, verily, Baha’ was the Sun of Love and Peace, who shone forth
with the Light of Guidance and was a Spirit of Life to all regions. The
signs of His effulgence shall appear when the love of God shall influence
the hearts, just as the soul influenceth bodies. The clouds of darkness
shall be dispelled from the manifest light of love and peace, and from the
abundant bounty of reconciliation and tranquillity.
As to thee: Do not look at thy weakness and impotence; nay, look at the
power of thy Lord, which hath surrounded all regions. The sea of
forgiveness hath moved and the waves of pardon and beneficence have
submerged the people of sin. Be isolated from the grades of self and
desire, so that thou mayest succeed in that which behooveth the service of
the Kingdom of God, and that thou mayest be healed from every disease and
sickness.
As to the “white dove,” it is the Holy Spirit. It shall flutter over thee
and over the head of the beloved of God.
Verily I beseech God to assist thee with the spirit of knowledge and
enable thee to be good and benevolent to all the people of religions.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Divine...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Divine Kingdom!
What thou hast written was understood and noted. Thou hast asked
concerning the station of this servant. The station of this servant is
servitude to the Holy Threshold (BAHA’O’LLAH) and I glory and honor in
this. Abdul-Baha is the standard of the divine love, the sign of the gift
of God, the servant of the assemblage of the merciful ones, the light of
the meeting of the spiritual ones. He is the orb of peace and
reconciliation and the light of love in the world of humanity. He is the
herald of the Kingdom of the Merciful One and the promulgator of the
religion of rectitude and security. This is the station of this servant!
This is the Truth!
I hope through the divine grace that the brilliancy of the love of God
will pervade all regions, and that he will remove warfare and strife from
the world of existence. Then the human world will become expressive of the
unity of the merciful world, the inferior world will become a clear and
purified mirror reflecting the Supreme Concourse, the East and West will
embrace each other like unto two longing ones and the North and South will
shake hands and clasp each other in the arms like unto two beloved ones.
This is the station of Abdul-Baha.
As to the light thou dost witness: It is not an earthly light
(phenomenal); nay, rather, it is a heavenly light. It cannot be seen by
the sight; nay, rather, it is perceived by the insight.
As to the resurrection of the body of Christ three days subsequent to His
departure: This signified the divine teachings and spiritual religion of
His Holiness Christ, which constitute His spiritual body, which is living
and perpetual forevermore.
By the “three days” of His death is meant that after the great martyrdom,
the penetration of the divine teachings and the spread of the spiritual
law became relaxed on account of the crucifixion of Christ. For the
disciples were somewhat troubled by the violence of divine tests. But when
they became firm, that divine spirit resurrected and that body—which
signifies the divine word—arose.
Likewise the address of the angels to the people of Galilee, “That this
Christ will return in the same way and that He will descend from heaven,”
is a spiritual address. For when Christ appeared, He came from heaven,
although He was outwardly born from the womb of Mary. For He said: “No man
hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.”
He said: “I came down from heaven and likewise will go to heaven.” By
“heaven” is not meant this infinite phenomenal space, but “heaven”
signifies the world of the divine kingdom which is the supreme station and
seat of the Sun of Truth.
To be brief: The mysteries of the Holy Books are many and require
explanation and elucidation. I hope thine insight will be so opened that
the divine mysteries may become manifest and clear. O thou candle of the
love of God!
I read what thou hast written. Its meanings were spiritual and its
contents merciful. It indicated (thy) pure intention and expressed clear
brilliancy.
I beg of God that thou mayest become an associate and partner of
Abdul-Baha in servitude to the Holy Threshold of Baha’, that thou mayest
praise me in my pure servitude and summon all to the Most Great Guidance.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
What thou has written was perused. Thou hast written concerning the
meeting of His Highness Christ after the crucifixion and that some of the
apostles perceived Him but did not recognize Him; but that they did
recognize Him after the breaking of bread.
Know thou that the Messianic Spirit and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
is always manifest, but capacity and ability (to receive it) is more in
some and less in others. After the crucifixion the apostles had not in the
beginning the capacity and ability of witnessing the Messianic reality.
For they were agitated. But when they found firmness and steadfastness
their inner sight became opened, and they saw the reality of the Messiah
as manifest. For the body of Christ was crucified and vanished, but the
Spirit of Christ is always pouring upon the contingent world, and is
manifest before the insight of the people of assurance.
O thou seeker of the kingdom of God! If thou wishest thy speech and
utterance to take effect in the hardened hearts, be thou severed from all
attachment to this world and turn unto the Kingdom of God. Enkindle the
fire of the love of God in the heart with such intensity that thou mayest
become a flame of fire and a luminous lamp of guidance. At that time thy
speech will take effect within the hearts, through the confirmation of the
Holy Spirit.
“O thou sincere servant of the Lord of the Kingdom!...”
O thou sincere servant of the Lord of the Kingdom!
Thou art favored and accepted in the Threshold of His Highness the
Incomparable One, and art beloved and praised in the presence of
Abdul-Baha. Thy services in the divine kingdom are evident and registered
and the most eminent reward and the most great bounty are destined and in
store for thee. The confirmation which hath descended unto thee is
conducive to unlimited favor. Therefore, be thou engaged in the
glorification of the Forgiving Lord.
“O thou whose heart is filled with the Love of God!...”
O thou whose heart is filled with the Love of God!
I was informed of thy longing for meeting (me) and that thy breast is
boiling with the love of God. Blessed are thou for this wish.
O maid-servant of God! Beseech thou God to be filled with His love and
make thy tongue fluent with the glorification of God.
Verily, I supplicate God to forgive thy father and to submerge him in the
sea of forgiveness and pardon.
Be not grieved at the death of that infant child, for it is placed in
trust for thee before thy Lord in His great Kingdom.
Verily God will bestow upon thee that whereby thy heart shall be rejoiced
and thy breast shall be dilated. Verily thy Lord is compassionate and
merciful!
“O thou favored maid-servant in the Threshold of the...”
O thou favored maid-servant in the Threshold of the Almighty!
The letter which thou hast written was perused and its contents were
noted. Thou hast written concerning spiritual hearing and insight. The
insight (or inner perception) is a correct sight, for it never blundereth.
But the outward sight doth err (or misjudgeth); it seeth the mirage as
water, considereth the revolving flame as a circle, imagineth the images
reflected in a mirror as a reality and judgeth huge bodies as small ones,
from a remote distance. There are many evidences as to the blundering of
the sight; but the insight apprehendeth the reality and discovereth the
mysteries.
As to the difference between inspiration and imagination: Inspiration is
in conformity with the Divine Texts, but imaginations do not conform
therewith. A real, spiritual connection between the True One and the
servant is a luminous bounty which causeth an ecstatic (or divine) flame,
passion and attraction. When this connection is secured (or realized) such
an ecstasy and happiness become manifest in the heart that man doth fly
away (with joy) and uttereth melody and song. Just as the soul bringeth
the body in motion, so that spiritual bounty and real connection likewise
moveth (or cheereth) the human soul. As to truthful dreams: I beg of God
that thy inner eye (insight) may be so opened that thou mayest thyself
differentiate between truthful and untruthful dreams.
Treat thy friends and relatives in general with the utmost kindness and
love; (deal in like manner) even with strangers (or outsiders). Convey my
great compassion to the little maid-servant of God, ......... She must
memorize and recite the following commune:
“O loving God! I am a young child, a suppliant, a...”
“O loving God! I am a young child, a suppliant, a captive. Be Thou my
refuge, my support, my protector. I am in distress: give me the means of
tranquillity. I am needy: bestow upon me the treasure of the Kingdom. I am
dead: give me the Spirit of Life. I am weak: favor me with power and
strength, so that I may be a maid-servant in Thy Threshold, with perfect
purity and sanctity; sacrifice myself unto Thee, be quit of myself and
seek Thee, walk in the path of Thy good pleasure, speak Thy secret and
witness the signs of Thy Oneness wherever I look. O God! Make me ablaze,
like unto the fire of Thy love, and make me free from attachment to this
mortal world, until I find the peace of soul and the rest of conscience.
“Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty! Thou art the Hearer, the Seer!”
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Blessed art thou, for the lights of guidance have shone forth upon thee
and the bounty of the Supreme Kingdom hath illumined thy heart. The effect
of the Spirit will surely increase within hearts, so souls will grow in
advancing toward the Kingdom, the wonderful bounty shall appear from the
invisible kingdom, the hidden exalted world, and your powers and firmness
will increase in the Cause of God, the Lofty, the Mighty.
“O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!...”
O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!
Verily God hath, through His bounty and grace, removed the covering from
off thine eyes and inspired thee the night in which the Morn of Guidance
dawned and the Holy Spirit breathed in the being of “The Exalted, the
Supreme”(95) . Ye went out(96), desirous to witness and visit the Lord,
and awaited the appearance of the Great Bounty in that brilliant night. Is
there any evidence greater than this to the discerning? No, by my Beloved,
the ABHA! This is a gift to which ye have been assigned among mankind.
Thank ye God for this bestowal in which the inspired ones glory in the
kingdom of heaven.
As to thee, strengthen thou thy back to spread that Spirit and diffuse
that Light and arise to serve the Cause of God in His vineyard, so that
thou mayest be of the first to call in the name of God and draw nearer
unto the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Glorious, the Supreme. Truly, I say unto
thee, if thou be steadfast in this Cause and arise with all thy power to
promote the Word in those parts, and if thou render thine utmost efforts
in breathing the Spirit of Life into the hearts of the righteous, thou
wilt find thyself assisted by the angels of heaven and the hosts of the
Supreme Concourse; thou wilt hoist the banner of peace and the sounds of
the trumpet will be heard in the tunes of love and union throughout those
countries; thou wilt guide people (literally, souls) to the running water
of life and lead them to the field of knowledge; thou wilt give them to
drink the wine of assurance and quicken them with the fragrances of the
Merciful One; thou wilt clothe them with the robes of bestowal and give
them to drink the wine of faithfulness in love for Baha’, so that they
will be awakened from the sleep of selfish desires and behold the signs of
their Mighty Lord in this exalted life. This is better for thee than all
the glory and dominion of the world.
As to thy coming at this time to the Blessed Spot (Acca), this is not in
accordance with the wisdom revealed in the Tablets. Send unto us some of
the traces of thy pen (writings) so that we may see it and pray God to
assist and render thee successful in everything.
“O thou whose face is illumined with the Light of the...”
O thou whose face is illumined with the Light of the Love of God!
The answer already hath been delayed, but there is no harm in that. For,
verily, my heart is gazing unto thee, my love is constant and permanent
for thee and the fragrances of holiness are wafting (over thee) and my
spirit is pouring upon thee, and the spiritual communication is extended
between us.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to show forth the
greatest steadfastness; it is incumbent upon thee to stand the tests of
the Lord! Be thou firm in the love of thy Lord, the Clement, the
Merciful!***
“O thou who art enkindled with the Fire of the Love...”
O thou who art enkindled with the Fire of the Love of God!
Thy letter was received and I was informed of the contents. It was a proof
of truthfulness and sincerity and an evidence of spiritual feelings.
Consider how the radiance of the light of the Holy Spirit doth illumine
the court of the soul, that it bringeth about spiritual discoveries and
produceth merciful attachment! The essential meeting is that spiritual
attachment (or union) and heartfelt feelings; when this gift becometh
manifest, heavenly bounties will be attained and hopes shall be fulfilled.
It is the same as I have written: Thou shalt attain to visit Acca; but now
a physical visit (or presence) will lead to interference on the part of
the ignorant and cause the tumult and commotion of the unwise. For the
present, satisfy thyself with a spiritual union. God willing, thy coming
will be also brought about afterward.
Occupy thyself with the Kingdom as much as thou canst and forget all else
save the True One; in order that thou mayest, day by day, find a new power
in the Cause of God and gain a great stability.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Threshold of...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Threshold of Mercifulness!
Verily, I have read the expressions of thy longing for the visit and thy
craving to come to this Brilliant Spot. But the violators of the Covenant
of God have stirred up the dust of deception, and besides this, there are
numerous obstacles and it is impossible for thee to come in these times.
But verily, I pray my Lord to make this success feasible unto thee in a
future time. There is for this a mature wisdom concealed from sight, but
it shall appear as clear as the sun in midday.
As to thee, be rejoiced at the glad-tidings of thy Lord and trust in His
great gifts, the lights of which have shone forth upon the horizons of
hearts and souls, and trust in the assistance of thy Master, and ask what
thou wishest of the gifts of thy Lord, the Unconstrained! Draw nigh unto
Him with a pure heart, cheerful face, gazing eye and a joyful spirit and
plunge with thy whole being into the sea of the love of God and forget all
else save Him, so that thou mayest be filled with such spiritual
sentiments from the kingdom of God, which will take the reins of desire
from thy hands and move thee with the power of thy Lord, just as the wind
moveth a mote in the open air as it willeth. At that time we will draw
unto each other in spirit, a nearness which will be eternal, everlasting
and endless.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I considered the meanings of thy beautiful words and found them as
a peerless, brilliant pearl, shining with a luster of the lights of the
love of God. God shall surely enable thee [to speak] in more eloquent and
wonderful words through a confirmation from the Spirit of the gift of
God.***
O maid-servant of God! Verily, the picture (photograph) is an indication
of what is in the heart of man. There are faces which are rejoiced and
brilliant like unto the garden of paradise and faces which are dusty and
dark and are covered with the dimness of fire.
Verily I beg of God that He may strengthen thee in whatever matter thou
mayest undertake and unto which thou mayest advance.
O maid-servant of God! Thy heart shall surely have attractions and
revelations through the power of the Beauty of El-ABHA, which will be
followed by glad-tidings and signs, in every minute and instant. Verily, I
reveal unto thee in spirit and address thee in heart, a speech which will
open unto thee the doors of mysteries which are concealed behind veils.
When mirrors become pure and the lights shine, the signs of the Sun of
Truth shall reflect therein with most wonderful splendors.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, I have not forgotten thee and will not
forget thee. Trust thou in the love of Abdul-Baha, for verily, nothing
equals it.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, the Household(97) present unto thee
greeting and praise, with all longing and attraction.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
I pray to God that He may cause to descend upon thee a heavenly blessing,
quicken thy heart with the Holy Spirit into an everlasting life and make
thy heart a source of merciful sentiments; so that thy breath may become a
quickener of the souls, thine attractions may move the heart of the world,
thy strong love may attract the hearts of men, and that thine abundant
affection may become a mercy to mankind in the world of existence. Verily,
my Lord is Powerful, Potent and the Bestower!
Be thou loving to every afflicted one, a dispeller of sorrows to every
grieved one, a refuge to every fearful one, a heavenly food to every
destitute one, a balm to every wounded one, a consolation to dejected
hearts, a blessing to unfortunate souls, a treasure to every begging one
and a succor to every lamenting one—so that thou mayest be a banner of
guidance and the essence of piety among the maid-servants of thy Supreme
Lord. Verily, thy Lord is the Beneficent, the Gracious, the Bestower!
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
***I beg of God that He may make [that place] a center of merciful events
and a point whereon the lordly favors may fall; and that He may make thee
so ablaze with the fire of His love that the flame of the love of God may
pervade all those parts.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and a sweet odor wafted from the rose-garden of
its meanings. Thou hast offered thanks before the threshold of the One
God, for that thou hast stepped into the Court of the Manifestation in
such a blessed day and hast partaken a share and portion from the bounties
of the Pre-existent Beauty(98) . This mortal world is fickle and unstable
like unto a shifting shadow, and the human life is like unto a mirage and
a reflection on the water. When thou lookest at the result thou wilt
consider the preliminaries as important, otherwise, preliminaries without
a result are of no fruit or harm; they are pure fancy and sheer darkness.
Therefore even a short duration of life is sufficient.
I beg of God that He may render thee successful so that thou mayest find
the result of the supernal life from the temporal life and attain to the
gift of the heavenly food and be strengthened to serve the Cause of God.
“O thou who art esteemed in the Threshold of the...”
O thou who art esteemed in the Threshold of the Almighty!
Praise thou God, for that thou hast found the Light of Guidance,
recognized the Lord of the Kingdom, art engaged in the service of the
Divine Garden and hast guided a number of souls and led them to the
Kingdom of Existence. When thou occupiest thyself with all thy strength in
service, thou wilt become a magnet of attraction and cause every seeker to
reach the presence of the Desired One; thou wilt raise a great clamor in
the world and evince such an ecstasy and rapture that will astonish the
minds.
Send my loving greeting to those souls whom thou hast guided unto the
divine kingdom and say unto them: “Ye must appreciate Miss ....... Move
your tongues in thanksgiving and be obliged for her great effort; for she
gave you to drink the wine of guidance from the cup of the love of God and
led you to the kingdom of lights. Were you to thank her for many years as
a reward for this guidance, ye will not be able to repay your obligation
for this gift.”
Thou hast written concerning the Impersonality of the Divinity.
Personality is in the Manifestation of the Divinity, not in the Essence of
the Divinity. The reality of the divine world is purified and sanctified
from limits and restriction. But the pure Mirror, which is the Manifestor
of the Sun of Truth and in which the Sun of Truth is manifest in
appearance—that mirror is restricted, not the lights. The soul pervadeth
throughout the whole body, and its commands are effective in all the parts
and limbs of man. Notwithstanding its utmost sanctification (or
abstraction) this soul is manifest and evident in all its grades, in this
material form. By seeing God is meant beholding the Manifestation of
Himself; for witnessing the sun in its entire splendor, in a clear glassy
surface, is identical with witnessing the essence of the sun itself.
When the souls of the sincere depart (from this body), then their unreal
vision (i.e., seeing) is changed into a vision of reality. Even as man,
when in the age of babyhood and imperfection, though he seeth things, yet
that vision is superficial and external. But when he reacheth the world
(or age) of perfection and becometh endowed with reasoning faculty and
(the power of) discrimination and comprehension, then that vision of his
is a vision (i.e., seeing) of reality(99) and not the unreality.
It is evident that the divine nearness is an unlimited nearness, be it in
this world or the next one. This is a nearness which is sanctified from
the comprehension of the minds. The more a man seeketh light from the Sun
of Truth, the nearer he will draw. For instance, a clear body is near unto
the sun, and a black stone is far from the sun. This nearness dependeth
upon clearness, purity and perfection and that remoteness is due to
density, dullness (or obscurity) and imperfection.
As to the question whether the souls will recognize each other in the
spiritual world: This (fact) is certain; for the Kingdom is the world of
vision (i.e., things are visible in it), where all the concealed realities
will become disclosed. How much more the well-known souls will become
manifest. The mysteries of which man is heedless in this earthly world,
those will he discover in the heavenly world, and there will he be
informed of the secret of truth; how much more will he recognize or
discover persons with whom he hath been associated. Undoubtedly, the holy
souls who find a pure eye and are favored with insight will, in the
kingdom of lights, be acquainted with all mysteries, and will seek the
bounty of witnessing the reality of every great soul. Even they will
manifestly behold the Beauty of God in that world. Likewise will they find
all the friends of God, both those of the former and recent times, present
in the heavenly assemblage.
As to the difference and distinction between Lazarus and that “rich man”:
The first was spiritual, while the second was material. One was in the
highest degree of knowledge and the other in the lowest depths of
ignorance. The difference and distinction will naturally become realized
between all men after their departure from this mortal world. But this
(distinction) is not in respect to place, but it is in respect to the soul
and conscience. For the Kingdom of God is sanctified (or free) from time
and place; it is another world and another universe. But the holy souls
are promised the gift of intercession. And know thou for a certainty, that
in the divine worlds, the spiritual beloved ones (believers) will
recognize each other, and will seek union (with each other), but a
spiritual union. Likewise, a love that one may have entertained for any
one will not be forgotten in the world of the Kingdom. Likewise, thou wilt
not forget (there) the life that thou hast had in the material world.
O thou maid-servant of God! Hold fast to the Most Strong Handle(100) and
be thoroughly attracted to the Kingdom of ABHA, until thou mayest at every
instant find a new confirmation and attain to a wonderful gift and become
a cause for the guidance of souls.
“O thou who hast attained to Truth!...”
O thou who hast attained to Truth!
I beg of God that the divine light which is spoken of in the Twelfth
Chapter of John may shed its rays upon thee forever, so that thou mayest
always be in light. The life of man in this world is short and will soon
drawn to an end. Consequently one must appreciate (or count as gain) every
breath (or moment) of his life and endeavor in that which is conducive to
eternal glory.
Thou hast written concerning the shining assembly of Washington (D.C.):
This caused me great joy, for that assemblage is a rose-garden of
mysteries and very sweet fragrances of being inhaled from it. I hope that
through the sincerity of heart of the friends and maid-servants of God,
that assembly will continue and be extended (or grow) day by day, will
increase in luminosity every moment and that the members of that assembly
will make extraordinary progress in the Divine Threshold.
If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the
Kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy; and if it is expended
to the benefit of the human world in general—even though it be to their
material (or bodily) benefit and be a means of doing good—that is also
acceptable. But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual
desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits—then
disease is better than such health; nay, death itself is preferable to
such a life. If thou art desirous of health, wish thou health for serving
the Kingdom. I hope thou mayest attain a perfect insight, an inflexible
resolution, a complete health and spiritual and physical strength in order
that thou mayest drink from the fountain of eternal life and be assisted
by the spirit of divine confirmation.
Say unto ........: “Thou art sowing pure seeds, but that soil (wherein the
seeds fall) is full of useless plants, weeds and rubbish. Therefore the
seeds are wasted. Consequently, come and sow those seeds in a pure, sweet
and fertile soil, in order that they may vegetate, become fresh and
verdant and form into heaps on heaps of harvest.”
Send my greeting to ........ and say unto her: “The sun is in the utmost
effulgence but the surface turned toward it must be a mirror; the clearer
and purer it is, the more lights shall be reflected therein.”
Send my loving greeting to his honor ........ and say unto him: “Do not
miss the opportunity. Now in the springtime and the bounty of heaven is
pouring on earth and the fields and rose-gardens are in growth and
development. Exert thyself as much as thou canst, in order that through
this everlasting bounty and the sprinklings of the clouds of the divine
gift, thou mayest grow and thrive like unto a fruitful tree, with the
utmost freshness and purity.”
That matter (or substance) which is the cause of the moderation and
perfection of the body is that perfect moderate temperament which is
produced by the organization and admixture of constituent elements; that
matter (or substance) is material (or physical) not spiritual. But reason,
which comprehends (or detects) the realities of things, is a spiritual
reality, not physical (or material). Therefore the animal is deprived of
reason, and it (reason) is specialized to mankind. The animal feeleth
realities which are perceptible to the senses, but man perceiveth
intellectual realities (or things perceptible to reason). Consequently, it
hath become evident that reason is a spiritual faculty, not physical (or
material).
The Holy Land is not tranquil in these days(101). Consequently, let thy
presence (or coming) in the Holy Land depend on some other time. Endeavor
night and day in serving the Cause of God; this service is real visit, and
this is meeting, itself.
Deliver my greeting to each one of the friends of God and maid-servants of
the Merciful with the utmost love.
That blessed name which thou hast asked to remain with thee forever and
become the cause of spiritual progress—the name is “Aseyeh,” which is the
name of the mother of Abdul-Baha. I give the blessed name to thee. Be
therefore in the utmost joy and happiness, and be engaged in all gladness
and attraction (or ecstasy) for thou hast become the object of such a
favor.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
I know how great a love thou hast! Thou art like unto a blooming rose in
the rose-garden of the love of God and thou art like unto a fruitful tree
on the bank of the stream of knowledge of God. I beg of God that thou
mayest always enjoy spiritual nearness and ever be rejoiced. Reveal thou
(or teach thou) the Word of God; be not grieved at the people’s lack of
hearing. Do thou sow the seed, and God will make it grow and the cloud (or
rain) of mercy will develop it.
Convey greeting to the beloved of God and to the maid-servants of the
Merciful.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy detailed letter was perused. On account of the multitude of
occupations and work, a brief answer is written. This brief Tablet is most
significant. Thou art forever in my memory and in reality thou art
present. Thou art never forgotten!
Blessed is thy state that thou art firm in the Covenant and steadfast in
the Cause of God. Rest thou assured of the bounty and providence of the
Heavenly Lord. Be thou rejoiced! Be thou a merciful being! Be thou
illumined! Associate with all the maid-servants of the Merciful with
utmost love and kindness, also with other women of the world.
I have prayed for the outpouring of the blessing upon those souls for whom
thou hast asked supplication of the Holy Spirit (in their behalf). I hope
that they may become quickened through the breeze of life wafting from the
garden of immortality and be gladdened with utmost happiness and joy. But
the capacity is necessary for the descent of rain, and preparation of soil
is of great importance. The heavenly outpouring will develop from the pure
ground roses and hyacinths. We also hope that such things will appear from
them.
Convey my respectful greeting to the attracted maid-servant of God
......... I am always engaged in her remembrance, beseeching for her
merciful gifts from the Heavenly Father. Utmost bounty is extended toward
her.
Exert thyself in studying the Persian language in order that with perfect
eloquence and fluency thou mayest talk, read and write.
Know thou the value of ........ for she hath an illumined heart and a soul
gladdened with the love of God. She hath presented herself at this Blessed
Spot, hearing the utterances of Abdul-Baha with her own ears. Blessed is
she, and again, blessed is she!
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
The letter that thou hast written in Persian was highly appreciated. I
have read it from beginning to end. It contained wonderful thoughts.
Convey my longing greetings to all the friends in Washington (D.C.). Also
present my respectful greetings to the maid-servants of the Merciful.
Present my respectful salutations to the maid-servant of God, the Eternal,
the Protector, Mrs. ........, for she is near and dear in the Threshold of
Oneness. I beseech God that she may be confirmed and assisted in all
stations and attain the heavenly confirmations.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
The letter written by you *** was received. Its contents became evident.
The expressions (of thy letter) evinced utmost attraction and caused joy
and fragrance.
Thou hast asked for permission to come to our presence with his honor
......... I am also longing greatly after the meeting of the friends. If
there was no obstacle, it would be very acceptable, but in these days, thy
presence (in this land(102)) is not according to wisdom. Besides this,
thou must be engaged in the service of the Kingdom in those parts. Also,
the presence of his honor(103) ........ is of utmost necessity in those
parts, for we henceforth forward all the Tablets to him for translation,
that he may send to the believers. If he should move, this work would be
neglected. Therefore now thou must wait until some happy occasion will
bring this about later on.
Also, thou hast written concerning the meeting with the minister of
Persia. This is very acceptable. The believers of God must render utmost
consideration toward Persian ministers and officials.
Also convey respectful greetings from Abdul-Baha to all the friends of
God.
“O thou maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection!...”
O thou maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection!
Thy letter was received. It was written in Persian. I was very much
pleased. I hope thou wilt memorize all the poetry of the Blessed
Perfection and chant with wonderful melody in the assemblages and
gatherings. These verses will soon be translated into English poetical
form and then this Divine Song will rise from those lands and reach the
ABHA Kingdom in utmost joy and happiness.
Thou hast written that ........ is giving lessons of [the Book of]
Ighan(104) ; this news brought me real joy.
Thou hast written that ........ hath started upon her trips again, to be
engaged in the service of the Kingdom. In reality she is attracted and
will bear every calamity and trial in the path of the Blessed Perfection
and this very thing will be conducive to her spiritual development.
O thou attracted one! If thou art able, be thou engaged in the promotion
of the Cause of God, either with ........ or alone.
O thou maid-servant of God! Whatever thou dost and upon whatever occasion
thou showest any effort, the end will prove fruitless except in teaching
the Cause of God and in serving the divine Kingdom.
If the means of thy travel to these parts(105) be brought about, it is
better to come alone, because ........ must remain in those parts and be
engaged in the service. The confirmation of the Holy Spirit will descend
upon him uninterruptedly.
Convey respectful greeting to the beloved maid-servant of God ........ and
love her.
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Thy letter *** was received and its contents produced happiness and joy,
for it evinced affinity and love among the maid-servants of the Merciful
One gathering in the assemblages and commemorating the name of the True
One. ***
Convey my respectful greeting to ........ and announce to her: “This
period is a blessed period; endeavor that thou mayest live according to
the requirements of this Glorious Age.”
Convey my greeting to ........ and say: “The Heavenly Table is descended;
become thou hungry in so far as thou canst and partake of that Food.”
Announce thou to ........: “At a time when the light of the Sun of Truth
hath penetrated into all those regions, then the spiritual oneness will
become realized. Therefore, make thou an effort that the souls may become
attracted with the light of the Kingdom and the shining heavenly lamp
become ignited in thy house. I beseech God that thou mayest become a
center of merciful feelings in those regions and seek after the
everlasting glory.”
I prayed for those whose names thou hast mentioned in thy letter, asking
from God confirmation and assistance in their behalf. Say to the beloved
maid-servant of God, ........, to write the book which she had in mind.
“O thou favored maid-servant of God!...”
O thou favored maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast expressed joy on account of thy visit
to the friends of Chicago. I also yearn to visit them. At the time when ye
were assembled in the house of Mrs. ........, Abdul-Baha was also present
with heart and soul.
I hope that hou mayest become an incarnation of love and embodiment of
spirit and personficiation of kindness and that thou mayest progress day
by day in the spiritual attributes through the Beauty of ABHA.
Convey respectful greeting on my behalf to the dear and kind maid-servant
of God, the assured leaf, ....... Behold thou how attracted and enkindled
she is! Love and have great consideration for the attracted maid-servant
of God, ......... Exercise the utmost affection and kindness toward the
dear maid-servant of God, .........
O thou maid-servant of God! No one hath any way to the Reality of Deity
except through the Instrumentality of the Manifestation. To suppose so is
a theory and not a fact.
Convey greeting on my behalf to ........... and say: “If thou art desiring
the refulgent light, add to thy love for God. If thou art begging for the
breaths of the Holy Spirit, become thou engaged in the commemoration of
the Beauty of ABHA. If thou art seeking everlasting glory, choose humility
in the path of the True One. If thou art aspiring to eternal life,
sacrifice thy soul in the way of God.”
Announce my love and affection to the attracted maid-servant ......... and
say: “Every eye which is weeping for the sake of the love of God is
blessed; every ear which is hearing the divine call is blessed. Then may
thine eyes flow with the tears of joy because of the coruscation of the
fire of the heart and may thy soul and thy spirit be attracted to the
Beauty of the Beloved.”
Show forth kindness on my behalf to the maid-servants of the Merciful whom
thou hast mentioned by name in thy letter and impart to them the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom.
Give especial greeting to ........... and say: “There lie glorious
meanings in the word “Allaho-ABHA.(106) I hope thou wilt discover those
significances.”
“O thou spiritual maid-servant of God!...”
O thou spiritual maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and its contents became known. God willing, the
vision will become actualized. Announce thou to ........: “Become thou a
new creation and be thou patient and forbearing. Be baptized by the fire
of the love of God and by the spirit of the knowledge of God, in order
that thou mayest become characterized by the spiritual attributes; attain
to the nature of that kind Beloved; be so enkindled that thou mayest
illumine a region, become a sign of guidance and an ensign of the love of
God.”
O thou maid-servant of God! I know that thou hast spiritual love for
Abdul-Baha and this is confirmed and beyond doubt.
Say to ........: “Leave thou the “New Thought” and seek after the New
Kingdom. The “New Thought” is a part of the New Kingdom. When thou hast
found the latter, thou hast found the former; nay rather, thou hast found
all things.”
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast manifested cheerfulness and gladness on
account of the news of my happiness. Abdul-Baha hath the glad-tidings of
the Kingdom of ABHA. His happiness hath no sorrow in its trail and His
life is not followed by any death. To him, prison is a court; to him, a
tomb is a spacious palace; to him, a well is the apex of heaven; and to
him, manacles and chains are the throne of ether.
If at times he becometh sad, it is not on account of affliction and
adversities, but that grief is produced from a word or an act which is
against the exhortations and behests of the Blessed Perfection.
For instance: I hope that the believers of God may become the cause of the
unity and agreement of the human realm, and suffer other nations and
communities of the world to enter under the shade of the Canopy of
Oneness. Now, when the news reacheth me that the slightest differences
have crept in among the believers of God, I become sad and heartbroken.
The point is this: Afflictions and hardships, ordeals or trials, do not
make me weak or faint, nor do they in the slightest degree make me sad or
unhappy.
Thou hast written regarding the feast *** I became very happy therefrom.
Convey greeting on my behalf to the favored maid-servant of God, .........
and say: “On that night thy house was the nest and the shelter of the
birds of God. The divine melodies and the celestial lyres made that place
a feast of heaven and an assembly of the Kingdom. Abdul-Baha was present
there in heart and soul and was joyful and happy. Thank thou God.”
Announce salutation to Mrs. ......... and say: “A thousand times, Well
done! —that thou art working in the vineyard of the Kingdom and hast
arisen to faithfulness and art engaged in the service of His Highness, the
Almighty! Thou art helping the helpless ones and art comforting those who
are instance.”
Convey respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... and say: “May thy joy be
unending and thy comfort and happiness everlasting! May thy life be
eternal and the light of thy thought the heavenly glad-tidings.”
Convey greeting and kindness to the maid-servant of God, ........, and
say: “If thou art desiring an illumined house, enkindle thou therein the
lamp of the love of God; and if thou art seeking after a heavenly palace,
make thy house the gathering place of the believers of the Merciful One;
so that the splendors of the Sun of Truth may cast therein rays spiritual
and the harmony of holiness ascend to the Kingdom of ABHA.”
Say to the maid-servant of God! The feast given by Mrs. ......... became
highly acceptable and the respected personages who served in that feast,
as did ........., Mr. ........., Mrs. ......... and Mrs. ........., are in
reality worthy of all praise. They were engaged in the duty and the work
of Abdul-Baha and have arisen to serve the believers of God.
Convey my greeting to his honor ......... and say: “Thou didst deliver a
wonderful talk on that night. Well done! Well done! That talk was given in
the West yet Abdul-Baha became happy from it in the East.”
I congratulate and compliment the maid-servant of God, ........, in her
firmness and steadfastness in the Cause of God. Truly, I say, she is
illumined, spiritual, heavenly and celestial. She taketh care of the
strangers among the friends and serveth and praiseth the servants of God.
O thou maid-servant of God! Do not be slow in the study of the Persian
language and be thou engaged in the service.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast written regarding thy trip to the Holy
Land. God willing, this desire of thine will be realized.
The name Aseyeh is acceptable in the Threshold of Oneness, for the
daughter of Pharaoh had this name, who, when (Moses) the Light of Guidance
dawned, became confirmed by the Merciful One, left the court of Pharaoh
with its grandeur and sovereignty and became perfumed with the fragrances
of holiness. Then she assisted in the service of His Holiness (Moses)—upon
him be peace! Also, Aseyeh was the name of my mother.
Thou hast written that thou lovest the Bible. Undoubtedly, the friends and
the maid-servants of the Merciful should know the value of the Bible, for
they are the ones who have discovered its real significances and have
become cognizant of the hidden mystery of the Holy Book.***
Deliver my greeting to ......... and say: “I supplicate God that thou
mayest gladden and rejoice the heart of ......... with the melody of the
Kingdom, rend asunder the veil of her concealment, enlighten her face with
the light of the Most Great Guidance and make her eyes see and her ears
hear.”
Say on my behalf to the maid-servant of God, ........, “The end of every
(material) work is without result, because it is perishable and
inconstant, but the first (real) work is attraction to the fragrance of
God, enkindlement with the fire of the love of God, reading the verses of
Unity and beholding the lights from the Dawning-place of Mystery.(107)
After that cometh the training of the soul, purification of character and
service to humanity. If thou art able to accomplish any one of these, the
result is eternal and the fruit everlasting.”
Thou hast written regarding thy coming to the Holy Land; do not hasten,
for then thou mayest travel with comfort. It would be better not to resign
from the school, nay rather, avail thyself of the opportunity during
vacation time which is in the season of summer, and present thyself in
this land; because thy presence in that school is fruitful. Thou shalt
finally study the Persian language.***
“O thou whose breast is dilated with the Fragrances...”
O thou whose breast is dilated with the Fragrances of God!
I received thy letter which showed thine advance toward the Kingdom of
God.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, the weakness of body and its strength do
neither harm nor benefit; nay, rather the spirit must be strong through
the breath of the Holy Spirit, at this time, so that it may apprehend the
consummate wisdom which is deposited in this great age. I beg of God that
He may increase joy and fragrance in thy spirit, give thee power and
strength, and that He may help thee at every moment in faith and
assurance. Verily my Lord is powerful in all things! Trust thou in the
grace of thy Master and ask that which thou wishest from His Name, the
Clement, the Merciful.
“O thou who art rejoiced at the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art rejoiced at the Kingdom of God!
The letter indicating thy great wish to be a maid-servant of the Cause of
God in His wonderful and excellent vineyard, was received.
Thank thou God that He hath removed the veil and hath manifested unto thee
the reality of things until thou hast apprehended that, verily, the world
and all of its concerns are but confused dreams and of non-duration.
Verily I beg of God to grant thy greatest wishes and bestow upon thee the
good of this and the world to come.
“O thou herald of the Kingdom!...”
O thou herald of the Kingdom!
Thou wast not alone in the trip that thou didst undertake in various
places. The spirit and soul of Abdul-Baha was with thee. Although thou
hast been afflicted with many and severe persecutions, hast heard
derision, scorn and contempt and observed the opposition of the heedless
ones, yet this is conducive to thy glory, that thou hast been made a
target for the arrow of opposition in the Path of God and hast drunk the
cup of affliction. Consider this, how many a calamity was submitted to by
those sanctified souls in bygone ages and to how many sufferings they were
resigned! Thou also must endure dire oppression and ordeals in the Path of
ABHA and maintain the feet of steadfastness and firmness. Then thou shalt
behold the confirmation of God surrounding thee. Rejoice thou and be happy
that thou hast attained to this station and walked in the footsteps of the
holy souls.
Announce on my behalf longing greeting to Mr. ........ and say, “The
melody of the Kingdom is that which hath caused the motion of the
universe; the musk-diffusing fragrance of the rose-garden of God is that
which hath perfumed the nostrils; and the reflection of the Sun of Truth
is that which hath illumined the whole earth. Now is the beginning of
illumination! Therefore, the people of darkness imagine that they can
oppose (this Revelation); yet, ere long they shall find themselves in loss
and consternation! They shall observe that the power of the Word of God
hath subdued East and West. Be thou not sad and dispirited on account of
the opposition of the heedless ones. Soon they shall regret sorely.
Reflect thou how the Pharisees persecuted and looked down in contempt upon
His Holiness the Christ. The result was that His lamp became ignited, His
light began to shine and His followers sparkled like unto the stars from
the horizon of existence; and the consequence to the Pharisees was the
pangs of remorse and regrets.”
Convey, also, greeting to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ and say,
“Thy house is the nest and the shelter of this heavenly bird. Undoubtedly,
thou must enkindle the lights of the Kingdom therein.”
Likewise convey respectful greeting on my behalf to Mrs. ........ and say,
“I ask God that thy house may become the gathering-place of the spiritual
ones and the assembly of the godly ones; that the light of Truth may shine
therein and make it brilliant and resplendent.”
Also convey longing greeting to Mr. ........ and say, “Those souls who, in
the time of His Highness Christ, turned their faces toward the Kingdom and
quaffed the wine of guidance from the cup of the Word of God, had their
troubles changed into everlasting bliss. No matter how much they heard the
rebuke of the heedless ones, observed the censure of the relatives, were
afflicted with the injury of the oppressors and thrown into abjection, yet
that ignominy finally became eternal glory. Thou must show the utmost love
and kindness towards the heedless ones and the oppressors and ask from God
forgiveness and pardon for them, for they are ignorant. If they
understood, they would not oppress; nay, rather would they arise (to serve
the Cause) with faithfulness.”
Announce, also, respectful greeting from me to Mrs. ........ and Mrs.
........ and say, “The sons of the Kingdom are scattered throughout the
whole world, but the ignorant Pharisees have arisen with the utmost hatred
instigating persecutions. They imagine that persecution and suffering will
hinder the promulgation of the Cause; whereas no rampart is able to
obstruct the descent of the waves of the Most Great Sea; no veil can
conceal the rays of the Sun of Truth; no wall can stay the wafting of the
Divine Breeze; and no power is able to resist the Spirit of God. Be ye not
sad nor dejected on account of the disturbance and uproar of the people of
desire and passion. Ere long the symphony of the Kingdom shall silence all
the other noises. Rest ye assured and illumine your house with the lights
of divine commemoration.”
Give my greeting to Mr. ........ and announce to him, “Caiaphas and Annas
were the colossal pillars of the Mosaic Dispensation in the day of His
Highness the Spirit; but as they did not acknowledge the Word of God, they
fell from the apex of glory to the bottom of the pit of the greatest
abasement. But Peter was a catcher of fish; as he turned his face toward
the Word of God, the fame of his imperishable, deathless and immortal
glory encircled East and West; and he found in the sovereignty of the
Kingdom, eternal and everlasting majesty. It is the same in these days.”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was read with the utmost attention. The poetry was beautiful.
Praise be to God, thou art severed from all else save the Heavenly Father.
Thou hast been of the earth—thou art now of the Kingdom. Thou hast been of
the world—thou art now of the Realm of Might. Thou art spreading the
divine Teachings. Thank thou God, thou art bearing trials in the path of
the Kingdom and art enduring persecutions and sufferings. These
afflictions are conducive to the spiritual development and the descent of
the Holy Spirit.
O thou dear maid-servant of God! I supplicate God that He suffer thee to
become a herald of the Kingdom in all those places, so that thou mayest
proclaim the glad-tidings of the Lord of Hosts.
“O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom...”
O thou beloved and benevolent daughter of the Kingdom of God!
The letter which thou hast written was received. I read it with the utmost
love; thy services became known and thy forbearance in the afflictions
became evident and manifest. Happy is thy condition, for thou art spending
thy days in heralding the Kingdom and art crying, “O ye concourse of men!
Make ye straight the path; walk ye in the direct road!” Thou hast
abandoned ease and accepted thousands of hardships and traveled for the
purpose of promoting the Word of God.
Convey on my behalf love to Mrs. ........ and say, “Praise be to God, thou
art set aglow with the fire of the Love of God and hast arisen in the
service of the Cause of God.”
Announce my affection to the maid-servant, ....... and say, “Thank thou
God that thou hast become related to the Kingdom and art an object of the
favors of the Lord of Might.”
Gladden the heart of Mrs. ........ by the divine glad-tidings and say, “Be
thou like unto a bird and unweariedly soar upward until thou reachest the
Supreme Apex.”
Say thou to Mr. ........, “When engaged in useless service the end is loss
within loss. Therefore, serve thou the Lord of the Kingdom, which in the
end is profit within profit.”
Announce my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and her daughter and say,
“Thank ye God that ye have illumined faces with the light of Guidance and
ye have perfumed the nostrils with the holy fragrances of the rose-garden
of the Kingdom of ABHA.”
Proclaim the glad-tidings of the bounty of the Almighty to Mrs. ........
and deliver my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and say, “In the
churches turn thy face toward the Kingdom of ABHA and supplicate the help
of the Holy Spirit, and, with a detached heart, begin to talk.”
Convey respectful greeting to Mr. and Mrs. ......... and say, “Be ye
thankful to God that your house became the nest of the birds of the divine
garden and the shelter of the flocks of heaven. They sit together, read
the holy Tablets, are engage din the commemoration of the True One and
strive and endeavor to promote the Word of God.”
O thou maid-servant of God, Mrs. ..........! Regarding the star with five
points, thou hast made an excellent comparison.
O thou maid-servant of God! If it is possible, change the meeting of every
nineteen days into a feast. ***
O thou maid-servant of God! Those fishes which thou hast seen in the
vision are the souls who are swimming in the sea of this nether world. God
willing, thou wilt bring them out of the nether world, with the net of the
love of God, into the immensity of the kingdom. Those brilliant stars
which thou hast beheld are the children of the Kingdom. That brilliant
crescent is the Cause of God. The appearance of His Highness Christ and
His white robe and resplendent light in His blessed face is the proof of
the power and the promulgation of the Word of God in America.
Therefore, it is the same thing which I said: “The night is drawing nigh
and then no one can work.” Consequently, one must hasten to perform
something and show forth exertion.
“Thy letter was received. It became conducive to...”
(108) Thy letter was received. It became conducive to happiness. Up to the
present thou hast been serving in the Kingdom of God and hast been
assisted. I hope that, in the future, thou wilt become assisted more and
serve more. Praise be to God! Thou art watched by the glances of
Providence and art encircled with endless bounties. I hope that, day by
day, thou mayest step further, become characterized with a godlike nature
and disposition, manner and morals, in order that thou mayest become the
cause of the guidance of many souls and the instrument for the
illumination of a region.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
The letter, which thou hast forwarded through Mrs. ........ was received.
Thank thou God that thou art assisted in the thralldom of His Threshold,
art favored in the Kingdom, art heralding the Name of the True One, art
speaking of divine praises, art guiding the souls to the Sun of Truth, art
quickening the dead with the breaths of the Holy Spirit and art
endeavoring with heart and soul to spread the Cause.
Thou hast Mrs. ........ as thy partner and sharer, co-operating with each
other to serve, and hast lied in her house.
Show thou forth love to Mrs. ........ and convey to her greetings on my
behalf. Associate with her and seek her companionship as far as possible,
for it is conducive to the development of you both.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Verily, I received thy letter, which showed that thou hast turned unto the
Kingdom of God and advanced toward the Beauty of El-ABHA.
Verily, thy Lord hath chosen thee for His love, elected thee for His
knowledge and selected thee for entering the Paradise of El-ABHA, so that
thou mayest attain to the mightiest bliss and greatest honor: It is no
other than the Light which is shining upon hearts and sights and the
Spirit which is thrilling and flowing within veins and nerves!
Verily, thou hast attained thereto, for thou hast acknowledged the Oneness
of God and His Singleness, and turned unto His Face, the lights of which
are shining from the horizon of the unseen, upon all regions!
“O thou who art attracted to the Call of the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Call of the Kingdom!
Thy letter was presented and I was informed of thy expression. And it was
glorious proof of thine abundant reliance upon the Kingdom of thy Lord and
of thine excessive love for thy great Master.
Know thou, verily, the Kingdom is a magnet of the divine world, and it
attracteth the iron of pure hearts which are capable of the bounties of
the Lord of Might. Blessed art thou, for thou hast turned unto the Lord of
Heaven, thy heart hath relied upon the light of guidance, thou hast
advanced toward the center of righteousness, and thy spirit is cheered by
the bounty of the Supreme Concourse.
Verily, I beseech God to strengthen thee with the Most Great Power, so
that the Spirit may pour upon thee the teachings of the Beauty of El-ABHA,
and to baptize thee with the water of life, the fire of the love of God
and with the spirit of confirmation among the maid-servants.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to supplicate to thy
Lord, to seek His nearness with thy heart, to be submissive and humble
before His maid-servants and to serve His great vineyard.
Forsake the mortal grades (i.e., things of the world) and be engaged in
praising thy Lord; so that His Holy Spirit may assist thee; may make thee
a sign of faith and illumine thy heart with the light of assurance, and
that thou mayest become a sign of peace, a servant of reconciliation, love
and security. Verily, my Merciful Lord is gracious under all aspects!
As to thy question concerning Christ: Know thou, He was perfect in respect
to spirit as well as body. His material (body) was a perfect body in every
respect; none of His material conditions were imperfect at all, inasmuch
as imperfection is contrary to perfection. His heavenly condition was also
a perfect one, comprising all the divine perfections. Reflect thou upon
these words, so that the door of knowledge may be opened before thy face.
Verily, I beseech God to strengthen the assured leaves (or women) whom
thou hast mentioned in thy letter, under all grades, aspects and
circumstances.
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter came and I was informed of its wonderful contents. Know thou,
verily, all the doors are closed except the door of the kingdom of God!
All the trees are without fruit except the Tree of Life planted in the
paradise of God! All the winds are disqueting to the souls except the cup
of the love of God! Every benefit vanisheth except the food of heaven. It
is incumbent upon thee to partake thereof.
Verily, I beg of God to strengthen thee in these divine gifts, merciful
bestowals and supreme favors. Exert thyself, so that thou mayest
abundantly enjoy this glorious grace.
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!(109)
This is a servant who hath ascended to the Kingdom of Thy Mercifulness;
supplicated to the realm of Thy Might and Singleness; is rejoiced at the
appearance of Thy Kingdom; the effulgence of Thy lights and the spread of
Thy signs. He hath believed in Thy Verses, been overtaken with the ecstasy
of Thy love and with the cheer of Thy affection, until his soul craved to
behold Thy Beauty—and could not (or was unable to) endure the grief and
violence of the fire of separation, hastened unto the Supreme Friend and
betook himself to Thy Threshold of Holiness at the visiting places of
grandeur!
O my Lord! Suffer him to abide in a blessed abode and cause him to enter
into a retreat of faithfulness and favor him to everlastingly dwell in the
heavenly paradise, the precinct of meeting in the shelter of Thy great
mercy!
Verily, thou art the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Powerful, the
Forgiving, the Mighty, the Bestower!
“O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!...”
O thou who art honorable and faithful to God!
How many men and women awaited the manifestation of the Messiah after
Moses? Yet when His beauty shone forth and His face appeared, they (the
people) did not recognize Him, but continued to follow the superstitions
of the Pharisees, who used to say: “Where is the authority of the Messiah?
Where is the throne of David, the Glorious? Where is his iron rod? Where
are his innumerable hosts? Where are his attacking armies? Where are his
angels of heaven? Where do we see justice of government existing among
people and even among beasts and insects? Where is his great majesty?
Where is his power, which shaketh heaven and earth? Is not this a claim of
one who is bewildered and wandering amidst valleys and hills? Doth he not
ride upon as ass, while on his head there is a crown of thorns and he is
despised?”
Indeed, all of the foregoing statements are of the evil opinions which the
Pharisees used to proclaim through every man’s tongue. But those who had
listening ears and clear insight, listened not to such misleading
speeches, but realized the Messiah as the rising Sun with His effulgent
face, and that the radiance of His illumination was diffused over the
whole world. They regarded even the ass on which He (Christ) was mounted
as a splendid throne and also the thorns which were upon His head as a
brilliant diadem!
Verily, direct thou thine own self towards His Kingdom, that thou mayest
perceive that His traces and authority continue forever and will never
cease!
“O thou whose heart is empty and pure through the...”
O thou whose heart is empty and pure through the Light of the word of God
shining therein!
I have read thy brilliant letter which proveth thy humbleness before the
Divine Might and thy cheerfulness by the fragrances of God emanating from
the gardens of expressions and facts. I ask God to make thee, thy
relations and kindred attentive to the Merciful Mighty and the Supreme
Kingdom and to illumine their sights and hearts by the light of the
knowledge of God. And [be] thou rejoiced at the mercy of thy Lord and this
great abundance from the Kingdom of Mysteries. Be thou a strong and
fortified refuge and a high cave. This is naught else than to cut thyself
from everything beside God, to be drawn by the fragrances of God and to be
happy and joyful by the gift of God.
“O thou who art shining with the Kingdom’s Lights!...”
O thou who art shining with the Kingdom’s Lights!
Verily, I am informed of thine earnest desire for the Kingdom of God, thy
sparkling by the love of God and thy longing for the service of the sacred
and effulgent Threshold. I pray God to kindle and light the lamp of
knowledge in the glass of thy heart, so that it may shine upon all parts
of the world and bring thy husband to the life by the Spirit of Life,
assist thee to announce the good news by the illuminating Light, and
remove the covering of thy sight so that thou mayest see God’s Beauty and
His Essential Perfection, His astonishing profusion and His appearance to
the hearts and spirits. ***
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy letter *** was received; its contents were very sweet. The sweetness
of the meanings was unlimited. I ask God that thou mayest find rest and
comfort in the shelter of the holy Banner of Peace and Concord; become the
means of spreading the love of God; attain boundless health and security;
grow joyfully, day by day, through the glad-tidings; soar on high through
ecstasy and delight; sings the melody and proclaim the call, “Ya
Baha-ul-ABHA!”
O maid-servant of God! That call to which thou didst listen is from the
Kingdom of ABHA. Therefore, praise and glorify the Possessor of that Call,
so that the call may be repeated.
As to the interpretation of the vision, it is thus: Ascent from earth to
heaven indicateth growth in the love of God and development in the
knowledge of God. The more thou dost develop, the brighter and more
spacious becometh the pathway to the Kingdom. The building in front of
which thou didst stand is an edifice of divine edifices, a station of the
spiritual stations. I hope that thou mayest attain to that station, also
to other stations which are the other edifices.
I supplicate and implore the Kingdom of ABHA in behalf of thine honored
husband and all the family and the friends in Cincinnati. I pray that the
heavenly blessings may descend, the divine bounties become possible and
that thou mayest become a true caller of the Word of God.
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom of the Lord, the...”
O thou who art turned to the Kingdom of the Lord, the Forgiving!
With prayers and supplications and with submissive songs of the Texts of
God, I plead to Him to accept thee in His Kingdom; to clothe thee with the
mantle of sanctity; to gloriously cover thee with the veil of abstinence;
to illumine thy brow with the light of singleness; to console thine eyes
with the seeing of the Texts of the Kingdom in the human form; and to make
thee utter the mentioning of Him, rejoicing through His bounty, heralding
His Kingdom with a bright face, whose light will illumine all sides
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
It is incumbent upon thee to turn thyself wholly to the kingdom of God, to
sever thyself from aught else but Him, to be filled by the love of God, to
put on the garment of sanctity and continence, which is free from
worldliness, to [become] transfigured in the mantle of the gifts of the
kingdom of God and to be a great sign among the maid-servants of God; that
the Supreme Concourse may send out through thee a fragrance by which
hearts may be cheered and spirits rested.
Give this Truth to every pliable soul that thou mayest deem ready to
harken unto the voice of God; for this is better unto thee than the earth
and that which is thereupon.
“O thou who art longing to witness the lights from the...”
O thou who art longing to witness the lights from the Beauty of El-ABHA!
Thy letter reached me at this moment and I was rejoiced at thine excellent
words which proved the enkindlement of the fire of the love of God in thy
heart. Be confident in the bounty of thy Lord. Verily He will make thee a
manifest example and an evident proof for the attainment of His Kingdom in
this glorious century. Then the fire of His love will flame in thy heart,
the light of His knowledge will shine in thy face, thy tongue will speak
with eloquent explanation and thy spirit will be attracted unto the
kingdom of knowledge.
O maid-servant of God! The Spirit knoweth the spirit, the Spirit
addresseth the spirit and the Spirit associateth with the spirit.***
“O thou spiritual clarion!...”
O thou spiritual clarion!
The voice of the physical clarion may travel the distance of three miles,
but the harmony of the spiritual Clarion reacheth to the East and the
West. The effect of that is only in the bodies; but the effect of this is
in the spirits. The first proclaimeth the time of prayer; the second
announceth the appearance of the Most Great Resurrection. That hath no
conscious knowledge of its own voice; while this is exhilarated and
rejoiced by its own melody.
How significant and eloquent were those new verses, for they were the
notes of the clarion of the love of God.
Raise thou this call as much as thou canst, and sound and blow this
clarion continually night and day, so that the souls may become quickened
and the people find eternal life.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written hath caused joy and happiness, for it was an
evidence of turning to the Kingdom and of seeking the bounty of heaven. I
ask God to provide means whereby that which is thy utmost hope may be
realized.
Concerning the young Japanese, the answer to his letter is enclosed
herein. Perchance this youth may be the cause of guiding his family and
people.***
“O thou flower of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou flower of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!
The letter which thou hast written was read. Thou hast written regarding
the arrival of the beloved maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........; that she
has lived for eighteen days in your house and become the cause of joy and
fragrance among the believers.
Praise be to God! that thou hast seen the effulgence of the light of the
covenant which hath enlightened all the countries. Invoke thou God that
day by day the splendors of the Orb of regions may become manifest and
evident more and more.
Thou hast asked for permission to present thyself with thy dear husband in
this Blessed Spot. In these days it is not according to wisdom. Postpone
this matter until some other time.
Convey greeting and kindnesses on my behalf to all the maid-servants of
the True One.
“O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Blessed art thou, for thy letter was presented at the Blessed Spot and was
read by Abdul-Baha with a delight and love which is journeying out towards
all directions.
O servant of God! Be thou a sign of guidance, a standard of the Supreme
Concourse and a light shining in the meeting of the maid-servants.
Verily, I beseech my Lord to grant thee thy greatest wishes and to bestow
on thee the privilege of entering into the center of the Kingdom of God;
and to make thee a herald in His name, in that vast and extensive region.
Deliver my greeting and praise to all the maid-servants of God.
“O thou dazzling gem by the light of the Love of God!...”
O thou dazzling gem by the light of the Love of God!
Verily I read thy beautiful, elegant and expressive letter which informed
[me] of thine extreme love for God, which (love) impresseth the souls and
dilateth the breasts and which causeth thy heart to become filled with the
knowledge of God and overflow with the favor of God.
I ask God to make thee a sign of mercy and an exemplar of servitude to the
Sublime Threshold.
Thank God for saving thee from baseness, trouble, selfishness and death,
and [that He] took away the veil from before thine eyes, manifested unto
thee the Beauty of El-ABHA, granted thee healing, planted in thy heart the
seed of love and thereby chose thee from among the maid-servants.
Therefore, endeavor so that thou dedicate (thyself) entirely to God; no
thought or mention should remain in thee save the name of thy Supreme
Lord. Endeavor so that those countries become illumined by the light of
the gift of God.
Embrace the light of thine eyes (thy son) on my behalf in the Kingdom of
God.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and its content read. Thank God that thou wast
guided by the light of guidance and attracted to the Kingdom of ABHA.
Serve God day and night and seek happiness from His name. Although thou
hast met with many difficulties and passed through many trials, yet thou
must thank God that thou didst attain to the light of guidance and
directed thyself to the Kingdom of Glory.
I hope that thou mayest be a cause of guidance to people and that thou
mayest seek absolute spirituality. Train thy dear son in such a manner
that he will attain the illumination of the Kingdom, will become a true
servant of God, a light of love and a radiance of harmony.
“O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Thank thou thy revered friend and thy attracted (spiritual) sister who
hath guided thee to this right path and given thee to drink the choice
wine of knowledge from the cheerful cup. Wert thou duly informed of this
divine bounty, thou wouldst kneel down and prostrate thyself before her
for this great gift. For, verily, thou wert athirst and she was a clear
running fountain. Thank thou God for that He hath favored thee with her
meeting, that thou art benefited by her clouds and sought light from her
lamp. Wert thou to expend all that is in the earth, thou wouldst not
appreciate her due value. Glorified is He who hath enabled her to illumine
thine insight, to purify thy heart, to dilate thy breast and to sanctify
thy soul!
Then know thou, if thy revered husband herald the Kingdom of God among
peoples, he would find the doors of the Kingdom open before his face among
the nations, and then his breath would take effect within the heart of the
world through the breath of the Holy Spirit.
I beg of God to guide him unto that whereunto He hath guided thee, and to
favor him with that with which He hath favored thee. At that time the
lamps of gifts will be enkindled among thy kinsmen and people.
Verily, thy Lord is the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Giver!
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
VOLUME II: PP. 239–484
Frontispiece
Tablets
of
Abdul-Baha Abbas
Volume II
Published by
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING SOCIETY
P. O. Box 283
CHICAGO, U. S. A.
First edition: Published at Chicago, May 1915
Second edition: Published at Chicago, February 1919
“It is hoped that wonderful effects will be displayed...”
“It is hoped that wonderful effects will be displayed in the future, that
the friends of God may live and act in accord with the heavenly teachings,
in order that the region of America may become the Paradise of Abha, that
desert and wilderness become the rose-garden of human perfections, the
verses of guidance be read, the melody of “Ya Baha El-Abha!” reach the
Kingdom of Beauty; warfare and bloodshed be removed from among the people,
affinity and love hoist their tent upon the apex of the world, and all
mankind become real friends with one another and each soul respect the
other. Whenever these signs appear, then it will become manifest that the
Tablets have had their effect.”
“Abdul-Baha Abbas...”
Abdul-Baha Abbas
“O thou who art attracted by a Breath that passed upon...”
O thou who art attracted by a Breath that passed upon thee from the Holy
Garden, the Blessed Spot—the Paradise of El-Abha!
I have read thy brilliant letter, which although short in words yet [is]
loquacious, and shows thy firmness in the Covenant of God, thy
steadfastness in the religion of God, thy adherence to the laws of God,
and thine energy which thou hast shown towards the doctrines of God. Thou
has done well. Thou has done well, O thou shining star in the Horizon of
El-Abha! Well done! Well done! O thou burning candle in the glass of that
remote country!
It hath been reported by ..... that thou hast rendered valuable services
to the vineyard of God and His beloved servants, that thou art encouraging
the shaking hearts and making them more firm and solid, and about the
facilitations thou hast made for the promotion of the utterances of God
amongst the people. By the Life of God! the angels of heaven magnify thee,
the Supreme Concourse praise thee, the party of the Kingdom of El-Abha
announce to thee the glad-tidings and the hosts of the unseen assist thee
and render thee victorious through the banners of Baha.
I have answered the two supplications sent through thee by two newly
guided servants.
“O thou honorable lady!...”
O thou honorable lady!
Verily, I received thy excellent letter and read it and my heart was
gladdened with its content, which shows thy guidance. Thou hast—praise be
unto God!—entered under the shadow of the Kingdom of God and become one of
the sheep of God; [entered] under the education of the Holy Shepherd, who
hath sacrificed His soul and body, as well as His grades, to His subjects.
As to the letters which thou hast sent, I forward to thee their answers
through this letter and thou wilt send them to the owners; thereby thou
wilt be rewarded in the Kingdom of God, since thou hast guided those souls
unto the Right Path, and caused them to enter the Kingdom of God. El-Baha
be upon thee!
“O thou who art advancing towards God!...”
O thou who art advancing towards God!
I have already read thy letter sent to his honor, ..... May God confirm
and strengthen thee to serve His Cause and to enable thee to speak His
praise among the maid-servants of the Merciful, and to call out in His
name in those regions and climes; so that thou mayest work in the vineyard
of God with thy heart severed from aught else save God, and overflowing
with the waters of the knowledge of God.
We have herewith written answers to the three supplications which thou
hast sent.
Rejoice at the glad-tidings of God, in this day wherein the fragrances of
holiness have perfumed the nostrils of all in the universe!
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
I was informed of the contents of thy letter and rejoiced with the
fragrances which are being diffused from the garden of its texts. It
showed that thou art inebriated with the wine of the love of God and moved
by the breezes of acceptance which are blowing from the point of the favor
of God.
By my life, I was rejoiced at thy humility, submissiveness, lowliness and
meekness in the Cause of God, inasmuch as rendering service to the
maid-servants of God is a mighty crown, which all the greatest queens
among women will glory to wear.
O maid-servant of God! thou oughtest to pray; thou oughtest to be
suppliant; thou oughtest to be humble in every time and moment.
I beg of God to enable thee to serve Him in His glorious vineyard, and in
His garden, by the holy fragrances of which all regions are perfumed in
this great day.
As to thy coming to this land, there is no harm in that. Thou art
permitted to come and this is an ample reward unto thee.
“O thou believer in God!...”
O thou believer in God!
Thy letter was received and from its contents happiness was realized. It
was a proof of faith and assurance and of firmness in the Covenant and
Testament.
Desire thou through the bounty and mercy of the Lord of Might that He make
thee a cause of spreading the fragrances of God and confirm thee in the
service of the Kingdom of God.
The letter of Mrs. ........ was considered and for thy sake a letter was
written her. It is enclosed.
I pray God and supplicate the Threshold of Mercy for both of you that you
may attain to that which is the will of God and may be aided and
strengthened (while) in this mortal world.
There is much work and I have not the leisure to write more than this.
“O thou who has turned towards the Lights of the...”
O thou who has turned towards the Lights of the Alliance!
Verily, I greet thee from the White Place, the bright, blessed Holy Land,
and say: “Greeting and praise and blessings and glory be upon thee, O thou
believer in God, and (O thou) enkindled by the fire of the love of God!
“Verily, the Lord of Hosts shall watch thee with the gaze of the eye of
favor and shall assist thee in a matter whereby thy breast shall rejoice
and thine eye shall brighten and thine affairs shall be arranged and
composed from all directions.”
Therefore, thou wilt call and say: “Blessing be upon me for this great
favor and for this manifest success!”
“O thou who art directed unto God!...”
O thou who art directed unto God!
Verily, I saw thy photograph and was rejoiced by perceiving thy illumined
likeness, which proved the purity of thy heart and thy being well directed
unto God.
Strive with thy power to paint thy likeness on the pages of the hearts
with such beauty as to brighten the minds. That beauty is the splendor of
the Merciful and the glad-tidings of thy Lord, the Clement, whereby the
faces shine with an eternal light in the course of ages and centuries.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
In these times thanksgiving for the bounty of the Merciful One consists in
the illumination of the heart and the feeling of the soul. This is the
reality of thanksgiving. But, although offering thanks through speech or
writings is approvable, yet, in comparison with that, it is but unreal,
for the foundation is spiritual feelings and merciful sentiments. I hope
that you may be favored therewith. But the lack of capacity and merit in
the Day of Judgment does not prevent one from bounty and generosity, for
it is the day of grace and not justice, and to give every one his due is
justice. Consequently, do not look upon thy capacity, nay, rather, look
upon the infinite grace of the Bounty of Abha who grace is comprehending
and whose bounty is perfect.
I beg of God through the confirmation and assistance of the True One thou
mayest show the utmost eloquence, fluency, ability and skill in teaching
the real significances of the Bible. Turn toward the Kingdom of Abha and
seek the bounty of the Holy Spirit. Loosen the tongue and the confirmation
of the Spirit shall reach thee.
As to that great Sun which thou sawest in a dream: That is His Holiness
the Promised One and the lights thereof are His bounties. The surface of
the water is transparent body—that is, pure hearts. Its waves are the
moving of the hearts, the cheering of the souls—that is, spiritual
feelings and merciful sentiments. Thank tho God for that thou hast had
such a revelation in the world of dreams.
As to the fact that man must entirely forget himself, by this is meant
that he should arise in the mystery of sacrifice and that is the
disappearance of mortal sentiments and extinction of blamable morals which
constitute the temporal gloom, and not that the physical health should be
changed into weakness and debility.
I humbly supplicate to the Threshold of Oneness that heavenly blessings
and merciful forgiveness may overtake thy dear mother, sisters and loving
relations, especially thy betrothed who suddenly departed from this world
to the next one.
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
O thou seeker of the Kingdom!
Thou hast forwarded thy photograph and it was considered. In thy face a
brilliant light is apparent and that sparkling light is the love of God.
All faces are dark except the face which is a mirror of the light of the
love of divinity. This light is not accidental—it is eternal. It is not
temporal but real. When the heart hath become clear and pure then the face
will become illuminated, because the face is the mirror of the heart.
I was indeed very happy to look at thy picture and pray God that thy face
may become shining. Be happy and joyful and in this Age be it illuminated
and full of light.
“O thou kind maid-servant of God!...”
O thou kind maid-servant of God!
Truly, I say, thou art worthy of the service in the Kingdom and art
meriting to be a maid-servant in the threshold of the love of the realm of
Might. Rest thou assured upon the bounty and favors of the Lord of Hosts,
who will undoubtedly confirm thee.
Restrict all thy time to the spreading of the fragrances of God and be
thou engaged in the guidance of souls. I associate with thee in spirit at
all times and am thy friend and helper.
Ere long thou shalt behold that innumerable centers are going to be
organised in America(110) for the purpose of the promotion of the Cause of
God and hearing the speeches of the maid-servants of the Merciful and the
believers of God. Consider thou the days of Christ, how they were a very
few, yet in a short space of time they caused a clamor and acclamation
throughout all regions.
Convey my greetings to Mrs. ........ and say: “These seeds which are
scattered here and there are spreading strong roots in the bosom of the
earth and these will develop and grow until many harvests are gathered.
Rest thou assured.”
O thou maid-servant of God! Show thou the utmost affection and love toward
Mrs. ........ Truly, I say, his honor Mirza ........ is beloved and kind.
Ere long he shall behold the universal confirmation descending upon him.
O thou maid-servant of God! Strive thou in Buffalo (N.Y.) so that perfect
and lasting spiritual assemblies may be established and the souls be
trained and progress spiritually.
Convey my respectful greetings to Mr. and Mrs. ........ and say: “A most
great gift is prepared and made ready for you in the universe of the
Kingdom and the invisible realm. Display ye an endeavor and show ye an
effort, so that ye may attain to it and become eternal and everlasting.”
Exercise the utmost affection on my part to Miss ........ and say: “If
thou art seeking a heavenly palace, make thy house the gathering-place of
the friends of God.”
O thou maid-servant of God! Praise be to God that thou has become famous
throughout the regions as a Bahai. This favor is worthy of the utmost
thanks and praise.
O thou maid-servant of God! Whenever thou art intending to deliver a
speech, turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Abha and, with a heart
detached, begin to talk. The breaths of the Holy Spirit will assist thee.
Assist thou Dr. ........ and help her all the time. Perchance, God
willing, she may attain to guidance. Exercise the utmost kindness to
........ and say: “Whatsoever is thy desire is found in the Cause of
Baha’o’llah. If thou art asking confirmation and assistance, be thou
faithful, firm and steadfast.”
“O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which was sent to us, and I noted its contents,
wherein thou prayest for confirmation to serve thy Lord. I pray God to
bless thee and aid thee to receive His trusts, so that thou mayest receive
the greatest favor in the world of humanity.
O maid-servant of God! Forget all else save God, be in communion with Him,
supplicate and pray to Him to make thee conqueror over the material
things, impressed by the bounties of the Kingdom, commemorating the name
of thy Lord, pure from all else save Him, and imbued with the spiritual
attributes of those who are holy (and high); then shall thy breaths have
effect upon the hearts, and attract the hearts of thy son and husband unto
the Kingdom of God.
I pray god to confirm thee in this, to make firm thy heart in faith, and
give thee a spiritual power, effective in hearts and spirits.
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire burning in the...”
O thou who art set aglow with the Fire burning in the Tree of Sinai!
Verily, I read thy letter, which speaks of the throbbing of thy heart by
the thoughts of the love of God and indicates the unity of the
maid-servants of the Merciful, their harmony in the word of God, and their
attraction by the fragrances of God, for they are the waves of one sea,
the leaves of one tree, and the flowers of one garden. By these tidings
the heart of Abdul-Baha was made happy and he attained thereby fragrance
and spirituality.
For the Greatest Name and the Ancient Beauty(111)—may my soul be a
sacrifice to His beloved—endured all difficulty and ordeals for the
purpose of uniting the hearts of the beloved of God; that they might be
exhilarated through the wine of unity and proclaim with one voice:
“Hasten to love, to love, O peoples of the world!
Hasten to harmony, to harmony, O creatures of the universe!
Hasten to peace, to peace, O mankind!
Hasten to safety, to safety, O concourse of the Divine!
Hasten to concord, to concord, O hosts of the Merciful!
Hasten to oneness, to oneness, O people of El-Baha, among the people!”
I ask God to aid you in spreading these fragrances, and in reading these
words in the supreme assemblages and great meetings.
Convey my spiritual greeting to thy honored sister. I ask God to confirm
the weak and to make them mighty in the kingdom of His Majesty. I pray God
to guide thy honorable husband to the Path of the Kingdom, the sublime,
and to aid thee in the service of His Cause in His glorious vineyard.***
“O thou who has advanced towards Baha’!...”
O thou who has advanced towards Baha’!
Truly, I say unto thee, wert thou to spend all that is on earth, thou
couldst not obtain this gift which God hath strengthened thee to take
freely. Lo! it is the guidance of God and it is being attracted to the
Beauty of El-Baha! Thank God for this gift, which is the most wonderful
jewel which is glittering on the crown of great glory and honorable
position.
“O thou who art anticipating the descent of the Gift of...”
O thou who art anticipating the descent of the Gift of God!
The sweetness of the expressions contained in thy words reached the taste
of my perception and I was informed of the glorious aim embodied in thy
sentences.
No doubt the breeze of God hath awakened thee from thy sleep, until thou
hast become conscious of the bounties of the Kingdom which are descending
at this time.
As to thy desire to be severed from this mortal life and thy great
attraction to the eternal life: This is becoming to every discerning human
being who hath a lofty character. I pray God to ordain for thee this pure
life and make thy heart attracted unto exalted grades, favored in His
Supreme Kingdom, humble and meek before every penitent servant and
diffusing the fragrance of God in this new age.
“O thou shining ray!...”
O thou shining ray!
Verily, the ray, being transmitted from the etheric sphere, rends the
space and reaches the surface of the earth and dispels the gloomy
darkness. Verily, be thou one of the rays of the Sun of Truth and then
thou wilt cause the darkness of error to disappear and wilt change its
intense obscurity into a discovering light which will guide (the people)
unto the Kingdom of God.
“O thou effulgence of the Kingdom!...”
O thou effulgence of the Kingdom!
I read thy letter and was informed of thy speech, the contents of which
were full of the feelings within thy consciousness, and of thy spiritual
sympathies. The light is divided into two kinds, material and spiritual.
The material light is a vanishing matter and is known by etheric
vibrations. But the spiritual light is the divine, eternal and
never-ending quality and is a truth of the Kingdom. Blessed is thy face
for that it hath taken a portion and a radiance from that Light.
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
O thou candle of the Love of God!
The light of man depends on the light of the love of God. Thank thou God,
for thou hast illuminated thy face with this light and hast partaken of
the bounty of the Kingdom of El-Abha, chanted the verses of unity and worn
the crown of guidance of the Glorious Lord on thy head. This is the real
Kingdom!
“O thou who art desirous of the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art desirous of the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was the cause of happiness and its contents were the proof of
thy turning to the Shining Beauty. In this blessed period, when the light
of the endless bounties is illuminating the dark world, some souls, like
the butterfly, circled round the Divine Lamp and with perfect yearning
sacrificed their lives.
I ask of God that thou mayest be one of those souls, so that the rays of
knowledge will shine forth from thy face to those regions and will be the
cause of guiding the seekers of Reality.
Though thou wert obliged to leave Baltimore, I hope that thou wilt be the
cause of guidance in Washington (D.C.). Receive proofs and evidence from
Mirza Abul Fazl(112) so that thou wilt be armed with convincing proofs and
sufficient argument to break down the ranks of denial, pride and
ignorance.
“O tho dear friend!...”
O thou dear friend!
The maid-servant of God ........ hath remembered thee in her letter and
hath thus made my heart busy with thy thought. Consider how much she must
care for thee to have remembered thee in such a place. Indeed, this is
great love and I am hopeful that this may be a confirmation to thee, so
that thou mayest become a personage of the Kingdom, heavenly, illumined
and spiritual and a means of spreading and exemplifying the qualities and
attributes of God.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
The letter of that divine maid-servant was received and contents were
apprehended. The morn of guidance is beaming forth from the supreme
horizon and the light of oneness is shining on the supreme apex. The
verses of unity are being chanted and the evidences of the Glorious Lord
are in themselves the greatest witness and proof.
I beg of God that thou mayest be so replenished with the spirit of the
love of God that there may not remain (in thee) any place or access for
the winds of tests. For what can dark doubts do with the light of
guidance, or clouds with the shining moon? Tests and trials only cause
agitation to weak hearts. But the pure souls, a hundred thousand tests are
but to them like mirage, imagination and shadow. The shadow cannot
withstand the rays of the sun and pure fragrances of holiness will not be
concealed through the doubts of the beetle. The headache of wavering (or
hesitancy) will not affect those exhilarated with the wine of the love of
God.
In sooth, there will be found in those regions certain persons like the
Pharisees of the time of Christ, who, night and day, will exert themselves
with all heart and soul to cast forth doubts, in order that they may
deprive the souls of the glad-tidings of the Holy Spirit. They will
disseminate false rumors and utter many a calumny and will publish and
announce (false) stories. They will undertake all these only for the sake
of earthly vanities.
And some Pharisees among the missionaries of the Gospel will hasten
thither from Persia and say, “We are aware of the secret of the matter.”
All they may say is sheer slander.
Now know you these [things], that in its time you may dispel and
annihilate the darkness of those suspicions, like unto a manifest light. I
beg of God that He may grant thee a power that thou mayest resist all in
the earth—how much more these weak, hired individuals who receive salary
and bribe for spreading such calumnies!
Be ye admonished, O possessors of understanding!
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Your letter was received. Its contents were a glorious proof that thy
heart and soul are attracted to the fragrances of the Merciful One. Thank
thou God for that thou art awakened by such a Breeze and quickened by such
a Spirit and hast found joy and fragrance.
Those souls who have attained to faith, if they be protected and preserved
from tests and keep firm and steadfast, the divine confirmations will
surround them from all directions.***
I beg of God that thou wilt be confirmed with the love of God in all
conditions. I beg of God that thou mayest be so assisted in serving the
Holy Threshold that all thy family will be astonished and amazed, and will
glory and honor.
“O ye shining Assembly!...”
O ye shining Assembly!(113)
The meeting that you organized hath attracted the divine gaze and the
subject of your conversation was the divine commemoration. A ray from the
Kingdom of Abha fell upon that assemblage and that meeting was adorned,
and a number of souls, supplicants to God, were gathered in that meeting.
If this assembly continues as it is befitting and behooving, great results
will thereby appear and conduce to the illumination of those parts,
spiritual progress will ensue, the lights of the Sun of Truth will shine,
hearts will be illumined, eyes will become seeing, ears become hearing,
the lukewarm (or withdrawn ones) become aflame, the inanimate (or numbed
ones) will be enkindled in soul and an ecstasy will come to all by which
those present will be astonished.
I supplicate to and invoke before the Threshold of Oneness, saying:
“O Thou Creator! Preserve and protect Thou that assembly from grave (or
general) tests and keep them firm and constant in the Covenant and
Testament. Confer upon them such steadfastness as will enable them to
withstand doubts and root our the foundation of calumnious rumors; for
some person hath appeared (or arisen) with the utmost falsehood, in those
parts, and publisheth false reports in some newspapers.”
“O ye members of the shining assembly! Each one...”
O ye members of the shining assembly! Each one of you must resist doubts
(or false rumors) in those parts like unto a great barrier, until the
invisible confirmations may appear and merciful assistance may become
manifest. May your souls be cheered!
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy letter of thanksgiving to God, for He hath illumined
thy heart with the light of the Mightiest Guidance, dilated thy breast
through the fragrance of the garden of His Kingdom, the Abha, caused thee
to speak His praise in that remote and extensive country, and hath enabled
thee to guide souls who are attracted to the beauty of God and enkindled
by the fire of His Love at this moment.
By the Lord of Hosts, God hath ordained for no one greater good than this,
or any spirit more brilliance than this, or any spirit more activity than
this.
Were the dominions of the whole, entire earth to be thine, it would not
equal this great dominion which is no other than spreading the guidance of
God. Forasmuch as the earthly dominion is like unto the kingdom of Edward
VII, king of England, his coronation day became unto him the day of
griefs, the day of sorrows, and the days of moaning; his joy was changed
into abundant sorrow, and the light of happiness was transformed into the
darkness of a gloomy night. This is the condition of the world, its honor,
its dominion, its glory and affluence.
But as to thee—O thou who art attracted unto God! —thou hast established
an eternal and everlasting throne through the guidance of God, and hast
become crowned with a diadem, the gems of which scintillate throughout
centuries and ages; nay, rather, for cycles and periods!
This throne cannot be shaken by the powers of the earth and its
calamities; nor can incidental obstacles, worldly impediments, or all the
diseases and ailments prevent or delay this coronation.
For this is under the protection of God and His preservation, defended by
His guard and in the stronghold of His patronage, and is watched over by
the eye of His mercifulness. therefore, thank thou God forevermore!
Deliver my greetings to the attracted maid-servant of God thy honorable
wife, and bear unto her the glad-tidings of the graces of her Lord.
“O thou whom I mention with my heart and tongue!...”
O thou whom I mention with my heart and tongue!
Though I do not see thee with mine eyes, I do see thee with my heart, and
mention thee with the fullness of love, clemency, yearning and attraction,
supplicating my Lord that we may meet together at the meeting of His
Kingdom and the pavilion of His might, where we shall chant the verses of
thanks for His bounty, generosity and gifts, the lights of which have
shone upon all horizons and their effulgences have become intense upon the
hearts of the people of harmony.
O thou my dearly beloved! Hasten! Hasten! to the gifts of thy Lord, the
Merciful! Come to the Benefactor; avail thyself of this opportunity and
take thy portion of this Greatest Treasure in this promised day!
“O thou spiritual youth and merciful young man!...”
O thou spiritual youth and merciful young man!
Consider the grace of thy Master; how He hath directed thee to the
fountain of salvation, until thou hast drunk from the salsabil (i.e.,
clear water of life) of the guidance of God, in this holy and rich garden.
Cling to this firm handle and make thy feet steady in this path, so that
the bounties of thy Supreme Lord may successively pour upon thee and make
thee a sign of His mighty knowledge.
“O thou who art directed to the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art directed to the Light of Guidance!
Thank thou God, for tho hast chanted the verses of the Mighty guidance in
the assemblage of knowledge and hast unfurled the banner of attraction in
those most extensive places. Therefore, appreciate this with due
appreciation and know thou that this guidance is a gift, greater than
which cannot be imagined. Forasmuch as it is a bounty from the Glorious
Lord, a success to every sincere servant, a light for the faces of devoted
ones and a bestowal from the Lord, the Clement, the Merciful.
“O ye who are advancing towards the Kingdom of...”
O ye(114) who are advancing towards the Kingdom of God!
Mr. ........ hath praised you that, verily, ye have rent the veil asunder,
removed the covering, become informed of the mysteries of God and of the
symbols of the Holy Bible, have understood the interpretations of its
verses, discovered the truth of its evidences and been guided to the Path
of His Kingdom; are imploring for His heavenly gifts and are engaged in
His commemoration among seekers. Verily, I thank God, for He hath guided
you and ordained for you this great success and manifest bounty. Kiss, on
my behalf, the faces of your august children who are nurtured from the
breast of the guidance of God.
“O My God! O My God!...”
O My God! O My God!
This thy servant hath abandoned superstitions, emerged from darkness and
hath entered into Thy Light which hath shone forth to the world! Praise be
unto Thee, O My God! for thou hast removed the covering from his insight,
caused the reality of Guidance to appear unto him and hath ordained for
him a gift which is not followed by destruction!
O Lord! O Lord! Send unto him a gentle breeze from the garden of Thy
sanctity in Thy Kingdom of Abha, so that he may be refreshed and developed
as a flourishing branch in that adorned and thickly planted grove; cause
his tongue to speak Thy praise among mankind and confirm him through the
breath of Thy Holy Spirit at the time of prayer, so that he may become a
soul unto bodies, a light unto every eye, a joy to every heart, a
consolation to every depressed one, a happiness to every grieved one, and
a proof to every gazer! Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Potent, the
Bestower, the Merciful, the Giver!
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto God!
Thy precious and beloved letter came to hand and all contents noted.
Consider how the bounty of God hath surrounded thee until it brought thee
to the shore of the sea of the endless and boundless gift of God! I
supplicate the benevolence of God and His providence to make thee a
dazzling light and a merciful and bounteous gift to His creatures; and to
enable thee to be firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Truth and to
appoint thee as a means for the exaltation of His Word.
“O thou confirmed by an inspiration from the Kingdom!...”
O thou confirmed by an inspiration from the Kingdom!
Blessed thou art, for thou hast delivered the Word of thy Lord to
........, the maid-servant of God!
Glad-tidings unto thee for that by reason of which the spring of knowledge
hath flowed out in the garden of thy heart, inundated thy tongue and made
thee utter the name of thy Lord and call the people to the Kingdom of thy
God!
I supplicate God, my Lord and thy Lord, to illumine thy forehead with the
light of success and victory, strengthen thy spirit by the breath of god,
quicken thee by the spirit of God and make thee a pillar of guidance set
up in the firmament of the Kingdom of God.
Grieve not because of my imprisonment and calamity; for this prison is my
beautiful garden, my mansioned paradise and my throne of dominion among
mankind. My calamity in my prison is a crown to me in which I glory among
the righteous. Thou shalt hear greater than this.
I ask God to assist whosoever is related to thee to receive guidance in
the future days, and to bless Mrs. and Miss ........, Miss ........ and
Miss ........, and make them the signs of His gift among the people of the
world.
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of El-Abha!...”
O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of El-Abha!
Verily I read thy recent letter***, and noted its beautiful contents and
meanings which proved thy firmness in the straight Path.
O friend! Be set aglow with the fire of the love of God, so that the
hearts of the people will become enlightened by the light of thy love.
Supplicate to God, pray to Him and invoke Him at midnight and at dawn. Be
humble and submissive to God and chant the verses of thanksgiving at morn
and eve, for that He guided thee unto the Manifest Light and showed to
thee the straight Path and destined to thee the station of nearness in His
wonderful Kingdom. Verily I ask God to augment for thee, every day, the
light of guidance and His gift of virtue, comfort and ease. Thus thou
mayest set a good example in that region; that He may lift up the veil
from before the eyes of thy mother and father, so that they may witness
the lights of the Kingdom of God, which have encompassed all regions.
“O thou who hast spread the Fragrance of God!—may...”
O thou who hast spread the Fragrance of God!—may God confirm thee!
Since thou hast reached America, we have not received any message
announcing to us thy safe and sound arrival there, but Mr. ........, in a
letter to us, hath endeavored to explain in detail that thy return was
like showers of rain to that country and like the attack of a lion upon
those valleys and mountains. He also informed us that thou hadst been
received there with honors by the best men; by those whose breasts were
dilated by the gentle breeze coming from the gardens of the Kingdom of
God.
O thou who warmest thyself by the fire of the love of God, spreading from
the Tree of the Covenant! Let thy soul be at ease and thy heart in peace
concerning the perfect success and progress which the pen is not able to
express, for in a short time thou shalt see the flag of the Kingdom waving
in those far and wide regions, and the lights of the Truth shining
brilliantly in its dawn above those horizons, and thou shalt know that
thou art the center of the circle of the love of God, the axis around
which souls revolve in their way and supplication to God. Therefore, thou
must widen thy heart, dilate thy breast, have patience in plenty, calmness
of soul and cut thyself from everything but God! By God, the truth is, if
thou goest according to the teachings of El-Abd(115) and followest the
steps of Him who is annihilated in God, thou shalt see that the cohorts of
the Kingdom of God will come to thy help, one after another, and that the
hosts of the Might of God will be in thy presence in steady succession,
the gates of the great victory opened and the rays of the brilliant
morning diffused! By thy life, O my beloved! if thou didst know what God
hath ordained for thee, thou wouldst fly with delight and thy happiness,
gladness and joy would increase every hour! El-Baha be upon thee!
Present to the beloved people of God there my longings for them. Preach to
them the glad-tidings of God.***
Present my best greetings to the honorable and spiritual women, to those
who are very much attracted toward God, and particularly to that one who
have proved that it is possible for a camel to pass through a needle’s
eye. May God keep them in joy and happiness and burning with His love.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Be rejoiced for my mentioning thee and gladden thine eyes by the bounty of
thy Lord. Know, verily, that His favor unto thee is great, great; for He
guided thee unto the Merciful Light, confirmed thee in bearing calamities
and hardships in the path of God, on the part of the neglectful ones.
There is no harm in any affliction which befalleth thee in the love of
El-Baha, for this affliction is a gem which glistens and shines on the
crown of guidance which adorns thy head among the maid-servants. Remember
the hardships of the disciples, and what Mary, the Virgin; Mary, the
Magdalene; and Mary, the mother of Jesus, bore in the path of God;
especially Barbara, until she was martyred in the love of Christ; and she
being attracted unto the Kingdom of God, her spirit soared unto the
summits of holiness in the paradise of eternal life, in the place of
Meeting.
“O thou whose nostrils are perfumed with the Fragrances...”
O thou whose nostrils are perfumed with the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy letter which contained graceful expressions and was of
a well made foundation, and I inhaled the odor of the love of God from the
garden of its meanings and witness the lights of sincerity in the Cause of
God from the dawning-place of its mysteries.
Blessed art thou, O maid-servant of God, for thou art attracted to the
Word of god, and thy heart is illuminated with the lights of the guidance
of God, and thy soul is cheered by the gentle breeze blowing from the
direction of the favor of God.
Verily thy Lord is gracious toward thee. Thank thou God for this great
bounty and praise Him for He hath caused thee to enter His New Kingdom;
and glorify Him for He hath chosen thee from among those men and women
“who were called”.
Preach the Kingdom of God to every man and maid-servant who is waiting the
appearance of His Glorious Kingdom. The lights of guidance shall surely be
spread, even as the morning light spreads over all the regions of the
earth; all the regions of the earth shall be refreshed by the Word of God.
Deliver my longings and greetings to the consolation of thine eye(116),
......, and to thy younger son, ....... Verily I love them both even as a
compassionate father loveth his dear children. As to thee, have for them
an abundant love and exert thine utmost in training them, so that their
being may grow through the milk of the love of God, forasmuch as it is the
duty of parents to perfectly and thoroughly train their children.
There are also certain sacred duties on children toward parents, which
duties are written in the Book of God, as belonging to God. The
(children’s) prosperity in this world and the Kingdom depends upon the
good pleasure of parents, and without this they will be in manifest loss.
Send my greetings to ........(117), who is free in this world, but a slave
of God in His Great Kingdom.
“O dear servant of God!...”
O dear servant of God!
The tests of God are surrounding you from all directions and many
afflictions have occurred; but thanks be to God that you and your
honorable husband are patient, thankful and constant.
The necessity and the particularity of the assured and believing ones is
to be firm in the Cause of God and withstand the hidden and evident tests.
Thanks be to God that you are distinguished and made eminent by this
blessing. Anybody can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, health,
success, pleasure and joy; but if one will be happy and contented in the
time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, it is the proof of
nobility. Thanks be to God that that dear servant of God is extremely
patient under the disastrous circumstances, and in the place of
complaining gives thanks.
Verily I am pleased with both you and [your husband], and I ask God that
you may find pleasure and ease in another world—for this earthly world is
narrow, dark and frightful, rest cannot be imagined and happiness really
is non-existent, everyone is captured in the net of sorrow, and is day and
night enslaved by the chain of calamity; there is no one who is at all
free or at rest from grief and affliction. Still, as the believers of God
are turning to the limitless world, they do not become very depressed and
sad by disastrous calamities—there is something to console them; but the
others in no way have anything to comfort them at the time of calamity.
Whenever a calamity and a hardship occurs, they become sad and
disappointed, and hopeless of the bounty and the mercy of the Glorious
Lord.
Give especial greetings of Abha to all the friends of God and the divine
servants, and give them deep love from Abdul-Baha.
O dear servant of God! Give my greeting and love to your boys. I ask God
that each one of them become a shining lamp.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
In reality thou art faithful and assured, thoughtful and mentioning the
name of thy Lord. All the inhabitants of the Kingdom are satisfied with
thy service, and the approximate angels are opening their tongues in thy
praise. These angels are spiritual and merciful powers, and in one sense
the angels are those sanctified souls who have disentangled themselves
from the world of possession and are confirmed with the powers of the
Kingdom. However, be thou not sad. Rejoice and delight in the divine
glad-tidings!
I know that thou art in difficulty, but this difficulty is conducive to
the everlasting felicity and this weakness is followed by the supreme
strength. Consider thou how the faithful women in the time of Christ, and
after the departure of His Highness, underwent hardships! What
difficulties did they not bear; and what calamities did they not endure!
But that adversity and trial, misfortune and derision, became the cause of
imperishable and deathless glory and rest.
Do ye not look upon the beginning of the affairs; attach your hearts to
the ends and results. The present period is like unto the sowing time.
Undoubtedly it is impregnated with perils and difficulties, but in the
future many a harvest shall be gathered and benefits and results will come
apparent. When one considers the issue and the end, exhaustless joy and
happiness will dawn.
Live thou as far as thou art able according to the divine commands and
advices, because they are conducive to eternal life.
Caress and kiss on my behalf, with utmost love and yearning, thy two dear
children. I supplicate God that they may come the servants of the Cause of
God as their father and mother have, and be trained according to Bahai
education, so that they may become two great signs of the love of God.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy interesting letter, understood from it an excellent
meaning and pray to God to augment thy love, knowledge, certainty and
confidence.
O maid-servant of God! Everything of importance in this world demands the
close attention of its seeker. The one in pursuit of anything must undergo
difficulties and hardships until the object in view is attained and the
great success is obtained. This is the case of things pertaining to the
world. How much higher is that which concerns the Supreme Concourse! That
Cause involves every favor, glory and eternal bliss in the world of God.
The seeker after the great guidance and eternal happiness necessarily will
encounter difficulties. He must be patient under such circumstances. The
chosen believers of the past quaffed the chalice of suffering and sank
deep in the ocean of trials until they attained to that blessed station
and sublime beatitude.
Verily, I pray to God to aid thy children in the service of the Word of
God, the furtherance of His Covenant and the spread of His fragrances, for
this is the great happiness of this life and that to come.
I ask God to confirm the maid-servants of God, Mrs. ........ and Mrs.
........, in spirituality and to make them firm in turning unto the Center
of Mercy and to make them sincere unto His glorious Face.
Convey my greetings to Madam ........ and say to her: “Be not sorrowful on
account of separation; verily, thy Lord is of more good to thee than
anything in the material world. He is the best companion and the best
friend and will accompany three under all aspects.”
Convey my regards to the maid-servant of God, ........, and say to her:
“Be rejoiced, O maid-servant of God, through the fragrances which have
perfumed the world. Seek an abundant share from this table which hath
descended from heaven.”
O maid-servant of God! It is necessary for every sould who believeth in
her Lord to send Abdul-Baha a letter of acknowledgement in the Oneness of
God.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Glad-tidings unto thee because of my address and answer to thee! God hath
purified thee from iniquities when He hath drowned thee in the sea of His
mercy and made thee drink the cup of faith and the pure wine of knowledge.
Well done! Well done! because thou hast desired the evanescence of thy
will for the will of God, sought the augmentation of the love of God, the
enlargement of the knowledge of God and straightforwardness in the path of
God. I ask God to assist thee under all conditions and to enable thee to
attain the utmost of hopes.
“O thou who art calling in the Name of God and heralding...”
O thou who art calling in the Name of God and heralding unto the Kingdom
of God!
Verily I considered the contents of thy recent letter, thy beautiful
writing and I observed thy heartfelt thanks. Verily my heart is filled
with love and affection; overflowing with spiritual attractions.
Verily I know that the Tablets (Book) of Abdul-Baha and his address is a
hidden mystery and concealed fact. No one is informed of its greatness and
importance at these times, but in the course of time and future centuries
the signs thereof will be manifested, the lights thereof will dawn forth,
the fragrances thereof will be diffused and the greatness, the importance
thereof will be known. The truth I say unto thee, that each leaflet from
Abdul-Baha will be a wide-spread book, nay, rather, a glistening gem on
the Glorious Crown. Know tho its value and hold great its station.
Then praise God for that He chose thee to love Him and elected thee to
spread His fragrances. He selected thee from among the women of the world,
so that thou become a flame to the fire of His love, a sign of the Kingdom
of His Grace and a summoner to His Name, in humbleness and meekness,
invocation and supplication to God.
Verily I ask God to protect thee from the waves of tests and storms of
trial until thou becomest firm in the Cause of thy Lord—a firmness whereby
thou be enabled to withstand all nations and peoples. When thou art thus
confirmed by God, with firmness and solidity in His Covenant among the
people, thou wilt see the hosts of the Kingdom shelter thee from all sides
with banners whereunto all heads bow.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm! It is
incumbent upon thee to be steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be
steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast in the Cause of the
Light which hath shone forth unto the world with great brilliancy!
O maid-servant of God! Verily, Mary, the Magdalene, was a villager, but
she kept firm in the Cause of Christ and confirmed the apostles at the
time she declared to them (thus): “Verily, Christ is alive and eternal and
death did not overtake Him; and verily, the foundation of His religion is
not shaken by His crucifixion at the hand of the oppressors!” By this her
face is eternally shining from the horizon of guidance.
O maid-servant of God! The circumstances will be severe for every thankful
servant (i.e., believer in the Teachings) in those boundaries and
countries. The people shall arise against you with the most bitter hatred,
opposition and envy. Swords of persecution and curses shall be thrown at
you by all the nations. The wind of tests and trials shall fiercely blow
and thereby the weak trees, which are not firmly rooted in this wonderful
vineyard, shall be uprooted. But the trees which are strong, thriving and
green will be strengthened, their branches extended, their leaves opened,
their appearance beautified and their blossoms and fruits increased. I ask
God to make thee one of those firmly rooted trees and an extended branch
in this most great vineyard, and to make thy heart like unto a cup
overflowing with His love in every assemblage. Verily He is the Powerful,
the Generous!
Supplicate to God to guide Mrs. ........, so that she may become thy
partner and partaker of this great bounty, and to confirm the family of
Mr. ........, so that they may be blest with blessings and successive aids
and with the appearance of the manifest signs. Thus all ye may become
spreaders of the banner of union, love, harmony and peace upon plains and
deserts, hills and mountains.
“O thou who art firm in the love of God!...”
O thou who art firm in the love of God!
Verily I read thy recent letter*** and I praised God for His glorious
mercy and His blessings which are successively poured into the pure
hearts.
I have written a reply to the letter of ........ and have enclosed it with
this letter. I ask God to make him a sign of guidance and to guide,
through him, souls (people) of his native land and of other people.
Verily, my God chooses whomsoever He willeth, by His mercy and generosity,
for entrance into the Kingdom of Glory and shineth the lights of (His)
Beauty upon them. Blessed is he who keeps firm in the Path and stands for
the Cause of thy Merciful Lord—a firmness like unto the lofty mountains.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, I pray God to sanctify thee from the
material and thus clothe thee with the garment of holiness and the mantle
of purity and send through thee the glad-tidings of thy Lord from the
Kingdom of Heaven.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm and steadfast,
for by it man attains the greatest hope. Bear every difficulty and be
content with any ordeal for the love of thy Lord, so that thou mayest
obtain that favor, the lights of which shine throughout the horizons.
“***O ye shining faces and spiritual beings!...”
***O ye(118) shining faces and spiritual beings!
Verily, I was rejoiced at beholding those merciful faces in whose brows
the lights of guidance shine on account of their turning unto the Kingdom
of El-Abha! O ye beloved of God and His chosen Ones!
Blessed are your ears, for they have heard the Call!
Blessed are your eyes, for they have beheld the signs of their Mighty
Lord!
Blessed are your tongues, for they have uttered the praise of my Lord, the
Supreme!
Blessed are your nostrils, for they have inhaled the odor of faithfulness
from the people of guidance!
Blessed are your hearts, for they are attracted to the Beauty of El-Abha!
Blessed are your breasts, for they are dilated by the knowledge of God!
Blessed are your souls, for they have partaken of the spirit of life from
the fragrances of sanctity in the Paradise of El-Abha!
Thank ye God! for He hath guided you unto His Kingdom and hath chosen you
from among the called ones of nations! Your Lord hath indeed crowned you
with the diadem of eternal glory (which will continue) throughout cycles
and ages! Truly I say unto you, verily, the angels of heaven repeatedly
bless you, for ye have advanced toward God and turned unto His Great
Kingdom. Ye shall surely see in this effulgence a flash which will pervade
all regions. At that time, all nations and communities will arise to
praise and glorify you, and they will bless themselves with your
commemoration in gatherings, temples of worship and in exalted assemblies.
Is there any gift greater than this?
It is incumbent upon you to have union and harmony and love and
uprightness, and to be characterized with the morals of your Lord, the
Clement; to walk in the highway of equity and beneficence. Be ye
manifestations of the mercy of God, dawning-places of the light of His
great bounty, and arise with all steadfastness, truthfulness,
trustworthiness, compassion, modesty, love and accord with the people of
the world, no matter of what community they may be; inasmuch as it
behooveth the light to shine even upon the rocks in the field, and the
soul is qualified for quickening individuals, even though they be of the
ugliest and most disagreeable form, and a pure tree is adapted to bestow a
blessed fruit even upon those who throw stones at it.
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are united! O ye...”
O ye(119) who are attracted! O ye who are united! O ye who are believers
and assured!
Glad-tidings unto you for that ye believed in God, were attracted to the
Beauty of God, were directed unto the Kingdom of God and were kindled by
the fire of the love of God!
Therefore, I say unto you that, verily, the angels of the Kingdom pray for
the maid-servants of the Merciful; the possessors of brilliant hearts,
spiritual susceptibilities, godlike feelings, heavenly attributes, holy
characteristics, confident souls, perfection of humanity and sanctified
and pure souls who are striving to spread the spirit of harmony—holy above
qualities (pertaining to) nature and passion—spreaders of the fragrances
of God severed from all else save God, banners of union and peace—signs of
love and accord!
Blessed are ye for organizing the assembly of unity! I ask God to confirm
you by the divine aid and strengthen you by the heavenly strength so that
every one of you may become a shining star by the light of the love of God
in the world, and banners moving by the breezes of love and peace on the
heights of glory among mankind; and lamps brilliant by the lights of
eternal majesty on the assemblies of men.
If ye keep firm in this path, ye will see by the eyes of joy signs
wherefore ye will thank your Forgiving Lord, and will be confirmed by the
hosts from the Supreme Concourse and angels from the Kingdom of El-Abha.
“O ye longing ones! O ye cheered ones! O ye attracted...”
O ye(120) longing ones! O ye cheered ones! O ye attracted ones! O ye who
are beseeching the Kingdom of God!
Blessed are ye, for ye have removed the covering; witnessed the lights of
the Sun of Truth which is shining from the horizon of bestowal; are
attracted by the fragrances sent forth from the garden of the Kingdom;
have arisen to praise the Lord of Grandeur and Might, and have resolved to
disseminate the teachings of God in those vast and extensive regions!
Truly I say unto you! Verily, ye have cast away superstitions; have
partaken an abundant portion from that Reality which is shining upon all
regions; have perceived the manifest signs, have entered the ark of
salvation and attained unto eternal life, under the shadow of the Lord of
Hosts, gazing unto the Most Honorable Station, enkindled with the fire
ablaze in the tree of existence, in the spot of Sinai; responding to the
call of the Clement One, severed from the world, and yearning for the
place of sacrifice in the path of Baha’.
You will surely hear from this call a ringing voice in the regions. Then
the nations will awake to this effulgence and hasten unto the fountain of
the Covenant; so that they may drink fresh and salutary water from the
grace of your Lord, the Clement.
At that time, the faithful shall be cheered, the sincere shall rejoice and
the yearning ones shall be drawn unto the unseen world, the Kingdom of
your Lord, the Merciful!
O ye beloved of God and His chosen ones! Trust ye in the divine
confirmation, the merciful bounty and the supreme bestowal. Verily, He
will confirm your hearts, dilate your breasts, make your tongues fluent
and will rejoice your souls by a grace from the Compassionate Merciful
One!
O ye beloved of Baha’! Do not look at your weakness, nay, rely upon the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit. Verily, It maketh the weak strong, the
lowly mighty, the child grown, the infant mature and the small great.
I beg of God that He may make you diffusers of His fragrances, servants of
His Cause, gazers unto His Face, speakers in His praise, and that He may
protect you against tests and trials, so that ye may become shining
lights, beaming stars, gleaming lamps and lofty trees. Verily, this is not
difficult with God!
Verily, I hope from God that ye may become my associates in servitude to
His Holy Threshold and my partners at the entrance of the Door of His
Oneness; so that ye may equally serve in His great vineyard. Then thank ye
your Lord, for He hath favored you with this manifest success. By God, the
True One! this cannot be equalled either by the dominion of the world or
by the gift of ruling over all regions with pomp, glory and power! Reflect
ye upon the chosen ones of God in the earlier ages! How their worth was
unknown during their days; how they were known by people as but ordinary
individuals and unimportant persons! Afterwards, their arguments appeared,
their lights scintillated, their stars beamed, their trees became lofty,
their mysteries gleamed forth, their fruits were praised, their reservoirs
became overflowing, their gardens adorned, their birds warbled and their
joy became perfect in the Kingdom of their Beneficent Lord.
O my God! O my God! These are souls who have advanced toward Thy Kingdom;
their breasts dilated by supplicating to Thy Realm of Might; their eyes
anticipating the descent of Thy mercy; and their spirits rejoiced at Thy
grace and gift!
O my God! O my God! Guard them by the eye of Thy protection, preserve them
in the cave of Thy defence, deliver them from the grade of the contingent
world, protect them during the violence of tests and trials, and assist
them by a power from the breath of Thy Holy Spirit, in the world of
existence! Verily, Thou art the Beneficent, the Mighty, the Clement!
“O thou who art kindled by the Fire of Guidance which...”
O thou who art kindled by the Fire of Guidance which blazed and burnt in
the Tree of Sinai!
By the life of God, I am moved with joy by the mention of the beloved and
delighted in the love of the elect! And now, with a heart clear from aught
else save God and overflowing with the love of God, I mention thee,
supplicating God to make thee a lamp of guidance in those districts, that
out of thee the spirit of knowledge may be spread upon the hearts and
spirits until thou becomest a spring of fresh and sweet water whereto the
thirsty and earnest desirers will come to drink, and thus be satisfied
with the sweetness thereof.
Rejoice at this address which I hope from God will have a great effect on
thy heart and spirit and accordingly become the banner of the Supreme
Concourse in that distant and extensive spot(121) through which certain
nations and tribes would be directed with bright faces, rejoiced hearts
and speaking tongues uttering the praise of God.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Verily I read thy letter which thou hast sent through Mrs. ........ and
was rejoiced at its contents, which indicated thy excessive love and thy
great passion for the Kingdom of God!
O my friend! Thank thou God for He hath illumined thy sight with a
radiance which is shining forth from the Sun of Truth; hath quickened
thee, and baptized thee with the water of life and with the fire of the
love of god.
I beg God to bless thee so that thou mayest diffuse the fragrances of God
in those countries and purify hearts from the filth of ignorance and to
make thy revered wife and honored daughters signs of His love among the
maid-servants of God, and to ordain for thee a reward befitting one who
hath attained (the visit of) the Holy Threshold in this Cause.
Verily, I bestowed every kindness upon the maid-servant of God, Mrs.
........, because she hath been the cause of thy guidance, and hath given
thee to drink the cup of knowledge.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Supplicate God that thou mayest be confirmed to what is worthy and fit for
the Most Mighty Cycle.
Deliver my respectful greeting to Mr. ........ and refresh him with
regards and affection. Convey my longing greeting to [Messrs.] .........,
........ and ........ and say [to them] to engage with Mr. ........ in the
service of the Word of God with the utmost love and affinity, in order
that they may behold the confirmation of the Supreme Kingdom and observe
the protection and preservation of His Highness the Almighty. Truly their
hearts are like unto a cup, overflowing with the wine of the love of God
and at all times I expect to hear good news of them.
O thou dear friend! Thou hast said the truth! Last year(122) was the time
of test for all the friends. Trials for the faithful believers are like
unto divine bestowal and everlasting gifts.
The firmness and steadfastness of the person will become evident and
manifest. How could the disciples of His Holiness (Christ) attain to any
spiritual development if they did not undergo trials and tests!
O friend! Although we are weak, yet the confirmations of the Merciful Lord
are inexhaustible. Pray thou that the ill-natured become good-natured and
the weak become strong.
The dream thou hast seen is in accord with thy interpretation. I hope that
Mr. ........ may become the light of the Merciful One and be confirmed and
assisted to spread the Cause of God.
“My God! My God! Elohim ....”
My God! My God! Elohim(123) .
To this Thy servant give the understanding of the Old Testament and the
New and enable her to speak forth with mighty voice and to sing with power
the holy songs and to discover the real meaning and the secret mysteries
of those verses, for Thou art the Powerful Inspirer and the Mighty One!
“O maid-servant of God, thou who hast given up thy...”
O maid-servant of God, thou who hast given up thy life to the service of
the Kingdom of God!
I have read the signs of thy thankfulness to God for guiding thee to the
way of the Lord, to the path of salvation which leads to the Tent of the
Testament behind the Tabernacle in the Capital of the Kingdom.
Know in the reality of assurance that every true woman who is attracted by
the fragrances of holiness in this most glorious age will surpass even the
most developed men of previous centuries.
It is incumbent upon thee to make thy greatest effort; to put forth thy
full strength; to supplicate and to worship, and to be careful to put thy
full trust in the Kingdom of the Lord Most High.
Make ready thy soul that thou mayest be like the light which shineth forth
from the loftiest heights on the coast, by means of which guidance may be
given to the timid ships amid the darkness of fog and the heaving of the
sea.
Then gain the knowledge of godliness and learn the exact facts from the
revered Abul Fazl(124), and, if it be possible, remain there a few months.
With regard to thy friend, send her to the sea coast or accompany her to
Marseilles and return to Cairo that thou mayest learn the necessary
proofs.
Then return to America—this is in case it is possible for thee. If
anything happens otherwise, the way is open and it will be made convenient
for thee—say always in the name of God—and rely upon Him; but to
understand the teachings regarding the Truth is absolutely required. And
upon God let thy confidence rest.
“O thou who in truth art attracted through the Breaths...”
O thou who in truth art attracted through the Breaths of the Holy Spirit!
I sent to thee a letter few in words and full in its meanings and its
mysteries, showing signs of good-tidings. By my life, there are manifested
meanings in the mysteries of the words!
At present I address thee in plain language without being veiled, and I
say to thee: “Stand up with all thy strength to guide the followers of
negligence and blindness, and diffuse the breaths of God in those regions;
and set off with all speed to New York and Chicago and call with the
loudest voice in the assemblies of the beloved ones and invite them to the
Alliance of God; and make them steadfast in the Covenant of God, and bear
good-tidings to all the steadfast ones, and inspire all who waver to be
firm in the religion of God and to resist all force with is against the
Alliance of God. Verily I promise the confirmation of the Holy Spirit to
thee in those great assemblies whenever ye argue upon the Covenant of
God.”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
I hope thou wilt ride thy steed in this field as much as thou canst and
that thou mayest know nothing except praising, worshiping and extolling
the Sun of the World of Creation.
O maid-servant of God! The radiance of favor is (cast) upon thy head and
thou art clad with the robe of gift. Praise be unto God, that the breeze
of the divine spring maketh the soul thrive and the fragrances of holiness
are quickening the heart of man. Favor is perfect and bounty is
overflowing—the doors of prosperity are opened and hearts are expanded and
dilated. The drops of the cloud of favor are continually (falling) and the
lakes of graces are successively overflowing. The wine of the love of God
is circulating, and the melodies of thankful birds are astonishing all
people distant and near. The radiance of the Manifestor of the Mount is
illuminating all hearts and breasts and the never-ending bounties are
successively (flowing) from the divine Kingdom. I hope that, through the
favor of the Blessed Perfection thou wilt become the lamp of the society
of Green Acre (Me.), and wilt become the cup-bearer of the wine of the
love of God, thou wilt invite a great number of people into the Kingdom of
the Powerful Lord and wilt teach numerous souls, thou wilt put the crown
of the exalted gift upon thy heard and wilt rule over the empire of the
greatest spirituality, and thou wilt become the envy of the queens of all
regions and wilt be the rival of all the celebrated people of the world.
“O thou who art wholly advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art wholly advancing unto God!
Verily I have read thy letter in answer to mine and praised God—may glory
and dignity be unto Him!—for by reason of which He hath kindled the lamp
of guidance in the glass of thy heart, lighted in thy breast the fire of
love and faithfulness, illumined thy face with the light of His knowledge
among women and chosen thee for spreading His fragrances amid the
maid-servants. Be happy and rejoice at this speech through which the sick
will recover, the sad become cheered, the dumb speak and the deaf hear;
rather, the decayed bones will be quickened and the rocks and stones be
affected.
Remember my spiritual favors which have uninterruptedly descended upon
thee at the table which was spread under the abundant gifts of the Kingdom
of God. Verily, I continue supplicating God to make to grow from the
luxuriant garden of the heart the aromatic plants of His knowledge,
through the abundant rain pouring froth from the clouds of His Kingdom,
the Most Great; that thou mayest be a herald of the Covenant in those
regions and a preacher of the Kingdom of God in those distant isles.
Blessed thou art for this letter. Glad-tidings unto thee for this speech!
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
By God the Truth, verily he angels of the Supreme Assembly pray for thee
every morn and eve and announce to thee glad-tidings! O blessed art thou
who hast devoted thyself to diffusing the fragrances of God! Know thou
that, verily, thy Lord will surely strengthen thy hands and assist thee
through the hosts which are hidden from the sight of the heedless ones,
and will give the victory through a numerous army from the Supreme
Assembly and will illuminate thy heart with the rays shining from the
Kingdom of Abha, the Most Glorious! O maid-servants of God! Gird up thy
loins, strengthen thy back, be not discouraged or grieved if people are
pouring the arrows of scorn and blame thee, insomuch as in this thou wilt
follow the example of those who have endured every tribulation and
calamity.
As to the young man and his revered wife, [as to] both of whom thou hast
informed me: I beseech God to remove the veil from them and lift the
covering from before their faces, so that they may witness the greatest
signs of their Lord, the Great, in this day in which all the regions of
heaven and earth are sparkling with the lights of their Lord. Tell him,
“Verily the Kingdom hath appeared with the ornaments of sanctity on the
apex of the world of being. Thou oughtest to enter therein, and this is
glad-tidings unto thee and to all those who have been expecting the advent
of the Kingdom of their Lord with true heart turned toward God.”
“O thou who art attracted to the Word of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Word of God!
Verily I read thy excellent letter, nay, rather thy brilliant, peerless
pearls, which proved thy sincerity in the Cause of God, the enkindlement
of thy heart with the fire of the love of God and the illumination of thy
face through the light of the gift of God!
O maid-servant of God! Know, verily, I was with you in spirit during your
assemblage in the meeting of the commemoration of God, the House of
Agreement, under the Standard of peace, and I perceived ye with my spirit
on the Mount of Salvation and shared with ye in celebrating the praise of
my Lord, and I smiled with all cheerfulness, joy and gladness when I found
that ye were beseeching God and supplicating before the Kingdom of God. I
beseech God to guide some of those who have given themselves to the Word
of God, while they know not the Word. And I beg of God to give insight to
every heedless one, so that he may witness the signs of his Mighty Lord in
this great century wherein the Lord is glorified for the bounties and
gifts which He hath bestowed on all the horizons [i.e., regions] through
His Ancient Grace.
Verily I wrote an answer to the letter of ........ and enclose it in this
letter.
O maid-servant of God! By God the True One, verily Abdul-Baha invokes God
to strengthen thee through the mightiest power, so that thou mayest become
a star of guidance in Green Acre, to diffuse the fragrances of God, to
blow forth the spirit of God, to summon people to the Word of god, and may
speeches pour forth from thy pure lips as a torrent which rapidly pours
down from the loftiest mountains!
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of the...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of the Garden of the Covenant
and art speaking the praise of the Orb of the Universe!
Know thou, verily, I read thy letter which expressed the commemoration of
thy Lord, the Great, and indicated that the fire of the love of god is
ablaze in thy heart and in the soul of the sincere ones. Truly I say unto
thee, verily thy magnificent letter was as one of the melodies of the
birds of holiness in the wonderful garden. Verily the hearts of the
Supreme Concourse are dilated with the songs which thou hast warbled on
the Blessed Tree in the Exalted Paradise.
O maid-servant of God! Verily Abdul-Baha was with you in Green Acre in his
spirit, soul and in all of his spiritual grades, and he was your companion
in your meetings and was bearing unto you, with his spiritual tongue, the
glad-tidings of the divine splendors which shall be poured forth upon you
from the Kingdom of God, in a short time.
O maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced at this glad-tidings whereby the hearts
of the people of the Kingdom of El-Abha are moved with joy. Verily I
beseech God to make Green Acre as the paradise of El-Abha, so that the
melodies of the nightingale of sanctity may be heard from it and that the
chanting of the verses of unity may be raised therein; to cause the clouds
of the great gift to pour upon it the rains falling from heaven; to make
those countries become verdant with the myrtles of truth and inner
significances and to plant therein blessed trees, with the hand of
Providence, which may bring forth pure and excellent fruits wherefrom the
fragrances of God may be diffused throughout all regions. These signs
shall surely appear and these lights shall shine forth.
O maid-servant of God, the Merciful! It is incumbent upon you to unveil
the covering and to witness the Beauty of the Almighty! Ye shall surely
see the lights rising in those parts, as ye have already seen them. Ye
shall surely behold a Pillar of Fire extending upward to the Supreme Apex
and it will call unto you with the most wonderful expression and will
address you, saying:
“I am the Ancient Light! I am the Lord of the Exalted Kingdom! I am the
Star shining forth unto the horizon of the hearts of the people of
Oneness!”
O maid-servant of God! Be tranquil in heart and be enkindled with the fire
ignited in the Blessed Tree—an enkindlement which may cause a fire to
blaze in the inanimate hearts in those regions.
O maid-servant of God! Be not disheartened if thou hearest the murmuring
of the deniers, the clamor of the hypocrites, the shouting of the
contradictors, the barking of the furious, harmful dogs, in those climes.
Remember the persecutions which consecutively befell the disciples of
christ from the perverse Jews. Consequently, withstand their oppositions
with all quiescence and dignity (patience) and their contradictions with
all cheerfulness, gladness and dilation of heart (i.e., exaltation) by day
and night. Resist their fighting with peace and reconciliation, their
blows with kindness and perfection and their blame with joy and
tranquillity. Do beseech God to direct them to the Path of Salvation and
breathe into them the Spirit of Life. Be thou a light to every darkness, a
dispeller of every sadness, a healer for every sick person, a quencher for
every thirst, a shelter for every refugee, a refuge for every captive. If
the Pharisees interfere with thee, it is incumbent upon thee to implore
God to guide them to the road of salvation! And it is incumbent upon thee
to be affable to them under all circumstances, to be patient in
afflictions, to be courteous with the enemies and to pray for the hateful
sinners! This is the nature of the faithful and convinced women believers
whose hearts are dilated with the fragrances of God and who instruct
(people) in the teachings of God!
O maid-servant of God! Trust in the grace of thy Lord. He shall surely
assist thee with a confirmation whereat minds will be amazed and the
thoughts of the men of learning will be astonished. Consider the divine
splendors in Green Acre: One of them is the tree of fire and another is
what was witnessed by thy friend—a light shining forth unto all sides.
This is through the grace of thy Lord unto thee! Consequently, be engaged
in perusing St. John’s Revelation; all these signs are spoken of in that
vision. Thou shalt soon behold (things) still greater than this.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to diffuse the fragrances
of God and to be occupied in delivering (teaching) the Cause of God!
Deliver my greeting to ........ and say unto them: “Trust ye in the grace
of your Lord and thank your Master, for He hath directed you to the Path
of the Kingdom of God. Verily He is the Assister, the Beneficent!”
The coming of any one to these countries is, at this time, difficult and
unallowable. I beg of God to facilitate it and then we will permit
........ to come. I beg of God to manifest His lights in the heart of
........ so that he may apprehend that which he never before apprehended
and behold the mysteries of the Kingdom with real certainty in this
glorious age.
God willing, next year some of the teachers (of the Truth) will present
themselves at Green Acre and will cause the voices of the people of the
Kingdom to reach the Supreme Apex.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God and...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God and enkindled with the
Fire wherein Moses, the Speaker, found Guidance!
May it be salutary to thee, the draught from this cup, which is
overflowing with the wine of the love of God.
Blessed art thou, that thy heart is connected with the callings of the
Kingdom of El-Abha, so that thou hast dispensed with the telepathic wires
of the world, because the terminal of the spiritual wire reached the
center of thy heart and the other is placed in the Spiritual Center,
vibrating informations constantly through the power of the Spirit and
successively conveying the great glad-tidings. This is the station of (or
for) every maid-servant whose heart is filled with the love of God and
attracted to the Beauty of El-Abha.
Thank God for showing unto thee and thy dear friend, the revered ........,
the great power and might of the Kingdom personified in the body of
humanity, and that thou didst worship Him with a brilliant heart, and He
addressed thee (saying): “Peace be unto thee! Peace be unto thee!” His
white vestment is the garment of the Manifestation and [His] brilliant
color. Regarding the gems which appeared on His breast, they are peerless
pearls of wisdom which shine unto the horizons with a godlike fame. As to
His shining face, verily it hath illumined the earth and dispersed the
darkness from the contingent world. Regarding thine entrance with thy
friend into the gallery lighted with lamps, know thou that gallery is the
world of humanity and the lamps His wonderful teaching, His all-wisdom,
His perfect bounty and His clear manifestation. He is the Absent-Present
in the world of humanity.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to diffuse the
fragrances, it is incumbent upon thee to promulgate the teachings of God
and it is incumbent upon thee to breathe the spirit of life into the
hearts of the people of those regions, so that thou be a lamp of guidance
in the recess of Green Acre. Take the cup of the love of God in thy right
hand and with thy left hand hoist the banner of universal peace, love and
affection among the nations of the earth. Call out (saying): “Hasten!
Hasten unto the Great Bounty! Press! Press forward unto the Abundant
Mercy! Speed! Speed unto the Manifest Light! Be urgent! Be urgent for the
Great Attainment! Verily, by God the Truth, the doors of the Kingdom are
opened, the lights of god have shown forth and illumined the horizon of
the earth! The Lord of Hosts hath descended with the army of lights and
angels of heaven and depressed the armies of darkness! He sent His angels
to all directions, with a call of the trumpet of realities and meanings,
instructions and teachings! Therefore, O people of the earth, appreciate
the opportunity, in this new century, wherein the lights have been
revealed by the Glorious Lord!”
In regard to the school which tho didst think of and its organization: I
ask God that thou shouldst become confirmed in it with all order and
command. But now it is necessary first to organize the Cause of God in
those countries; then, order and preparation. Therefore arise, through a
power from God, in organizing the Cause of God—that is, the diffusion of
the fragrances of God, promotion of the Word of God and heralding unto the
nations and peoples with a pre-existent power the appearance of the Most
Great Sun.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read thy excellent letter and was dilated through its excellent
contents. Know thou that the distance of habitation doth not prevent the
rising of the lights, and that time and place only control the bodies and
not the spirits which are free from the contingent beings, not (do they
control) the realities which are sanctified from the stains of the world.
When the Spirit is breathed in the East, its signs immediately appear in
the West and it hath a spiritual dominion which penetrates the pillars of
the world.
Then know thou that God hath not ordained any greater happiness and joy
than the removing of the veils by witnessing the Kingdom of God and
presenting oneself in an assembly which is radiant with merciful emotions
which cannot be apprehended by minds and thoughts.
O maid-servant of God! Verily opposition will wax fierce upon thee and
denial and unbelief will day by day increase. People will arise to
oppression and people will torment thee for thou hast believed in God, art
attracted to the fragrances of God and hath spoken His praise among the
maid-servants. They will execrate, revile, curse and oppress thee with
acute tongues. Be not distressed at this; nay, rather continue with an
increased firmness and stanchness in the Cause of God. For through
calamity the heart of Abdul-Baha is attracted; through (suffering)
oppression the breast of Abdul-Baha is dilated; through enduring
afflictions the faithfulness of Abdul-Baha is proven; through imprisonment
the soul of Abdul-Baha is cheered; at every moment he wishes to quaff the
cup of sacrifice in the path of God.
O maid-servant of God! Opposition shall surely pass away, the dark clouds
in all regions will be dispelled and the lights of the Covenant shall
shine forth. At that time your value shall appear among the nations of the
world and tribes and people will arise to praise you. Take warning by the
former cycles and the bygone Manifestations.
O maid-servant of God! Verily the Cause is great and great! Regiments and
regiments enter therein! Some people must necessarily turn their backs
upon it, on account of their lack of sincerity in he Cause of god and for
their selfishness and egotism.
O maid-servant of God! A pure sea doth not accept a dead body, therefore
the waves will necessarily throw the dead finally upon the shores.
O maid-servant of God! When some souls turn away from the love of God,
there is no harm therein. Did not Judas Iscariot, the chief of the
apostles, turn away on account of jealousy for Peter the apostle?
Likewise, some people must necessarily turn away on account of jealousy
for others.
As to thee: Consider the predecessors as a warning to posterity and purify
thy heart from all else save God, under all circumstances. When thou was
in Acca we pointed this out to thee.
O maid-servant of God! Whenever sorrows and afflictions grow violent
toward thee, remember that which we told thee during thy presence in these
lands; then thy sorrows shall be removed and thy heart shall become
dilated through the fragrances of God in these days.
Be thou rejoiced at the glad-tidings of God! Be as a globe of fire from
which the heat of the love of God will be diffused. Sanctify thyself from
the grades of this world, be purified from the superstitions of people and
be characterized with spiritual qualities. Be thou a mountain of
quiescence, a sign of meekness, a sea of patience, a light of love, a
standard of utter separation (from all else save God), so that thou mayest
become everlasting in the Kingdom of God.
The light shall surely encompass the maid-servants who are attracted by
the fragrances of God and it will shine forth from their faces upon all
regions.
O maid-servant of God! Let thy joy and happiness be increased every moment
through the light of God.
Verily, the Exalted Leaf and the brilliant Leaves(125) remember thee by
night and day. Then know thou, verily the prison is my wonderful paradise
in love for Baha’; it is my lofty stronghold, my impregnable mansion and
glorious throne. Be not grieved thereat, nay, rather beg of God to make me
quaff the cup of sacrifice in the path of Baha’.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
I am already informed of the import of thy wonderful letter and the
meanings of thine excellent words. I was rejoiced to find how it expressed
that thou art devoted to God, turning unto the Supreme Horizon, enkindled
with the fire of the love of God and attracted to the fragrances of God.
I beg of God to increase thy separation from the world, thy supplication
before the Kingdom of God and thy yearning for the Beauty of God.
What thou hast said (in thy letter) concerning the servant of Baha’, the
“Mother of the Faithful,” is but true. Verily she is purified in soul,
enkindled by the fire of the love of God, hath sincerely turned unto her
Master, hath completely faced toward the Kingdom of God and hath arisen to
diffuse His fragrances in all parts and serve His friends with a sincerity
and joy unto which the Supreme Concourse beareth witness. She shall surely
have a firm and steady footing in the Cause of God, her face shall shine
forth from the Horizon of Loftiness, her fame shall be spread in the
Kingdom of God, and [she] shall have a ringing voice throughout regions,
and the lights of her glorious deeds shall beam forth during cycles and
ages.
As to ........ and ........, verily the faces of these are as the pupil of
the eye; although the pupil is created black, yet it is the source of
light. I hope God will make these black ones the glory of the white ones
and as the depositing of the lights of love of God. And I ask God to
assist them in all circumstances, that they may be encompassed with the
favors of their Loving Lord throughout centuries and ages.
As to ........, verily God hath ordained for her a noble station. The
lights of knowledge shall surely shine forth from her face upon the world.
Verily she is attracted to the word of her Lord, was dilated by hearing
the speech of Abdul-Baha at the time of meeting and her eyes became
consoled by witnessing the signs of her Mighty Lord.
As to the maid-servant of God ........: God hath indeed favored her with
an excellent disposition which is like fragrance from a garden of the
Merciful and she passeth her days in serving the Cause of God. I beg of
God to confirm and assist her under all aspects and circumstances.
As to the son of the “Mother of the Faithful”: I beg of God to make his
ears attentive, his eyes observing, his heart abounding with the lights of
guidance and to make his soul as one of the signs of his Mighty Lord. Pray
ye in his behalf night and day that God may strengthen him in a matter
which may shine, beam and glow in the niche of the Kingdom of God and that
He may cause him to arise and assist the pious ones, to seek bounty from
the signs, to gain illumination from the lights, deliver the necks of all
men from the chains of superstition, to feed the needy ones upon the food
of the Kingdom of God and support the weak ones with a penetrative power
from the Word of God. Verily thy Lord is the Confirmer!
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
We have written a clear and efficient answer to ........ out of the love
for thee and for her; otherwise Abdul-Baha is free from any other mention
than that of God.
As to thee, be not grieved at anything whatever. There is a right wisdom
in whatever happens in this great Cause. Be not grieved if the trash of
the world is decreased in thy hands, for thy brilliant heart is a great
treasury, inasmuch as every heart which trusts in the grace of its Lord is
illumined through the lights of its Creator and it is one of the
treasuries of the Kingdom, filled with the wealth of His divine world and
heavenly bounties. This is a great wealth!
Deliver my greetings to ........ and announce to him the glad-tidings of
God and say unto him: “This day is the day of soaring and the day of
shining. This day is the day of the Ancient Honor, Abundant Wealth, Mighty
Dominion and Great Gift. Appreciate thou its value and do not neglect it,
so that thou mayest attain to that which was longed for by the holy ones
in bygone ages and centuries.”
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read thy letter which indicated thy knowledge of the
significances of the Revelation of St. John. I ask God to enlighten thine
eyes by witnessing His lights which have illumined the horizon of
existence to eternity of eternities. Praise God that He manifested unto
thee the brilliancy of the Sun of Truth which is shining from the Kingdom
of El-Abha; and God made thee look with divine eyes at the reality of
revelation. Rest assured the light of the love of God will envelope the
world with great illumination.
O maid-servant of God! May God increase thy glowing with the fire of His
love and by a light from the rays of the Sun of the Universe.
O maid-servant of God! Raise the call at Green Acre, summon all unto the
Kingdom of God whose lights shone forth, fragrances wafted, clouds changed
into tears (or drops of rain) and guardians smiled.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I read thy last letter and gathered from its meanings the mysteries
of thy great love. I supplicate to my Lord that He may at every moment
increase thy joy and fragrance, thy speech and utterance, thine attraction
and enkindlement, and that He may heal thee from the infirmities which
have affected thee and weakened thy feeble body, and strengthen thee to
guide mankind into the Supreme Kingdom and quicken hearts by the
fragrances of the Paradise of Abha, so that thou mayest become a bird
warbling upon the twigs of the Tree of Life, with most wonderful melodies
and most charming tunes.
“O thou artery pulsating in the body of the world!...”
O thou artery pulsating in the body of the world!
Verily I read thy recent letter which indicated conscious joy and abundant
happiness from the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of El-Abha. Know, verily
that the feast is the day wherein God opened thine insight through the
Manifest Light, showed thee unto His Great Kingdom and granted to thee to
drink from the chalice overflowing with the wine of divine guidance among
the maid-servants. Is there a feast more happy and more noble than this?
No, indeed, by the Lord of Heaven, it is a day wherein the thirsty one
attaineth to the Spring from which gusheth forth cool and refreshing
water, the lover meeteth his Loved One and the sick one is healed by the
remedy of the Physician. Blessed art thou for attaining unto this!
Verily, the people who rejoice in the day of the feast and enjoyed the
tree(126) (which) was decorated, following the custom of ancient times,
are the people of superstitions. By the Majesty of thy Lord! Were they in
the time of Christ, they would turn their backs and would not behold His
smiling, glorious face; but today they play in the shallow waters of their
superstitions without discretion.
Therefore, thank God for His having privileged thee to attain nearness to
the Blessed Tree which is grown upon the highest Sinai and is set aglow
with the fire of God’s love, calling unto responsive listeners. I
supplicate God to heal thee from all troubles and diseases and make thee a
sign of guidance and a standard of the Supreme Concourse in those regions
and particularly at Green Acre.
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Loving Lord!...”
O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Loving Lord!
What thou hast written in recommendation of a number of Christians was
perused. Although the presence of these persons will, in these times,
cause the revolt of the heedless ones and increase the trouble, yet for
your sake we will send them a telegram to Egypt and permit them to come
and visit. This is but for thy sake, and Abdul-Baha cannot endure to meet
but the people of the Merciful and does not wish to be in union except
with the heavenly ones.
O thou chosen maid-servant of God! It is time for thee to cry aloud and
fervently, day and night, not to sit still a moment, not to rest for an
instant, but to be always engaged in the commemoration of God and invite
the people with the utmost longing and ecstasy unto the Kingdom of God.
Raise thou such melodies and harmony in Green Acre that may reach unto the
Kingdom of Abha and cause joy and exaltation in the angels of heaven! This
matter needs a great enthusiasm (heat or exertion) and a sanctity and
purity like unto a manifest light. Thou knowest what secrets doeth the
spirit of Abdul-Baha communicate with thee and what glad-tidings he giveth
unto thee! Show forth thy capacity and merit, for without capacity the
Gift doth not become manifest.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was excellent and its contents were perfect and complete. Happy
is thy condition for that thou hast not forgotten the time of thy
visit(127), nay, at every instant thou hast grown in this thought and art
remembering the exhortations of Abdul-Baha and wishing in thy soul to put
them thoroughly into practice. Praise be to God that thou hast kept
steadfast with all firmness under the millstone of tests like unto a grain
of diamond. Be not grieved; tests lead to the development of holy souls
and the ardor of the flame of fire causeth the pure gold to shine and the
violence of winds is conducive to the growth and thriving of a firm and
well rooted tree.
If the earthen house and mortal dwelling-place was burned,(128) yet I hope
that thou mayest build thy nest and abode, like unto the birds of
holiness, in the Tree of Life in the Divine Kingdom.***
All the members of the household, especially the Exalted Leaf(129), send
most wonderful Abha greetings. The maid-servant of God, ........, is
present here longing for you with the utmost joy and happiness.
As to the catalogue of the book of which thou has written, convey (the
following) to the author of that book:
“Although thou hast exerted the utmost endeavors in compiling this book
and hast written the life of His Kingdom Christ and His blessed
sayings—and this service and labor deserve favor—yet these are events of
former times and all that is past is of a different effect. If thou art a
hero of the field and a melodious bird in the garden of the Merciful One,
speak of the Beauty of Abha, for it is ready and present. consider that
the last year’s springtime is past and all that thou mayest say or hear
(about it) is but a story (or narrative); but appreciate thou this New
Year’s Spring—which is this present time—hath pitched its tent with the
utmost magnificence in the field and plain and hath made the mountain and
desert verdant and fresh, hath made the trees to appear pure and fresh,
blooming with flowers and blossoms through the vernal bounty and caused
them to bring forth pure fruits. Nor all that thou mayest speak of the
past springtime, be it even spoken with all excellence and eloquence and
in accord with reality, all that will, nevertheless, be a past story.
“Do thou not abandon that which is ready in the present time until thou
mayest gain the result and gather fruits from the garden of thy hopes and
wishes. Otherwise, thy book is a book of history—it will be concluded and
forgotten. Harken unto me (i.e., take my advice): One single ready drop is
better than a sea which is past. More especially, this New Cause is like
unto a sea, while all those which are past were like unto rivers.”
“O bird without a nest!...”
O bird without a nest!
It is reported thy home and shelter is burnt, thy resting place and
habitation is become desolate. Though this news is greatly affecting, yet
do not be sorrowful and disheartened, because the birds of the divine
gardens have nests on the branches of the Tree of Life. The earthly abode
is not worth the attachment of the heart, for this structure will surely
be destroyed, but that which is of worth to freed ones (detached from all
save God) is the heavenly palace and the court of Divine Majesty. Thanks
be to God that for each one of the divine freed slaves and the heavenly
and dear maid-servants, and indestructible mansion will be erected in the
New Kingdom. This mansion will be an everlasting dwelling, an eternal
abode and shelter.
There is a hidden wisdom in the burning of the house which before long
will be clearly known. Divine attractions and heavenly bounties alone
cause happiness to the hearts.
Use your utmost endeavors to dwell in the thought that in Green Acre this
year the divine proclamation will be raised to the heavenly zenith and the
lights of the supreme guidance will enlighten those regions.
Be sure that heavenly assistance will be given and that the breeze of the
Divine Garden will perfume the nostrils of the inhabitants of the earth.
Some of the weak souls thought that this dear maid-servant of God was
attached to this house and to this perishable world. Now the house is
burnt, all will realize that thy attraction is increasing, thy steps are
drawing near, thy flag is raised higher and thy condition more excellent.
Show forth such happiness and joy that all will be astonished.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of the...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of the Kingdom of El-Abha!
I read thy letter which was beautifully composed and which indicated that
thy delicate body hath gained rest. I send thee the answer spiritually so
that the signs of the address may become manifest in thy heart. Verily
thou art with me in spirit at all times. I ask God to make thee follow my
example in establishing the Kingdom of Unity and Peace and building up the
Dominion of Love and Faith which was founded by the Beauty of El-Abha.
Rest and repose are necessary for thee in these days; be thou composed in
all conditions. Thou art with me under all circumstances. Then thank God
for His guidance unto thee. He hath made thee drink from a cup overflowing
with the wine of His love in the world. I ask God to make thee the essence
of holiness and purity among the maid-servants of the Merciful—thus thou
mayest be a brilliant flame in the universe.
All the Illumined Leaves, the maid-servants of God in this most great
prison, convey to thee greeting and praise.
“Inquire after the health of Miss .........., send...”
(130) Inquire after the health of Miss .........., send her my greeting
and say: “Many ideas rise up in the human mind; some of them concern truth
and some untruth. Among such ideas those which owe their source to the
Light of Truth will be realized in the outward world; while others of a
different origin vanish, come and go like waves on the sea of imagination
and find no realization in the world of existence.
“Similarly, numerous, various meetings and assemblages have been organized
during the past ages and bygone centuries. All these produced no result
except those assemblages which rendered unmixed service to the Light of
Truth; from such assemblages alone great results were realized in the
world of existence.
“For instance, consider how many a thousand assemblages—religious,
political and literary—have been organized in India, Persia, Turkestan,
Chinese countries and, in a word, in every part of Asia. All these gave no
result except that assemblage of the disciples of Christ on the mount
fifty days after Christ’s ascension. all that hath since been effected
along the line of diffusing the holy fragrances of Christ, uplifting the
Word of God, spreading the Gospel, training souls and guiding the people,
hath been wholly from the result of the effects produced by that
assemblage of the disciples. Those effects are continual even in the
present time.
“Consequently, if one looks for praiseworthy results and wishes to produce
eternal effects, let him make exceeding effort, in order that Green Acre
may become an assemblage for the Word of God and a gathering place for the
spiritual ones of the heavenly world.
“The moldered, two-thousand-years-old superstitions of the heedless,
ignorant peoples, whether of Asia or Europe, should not be spread in that
revered gathering place; for, if such be the case, let it be known for
certain that that assemblage will yield no result and will, before long,
be forgotten and consigned to oblivion, similar to other meetings of
bygone times.
“I beg of God that that esteemed maid-servant of God shall be the cause of
spreading the Cause of God, so that the Light of Truth may shine and the
world be illumined.
“When you reflect attentively, you will find that the Word is what we have
hereby said and that all else save this is pure imagination, is of no
stability and is evanescent.
“The tree must have roots in order to yield fruit. The trees of the forest
of Asia have yielded no fruit for thousands of years, except the blessed
Trees of the Divine Manifestations, for each one of these Trees hath so
developed and flourished that it hath trained and nourished the whole
earth with fruits and yields.”
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written was considered. It indicated purity of heart and
advancement toward God.
O thou maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection! Be thou not sad, neither be
thou unhappy, although the divine tests are violent, yet are they
conducive to the life of the soul and the heart. The more often the pure
gold is thrown into the furnace of test, the greater will become its
purity and brilliancy and it will acquire a new splendor and brightness. I
hope that thou art thyself in such a position.
Consider thou the lives of the former sanctified souls; what tests have
they not withstood and what persecutions have they not beheld; while they
were surrounded with calamities they increased their firmness and while
they were overwhelmed with tests they manifested more zeal and courage. Be
thou also like unto them.
The utmost favor is shown toward thee and the divine bounties are thy
guide. endeavor thou, as far as thou canst, in order that thou mayest be
like unto a chaste and clear mirror, cleansed and purified from every
dust, so that the outpouring of the rays of the Sun of Truth may descend
and thou mayest illumine those who are around thee. This is my counsel to
thee. I pray always in thy behalf and supplicate for thy confirmation and
assistance, in order that thou mayest become a sign of the Most Great
Bounty and be the cause of the guidance of many souls. If thou art
mindful, seek thou the favor everlasting and the illumination eternal. Do
thou some work, that thou mayest become favored in the Threshold of the
Almighty and a beloved maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection, in the
Kingdom.
His honor ........ hath delivered thy message. I entreat God that thine
utmost hopes and desires may become realized.
Every one in the Holy Household is engaged in thy remembrance and sends
thee their longing greeting.
Convey to ........ my respectful greeting and announce to him: “No matter
how brilliant a receding star is, its light never reaches to this world.
Worship thou the newly ascendant Shining Luminary whose lights are
glittering and whose proof is self-evident. Become thou the cause of
guidance of the person whom thou art respecting. No matter how much
endeavor and effort is shown, a tree which hath been in existence for two
thousand years or more will never bring new and fresh fruits. This is the
truth and there is nothing beyond the truth but manifest error.”
“O thou who art favored in the Kingdom of the...”
O thou who art favored in the Kingdom of the almighty!
The letter that thou hast written with the utmost eloquence, compassion,
humility and submission of heart and spiritual emotions, hath been read.
If the people live and act in accord with the General Tablets which are
revealed to the beloved of the East and of the West, this universe will
become another universe and the whole existence of this world will be clad
in another garment. You must encourage and reinforce the beloved of God
and the maid-servants of the Merciful that they may live and act in accord
with the teachings in the General Tablets.
Consider thou how vast is the arena of the Kingdom—it hath environed the
whole world. The splendor of Providence hath encircled all races, nations,
communities and religions; the foundation of foreignness is swept away and
the basis of Oneness is established; love hath become universal and the
spiritual ties are strengthened.***
“O thou favored maid-servant of God!...”
O thou favored maid-servant of God!
The meeting which thou hast formed and therein assembled the faithful (or
believers) together and engaged with them in the commemoration of God,
caused the Supreme Concourse to praise and the angels of heaven to
applaud.
Be thou a cause of unifying hearts as much as thou canst and guide thou
the heedless souls, and in this spiritual springtime perfume thou nostrils
with the sweet fragrances of the rose-garden of the Kingdom. This is
eternal life; this everlasting Glory! And this is a peace which is not
followed by any trouble! All else save this is a plaything of children and
is useless and nonsense!
“O thou who art advancing towards the Shining Orb of...”
O thou who art advancing towards the Shining Orb of the Horizons!
Verily, the East and West have already glittered through the light which
is shining forth from the Horizon of the mercy of thy Lord, the Clement,
the Merciful, but the blind are still in great error.
The Call of God is already raised throughout all concourses of the earth;
but the deaf are still muffled in thick veils. All things have already
uttered the praise of God; but the dumb are still continuing in their
astounding silence.
As to thee: Listen to the Supreme Concourse and hear the call, “Glory be
unto my Lord, the El-Baha!”
“O thou who art spreading the Cause of God!...”
O thou who art spreading the Cause of God!
I hope thou wilt become as a rising light and obtain spiritual health—and
spiritual health is conducive to physical health—so that thou mayest be
enabled to liquidate thy debts and be strengthened to attain the blessing
of the Forgiving Lord; that thou mayest become a mirror of truth and
reveal the spiritual brilliancy of the heavenly universe to all eyes,
direct large numbers of people under the shadow of the Powerful Lord and
guide all thy family and relations unto the Greatest Guidance; and that
thou mayest be honored with a visit to the Holy Threshold after having
attained to all these gifts.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Acquire the Persian tongue, so as to learn of the meanings of the divine
words and to know the divine mysteries, to develop an eloquent speech and
to translate the blessed Tablets of Baha’o’llah. The Persian language
shall become noteworthy in this cycle; nay, rather, the people shall study
it in all the world.
“O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God!
His Holiness Christ—may my spirit be His sacrifice! —said in the Gospel,
“Many are called, but few chosen.” That is, many have been invited to
faith, but few chosen for guidance. Praise be to God that thou wert of the
chosen, realized the Day of the Lord, heard the divine Call and attained
the Light of Reality! Endeavor and make an effort that certain souls may
be trained, of whom His Holiness Christ said, “Ye shall know the tree by
its fruits.” That is to say, every soul is known by (his) conduct,
manners, words and deeds. Therefore, we must strive with life and heart
that, day by day, our deeds may be better, our conduct more beautiful and
our forbearance greater. That is, to cultivate love for all the world; to
attain beatific character.
O maid-servant of God! Study Persian and acquire it more day by day, for
by the study of this language great and boundless results are obtained.
Convey greeting and praise to thy revered mother and also to all thy
sisters. I hope that all may become bright as the candle through the light
of the love of God.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Be happy for thou hast found guidance, witnessed the light of Truth and
hearkened unto the exhortations of Abdul-Baha. Though the worth and value
of this gift is not apparent and manifest in this world of mortality, in
the divine world this gift is abundantly radiant and brilliant. Thou shall
of course perceive (or behold) this.
I have not forgotten thee nor will I do so, and I always beg of God that
thou wilt day by day increase in love and that thy heart will become more
illuminated. I was rejoiced with the kindness shown by the dear
maid-servants ........ toward ......... For God hath guided the
maid-servants of the Merciful in order for kindness (to appear) so that
they may become a mercy to all mankind (or all the creatures) and a gift
to the world of humanity.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
The tongues have spoken of thy attraction to God and the pens testified of
thy burning by the fire of the love of God. Indeed the heart of Abdul-Baha
approveth of this, because it feeleth its heat from this distant and
Blessed Spot.
O maid-servant of God! By God, the Truth, the Spirit of Christ from the
Supreme Concourse doth in every time and aspect announce to thee this
great good news.
Be, therefore, a divine bird, proceed to thy native country, spread the
wings of sanctity over those spots and sing and chant and celebrate the
name of thy Lord, that thou mayest gladden the Supreme Concourse and make
the seeking souls hasten unto thee as the moths hasten to the lamp, and
thus illumine that distant country by the light of God.
“O thou bird warbling in the Garden of the Love of...”
O thou bird warbling in the Garden of the Love of God!
Thank God that He hath illumined thine insight, led thee unto the Fire
glowing in the Tree of Man, caused thee to utter His praise among the
creatures and guided certain women to whom thou delivered the Word of God.
O maid-servant of god! Verily thy Lord lighteth the lamp of love in the
heart of whomsoever He chooseth. This is indeed the great happiness. He
confirmeth him in the service of His Supreme Vineyard.
I pray God to confirm the relatives in attaining to the Brilliant Light,
to let the light of insight shine forth to the hearts and sights, to aid
thy friends in being illumined by the light of El-Baha and [being] fed
from the heavenly table, and to make thee empty, void from the thoughts of
the life of this world and filled with the love of thy Lord, ready for His
service, uttering His praise and demonstrating with proofs the appearance
of the Kingdom of God.
“O thou who art conscious!...”
O thou who art conscious!
At last thou didst learn of the path of salvation and didst find the
straight way. Now remain firm that thou mayest attain confirmation and
victory.
The powers of the sympathetic nerve are neither entirely physical nor
spiritual, but are between the two (systems).(131) The nerve is connected
with both. Its phenomena shall be perfect when its spiritual and physical
relations are normal.
When the material world and the divine world are well co-related, when the
hearts become heavenly and the aspirations grow pure and divine, perfect
connection shall take place. Then shall this power produce a perfect
manifestation. Physical and spiritual diseases will then receive absolute
healing.
The exposition is brief. Ponder and thou shalt understand the meaning.
Although, on account of lack of time, the answer is short, by close
reflection it shall be made long.
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
On perusing the contents of thy brilliant letter, I became cognizant of
the secrets of thy heart, which is illumined by the clear light.
Verily, I supplicate my Lord to cause to descend upon thee an abundant
grace of the spirit of His Holiness, that thine eyes may become clear and
thy mind rejoiced by the gift which hath shone over all regions.
Know that the poor people hasten by parties to the Kingdom of God; the
weak become mighty before thy Lord, and the slaves when entering the
shadow of thy Lord attain the station of masters, lords and freed slaves
in the presence of God.
Grieve not because of my confinement, for it is a joy to my heart, a
pleasure to my spirit, a good news to my soul, an utmost desire of my
hope, an intended aim of my aspiration; because it is a confinement in the
path of God, the Lord of the worlds.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
I have read thy letter which indicated thy straightforwardness in the love
of God and thy desire in spreading this brilliant light among the
offspring of the Africans. How good is the intention! And what an
excellent aim this great aim is! Indeed the hearts of the Africans are as
a blank scroll of paper upon which thou canst write any phrase; but thou
must have patience and a heart as firm as a mountain, owing to the
innumerable hardships that may intervene, which could be endured only by
one who surrenders to grievous calamities.
If thou art of the people of this field (race-course) let loose the reins
and rely upon the Merciful, and He will indeed assist thee with the hosts
of the unseen at all times. Use thy utmost power to affiliate the hearts
and, with the whole of thy might, bring the scattered souls into union.***
Look not unto thy weakness, but rely upon thy Lord, and He will then grant
thee all thy desires and reveal to thee the answer without asking.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Thou hast said aright, that verily, Abdul-Baha looketh to deeds and not to
words. Even as it was said by Christ, “Ye shall know them by their
fruits.”
Be not grieved if the affairs are made difficult and troubles have waxed
intense upon thee from all sides! Verily thy Lord changeth the hardships
into facility, troubles into ease and afflictions into greatest composure.
Verily, thy Lord is on the right path!
Tests and trials shall soon arise, blessed are those who endure patiently!
Blessed are those who keep firm! Be patient, that thou mayest be rendered
victorious in thy greatest wishes, and know thou that verily, thou art
with me in the nearness of my Lord, the Supreme!
Verily, this is a glad-tidings unto thee forevermore!
“O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances...”
O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances of God!
I perused thy letter which speaks of thy love to God and thine attraction
to the Beauty of God, and I became cheered in heart by its beautiful
contents. In my previous letter to thee it was my intention to point out
to thee that in the way of exalting the Word of God there are tests and
trials, and in His love there are at all times calamities and afflictions
and sufferings. Therefore, it behooveth one to first ponder over these
calamities and wistfully accept them, then undertake to spread the
fragrances of God and exalt His Word. At that time, whatever may befall
him in the love of God, of reproach, persecution, reviling, abuse, insult,
beating, imprisonment or assassination, will not offend him; rather it
will augment his attraction to the Beauty of God. This was what I intended
previously. Otherwise, woe and misery to the soul which hunts after
comfort, luxury, wealth and affluence, while it is remiss of the mention
of God; because calamity in the path of God is a favor to Abdul-Baha.
In one of the Tablets the Beauty of El-Abha sayeth, “I never passed by a
tree that my heart did not address it, saying, ‘Would that thou was cut in
My Name, that upon thee my body should be crucified!’”
This is that which was uttered by the Greatest Name. This is His Path!
This is the evidence of His Great Kingdom!
“O thou who art commemorating the Name of God!...”
O thou who art commemorating the Name of God!
Verily, I read thy interesting letter and my heart was made happy by its
beautiful contents.
O maid-servant of God! Rest assured in the bounty of thy Lord and place
thy confidence in Him, for He will confirm thee in all aspects and under
all conditions.
Know, verily, that the seed, however virile it may be, however strong the
hand of the sower, however pure the water that watereth it, it is
impossible for it to grow, blossom and bear fruit in a short time; nay a
long period is needed for its development.
So is the Kingdom of God. Consider the seed which was sown by Christ;
verily, it did not blossom until after a long period. Thus it is incumbent
upon thee to be patient in all affairs. Verily thy Lord is powerful,
forgiving, precious and persevering! Depend upon the favor of thy LOrd. He
shall bless thee and protect thee under the shadow of His generosity and
mercy.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
I supplicate and implore my Lord to strengthen thee by the Spirit of Life,
make thee enter the Ark of Safety, and show thee the evident signs; that
the veils of the people of suspicion may be rent asunder and the brilliant
proof of God become manifest to all regions, and thy heart be made a clear
mirror wherein are printed the Lights of the Kingdom of the earth and
heaven.
“O thou who art remembered by Abdul-Baha!...”
O thou who art remembered by Abdul-Baha!
Thy letter which is couched in graceful words hath given me joy and
happiness, for it showeth how thou art controlled by the attraction of the
fragrances of God and how thou art kindled by the flame of fire that
burneth in the Tree of Sinai.
Blessed art thou because of this great bounty and manifest abundance!
Verily, by day and by night I do mention thee and thy daughter who is the
delight of thine eye, and supplicate God to make you both two burning
lamps, shining at the meetings of the maid-servants of God, spreading the
light of knowledge, burning the moth of imaginations and surmise and
removing, through the light of manifest evidences and peremptory proofs,
the darkness of suspicions.
“O thou whose heart is moved by a breeze blowing from...”
O thou whose heart is moved by a breeze blowing from the Garden of
El-Abha!
Thy elegant and terse letter, couched in graceful words, was read by me. I
rejoiced at the fragrances of love, which being scented from the verdant
gardens of the Paradise of El-Abha, have cheerfully moved thee.
O maid-servant of God! Be submissive to thy Lord, humble to His servants
and compliant to his maid-servants. Overcome passions and desires, purify
the heart from remembrance of aught save that of thy Lord, the Precious,
the Gracious, and be controlled by the attraction of the Beauty of God,
that His remembrance may run as the spirit in thy blood veins and limbs,
and thus fill thee with the thoughts of the love of God.
O maid-servant of God! Ignite the fire of love in the hearts which are
remiss of the mention of God that they may become awakened by the breath
of God, and quickened by His Spirit in this Great Day.
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Verily, I bow my face to the dust of the Threshold of El-Baha and to Him
who sitteth on the Throne, I petition as a supplicating captive, begging
Him to make thee to behold His Glorious Face and to purify thine insight
from aught else save Him among the people. Verily, He is the refuge of all
and our Great Protection!
We are all poor at His Door, weak before His Power, lowly at His
Threshold, and we possess the power of neither good nor harm. He is indeed
the Confirmer, the Strengthener, the Benevolent!
Truly hath He opened before our faces the doors of the Kingdom, granted us
the treasures of His mysteries through the divine bounty and He hath
chosen us for His love, for attainment unto His lights, the study of His
teachings, the spreading of His name, the guidance unto His path and
service in His great vineyard. I pray for confirmation in thy behalf and
thou shouldst pray for strength on my part. Thy prayers for me should be
that I may attain martyrdom in His path, that my spirit may be His
sacrifice, and that my blood may be shed for His love.
O maid-servant of God! verily, I long for that cup, which is overflowing
with the bounty of God, as a patient desiring to be healed, as a thirsty
soul seeking water, as the poor in quest of wealth, and as one in
separation yearning after the meeting of the beloved one night and day.
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I pray God to make thee the sign of guidance among the
maid-servants of the Merciful, to enkindle in thy heart a spark of that
fire which was ignited in the Sinaiatic Tree and to give thee to drink and
overflowing cup from the choice wine of the love of God, until the
intoxication of that wine may so prevail upon thee that thou mayest
thereby forget all else save God, be attracted to the Beauty of God,
glorify thy Lord and sanctify Him during morn and eve.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be severed from the
desires of the world, and it is incumbent upon thee to be attracted to the
Supreme Kingdom. At that time thou wilt become fluent in tongue and thou
wilt speak in most eloquent words through the confimation of the Holy
Spirit. This is that gift which the Lord of Heaven hath promised.
“O thou who dost believe in the Spirit of Christ, in the...”
O thou who dost believe in the Spirit of Christ, in the Kingdom of God!
The body is composed, in truth, of corporeal elements and every
composition is necessarily subject to decomposition; but the spirit is an
essence, simple, pure, spiritual, eternal, perpetual and divine. He who
seeketh Christ from the point of view of His body hath, in truth, debased
Him and hath gone astray from Him; but he who seeketh Christ from the
point of view of His Spirit will grow from day to day in joy, attraction,
zeal, proximity, perception and vision.
Thou hast then to seek the Spirit of Christ in this marvelous day. The
heaven whither Christ ascended is not an infinite space. His heaven is
much rather the kingdom of His Lord, the Munificent. As He said, “The Son
of Man is in heaven.” It is known then that His heaven is beyond the
boundaries that surround existence and that He is elevated for the people
who adore.
Pray God to ascend to this heaven, to taste of its food—and know thou that
the people have not understood to this day the mystery of the Holy
Scriptures. They believe that Christ was deprived of His heaven when He
was in this world, that He had fallen from the heights of His elevation
and that later He ascended to this elevated pinnacle—that is to say,
towards the heaven which doth not exist, for there is only space. They
expect that He will descend from this heaven seated upon a cloud. They
believe that there is in the heavens a cloud upon which He will be seated
and by which He will descend; while, in reality, the clouds are vapors
which rise from the earth and which do not descend from the heavens. The
cloud mentioned in the Holy Scriptures is the human body, because it is a
veil for them, like a cloud, which prevents them from seeing the Sun of
Truth which is shining in the horizon of Christ.
I pray God to open before your face the gates of revelation and of vision
in such a way that thou shalt learn the mysteries of God in this known
day.***
“O ye who are considering the Kingdom of your august...”
O ye who are considering the Kingdom of your august Savior!
I know the ardor which enflames you both(132) with the desire to present
yourselves in the Sacred Place and I desire, also, to see you both. But my
Lord hath a supreme wisdom and His wisdom hath required the imprisonment
of Abdul-Baha and the prevention of visits of impassioned friends. It is a
temporary condition that will pass away in the future. In the meantime I
shall remember you in my heart and I love you with a holy affection that
is spiritual, divine, eternal and perpetual; that is founded on the surest
base and on the most durable of foundations. I pray God to remove all the
veils and to illumine your hearts with lights shining from the Supreme
Horizon, in such a manner that the light of guidance shall move before you
and that your hearts shall dilate in perceiving great signs. Turn towards
California with a luminous face, a joyous soul, an attracted heart, an
enlightened spirit, an eloquent speech and a radiant expression. In those
regions God will, through you, become the guide of many people.
“O ye two singing birds in the Garden of Belief!...”
O ye two(133) singing birds in the Garden of Belief!
I have read your letter in which you confess the Unity of God and the
grandeur of His reign, and in which you make known that you have been
attracted by the perfumes of God and that you have bathed in the sea of
knowledge. Thank God for that! I pray God to strengthen your steps in the
straight road, to preserve you from violent tests, in making of you two
green and fruitful trees in His great vineyard, to the end that ye may
arrive at a favor that shall make of you two elected ones in the court of
the august Lord. Appreciate this favor and give thanks to your Savior that
He hath heaped upon you this great kindness.
“O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter is received and perused. It afforded us joy and pleasure, gave
us good news and is the token of the wealth of thy love. This period of
time is the Promised Age, the assembling of the human race to the
“Resurrection Day” and now is the great “Day of Judgment.” Soon the whole
world, as in springtime, will change its garb. The turning and falling of
the autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of the winter time is over. The
new year hath appeared and the spiritual springtime is at hand. The black
earth is becoming a verdant garden; the deserts and mountains are teeming
with red flowers; from the borders of the wilderness the tall grasses are
standing like advance guards before the cypress and jessamine trees; while
the birds are singing among the rose branches like the angels in the
highest heavens, announcing the glad-tidings of the approach of that
spiritual spring, and the sweet music of their voices is causing the real
essence of all things to move and quiver.
O my spiritual friend! Dost thou know from what airs emanate the notes
sung by those birds? They are from the melodies of peace and
reconciliation, of love and unity, of justice and security, of concord and
harmony. In a short time this heavenly singing will intoxicate all
humanity; the foundations of enmity shall be destroyed; unity and
affection shall be witnessed in every assembly; and the lovers of the love
of God at these great festivals shall behold their splendor.
Therefore, contemplate what a spirit of life God hath given that the the
body of the whole earth may attain life everlasting! The Paradise of
El-Abha will soon spread a pavilion from the pole-star of the world, under
whose shelter the beloved shall rejoice and the pure hearts shall repose
in peace.
“O ye two pilgrims of the Holy Shrine!...”
O ye two(134) pilgrims of the Holy Shrine!
The news of your protected and safe arrival in Paris, France, reached here
and made me glad and happy. The news expressed the love and devotion of
the beloved of Paris, who met you with the greatest joy and cheerfulness,
and who are themselves in love, peace and harmony.
You shall openly declare all the signs of the Kingdom that you say with
you own eyes and shall suggest with greatest joy and happiness all the
divine teachings that you heard. I ask and supplicate God to make you to
convinced souls, to bring you forth with such a steadfastness that each of
you may withstand the people of a country, and to intoxicate you with the
wine of the love of God so that you may cause your hearers to dance, to be
joyful and to exult.
This is the time of happiness; it is the day of cheerfulness and
exhilaration. For, praise to God, all the doors are opened through the
bounty of the Glorious Beauty. But one must show forth perseverance and
self-devotion and consecrate his thoughts, until the tree of hope may give
fruit and produce consequences.
“O ye two lamps of the Love of God!...”
O ye two(135) lamps of the Love of God!
Your letter to ........ was read and its contents considered. Its meanings
expressed the feelings of spiritual hearts and emanated from the spring of
the conscience. This is from the bounty of the Kingdom of Abha. I hope
that this drop will increase and grow and become like unto an ocean; that
your faith, certainty and love toward God may grow, that your light may
increase, that ye may become heavenly and that ye may receive aid and
confirmation at every moment, spreading the Word of God and promulgating
His religion.
“O thou respectful soul!...”
O thou respectful soul!
Thy letter with its great and expressive contents gave me satisfaction. It
gave utterance to the feelings of thy heart and to thy contentment. Thy
going to California was for the best. I hope that it will give great
results; that through thee the ignorant will receive knowledge, the blind
will gain sight, the deaf will hear, the dumb will speak, the negligent
will awaken, the heedless will receive intelligence. If thou arisest as it
must and should be in the service of the Cause, the divine assistance will
direct and the heavenly, everlasting help will continue. I hope that thou
will be assisted to the intention which thou hast in thy heart.
“O thou faithful maid-servant of God!...”
O thou faithful maid-servant of God!
What thou has written me hath been seen. Indeed thou belongest to the
Kingdom and thou turnest towards the Horizon of Abha. I ask from the
bounty of God that thou mayest be enflamed day by day more and more by the
fire of the love of God.
It seems that thou wast uncertain whether to occupy thyself in writing or
in delivering the tidings of the Cause of God. In these days, to deliver
the glad-tidings is the best of all. Open then thy tongue to the guidance
of the human race on any occasion that presents itself.
Thou hast asked about knowledge and cognition. Read the divine books and
tablets and look into he books of proofs that have been written in
presenting this Cause. One of them is the Book of Ighan(136), which is
translated into English. There is also the book(137) by Mirza Abul Fazl
and there are others written by the believers. In the time to come, many
divine books and tablets will be translated and thou wilt read them; but
thou mayest ask God that thou mayest attract divine knowledge by the
magnet of the love of God. When the soul becomes sanctified in every
condition and becomes pure and holy, then the door of the divine knowledge
will be opened to the face.
Thou hast written about the dear maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ That
one attracted unto God is indeed always occupied in the service and she
doth her utmost to spread the divine lights; if she continueth in the same
way there will be great results in the future. That which is of the
greatest importance is to have firmness, steadfastness and constancy.
I pray God that through the desires and the efforts of the maid-servants
of the Merciful the foot of the mountains by the ocean’s shore(138) will
be enlightened by the brilliancy of the love of God in such a way that its
light may be transmitted all over the world.
You ask if, through the appearance of the Kingdom of God, every soul hath
been saved. The Sun of Reality hath appeared to the all the world. This
Luminous Appearance is salvation and life; but only he who hath opened the
eye of reality and who hath seen these lights will be saved.
You also ask about the eventual victory of spirituality in the Bahai age.
It is certain that spirituality will overcome materiality and that the
divine will have the victory over the human; it is also true that by
divine education souls in every condition of existence will be elevated,
except those that are blind, deaf, dumb and dead. How can such souls
comprehend the light? The sun lighteth up all the dark world, but the
blind man hath no portion in its brilliancy; the cloud of mercy poureth
forth streams of water, but the sterile land will never produce plants and
flowers.
Give my greetings to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ and to her
daughter. I pray God to assist them to help them, that their meeting day
by day will grow brighter and that their hearts will be more and more
attracted.
If you see Mrs........., give her my greeting and say to her: “Thou hast
come to Acca, thou hast seen my teachings, thou hast heard my explanations
and thou hast smelled the sweet odors of the Kingdom. Do not forget this,
and try with thy heart and soul to diffuse this fragrance to thy respected
husband also.”
Give my greeting to all the maid-servants of God.
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
The celebration of the Feast of Naurooz(139) made me glad. Consider how
different this meeting was from that of last year. Consider the bounty and
the blessing of God. Therefore, know that this Cause is progressive. All
the obstacles of the world cannot hinder it. Thou didst realize divine joy
and happiness in that meeting. Is it possible for earthly gatherings to
give such divine joy? This bounty is in itself the greatest evidence of
the appearance of the Kingdom. I ask God to increase daily the fire and
zeal of the love of God. Thus may that land become a veritable paradise
and the heavenly attainments become manifest.
If thou knewest in what (spiritual) state I write this letter thou wouldst
surely become like a flame of fire and set aglow the hearts by the fire of
the love of God.
Thou hast written concerning the Most Holy Book.(140) It is intended that
in the future-inshallah(141)—means will be provided and with the utmost
care it will be translated and sent to those regions.
O thou dear maid-servant of God! The souls who bear the tests of God
become the manifestations of great bounties; for the divine trials cause
some souls to become entirely lifeless, while they cause the holy souls to
ascend to the highest degree of love and solidity. They cause progress and
they also cause retrogression.
Dr. ........ hath well said. Surely this Cause is beyond imaginations and
thoughts. convey greetings of respect to him, to his revered wife, to his
son and to his bride.
O thou maid-servant of God! Surely, if holy souls are found and arise to
do well the commandments and precepts of God, to serve, they will verily
become centers of light; an illuminating ray will extend from their hearts
to all parts and the continent will become radiant.
Surely, all must today be called to love, to unity and to kindness; to
integrity, to friendship, to fellowship and to divine worship. I hope that
thou and thy dear husband may continue to serve in all spirit and
fragrance and that in this world ye may remain two radiant candles and in
the eternal horizon ye may glisten like unto two shining stars.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thy letter *** was received and its contents became known.
In this most Merciful Age the ignorant prejudices are entirely removed,
therefore the marriage of Miss ........ to Mr. ........ is permissible;
but Miss ........ must exert herself day and night so that, like the
favored maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........ she may guide her husband. She
must not rest until she makes him her spiritual as well as physical
partner in life. But the Bahai engagement is the perfect communication and
the entire consent of both parties. However, they must show forth the
utmost attention and become informed of one another’s character and the
firm covenant made between each other must become an eternal binding, and
their intentions must be everlasting affinity, friendship, unity and life.
The bridegroom must, before the bridesman and a few others, say: “Verily,
we are content with the will of God”. And the bride must rejoin: “Verily,
we are satisfied with the desire of God.” This is Bahai matrimony.
Regarding the marriage of Mr. ........ and Miss ........, that also, God
willing, is blessed.
The marriage of the Bahais means that both man and woman must become
spiritually and physically united, so that they may have eternal unity
throughout all the divine worlds and improve the spiritual life of each
other. This is Bahai matrimony.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter hath arrived. It brought joy to all hearts, for it carried the
proof of thy sincere work. Today, directing mankind in the right path is
the magnet which will attract to us the help of God. All those who
consecrate themselves to this work are accompanied by divine protection.
Thus, rely upon God and address thy supplications to the Most High. Then,
after perfect renunciation, care for the souls of the undirected and
negligent. I pray that thou mayest be aided and strengthened.
Thou has demanded the permission to go to Algeria in order to give thyself
to the direction of men; may God aid and help you in this work.
“O thou who art seeking for the Power of the Holy...”
O thou who art seeking for the Power of the Holy Spirit!
The reality of man is like unto a sea, and the Holy Power is like unto
brilliant pearls. Not until the sea moveth in waves doth it throw a shell
of pearls upon the shore. Therefore if thou wishest to become heavenly,
cut thy attention from the earth; that is, cease to attach thy heart unto
this world and seek connection with or attachment to the Kingdom and turn
unto God. and when thou doest this, thou wilt become the mercy of God and
a gift of the Almighty. Consider how the attracted maid-servant of God,
Mrs. ........, is in constant progress through the heavenly bounty. I hope
that thou mayest become likewise.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written was perused and its contents became manifest. Thou
hast questioned how thou canst accept this divine cause, for thou art a
member of the Church: (Know thou) in the day of the Manifestation of
Christ, many souls became portionless and deprived (from the favor of God)
because they were members of the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. According to
that membership, they became veiled from that brilliant Beauty. Therefore,
turn thou thy face to the Church of God which consists in divine
instructions and merciful exhortations. For what similarity (is there)
between the church of stone and cement and the Celestial Holy of Holies!
Endeavor that thou mayest enter in this Church of God. Although thou hast
given oath to attend the church, yet thy spirit is under the Covenant and
Testament of the Spiritual Divine Church. Thou shouldst protect this.
Although they consider the wine and the bread in the church as the blood
and body of Christ, yet this is but the appearance and not the reality.
But the reality of Christ is the words of the Holy Spirit. If thou are
able, take a portion thereof.
The performance of baptismal celebration would cleanse the body, but the
spirit hath no share; but the divine teachings and the exhortations of the
Beauty of Abha will baptize the soul. This is the real baptism. I hope
that thou wilt receive this baptism.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
The subject matter of thy letter is known to me. Happy is thy condition,
for thou hast loved Jesus always and wept over His sufferings. Sufferings
though they were intense in those days, yet they are more intense in these
days and are more worthy of being wept over. But at present, one must not
weep, but one must show forth firmness and steadfastness and withstand the
tests.
I beg of God that that maid-servant of God and all her family be blessed,
remain firm and steadfast in love for His Holiness Baha’, and arise (to
do) that which is befitting these days.
“O thou who art attracted to the Light of the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Light of the Kingdom!
Thank thou God, that in this glorious period, thou hast advance toward the
Manifest Light; thou hast beheld the doors of the Kingdom open and
considered entrance therein conducive to eternal prosperity and success.
Thou hast arisen to serve the Cause of god and occupied thy time in
assisting in the spiritual meeting. Ere long thou shalt know what a light
thou hast enkindled.
“O thou who hast been attracted by the Magnet of the...”
O thou who hast been attracted by the Magnet of the Kingdom!
Note that thy Lord hath manifested the Magnet of the souls and hearts in
the Pole of the existing world, to which all the sacred hearts are
attracted from the far distant lands and countries.
The iron body is attractable although at long distances away; but the
earthen one is not although in contact and very close.
Therefore, thank thou God for being an attractable body, to be drawn to
the Magnet of the Kingdom of God.
“O thou whose heart hath been filled with the love of...”
O thou whose heart hath been filled with the love of the Beauty of God!
I have read thy kind letter and voiced thy words which show the excess of
thy love to God, the greatness of thine adherence to the Cause of God and
the abundance of thine attraction to the Kingdom of God. From a man like
unto thee such words are always expected and it is your duty thus to
proclaim.
I do greet thee from this Exalted Place, while thou art in that far
distant country, and present to thee salutations and praise, and I see
thee with the eye of the heart as though thou were present here and I
speak to thee by the tongue of the Spirit, saying: “Blessed thou art with
every blessing! Then preach to the beloved of God in that country the
glad-tidings of El-Baha!”
The form of prayer requested by thee:
My God! my God! thou art my hope and my beloved, my intended aim and
desire! With great humbleness and entire devotion I pray to Thee to make
me the minaret of Thy love in Thy region, the lamp of Thy knowledge among
Thy creatures and the banner of thy gift in Thy Kingdom.
Make me one of Thy worshippers who cut themselves from everything but Thee
and sanctify themselves from everything pertaining to the world and divert
themselves from the defects of the suspicious.
Let my heart be dilated with joy through the spirit of confirmation from
Thy Kingdom and illumine my sight with seeing the hosts of success
following one another and descending upon me from thine Omnipotence.
Thou art the Almighty, the Invincible, the Powerful!
“O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art turned to the Kingdom!
In truth, I say unto thee that if a spark of the fire of the love of god
should fall into a heart, its flame will increase gradually, as the breeze
blows upon it, until the sparks of the flame reach the Supreme Kingdom,
providing the necessary preparations are made to kindle that fire in thy
heart, to shed the tears from thine eyes and to bring thy patience to an
end for the purpose of being drawn into the Kingdom of El-Abha.
In truth, I say unto thee, if thou hear this call, do not relax in
mentioning God, nor grow weary of spreading the fragrances of God. And
then rejoice at the good news of the gifts which shall shine as the sun in
the highest culmination of America.
“My God! My God!...”
My God! My God!
I am a servant, miserable, humbled, submissive and low at the door of Thy
Oneness, supplicating Thee with a heart full of Thy love and a face
rejoiced at Thy glad-tidings!
O God! Make me of those who are drawn unto light and [who] detest
darkness; with a heart overflowing with the lights of Thy love among
mankind; a tongue fluent in mentioning Thee in the assemblies of worship
(remembrance); a breast, cheered and widened with Thy knowledge when
uttering explanations; an eye consoled with seeing Thy traces in all
directions; a foot firm in Thy Covenant, which I have received from the
traces of the Supreme Pen; a spreader of mysteries to those who are
heedless of them, who have veiled themselves with doubts and suspicions.
Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the Generous!
“O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art kindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Verily I read thy words which showed thy yearning love in God, and chanted
thy expressions written in His praise.
I beg of God to make thee a sign of guidance, a standard of righteousness
and a lamp shining with the light of the knowledge of God.
Give my greeting and salutation to Mrs. ........ and say to her: “Be not
disappointed by the calamity which hath befallen thee and be not grieved
that the consolation of thine eye (thy child) hath left the world of dust
and hath ascended to the expanse of the Kingdom, that he hath abandoned
the abode of the lowest world and hath sought refuge in the presence of
the greatest mercy, where the Lord hath placed him in a comfortable
abode.”
We have already written a consoling letter(142) to her, whereby her breast
will be dilated and her soul will cheer.
“O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of God!...”
O thou who art attracted unto the Beauty of God!
Verily I have read thy excellent letter and was gladdened by its wonderful
meaning. Blessed art thou, as thou hast been kindled like a lamp by the
fire of God’s love and as thou hast supplicated unto God and communicated
with thy Lord with an eloquent tongue and excellent explanation.
Verily I pray unto my Lord with all humbleness, meekness, obedience and
submissiveness—which demolisheth every edifice of self-exaltation—that He
shall strengthen thee by the fragrances of holiness and the breath of the
Spirit of Truth and cause thee to be dedicated (or severed) unto God,
purged and purified from the dross of the world, holy and sanctified from
carnal passions, sacrificing thy soul to the beloved of God, contented
with that which the Lord hath granted thee in the world, anxious to
perform noble and good deeds while following the teachings of god, and in
all things adhering to the law of God!
As God liveth! shouldest thou be honored by attaining to this station,
thou wilt find thyself in the center of the Paradise (Ferdowce), the
highest of paradises!
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god and steadfast in the
Covenant of god!
Verily I read thine eloquent letter, the composition of which was
beautiful, words excellent and significances interesting, and I thanked
God that He hath chosen certain souls for His knowledge and love,
deposited in their hearts His mysteries, manifested from their faces His
lights and made them the signs of His Kingdom, the banners of His majesty,
the trees of His paradise and the birds of the garden of His holiness.
O thou, my honorable friend! Verily I scented the fragrance of meekness
and humbleness from the orchard of the meanings of thy letter and was
caused to rejoice, smile and be made glad that God hath made thee humble
and submissive to His beloved. Verily this is the greatest bounty from God
and by it the breast of Abdul-Baha is dilated in this remote prison.
O friend! Verily the prison is my paradise and the chains my necklace; my
balance (or testing) is my redemption (or salvation) and the castle is my
fortified safety, for this imprisonment is in the path of my Lord and it
is my salvation, my joy, my gratitude and happiness. Verily, in calamity
the face of Abdul-Baha shineth and through hardship joy is attained by
this servant in all conditions.
O thou friend! Be not sorrowful because of my imprisonment and lament not
for my difficulties; nay, rather ask God to increase my hardship in His
path, for therein lies a wisdom which none are able to comprehend save the
near angels.
O thou friend! Verily, those among the friends who were martyred in the
path of God—verily this is a favor from God which He bestoweth upon
whomsoever He chooses; verily God is the most bountiful!—they attained
what the holy ones in the Supreme Kingdom yearned for, and quaffed the
wine of grace from the bountiful hand of thy Lord the Merciful—may my
spirit be a sacrifice to them!
Therefore, be not sorrowful, for in it is a great bounty for them and by
it (martyrdom) the fire of the love of God is increased in glowing, the
Word of God in spreading, the standard of God in elevation, the fragrances
of God in diffusion, and by this blood the tree of peace is watered, the
orchard of unity and harmony pruned, and by it the fragrances of holiness
emanate from the Tree of Life and are being diffused in the world. Verily
this is from the mercy of God, which is bestowed upon whomsover He wishes.
O friend! I implore to God to make thee a banner of the banners of the
Kingdom, firm and steadfast, unshaken by the most severe winds of tests
and trials in this terrestrial world; to confirm thee in the servitude of
the Sublime Threshold; to guide through thee many souls and to make thee a
sign of meekness and humbleness before the beloved of God, the Mighty, the
Protecting!
“O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of...”
O thou who art arisen for the service of the Cause of God!
I received thy recent letter and rejoiced in spirit at its interesting
contents which indicated thy arising for the service of the Kingdom of
god, servitude unto His beloved ones and meekness and lowliness to His
chosen ones.
I ask God to augment, day by day, thy zeal, attraction and glowing with
the fire of God’s love; to destine for thee a glorious station (or
mansion) in His great Kingdom and to open before thy face doors of success
and dilation, such that hearts shall be amazed and minds astounded.
“O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy...”
O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Holy fragrances of the
gardens of God’s Kingdom!
Thy brilliant letter, which thou hast sent by the beloved ........, was
read by me. The bounty is of God for that He hath inspired thee with the
word of fidelity and chosen thee from among those who are called, whether
men or women. Therefore, thank thou thy Lord at morn and eve and glorify
His praise for this favor. Verily a great favor is bestowed upon thee!
Our dear friend ......... hath arrived. He praises the beloved of God and
His maid-servants and adorns the ears with the pearls of praiseworthy
actions and good qualities of the elect and the faithful.
I supplicate God to enable him and every one else to serve Him in the
garden of El-Abha and to help thee to be gentle, humble and submissive; to
reveal Himself upon thee with the attributes of the Merciful and to grant
thee a heavenly table at all times.
“O thou honored friend!...”
O thou honored friend!
Verily the sight of Providence is far reaching and the divine glance is
perfect. Thou hast always been a recipient of favors and the object of the
bounty of the glorious Beauty of Abha. I trust in God that thou mayest be
thus aided by Him to serve His Cause and so shine as a luminous star in
the horizon of His Kingdom, an illumining candle burning in the assemblage
of the Bahais; that thou mayest be confirmed by a power of the Kingdom and
attain divine bounty and providence.
As to the question of women being chosen rather than men: In this cycle
there were men who arose through a divine power and who shone forth as the
sun from the dawning-point of holiness; and, likewise, there appeared
certain women who became side by side with men. The expression which you
quote, “Every woman who is directed to the guidance of God in this great
age, will surpass men in every respect,” signified that, in this age,
certain women will appear who will surpass some men. It does not mean that
they will surpass all the men who have given their lives as sacrifices in
this Cause; for in this wonderful cycle there appeared such men as his
holiness Khudoos, his holiness Bab-el-Bab, his holiness the “King of
Martyrs” and his holiness the “Beloved of Martyrs,” his holiness the great
Vaheed(143), and such ones who have no equals in the world of existence.
If, in the letters to the maid-servants of the Merciful, there hath been
written in the sense of encouragement (that form which such meanings can
be inferred), the purport is that some women in the wonderful age have
surpassed some men, and not that all women have surpassed all men. The
members of the House of Spirituality must give unlimited encouragement to
women. In this age, both men and women are in the shadow of the Word of
God. Whosoever endeavors the most will attain the greatest share, be it of
men or of women, of the strong or of the weak.
As to the matter of teaching and the choosing of men, the letters which I
have written to the Spiritual Meeting (House of Spirituality) of which you
are a member, will answer this question and will manifest the station of
men who remain firm in the Covenant of God. Refer to them.
As to the number of Tablets to women, this is due to the fact that most of
the letters which come to the Holy Land are from women. Rarely do letters
come from men and, naturally, to women the most are written. Men are
enjoined more than women to give the Message of the Cause of God and to
diffuse His fragrances.
My dear friend! If thou didst know how dear thou art to Abdul-Baha, thou
wouldst spread wings, and through excess of joy, soar and begin teaching
all that country.
As to the question: “Whither shall we turn in our prayers?” There is an
appointed center toward which one must direct himself in prayer, but at
present this center is not unfolded because of wisdom. In its time this
shall be announced. At present, in those regions, you should direct
yourself, as formerly, to the East. The appointed and certain center will
be announced in its time.
You also ask: “To whom shall we turn?” Turn to the Ancient Beauty. If it
be the will of God, the blessed likeness (of the Manifestation) will be
sent in its proper time, so that, in the world of the heart, thou mayest
direct thyself to that holy likeness and thus be saved from imagination
and phantasy. However, in the Temple (Mashrak-el-Azcar) the blessed
picture must never be placed (or hung) on the wall. This you should know.
As to the subject of babes and infants and weak ones who are afflicted by
the hands of oppressors: This contains great wisdom and this subject is of
paramount importance. In brief, for those souls there is a recompense in
another world and many details are connected with this matter. For those
souls that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of
the Lord is far better and preferable to all the comfort of this world and
the growth and development of this place of mortality. If it be the will
of God, when thou shalt be present this will be explained in detail by
word of mouth.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Your letter *** arrived at this time and was read with great care. Its
contents proved a source of gladness, for it indicated firmness.
Today firmness is of the greatest favors of the merciful Lord. How many a
soul who traveled in one pathway and after a time wanting firmness (or
constancy) went back; yea, followed the way again until he reached the
same point (as before) and arrived at the first destination. Thus did he
waste his life and endeavored to set the minds (of the people) uneasy and
doubtful. The opportunity and portion of these souls became an evident
loss.
Thank thou God that thou art firm and constant and art abiding at the
threshold of servitude. I ask God to increase daily thy faith and
certainty, trust and firmness. Give thou the glad-tidings in a manner
which shall set afire souls that are in lethargy, give life to them that
are dead and sight to the blind.
Give greeting and praise from Abdul-Baha to all the friends of God,
particularly to the maid-servant of God, the firm and steadfast Mrs.
........ . Tell her to “feel at rest; thou art ever in mind, with me and
present in the gathering. God willing, I shall ask thee to come.”
“O thou friend of old and O thou incomparable companion!...”
O thou friend of old and O thou incomparable companion!
Many letters have so far been received from thee and lengthy answers have
been written to them, but it is strange that they have not reached thee. I
was grieved when Mr. ....... said thou hadst not received them. Therefore,
I write this epistle immediately so that it may be a cause of comfort to
thee.
O dear friend! Thou art more deserving than others; thou art worthy of
every favor and attention. Is it possible then that I should answer others
and leave thee disappointed? God forbid! Thou art an old and true
believer; in faith thou hast attained precedence; thou art constantly
engaged in servitude; with an eloquent tongue thou art teaching the Cause
of God; thou hast become the cause of faith in others; whenever thou
findest an opportunity thou dost travel and visit the believers,
disseminating the fragrances of God; thou hast a soul full of glad-tidings
and hast an enlightened and clear heart. I have a great attachment for
thee; how is it possible then that I should disappoint thee?
I pray and supplicate God and ask for favor and help for thee. I am very
desirous to behold thy face.
Convey to all the beloved of God the utmost longing on the part of
Abdul-Baha.
“O Lord! O Beloved!...”
O Lord! O Beloved!
The truthful servant, Mr. ........, abandoned home, left his native land
and crossed the great ocean until he reached the shore of the Holy Land
and arrived at the Blessed Spot. He laid his head upon the threshold of
the sacred dust; he implored and supplicated the Gateway of Unity and
sought confirmation and strength.
Now he is returning to his native clime to serve and to spread the
fragrances of the Holy Spirit.
O Lord! Confirm him, aid and strengthen him through the hosts of the
Kingdom, so that he may become the cause of the spread of the Word of God,
the cause of joy and happiness to the friends and the means of awakening
the negligent. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful and Thou art the Precious,
the Almighty, the Wise!
O thou truthful servant of the Beauty of Abha! With a power of the
Kingdom, a divine attraction and a spiritual breath, return thou to that
land; fill to overflowing the lives and hearts with the wine of the love
of God; be the cause of joy to all and the means of unity and agreement to
all; because through unity and agreement do the beloved of God hoist the
standard, shine with the light of the love of God and are tender to one
another.
This is the attitude of the beloved of God and this is the example and
life of the sons of the Kingdom of God.
“O thou herald of the Kingdom!...”
O thou herald of the Kingdom!
Thank God that thou didst come to the holy shrine, put thy head upon the
holy dust, reached the gathering-place of the spiritual ones, became a
member of the assembly of the Merciful, found friendship with Abdul-Baha
and with the utmost love and joy spent a few days there. Then thou didst
receive permission to return so that thou mayest serve the Kingdom on the
continent of America and show (to the people) the way to heaven and lead
them toward the Lord of Hosts. I hope that, with a divine strength and a
godlike personality, with a heavenly guidance, with a divine attraction
and with a spiritual zeal, thou wilt educate the people.
O thou, the firm one in the Covenant! Give my respectful greeting to thy
honored wife and say to her from me: “The Jewish people were expecting the
manifestation of Jesus and were at the same time attracted to Moses. When
His Holiness Christ appeared, they (the Jewish people) thought that holy
personality intended to take away the eternal honor of Moses. Moses, in
the eye of Israel, had no equal. Now, these had never thought that a
greater than him (Moses) would appear. So this way of thinking became the
cause of their being kept away from the Light of Christ and they were
prevented from the precious things of the Holy Spirit, notwithstanding the
fact that the greatest friend of Moses was Christ and He made His Holiness
Moses great in the eye of the world and made Him to be glorious in the
contingent world; whereas, even now, Israel (that is, the Jews) deny His
Holiness, the promised Christ, and count Him to be an enemy of His
Holiness Moses and of Aaron and David; and they were kept away from the
bounties of Christ. They think that no other great person like Moses could
ever come upon the earth and if such a person should be sent (by God), he
must come under the shadow of His Holiness Moses and promulgate the law of
the Torah. This negligence on the part of the Jews became the cause of
keeping away a multitude from the heavenly bounties and from the
beneficence of the Holy Spirit for nineteen-hundred years.
“The Sun is ever the same, but the place whence the Sun hath appeared hath
changed. Then, at Christ’s time, it appeared in the sign of Aquarius, but
not it hath manifested itself from the sign of Cancer. These signs are
just for an illustration. The sun is the same sun, no matter from what
sign it may manifest itself or from what spot it may arise. Thou must look
at the Sun; do not become veiled by the places from which the Sun
appears.”
O Mr. ........! Likewise instruct and give my love to thy dear son and
say: “O dear one of Abdul-Baha! Be the son of thy father and be the fruit
of that tree. Be a son that hath been born of his soul and heart and not
only of the water and clay. A real son is such an one as hath branches
from the spiritual part of a man. I ask God that thou mayest be at all
times confirmed and strengthened.”
O thou servant of Baha’! Thou hast asked regarding the political affairs.
In the United States it is necessary that the citizens shall take part in
elections. This is a necessary matter and no excuse from it is possible.
My object in telling the believers that they should not interfere in the
affairs of government is this: That they should not make any trouble and
that they should not move against the opinion of the government, but
obedience to the laws and the administration of the commonwealth is
necessary. Now, as the government of America is a republican form of
government, it is necessary that all the citizens shall take part in the
elections of officers and take part in the affairs of the republic.
O thou firm one in the Covenant! We give thee Thahbet (the Firm) for a
name, so that this name be an example of firmness and in the future thou
mayest, even more than before, be confirmed in service, and upon thee be
El-Baha-el-Abha!
“O thou Thahbet (Firm) in the Covenant!...”
O thou Thahbet (Firm) in the Covenant!
Thy letter was received. It indicated firmness and steadfastness;
therefore, it gave me joy and gladness.
Today the greatest of all affairs in the Cause is firmness and
steadfastness. A tree will not give fruit unless it be firmly rooted. A
foundation will not last unless it be firm. There is nothing in this world
of man greater than firmness. A soul who is firm will become a son of the
Kingdom of God and will be confirmed with the power of the Holy Spirit.
For this reason I have named thee Thahbet (meaning firmness) and I ask the
True One and supplicate Him that thou shalt remain firm in the Cause of
God as an unshakable mountain and that the whirlwinds of test shall never
have any effect upon thee; nay, rather that thou shalt be the cause of the
firmness of others.
With me thou art beloved and I ask God that thou mayest become the
lighthouse of guidance in those regions and that thou mayest shine with
the lights of oneness in this world of man.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
The letter, which thou hast written to his honor Mirza ........, was
considered.
Be thou happy! Be thou happy! that thou hast put aside rest and composure;
that thou hast traveled through and visited different states and endured
innumerable inconveniences so that thou might diffuse the fragrances of
mysteries and perfume the nostrils of the spiritual ones. When thou wert
engaged in the service of the Cause, thou wert my partner in all trials
and difficulties. Thou hast been my associate and companion and both of us
were intoxicated and exhilarated with the wine of the love of god.
Praise be to God that thou hast been confirmed in the service and I have
likewise been assisted in visiting the Holy Threshold. In one day(144) the
world hath become another world and the chains and manacles of prison and
incarceration have been broken to pieces, and Abdul-Baha hath attained to
the meeting of the Holy Threshold.
Although in prison, I have experienced the utmost joy and fragrance, the
heart was attracted, the spirit rejoiced, the eyes turned toward the
Kingdom of God and the tongue mentioning the Name of the True One and
displaying the utmost effort and endeavor in the promotion of the Word of
God and the diffusion of the fragrances of God; yet, under all
difficulties, there have been no shortcomings, nor hath there been any
lack of enthusiasm. The call hath been raised uninterruptedly and the
fragrances of holiness have been diffused through all regions and empires.
In the meeting that had been organised in Los Angeles the rays of the Sun
of Truth shone forth, making it an assembly of illumination. The house of
Mr. and Mrs. ........ became the nest and shelter of the birds of the
Kingdom, and the house of Mrs. ......... and the residence of Miss
........ in Pasadena became the gathering-place of the Merciful and the
rose-garden of realities and significances. I supplicate from the bounty
and favor of His Holiness the Almighty to assist those holy souls by the
invisible confirmations and that they be helped by the providence and
grace of His Highness the One.
Convey on my behalf longing greeting to the brother of Mr. ........ and
say: “Praise God that thou hast followed in the footsteps of thy respected
brother, associated with him and become his confidant.”
Likewise announce my longing greeting to the assemblies of Oakland and San
Francisco. The houses of Mrs. ........ and Mrs. ........ have become the
place of reading the divine verses and the nests of the nightingales of
the heavenly orchard. A sweet fragrance hath reached the spirit and soul
from those assemblies.
Praise be to God, that in all cities the believers have met thee with the
utmost attraction and thy shining face and joyful disposition became the
cause of the enkindlement of the fire of their souls and hearts.
Undoubtedly thou shalt also make a trip to Green Acre.
The utmost joy was produced by the news of the purchase of the ground for
the erection of the Temple. I hope that ere long they may lay the
foundation.
Deliver on my behalf divine glad-tidings to the assemblies in Seattle, the
members of the houses of Mrs. ........ and Mrs. ........ and the
assemblies in Portland and Denver and say: “O ye sons and daughters of the
Kingdom! Be ye thankful that although the light of guidance hath dawned
from the East, yet, praise be to God, it illuminated both the East and the
West! In order that glorification and thanks may be shown for these
bounties, the words and actions must be in accordance with the advices and
behests of His Highness Baha’o’llah. Thanks does not depend upon words but
upon deeds!”
“O ye beloved of God and His sincere friends!...”
O ye(145) beloved of God and His sincere friends!
By the life of God! The hearts are cheered whenever you are mentioned, the
souls are comforted in your love, the holy spirits are captivated by your
fragrance, the eyes are expecting to see you and the hearts are longing to
meet you, owing to the fact that your hearts were kindled with the fire of
the love of God, your ears were charmed by hearing the Word of God and
your souls were rested in the appearance of the mysteries of God.
Blessed are ye, O children of the Kingdom of God! Glad-tidings to ye, O
friends of God! as He hath made your destiny great and your share victory
and happiness, your lamps lighted and your spring to yield supply!
Ye are the most brilliant stars! Ye are the most dazzling lamps! Ye are
the green branches! Ye are the ripe fruits! Ye are the beautiful gardens!
Ye are the overflowing bowls!
God is merciful and compassionate! His bounty is great and great! He
appropriateth by His mercy those whom He liketh and chooseth for His love
those of whom He approveth. This is in accordance with what Christ said:
“Many are called, but few chosen.”
God maketh your endeavor praiseworthy, your reward great and your days in
El-Baha feasts and pleasures, because of your casting away the imaginary
god and accepting the Knowable, for [your] discarding every evil spirit,
craving for the witnessed Light and for turning your faces to the Exalted
Position.
God will show forth your endeavor, increase your spirit and fragrance,
perfume the different directions with your perfume, enlighten the horizon
with your light and quicken the hearts with that which is treasured within
you; will cheer the souls with what you have accomplished and cause the
verses of thankfulness to be recited in all places; the banner in
remembrance of you to wave through all the ages; your fame and praise to
encircle the horizon and the tongues to speak of your virtues and good
endeavors.
By the living Truth! That bounty is great and great and the Lord is
supreme in majesty! The confirmation is successive and success is
continuous, and the kindness of your God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
will surround you from all sides.
“O ye sincere ones! O ye firm ones! O ye heralds of...”
O ye(146) sincere ones! O ye firm ones! O ye heralds of the Kingdom of
God!
Fly away with joy! Flutter in the open of the Kingdom! Spread the wings of
sanctity in those districts and lands, so that the shadow of the King of
the Kingdom may be stretched over those climes and the fragrances of God
be diffused in those tracts and in those vast and extensive regions.
By the Lord of the Kingdom! If one arise to promote the Word of God with a
pure heart, overflowing with the love of God and severed from the world,
the Lord of Hosts will assist him with such a power as will penetrate the
core of the existent beings.
As to ye, be rejoiced, O ye children of the Kingdom of God! Your faces
will surely become illuminated, your brows shining, your breasts dilated
with an abundant bounty and refreshed with a rain pouring from the clouds
of the gift of God. You will find yourselves as souls for the temple of
the contingent world and as arteries pulsating in the body of the
universe. Your faces will shine with the light of favor throughout all
environments.
Make your feet firm; withstand the creeds (or multitudes); chant the Book;
and explain mysteries through an inspiration on the part of your Exalted
Lord, the possessor of glory and honor!
“O ye two revered persons, ye servants in the vineyard...”
O ye two(147) revered persons, ye servants in the vineyard of God!
Verily, I read your letter and was informed of its contents filled with
spiritual attractions and thanked God—glorified is He!—for His grace and
His merciful bestowals.
It behooveth you to be the first assistant to the Word of God, the first
servant of the Cause of God and the first one to withstand the spreaders
(of false rumors) who say that which they know not, who calumniate God,
well knowing that they are calumniators and that they, themselves, have
contrived the thing for their own sakes, and evil is that which they do.
Remember what the Pharisees published concerning Jesus, attributed to Him
and said about Him and how they oppressed Him until they paraded Him in
Jerusalem in such a form as made the angels of sanctity to weep in the
Sublime Kingdom. They put on His head a crown of thistles; nay, more, they
cast dust in His face—into a face whereby the heaven and the earth is
illuminated! They turned their backs upon Him, then bowed and said: “Peace
be unto thee, O King of kings! Peace be unto thee, O King of the Jews!”
Of the same class are the Pharisees and priests in this manifest day.
“Leave them to amuse themselves with their vain discourse.” They are as
people deluded by their temptations and are isolated from the gifts of
your Lord, the Clement, the Merciful. “They are deaf, dumb and blind;
therefore, they will not understand.”
Verily, I, through the grace of my Lord, have never heeded these souls,
even to reading their articles, inasmuch as their articles signify no
other than the buzzing of flies to the hearing of an eagle, or the
croaking of a frog of the material world to the ears of the leviathan of
the sea of the Kingdom. Is it to be considered as anything? No, by no
means! Verily, the eagle soareth high in the supreme apex while the flies
rumble in the lowest rubbish.
But it is incumbent upon you to block them up as a stone with decisive
arguments before which heads are bowed and voices are made humble. God
will strengthen you therein. You will surely find these Pharisees in
manifest loss. Can one ever prevent the waves of the sea of the Lofty One
from rolling? Or is it possible for me to restrain the fragrances of
sanctity from diffusion? Or can one withhold the sun from casting its rays
to all regions? No, by no means! Nay, rather such souls make the table
sent down from heaven unlawful unto themselves.
How is the bat to be compared with the most great orb which bestows bounty
upon all regions! How is the gnat to be compared with the eagle soaring in
the spacious firmament! How are the Caiaphas and Annas to be compared with
the Christ mounted on the clouds with great power and glory!
Thank God that He hath opened your insight to the Light which is shining
from the Supreme Concourse and caused you to witness His most mighty
signs. By my life! the hearts of the people of Baha’ are cheered with such
gifts!
“O ye sincere, O ye firm and steadfast in the Testament...”
O ye(148) sincere, O ye firm and steadfast in the Testament of God!
I have read your letter signed by you, which shows your steadfastness and
firmness in the Covenant of God and His Testament, which was confirmed by
the trace of His Supreme Pen(149), the greatness of which hath been
divulged in all the regions, entered the palaces of kings of which both
rulers and subjects have been informed, and no human being could ever deny
it, even he who turns away and backslides. It came to the imagination of
some children that they are able to abolish this Covenant, the like of
which was not known in the early centuries and the heavenly ages of the
past; and they shall see themselves in evident loss!
But as to you, O ye firm and steadfast, be straightforward in the Cause of
God, let your feet be firm in the Religion of God, and arise with every
effort within your power to render victorious the Covenant of God. By God,
the Truth, you will be assisted by a numerous army, and re-inforced by a
cohort of the angels of God. Pay not the slightest attention to that which
is said by these children, for their statements and sayings are nothing
but confused dreams.
The Star of the Covenant shall shine intensely upon all horizons and
regions, and the violators will be as bats hiding themselves in dark
holes! It is enough humiliation and abasement to them that they have
violated the Covenant of God and contradicted the Appointed Center, and
desired to demolish this solid edifice—which, alas, could not be! By God,
they did not demolish but their own edifice, did not shake but their own
foundations, and did not scatter but their own union, and to them shall
come the news of what they have done!
But as to you, O ye beloved of God, strengthen yourselves by every effort
and arise to serve the Cause of God, for verily the Holy Spirit will
confirm you by the breaths of the True One in all cases and under all
circumstances!
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou(150) who art firm in the Covenant!
***The prison is like a paradise to Abdul-Baha, the depth of the well is
as the height of the moon—such is my desire in the Path of the Blessed
Beauty! Were it not for the chain, sword and affliction, how should the
people of faithfulness be distinguished from the people of hatred? Nay,
otherwise, they would seem as one. This wound cannot be remedied save by a
host of calamities, and this illness cannot be cured except by the cup of
affliction.
I ask God that I may not repose for a moment, but that, night and day, in
the love of the Blessed Beauty(151)—may my spirit be a sacrifice to Him!—I
may drink from the rosy cup of the blood of the heart.
With every breath do I desire to perceive thousands of afflictions
approaching me from every inhuman one; at one time, to rest in the bottom
of a dungeon; at another, to repose on the chain; and, ultimately, by the
favor and providence of the Blessed Perfection, to roll my face and hair
in my blood.
Therefore, their invitation(152) was not accepted because they invited
departure to that region. Lately, that general letter was requested from
persia, and it was sent thereto.***
“O ye friends of God and daughters of the Kingdom!...”
O ye(153) friends of God and daughters of the Kingdom!
The letter you have written was considered. It caused abundant spirit and
fragrance. It was not a letter, it was a rose-garden. The fragrances of
the flowers of significances were exhaling from that garden and perfumed
the nostrils. It was a proof of unity and oneness and an evidence of love
and freedom.
I became very happy through reading it. I hope that this love and unity
may increase day by day, and its effects may reach other regions. The
purpose of the coming of the Manifestation of the Mount is the unification
of the world of humanity. Therefore, the friends of God and the daughters
of the Kingdom must serve this purpose and become the cause of joy to the
heart of Abdul-Baha. Thus can they bring together under the protection of
the Tent of Oneness the other nations and peoples; make this gloomy world
radiant, this mundane earth a plane of the Kingdom, and the material world
the manifestation of divine signs.
O ye friends and daughters of the Kingdom and leaves of the Blessed Tree!
Endeavor to make that continent the Paradise of Abha, and the West the
East of Lights. This is the hope of Abdul-Baha.
“O ye dwellers of the Kingdom!...”
O ye(154) dwellers of the Kingdom!
Thank ye God that ye have turned your faces toward the Kingdom of Abha,
and are yearning for the outpouring of the Exalted Realm. Ye are accepted
in the Threshold of the True One and are chosen by the Most Great
Guidance!
Ye have asked regarding the word of the “Ransomed Ones”. The mystery of
“Ransom” (or Sacrifice) is a most great subject and is inexhaustible.
Briefly it is as follows: The moth is a sacrifice to the candle. The
spring is a sacrifice to the thirsty one. The sincere lover is a sacrifice
to the loved one and the longing one is a sacrifice to the beloved. The
point lies in this: He must wholly forget himself, become a wanderer (in
the Abode of the Beloved) enamoured with His Tresses. He must consign to
oblivion the body and soul, the life, comfort and existence. He must seek
the good pleasure of the True One; desire the Face of the True One; and
walk in the Path of the True One. He must become intoxicated with His Cup,
resigned in His Hand and close the eyes to life and living, in order that
he may shine like unto the Light of Truth from the Horizon of Eternity.
This is the first station of sacrifice.
The second station of sacrifice is as follows: Man must become severed
from the human world, be delivered from the contingent gloominess, the
illumination of mercifulness must shine and radiate in him, the nether
world become as non-existent and the Kingdom become manifest. He must
become like unto the iron thrown within the furnace of fire. The qualities
of iron, such as blackness, coldness and solidity which belong to the
earth disappear and vanish while the characteristics of fire, such as
redness, glowing and heat, which belong to the Kingdom become apparent and
visible. Therefore, iron hath sacrificed its qualities and grades to the
fire, acquiring the virtues of that element.
Likewise, when the souls are released from the fetters of the world, the
imperfections of mankind and that animalistic darkness, and have stepped
into the Realm of Abstraction, have partaken a share from the outpouring
of the Placeless and have acquired lordly perfections, they are the
“ransomed ones” (or the martyrs) of the Sun of Truth, who are hastening to
the altar of heart and soul.
“O Thou Pure God!...”
O Thou Pure God!(155)
Gaze providently at the beloved ones and the dear maid-servants in
Chicago. Confer upon them Thy bounty and grace. Teach them the law of the
Kingdom, burn away the veil of material superstition and light the candle
of Thy love in their hearts!
O God! The clay (or being) of these servants is kneaded with the water of
fidelity and the nature of these maid-servants is adorned with love! They
believe and are assured. they are firm and steadfast; they are kneeling
and worshipping; they are uttering (the Words) and are informed. Render
them confirmed and victorious with the hosts of strength. Aid and gladden
them through the angels of the Kingdom of Abha! At every moment reveal a
new power to them and with every breath confer a great bounty. Thus with a
heavenly power, divine strength, merciful fragrance, supreme light, and
conscious attraction, may they arise to serve Thee, to perfume the East
and the West with the fragrances of holiness, establish the universal
peace, promulgate integrity and honesty, to adore the truth, become a
means of life to the people of the world, a cause of comfort and rest to
them; to help the spiritual meeting, to serve the gathering of the Lord,
to send well-informed souls (teachers) to other regions and climes, to be
self-sacrificing with life and heart, to build the Mashrak-el-Azcar, to
raise the anthem of sanctity to the Supreme Kingdom, to live in perfect
love with one another; nay, rather, to be the cause of rest ot whole
world, to adorn the realm of creation, to destroy the edifice of jealousy
and envy and to establish the law of love and unity, to be truthful
servants of mankind and conscientious well-wishers of the human race!
O God! Thou art the Able, the Powerful! Thou are the Confirmer and the
Helper in all conditions and circumstances!
“O thou whose breast is dilated (with joy) for the Kingdom...”
O thou whose breast is dilated (with joy) for the Kingdom of Truth!
Verily I read thy letter which showed that thine inner heart is attracted
to the Beauty of God and that thou hast entered the Kingdom of God. I beg
of god to make thy feet firm in this right path and to protect thee from
violent tests and form calumnies on the part of every woman who hath, like
unto Judas Iscariot, turned away from the True One and who hath withdrawn
herself and is deprived of the mercy of God.
As to thee, O maid-servant of God! Blessed art thou, for thou hast dealt
with people in goodness and good favor. Do not seek from them any reward
whatever, but seek all grace and beneficence from thy Lord, and even deal
with the people of great oppression in faithfulness, for as much as this
is becoming of the people of Baha’.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
The letter that thou hast written, through his honor Mr. ........, was
received. In reality, there is no happiness in the world of existence for
men except in the splendors of the Light of the Kingdom.
Thou has written concerning the acceptance (of this Cause) by some French
people. Make an effort in order that some firm and steadfast souls may
arise in this great Cause from France, and to make that jungle a garden of
God.
Be assured in the favor and grace of God, for each maid-servant of God who
ariseth to serve the Kingdom will undoubtedly be confirmed.
“O thou who art honored and dear!...”
O thou who art honored and dear!
Thy letter was received and was the source of pleasure, for thou hast not
forgotten this imprisoned one and remembered Acca. Although thy days here
were few, as they were pleasant, they will count as years; a real intimacy
between thee and all the family was formed which will not be forgotten in
the passing of the years.
I desire of God that thou wilt be heavenly, angelic and spiritual; and as
a torch, become illumined with the love of God in the kingdom of
existence.
In regard to the question thou askest about the picture of this oppressed
one, say that it was much spread in America: Know that this imprisoned one
never had a picture taken except in youth, and that one also on account of
the command and will of Baha’o’llah, I merely consented so as to obey His
command. Therefore I do not like it to be great spread.
I desire of God, that the traces of the spiritual likeness, which are
attributes and qualities, will remain eternally.
“O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!
In whatsoever matter man wisheth to engage, he must first acquire some
capability and make provisions and preparations therefor. In this day,
whatever soul intendeth to raise the voice of the Kingdom, and to draw
people under the Tree of Life in the ideal paradise, and to invite them to
eternal life, must first be delivered from all attachments, must even shut
his eyes to rest, quietude and to the mortal life of this world.
I hope thou hast abandoned all such (mortal) things, and when thou hast
attained to this great bounty, that is, when thou art delivered from the
attachments of this mortal world, and hast intended to endure all
calamities in the path ofGod—in such wise that reproaches on the part of
the enemy will seem to thee as praise and glorification, and the blame of
the people of hatred will appear like unto admiration and applause, and
the bitterness of afflictions will taste as the honey of favor and all
hardships be as sweetness—then canst thou step into the path of the
Kingdom and become the herald of God.
Consequently, do thou show a steadfast and firm footing in this station,
engage in guiding the people and call them unto the Kingdom; then wilt
thou find how the divine magnet—the power of the Word of God—will attract
the hearts and bestow ecstasy and enthusiasm upon souls!
When thou reachest this station there shall remain no obstacles and no
veil shall intervene, and all that is thy highest wish shall be realized.
Send my greeting to Miss ........ . I hope she may be wholly attracted to
the Kingdom of God.
As to the book that thou intendest to write: When thou hast written it (or
if you write it), send it to the Holy Land (i.e., Acca) to be seen (or
examined) so that thou mayest publish it afterward.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thy faith and certainty became evident. Happy is
thy condition, that in such a day thou hast opened thine eyes and beheld
the light of the Sun of Reality.
Convey reverential greetings to the believing maid-servant of God ........
and say: “Be not grieved and bear the ordeal from thy husband. The meeting
of the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful take the place
of his ignorance. I hope that they may be the cause of joy and happiness
to thee.”
“O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing to the Kingdom of God!
What thou hast written became evident and what thou hast heard from Mirza
........ regarding the necessity of many teachers in America, is true. I
have said so. Indeed, there is need of a thousand teachers, each one
severed from the world, attracted by the Holy Spirit in the Supreme
Concourse and joyful through the Kingdom of God and in perfect sanctity,
holiness and sufficiency.
This matter of teachers requires the greatest condition; that is, they
should never stain themselves with the world, they should not look for the
least pecuniary reward from any soul; nay, rather they should bear the
utmost poverty and with the perfect wealth of nature(156), through the
bounty of God, may they associate with the people. They should seek no
reward nor recompense. Freely have they received, freely should they give.
His Holiness Christ sayeth: “When ye leave the city, clean off from your
shoes the dust thereof.” The holiness of the teachers must reach this
degree. Thus may they utter with eloquence, while in ecstasy and great
joy, and guide the people to the manifest light.
If this be the endeavor, strive with life and heart and guide the people
to he Kingdom of God, lead them to the straight pathway, inform them of
the greatness and magnitude of this Cause and give them the glad-tidings
through the bounty of divine providence and the revelation of the Sun of
Truth in this great age.
Convey my greeting to the advancing maid-servant of God [thy wife], and
say to her: “O maid-servant of God! Seek whilst thou canst the life
eternal and wish for everlasting glory in the divine world.”
Embrace twice thy children, and give my greeting to the maid-servant of
God, thy mother.
thy name is Joseph. Let thy title be Bahai.
“O thou child of the Kingdom and firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou child of the Kingdom and firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter, through his honor Mirza ........, was received and thy former
letters also became acceptable and through the contents of those writings
utmost joy and fragrance was produced, for they all evinced faith,
assurance and firmness in the Covenant.
In this day the most vital and momentous matter is steadfastness in the
love of the Manifestor of Light on the Mount of Sinai and endurance of
ordeals and unaccountable calamities in this Cause.
Ere long the seditious people shall arise in that country to deride the
righteous ones and to ridicule the holy ones. Every day they will cast
ignominy and at every moment they will present great persecution. They
shall revile the friends for the sake of the love of Baha; and bring down
upon them contempt and sarcasm; neither do they fall short in creating
torture.
This is the custom and sentence of the people of bygone ages. Undoubtedly
these things must transpire in these days even with a greater intensity.
That is why His Holiness the Christ sayeth: “Everything which hath
happened in the cycles of the former prophets will certainly occur again
in these days.” Consider ye! What calumny, slander, cruelty and oppression
were brought down upon the apostles by the Israelites for the sake of
faith and assurance! They unlocked the hands of pillage, persecuted and
tortured those sanctified souls. Therefore, there is no doubt but that you
will become afflicted with trial, calamity and oppression in the path of
the Beauty of Abha. These trials are the essence of bestowal and pure
bounty and the proofs of your acceptance in the Threshold of Oneness.
Consequently, when the fire of trials is ignited, celebrate ye in joy,
dance with overflowing emotions and be ye happy that—praise be to God!—ye
have become the target of contempt in the path of the Beauty of Abha and
are hated by the people of passion and desire.
Thy services in the highway of the Kingdom are accepted, thy toleration of
the troubles is known and manifest and thy eloquent speeches in the
assemblies of believers are heard and appreciated. I hope that through
these services thou mayest become the manifestor of the favors of the Lord
of the Kingdom and recipient of the merciful glances of His Highness the
Magnificent and the Compassionate.
“O thou speaker in the remembrance of God!...”
O thou speaker in the remembrance of God!
Verily I say unto thee, O servant of God! The earth and what is therein
are imaginations or reflections in mirrors or shades; but the bounty of
the Kingdom and the gifts of the invisible world are the thoughts of the
Merciful One, and the lordly radiances are immortal and constant and
unending. Thou must depend upon these! Thou must depend unto these! Thou
must depend upon these!
Be assured with the true assurance that, verily, dependence upon the
Covenant of God is surrounded from all directions by those gifts and the
angel hosts assist it on the right hand and on the left hand, and the
power of the Holy spirit strengthens it in all circumstances and meets it
with signs of splendor in the horizons.
Therefore, confirm the wavering minds in the path of God, and the feeble
souls with the love of God.
“O thou pure soul who art kindled by the fire of the love...”
O thou pure soul who art kindled by the fire of the love of Baha’!
By God, the True One! thy letter created joy and happiness within hearts,
because it was speaking the praise of Baha’ and contained words which
showed thy attraction to the light of the Beauty of El-Baha.
Blessed art thou and blessed is thy heart which is longing for the Kingdom
of El-Baha, and that thou art hoping to serve Baha’ in His great vineyard
and in His wonderful garden!
I beg of God to favor thee with a power which may encourage thee to
promulgate the Truth and guide the father and sister to the right path. I
beg Him to make thee a herald, in His name, in those regions.
Have resignation and devotion and attraction and make thy heart empty of
aught else save the love of Baha’. This is the state which was coveted by
the near ones and this is a position which was longed for by the holy
souls.
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom...”
O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of God!
I supplicate God that thou mayest become like unto Peter, the
“Rock”—unshaken, immovable and strong; be assisted by heavenly
confirmation; be helped to the service of the Cause of God, opening thy
tongue to teach the divine instructions, and living and walking according
to the laws of the Book of Akdas(157) .
Thou hast asked permission to come to our presence: These days are very
difficult. God willing, it will be brought about in the future. I pray to
God that thou mayest enter into such a state that presence and absence may
become equal in thine understanding.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Thy letter *** was received. Its contents were of the utmost grace, for it
indicated that thou hast become a heavenly, spiritual Bahai; that is, thou
hast found the attractions of heart and art aspiring to associate with the
Holy Fragrances.
Peter, who was the Rock (of the Christian dispensation), was firm and
solid; but, in the moment of Christ’s deliverance, that Rock quaked a
little, until the crowing of the cock was raised. I hope that thou wilt
become, in steadfastness, so firm and so solid that thousands of
deliverances would not cause thee to tremble.
This is the New Spirit and the uninterrupted assistance. When this is
attained, the language will become eloquent and the utterance penetrating.
“O thou who hast approached the Kingdom of God and...”
O thou who hast approached the Kingdom of God and hast looked toward the
Center of the Covenant!
Verily, thy namesake, the faithful Joseph, fell surely into grievous
distress through the jealousy of his brethren, who dishonored him; nay,
outraged him, and cast him behind their backs and threw him in a dark
well; they sold him for a paltry price—for a few pence—returning to their
father at eve weeping, and, with his shirt stained with false blood, they
slandered the wolf who was free from blame. The same shall also appear
from these violators. Then interpret this vision: How the conduct of these
former evil-doers agreeth with the course of the succeeding followers of
the great darkness!
Verily, thou who art called by this honorable name, desire to have a
portion in its great successes, to become a cherished one in the Egypt of
the love of God, to possess qualities free from all evil and to become the
source of good deeds.
God assisteth whomsoever He pleaseth with that which He pleaseth. Verily
He is the Mighty and Powerful!
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I received thy letter which spoke of thy extreme love for God, thy
being occupied in the commemoration of God and thy joy in the Spirit of
God.
Verily, I supplicate God to enkindle in thy heart the fire of His love;
and enkindlement the light of which shall affect all regions, so that thy
face may become illumined by the lights of the Spirit and [give forth]
fragrance in the world of possibility. Arise for the service of the Cause
of God in those countries which are vast and spacious, and sing, warbling
beautiful melodies in the Name of thy Lord, the Supreme.
I saw thy photograph among the photographs of the friends, witnessed the
light of guidance glistening in thy face and asked aid and strength for
thee in this great day.
The most important matter in this day is the spreading of the fragrances
of God in those cities. Verily, confirmation will surround thee from all
sides.
This matter is equivalent to thy presence in these regions. Now presence
is not allowable for a certain wisdom which God shall manifest in future
time.
“Verily I approach Thee, O my God, in the darkest hour...”
Verily I approach Thee, O my God, in the darkest hour of this dark night,
and pray Thee with my inmost heart, while I am moving by Thy fragrances,
which are being diffused from Thy Kingdom of Abha, and say(158) :
O my Lord, I have not words enough to praise Thee, nor can the birds of
meditation ever ascend to the Kingdom of Thy sanctity. Thou art, in Thine
entity, sanctified from every praise and commendation, and art purified,
in Thyself, from the thanksgiving of the people of emanation. Thou hast
been eternally in the sanctity of Thyself exalted beyond the comprehension
of the knowing among the Supreme Concourse, and Thou shalt be permanently
in the purity of Thine essence, incomprehensible beyond the knowledge of
the praisers among the dwellers in the exalted Realm of Might!
O my God, O my God, because of Thine incomprehensibility, how can I ever
mention Thee by any praise, or glorify Thee by any commendation! Thou art,
O my God, exalted and sanctified from all praises and glorification, O
Thou, my beloved!
O my God, O my God, have pity on my impotence, my abasement, my indigence,
my shame, and my humility. Give me the cup of Thy forgiveness and Thy
gift, move me by the breath of Thy love, dilate my breast by the light of
Thy knowledge, purify my person by the mysteries of Thy singleness, and
quicken me through the breezes of the garden of Thy mercy so that I may
sever myself from all beside Thee, lay hold of the hem of the mantle of
Thy majesty, forget aught else save Thee, be associated with the fragrance
of Thy days, be enabled to continue faithful in the threshold of Thy
sanctity and stand up in the service of Thy Cause, be submissive and lowly
before Thy beloved ones and to account myself as nothing in the presence
of Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the Helper, the Assister, the
Exalted, the Generous!
O my God, O my God, I beg of Thee, by the effulgence of the light of Thy
countenance, whereby all the regions of the world are illumined; by the
glances of the eye of Thy mercy, which comprehends all things; by the
billows of the sea of Thy favor, wherewith all parts are overflowing; by
the rains from the clouds of Thy gift, which are falling upon the essence
of the created beings; by the radiance of Thy mercy, which overpowers
existence—to strengthen Thy chosen ones to faithfulness, to enable Thy
beloved ones to serve Thine exalted Threshold, to encircle them through
the hosts of Thy power, which have encompassed all things, and to assist
them through Thy numerous armies from the Supreme Concourse.
O my God, these are lowly souls in Thy doorway and poor ones before Thy
court, humbly seeking Thy grace and in need of Thy confirmation, turning
toward the Kingdom of Thy Singleness, and yearning for the bounties of Thy
gift. O my Lord, refine their consciences through the lights of Thy
sanctity, and purify their hearts through the gift of Thy confirmation,
dilate their breasts through the fragrances of joy and happiness, which
are being diffused from Thy Supreme Concourse, and illumine their sight by
witnessing Thy chief signs. Make them signs of sanctity and standards of
purity waving on the apex of the contingent world, unto all creatures; so
that their words may take effect in the hearts though they are even as
flint. May they stand up to serve Thee, to devote themselves unto the
Kingdom of Thy divinity, to turn unto the realm of the might of Thy
self-subsistence, to spread Thy signs, to become illumined through Thy
lights, to unfold Thy mysteries, to direct Th servants unto the running
water, and the fountain of Tassnime(159) which is gushing and springing
out in the midst of the paradise of Thy singleness; to unfold the sail of
devotion on board the Ark of Deliverance and sail on the sea of Thy
knowledge, to spread the wings of unity and soar up towards the kingdom of
Thy Singleness, to become servants whom the Supreme Concourse may commend,
and whom the people of Thy Kingdom of Abha may praise, to hear the
invisible heralds who announce the chief glad-tidings; to pray Thee at the
dawn with with most wonderful invocations, while yearning after Thy
visit—O my mighty Lord!—to weep every morn and eve, longing for the
entrance into the shadow of Thy great mercy!
O my Lord, assist them in all cases, and help them under all
circumstances, through the angels of Thy sanctity, who are Thine invisible
hosts, and overwhelm all the armies of the inferior concourse. Verily,
Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Comprehending, and Thou art the
Almighty!
O pure God, O loving God! We are wandering around Thy abode and longing
for the gift of Thy meeting, and are loving Thy characteristics. We are
helpless, humble, lowly, and weak; confer Thy mercy upon us, favor us with
Thy gifts, overlook our shortcomings, and conceal our endless faults. We
are Thine, whatever we might be (good or bad), and whatever we may say or
hear is but Thy commendation. We seek but Thy face, and we search but Thy
path. Thou art the loving God, while we are but sinners and love Thee
passionately. O Thou Cloud of Mercy (shower upon us) a few drops! O
Flower-garden of Favor (send to us) some fragrances! O Sea of Gifts (flow
over us) Thy waves! O Sun of Grace (pour on us) some radiances! Have pity
on us, and show us favor. We swear by Thy Beauty that we are full of
errors, and we have no deeds, but hopes. Except Thy concealing veil should
cover us, and Thy preservation and protection should favor us, these weak
souls have not enough power to employ themselves in Thy service, and the
indigent ones have not enough wealth to show a rich appearance. Thou art
the Powerful, the Mighty!
I beg of Thee to assist them! Do refresh these faded souls with the drops
of the cloud of Thy gifts, and do illumine these lowly beings through the
effulgences of the sun of Thy Singleness! I pray Thee to cast these
thirsty fishes into the sea of Thy mercy; guide their lost caravan unto
the asylum of Thy unity; direct these bewildered souls unto the fountain
of Thy guidance, and cause these wanderers to abide in the shelter of Thy
might. Suffer the thirsty ones to drink from the Salsabil(160) of Thy
gifts, and quicken the dead by eternal life. Endow the blind with sight,
the deaf with hearing, the dumb with speech, the lukewarm with energy, the
heedless with mindfulness, the sleepers with wakefulness, and the proud
with humility. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, Thou art the Forgiver! Thou
art the Loving! Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Most High!
O friends of God, and assistants of this humble servant! When the Sun of
Truth shone forth with Hi infinite bounties from the dawning-place of
hopes, and the horizon of existence was illuminated through the radiance
of sanctity—then He cast forth such splendor whereby the gloomy darkness
disappeared! Therefore, the earth became the envy of the celestial world,
and the realm of dust was made a scene of the exalted kingdom. Then the
fragrances of holiness exhaled, and the sweet odors were diffused. The
breeze of the divine spring blew, and the fruitful winds of infinite
generosity passed by from the point of favor. The brilliant morning dawned
and the glad-tidings of the greatest gift were announced. The divine
spring appeared throughout the contingent world. The earth of existence
moved and the material world was put in motion. The barren and dried up
soil turned into an eternal garden, and the inanimate earth was endowed
with eternal life. The flowers and myrtles of knowledge grew, and the
fresh herbage of the knowledge of God flourished. The material world
showed forth the bounties of the Merciful, and the visible world displayed
the scene of the invisible world. The call of God was raised, the divine
banquet celebrated, the cup of the Testament was circulated and the
universal acclamation was uttered!
Among the people, a multitude became intoxicated with this divine wine—and
a multitude were deprived of this great favor. Many a soul enlightened his
sight and insight by the radiance of grace, and many were cheered and
rejoiced at the melodies of unity. Some birds sang melodies and harmonies,
and some nightingales began to warble on the branches of the rose-tree of
mercifulness. The Kingdom and the phenomenal world were adorned, and
became the envy of the delectable paradise—but, alas—and a thousand times
alas!—that the heedless souls are still in the sleep of negligence, and
the ignorant are keeping clear of this holy gift. The blind are veiled,
the deaf are bereft and the dead despair of attaining to it; just as it is
said (in the Koran) “They despair of the life to come, as the infidels
despair (of the resurrection of) those who dwell in the graves.”
As to you—O friends of the Merciful!—move your tongues to thank the Loving
Lord, and employ yourselves in praising and glorifying the Beauty of the
Adored One, for ye were granted the privilege to be exhilarated from this
most pure cup, and became full of cheer and attraction from this goblet of
wine. Ye have perfumed your nostrils with the fragrances of sanctity, and
delighted your senses with the scent of the garment of the Joseph of
faithfulness. Ye tasted the honey of devotion from the hand of the Unique
Beloved and partook of the eternal table at the feast of the blessing of
the Presence of the Unity. This favor is one of the special gifts of the
Presence of the Merciful, and this grace and generosity is one of the
incomparable gifts of our Loving Lord. this is in accordance with what
Christ said: “Many are called, but few chosen.” That is to say, there are
many who are invited, but those souls who are signalized with the grace
and favor of guidance are but very rare. “This is the bounty of God; He
will give the same unto whom He pleaseth; and God is endowed with great
bounty.”
O friends of God! the candle of the Testament is surrounded by the
hypocritical winds of the people of the world and the nightingale of
faithfulness is surprised by the crows of ill-nature—the violators. The
mindless birds of night are plotting against the dove of commemoration and
the ferocious beasts are prowling after the gazelle of the plain of the
love of God. So, He is in great danger and painful affliction.
The beloved of God must be as firm as a mountain, and must not quiver
under the most violent shock, nor grieve at the greatest calamities; but
must be as a solid foundation. They must cling to the hem of Glory and
trust in the Beauty of the Most High. They must lean on the help and
assistance of the Ancient Kingdom and confide in the care and protection
of the Generous Lord. They must at every instant nourish and refresh
themselves with the dew of favor, and in every breath revive and cheer
themselves through the waves of the Holy Spirit, raise themselves to serve
the Cause of the Supreme, and endeavor their utmost to diffuse the breath
of God. they must be as a strongly fortified fortress for the defense of
the blessed Cause, and as a well-made fortification for the protection of
the hosts of the Pre-existent Beauty. They must in all conditions
faithfully guard the edifice of the Cause of God, and be scintillating
stars on the horizon of the visible; because the gloomy darkness of all
nations prevailed from all directions, and all the creeds of the world are
plotting to quench their evident light. Notwithstanding the strenuous
opposition of all tribes, how can ye continue heedless thereof? So, ye
must be conscious and aware thereof, and be ready to guard and preserve
the Cause of the Creator. For this day the most necessary duty is to
purify your morals, to correct your manners, and to improve your deeds.
The beloved of the Merciful must appear with such morals and habits among
the creatures that the fragrant odor of the garden of sanctity may perfume
all the horizons and may quicken all the dead souls, because the
Manifestation of Divinity and the dawning of the infinite lights of the
Invisible is intended for the education of souls and the refinement of the
morals of all in existence, so that some blessed souls may be delivered
from the gloomy world of brutality and be characterized with attributes
which tend to adorn the being of man; that the earthly people may become
godlike, the dark ones may become illuminated, the uninstructed ones may
become familiar with the mystery of the Kingdom, and the mortal souls may
be associated with the Immortal Splendor; the deprived ones may partake of
the endless sea, and the ignorant may drink from the living water of
knowledge; the savage may give up their ferocity, and the cruel may become
forbearing; that the warlike may search after true conciliation and the
pitiless savages may be favored with ideal peace; that the degraded may
learn about the condition of purity and the soiled ones may attain to the
stream of sanctity. If these divine bounties do not appear in the being of
men, the bounty of the Divine Manifestation will prove fruitless and the
splendor of the Sun of Truth will become without effect.
So, O beloved of God, endeavor with your hearts and souls, that ye may be
qualified with the morals and attributes of the Blessed Perfection, and
partake of the bounties of His sanctity; that ye may become signs of unity
and standards of oneness, discover the essence of singleness and sing
harmonies and lays in in this divine garden, in merciful melodies; that ye
may become as thankful birds, and sing a song in the rose-garden of
existence which may astonish minds and senses; that ye may hoist a
standard on the apex of the universe which may flutter in the winds of
favor, and plant a tree in the field of the visible world which may bring
forth fruits of the utmost delicacy and freshness.
I swear by the Ideal Educator that, if ye act in compliance with the
divine exhortations, as revealed in brilliant Tablets, this gloomy earth
will become a mirror of the Exalted Kingdom, and the inferior page will
display the Kingdom of Abha!
O friends of God! Praise be unto God that the invisible bounties of the
Sun of Truth are encompassing you from all directions, and the doors of
mercy are opened from all parts. Now is the time to be benefited and
filled therewith. Seize the opportunity, and lose not the chance. Keep
yourselves entirely clear of the world’s conditions of gloom, and show
forth the characters and qualities of divine souls, that ye may consider
to what an extent the radiance of the Divine Sun is shining and brilliant,
and how the signs of favor are showing forth from the invisible World of
Unity.
O friends of God! Praise be unto God that His Imperial Majesty, the Shah,
acts with the utmost kindness, and His Highness, the Prime Minister, is
practising the greatest fairness and equity towards the people. So, the
friends of God must night and day pray for the permanence of the glorious
empire, and raise themselves to return thanks to His Majesty for his
justice, equity and kindness, because this is one of the indisputable
commandments of God, as revealed in all celestial books.
“To the beloved of God in Persia!...”
To the beloved of God in Persia!
O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha! It is some time since any heart-thrilling
melody hath reached the ear of life from certain countries, and life and
conscience have not found happiness and joy. Howbeit all are remembered at
all times and are indeed present before the sight. For, verily, the
chalice of the heart is overflowing with the wine of the love of the
friends; and their attachment and the desire to see them flow and
circulate in the veins and arteries, even as the spirit.
In this condition it is evident how sad and grieved the heart is. In this
storm of ordeal, whose wave hath reached the Supreme Apogee, and the arrow
of hate hath come in succession from the six points; with every breath
there is bewildering news and every day astonishing signs in the Blessed
Spot.
The center of violation(161) supposed that through mere pride the
foundation of the Covenant and Testament could be destroyed and that the
righteous ones would shun and disobey the ordinances of God. Therefore, he
spread writings of suspicion to all parts and busied himself with secret
plans.
At one time he cried that “The Divine Foundation is overthrown, the law of
God is abrogated, therefore the Covenant and Testament of God are
annulled!” Again, he moaned and grieved that “We are exiles and captives,
hungry and thirsty, night and day!” One day he effected disturbance and
commotion, saying, “The Oneness of God is abolished, and the
Manifestation, before the lapse of a thousand years, hath appeared!”(162)
Upon finding that these fictions were not successful, he gradually planned
corruptions and caused commotion. He grasped every garment (means); he
calumniated to the government and he became acquainted with some of the
unfriendly, associated and became confidential with them. Together they
compiled a report and presented it to the center of the government, which
disturbed the members of the cabinet.
Among their fictitious reports was this: That this oppressed one(163) has
hoisted the banner of independence; upon that banner he has inscribed “Ya
Baha El-Abha!” and circulated it in all this country,(164) in the cities
and hamlets, even among the tribes in the desert, and that he has summoned
them all to assemble under the banner.
O God, verily I seek shelter in Thee from this action which is contrary to
the precepts of Baha’, nay, it is a great wrong, committed only by every
persistent sinner. For Thou hast enjoined upon us obedience to kings and
rulers!
Among the fictions was that the building upon Mt. Carmel was purposed to
be a fort, built with perfect solidity and strength, assigned it to be the
“illumined city” and made the Holy Tomb, the Sacred Mecca; when in truth
that is a building containing six vaults.
Among other fictions was, that he has founded a new monarchy (kingdom) and
that he has called all the friends to this great wrong. God forbid; God
forbid; God forbid! Praise be to Thee!(165)—this is a great calumny!—that
since the Sacred Tomb(166) has become a visiting center for the world, it
shall be a great misfortune to the country and to the public! and that the
center of violation is not connected with these affairs, nay rather, he is
a Suni, Sanavi, Bekri, and Omari.(167) That he knows the Blessed
Perfection(168) to be only one of the reformers among the people, and a
follower of the Path, and that these affairs were instituted by this
oppressed one.
In short, an inquisitory body was appointed by the center of the great
government—may her glory increase! —and was sent to this land, taking up
its abode directly in the home of one of the plaintiffs. The parties who
joined in compiling the report and who were co-partners of my brother were
sent for and questioned regarding the truth of the report. They amplified
the contents of the report, explained them, confirmed them and above all
added to them. They were the plaintiffs, the witnesses and the judge. Now
that body hath returned to the Capital and every day terrible and
frightful news is received.
But Abdul-Baha—praise be to God!—is in perfect peace, composure and rest.
He is not even disturbed through this calumny and fiction, but rather hath
referred all affairs to the pre-ordained decree and in perfect joy and
happiness is ready to give up his life, expecting every ordeal.
Praise be to God!—the kind friends of God are also in a state of
resignation and submissiveness. All are happy, thankful, joyful, and
content. But the center of violation presumed that after the shedding of
the blood of this oppressed one, or the throwing of him into the
Mediterranean Sea, he will become nameless, traceless and forgotten, and
that he [himself] would find an arena to gallop in and could win, with the
spear of suspicions and fictions, the object of his hopes and desire. In
vain! In vain! If there be no permanence to the fragrance of the musk of
faithfulness, will any one be attracted by the vile odor of jealousy? If
the deer of God be torn asunder by dogs and wolves, no one will run after
the blood-thirsty wolf. If the nightingale of significances end his days,
no one will listen to the croaking of the raven, nor to the cawing of the
crow. what vain imagination is this, and what an ignorant display! Their
actions are like unto a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty imagines
to be water, but when he reaches it, finds it to be nothing.
In sooth, O ye friends of God, make firm your feet and heart, make perfect
resolve through the power of confirmation of the Blessed Beauty; engage in
the service of the Cause of God and withstand the nations and the peoples
with the firmness, the solidity and and the steadfastness of the people of
Baha’. Thus may others wonder how these hearts are fountains of trust and
mines of the love of His Majesty, the Merciful One. Thus may ye remain
unshaken by the painful occurrences in the Holy Land, and may remain firm
through the disastrous events. If all the friends oppose (the Cause of
God) with sword and one remain (firm), he will be the proclaimer of God, a
divine herald, and will stand before all upon the earth.
In sooth, you must not mind the events in the Radiant Spot. The Holy Land
is ever in danger and the flood of ordeal comes from every side, for the
call hath become world-wide and the summons hath spread throughout the
earth, and enemies, both the unfamiliar and the familiar, are engaged in
their plans, their stratagems and schemes to calumniate; and it is evident
that such a place is in danger, for against calumny there is no defence,
nay rather, some wandering oppressed souls are imprisoned in a fortress,
having no helper, assistant nor shelter from the sword of accusation and
the teeth of calumny, save God!
Ye must think of this: How many dear friends have hastened to the divine
altar; how many blessed souls have sacrificed life; what holy blood was
shed; what pure hearts were drowned in blood; how many breasts were
offered as targets for the arrows of malice, and how many sanctified
bodies were cut to pieces. What is our duty? To be thinking of our own
life and to dissimulate and associate with enemies and friends, or should
we also follow the righteous and walk in the footprints of those who are
great?
The numbered days (of life) will vanish away, and the present existence
disappear. The garden of being will lose its freshness and fragrance, the
orchard of mirth will miss its joy and beauty. The spring of life will
change into the autumn of death, the joy of happiness of the palaces will
change into the gloomy darkness of the grave. Therefore, it is not worth
attachment and the wise person will not set his heart thereon. The wise
and great man seeketh heavenly glory and divine might, desireth eternal
life and seeketh nearness to the Threshold of God.
For in the tavern of the mortal world the bile of the man of God is not
removed. He will not rest a moment here and will not stain himself with
the attachments of the world. Nay, rather, the friends are the stars of
the summit of Providence and the planets of the firmament of Guidance.
with perfect strength do they dispel darkness and destroy the foundation
of envy and enmity. They wish for the world and its denizens unity and
peace; they destroy the basis of war and strife; they seek integrity,
faithfulness and friendliness, and are well-wishes even of the
evil-disposed enemy. Thus they make this prison of infidelity the sublime
mansion of fidelity, and this dungeon of envy a delectable paradise.
O ye friends, endeavor with life and heart that this world may become the
mirror of the world of the Kingdom; that the earthly kingdom be filled
with the bounty of the heavenly; that the voice of the Supreme Concourse
may be raised in commendation, and that the traces of the bounty and grace
of the Beauty of Abha may envelop the earth!
His honor, Ameen(169), hath praised highly the honored servants and the
maid-servants of the Manifest Light; commending each one separately and
eulogizing the firmness and steadfastness of all; that—praise be to
God!—the friends and maid-servants of the Merciful in all Persia are in
perfect resignation and firm and steadfast, like unto a firm and solid
foundation, and in an absolute state of ecstasy and attraction are engaged
in spreading the fragrance of the Lord of Lords.
Through this news, at this time of great jeopardy, much happiness was
realized, for the supreme hope and desire of this oppressed one is the
spirituality of the hearts and the radiance of the beings of the friends.
When this gift is obtained every ordeal is for him as an abundant bounty
and a great shower.
O my God! O my God! Thou seest me drowned in the sea of ordeals, seized
upon by the fire of infidelity, with tears flowing in the dark night
rolling in the bed of sleeplessness, mine eyes expectant to see the dawn
of the lights of Faith. And when I am anxious, as the fish whose bowels
are inflamed upon the dust, I anticipate the manifestation of Thy bounties
from all sides!
O Lord! Surround the friends in other regions with Thy great bounties and
uplift those who are weak among Thy chosen, through Thy strength and
providence, in every remote place!
O Lord, verily they are the captives of Thy love and the prisoners of Thy
host, the birds of the atmosphere of Thy guidance, the fish of the sea of
Thy providence, the stars of the horizon of Thy bounty, the army of the
fortress of Thy law, the banners of Thy remembrance, the eyes of Thy
mercy, the fountains of Thy grace and the springs of Thy generosity.
Therefore, guard them with the eye of kindness, confirm them in promoting
Thy Word, strengthen their hearts in Thy love, reinforce their backs in
Thy service, make firm their loins in Thy servitude, spread through them
Thy fragrances, reveal through them Thy signs, manifest through them Thy
proofs, accomplish through them Thy words and perfect through them Thy
mercy!
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, and, verily, thou art the
Clement, the Merciful!
“El-Baha, praise, light, blessing and peace be upon thee,...”
El-Baha, praise, light, blessing and peace be upon thee,(170) O thou fire
of the Love of God, thou light of the Kingdom of God, thou radiance of the
Gift of God, thou peerless pearl in the Sea of the Mercy of God, thou
sturdy lion in the Jungle of the Guidance of God!
I testify that, verily, thou hast believed in God, thou hast become
assured of the Verses of God, thou hast trusted in the appearance of the
Kingdom of God, thou hast turned unto God, thou hast kept firm in the
Covenant of God, thou hast served the Cause of God, thou hast endeavored
to promote the Word of God, and thou hast suffered martyrdom in the path
of God. May the soul of men be a sacrifice to thee!
Blessed is the land which is reddened by thy blood! Blessed is the heart
which is burnt with the fire of thine afflictions! Blessed is the eye
which weeps over thy disaster! Blessed are the hearts which are consumed
by thy calamities! Blessed are the bosoms which are rent asunder by thy
sufferings!
Praise be unto thee! Exaltation be unto thee! Faithfulness be unto thee! O
thou sign of guidance and thou standard of great martyrdom!
O that the bullets which shot thee were shot at the breast of Abdul-Baha!
O that the darts which pierced thee would strike the heart of Abdul-Baha!
By the might of my Lord, afflictions are much more favored by Abdul-Baha
than the honey of life, inasmuch as this cup is overflowing with the gift
of God.
Blessed is the one who attaineth to visit thy grave! Blessed is the
forehead which is set against thy tomb! Blessed is the man who serves thy
sepulchre! Blessed is the person who lights a lamp(171) at thy
resting-place!
I beg of God to cause spheres of light to descend upon thy sepulchre and
the clouds of mercy to shower rains of forgiveness upon thy resting-place
and tomb!
Verily, He is the Compensator, the Beneficent, the Giver!
“O thou peerless, matchless, glorious martyr!...”
O thou peerless, matchless, glorious martyr!(172)
Verily, I salute thy pure dust, and thy holy, blessed tomb, which is
perfumed by the fragrances of sanctity which are blowing upon thee from
the Supreme Concourse, and the lights which are cast upon thee from the
Kingdom of El-Abha, and the copious rain which purifieth thy fragrant
plain, and say: “Upon thee be El-Baha! Upon thee be mercy, O thou lamp
ignited with the fire of the love of God, irradiated with the ray of the
gift of God, and aflame in the glass of the knowledge of God! Thou art he
who hath drunk the cup of sacrifice, hath expended his life in the path of
God, and hath shed his blood on the earth in love for the Beauty of God.
For they did not appreciate thy merit, denied thy dignity, were veiled
from beholding the gift of thy Lord, and supposed themselves to be just.
No! By no means!
“Punishment is for such as persecuted thee, hell is for such as rejected
thee, fire is for such as sentenced thee to death, infernal flame be for
such as betrayed thee, and the hellish gulf is for such as shed thy blood
with impunity! And paradise is for such as love thee, heaven is for such
as serve thee, the everlasting abode is for such as visit (thy tomb)!
“Upon thee be El-Baha! Upon thee be greeting and praise, O thou who hast
suffered martyrdom in the path of God, and art submerged in the ocean of
the mercy of God!
“Blessed are the nostrils which will be perfumed by the scent of thy
brilliant spot! Blessed are the eyes which will be illumined by the ray
which is being cast upon thee from the bounty of the Kingdom of El-Abha!
“I beg of God to make thy sepulchre a mine of mercy, a depository of
gifts, and to encompass it with manifest signs. Verily, He is the
Beneficent! the Giver! Verily, He is gracious, and showeth great favor
toward martyrs, and He is the Bestower, the Generous!”
“The first light which shone forth from the horizon of...”
The first light which shone forth from the horizon of Eternity, the first
radiance which was cast forth from the Morn of Guidance, and the first
mercy which descended from the Kingdom of Heaven, be upon thee,(173) O
thou manifest light, thou “strong rope,” and the beloved one of the
denizens of the exalted heaven, who hast suffered martyrdom in the path of
the Lord of the Creatures, and who art submerged in the sea of favors,
through the grace of thy Lord, the Clement! the Merciful! El-Baha be upon
thee! Praise be upon thee!
By God, the True One! The angels of mercy bless thee in the Kingdom of
El-Baha, and the nostrils of the chosen ones are perfumed with the sweet
odor which is wafting from the garden of the Supreme Concourse upon thy
sepulchre; and hearts are burning, tears are being shed, the power of
endurance is cut off by the grievous disaster and great martyrdom, whereby
all hearts are consumed!
I testify that, verily, thou art a martyr of faithfulness, thou art
peerless among the beloved, thou art matchless among the chosen ones and
art fortunate among the pious! Blessed art thou, for they pierced thy
shining brow with a nail, and suspended upon it thine outward decoration,
tortured thee by reins, made thee to ride on a furious bull, paraded thee
in the city, cut off thine ear with a sharp-edged blade, and by force and
compulsion made thee to devour it, tormented thee with the torture of the
wicked, persecuted thee with a rage like unto the ferocity of ravenous
wolves of the plain and desert, and consumed thy pure body with the
torture of fire!
Blessed is the pure blood which was shed on the perfumed soil, and which
was poured out in the path of the forgiving Lord! Blessed is thy body
which was burned by the hand of every transgressor! Blessed is thy throat
which was cut by the poniard of every traitor! Blessed is thy breast which
was stricken by the oppressors’ darts! Blessed is thy heart which was
wounded by a sharp sword! Blessed art thou, for thou hast showed forth all
happiness and joy when hou wert being paraded in the streets of the people
of haughtiness and the people of wickedness were clapping their hands and
oppressing thee with innumerable blows and wounds, whilst thou wert
clapping thy hands with them—O thou manifestor of light!—and wert warbling
melodies, whereby the people of the Kingdom of El-Abha were moved and
breasts dilated (with joy)!
By God, the True One! Verily, Abdul-Baha inhaleth the odor of faithfulness
from that remote region, the soil of which is reddened by thy pure blood,
and beholdeth the lights of bestowal successively pouring upon thy
resplendent tomb, and the rains of grace dropping upon thy blessed
resting-place, which is fragrant, brilliant and magnificent!
Blessed is he whosoever may roll his face in the dust of thine excellent
grave! Blessed is he whosoever may press his brow on thy great sepulchre!
Upon thee be El-Baha! Upon thee be praise! Upon thee be bestowal, O thou
honorable martyr, who hast severed thyself from all things in the pah of
thine Ancient Lord, who hast sacrificed thy soul, blood and body in the
path of thy Most Beautiful Beloved One!
Upon thee be grace from thy Lord, the Exalted! the Great!
“O ye beloved servants of Abdul-Baha and the maid-servants...”
O ye(174) beloved servants of Abdul-Baha and the maid-servants of the
Merciful One!
It is the early dawn and the soul-refreshing breeze of the Paradise of
Abha is wafting upon all the contingent beings, but it displays the effect
only in pure hearts and perfumes only the healthy mind. A seeing eye
beholdeth the splendors of the sun and a hearing ear listeneth to the
melody of the Supreme Concourse. Although the mercy of the vernal shower
and the heavenly outpouring descend upon all the earth, yet only from a
virgin soil vegetation groweth while the brackish ground is deprived and
unproductive, for the traces of the outpouring are not evident and
manifest. Now the holy Fragrances of Abha are diffused in every clime, but
only the spiritual souls are attracted and draw benefits. It is hoped by
this imprisoned one, from the bounty of the Living Self-Subsistent, that,
through the dominating power of the Word of God, the nostrils of the
heedless ones becomes opened and partake a share from the fragrances of
the Rose-Garden of Mystery.
O ye friends of God! The real friends are the skillful physicians and the
divine instructions are the antidote of the Merciful One and the remedies
of the hearts. They (the believers) heal the nostril affected with rheum,
make mindful the negligent ones, give a share to the deprived ones and
make hopeful the hopeless ones. In this day if anyone liveth in accord
with the heavenly teachings and instructions, he shall become a spiritual
physician to the world of humanity and the trumpet of Israfel(175) to
quicken the dead; for the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha are
uninterrupted and the victory of the Supreme Concourse is the associate of
every one who is pure in heart. The weak gnat will become the strong royal
falcon and the sparrow is transformed into the eagle soaring toward the
apex of the Ancient Glory. Therefore, look ye not upon your own capability
and merit, nay rather, lay your confidence in the bounty and protection,
favor and grace of the Blessed Perfection—may my life be a sacrifice to
His beloved ones!—and, mounting upon the charger of magnanimity, rush ye
toward the arena of martyrdom, so that ye may win the polo of favors in
this vast field of God!
O ye maid-servants of the Merciful One! The queens of the world went down
to the tombs and disapeared and vanished from the face of the earth. There
remained for them no fruit, no name, no trace, no fame and no existence.
But every one of the maid-servants in the court of Oneness shone forth
like unto the brilliant stars from the glorious Ancient Horizon, cast
their rays upon centuries and cycles, attained to their utmost desires in
the Kingdom of Abha and drank from the wine of meeting (with God) in the
Assembly of the Almighty. These souls have taken a share from (the
benefits) of being and obtained results.
O ye friends of the wronged one! Purify your eyes from beholding [any as]
strangers. Do ye not see foreignness, nay rather, know all as friends; for
with the observation of strangeness, the practice of love and unity is
difficult.
In this wonderful age, according to the divine texts, ye must befriend all
nations and communities. Ye must not look upon violence, force, evil
intentions, persecutions or hostility, nay rather, ye must raise your eyes
to the horizon of glory [and see] that each one of these creatures is a
sign of the Lord of Signs and [has] stepped upon the arena of existence
through divine favor and supreme energy. Thus they are known and not
unknown, are friends and not strangers. We must deal with all according to
the above criterion.
Therefore, the beloved must, with infinite kindness and love, associate
and sympathize with both friends and strangers and not look at all upon
the merits and capabilities of the persons. Under all circumstances they
must show forth genuine love and be not defeated by the intensity of
rancor, hatred, quarrel, malice and the grudge of the people. Should they
(they people) shoot arrows they (the friends) must administer milk and
honey; if they give poison, the believers must impart delicacies; if they
cause pain, let the beloved be a remedy; if they strike a blow, let them
become the antidote.
O my God! O my God! Verily, these are Thy weak servants and Thy
submissive, faithful ones and Thy sincere maid-servants who are humbled
before Thy illumined Threshold, acknowledging Thy Oneness which hath
appeared like unto the appearance of the sun in midday, listening to Thy
call from Thy mysterious Kingdom and uttering Thy prayers with hearts
overflowing with Thy love and devotion!
O my Lord! Pour upon all of them the rain of Thy mercy, [cause to] descend
upon every one the showers of Thy bounty from the clouds of Thy
munificence, make them graceful plants in Thy divine Rose-garden and
suffer these myrtles to become verdant, green and refreshed by the
outpouring from the Cloud of Thy Singleness.
Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Most High, the Mighty and Omnipotent,
and the Creator of the earth and heaven, and verily there is no God but
Thee, the Lord of the Manifest Signs!
“O servants of the Blessed Beauty!...”
O servants(176) of the Blessed Beauty!
It is a well known fact that, owing to the frequency of disturbances, the
work of delivering the Message hath been for a short time discontinued. In
consequence, persons travel less frequently to the different parts of the
country. It is known and clear that today the unseen divine assistance
encompasseth those who deliver the Message. And if the work of delivering
the Message be neglected, the assistance shall be entirely cut off, for it
is impossible that the friends of God could receive assistance unless they
be engaged in delivering the Message. Under all conditions the Message
must be delivered, but with wisdom. If it be not possible openly, it must
be done quietly. The friends should be engaged in educating the souls and
should become instruments in aiding the world of humanity to acquire
spiritual joy and fragrance. For example: If every one of the friends
(believers) were to establish relations of friendship and right dealings
with one of the negligent souls, associate and live with him with perfect
kindliness, and meanwhile through good conduct and moral behavior lead him
to divine instruction, to heavenly advice and teachings, surely he would
gradually arouse that negligent person and would change his ignorance into
knowledge.
Souls are liable to estrangement. Such methods should be adopted that the
estrangement should be first removed, then the Word will have effect.
If one of the believers be kind to one of the negligent ones and with
perfect love should gradually make him understand the reality of the Cause
of God in such a way that the latter should know in what manner the
Religion of God hath been founded and what its object is, doubtless he
will become changed; excepting abnormal souls who are reduced to the state
of ashes and whose hearts are like stones, yea, even harder.
If by this method every one of the friends of God were to try to lead one
soul to the right path, the number of the believers would be doubled every
year. But this should be carried out with perfect wisdom and in such a
manner that no harm would ever result therefrom.
In the same way those who deliver the Message should travel to all parts
of the country. And if delivering the Message should be the cause of
disturbance, let them then be engaged in encouraging and educating the
friends, in order that those souls receive spiritual attraction and
rejoice, seek delight and ecstasy, acquire new life and through the
fragrances of sanctity gain vivacity and freshness.
The object is this, that in the time of peace and safety this work of
delivering the Message should be carried on with the utmost fervor. But
when there is no peace and safety, extreme wisdom should be exercised,
though no complete cessation of effort is permissible, for in that case
the divine assistance shall be entirely cut off.
With regard to the formation of benevolent associations, surely this
subject should be given due attention. The disciples of His Holiness
Christ—may my life be a sacrifice unto Him!—were only eleven persons and
they had established a benevolent fund. So the establishment of the fund
had that degree of importance.
“O ye sincere ones! O ye favored ones! O ye beseeching...”
O ye(177) sincere ones! O ye favored ones! O ye beseeching ones! O ye
supplicating ones!
Verily, I set my forehead on the dust and turn my face toward the Lord of
Lords and invoke my Lord with intense fervor and attraction, that He may
look upon you with the glances of the eye of His providence, watch over
you with the gaze of His protection, unite your hearts, dilate your
breasts, harmonize your souls, rejoice you with gladness, exhilarate you
with the chalices of salvation, make you steadfast in the divine Cause and
that He may enable you to cling to the hem of the Almighty, to hasten
toward the place of sacrifice and to be sheltered under the shadow of the
Blessed Tree whose roots are planted firm and whose branches are extended
to heaven:
O my Lord! O my Lord! These are the chosen ones whose faces are illumined
with the light of guidance, who found the heavenly table pleasing to their
tastes, who submitted willingly to every matter which happened in the land
and sought help from the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. Their feet are
indeed made firm, their banners hoisted, their deeds righteous and their
actions just. O Lord! Make them fragrant plants of Thy paradise, flowers
of the garden of nearness, verses of Thy glorious book, words of Thy
“Published tablet” unto the people of the world and as falcons soaring on
the loftiest summit. Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Merciful, the
Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower!
O my dear friends! Yours was not merely a letter; it was perfumed with
amber and diffused a sweet fragrance. Every word thereof was a rose in the
rose-garden of the love of God and was a flower, a hyacinth.
When the breeze of Providence blows from the direction of gift, the
gardens of hearts attain thereby exceeding purity and freshness. Such
significances arise from the soul and consciousness and impart joy and
fragrance.
O friends! It is the wish of Abdul-Baha that the friends may establish
general unity and not a particular meeting of unity. You must have great
consideration for this fact, for during the past cycles though such events
(founding of particular, i.e., exclusive unity meetings) were, in the
beginning, a means for harmony, they became in the end the cause of
trouble.
We are all servants of one Threshold, attendants at one Court, waves of
one sea, drops of one stream, the dust before one door and plants of one
garden. There must arise no trouble to deprive one from that which is the
real purpose. The beloved of God must be friendly even with strangers and
intimate even with outsiders—how much more with others among the righteous
(i.e., believers)!
To organize assemblies is praiseworthy and acceptable, but these must be
established for certain matters. For example: Assemblages for teaching
(the Truth), gatherings for the spread of the fragrances of God,
gatherings for the relief of the orphans, gatherings for the protection
(i.e., feeding, etc.,) of the poor, assemblages for the spread of learning
and, in a word, there must be gatherings for matters which concern the
well-being of men, such as organizations of a society of commerce,
societies for the expansion of agriculture. To be brief, similar societies
are very acceptable and praiseworthy and concern all in general and not a
particular number.
In a word: That which is conducive to the life (or growth) of the people
is acceptable and whatever is the cause of disaffection is blameworthy. I
hope all the friends of the East and West shall rest in the same
assemblage and adorn one gathering, appearing with all the heavenly
attributes and virtues in the world of humanity.
O my Lord! O my Lord! Enable me to witness the most great sign and to
realize the fulfillment of this hope throughout all regions. Verily Thou
art the Bestower, the Beneficent, whose bounties are great!
Some of the friends have asked to present themselves in these parts. In
these days this does not conform with wisdom. God willing, permission
shall be given at some favorable time.
“Glory be unto Thee, O Thou whose mercy hath encompassed...”
(178) Glory be unto Thee, O Thou whose mercy hath encompassed all things,
whose gift is made perfect, whose power hath encircled the world, whose
proof is demonstrated, whose signs have become manifest, whose words are
promulgated, whose arguments are established and whose ensigns are
hoisted! Praise be unto Thee for that which Thou hast bestowed! Thanks be
unto Thee for that which Thou hast granted! Glorification behooveth Thee
for Thou hast manifested Thyself! Glory be unto Thee Glory be unto Thee!
How inaccessible is Thy station! How manifest is Thy proof and how
all-embracing is Thy munificence!
Verily the dark night hath been spreading its wings over all the regions
and the face of the heaven and earth was hidden behind the clouds of inky
gloom and blackness—wherefore the sights were veiled from beholding the
most great signs and inner perceptions were blinded and unable to find the
fire of divine guidance; souls were wandering in the desert of error and
heedlessness and the possessors of intelligence were lost in the
wilderness of amazement and skepticism, crying and weeping as a mother
bereft of her babe—bewailing and lamenting like unto a thirsty one in the
midst of a vast and boundless Sahara!
But through Thy greatest bounty, the glorious dawn broke and the lightning
of guidance flashed from the Supreme Horizon upon the face of heaven! Then
the First Point (the Bab) appeared among mankind with the glad-tidings of
Thy Manifestation, the fragrances of Thy Holiness and the verses of Thy
Singleness, spreading Thy good news, heralding Thy Name, declaring and
praising Thee in numerous epistles!
Thine is favor for this gift which hath cheered the souls of the pure
ones! Thine is generosity for Thou hast enabled every righteous and
devoted one to adore Thee by causing the Sun of Truth to shine upon all
the regions of existence! Thine is glory and excellence! Thine is power
and beauty! Thine is sovereignty and authority! Thine is dominion and
kingdom! Thine is exaltation and omnipresence! Thine is divinity and
lordship! For thou hast manifested Thy bounty from the horizon of
emanation, rent asunder the veil and raised the covering from Thy
illumined countenance in the promised day and shone forth upon the world
of being with the rays gleaming from the dawn of revelation!
Then the “Resurrection” appeared, the “Day ofd Judgment” became manifest,
the “earth” heaved and shook, the “mountains” were levelled, the “seas”
boiled, the “sun” was eclipsed, the “luminaries” were darkened, the
“stars” scattered, the “signs” became known, the “bridge” expanded, the
“conditions” were fulfilled, the “balance” was set up, the “fire” burned
fiercely and the “paradise” became begemmed!—wherefore the devoted ones
entered into delectable gardens with beatitude and the veiled ones were
left to amuse themselves with their own imaginations; the possessors of
perception beheld the lights and those whose eyes were weak vanished in
gloomy darkness before the appearance of the mid-day Sun!
Then those whose ears were unstopped and open rejoiced in listening to the
call, while the deaf (or ignorant) were astonished , crying out, “What is
the cause of this acclamation and rejoicing?” Then the fluent speakers
loosened their tongues in thanksgiving and glorification, while the dumb
became as hard and lifeless stones; then the souls were purified, the
hearts were attracted, the breasts were dilated, the characters were
sanctified, the secret thoughts became manifest and the realities stepped
into the arena of existence; they sought illumination, were guided, became
ablaze, enflamed and enkindled, called forth and proclaimed, saying:
“Glad-tidings be unto the righteous ones! Rejoicing be unto the perceiving
ones! Happiness be unto the favored ones! Joy be unto the yearning ones!
Cheerfulness be unto the attracted ones! Exhilaration be unto the longing
ones!
Glory be unto Him who hath arisen from the Brightest Dawn!
Glory be unto Him who hath shone forth the Manifest Light!
Glory be unto Him who showered Glorious Outpourings upon the contingent
beings!
Glory be unto Him who illumined the Supreme Horizon with such a Radiance
by which the gloom of the dark night hath been dispelled!
Glory be unto Him who causeth to descend the Food from heaven!
Glory be unto Him who causeth the Running Spring to gush forth from the
rugged cliff!
Glory be unto Him who poured down the Pure Water from on high!
Glory be unto Him who allayed the thirst of the devoted ones with the Cup
which is mixed with Camphire!(179)
Glory be unto Him who developed the barren and sterile ground into
fruitfulness!
Glory be unto Him who hath produced growth in the adjoining fields of
various natures!
Glory be unto Him who irrigated them with the same waters gushing forth
from that Fountain!
Glory be unto Him who adorned the delectable gardens with all kinds of
delicate and delicious fruits!
Glory be unto Him who ushered in the Emanation of the new creation!
Glory be unto Him who hath brought forth the Day of Retribution!
Glory be unto Him who granted Life unto the contingent Beings!
Glory be unto Him who created the Existence!
Glory be unto Him who extended forth the Path!
Glory be unto Him who made clear the Way!
Glory be unto Him who appeared in the Most Wonderful Age!
Glory be unto the Founder of this New Epoch!
Then thanks be unto Thee, O my God, for these Gifts and praise be unto
Thee, O my Beloved, for this Eminent Bounty! Verily Thou art the Merciful
of the Most Merciful!”
O ye merciful friends of Abdul-Baha! At this moment a letter hath been
received from America containing the good news that that region of the
Occident hath become the Orient; that is, in that region the rays of the
Sun of Truth have appeared and shone forth with such penetration that the
bright light of the morn of guidance hath dawned and every longing one
hath attained to the desire of this heart, and that the melody of the
Kingdom of Abha ascends continuously to the Supreme Concourse and the
soul-refreshing strains of “Ya Baha El-Abha!” reach the ears of the
peoples and communities of that country.
According to what they have written, they have celebrated the day of the
“Birth anniversary” in twenty-four cities by giving public feasts and
beautiful receptions. They have spent that day in the utmost joy and
happiness, they have sent out general invitations, spread the table of
gifts, engaged in the commemoration of the True One and in imparting
glad-tidings to each other. Likewise, letters of congratulation and
felicitation have been received from these twenty-four cities and
assemblies. Consider ye what influence the penetrative power of the Word
of God hath displayed in existence and how the universe is stirred and
moved through it! How in America on the “Birth anniversary” such feasting
and banqueting is prepared! How the remote ones have become the near ones
and how the customs and habits of the East are spread abroad! This is the
penetrative power of the Word of God and this is the might of the subduing
desire of God!
O ye friends of God and maid-servants of the Merciful! His honor
Ameen(180) hath mentioned you with the highest praise and commendation,
saying that, thank God, the believers in all parts of the cities and towns
are the manifestations of bounties and the dawning-places of justice and
equity; are mindful, obedient, kind-hearted and steadfast; are engaged in
reading the verses and occupied with spreading the signs; are in the
utmost ecstasy and exhilaration and intoxicated with the pure wine; are
active in praising and adoring the Most Great Name and intimate in paying
homage to the Holy Threshold; are living in accord with the divine
teachings and exhortations and are in every way endowed with all human
excellences and attributes; that they are in the utmos unity and agreement
and in great zeal and enthusiasm; are kind to every soul and treat all the
communities with exceeding joy and fragrance; that they have sympathy even
for the enemies and are faithful friends even to the unjust; that to the
outsiders they are as relatives and to the strangers they are a
swift-healing antidote instead of a poisonous sting; are the servants of
the world of humanity and manifestors of the attributes of the Merciful
One! Blessed are they for this testimony, which is expressive of the
beauty of their characters and the merit of their virtues! Truly, I say,
his honor Ameen is the well-wisher of all. In the day of the Manifestation
he was the Ameen (Faithful) of the Blessed perfection(181) and in the days
of the Covenant(182) he is the confidant of this yearning one. Therefore,
his testimony is heard and accepted and his evidence is praised and
beloved.
O ye beloved of God! According to what is heard, some of the ulemas of the
Sheite sect (Persian moslem mullas), as well as some leaders of the
Shekhei school, are engaged constantly in instigating revolts and have
arisen against the government with enmity and opposition, confusing the
affairs of the state more than before.
Praise be to God!(183) What is this heedlessness and ignorance and what is
this antagonism and insubordination! Verily, the Persian empire hath been
at all times deprived of every bounty on account of the encroaching
influence of the ritualistic mullas! Whenever that just government
conceived a good intention to introduce reforms and amelioration of
conditions, these ignorant leaders raised vehement opposition, protested
severely and prevented the introduction of measures which would better
conditions and spread culture and progress. One must be just. The
intention of His Imperial Majesty is higher and purer than all the other
leaders and chiefs, for the sole desire of the throne is the peace and
security of the inhabitants and the cultivation and betterment of the
conditions of the empire. But alas! they do not give a moment’s rest to
the kind Padeshah, in order that he may voluntarily and of his own accord
inaugurate reforms as much as may be warranted by circumstances.
However, the inhabitants of Persia are not the only ones who are afflicted
with this ignorance and blindness. The people of the imperial Ottoman
government are also in a state of the utmost ignorance and blindness.
Diversity of opinions and ignorance of factions do not allow one breath of
tranquility to the imperial government, in order that it may adjust
internal conditions and rectify foreign relations. Yet, under all these
conditions, His Imperial Majesty the Padeshah f the Ottomans is
intelligently directing the affairs. The proof and testimony of this
assertion is the protection afforded these exiled ones (in Acca) from the
rebellious despotism of the enemies. If authority were in the people’s
hands or in other hands than those of the government, the conspiracies and
seditions of inside and outside enemies would have scattered even the
ashes of this imprisoned one to the winds. But the forebearance,
intelligence, foresight, far-reaching wisdom and discernment of His
Imperial Majesty the Padeshah of the Ottomans have so far protected these
exiled ones, notwithstanding the attacks of the calumniators and the party
of the slanderers. We are of those who pray for these two just kings and
are grateful to these two equitable sovereigns.
Praise be unto God! One of the imputations of the enemies is this: That—we
seek refuge in God—we deny the validity and truth of the Sun of Guidance,
the Lamp of the Supreme Concourse, the messenger of the Almighty, His
Highness Mohammed Mostafa—upon Him be greeting and praise!—and that—God
forbid! —we have written books in His refutation. Woe unto those who have
arisen to spread this great falsehood and calumny! However, all the
friends of God who are informed of the mysteries know that this exiled and
imprisoned one would readily sacrifice his life at the dust of the
Prophet’s feet. Furthermore, the Blessed Perfection-may my life be a
sacrifice to His beloved ones—in the book of Ighan, hath established with
invincible proofs and clear arguments the prophethood of His Highness the
Messenger—may my life be a sacrifice to Him!—and also His Highness the
Supreme (the Bab) hath invoked Him (Mohammed) in many supplications.
Notwithstanding all these evidences, the unjust ones are crying out and
secretly spreading the falsehood that we—God forbid!—are His deniers and
the unfaithful friends (nakzeen) acknowledge these erroneous imputations.
Praise be to God! If we deny the messengers and prophets of God, what have
we to say for ourselves? Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Verily this is a
great calumny!
To be brief, the aim is this: Though the interference of the ignorant and
fanatical leaders the country of Persia is in a state of decadence,
although the pure intention of His Imperial Majesty the crowned Shah is
for progress. However, ye who are the well-wishers of the government and
are sincere, obedient and kind toward it, be ye engaged always in service.
Should any one of you enter into the service (or employment) of the
government, he must live and act with the utmost truthfulness,
righteousness, chastity, uprightness, purity, sanctity, justice and
equity. But if—I seek refuge in God—any one betray the least of trusts or
neglect and be remiss in the performance of duties which are intrusted to
him, or by oppression takes one penny of extortion from the subjects, or
seeks after his own personal, selfish aims and ends in the attainment of
his own interests, he shall undoubtedly remain deprived of the outpourings
of His Highness the Almighty! Beware! Beware! lest ye fall short in that
which ye are commanded in this Tablet!
“O thou who art sweet tongued!...”
O thou who art sweet tongued!
Thy poem(184) is a wonder to the minds and intellects and thy composition
an evidence of the gift of the great Lord. Therefore, thy wine is the pure
wine, thy heart the recess of light and thy brow radiant with love.
If the people of the world were fair in judgment, the sweetness of thy
poem should be a sufficient proof.
A young boy of the posterity of Israel whose pure mouth still emits the
fragrance of milk, uttering such a marvelous anthem!
“O bird of the Rose-garden of Fidelity!...”
O bird(185) of the Rose-garden of Fidelity!
Be of no cheerless heart; have no wing nor feather broken;sigh not,
neither do thou wail, and sit not chilled in a corner.
The little girl lamented is in the divine Rose-garden in the highest
happiness, delight, cheerfulness and gratification. Why then art thou
grieved, sorrowing with a bleeding heart? This is the day of rejoicing and
the hour of ecstasy! This is the season of the dead arising from the
graves and gathering together! And this is the promised time for the
attainment of plenteous grace.
Be calm, be strong, be grateful, and become a lamp full of light, that the
darkness of sorrows be annihilated, and that the sun of everlasting joy
arise from the dawning-place of heard and soul, shining brightly.***
Upon thee be the Glory of the Most-Glorious!
“O thou friend!...”
O thou friend!(186)
A fire from the Kingdom hath been kindled in the heart of the world, in
the Blessed Tree, whose flame shall ere long set aglow the pillars of the
earth and its rays illumine the horizons of the nations. All the signs
hath appeared, all the (prophetic) references hath become clear, all that
was revealed in the Books and Scriptures hath become fully manifest, and
there is no ground for any one to hesitate in regard thereto.
Some people of former times and some sects avoided certain others as
strangers, but now the Glorious Beloved One hath ridden upon His swift
coursing steed, circling about in the arena of Truth and all that was
hidden became manifest.
Let there be no more silence nor reticence, taciturnity nor negligence.
The Candle is lighted—yet the moths continue motionless and melancholy
behind the veils.
Now is the time to roar like unto a sea and seek to ascend heavenward! If
we desire to reach the apex of the Supreme Kingdom, we must unfurl our
wings; if we wish to dive into the depths of the ocean,we must teach our
limbs swimming. The time is short and the Divine Courser moves swiftly on;
let us keep up and compete with each other and let us light a brilliant
candle!
“O ye brilliant realities!...”
O ye(187) brilliant realities!
Blessed are ye, for that ye believed in the Lord of Hosts, advanced unto
the Kingdom of God, with faces rejoicing with the glad-tidings of God,
that ye were awakened by the breezes of God, revived by the Spirit of God,
and attracted by the fragrances of God. May it be salutary to ye, the cup
overflowing with the wine of the love of God!
Thank your Lord for making ye signs of guidance and standards of the
Supreme Kingdom. Soon shall the earth shake in your name, the angels pray
for you. the bells ring in your mentioning, the hearts overflow with your
love and tongues speak in your praise; forasmuch as the doors of the
Kingdom are being opened before your faces, and the paradise of eternal
life is being prepared and decorated for your entrance; therefore enter
ye, while believing, assured, rejoiced, attracted, severed from the world
and all therein. And be not sorrowful on account of the affliction of
Abdul-Baha, for calamity is a light, whereby his face glistens among the
Supreme Concourse; affliction is healing to his breast, joy of his heart,
happiness to his soul; nay, rather, the most honored garment upon his
temple and best robe upon his body, and the dearest crown upon his head.
This is his utmost desire.
Implore unto God and supplicate to Him in your prayers at morn and eve,
asking God to destine to Abdul-Baha the draught of the great martyrdom, so
that he may welcome it with great desire, and ascend unto the Kingdom of
God with illumined face, with smiling lips, brilliant forehead, eloquent
tongue, and great thankfulness among the Supreme Concourse.
“O ye who are attracted! O ye who are remembered!...”
O ye(188) who are attracted! O ye who are remembered! O ye who are
directed unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily I supplicate God in heart and spirit to make you signs of guidance,
standards of sanctity and fountains of knowledge and understanding, that
through you He may guide the seekers unto the Straight path and lead them
unto the Mighty Way in this Great Cycle.
O beloved of God! Know ye that the world is like unto a mirage which the
thirsty one thinks to be water; its water is a vapor; its mercy a
difficulty; its repose hardship and ordeal; leave it to its people and
turn unto the Kingdom of your Lord the Merciful. Thus the lights of mercy
and beneficence may shine upon you, the heavenly table descend for you,
your Lord may bestow upon you the greatest gifts and favors, whereby your
breasts may become dilated, your hearts gladdened, your souls purified,
and your eyes enlightened.
O beloved of God! Is there any giver save God? He chooseth for His mercy
whomsoever He desireth.
He shall open unto you the doors of His knowledge, fill your hearts with
His love, rejoice your spirits by the wafting of His holy fragrances,
illumine your faces by the Manifest Light and elevate your names among the
people.
Verily your Lord is the most merciful of the merciful! He will aid you
through an unseen host, and help you by armies of inspiration from the
Supreme Concourse, send you the fragrances of the Supreme Paradise,
perfume your nostrils by the breath of purity wafted from the garden of
the Supreme Concourse, cause you to enter the Ark of Safety, and reveal to
you the Manifest Signs.
Verily this is a great bounty! Verily this is a manifest attainment!
“O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!
Verily, I am informed of thy confession of the Oneness of God and thy
being attracted to the fragrances of God. I implore unto God to make thee
a sign of guidance; thy face rejoicing among the maid-servants of the
Merciful, and thy heart severed from this world, which weakeneth the
hearts and spirits.
“O thou whose breast is dilated by the Fragrances of...”
O thou whose breast is dilated by the Fragrances of God!
Verily thy letter reached me and I prayed God to confirm thee in guiding
the people to the Manifestation of Lights; satisfying the thirsty ones
with the pure and peaceful water; leading the sick to the Glorious
Physician; guiding those who are led astray into the Path, imparting the
wine to those who are seeking, and feeding the hungry souls with the food
which descendeth from the heaven of thy Lord, the Glorious!
“O thou who seekest for the Will of God!...”
O thou who seekest for the Will of God!
Give thanks to God that thou entered the divine Kingdom and knowest the
heavenly Lord of Hosts!
The light of truth hath radiated from the Sun of Divinity to the horizons
in such a manner that the East and the West are illumined. But, alas! the
blind do not see and the deaf do not hear the divine proclamation. The
bats do not perceive the light of the sun and the beetles cannot enjoy the
fragrances of a rose-garden.
Consider that the horizons of the world were enlightened through the light
of the beauty of His Holiness Christ; yet all the people were asleep,
blind and sightless, except a few whose eyes were opened and perceived the
lights. Now thou shalt thank God that a beam of the light came to thy
sight. I ask God that thine inner sight may be illumined so that thou
mayest discover the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of God. If thou become
so, thou wilt be an evident light and a divine angel in the celestial
dominion; then it dependeth on the divine confirmation, according to thy
perseverance.
“O thou seeker of the True One!...”
O thou seeker of the True One!
In the day of Christ all nations were expecting that His Holiness Christ
should come from heaven, and He came from heaven, though outwardly He came
from the womb of Mary. Hence, He hath said in the Gospels: “No one shall
ascend to heaven except the one who hath come from heaven.” Now all the
people expect Him to come from heaven.
If thou wishest to find the truth, compare the days of the Manifestation
of the Beauty of Abha with the days of Christ; consider this is
identically like that and the same doubts and oppositions are put forth
(by the people).
as to the proofs and arguments of the Beauty of Abha, these are manifest
like the sun. If thou wishest a discerning eye and seekest for a hearing
ear, set thou aside that which thou hast heard from fathers and ancestors,
for such things are imitation—and then seek for the truth with the utmost
attention until the divine confirmation may reach thee and the matter may
be properly disclosed unto thee.
“O thou cup overflowing with the Wine of the Love of...”
O thou cup overflowing with the Wine of the Love of God!
Know, verily, that the doors of the Kingdom are being opened to the East
and West. Verily the people neglected the Name of their Lord after
expectancy of centuries and ages! However, those whose consciences were
pure, whose hearts were sanctified, urge forward thereto and enter therein
through every door with faces shining, hearts and spirits rejoiced. thank
God for this great guidance and mighty gift!
“O thou whose tongue is uttering the Name of God!...”
O thou whose tongue is uttering the Name of God!
Turn wholly unto the Lord of Hosts, “Glorious Station,” the Manifest; be
severed from all things, and hold to the robe of the Clement Lord, and
enter into the extended shade, until thy Lord confirmeth thee by the
fragrances of holiness in this promised day, wherein the name of the
Kingdom is celebrated and spread in all regions.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy words of thanksgiving to God, for He hath guided the
beloved of God and His maid-servants to the light of guidance and given
them to drink the cup filled with the wine of the most mighty gift.
Verily, I beseech the Divine Might to strengthen them by the Holy Spirit
in all times and circumstances so that they may be firm in the Cause of
God and steadfast in love for Baha’, a firmness and steadfastness
resembling that of immovable mountains and lofty hills.
O maid-servant of God! Deliver my greetings, praise and longings to the
beloved of God and His maid-servants in that remote region, and say unto
them:
“Hasten, hasten to the fountain of the mercy of God! Hasten, hasten to
enter into the Kingdom of God! Hasten, hasten to the effulgence which is
shining like unto the sun from the Supreme Horizons throughout ages and
cycles!
“O beloved of God and His maid-servants! Verily the Beauty of El-Abha hath
endured every hardship, calamity and great affliction in love for you, so
that ye may be directed by the lights of the Kingdom unto the King of the
Realm of Might, and be shining as a brilliant light in the glass of the
contingent world. Hasten to avail yourselves of the opportunity to enter
[the protection of] the inaccessible Cause and lofty Shelter!
“Truly I say unto you, this is a gift which neither the dominion of the
world, nor the riches of treasuries, nor the glory of the distinguished
men of the world, can equal in this glorious century and new age; inasmuch
as crowns are transient, while this is eternal and never ending.”
O my Lord! O my Lord! Strengthen them in whatsoever Thou willest, with
that Thou willest, upon what Thou willest!
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Verily thy letter indicated thy faith in the Oneness of God. I ask God to
make thee firm in His Religion, to confirm thee through the breath of the
Holy Spirit, so that thou mayest speak the teachings of God and guide the
people unto the Kingdom.
O maid-servant of God! Verily the bounty of God upon thee is great, great!
If thou remainest firm in the path of the love of thy Lord, thou shalt
behold the doors of success and progress open before thy face from all
sides. Verily this is not far from the mercy of thy Lord!
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
I ask God to open before thy face the doors of wisdom, to give thee a
drink of the chalice overflowing with the wine of certainty, and to
inspire thee with the mysteries of the Holy Book, so that thou mayest know
the significances of vision and the reality of revelation, and all the
hidden symbols of prophetic Scripture, such as those of Isaiah, Jeremiah
and Ezekiel.
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto God!
Thank God for that He taught thee the word of guidance, illuminated thy
heart by the light of the Kingdom in this world, destined to thee eternal
life, everlasting salvation, progress and prosperity in the world of
spirit.
Hold to the garment of glory, grasp the firm rope and loosen thy tongue in
praise of the Beloved El-Abha. Neglect not praying and communing in the
gloomy midnights and morn and eve, and offer glory unto thy Lord, the
Supreme.
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I am in receipt of thy letter, and my breast is dilated by its
contents which proved thy great attraction (to God), thy joy of heart and
the rejoicing of thy spirit by the Kingdom of God.
Trust in God in all matters and lead the people unto the solid faith, the
way of the Kingdom; so that they may be ushered into the canopy of peace
and abide in the strong castle of the mercy of thy Lord, the Clement; that
they may hoist the standards of the love of God in the highest mountain
summits, promulgate the revelation of strength on the Ark of Safety and
immerse [thyself] in the seas of the mercy of thy Lord, the Clement.
Convey my greetings and praise to thy respected wife and to thy mother,
who believed in her God; cheer her heart and comfort her spirit through
the Kingdom of God.
“O thou who art turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of...”
O thou who art turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I read thy recent letter and praised God for having blessed thee
with two babes, as a mercy on His part. He is indeed the Merciful, the
Generous!
Give to them the names Leah and Rachel, which are the names of the two
wives of Jacob, for they were two sisters, beloved of God. Perchance God
hath destined profound wisdom in this.
Then thank God that He hath guided thy honorable wife to the Manifestation
of Light, the Revealer of Signs and the Source of Mysteries. Verily, this
is the great favor.
Then know verily, that the doors of tests will be opened in that town, but
it is incumbent on thee to be steadfast in the love of God and firm in His
great Cause. He who remaineth firm, grows; and he who is steadfast will be
confirmed by God with great power in this glorious century.
“O thou who art baptized by the Spirit of the Love of...”
O thou who art baptized by the Spirit of the Love of God!
Be rejoiced with this great bounty and gladdened by this mighty gift!
Verily, thou art from the West and we are from the East, the distance
between is great. Nevertheless, it is as if we were from one native land,
one city, one house and one household. The love of God gathered us all
under the shade of one tent, beneath one banner.
This is from the power of the command of God and His dominion, which
encompasseth all contingent beings and affects the hearts of all existing
things.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Verily, the Lord of Hosts calleth thee from the absence of existence (or
non-existence) and sayeth:
“Come, O My maid-servant, to My Kingdom!
Come, O My attracted one, unto My Great Paradise!
Come, O My maid-servant, unto My Sublime Heaven!
Come, O My attracted one, unto the place of My Glorious Throne.”
Therefore turn, with a heart throbbing and tears flowing, unto the Beauty
of El-Abha, so that thou obtaineth the great favor and drinketh from that
wine, and tasteth the fruits of the Paradise of El-Abha.
“O thou faithful and confident!...”
O thou faithful and confident!
Thanks be to God that thou hast obtained that which was sought by all
prophets and holy souls; namely, the knowledge of God and the love of god.
First, the knowledge; and, second, His unfathomable love. Also the
different members of thy family, who followed thee and who obtained that
which thou didst obtain.
This is a great gift from God and hath no equal; although in this physical
world its greatness is not perceivable, nor its nature clearly known, yet
in the spiritual world it shineth like the sun.
So long as the pearl remaineth hidden at the bottom of the sea, its value
is not known nor its brilliancy and fineness seen, it is only when in the
hands of the expert jeweler that its great beauty becomes revealed.
Thou shouldst be at the utmost height of joy and satisfaction, for thou
art surrounded by the bounties of the Merciful and hast become the object
of the appearance of divine guidance.
In order to give thanks for this great and glorious gift, thou shouldst do
all thou canst to guide His creatures, to give sight to the blind, hearing
to the deaf, life to the dead, and endeavor to turn those who are still
attached to material things in the way which leads to spiritual heights;
to help them to travel in the way of the Kingdom and to walk in the path
that leads to the King of Kings.
Servant and believer in God! Present the greetings of Abdul-Baha to the
faithful maid-servant of God [thy wife] and to thy two revered daughters.
“O thou my dear friend, my associate and companion!...”
O thou my dear friend, my associate and companion!
The times of (our) meeting(189) are still remembered and the sweetness of
thy company is lastingly established in the recess of (my) life.
I pray and implore the threshold of the Lord of the Kingdom always, and
seek for thee His strength and confirmation, saying:
“O Lord of Hosts! Confirm Thine affectionate ........ in Thy servitude,
aid him in the service of Thy Word, open to his face the door of
knowledge, reveal to his heart the realities and significances, and grant
him the ecstasy of the cup of reality, gladden him through the melody of
Thy love, make his night, day, and day, happy!”
In sooth, O dear one! thy services are evident, thy endurance of ordeals
and difficulties well known.
In the organization of the Mashrak-el-Azcar, thou art indeed well
striving. I hope thou wilt attain a great reward, open an eloquent tongue,
raise a wonderful melody in every meeting, draw and paint the images and
forms of the Kingdom in the material world.
Rest assured in the grace of the Lord and be dilated by His infinite
favors.
Convey greetings of reverence to the maid-servant of God [thy wife],
likewise thy revered daughter. I am ever thoughtful of them and will never
forget them.
“O thou spiritual friend!...”
O thou spiritual friend!
Thy services are accepted in the Kingdom of Abha, mentioned in this
merciful Assemblage and the cause of joy and gladness to Abdul-Baha.
Thank God, thou art a believer and an assured one, firm and steadfast; a
truthful servant of the divine Kingdom and an agreeable lover of His
Holiness Baha’o’llah. Thou hast spent thy time in spreading the fragrances
of God and thy possession in the promotion of the Word of God.
Rest assured in the great bounty and bestowal, be attracted by the
fragrances of the Kingdom of Abha. Fatigue not thyself on account of any
difficulty and give not up because of any ordeal. Be not grieved because
of any trial nor hindered by any hindrance.
Night and day confine thy time to the education of the world of humanity.
Arise to guide the creatures and spend time in promulgating the teachings
of His Holiness Baha’o’llah, so that lives may find glad-tidings, hearts
gladness, the souls eternal life and the minds extraordinary advancement.
In respect to the Mashrak-el-Azcar: Brevity must now be observed; that is,
as much as possible endeavor should be made so that by the assistance of
all the friends and the sincerity of your intentions it may become
instituted and built in Chicago even though it be not possible to build a
most solid, lofty and great (edifice). Whatever is now possible should be
erected.
And the question of giving the glad-tidings (i.e., teachings of this
religion) should be given moment. The holy souls who are free from the
ties of this mortal world and attain the confirmation of the Holy Spirit,
although they live on earth, yet, verily, they are heavenly, illuminated,
spiritual, divine. Such souls must appear and engage, with simplicity,
freedom and purity, in training the public and in guiding all people. If
such souls arise, the Holy Spirit will aid them, the hosts of the heavenly
angels will render them victorious, the bounties of the Kingdom of Abha
will surround them, the ray of the Sun of Truth will shine, the breezes of
the Paradise of Abha will give spirit, the ocean of favors will boil and
the good scent of the fragrances of holiness will perfume the nostrils of
the inhabitants of the world.
By the bounty and grace of the Educator, I hope thou mayest attain to this
providence and bounty!
Convey greeting of reverence of utmost kindness to all thy relations, [thy
wife] and thy respected daughter, and others, and to all the beloved and
the maid-servants of the Merciful.
“O thou my spiritual companion!...”
O thou my spiritual companion!
Two letter have reached me from you, and the contents of both I have
considered. Communication of the beloved of God from all parts of the
world with America, and the correspondence of America with all parts is
most agreeable and the cause of attracting the hearts. Endeavor greatly to
accomplish this important matter and write to all parts.
The beloved of God must, like the roses of the rose-garden, send fragrant
messages from one to another, receive strength from one another, and
co-operate together, by the strength of the Kingdom. There is no greater
means than communion and communication. “Communication is half a meeting.”
Send a copy of this letter to all parts and write to them. Thus may the
beloved of God, in every city, send collectively letters to other cities,
especially America. This shall be the means of growth and the cause of
attraction. he souls will be made happy, the spirits revived, the hearts
dilated and the breasts expanded. Convey greetings and longing to all the
beloved of God.
“Honorable Dr. ............”
Honorable Dr. .........
According to what is heard you have received the permission of medication
and the certificate of graduation (diploma) from the College of Medicine.
Now experience is necessary in order to attain skill and proficiency. The
greatest of all these is the confirmation and the strength of His Majesty,
the One (God), through the favor of the Blessed Perfection. I am hopeful
that will also be thine.
For the physician the first qualifications are: Good intentions,
trustworthiness, tenderness, sympathy for the sick, truthfulness,
integrity, and the fear of the Lord.
With life and heart strive thou to be both a spiritual and physical
physician. Thus mayest thou be Ameen and Fareed (Trustworthy and Unique).
Thy honorable father night and day prays, hopes and supplicates that thy
life, like his, may be entirely devoted to the service of the Threshold of
God, that thou remain the servant of the Holy Cause.
“O Spiritual ........!...”
O Spiritual ........!
Thy letter is received; likewise that of Mr. ........ Print soon the
booklet (Mirza Badi Ullah’s Epistle to the Bahai world) and spread it
broadcast.
The dear maid-servant of God, ........, is indeed an assured believer;
likewise ........, his honor Mr. ........, and his honor Mr. ......... In
reality they are revered souls. I hope that they will soon arise for the
Mashrak-el-Azcar and thus attain His favor.
All the beloved of God must strive so that this eternal edifice arise. ***
“O thou bearer of the Great-tidings of the Kingdom of...”
O thou bearer of the Great-tidings of the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter *** was received. It contained the good news of the assemblage
of the beloved ones, of the Meeting of Faithfulness which was held, the
joy and fragrance obtained, the appearance of the lights of the love of
the Beauty of Abha, and the good news that the breasts of the beloved ones
were dilated (with joy). This news caused such joy that our afflictions,
sufferings and calamities were wholly forgotten, a new carpet was spread
and a great joy attained with the utmost exaltation! For Abdul-Baha serves
with all devotion in order that union and affection may be created among
the beloved of God; nay, in the whole of the human world.
My utmost hope and wish is to find that an assemblage hath been arranged
which hath become the cause of love and affection in the world of humanity
which announceth the glad-tidings of the Kingdom of Abha, diffuseth the
fragrances of the love of God, setteth the pillars of the world in motion
through the power of divine guidance, and is quickening the dead through
the spirit of divine knowledge!
O dear friend! The darkness of error hath encompassed the world; it is now
the time to spread the light of guidance. The world hath wholly become the
tomb of the dead; it is now time that it shall be transformed into palaces
of the living. The East and the West have become a thorny desert of
oppression; it is time they should become a rose-garden of faithfulness.
You have written concerning the Feast(190) of Remembrance which you
arranged after the Persian manner, at which Mr. ........ and Mr. ........
engaged in serving the beloved ones like unto Abdul-Baha: This arrangement
of festivities and affection, chanting of Tablets, explaining realities
and significances, and this inculcating of the teachings and exhortations
of Abdul-Baha causeth everlasting life and maketh the hearers as heavenly
angels.
Whenever such an entertainment is arranged through spiritual sentiments,
shining faces and merciful hearts, it is a “Lord’s Supper.” For the
brilliancy of the Kingdom of Abha will shine and the spirituality of
Abdul-Baha become manifest. This is that “divine table” (or food) of which
mention is made in the prophecies: “On that day they shall gather together
at the divine table”; and “people shall come from the East and West and
arrive in His Kingdom.”
Convey loving greetings to his honor ........ and say: “O dear one! The
heart of Abdul-Baha greatly rejoiceth at thy reading of the Tablets and
Words at the meetings of the merciful ones! I beg of God, that in all
assemblages thou mayest cause happiness unto the hearts of the friends and
bestow joy and fragrance!”
Announce to his honor ......... my love and longing (for him) and say:
“That Power which strengthened the apostles is now in full confirmation. I
hope thou wilt receive an abundant portion from that confirmation.”
Announce the utmost love from Abdul-Baha to his honor ........ and say: “O
thou friend of my heart! The heavenly food is needed successively; be thou
a server of the food and direct thou the people of the world to present
themselves at that able and guide them to partake thereof.”
Convey greetings and respect from Abdul-Baha to the esteemed maid-servant
of God, ........, and say: “Thou art always in our midst and art not
forgotten, even for a moment. I beg the Beauty of Abha for confirmation in
thy behalf. It is some time since, by the dust of calamities and
occupation of mind, the correspondence hath been delayed; but there is no
harm in that. For my heart is engaged in prayer and I beg for confirmation
in thy behalf.”
Convey on my behalf, greetings and respect to the invoking maid-servant of
God, ........, and say: “Thank thou God for thou hast arrived at the Holy
City and at the Heavenly Jerusalem and hast found thy way to the Divine
City and entered the Kingdom of Abha!”
O thou real friend! O Mr. ........! Seek not a single minute of rest and
do not keep still. Travel more and more in cities and villages. Bear the
glad-tidings and guide them. Strengthen the beloved (i.e., believers) and
open the eye of perception of the strangers (those who do not believe).
As to chanting supplications in the Oriental tune, this is very agreeable.
His honor ........ must exert his endeavors in this matter.
In reality the friends of God are always present in my society and are
associated with the friends of God in the Sacred Spot; even though they be
in the remotest lands of the earth.
O thou real friend! Such entertainments are always necessary, for they
cause the increase of love, unity and harmony in the friends of God. Bring
about (such entertainments) by all means.
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Word of God!...”
O thou esteemed maid-servant of the Word of God!
Praise be to God! upon thy departure from Acca, thou hast been assisted
and rendered successful in serving the Kingdom of God. Accordingly, thou
must offer the utmost thanks to the Threshold of Oneness, for this, thy
journey, was fruitful and this peregrination became the cause of
discovering the mysteries of the Lord of Glory.
Arise thou, in unison with his honor [thy husband], to serve with the
utmost devotion and consecrate your time, night and day, to promote the
Word of God, to diffuse the fragrances of God and to guide all the people
of the earth. In the world of existence nothing hath any result, even if
it be dominion over the East and West. But that which hath an immortal
result is servitude in the Holy Threshold, service rendered to the Kingdom
of God and guiding all in the earth. I hope, through the divine grace and
bounty, thou wilt be assisted and strengthened therein.
“O thou who art kindled as a lamp with the Fire of the...”
O thou who art kindled as a lamp with the Fire of the Love of God!
Be thou a fountain flowing with the waters of the mercy of God, a myrtle
perfumed with the fragrances of God and a bird warbling the most wonderful
melodies of the knowledge of God in the garden of faith.
Know thou, verily, the Sun of Truth hath shone forth with the lights of
peace upon all regions. Strife and conflict will surely be removed from
all the nations of the earth. Carnage shall be taken away; fighting,
violence and reviling will be changed into universal reconciliation and
the hosts of tranquillity will pitch their tents in the midst of the
world. Then the awning of the mercy of thy Lord will be hoisted and those
souls who are free from the filth of prejudice, contradictions and
presumption and are filled with a love that imparts affinity, intimacy,
affection, meekness and humbleness will be sheltered under it.
“O thou who art cheerful in heart, by the Fragrances...”
O thou who art cheerful in heart, by the Fragrances of the Merciful!
Verily, I read the verses of thy thanksgiving unto God, for depositing in
thy heart an eternal joy reviving thee by the breath of the Holy spirit to
everlasting life, [for having] cast upon thee the light of guidance and
awakened thee by the breezes of His great mercy. Therefore, thank God for
this. Verily, His bounty to thee is great, great!
Beware not to be sorrowful on account of my confinement; inasmuch as it is
the comfort of my heart, the healing of my breast, the dispeller of my
sorrow and sadness, the cause of my salvation in servitude to the Bounty
of El-Abha.
If thou desirest to pray for me a beneficial prayer, do not ask for the
removal of my imprisonment, but implore God to increase my calamities in
the Path of El-Abha, to make me a sacrifice in His love and give me to
drink the cup of martyrdom by His bounty and grace.
I ask God to confirm thee by the breath of His Holy Spirit, the hosts of
His angels and armies of His strength, so that thou arisest to serve the
vineyard of God and to enlighten the insight of thy revered husband by the
light of the knowledge of the Greatest Name. This is not far from the
bounty of thy Lord.
The maid-servant of Baha’, the Exalted Leaf(191), conveys to thee
greetings and praise—likewise the rest of the brilliant leaves(192) .
Regarding the star which appeareth while thou art turned unto God: This is
the spiritual disclosure and the divine impression. Also the fire circle
which appeareth to thine eyes, is a spiritual transfiguration and
[signifieth] the Eternal Grace manifesting itself in the human garment;
because “cloud” signifies the human form (or body), while the “circle of
fire,” the divine form, which is manifested in the reality of man.
“O thou who art attracted by the Love of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Love of God!
In the Persian tongue has thou written a letter; I was happy to read it.
Praise be to God! This is the dawn of the light of unity between the
Eastern and Western people. In Persia the English language is being
studied widely and in America the Persian tongue is beloved by some dear
souls. In both countries the respective languages are being studied. This
is in itself a proof that the East and the West (literally, place of
sunrise and sunset) shall clasp hands as two families. The standard of
unity shall be raised, and the means of love and friendship will be
accomplished.
Endeavor to complete the study of the Persian—thus mayest thou read the
Tablets of the Blessed Beauty(193) and mayest translate them, and without
the interpreter’s aid thou mayest read all my letter to thee.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thank thou the kind Father for that the world of creation was adorned with
the light of His Manifestation and the heart of the universe found comfort
in His mercy, for His infinite mercy whereby He illumined thine heart with
the light of guidance and thy sight with witnessing His radiance to the
extent that thou didst hearken to he call of the Supreme Concourse and
didst turn to the horizon of sanctity. Praise be to Him and to Him be
thanks for this greatest favor and evident attainment!
As to thy vision, it is reality itself (it is what hath occurred).
Whatever thou hast seen in the realm of vision is interpreted in the
contraries and opposites, for laughter in the world of vision is weeping,
and weeping, joy and happiness; death is longevity, and dangers, in
certain cases, safety itself. Harm (in this wise) is helpfulness, and
friendship, enmity and hatred. Therefore, thou shalt not kill the lamb;
nay, rather thou shalt be the cause of the spread of His Name; thou shalt
share a portion of His eternal life and attain a share of His infinite
mercy. The impressions of the heart (the painful feelings of the heart),
which were like the blows of a weapon, are interpreted to mean joy and
happiness. I hope that thou mayest attain to all these.
The purport of the study of the Persian tongue is this: That thou mayest
memorize a commune in the Persian and at the time of communion and
supplication, when present in the meeting of the maid-servants of the
Merciful, thou mayest chant it.
The translation of Tablets is acceptable and beloved. If, occasionally,
thou writest a concise, terse and useful article, with the utmost
sweetness, containing the teachings and exhortations of the Blessed
Perfection, verbatim, for the purpose of publishing in the journals of
Denmark, it will be most agreeable. I ask God for strength and
confirmation for thee.
“I ask God that thou mayest find a perceiving eye, an...”
(194) I ask God that thou mayest find a perceiving eye, an attentive ear
and an eloquent tongue; that thou mayest loosen thy tongue in delivering
the Cause of God, promoting the Word of God in that country, educating the
children and training them in the training of God, and in early childhood
enkindling in their hearts the lights of spiritual morals.
Thou hast written that in thine articles for the papers thou hast cited
from the holy Tablets of Tarazat and Tajalliat. It is very agreeable.
Respecting the translating of Miss Barney’s book, in which thou hast
engaged thyself, it is very agreeable; but thou must communicate
concerning this with Miss Barney herself. She will assist thee in its
publication and spreading.
I ask God to aid thee by the divine confirmation and engage, night and
day, with the commemoration of God.
Upon thee be Baha El-Abha!
“***O ye real friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
***O ye real friends of Abdul-Baha!
From the gathering of those illuminated faces and flowers of the
rose-garden (of God) in Camp Mineola(195) utmost joy and fragrance (to me)
was the result.
I hope that assembly, like sparkling stars, may shed the lights of love
and unison upon the human world, and become the cause of the happiness and
joy of the inhabitants of the earth; that they may become like unto clear
mirrors reflecting (the rays) of the Sun of Truth, and give the
glad-tidings of the manifestation of the Lord of the Kingdom.
I ask the blessings of God that year after year He may add souls to that
assembly, and in future it may become doubled an hundred-fold.
How blessed it is that this assembly may become firmly established, and it
is sure that the heavenly confirmations will pour down!
“O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye(196) beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!
The detailed letter which you have written was received and it was read
with the greatest attention. From the rose-garden of its significances a
perfumed fragrance reached the nostrils and from its suggestions and
statements traces of sincerity of intention became manifest.
Praise be to God!—that each one of that assembly is like unto a shining
lamp, is ignited by the fire of the love of God, hath closed his eyes to
the world and the inhabitants thereof, hath burned away the veils of
superstitions and hath acquired the treasury of Truth. I have loosened my
tongue to thank God for this gift at the Threshold of Oneness and praised
and glorified the Incomparable God for His bounty, because He assisted
those souls in the service of the Kingdom, and established such an
assembly in New York that it will finally become a cause of the guidance
of that continent.
You have written that there is a difference among the believers concerning
the “Second Coming of Christ.” Praise be to God!—time and again this
question hath arisen and its answer hath emanated in a clear and
irrefutable text from the pen of Abdul-Baha that what is meant in the
prophecies by the “Lord of Hosts,” the “Promised Christ” is the Blessed
Perfection (Baha’o’llah) and His Highness the Supreme (the Bab). The faith
of everyone must resolve around this palpable and evident text.
My name is Abdul-Baha, my identity is Abdul-Baha, my qualification is
Abdul-Baha, my reality is Abdul-Baha, my praise is Abdul-Baha. Thraldom to
the Blessed Perfection is my glorious and refulgent diadem; and servitude
to all the human race is my perpetual religion. Through the bounty and
favor of the Blessed Perfection, Abdul-Baha is the Ensign of the
Most-Great-Peace, which is waving from the Supreme Apex; and through the
gift of the Greatest name, he is the Lamp of Universal Salvation, which is
shining with the light of the love of God. The Herald of the Kingdom is
he, so that he may awaken the people of the East and of the West. The
Voice of Friendship, Uprightness, Truth and Reconciliation is he, so as to
cause acceleration throughout all regions. No name, no title, no mention,
no commendation hath he nor will ever have except Abdul-Baha. This is my
longing. This is my supreme apex. This is my greatest yearning. This is my
eternal life. This is my everlasting glory! Express ye the same thing
which is issued from my pen. This is the duty of all. Consequently the
friends of God must assist and help Abdul-Baha in the adoration of the
True One; in the servitude to the human race; in the well-being of the
human world and in divine love and kindness.
O ye friends of God! Through the Appearance of the Blessed Perfection the
theories are abrogated and the facts are established. The time of
superficiality is gone by and the cycle of reality hath appeared. One must
become the incarnation of Servitude, the personification of Love, the
embodiment of Spirituality and the mirror of Mercy.
The believers must become the cause of life; deliver the people from
heedlessness, call the souls to the perfection of humanity, beckon nations
to unity and agreement, destroy the foundations of foreignness, make
everyone as friends and associates, treat the negligent souls as their own
children, and train and educate them with the utmost love—so that the
ignorant become wise, the blind become endowed with sight, and the deaf be
given hearing.
O ye friends of God! Beware! Beware of differences! By differences the
Temple of God is razed to its very foundation, and by the blowing of the
winds of disagreement the Blessed Tree is prevented from producing any
fruit. By the intense cold of the diversity of opinions the rose-garden of
Unity is withered, and the fire of the love of God is extinguished!
O ye friends of God! Abdul-Baha is the Manifestation of Thraldom and not
“Christ.” The servant of the human realm is he, and not a “chief.”
Nonexistent is he and not “Existent.” Pure nothingness is he and not
“Eternal(197) .”
There is no outcome or result to these discussions. We must put aside
these disputes and controversies, nay, rather must we consign them to
utter oblivion and arise to do that which is indispensable and which is
demanded of us in this Day. Controversies are words and not significances,
theories and not realities.
The quintessence of Truth is this: We must all become united and
harmonized in order to illumine this gloomy world, to abolish the
foundations of hostility and animosity from among mankind, to perfume the
inhabitants of the universe with the holy fragrances of the nature and
disposition of the Beauty of Abha, to enlighten the people of the East and
West with the light of guidance, to hoist the tent of the love of God and
suffer each and all to enter under its protection, to bestow comfort and
tranquillity to every one under the shade of the Divine Tree, to astonish
the enemy by the manifestation of the utmost love, to make the ravenous
and bloodthirsty wolves to be gazelles of the meadow of the love of God;
to administer the taste of non-resistance to the tyrant, to teach
long-suffering and resignation of the martyrs to the murderer, to spread
the traces of Oneness, to chant the praises and glorification of the
Glorious Lord, to raise the voice of “Ya Baha El-Abha!” to the Supreme
Apex and to reach the ears of the inhabitants of the Kingdom with the
outcry—“Verily the earth is illumined by the lights of its Lord!” This is
reality! This is guidance! This is service! This is the consummation of
the perfection of the realm of humanity!
O ye believers of God! Each person must summon the people to the Servitude
of Abdul-Baha and not the Christhood; and no soul must either publicly or
privately utter one word against or in contradiction to the general
Teachings, and no one must believe that Abdul-Baha is the “Second Coming
of Christ”, nay, rather he must believe that he is the Manifestation of
Servitude, the Main-spring of the Unity of the human world, the Herald of
the True One with spiritual power throughout all regions, the Commentator
of the Book according to the divine text, and the Ransom to each one of
the believers of God in the transitory world.
Print ye this Tablet and spread it throughout all countries.
“O ye who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn...”
O ye(198) who are turned towards the Kingdom and drawn unto the Holy
Fragrances diffused from the Garden of El-Abha!
Arise with every power to assist the Covenant of God and serve in His
vineyard. Be confident that a confirmation will be granted unto you and a
success on His part given unto you. Verily He shall support you by the
angels of His Holiness and reinforce you with the breaths of the Spirit
that ye may mount the Ark of Safety, set forth the evident signs, impart
the spirit of life, declare the essence of His commands and precepts,
guide the sheep who are straying from the fold in all directions, use
every effort in your power to give the blessings ye have and strive
earnestly and wisely in this new century. By God, verily the Lord of Hosts
is your support, the angels of heaven your assistance, the Holy Spirit
your companion and the Center of the Covenant your helper! Be not idle,
but active and fear not. Look unto those who have been in the former
ages—how they have resisted all nations and suffered persecutions and
afflictions, and how their stars shone and their attacks proved
successful, their teachings established, their regions expanded, their
hearts gladdened, their ideas cleared and their motives effective. Ye are
now in a great station and noble rank and ye shall find yourselves in
evident success and prosperity, the like of which the eye of existence
hath never seen in former ages.
El-Baha and salutations be upon every one who is firm in the Covenant,
free from dissension, sanctified from deceits and steadfast in the Path!
“O ye elect and chosen ones of the Kingdom!...”
O ye(199) elect and chosen ones of the Kingdom!
Thank God that the Greatest Name selected and elected that gathering,
ushered it into the Kingdom of Eternal Glory, honored and crowned it amid
the Supreme Concourse.
He placed upon each head a glorious diadem of guidance and established
each one upon the throne of eternal reign. This is not known now but shall
become evident and clear hereafter.
The seed when growing, at first doth not attract attention, but later it
becometh green and thriveth, adorning the rose-garden and the orchard.
Now, likewise, this divine bounty is unknown, it is not yet revealed, but
soon will its splendor illumine the horizons and brighten the East and the
West.
Send Mr. ........ to India for the purpose of teaching. He must have a
companion. If this be not possible from among the men, send one of the
maid-servants of the Merciful.
As to the ordeals of Abdul-Baha, his trials and calamities, grieve not on
that account, but rather be in perfect happiness and joy, for—praise be to
God!—he was worthy and deserved these trials in the Path of Baha’.
Through the news of the progress of the Cause of God, and the unity and
agreement of the beloved of God, great joy was realized, and to such an
extent that I forgot all sorrow and all ills. ***
“O ye sons of the Kingdom!...”
O ye(200) sons of the Kingdom!
At a time when conditions were most difficult and oppressive and the
reception or letters hard and impracticable, your letter was received.
Therefore, its reception denoteth that the honorable assembly is
confirmed. I hope from the bounties of His Highness the Incomparable One
that under all circumstances and conditions ye may become assisted in the
service of the Kingdom of God.
Ye have written regarding the erection of the Temple and the purchase of
the ground, or the finding of a place to be as a home for the gathering of
the believers. At this moment that Abdul-Baha is immersed in the ocean of
calamities, this news caused him joy and happiness, that—praise be to
God!—the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful are thinking to
serve the Kingdom of God.
O ye sanctified souls! It is the time of firmness and steadfastness and
the period of arising in the service of the Word of God, for the Blessed
City(201) is environed from all directions with the tempestuous waves of
tests and trials and the sweeping hurricanes of persecutions and hardships
are blowing and roaring high. The joy and happiness of the heart of
Abdul-Baha depends upon the stability and constancy of the believers. For
they must live and act in accord with the divine advices and exhortations
and show forth to each other the power of the perfection of love with
infinite accord and unity, so that they may become the embodiment of one
existence, the waves of ones sea, the myrtles of one rose-garden, the rays
of one sun, the stars of one horizon, the fruits of one tree and the birds
of one meadow.
Likewise, they must treat with and behave toward all the governments,
nations, communities, kings and subjects with the utmost sincerity,
trustworthiness, straightforwardness, love and kindness. Even they must
make hopeful a bloodthirsty enemy, show sympathy with the utmost
faithfulness and honor to the perfidious unjust, know the ill-wisher as
the well-wisher and torment not the sinner with reproaches. Should they
become the targets of a thousand arrows of persecution, they must
challenge it with love and friendship and treat every one with purity of
purpose and kindness.
O ye friends of God! Show ye an endeavor that all the nations and
communities of the world, even the enemies, put their trust, assurance and
hope in you; that if a person falls into errors for a hundred-thousand
times he may yet turn his face to you, hopeful that you will forgive his
sins; for he must not become hopeless, neither grieved nor despondent.
This is the conduct and the manner of the people of Baha’. This is the
foundation of the most high pathway! Ye should conform your conduct and
manners with the advices of Abdul-Baha.
Concerning the erection of the Temple: Now all the believers must become
united, so that the Temple may be built soon in one place. For should (the
believers) undertake (the erection of the Temple) in many places, it will
not become completed anywhere; and as in Chicago they have preceded every
other place to plan the erection of the Temple, undoubtedly to cooperate
and help them is nobler and a necessity. Then, when it is built in one
place, it will become erected in many other places. If, for the present,
you prepare or establish a home in New York, though by renting it, to
become a center for the gathering of the believers of God, it is very
acceptable. God willing, in all the states of America in the future there
will be erected Temples with infinite architectural beauty, art, with
pleasing proportion and handsome and attractive appearances; especially in
New York. But for the present, be ye satisfied with a rented place.
The utmost happiness was produced by hearing the news of unity and
agreement among the believers in New York; for the foundation of progress
is union and when this object is attained, the Cause will develop.
Deliver on my behalf longing greeting to his honor Mr. ........ .
When the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful gather together on
Sundays, in the spiritual assemblies, exercise ye toward them, on behalf
of this imprisoned one, the utmost affection, love and kindness.
Convey on behalf of this longing one the glad-tidings of the attainment to
confirmation to his honor Mr. ........; that ere long he shall in such
wise be assisted by the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha that he,
himself, will become astonished.
O ye members of the spiritual assembly! Become ye firm and steadfast in
the Covenant and Testament to such a degree that your meeting become the
expression of one soul and endeavor ye with your hearts and minds so that
ye may become the cause of the illumination of this darkened world and
that through your efforts the lights of the Kingdom dawn upon this nether
sphere.
Whatever hath and will transpire in this land is through the conspiracy of
the brothers who are not resting, neither day nor night, and are thirsting
for the blood of Abdul-Baha. The government is not responsible at all.
These difficulties are brought about through the evil slanders and
machinations of the nakazeen(202) .
“O thou whose heart is attracted and whose breast is...”
O thou(203) whose heart is attracted and whose breast is dilated with joy
by the Holy Fragrances!
Give the glad-tidings to the assemblies of the beloved who are firm in the
Covenant and say:
“Verily the Lord hath manifested Himself in this new and wonderful age
with the greatest bounty and mercy, which have never been preceded and
whereof the eye of existence hath never seen the like; and it is His Great
Covenant and New Testament, as appointed by the trace of His Supreme Pen,
through which, and according to clear ordinances and explicit statements,
the matter was plainly shown and the branches (sons), twigs (relations),
kinsmen and beloved were commanded to obey the “appointed Center of the
Covenant.” But the Covenant of God and His Testament is a bounty to the
righteous and a curse to the wicked.
“On hearing this Command some faces have rejoiced by this Glowing Lamp,
and others become gloomy and in their hearts the fire of jealousy and
rebellion hath been kindled. They disobeyed the Command of their Lord the
Merciful, endeavored to spread lies and arose to divulge seditious rumors
contrary to that which was descended from God. They imagine that they are
able to resist this Power, which penetrates into the heart of the
contingent world, or to cover the Truth through their false tongues and
complicated opinions, and to withhold this Sea from surging, the holy
fragrances from being spread, and the breaths of the Spirit of the Ancient
from reaching the beloved! No, by no means! Verily, the Word of God
penetrates into the core of all things and cannot be resisted either by
the hosts of the world or by the armies of the enemies! In the past ages
there is a warning to every intelligent one! Ye shall see their banners
reversed, their sign abolished, their happiness destroyed in those regions
in a similar way to the disappointment of their hopes in the East.
“But, as the people of the West are still children in the Cause(204) and
have not perfect knowledge of its reality and validity, the nakazeen
thought it to be an easy prey and availed themselves of this opportunity
for laying doubts and suspicions, speaking false words, divulging
seditious calumnies among the people. Ye shall see all this as scattered
dust, and all these thick, dark clouds which were gathered in those far
regions, will disappear and the Sun of Certainty and Reality shall shine
with the Most Dazzling Light; the darkness will vanish, the firm believers
will be in great joy, and the nakazeen shall be in evident loss.”
“O ye servants of God and maid-servants of the...”
O ye(205) servants of God and maid-servants of the Merciful!
The letter, which was in reality the congratulation for the entrance of
the day of the anniversary of His Highness the Promised One, was received.
The names of the friends of God were read one after another and caused
great joy.
I hope that upon the coming of each auspicious day the friends of God may
become doubled, that is, may become twofold; that the gentle fragrances of
the love of God may be spread so universally that large cohorts enter
under the shadow of the Word of God in a short space of time, and arise to
serve, according to the heavenly instructions, in order that strife and
warfare may vanish wholly from the human world, and the beauty of love,
friendship and harmony may appear with such an appearance that all the
intellects may become astonished, all the souls entranced and all the
hearts attracted.
O ye friends! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! Should ye realize in
what a state this Tablet is written, assuredly ye will soar heavenward
with joy and exultations and begin to cry out: “Glad-tidings!
Glad-tidings!”
Today the whole world is heedless and ye are aware; all are in sleep and
ye are wide awake; all are deprived and ye are the custodians of the
mysteries of the Kingdom! Therefore, to render thanks for these bounties,
open ye the tongue of praise and glorification and engage yourselves in
the divine commemoration, in order that the confirmation may be added and
the assistance may become renewed!
“O ye beloved! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
O ye(206) beloved! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful!
What a wonderful meeting ye have arranged and longed for the beauty of
service and have arisen to spread the fragrances of God! Truly I declare,
ye are confirmed by the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse and are
reinforced and empowered by the Exalted Realm!
When the confirmation of the Holy Spirit descendeth, ye are not a drop,
but a roaring sea! Ye are the stars of the horizon of guidance! If this
committee become firm, it will grow and develop; if it remain steadfast,
it will become a gift of the Almighty to the human world; if it last, it
will display marvelous signs for the well-being of the children of man!
The hosts of the Kingdom of Abha are drawn and filed up in battle-array on
the plain of the Supreme Apex and are expecting that a band of volunteers
step upon the field of action with the intention of service; so that they
may assist that band and make it victorious and triumphant.
O Thou Almighty God! Confirm Thou these friends and the maid-servants of
the Merciful! Grant Thou to them assistance. Open Thou before their faces
the closed doors and make them intimate with the fragrances of holiness,
so that they may become the confident friends of each other; raise the
melody and the song of joy and sing the harmony of heaven, in order that
they may exhilarate and gladden the regions of the West and impart
attraction and ecstasy!
Make Thou them the magnets of love so that they may attract the hearts to
the Kingdom of Abha!
Verily, Thou art the Powerful and the Mighty; and Thou art the Giver, the
Seer and the Hearer! There is no God but Thee, the Generous, the Merciful!
“O ye whom God hath chosen from among those who...”
O ye(207) whom God hath chosen from among those who are called!—know that
“many are called but few are chosen”!—upon whom He caused the evident
Light to descend; whom He guided into the right Path, and to whom He gave
the Glad-tidings of the Great Success!
Ye must be sincere and faithful, ye must follow the ordinances which refer
to the Covenant of God, who is the solid edifice.
O ye beloved of God, know that steadfastness and firmness in this new and
wonderful Covenant is indeed the spirit that quickeneth the hearts which
are overflowing with the love of the Glorious Lord; verily, it is the
power which penetrates into the hearts of the people of the world! Your
Lord hath assuredly promised His servants who are firm and steadfast to
render them victorious at all times, to exalt their word, propagate their
power, diffuse their lights, strengthen their hearts, elevate their
banners, assist their hosts, brighten their stars, increase the abundance
of the showers of mercy upon them, and enable the brave lions (or
teachers) to conquer.
Hasten, hasten, O ye firm believers! Hasten, hasten, O ye steadfast!
Abandon the heedless, set aside every ignorant, take hold of the strong
rope, be firm in this Great Cause, draw light from this Evident Light, be
patient and be steadfast in this wise Religion! Ye shall see the hosts of
inspiration descending successively from the Supreme World, the procession
of attraction falling incessantly from the heights of heaven, the
abundance of the Kingdom of El-Abha outpouring continually and the
teachings of God penetrating with the utmost power, while the heedless are
indeed in evident loss.
“O ye esteemed maid-servants of God, and ye revered...”
O ye(208) esteemed maid-servants of God, and ye revered beloved ones (or
men believers) of the Merciful!
Your letter was received and its contents noted. The maid-servant of God,
she who hath ascended to heaven, i.e., Mrs. ........, hastened from this
mortal world to the divine world and soared from this temporal realm to
the expanse of the Kingdom. She abandoned the earthly cage and flew toward
the bower of the upper world; so that, like unto a nightingale of
significances, she may, in that divine rose-garden, engage in praising,
glorifying and sanctifying the True One, with the most marvelous melody.
Consequently, do ye not sigh in grief of her decease, and be not dejected
on account of her ascension.
To the people of adoration, death is an ark of deliverance, and to pure
souls, flight from this world of dust is the means of attaining the
Kingdom of Spheres. By “Spheres” is not meant this infinite space, nay, is
meant the divine world, and the invisible realm.
To be brief: I hope her noble son may seek the Path wherein his mother
walked, and may become better and more illustrious; nay, rather, the
lights of his love may also take effect in his grand parents.
As to ye who are friends of that bird of the meadow of guidance, ye must,
after her, have such unison, love, association and unity that it may make
things better and more favorable than they were during her days.
Praise be to God! the divine bounty favors all of you, he doors of gifts
are open before the faces of you all, and the radiance of the Sun of Truth
is shining upon you all. Capacity, worth (or merit) and ability, are
necessary, for the clearer and purer the mirror is, the lights of the Sun
are more manifest thereon.
We are always gazing toward those parts in order to find from what corner
(or place) the voice will be raised! We hope Baltimore will become an
assemblage of light and that city may become a mirror of the love of God!
“O ye my dear friends!...”
O ye(209) my dear friends!
Your letter was received and its contents were wonderful and beautiful for
it evinced the spreading of the light of Guidance. Praise be to God! the
lights of the Morn of Eternity have cast their rays upon that city, and in
the future it will become enlightened, and luminous stars will dawn, gleam
and sparkle from its horizon.
Today the Sun of the Most Great Guidance hath appeared with the greatest
splendor from the horizon of the world, and the rays of the Sun of Truth
shine with utmost light and power therefrom. Therefore, the world hath
become another world and the bounties, other bounties!
A little earnestness and endeavor is encumbent upon you, so that the pages
of the soul may be cleansed and purified from the rust of attachment to
this ephemeral world. At that time you will consider how dazzling and
brilliant is the effulgence of the Kingdom.
The maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........, and the maid-servant of God, Mrs.
........—praise be to God!—have made their homes the nest and shelter of
the heavenly birds, and have arranged meetings. I hope that these two
meeting places will become more illumined day by day, adding to the
knowledge, faith and assurance of the audience, and increasing their
resolution and steadfastness.
In fact, those two gathering places are my homes, and the nest and shelter
of the birds of the field of God. Convey my loving greetings to each and
every believer!
Likewise present my respectful greetings to the dear maid-servants of God
in Baltimore and Washington.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of Abha!
Be thankful that thou art inebriated with the cup of the love of God, hast
partaken of the graces of the Supreme Concourse and art quickened with the
fragrances of holiness.
Night and day lament and implore, with the utmost supplication and
humility, before the Threshold of the Presence of the One God, that thou
mayest be strengthened to guide people with all steadfastness on this path
and take a plenteous share from this Most Great Sea.
The hosts of the Kingdom will assist (thee) and the heavenly armies will
protect and defend thee. Wherefore seek bounties as much as thou canst.
“O thou who art supplicating unto God!...”
O thou who art supplicating unto God!
Verily I mention thee always and shall never forget thee forever and ever.
I beseech God to make thee a sign of guidance among the people and a lamp
of dazzling light in that extensive and large city, so that pure and good
souls may be illuminated by the light of the knowledge of God and thus
serve the Merciful Threshold by showing earnest desire for love, peace,
affinity and harmony with the people of all religions. Verily the Spirit
through which the temple of the contingent world shall be quickened in
this time is indeed the founder of peace, the spirit of affinity and the
light of love. This is that whereby this being of existence shall evolve
and develop and the world of humanity be adorned with the raiment of glory
and honor. Therefore it is incumbent upon thee to enkindle thyself with
the fire of the love of God in order that thy words may have an effect in
hearts which are as of hard stone.
“O thou young, incomparable tree of the Rose-garden...”
O thou young, incomparable tree of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!
Thank thou God that thou art planted beside this heavenly stream, has been
favored with the inexhaustible outpouring, hast been trained and developed
by the rain of the cloud of the Kingdom of God and hast brought forth
fruit under the care of the Divine Gardener. Now it is the time to cast
the shade and produce delicious fruits and impart sweetness to the palate
of the spiritual ones. Exert [thyself] with heart and soul. Do not rest
one moment, neither do thou seek after composure. Give thou to others the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom and announce to them the manifestation of the
signs of the Realm of Might! This is from the bounty of God. He bestoweth
to whomsoever He willeth. Verily God is the Possessor of great gifts!
“O thou who hast approached toward God!...”
O thou who hast approached toward God!
Verily I have received thy letter and my heart was dilated by the content
of thy expression, for it indicated the illumination of thy heart, the
spirituality of thy soul, thy detachment from all the grades of this
nether world and thy yearning after the effulgences of the Realm of Light.
By the glory of my Lord, I declare: “Verily the splendors of divinity are
continually descending upon the pure, enlightened souls and the outpouring
of the Kingdom fall tumultuously, like unto torrents, upon the favored
realities from the rains of the providence of thy Lord, the Merciful, the
Clement!
“Cast behind every single thought and idea and attach thyself to the
commemoration of thy Master, the Ancient. Be thou soaring in the Kingdom
of God, the Mighty, the Beneficent. Live thou in Paris until the fragrance
of the love of God may emanate from thee in the college wherein thou art
studying sciences and unfurl thou the standard of universal peace,
reconciliation, agreement and security among all men. Rejoice thou by the
bounty of thy Lord which hath encompassed the whole existence and sing and
warble with the most wonderful melody in the rose-garden of knowledge.
Verily thy Lord, the Beneficent, will confirm thee in every moment and
second and will empower thee with such a power that the columns of warfare
and bloodshed shall shake and the foundation of peace and harmony shall
arise.”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant of God!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant of God!
Mayest thou enjoy this cup which is overflowing with the pure wine of the
love of God! Glad-tidings unto thee for that by reason of which thou hast
become an acceptable servant before God!
Verily I have read thy brilliant letter and praised God for He hath made
the cup of thy heart filled with the pure wine of His love and hath chosen
thee to enter the Kingdom of His Guidance.
Now as to what thou askest concerning giving up the scientific attainment
in Paris for the sake of confining thy days to the delivery of this Truth,
it is indeed acceptable and beloved, but if thou acquire both it would be
better and more perfect, because in this new century the attainment of
science, arts and belles lettres, whether divine or worldly, material or
spiritual, is a matter which is acceptable before God and a duty which is
incumbent upon us to accomplish. Therefore, never deny the spiritual
things to the material, rather both are incumbent upon thee. Nevertheless,
at the time when thou art working for such a scientific attainment, thou
must be controlled by the attraction of the love of thy Glorious Lord and
mindful of mentioning His Splendid Name. This being the case, thou must
attain the art thou art studying to its perfection.
I implore God to assist thee in all cases and aspects and perfume thy
nostrils with the holy fragrance during all times. Be tranquil through my
love unto thee and rejoice at my compassion upon thee.
As to the tribute thou hast sent: We have accepted it as a treasure
because it was presented by thee with all love and great sincerity and we
shall use it in building the Holy Tomb(210), that thy name may become
immortal forever and ever.
“O thou who art directed toward the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art directed toward the Light of Guidance!
In this moment the heart of Abdul-Baha is rejoiced at thy remembrance and
he is writing an answer to thy letter so that thou mayest be so moved by
the breezes of the love of God that thou mayest become the envy of the
cypress of the rose-garden and cause joy, yearning, longing and ecstasy to
the friends.
In this great dispensation, art (or a profession) is identical with an act
of worship and this is a clear text of the Blessed Perfection. Therefore,
extreme effort should be made in art and this will not prevent the
teaching of the people in that region. Nay, rather, each should assist the
other in art and guidance. For instance, when the studying of art is with
the intention of obeying the command (of God) this study will certainly be
done easily and great progress will soon be made therein; and when others
discover this fragrance of spirituality in the action itself, this same
will cause their awakening. Likewise, managing art with propriety will
become the means of sociability and affinity; and sociability and affinity
themselves tend to guide others (to the Truth).
Satisfy thy revered father and seek his pleasure,so that he may consider
that thou observest his obedience more than ever. Practice the utmost love
and affection.
I supplicate and beseech the Threshold of Oneness that thou mayest be
confirmed and assisted.
“O thou who art rejoiced by the Divine Glad-tidings!...”
O thou who art rejoiced by the Divine Glad-tidings!
Verily I have received thy last letter and thanked God that thou didst
reach Paris protected and guarded (by Him). Thank thou God that He
assisted thee to behold the brilliant faces of the believers of God and
favored thee to meet them in American countries. For, verily, beholding
those shining countenances is a divine gift; by it the hearts are dilated,
the souls are rejoiced and the spirits are attracted toward the Supreme
Concourse.
Do not lament over the departure of my dearly beloved Breakwell, for
verily he hath ascended to the luminous rose-garden in the Abha Kingdom,
near the mercy of his Lord, the Almighty, and is crying out with the
loudest voice: “O that my people knew how my Lord hath forgiven me and
made me one of those who have attained (to the meeting of God)!”
O Breakwell, my beloved! Where is thy beautiful countenance and where is
thy eloquent tongue? Where is thy radiant brow and where is thy brilliant
face?
O Breakwell, my beloved! Where is thy enkindlement with the fire of the
love of God and where is thy attraction to the fragrances of God? Where is
thy utterance for the glorification of God and where is thy rising in the
service of God?
O my dear, O Breakwell! Where are thy bright eyes and where are thy
smiling lips? Where are thy gentle cheeks and where is thy graceful
stature?
O my dear, O Breakwell! Verily thou hast abandoned this transitory world
and soared upward to the Kingdom, hast attained to the grace of the
Invisible Realm and sacrificed thyself to the Threshold of the Lord of
Might!
O my adored one, O Breakwell! Verily thou hast left behind this physical
lamp, this human glass, these earthly elements and this worldly enjoyment!
O my adored one, O Breakwell! Then thou hast ignited a light in the glass
of the Supreme Concourse, hast entered the Paradise of Abha, art protected
under the Shade of the Blessed Tree and hast attained to the Meeting (of
the True One) in the Abode of Paradise!
O my dearly beloved, O Breakwell! Thou hast been a divine bird and,
forsaking thy earthly nest, thou hast soared toward the holy rose-garden
of the Divine Kingdom and obtained a luminous station there!
O my dearly beloved, O Breakwell! Verily thou art like unto he birds,
chanting the verses of thy Lord, the Forgiving, for thou wert a thankful
servant; therefore thou hast entered (into the realm beyond) with joy and
happiness!
O my beloved, O Breakwell! Verily thy Lord hath chosen thee for His love,
guided thee to the Court of His Holiness, caused thee to enter into the
Rizwan(211) of His Association and granted thee to behold His Beauty!
O my beloved, O Breakwell! Verily thou hast attained to the eternal life,
never-ending bounty, beatific bliss and immeasurable providence!
O my beloved, O Breakwell! Thou hast become a star in the most exalted
horizon, a lamp among the angels of heaven, a living spirit in the Supreme
World and art established upon the throne of immortality!
O my adored one, O my Breakwell! I supplicate God to increase thy nearness
and communication, to make thee enjoy thy prosperity and union (wih Him),
to add to thy light and beauty and to bestow upon thee glory and majesty.
O my adored one, O my Breakwell! I mention thy name continually, I never
forget thee, I pray for thee day and night and I see thee clearly and
manifestly, O my adored one, O Breakwell!
***Concerning thy question whether all the souls enjoy eternal life: Know
thou those souls partake of the Eternal Life in whom the Spirit of Life is
breathed from the Presence of God and all beside them are dead—without
Life, as Christ hath explained in the texts of the Gospel. Any person
whose insight is opened by God seeth the souls in their stations after the
disintegration of the bodies. Verily they are living and are subsisting
before their Lord and he seeth also the dead souls submerged in the gulfs
of mortality. Then know thou verily all the souls are created according to
the nature of God and all are in the state of (unconscious) purity at the
time of their births. But afterward they differ from one another insofar
as they acquire excellencies or defects. Nevertheless, the creatures have
different degrees in existence insofar as the creation goes, for
capacities are different, but all of them are good and pure (in their
essence), then afterward they are polluted and defiled. Although there are
different states of creation, yet all of them are beneficial. Glance thou
over the temple of man, its members and its parts. Among them there are
the eye, ear, nose, mouth, hands and fingers. Notwithstanding the
differences between these organs, all of them are useful in their proper
spheres. But if one of them is out of order, there is need of a remedy and
if the medicine does not heal, then the amputation of that member becomes
necessary.
Verily I beseech God to make thee confirmed under all circumstances. Do
not become despondent, neither be thou sad. Ere long thy Lord shall make
thee a sign of guidance among mankind.
“O thou dear and honorable!...”
O thou dear and honorable!
I received thy last letter through his honor ........ and its contents
imparted to me spiritual joy, for it indicated the high and good
friendship between thee and the respectful maid-servant of God, .........
I supplicate God to increase at every moment and second your faith,
assurance, steadfastness and your knowledge, and likewise to create
spiritual friendship and celestial love among the friends, in order that
they may become a unit host and enlisted soldiers (of the Kingdom of God)
with accomplishment, skillfulness, solidarity, fellowship and unison.
Verily, by this their breasts will become dilated, their names exalted,
their faces illumined, their host confirmed and their progress,
illumination, insight, knowledge, spirituality, fragrance, attraction,
enkindlement, sanctity and purity promulgated.
Convey my greeting to ........ and say to her: “Verily the teachings which
flowed from the lips of His Highness Christ were spiritual, celestial,
heavenly and the cause of the eternal life; therefore it is explained as
heavenly food and the divine table. But the philosophers who were the
greatest sages of the world at that time could not realize the power of
the teachings of Christ and these very philosophers were veiled from the
Spirit of Christ and did not acknowledge His instructions, for their
imaginations did not correspond with the apprehensions of their
intellects. O what remorse is their lot by losing this Great Cause!
Consequently, the teachings of Baha’ shall assuredly breathe the spirit of
peace, the love of God and divine compassion in the hearts of men. These
universal results will become clear to those who cling to them (teachings)
after experience. As to thee, consider profoundly these teachings in order
that thou mayest apprehend their realities.”
O my dear Mr. .........! I beseech God to grant thee the power of
knowledge and understanding so that thou mayest fathom the mysteries of
the teachings descended from the presence of he Glorious Lord.
“O thou spiritual son!...”
O thou spiritual son!
Verily I have received thy lettter***and its contents were known. I
supplicate God to open to thee a way and prepare for thee and guide thee
in thy affair.
But concerning thy marriage with the maid-servant of God, ........, do not
be in a hurry. Deliberation and patience are necessary until her mother
giveth her consent and thy father and mother also acquiesce. This is the
divine commandment! Take thou hold of it with a true firmness. Verily this
is better for thee under all circumstances! Verily thy Lord is gracious to
His servants and He facilitates ere long every straight cause. But thou
must submit to and rely upon God under all conditions and He will bestow
upon thee that which is conducive to thy well-being. Verily He is merciful
and compassionate! For how many an affair was involved in difficulty and
then was straightened, and how many a problem was solved by the permission
of God.
Be thou not grieved, neither be thou sad. Finish thy studies in sciences
and then turn thy face unto God, asking from Him help and protection under
all conditions.
“O thou dear friend!...”
O thou dear friend!
What thou hast written was perused. I beg of God that thou wilt become
assisted and confirmed under all circumstances to find the ease of spirit
and the happiness of consciousness, to enter under the shadow of the Tree
of Life and to perfume thy nostrils from the fragrances of the holy
rose-garden and to illumine thy heart with the lights of the mercy of
guidance. Through the grace of His Highness, the Almighty, all the affairs
become easy and feasible.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fire of the Love of God!
I am cognizant of all thou hast written in thy letters. To attain the
pleasure of God is the more important thing. Thank God thou art content
with the will of God and art attached in heart to His divine wishes; and
as thou art thus, all thy desires will be granted thee.
Relative to your going to America, thou must observe the wishes of thy
parents and in the meantime endeavor to diffuse the breaths of God and
satisfy those who are thirsting for the fountain of the knowledge of God
by giving them the heavenly water and merciful rain.
Give my greetings to ........ and say to her: “If thou desirest to soften
the hearts and bring thy friends under the shadow of the Tree of Life,
show forth firmness and integrity; day by day increase thy sincerity and
severance until by the power of the Truth thou wilt soften and subdue the
hearts and awaken the souls of the heedless.”
Also give my spiritual greetings to Mr. and Mrs. ........ and say to them:
“May your little daughter be a blessing to you.”
O my dear ........, endure and be patient, and by patience thou wilt
attain thy desire.
“O thou sincere servant of God!...”
O thou sincere servant of God!
Be not sad nor sorrowful over what hath occurred. What hath transpired is
for the best and in it is a sacred wisdom concealed which ere long will
become manifest.
Turn thou to the Kingdom of Abha and supplicate to the Highest Concourse.
The aid and mercy of God encompasseth all and His divine bounty is
all-sufficient. Verily something will soon occur for that kind friend
(i.e., thyself) which will bring all happiness, joy, pleasure and
contentment in the Kingdom of God.
Regarding those whose names thou hast written, I ask aid and assistance
for them from God, especially ......... I beseech at the Threshold of the
Oneness of God to shower upon him blessings and open upon him the door of
guidance, bestowing upon his heart the heavenly light.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thank thou God for that thou art assisted to establish a spiritual meeting
in that city. That assembly is the rose-garden of the Cause of God and
that meeting is the gathering-place of the beloved of God. If it endureth,
it is the first assembly of the world and is the greatest assembly of
mankind. Exert thyself with all heart and soul so that it may continue and
be stable and constant until blessed results may ensue therefrom, for
without firmness and steadfastness no matter shall prove effective in
existence. Some of the friends organized meetings for teaching in the
neighborhood of that region, but owing to lack of steadfastness those
meetings scattered with great rapidity. I hope that thy spiritual meeting
may become continual and cause the spread of the lights.
“O thou my dear friend!...”
O thou my dear friend!
I am now viewing the flowers in the little garden and remembering thy
rose-like face. This material rose, although it is beautiful and fragrant,
yet it cannot be compared with the beauty of the friends. Great is the
difference between this fragrance and that of the friends, between the
scent of this rose and the fragrance of the love of God. That face of
thine which attracts the hearts is far more beautiful and better than this
rose, for with that beauty is accompanied illumination.
Thy gift is much appreciated and very acceptable. I was made very, very
happy and I prayed for thee that thou mayest appreciate the contents and
significance of it.
Indeed thou hast served in Washington with no will save the will of God in
view and thou hast made me happy and attained my pleasure.
Hold the spiritual meeting at the stated times and be thou its candle,
giving (the friends) such happiness and joy through the glad-tidings of
God as will make them joyful and full of ecstasy. Give them all my loving
greetings. Surely manifest the utmost love and goodness o the Baltimore
friends and organize for them a spiritual gathering.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Great joy was obtained on learning of the harmony and love of the friends.
Communication with the friends of various parts is one of the greatest
means for spreading the fragrances.
The place adjoining Washington, where, during the summer season, the
maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........, shall go, if it will not cause any
disturbance and doth not become a means of talk among the enemies, the
gathering of some of the friends there will be favorable. We must be
considerate lest it may cause “sensation” among the people, for some
people are weak and should be treated very quietly. However, the gathering
of some of the friends there will be a cause of enkindling the fire of the
love of God and the organization of a Bahai meeting will be harmless.
Every week two or three of the Washington friends should go to Baltimore
and endeavor to help and encourage the friends there.
As to the seven qualifications (of the divinely enlightened soul) of which
thou hast asked an explanation, it is as follows:
1. KNOWLEDGE. Man must attain the knowledge of God.
2. FAITH.
3. STEADFASTNESS.
4. TRUTHFULNESS. Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of the
world of humanity. Without truthfulness, progress and success in all of
the worlds of God are impossible for a soul. When this holy attribute is
established in man, all the divine qualities will also become realized.
5. UPRIGHTNESS. And this is one of the greatest divine attainments.
6. FIDELITY. This is also a beautiful trait of the heavenly man.
7. EVANESCENCE OR HUMILITY. That is to say, man must become evanescent in
God. Must forget his own selfish conditions that he may thus arise to the
station of sacrifice. It should be to such a degree that if he sleep, it
should not be for pleasure, but to rest the body in order to do better, to
speak better, to explain more beautifully, to serve the servants of God
and to prove the truths. When he remains awake, he should seek to be
attentive, serve the Cause of God and sacrifice his own stations for those
of God. When he attains to this station, the confirmations of the Holy
Spirit will surely reach him, and man with this power can withstand all
who inhabit the earth.
In regard to children, thou hast written that it is decided to train them
in the teachings of God from childhood. This thought is very acceptable.
Give greeting and praise to all of the friends of God and to His
maid-servants.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter, sent through the maid-servant, ........, hath been received.
Thou hast written concerning the changing of names. A name hath no
importance, for a name must needs have a bearer (i.e., deserving a high
name). That is to say, consider (people’s) morals and character, then
consider the person himself and be attentive (to detect) one’s manners and
conduct and consider his faith and assurance. If a person is illumined
with the light of the love of God, he is (like unto) the morning star,
even though his name be dark; and if he is a captive in the darkness of
error, he is gloomy even though his name be that of a shining star.
Consequently, be thou intent that thou makest thy face illumined with the
light of the love of God, through the divine assistance and favor. This
attribute will make thee independent of every name!
Convey my loving greetings to all of the friends of God.
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
O thou seeker of the Kingdom!
Thy letter***was received. Its contents became evident. Thou hast written
concerning Baltimore—this caused me great joy.
The revered maid-servant of God, Miss ........, hath undergone great
roubles. Praise be to God! that she hath arisen (and is confirmed) to
serve (the Kingdom of God).
I hope that Mr. and Mrs. ........ will become the cause of spreading (the
teachings) and organizing gathering-places.
The news of Camp Mineola brought me utmost joy and fragrance. I pray to
God that the power of the Word of God may become more evident and manifest
day by day in those regions.
Convey my respectful greeting to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........,
and say: “Thy service is to the everlasting Kingdom of Glory and is
conducive to eternal life.”
Convey also my greeting to the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........,
likewise to Miss ......... I supplicate in their behalf that God may
bestow upon them heavenly illumination.
In another letter***thou hast expressed sorrow and grief concerning the
events in the Holy Land. On the contrary, (these events) must cause joy,
happiness and exultation, for this is the day of trial and the occasion
for the manifestation of the secrets of the soul and heart. Have the
utmost joy about the incidents in the Holy Land and do not consider from
any other viewpoint; for the deluge of affliction is surrounding always
the Holy Land and the sincere servant of the True One is like unto the
enkindled lamp around about which the adverse winds blow. Therefore, you
must engage in your own occupation, be familiar in spreading the
fragrances of God and characterized in promulgating the Word of God. For
instance, if you receive news that the Holy Land is entirely changed, you
must not become relaxed at all; nay, rather you must become firmer, more
steadfast and more attracted and more engaged in the service of the
Kingdom.
“What thou hast written was read and its contents...”
(212) What thou hast written was read and its contents became known. In
reality blessed days are coming. This is the time for the service of the
Kingdom and the period of spreading the divine Call. I hope that thou and
all of the friends will occupy their time in the service of the Kingdom at
this moment when Abdul-Baha is involved in he greatest danger, so that
this heart may become gladdened and that you may become strengthened by
the Word of God, causing also the strength of others.
Concerning thy presence in the Land of Desire, for the present postpone
(this matter) for some later time until the arrival of summer and the
passing of frosty winter. At that time it will be acted upon according to
the circumstances.
The petition concerning unity and harmony, signed by the majority of the
believers of God, was received. We have written a detailed answer for it
and it will be forwarded. This letter, which was signed by the majority of
the friends, brought me great, great joy.
The book that thou hast written thou wilt send and, after its translation,
it will be read.
Each letter that thou receivest from me, where in the ending there is the
command for its spreading, thou oughtest to publish that letter and
circulate it.
Endeavor so far as thou art able to create unity, harmony and
loving-kindness among the believers of God.
“Thy last letter was received and its contents brought...”
(213) Thy last letter was received and its contents brought joy. Thank
thou God, for thou art engaged in serving the Word of God and spending thy
time with the friends of God. If thou somewhat regard thy father and
mother, too, so that they may be somewhat pleased, this will be the cause
of pleasing me. Father and mother are worthy of esteem and it is necessary
(to secure their good pleasure); but this on condition that they may not
prevent one from nearness to the Threshold of the Almighty and may not
withhold one from walking in the path of the Kingdom. Nay, rather they
(parents) should encourage and inspire one (to walk in God’s path).
As to living (or conduct) in accord with the Book of Akdas: We have spoken
of this to his honor Mr. ........, for there is freedom in those lands and
there are no obstacles.
Likewise, the Ishrakat, Tarazat, and Tajalliat(214) must be translated and
published (and spread) among the friends.
But, whatever writings and articles which the believers may write for the
spread of the Cause of God, these they must necessarily send to the Holy
Land, in order to be corrected and rectified (or approved of) and then to
be returned to them and then published. Before their being corrected here
and before securing permission from here, their publication is by no means
allowable.
As to the obligatory prayer (to be said three times a day): Each one must
say his prayer alone by himself, and this is not conditional on a private
place; that is, both at home and in the worshipping-place, which is a
gathering-place, it is allowable for one to say his prayer; but each
person must say his prayer by himself (i.e., not in company with others
who might recite the same words and continue the same postures together at
the same time). But if they chant supplications (communes, etc.) together
(and in company), in a good and effective voice, that is very good.
“O God!...”
(215) O God!
Grant Washington happiness and peace! Illuminate that land with the light
of the faces of the friends, make it a paradise of Glory, let it become an
envy of the green gardens of the earth! Help the friends, increase their
number, make their hearts sources of inspiration and their souls dawnings
of light. Thus may that city become a beautiful paradise and fragrant with
the fragrance of musk.
“O God!...”
(216) O God!
Make this youth illumined and this weak one strong! Bestow upon him
knowledge and give unto him an added strength at every dawn. Thus may he
be protected and sheltered in Thy protection from every sin to serve Thy
Cause, to guide those who are led astray, to lead those who are poor (or
weak), to free those who are in captivity (or bondage), to awaken those
who are in lethargy and to be happy with Thy remembrance and thought. Thou
art the Powerful, the Wise!
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
The short treatise which thou has written upon “Service in the Kingdom,”
forwarding it here and asking permission for its publication, was read.
Spread it among the believers.
Likewise, correspondence with all the believers in all parts is very
desirable.
The copy of the pamphlet that thou hast sent before, God willing, in
opportune time will be read and forwarded to thee.
O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Endeavor thou in the service in the
Kingdom and, God willing, in a seasonable time, permission will be given
to thee to come to the East.
Convey longing greetings to all the friends of God.
“O thou servant of Baha’!...”
O thou servant of Baha’!
Thy letter***was received. Correspondence between the believers of the
Orient and the Occident, as well as between the different states of
America, is of the utmost importance and is conducive to the enkindlement
and attraction of the hearts. Show thou great consideration to this
matter.
Thou hast written concerning the translation of Tablets. Perfect
translation will be made at a time when a committee of translators is
organized. The members of that committee must be composed of several
Persians and several Americans, all of whom must have the utmost
proficiency in both the Persian and English languages. Then the Tablets
will be translated through this committee. For the present the
organization of such a committee is not possible. Therefore, whenever the
publication of a Tablet becomes necessary, have a proficient person
translate it, then circulate it and the end will be attained.
Regarding the station of this servant: My station is Abdul-Baha, my name
is Abdul-Baha, my qualification is Abdul-Baha, my praise is Abdul-Baha, my
title is Abdul-Baha. All the friends of God must declare this word, in
order that all of them become united and harmonized upon it. No difference
must arise. Collect, translate, print and spread all the Tablets written
by me regarding this question.
Concerning the Book of Akdas: Undoubtedly it must be translated by a
scientific committee of translators. The translation of one person is not
sufficient.
Concerning the spiritual assembly of Washington: I supplicate God that it
may finally become the cause of the unification of all the nations of the
world.
The maid-servant of God, Miss ......., hath not yet returned from Persia.
God willing, we will direct her to travel to those parts.
Thou hast written regarding the believers of Baltimore. Undoubtedly
whenever opportunity affords, the believers of Washington must go to
Baltimore, become engaged in teaching the Truth, spread the carpet of
feasting and prepare the heavenly table.
Convey respectful greeting on my behalf to the maid-servant of God, Miss
........, and say: “O thou divinely attracted one! Day and night, with an
eloquent tongue, teach thou the heedless ones; awaken those who are
speechless and silent. Undoubtedly the confirmation of the Holy Spirit
will descend upon thee.”
Announce, on my behalf, respectful greeting to the attracted maid-servant
of God, Miss ........, and say: “O thou beloved maid-servant of God! Now
is the time, now is the moment in which, like unto Mary Magdalene (who
loosened her tongue in the city of great Rome), thou mayest arise and
become engaged in teaching the coming of the Kingdom of God and spread far
and wide to the ears the glad-tidings of the Realm of Eternity!”
In brief, O thou servant of Baha’! Strive ye that the souls be engaged, in
all parts of Europe, with the utmost purity and sanctification, in the
diffusion of the fragrances of God.
Undoubtedly teachers both from among the women as well as the men must go
to Australia and New Zealand whenever the means and opportunity are
brought about. Now make ye an effort that perchance through correspondence
some souls, in those parts, may become illumined with the light of the
Kingdom.
O thou servant of Baha’! Rest thou assured. I supplicate from God that
thou mayest be delivered wholly from passion and desire and become the
faithful and sincere servant of the Beauty of Abha.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thou hast written to his honor ........ concerning the Feast.
This Feast was established by His Highness the Bab, to occur once in
nineteen days. Likewise, the Blessed Perfection [Baha’o’llah] hath
commanded, encourage and reiterated it. Therefore, it hath the utmost
importance. Undoubtedly you must give the greatest attention to its
establishment and raise it to the highest point of importance, so that it
may become continual and constant. The believers of God must assemble and
associate with each other in the utmost love, joy and fragrance. They must
conduct themselves (in these Feasts) with the greatest dignity and
consideration, chant divine verses, peruse instructive articles, read the
Tablets of Abdul-Baha, encourage and inspire each other with love for the
whole human race, invoke God with perfect joy and fragrance, sing the
verses, glorifications and praises of the Self-subsistent Lord and deliver
eloquent speeches. The owner of the house must personally serve the
beloved ones. He must seek after the comfort of all and with the utmost
humility he must show forth kindness to every one. If the Feast is
arranged in this manner and in the way mentioned, that supper is the
“Lord’s supper,” for the result is the same result and the effect is the
same effect.
O thou sincere servant of the Beauty of Abha! Thou hast written concerning
Baltimore. Convey respectful greeting on my behalf to Miss ........ and
say: “Exert thyself as much as thou canst in order that thou mayest
illumine Baltimore, lay there an eternal foundation and ignite a lamp
whose rays may shine throughout cycles and ages.”
Thou hast written concerning the Tablet of Baka Ya Ali—Baka Ya Vafi
(Tablet of Protection). This Tablet is for the healing of ailments.
Whenever one is anxious about the recovery of an ill one, he may read this
prayer with a melodious voice while in a state of the utmost attention and
concentration.
Thou hast written regarding Buddha and Confucius. Buddha was an
illustrious personage. Confucius became the cause of civilization,
advancement and prosperity for the people of China. Now it is not the time
when we discuss concerning the stations and positions of those who are
passed away. We must concentrate our attention upon the present. What hath
transpired in a former time is past. Now is the time when we restrict our
discussion to the Most Great Luminary of Peace and Salvation in the Age,
to talk of the Blessed Perfection [Baha’o’llah] and to voice His
exhortations, behests and teachings. Buddha and Confucius were kings in
bygone ages who have disappeared. Their sovereignty in this world is ended
and their cycle is completed. Now the Throne of the Kingdom of Abha is
established and the Blessed Perfection is sitting upon the Throne of
Grandeur. We must raise this Call, promulgate the Word of God and live in
accord with the teachings and advices of the Beauty of Abha.
Thou hast written regarding ........, the resident of Calcutta (India),
that he hath forwarded to thee some addresses so that thou mayest
correspond with them about the Cause of God. If thou doest write to them
there is no harm done, nay, rather it is advantageous.
But regarding the tests: Undoubtedly they must be violent so that those
souls who are weak may fall back, while the souls who are firm and sincere
may shine forth from the horizon of the Most Great Guidance like unto the
sparkling stars.
“O thou sincere servant of God!...”
O thou sincere servant of God!
Thy letters are received regularly and by reading them joy was produced.
Thou hast written regarding the building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar in
Washington. This matter was discussed with the maid-servant of Baha’, Miss
......... It hath been concluded that when she arrives in America she will
discuss this question with you. Whatever will be the conclusions of your
discussion write to Acca. The maid-servant of Baha’ is in Paris; she will
go to America. These services of thine are in reality worthy of praises,
that thou hast sacrificed thyself wholly to the True One.
Mr. ........ and Mr. ....... arrived and stayed a few days here. The, with
the utmost joy and fragrance, they started toward India.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter***was received and its contents became the cause of the
happiness of the heart of this grieved one, for it was an evidence of
exertion and magnanimity in the service of the Cause of God.
Thou hast written regarding the publication of a magazine. If thou
shouldst edit one magazine every six months—two in a year—then forward it
to the Holy Land to be corrected and returned, after due correction, for
its publication—it is very acceptable and will be the cause of the
penetration of the Word of God.***
Thy former articles were received. I have not yet had time to read them.
However, one of thy articles was corrected and forwarded and thou hast it
printed and circulated. Now write thou a new article and send it here to
be corrected. It is better.
Regarding the proposition which thou hast suggested that one of the
maid-servants of the Merciful reside in the Land of Desire and be the
medium for the regulation of correspondence, now it is not according to
wisdom.
Therefore, now edit thou a magazine in Persian and English, then forward
it here to be revised and sent back for publication.
Convey the wonderful Abha greeting to all the friends of God.*** ***O thou
my kind friend!
I have the utmost love for thee and I ask God that thou mayest become
assisted in the world and in the Kingdom and precede Paul and Peter in
spreading the Word of God and diffusing the fragrances of God and become a
manifest ensign in the regions of America.
Perhaps thou wilt meet a person in Paris who is thoughtless and followeth
his own desire. Forget thou wholly his vain sayings and know thou that in
future again thou wilt become in touch with such souls, but—praise be to
God!—the fire of thy love is to such a degree that the suggestions of such
souls do not at all affect thee.
In brief, arise thou in the service of thy Lord with the utmost firmness
and steadfastness. I was very much pleased with thee. Undoubtedly this
favor will become the cause of the greatest development for thee.
Likewise, thou and his honor Mirza ........ are two brothers and like unto
two birds living in one nest and singing one melody.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant and Testament!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant and Testament!
Thy letter***was received and its contents became known. Thou hast written
regarding the election of a committee(217) . This is very acceptable, is
conducive to the glory of the Cause of God and the spreading of the
fragrances of God in those regions. I hope that this committee may
progress day by day until it become a merciful assembly.
Thou hast written regarding the correspondence with other parts, that from
now on it will be carried under the name of The Bahai Assembly of
Washington. This is also acceptable. I hope that this committee becometh
established and its members be of the utmost unity and affinity. If the
Bahai Assembly of Washington ariseth in a befitting manner to love,
service and magnanimity, the lights of the love of God will be cast upon
all sides from the Assembly and it will find more importance day by day,
until it attain to the Most Supreme Station. ***
“O thou my beloved friend!...”
O thou my beloved friend!
For a long time thou didst have the longing to visit the Blessed Spot and
the yearning to meet this imprisoned one. Finally this gift became
realized, but it was for one moment and as the dew to the rose-garden of
the hearts. The destiny was such and the means were brought about in this
way. I became sad and disappointed more than thyself. But I hope that this
meeting became as the wick of the lamp and the fire—that as soon as it was
touched it became ignited. I am expecting the results of this meeting,
that I may see thee lighted as a candle and burning thyself as a moth with
the fire of the love of God, weeping like unto the cloud by the greatness
of love and attraction, laughing like unto the meadow and stirred into
cheerfulness like unto the young tree by the wafting of the breeze of the
Paradise of Abha!
All the believers in the East and in this Spot are expecting the receipt
of letters from thee.
“The letter was received and its contents became evident....”
(218) The letter was received and its contents became evident. Thou hast
written regarding the days of summer, that thou hast vacation for three
months and a half. Shouldst though find any companions, make thou a trip
to Persia, for during three months and a half it is possible to reach
Teheran, stay there a few days and then return; but the time is not
sufficient to come to the Holy Land. If the trip to Persia cannot be
brought about, then to Ishkabad(219) .
Regarding the question of matrimony: Know thou that the command of
marriage is eternal. It will never be changed nor altered. This is divine
creation and there is not the slightest possibility that change or
alteration affect this divine creation (marriage).
Regarding the remains of his honor the beloved Breakwell—him who hath
attained to the meeting of the countenance of his Lord in His great
Kingdom—must be interred in that very land, not in some other place, for
to transfer the remains of the believers from one city to another city is
against the test of the Book.
Concerning the word Baha’o’llah: It must be written with O and not with U.
Regarding the Moronites: All the communities of the world will finally
become familiar with this great and most holy Cause and all of them will
enter under the shade of the Word of God.
Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. ........ and say: “We hope that day
by day thou mayest take higher flights, attain to greater spiritual
attraction, thy word become more penetrative through the power of the
Spirit and through the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha become more
illumined. This is the path of salvation and prosperity. This is the
attractive power of the Holy Spirit from the Supreme Concourse.”
“O thou who hast confessed and believed in the Words...”
O thou who hast confessed and believed in the Words of God!
Thank God, for He hath uncovered the veil from before thine eye, and that
thou hast witnessed the great signs of the greatest glad-tidings which
have been revealed in the Gospel, Bible and the Psalms; and wert confirmed
that verily those glad-tidings have been allusions to the appearance of
the Kingdom of God during this time, and that the horizons shall brighten
through the light of the effulgence in this age, which is the age of the
lights and the century of thy God, the Powerful, the Almighty!
What a great gift is this guidance, the standards of which are raised, the
traces of which are published and the breeze of which has blown, the
garden of which is ornamented, the basins of which have poured out, the
birds of which have sung and the joy of which is completed!
I beg God to cause thee to be a crier unto His Kingdom in that region,
wherein the Sun of Truth hath newly commenced to disseminate and the dawn
of guidance hath risen from its horizons.
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
O thou who art assuredly believing in God!
Verily, I am informed of thy letter which showeth how thou art praising
God, hast acknowledged the unity of God, art attracted to His kingdom and
art thanking Him for His favor; that He hath strengthened thee in
guidance, hath illumined thine inner sight with the light which is shining
forth from the Kingdom of El-Abha, hath caused thee to hear the Call of
the Merciful from the Supreme Concourse and hath made thee one of the
chosen ones in His brilliant and holy Threshold. O glad-tidings be unto
thee for this great gift! O blessed art thou for this worthy deed!
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written was perused. It is evident that thou hast all thy
life been seeking the Lord of signs, until now thou hast found the path of
Truth and discovered the Lord of Hosts and attained His Kingdom.
If thou shouldst stand firm and steadfast, thou wilt progress day by day
in this condition, and this flame of fire will become a luminous lamp. If
it be possible for thee, turn thy face toward that city and be a cause of
guidance to some souls there. It is not now advisable for you to write
secretly; the time will come for that. When you go there yourself you will
be confirmed to teach some of the people.
“O thou who art advancing toward God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward God!
Verily, I read thy long letter, which showed thine abundant joy for the
appearance of the Kingdom of God and the longing of thy heart for the
knowledge of God. endeavor with thy soul, so that the fountain of
knowledge may flow within thy heart and the bounties of mysteries may pour
upon thee from the Kingdom of Lights. Then thou wilt understand the
meanings hidden and recorded in symbols in the Holy Scriptures.
O maid-servant of God! Hold fast to the Covenant which hath emanated from
the Supreme Pen and which is scintillating with the light of the Orb of
the Horizons. Know thou verily, Baha’o’llah is the Promised One in all the
Books and Tablets, and verily, this servant, is the herald of the Kingdom
of God.
And know thou, that verily, he earthly world is as a prison to the holy
souls and these long for the Kingdom of Sanctity, as birds long for their
nests in the gardens of beautiful and wonderful trees, flowers and fruits.
And know thou, verily, that those who were following the steps of Christ,
detached their souls from the desires of the world, and made their hearts
to depend on the bounties of heaven. Such as the people of the Kingdom and
they are in no need of return for apprehending the bounty of the Kingdom.
The consciences of such souls are clear, their inmost hearts are pure,
[they] have obtained their aim, have betaken themselves to the vicinity of
the mercy of their Mighty Lord, and thus they are in no need of being
refined, developed and again endowed with sight.
I beg of God to grant all thy wishes and to cause to appear unto thee the
reality of the Cause and the divine teachings through a heavenly bounty
from the heaven of the Covenant.
Send my greetings and peace to thy revered husband. Every one of my
household, the firm ones in the Covenant, present unto thee greetings and
praise.
“O thou who hast prayed to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who hast prayed to the Kingdom of God!
I have read thy letter and I have taken knowledge of God as to thy conduct
towards the Kingdom of God and also thy conflagration with the fire of
God’s love. Be reassured by the grace of thy Lord and direct thyself
towards Him.
Consider attentively and with assiduity in the New Testament, as well as
the Bible, and thou shalt find new significances, very clear of this great
Manifestation.
I declare by the just God that thou wilt see therein a revelation of the
Holy Spirit which will aid thee in the good understanding of the Truth and
the mysteries and significances of the Books of God, the All-powerful and
the Eternal.
Then as to what thou hast asked me for pious people who died before they
heard the Voice of this Manifestation. Listen: Those who have mounted to
God before hearing the Voice, if they followed the rules of conduct as
laid down by Jesus and always walked in the straight path,they have
obtained this Dazzling Light after their rising to the Kingdom of God. I
pray God to lift the veil for thee and to corroborate by the spirit of
experience, so that all may be evident to thee, by the Holy Spirit of God.
I implore God to give thee indication of good conduct in the way of
salvation, as a guiding lamp lighted from the fire of God’s Love, and to
cause thee to be called in His Name by the multitude of the world, so that
the Name of God shall be proclaimed in all far off countries.
Give my compliments and my praises to thy estimable husband; my greeting
and praise to thee.
“O ye two maid-servants of God!...”
O ye two(220) maid-servants of God!
The Lord of the Kingdom hath invited, chosen and guided you through His
pure favor, feeding you from the heavenly table of divine knowledge! Know
ye the value of this favor and bounty and loosen your tongues in praise;
showing forth the power of knowledge and assurance and breathing the
spirit of guidance into the hearts of the seekers.
Ask from God that ye stand firm and steadfast in this great Cause.
I pray in your behalf, asking assistance and favor for you. I hope that ye
may become confirmed and helped.
“O thou thrall of the Lord of the Kingdom!...”
O thou thrall of the Lord of the Kingdom!
Thy photograph was considered with utmost insight. This picture is an
emblem of an enlightened face, that is, a countenance which hath taken a
share of the outpouring of the manifest Light. This picture is produced by
the light of the sun. Therefore, it is called a sun picture. I pray to God
that thy picture may become reflected upon the page of existence forever
and ever.
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
A few days ago the photograph of thyself and sister was received and a
tablet was revealed and forwarded. Now, also, through pure mercy, the
answer of thy letter is transmitted.
Praise be to God! that the heavenly blessings are being poured upon thee
and thou art being led by the light of guidance.
Supplication to God that the seed of knowledge in the soil of thy heart
may soon develop and grow into hyacinths and roses(221) and that the
flower-garden of the love of God may be thereby perfumed.
Therefore, I beseech God that He may bestow upon thee a meek and
submissive heart and that He may confirm thee in the service of the divine
garden and assist thee to emulate the actions and deeds of the godly ones.
Also, that He may guide, to the Kingdom of God, your father, mother and
friends, in order that by these heavenly blessings they may become
fruitful trees and obtain a portion of the great and glorious gift.
“O ye members of the shining assembly!...”
O ye members of the shining assembly!(222)
The letter which was written by you, was not a letter, but a musk sack.
For the fragrances of the rose-garden of its significances perfumed the
nostrils of every heavenly one; evincing firmness in the love of God,
steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament and affinity among the
friends.
This yearning one was enflamed and burning intensely, but when I perused
that letter, a gentle breeze wafted and an extraordinary freshness and
delicacy was imparted to me. I turned my face toward the Threshold of the
Almighty and supplicated Him imploringly thus:
“O thou Eternal One! Make the friends of that country prosperous, acquaint
them with the mysteries; usher them into the divine rose-garden and reveal
to them the hidden realities and significances; make their hearts the
association of truth and their souls full of divine melodies and sacred
(choral) music!”
“O God! This respectful assemblage are my relatives and kindred and the
cause of the happiness of this afflicted one. Bestow upon them a shining
face and grant them a musk-diffusing character. Show them the mystery of
the Kingdom and suffer them to hear the soul-elevating harmony of heaven!
Awaken (the people) by the breeze of the Paradise of Abha and make them
alive by the power of the Holy Spirit. Verily, Thou are the Powerful and
Omnipotent, and Thou art the Bestower and generous!”
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
O thou dear servant of God!
Thy letter is received and its contents were the cause of happiness.
Regard the bounty and forgiveness of the Mighty Creator: Though Abdul-Baha
is in this blessed and illuminated Spot and thou in St. Peter (Minn.)—the
other side of the world—thou hast inhaled the divine breath
notwithstanding the great distance, and beheld the heavenly Light. There
are thousands of people in the Holy Land associated with us and yet they
are deprived and have no hope in God. This is naught save a blessing from
the heavenly Father which hath enlightened that face (i.e., thy face) and
made that heart (thy heart) divine. I ask God that thou wilt be so
animated by the breaths of the Holy Spirit that thou wilt cause that
region to become an Eden of Paradise and illumine many souls with the
brilliant Light.
Though we cannot see each other physically at this time, thank God the
Spiritual Breath is a messenger between us, which is the means of assuring
the heart and rejoicing the spirit.
“O thou seeker of the Heavenly Kingdom!...”
O thou seeker of the Heavenly Kingdom!
This world resembles the human body and the Kingdom of God is like the
spirit of life. Think how narrow and dark the material world of man is,
how afflicted with disease and maladies; but how bright and spacious is
His Spiritual World! Through this illustration thou mayest comprehend in
what manner is the Spiritual World portrayed in this earthly world and in
what degree is its power effected. Though the Spirit is concealed, its
power is manifested and clear in the phenomenal world; and so with the
Kingdom of God, though it is veiled from the eyes of the ignorant people,
to men of perception it is discernable and evident. Therefore, thou must
become entirely heavenly that thou mayest forget the earthly conditions
and be immersed in the perception of Divinity to such a degree that thou
wilt be unconscious of the surrounding material existence.
“O my dear friend!...”
O my dear friend!
Verily, my heart is united with thee even though my body is in a distant
land, for verily neither long distance nor immense remoteness can prevent
the union between hearts, because the clear hearts are in reality
assembled in union in the Kingdom of God, while bodies are disperse in the
east and west of the earth. This dispersion cannot stop the affinity and
cannot veil the eye of soul from seeing in all directions.
“O thou who art cheerfully moving by the Fragrances...”
O thou who art cheerfully moving by the Fragrances of God!
Know thou verily, that when the Sun of Truth shown forth to the horizons,
the eyes of the people of affection were brightened by witnessing thereof,
but the blind are in veil and discord, and say: “Where is the Sun of the
Horizon?” Leave them in the veils of passions and fathoms of the seas of
ignorance, to sink and play.
Verily, thou shouldst be rejoiced with this Light, which is shining to the
Easts of the earth and the Wests thereof, and be illumined thereby, so
that thou becomest saved with thy whole being from the gloomy darkness.
Then thou wilt become of the great signs of guidance.
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
O thou seeker of Truth!
I received the photograph of thy shining figure and I looked at it with
thorough attention. A tranquility and steadfastness was manifest in thy
visage. I beg of God that the lights of the Kingdom may so shine upon this
face (or figure) that they may dispel the darkness of error from many. If
thou doest act according to the commandments and exhortations of God, know
thou for a certainty that the luminosity of thy face will day by day
increase. Be thou happy and well pleased and arise to offer thanks to God,
in order that thanksgiving may conduce to the increase of bounty.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy message, through the maid-servant of God ........ was received. Happy
is thy state that thou art seeking the Truth and endeavoring to attain
eternal life. This is a lofty aim, but it requireth the heavenly
confirmation and assistance.
I pray that this assistance may be vouchsafed unto thee and this bounty
environ thee, that thou hearest the call of the Kingdom and beholdest the
greatest signs.
Reflect upon this: What a bounty and what a favor it is that the sages of
the world and the wise among mankind are incompetent of comprehension, yet
the little children of the Kingdom have attained the Truth, dwell and
abide under the shadow of the Tree of Life and are assisted by the
everlasting and eternal gift!
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Verily that Infant is born and exists and their will appear from His Cause
a wonder which thou wilt hear in future. Thou shalt see Him with the most
perfect form, most great gift, most complete perfection, most great power
and strongest might! His Face glisteneth a glistening whereby the horizons
are illumined! Therefore, forget not this account as long as thou art
living, forasmuch as there are signs for it in the passing centuries and
ages.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
“If the people live and act in accord with...”
“If the people live and act in accord with the General Tablets which are
revealed in the beloved of the East and of the West, this universe will
become another universe, and the whole existence of this world will be
clad in another garment”
Abdul-Baha Abbas
VOLUME III
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thou hast asked regarding the phrase, “He is God!” written above the
Tablets. By this Word it is intended that no one hath any access to the
Invisible Essence. The way is barred and the road is impassable. In this
world all men must turn their faces toward “Him-whom God-shall-Manifest.”
He is the “Dawning-place of Divinity” and the “Manifestation of Deity.” He
is the “Ultimate Goal,” the “Adored One” of all and the “Worshipped One”
of all. Otherwise, whatever flashes through the mind is not that Essence
of essences and the Reality of realities; nay, rather it is pure
imagination(223) woven by man and is surrounded, not the surrounding.
Consequently, it returns finally to the realm of suppositions and
conjectures.
“O God! O thou Attracted of the hearts of the favored...”
O God! O thou Attracted of the hearts of the favored ones toward the
Manifest Horizon!
Verily, Thou art witnessing that the fire is ablaze in the breasts, the
tears are streaming from the eyes and the period of patience and silence
hath come to an end. The eyes of the beloved ones, O my God, are swimming
in tears; the hearts of the yearning ones, O my Beloved, are wandering in
the wilderness of Thy mercifulness; and the souls of the attracted ones, O
my Desires, are afflicted with anguish on account of Thy separation!
Verily, they have heard Thy universal proclamation, O my God, and what
Thou has revealed in the Koran: “Say! travel ye on earth, so that ye may
behold the signs of the mercy of God.” thereupon, after Thy ascension, the
people of faithfulness have arisen, traveling to distant lands and
hastening to far and remote regions of the world, in order to cry out Thy
Name, to remind the souls of the arrival of Thy days, to lead the minds to
the fountain of Thy signs, to demonstrate to all the inhabitants of the
world Thy proof and Thy religion, to guide the truth seekers to the right
path and to indicate the straight highway to the strivers. From among them
is Thy servant ... who is firm in the Ancient Covenant, fleeing from the
people of darkness, drinking from the water of eternal life and
intoxicated with the wine which is overflowing from the divine cup.
Verily, he hath left his native abode, waved the hand of farewell to his
relatives, forsaken ease and comfort, hastened to strange and unknown
kingdoms and accepted hardship and adversities while heralding Thy Name,
commemorating Thy glorification, attracted to Thy beauty, stirred by the
fragrances of Thy holiness, speaking Thy praises, voicing Thy Cause,
guiding others to Thee, proving Thy religion, demonstrating Thy
irrefutable truth, becoming an answerer to every questioning one and a
guide to every one held in error!
O my Lord! O my Lord! Verily, he endured every affliction in Thy path and
bore patiently every hardship and adversity in Thy love. A breath of rest
hath he not breathed, neither hath his sought after any favor, abode or
habitation in this world; nay, rather hath he walked in the footsteps of
Thy most exalted Word, His Highness Christ, for he hath taken the stars
for his lamp, the earth for his bed and the herbs for his food.
Notwithstanding this, his cry was raised in the assemblages and his voice
was heard in the meetings. The seekers flowed toward him and the thirsty
ones hastened to drink from the water of his utterance. O my God! This is
no other than through Thy generosity, Thy beneficence, Thy mercy and Thy
favors. O my God! Help him by the hosts of the approximate angels, assist
him by the cohorts of the Supreme Concourse amid Thy creatures, make him a
lamp of guidance in that distant part of the earth and a luminary shining
and sparkling from the dawning-place of faithfulness, in order that he may
serve Thy holy threshold, falling prostrate upon the ground thanking and
praising for Thy bounty, liberality and gifts to him; girding up his loins
of endeavor in Thy service and becoming reinforced and empowered in Thy
adoration!
O my Lord! O my Lord! Assign for him every bounty and suffer him to become
the sign of Thy gifts amid Thy people. Then have pity upon me, forgive me,
show me Thy mercy and make me a sharer in his services, a partner in his
adversities and a companion in his loneliness.
Verily Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Mighty, the Generous, the
Compassionate and the Merciful!
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
“Your letters have been received. God willing, answer...”
Your letters have been received. God willing, answer will be given very
soon, but as a matter of great importance is on foot (afloat), therefore I
write it to you in brief and it is this, that his honor Mr. ... must
compose a letter of thanks on behalf of the believers of America in
general and that letter of thanks should be addressed to a very eminent
and lofty personage. (The contents of that letter must be of this nature:)
“That excellent news hath reached American countries that His Royal
Highness, the noble Prince, hath dealt with utmost justice with the
subjects and the people and hath treated all the subjects with perfect
equality. He hath protected the rights of all and forbidden the extortions
of the tyrants. He is dealing with utmost kindness and affinity and is an
asylum for every oppressed one and an open treasury to every indigent one.
He decides with justice the case of every pleader and is a refuge and
protection to the helpless. Consequently, we in general, who are the
well-wishers of the government and Persian nation, with utmost
gratification are praising and commending the justice of His Royal
Highness, the Prince, and are content and glad; and in order to manifest
our thanks we present this petition; and whatever in the line of service
is commanded us, we are ready to comply with the most extreme diligence.
We ask earnestly from God that the Imperial Government become everlasting,
His Imperial Majesty, the just Shah, remain and live long, and His Royal
Highness, the Prince, become to every subject a divine gift and that he
may become confirmed and helped in all affairs.”
Let there be two copies of this petition and the ore the believers sign
each of these two copies, the better it is. Each person must sign
personally. Then (when they are finished) you forward them here. We will
write on them the address and forward to their destination. Wisdom does
not permit the mentioning of the name of these two distinguished
personages; therefore, it is better to be left unknown.
His honor Mr. ... must compose these two petitions in English with utmost
eloquence and perfect style. You, likewise, must translate them and
forward them here with the translations.
Upon thee be greeting and praise!
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Now I have found the opportunity to answer the petitions recently received
and forward them to you in this mail.
Regarding the subject of Persia: Praise be to God! she became the East of
the Sun of Truth in this age. The Light of Eternity dawned, the
Everlasting Glory unveiled her countenance and the Reality of the
Mercifulness became manifest. This is the prosperity of Persia.
Undoubtedly she will progress day by day under the shade of the Blessed
Tree until her illumination shall penetrate throughout the wide expanse of
the earth.
Regarding the question of the establishment of the National Assembly: This
National Assembly(224) will not bring any rapid results. Now some of the
agitators are harboring evil intentions and do not let agreement and union
be realized between the nations and the government. They are instigating
the hopeless ones at every moment and sending them to the British
Legation, while on the other hand they ask private assistance and
protection from the government so that they may procure wealth. Each and
all of the clergy are thinking in this line.
However, we have nothing to do with these proceedings and
counter-proceedings. We are commanded to quicken the souls, to train the
characters, to illumine the realm of man, to guide all the inhabitants of
the earth, to create concord and unity among all men and to lead the world
of humanity to the Fountain of the Everlasting Glory. The reformation of
one empire is not our aim; nay, rather we invoke from God that all the
regions of the world be reformed and cultivated; the republic of men
become the manifestors of the bounty of the most glorious Lord; the East
and the West be brought nearer together; and that Turk and Tajik, Iran and
America, India and Arabia, Japan and Persia, China and Germany; in brief,
all the nations and peoples of the world become as one soul and one
spirit, in order that strife and warfare be entirely removed and the
rancor and hostility disappear so that all become as the waves of one
ocean, the drops of one sea, the flowers of one rose-garden, the trees of
one orchard, the grains of one harvest and the plants of one meadow.
Regarding the statement that hath been given out as the saying of His
Majesty the Shah: This hath no connection whatever with the Bahais; nay,
rather it hath meant the Babis. Mirza Yahya, the son of Mirza Hadi of
Doulet Abad, and a few souls of Ezelis(225) who are living in Teheran and
were at one time secret friends of Jamal-ed-Din of Afghan, have allied
themselves with the party, which is working against the government, and is
engaged in the work of instigating and inciting the people. His Imperial
Majesty did mean these souls, that is, the Babis, not the Bahais. But it
is an established facts that the Bahais are the well-wishers of the nation
and the government; are showing forth obedience and displaying good
intentions; are not interfering in political matters; are engaged in the
education and spiritualization of characters and are occupied with the
training of the ignorant ones.
O thou who art firm in the Covenant! The general historical report about
the Cause of God in that country,(226) that thou hast forwarded to
Menshadi,(227) became very acceptable. Undoubtedly you must, every few
months, write a report about the general conditions and attitudes of the
Cause of God in America and forward it to Acca, so that we may send it to
Persia to be printed and spread among the people.
O thou yearning servant of the Beauty of Abha! In the time that all the
ulemas and sages, leaders, merchants and traders, nay, even the public
itself from the highest to the lowest have taken refuge in the British
Legation and began to complain and clamor that they are oppressed, His
Royal Highness Shoa-Us-Saltanah, the son of the Shah, cried in the
Assembly of Nobles: “These ulemas and Sheite leaders were always
stigmatizing the Bahais, saying, ‘They are the ill-wishers of the
government and the corruptors of nations!’ Now consider ye with the eye of
justice! Sixty years have rolled by and the Bahais have been the object of
the sword of affliction and the target of the arrows of oppression.
Thousands of houses have been destroyed, children became captives, women
became prisoners, property was pillaged and not even a small children
remained safe; yet, notwithstanding all of this, not one single Bahai took
refuge under the flag of a foreign power! Now these Sheites, though they
have always been treated with the utmost favor and benefit by the
government, yet without the slightest reason they went under the
protection of a foreign power and brought down such humiliation and
dishonor upon the nation and the government! If they presented primarily
their petitions to the government, their wishes would be complied with in
a better and more effective way. This is the difference between the
Sheites and the Bahais!”
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
I have received the eloquent article which thou hast written at the moment
of the arrival of the most great glad-tidings regarding the establishment
of the National Assembly and the organization of the constitutional and
judicial government of Persia according to the evident command of the Book
of Akdas, and the spontaneous joy and the genuine sympathy demonstrated by
the people of science and discernment in America at hearing this
soul-refreshing news, and the utmost happiness to the members of the
Legation. I read it and it became the cause of the utmost joy and
fragrance.
The Constitutional Government, according to the irrefutable text of the
Religion of God, is the cause of the glory and prosperity of the nation
and the civilization and freedom of the people. However, according to what
is known, the hands of the selfish leaders from among the ulemas
(Mohammedan clergy) are in this affair. Outwardly they are desiring the
establishment of the National Assembly and at every moment they are crying
and clamoring (for its immediate realization), but inwardly they are
sowing the seeds of corruption and agitation and try to put at naught the
noble intention of the government. In the secret of their hearts and souls
they do not favor the upbuilding of the National Assembly, the
civilization of Persia, the awakening of the people, the advancement of
the age, the spreading of knowledge and public instruction. Thieves like
to lurk in darkness; fishers desire disturbed water; the bat shuns the
rays of the sun; the black beetle dislikes the fragrance of the
rose-garden; the ferocious wolf is in expectation of the sleet and snow;
and the wine seller sees his advantage in the inebriate, irrational
drinker. These leaders of religion also desire to behold the nation thrown
into a weltering chaos of ignorance so that the rein of affairs remain in
the hands of the arrogant ulemas. They know that if the nation began to
adore wisdom, truthfulness, progression and fidelity, it would bring about
their (the ulemas) degradation.
However, rest ye assured upon the favor and bounty of His Highness the
Almighty; for the Imperial throne of Persia is confirmed and the Crown of
the Sovereignty of the East is protected,. Undoubtedly the noble purpose
of His Imperial Majesty will play an important role in the development of
Persia. May God help and send victory from the Supreme Kingdom, the
heavenly powers become supporters and the mercy and bestowal of His
Highness the Merciful One become the Helpers! Be ye engaged in prayer that
with the utmost good-pleasure the nation obey the government, comply with
the wise counsels of the attendants of the central dominion, give no
attention to the hearsay of the agitators and rise not to quarrel with and
to protest against the government like unto the Russian Douma, so as to
throw the whole empire, the nation and the kingdom into a sea of anarchy
and lawlessness. Much prayer is needed so that God may help and protect.
The marks of kindness that thou hast shown to his honor Mr. ... became
highly acceptable. You must treat the strangers, at all times, in this
manner and help, as far as possible, all the nations of the world.
O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Truly, I say, thou art firm and have
arisen to perform the conditions of firmness. This very matter of his
honor Mr. ... is a sign of wonder to all men and the greatest proof of the
power of the Word of God and the penetration of the servitude of
Abdul-Baha. As thou art walking in this road and art steadfast in this
path, know thou of a certainty that the assistance of Providence with
descend upon thee and the confirmation of the Kingdom unveil herself to
thee.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
An article in the Broadway Magazine of September, 1906, written by G. A.
Dobson and published in New York, was read. It is entitled, “The Strangest
Religion in New York.” Unquestionably, you get that magazine and read it.
The writer complains of the Ottoman government and its treatmet towards
the Bahai community. There is no doubt that this article will be read by
His Excellency the Turkish Minister or the members of the Legation. The
truth is that His Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan hath
exercised the utmost justice toward Abdul-Baha. Although the internal and
external enemies entered into an alliance, wrote reports full of pure
calumnies and baseless impositions, became themslves the complainers and
witnesses, a body of examiners came from Constantinople for the
investigation of the true situation and that committee of commissioners
became united with the outside and inside enemies, ratifying all the
impositions and adding to those some more important matters, yet His
Imperial Majesty Abdul Hamid Khan—may God assist him! —acted with
delilberation until it became known and evident that all these calumnies
were founded upon rancor and hositility. Therefore, he hath treated us,
until the present time, with the utmost justice and because of this
treatment we are exceedingly happy. If there were any other king beside
His Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan, he would exercise his
autority in another way in the face of these unjust imputations and the
conspiracies of the external and internal foes. Nevertheless, the justice
and equity of the Sultan prevented the attacks of the enemies and the
reports of the people of oppositions and falsehood from producing any
effect. Therefore, all the friends must pray from their hearts in behalf
of their Imperial Majesties the Padeshah of the Ottomans and the Shah of
Persia. As in these days His Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan is
in a state of illness and indisposition, therefore the believers of God,
in meetings and assemblages, in private and public, but invoke from the
Threshold of Oneness swift recovery for him. The friends and strangers
must know and realize that all the believers of God have the utmost love
for His Majesty the Padeshah of the Ottoman empire and that they are
entreating for him protection and confirmation.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
The International Congress of Religions was organized this year(228) in
the capital of Japan. Many souls hastened to that empire from different
parts of the world, in order that they might talk of and discuss the
principles of their own religions, each one longing to convert that
assembly to his own religion and establish the validity of his own
particular belief. This congress had under discussion the politics of the
religions., In truth, it is a political affair and not the attraction of
the heart, faith, advancement toward God nor enkindlement with the fire of
the love of God. This congress will not produce a lasting effect, for it
is essentially politico-religious. What is effective and conducive to the
penetration of the Word of God and the attraction of hearts is the
fragrances of holiness and the divine glad-tidings, which the members of
the congress do not in the least comprehend.
Consequently, if the believers of God go to that country—not to the
congress—and through the power of the Word of God, the breath of the Holy
Spirit, the reading of the verses of Oneness and associating with the
individual inhabitants of that kingdom, undoubtedly untold and tremendous
results will be realized and the sweet fragrance of the rose-garden of
mysteries will perfume the nostrils of the people of those regions. It is
significantly useful if some of the friends of God put forth and effort
and hasten from America to those parts (Japan).
O thou servant of God! Unquestionably, through the manifestation of the
Infinite Power in this glorious age, wonderful signs will appear in the
world and great changes are seen in the present and promised in the
future, for the Word of God is like unto the Spirit, and the contingent
world like unto the embryo in the womb of the mother. Through the power of
the Spirit such various changes and metamorphoses become apparent,
transforming them from one form to another. Especially in Persia, through
the power of the Word of God, wonderful signs will appear.
O thou servant of the True One! Though I had not the opportunity of
reading one line of the paper * * * yet I read it with the utmost
attention. Truly, I say, it was a superior paper and the details of the
reception of the two great ambassadors in the house of the favored and
attracted maid-servant of God, Miss ..., became known. Such receptions are
very acceptable and praiseworthy. You must all show forth the utmost
consideration to these two ambassadors, neither do ye fall short in
serving them in whatever manner possible.
It is very acceptable for you to present to them the excellent praises
which the Blessed Perfection hath made in behalf of these two governments,
the exhortations which He hath delivered for obedience to them and the
prayers He hath written for the confirmation and protection of His
Imperial Majesty the Shah. Likewise, the advices and recommendations that
this servant (Abdul-Baha, himself) hath written in Tablets to Persia and
America; also the irrefutable command that the Blessed Perfection hath
given in Tablets that the believers must obey the kings with the utmost
sincerity and fidelity, and He hath forbidden them to interfere at all
with political problems. He hath even prohibited the believers from
discussing political affairs.
Convey respectful greeting on my behalf to the favored maid-servant of
God, Miss ..., the the utmost kindness and announce to her: “These
services and self-sacrifices of thine in the Kingdom of God are
acceptable.”
O thou servant of the Blessed Perfection! Since I have found this paper
very eloquent, I send it to Persia.
O thou dear friend! I entreat from His Highness the Desired One that He
may grant divine confirmation to that illumined youth to such an extent
that he may become the main-spring of spiritual emotions in those regions.
Convey respectful greeting with the utmost longing to all the friends of
God on behalf of this servant.
“Thy letters were received. Although thou hast...”
Thy(229) letters were received. Although thou hast complained on account
of not receiving answers to the petitions of the people, yet thou hast no
right to do so, for the letters coming from those regions are like unto a
sea—who is able to answer all of them? Some of the letters are not
received and this is not the fault of the friends and, as the
administration of the post is not well organized, many letters are lost in
the mail. But to those letters which are received, God willing, no neglect
will be displayed so far as there is time to answer them.
Thou hast written regarding the formation of three gatherings for
spreading the Tablets; this is very acceptable.
Convey greeting on my behalf to the maid-servant of God, Miss .... I have
written two Tablets with my own hand to her so that she may realize that
her services are accepted. Likewise, I have written a Tablet to his honor
Mr. ..., with my own hand, so that he may known also that his endeavors
are praised.
Thou hast forwarded the copies of six letters addressed to thee form
different assemblies in America. I have not yet found time to read them,
but, God willing, I will read them. Rest thou assured.
I have not time at the present for more than this. Upon thee be greeting
and praise!
“O thou who are firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who are firm in the Covenant!
Thou has written regarding the articles and papers which are written by
the believers of God and the forwarding of them to this land for
correction. This servant, on account of the multitude of works and
occupations, hath no time whatever to attend to this matter. If this
articles are read in the spiritual assembly of each city in America and
the printing and spreading of them is advised and approved by the
assembly, it is acceptable. This permission is granted so that those souls
do not become disappointed and may be engaged in the composition and
printing of instructive papers. Mr. ... will arrive here and we will
discuss with him regarding this matter.
Say to Mr. ...: “If he writeth any article and the spiritual assembly of
Washington doth approve its circulation, the spreading will be of good
results.”
His honor ... hath not displayed the slightest shortcoming or omission in
forwarding the letters and papers to this land. Know ye this for a
certainty. Some of the letters have been received, but there hath not yet
been time to answer them; while on the other hand some of them are lost in
the mail. Whatever hath been received, its answer dependeth upon time and
opportunity.
But regarding the articles: These articles must be revised and corrected
by those souls who know the history of the Cause. If they approve their
circulation undoubtedly it will lead to the rapid promotion of the Cause.
For this servant hath no time whatever (to revise those articles).
Regarding the receipt of letters and their early acknowledgment: A new and
complete system is organized. God willing, it will become perfected and
put into execution.
O thou who are firm in the Covenant! Convey the longing greeting of this
servant to his honor Professor .... The association which he hath
organized is acceptable and beloved. God willing, he will become assisted
and the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha will descend. Today any soul
who is planted, like a tree, along the steam of this divine rose-garden,
will grow and develop through the infinite outpourings. For the rays of
the Sun of Truth will shine forth, the Divine Husbandman will irrigate and
the soul-refreshing breeze will waft from the direction of grace.
Consequently, that tree will find the utmost freshness and delicacy,
producing delicious fruits. Deliver to him the enclosed Tablet.
Thou hast written regarding his honor Mr. .... This personage is a
believer and assured; he is attracted, enkindled and of the utmost
sincerity. The believers of God must have the utmost consideration toward
him; they must not avoid him; they must seek his companionship in a
cheerful manner,. For this servant (Abdul-Baha) is intoxicated with the
wine of servitude and he is happy and joyful in the thralldom of God.
Therefore, all must declare and do whatever is the wish of his heart and
soul. The point is there: The believers must associate with Mr. ... with
joy and love.
Thou hast written regarding the reception at the Persian Legation and the
presence of the people of intelligence, His Excellency the Turkish
Minister, and the conversation of the attracted maid-servants of God, ...
and .... This news imparted the greatest joy and happiness.
“O heavenly one!...”
O heavenly one!
The maid-servant of God ... hath praised thee! I hope thou wilt acquire
great proficiency in writing literature, composition, eloquence of tongue
and fluency of speech, co-operating with the maid-servant of God in the
service of God, becoming an esteemed servant in the Threshold of Oneness
and partaking of a share of the heavenly gifts, and progressing day by day
until thou attain to the apex of the excellencies of this human world.
“O ye illumined friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
O ye(230) illumined friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful!
When the darkness of ignorance and heedlessness concerning the realm of
eternity and bereavement (or deprivation) from the True One had encircled
the universe, then the resplendent Luminary dawned and the brilliant Light
illumined the horizon of the East. Hence, the Sun of Realty shone forth,
scattering the sparkling lights of the Kingdom to the East and to the
West. Those who had seeing eyes found the Most Great Glad-Tidings, began
to cry the call, “O blessed are we! O blessed are we!”—and have beheld the
reality of things in themselves, have discovered the mysteries of the
Kingdom, were released from superstition and doubts, perceived the lights
of Truth and became so intoxicated with the cup of the love of God, that,
wholly forgetting themselves and the world while dancing, they ran with
utmost joy and ecstasy to the city of Martyrdom, sacrificing their minds
and their lives upon the altar of Love.
But those who were blinded became astonished and on account of these
joyous acclamation were bewildered and beginning to cry, “Where is the
light?” and said, “We do not behold any light, we do not see any rising
sun! It is void of any truth! This is pure imagination!”
However, they have hastened bat-like in the darkness below the ground, and
according to their own thoughts they have found a little comfort and
tranquility. Nevertheless, it is yet the early dawn and the strength of
the heat and the rays of the Sun of Truth have not yet made their torrid
and complete impression. When it reacheth the zenith, the heat will
interpenetrate with such great intensity that it will move and spur to the
greatest velocity even the insects below the earth. Alhtough they are not
able to behold the light, yet the penetration of the heat will move and
agitate all of them.
Consequently, O ye friends of God, be ye thankful that in the Day of the
Effulgence ye have turned your faces to the Orb of the regions and beheld
the Lights! Ye have received a portion from the rays of Truth and are
endowed with a share from the Everlasting Outpouring. Therefore, ye must
not rest one minute, but thank Him for this bestowal.
Be ye not seated and silent! Diffuse the glad-tidings of the Kingdom far
and wide to the ears, promulgate the Word of God, and put into practice
the advices and covenants of God; that is, arise ye with such qualities
and attributes that ye may continually bestow life to the body of the
world, and nurse the infants of the universe up to the station of maturity
and perfection. Enkindle with all your might in every meeting the light of
the love of God, gladden and cheer every heart with the utmost
loving-kindness, show forth your love to the strangers just as you show
forth to your relations. If a soul is seeking to quarrel, ask ye for
reconciliation; if he blame ye, praise [him]; if he give you a deadly
poison, bestow ye an all-healing antidote; if he createth death,
administer ye eternal life; if he becometh a thorn, change ye into roses
and hyacinths. Perchance, though such deeds and words, this darkened world
will become illuminated, this terrestrial universe will become transformed
into a heavenly realm, and this satanic prison become a divine court;
warfare and bloodshed be annihilated, and love and faithfulness hoist the
tent of unity upon the apex of the world.
These are the results of the divine advices and exhortations, and the
epitome of the teachings of the Bahai Cycle.
“O thou who art advanced toward the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art advanced toward the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received and its contents created joy, for it showed thy
faith and assurance. Thou hast written that they have expelled thee from
the church and thy friends are manifesting aversion toward thee. This is
the beginning of thy trials. There are greater trials than these.
Therefore, be thou not sad, nay rather, be thou happy and full of
glad-tidings. There is no harm done if they have expelled thee from the
church. Thou hast stepped into the Kingdom of God. Thou hast entered into
the Heavenly Jerusalem and discovered the Way to the Holy of Holies of the
Kingdom. That church is of stone and cement, whereas this Holy of Holies
is of overwhelming Light.
But the more the tormenting friends shun thee, go thou the nearer to them.
The more they deride and blame thee, show thou forth the greater love and
affection. Do not look upon their shortcomings. Look thou upon all of them
as the people of God and endeavor thou in right-doing and well-meaning.
Ignorant are they; understand they do not. Therefore they are avoiding,
criticizing and scorning thee.
Do not pursue thy friend, ...; leave him to himself.
In the time of invocation to God, I remember thee and supplicate and
entreat Him to confirm thee and assist thee in the service of His holy
vineyard.
“O thou yearner after the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou yearner after the Kingdom of God!
The maid-servant of God, Aseyeh, hath mentioned thy name in her letter,
praising and commending thee. Likewise thy letter was received. I was
exceedingly happy on account of the love of the maid-servant of God,
Aseyeh, for thee. The advent of the prophets and the revelation of the
Holy Books is intended to create love between souls and friendship between
the inhabitants of the earth. Real love is impossible unless one turn his
face towards God and be attracted to His Beauty. The maid-servants of the
Merciful should love each other with heart and soul; for though there be
many bodies, the spirit of the faith is one and the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit is universal. There is one Light but many lamps; there is one Wine
but the glasses differ. So thou shouldst love with all thy heart and soul
the maid-servants of the Merciful and associate with them in utmost
affection in order that thou mayest realize divine happiness and behold
the outpouring of mercy.
I beseech God that heavenly blessings may descend upon thee, guiding thy
relatives, adding day by day to thy joy and happiness, so that thou mayest
become a heavenly herald, leading others to the Light of Truth.
“O thou attracted maid-servant of God!...”
O thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Its contents were redolent with spiritual
emotion. Praise be unto God! who hath created sanctified souls, illumining
them with the reflections of the Sun of Truth, and raising certain persons
for the service of the Kingdom and gardening in the divine orchard. I hope
thou wilt become a fruitful tree producing sweet fruits. Trust thou in the
bounties of God and engage thyself in His service.
Praise be to God! that thou feelest progress in the luminous realm through
divine love. This very fact denotes that, God willing, thou art to be a
fruitful tree; nay, rather, thou wilt become a rose-garden of the
hyacinths(231) of realities and significances. Supplicate God that thou
mayest become so. Verily this is not impossible for God to fulfill!
“O ye two dear maid-servants of God!...”
O ye two dear maid-servants of God!
Your longing to visit the Sacred Soil(232) is expressed and evident and
your presence will be a source of pleasure to me.
But the best of meetings is the spiritual meeting; for in these days
visits to these regions are accomplished with difficulty.
I ask God that the spiritual meeting become realized so that the illumined
bounty may prevail, the inner susceptibilities may be awakened and the
eternal meeting in the Kingdom of God may be attained.
“O ye two dear maid-servants of God!...”
O ye two(233) dear maid-servants of God!
Man must prove whatsoever he speaketh by deeds and actions. If he claim
faith, he must live and do according to the teachings of the Kingdom of
Abha.
Praise be to God! you have proved your words by deeds, were confirmed by
divine strength and have gathered together the Bahai children in the morn
and taught them communion (prayers). This deed is very acceptable and the
joy of hearts, that children gather every morn and turn to the Kingdom,
mention God and commune in the utmost of sweetness and bounty.
Those children are like plants and this teaching and praying as rain which
gives freshness and delicacy and as the zephyr of the love of God which
revives.
Blessed are ye and good is your end!
“Say to [Dr.] ... that “he studied physical...”
Say(234) to [Dr.] ... that “he studied physical medicine and he cured
physical diseases. I beg of God that he may become a spiritual physician
and heal the sickness of the ignorant ones.”
“Convey my respectful greetings to [Dr.] ......”
Convey my respectful greetings to [Dr.] ... and say: “Have confidence in
heavenly bounty and be sure of the favor of the Lord of the Kingdom. Soon
thou shalt see that the East hath embraced the West and that the Occident
and Orient are attracted to each other. They will become as one soul, one
heart and one body.”
“Express my affection to Mrs. ... and say:...”
Express my affection to Mrs. ... and say: “The grace of God hath chosen
thee and distinguished thee for His love, that thou mayest thank Him, a
thousand times in every moment. Because of this bounty, you must choose to
serve the maid-servants of the Merciful.”
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
Thou wert an extinguished candle; now—praise be to God! —thou art ignited;
silent wert thou, but how thou hast become a speaker, a seer, a hearer,
living and endowed with eternal life.!
Today, any soul who looseneth his tongue in the delivery of Truth and is
engaged in the diffusion of the fragrances of God, he shall undoubtedly be
assisted and confirmed by the Holy Spirit and can resist the attacks of
all the people of the world, [for the] power of the Realm of Might shall
prevail. That is why thou seest that, although the disciples of Christ
were physically weak and apparently vanquished by the persecution of every
king, yet in the end were victorious over all and brought them under their
protection.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast written of the organization of an
assembly in that city. Look not at the small number; nay, rather seek the
pure hearts. One holy soul is better than one thousand other souls. If a
few souls gather together in a beloved meeting with the feelings of the
Kingdom, with the divine attractions, with pure hearts and with absolute
purity and holiness, to consort in spirit and fragrance, that gathering
will have its effect upon all the world. The conditions, the words and the
deeds of that gathering will lead a world to eternal happiness and will be
an evidence of the favors of the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit will strengthen
them and the hosts of the Supreme Concourse will render them victorious
and the angels of Abha will come in succession. By angels is meant the
divine confirmations and heavenly powers. Angels are also those holy souls
who have severed attachment to the earthly world, who are free from the
fetters of self and passion and who have attached their hearts to the
Divine Realm and the Merciful Kingdom. They are of the Kingdom, heavenly;
they are of the Merciful One, divine. They are the manifestations of the
divine grace and the dawns of spiritual bounty.
O maid-servant of God! Thank God! Thy dear husband inhaled a breath of the
rose-garden of the Kingdom. Now thou must draw him nearer daily through
the love of God and good conduct.
The San Francisco(235) occurrences were great. Such events ought to awaken
people and they should attach themselves less to the mortal world; for the
earthly world hath such painful experiences and offers such cups from the
bitter wine.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter and that of thy revered daughter were received last year, but
the storm of trials was so severe as to hinder the writing of the answers.
You will certainly excuse. But I have implored and supplicated the Kingdom
of Abha for you and have sought help and grace (in your behalf). Thus may
your hearts be set aglow with the fire of the love of God and [may it]
burn away the self-life. Night and day may you serve the divine garden,
endeavor to promulgate the lights of the knowledge of God, attract souls
and set aglow the hearts. I am hopeful that thus will ye do. If ye reach
this most glorious and sublime station, ye will receive congratulative
letters from the Kingdom of Abha.
“O thou confident leaf!...”
O thou confident leaf!
Thank thou God that thou hast been guided by the light of guidance and
illumined by the brilliance of the Supreme Concourse, kindled by the fire
of the love of God and hath directed thyself to His Kingdom, partook of
the heavenly table and enjoyed the fruits of the Tree of Life!
Thou hast been confirmed in serving those who are nigh unto the divine
household. Thou hast been cut from aught else save God and hast been made
a maid-servant for the men of God(236) .
This is now servitude by sovereignty, and this is not service but
chieftanship and greatness! This is the garment of everlasting glory with
which thou hast clothed thyself, and this is the rose of eternal
exaltation with which thou hast adorned thy head. It is said in the New
Testament: “Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”
In short, thou shouldst thank God a hundred-thousand times for having been
confirmed and strengthened in obtaining such a great gift! Know thou the
value thereof and consider that its price is highly appraised.
“O ye two advancers towards the Kingdom of God!...”
O ye two(237) advancers towards the Kingdom of God!
I supplicate God that ye may be enkindled, like unto two candles, with the
light of the love of God; that [your children] may be educated under the
shadow of the Tree of Life; that all the family may discover the way to
the temple of the Lord and gather in the Kingdom of Abha.
You have written that the Cause of God is progressing in that city.
Through the showers of the glad-tidings of the Cause of God a small
mustard seed hath become a fruitful spreading tree—its roots in the hearts
of the people. I pray, also, that God may in such wise cultivate and
nurture that Tree that it cast its shadow over that vast and great
country, distributing to all the fruits of divine knowledge and eternal
life.
O ye two lovers of the Beauty of Abha! Ere long the Word of God will
display a wonderful influence and finally that region (America) will
become the paradise of Abha. Consequently, strive ye bravely that this aim
may be accomplished in the near future. Striving means this: Ye must live
and move according to the divine commands and behests, be united in loving
with ecstasy and joy; do not take any rest but engage continually in the
service of the Cause of God.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
What thou hast written was subjected to my consideration and I was
informed of the contents. if thou seekest to be intoxicated with the Cup
of the Most Mighty Gift, cut thyself from the world and be quit of self
and desire. Exert thyself night and day until spiritual powers may
penetrate thy heart and soul. Abandon the body and the material, until the
merciful powers may become manifest; because not until the soil is become
pure will it develop through the heavenly bounty; not until the heart is
purified, will the radiance of the Sun of Truth shine therein. I beg of
God that thou wilt day by day increase the purity of thy heart, and
cheerfulness of thy soul, the light of thy insight and the search for
Truth.
“O thou honorable one!...”
O thou honorable one!
Thank thou God that that art instructed in music and melody, singing with
pleasant voice the glorification and praise of the Eternal, the Living. I
pray to God that thou mayest employ this talent in prayer and
supplication, in order that the souls may become quickened, the hearts may
become attracted and all may become inflamed with the fire of the love of
God!
“O thou seeker after Truth!...”
O thou seeker after Truth!
The question of the Trinity, since the time of His Holiness Christ until
now, is the belief of the Christians, and to the present time all the
learned among them are perplexed and confounded. All have confessed that
the question is beyond the grasp of reason, for three cannot become one,
nor one three. To unite these is impossible; it is either one or three. If
we say the Essence of Divinity is divided, even in some aspects, division
is one of the necessities of the contingent world and of generation, but
the Ancient is holy (i.e., whole and indivisible). If we say that the
Trinity was originally one and was later divided, change and
transformation will be necessarily applied to the Essence of Oneness, and
change and transformation are necessities of the contingent world and not
of the Essence of Divinity. If we say this number is Ancient, three
Ancients become necessary, and among the three some are distinguished
which are also Ancients. In this wise five Ancients are the result, and
among the five are those who are distinguished and thus nine Ancients
become necessary, and so on ad infinitium.
Thus considered, Trinity is made a necessity, although the falsity of
Trinity is evident. Furthermore, the signs of oneness are evident and
plain in all existence. If thou shouldst gather all existent beings, thou
wouldst be unable to find two alike in all states and qualities; of
necessity there is a difference. Thus the signs of oneness are manifest
and evident in all things. How much more is the Creator of all things!
But there are, in the Gospels, clear expressions indicative of Trinity;
among them: “The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father.” As
Christians did not understand the meaning of this expression, their
thoughts were scattered.
The reality of this question is as follows: Divine Oneness is proven and
He revealeth Himself in the Holy Essences. The sun is one sun but
manifesteth itself in different mirrors. If thou lookest into the mirror
and seest the manifestation of the sun, thou wilt way, the sun is in the
mirror and this sun manifest in the mirror is the same sun of the heavens;
although two suns, yet in reality they are one. The sun hath not descended
from its high and lofty station, it hath not taken up its abode in this
mirror, but hath manifested itself therein.
The Christ reality was like unto a pure mirror and the Sun of Reality
shone upon it from the Holy Horizon. Therefore, it bcame evident that the
sun is one with regard to reality but manifesting itself in all mirrors.
This question was explained in full for Miss ..., who translated it upon
paper. Thou wilt soon learn thereof(238) . This difficult question in its
entirety was elucidated, explained and proven.
“O thou yearner after the Truth!...”
O thou yearner after the Truth!
The Supper of the Lord which His Highness the Spirit (Christ) ate with the
apostles was a heavenly supper and not one of material bread and water,
for material objects have no connection with spiritual objects. As at that
time material food was also present, therefore the leaders of the religion
of Christ thought that it was material food which was changed into
spiritual food.
The proof that it was not material food is this: The apostles upon many
occasions partook of material food with His Highness Christ, yet the
supper of that night became designated as the “Lord’s Supper.” From this
designation it is plain and evident that they ate heavenly food at that
supper. That heavenly food consisted of the love of God, the knowledge of
God, the mysteries of God and the bestowal of God.
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
O thou seeker of Truth!
The Lord of Hosts became manifest to Moses and the children of Israel in a
pillar of fire, and appeared to Christ in the fire of the love of God.
This is that of which it is said in the Gospel: One must be baptized with
fire and spirit.
Now the lights of the divine bounties of the fire of the love of God have
shone forth in the word and letters. That is, the words and letters are
similar to a mirror, and the Sun of Truth and the Rays of Significances
have become manifest and shone forth in these mirrors of words and
letters.
Seek thou from God that thy heart may be as one of these letters, until
the Eternal Bounty may cast a ray of splendor therein.
Pay attention minutely and cogitate, until thou mayest apprehend the
meaning of this explanation and advance day by day, like unto thy dear
mother.
“O thou that mirror in which the Light of Guidance is printed!...”
O thou that mirror in which the Light of Guidance is printed!
I was informed of thy prayer, thy supplication and thy beseeching. Know
thou verily:
My throne is my mat!
My glorious crown in my servitude toward God!
My standard is the commemoration of my Lord!
My hosts are the knowledge of my Master!
My sword is the guidance of God!
My dominion is my humility, my submissiveness, my lowliness, my abasement,
my supplication and my beseeching unto God—this is that permanent reign
which no one is able to dispute, gainsay or usurp!
I beg God to cause thee to be one of the pillars of this divine reign,
that thou mayest abundantly partake of this joy and gladness, and I invoke
God that He may register thy name in the published Tablet, in the pages of
the Kingdom of God. I beg God to cause thy kinsmen (those who are near and
dear to thee) to attain that which thou hast attained, to drink from that
Cup wherefrom thou art exhilarated, to brighten their eyes through that
Light whereby thine eyes were brightened and to cause them to hearken to
that Call whereby thine ears were delighted; and that He may make you
assemble under the shadow of the Tree of the Testament, and cause you to
be of the hosts of His Kingdom, that ye may conquer the East of that
region as well as its West, through the sword of peace and the weapons of
love, union and agreement, and that He may make thee to be a server in His
blessed Olive Garden, and in his El-Abha (i.e., Most Glorious) Paradise,
and in His Holy Garden of the Supreme Kingdom.
“O thou who art always calling on God!...”
O thou who art always calling on God!
Thank thou God for He hath guided thee to the path of His Kingdom and
provided thee with the fruit of the Tree of Life, which is planted in the
middle of the Ferdowee (i.e., the highest Paradise). Yea, this fruit is
the knowing God and love for God, and reliance upon God and is the virtue
with which the reality of man is adorned, and it is the perfections which
are the great gift for the children of Adam (i.e., mankind) in this first
creation.
Verily, I beg of God to bestow upon thee and thy relatives the blessing of
His clemency and to assign for thee and for them everlasting glory and
eternal life in the visible world and in the Kingdom.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ..., hath greatly praised thee; she
hath given in words her thankfulness, for thou hast guided her to the
Kingdom of her great Lord.
Verily, I say unto thee, this is better for thee than to possess the
treasures of the world, because by this means thou wilt be drawn nigh to
the Kingdom of God and the protection of the Merciful One will always
possess thee.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Beloved art thou, for thou hast lighted the lamp of the love of God in the
glass of America, called out in His Name among the people and guided them
to the Kingdom of El-Abha.
O maid-servant of God! Fly away with joy, for God hath strengthened thee
in this great gift, which is a glorious crown, the gems of which are
scintillating with the light of guidance. Blessed is thy head for it is
decorated with this crown. Verily, this is better for thee than the
dominion of the world!
“O thou who art calling in the cities, the bearer of the...”
O thou who art calling in the cities, the bearer of the Gospel of the
Kingdom of God!
Verily, I read thy wonderful and eloquent letter, which proved thy being
attracted by the utterances (or fragrances) of God, in the new day and
glorious century.
I praised God for the spreading of His fragrances in those regions and for
the display of His manifest signs.
Thank thou God for that He revived thee by the Spirit of Life and awakened
thee by the life-giving breeze, which is emanating for the people of the
world.
I ask God to make thee a lamp shining and illuminating in the assemblies
of knowledge, that thou shine forth by the lights of love and peace among
the maid-servants of God, the Merciful.
O maid-servant of God! Be a caller to universal peace, a standard of love
among the people, a spreader of the spirit of concord and union among
nations and sects, an utterer of exhortations, a demonstrator of the
proofs of the appearance of the Kingdom of God, by a power whereby the
hearts of the chosen ones become attracted, confirmed by a might whereto
the necks of the proud men bow and those of great people are humbled.
Take hold of the hem of the Garment of God and preach the Kingdom of God
and baptize the spirits by the fragrances of God which have perfumed the
horizons.
Verily, I say unto thee that this holy fragrance is the Water of Life, the
Fire of the Lord which hath flamed in the Tree of Sinai and the Spirit of
Life which reviveth the dead.
We send thee herewith answers to the letters thou sent us. This is on
account of my utmost love for thee, my great kindness to thee and my
extreme sympathy for thee. Thank thou God for this great favor.
“O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!...”
O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I read thy long letter and was informed of thy visions, which art
for whosoever follows the path of the Kingdom of God.
These visions repeat themselves, pass away, and appear to the human sight
every instant; but the matter which hath stability and upon which
confidence is laid, is the bounty of the Kingdom of God and the Center of
Lights.
As to the zodiac of the stations of the Sun of Truth, it is the station of
the attainment of the mystery of sacrifice, whereupon the lights of love,
harmony and salvation shine forth and the manifestation of firmness dawns,
in a cause unendurable by the lofty mountains.
I ask God to confirm thee therein and to make thee a sign of salvation, a
banner of progress, a spreader of the fragrances of God and a caller in
the Name of God.
Shouldst thou make firm thy feet in the love of God and hold steadfast to
the Great Cause, God will reveal unto thee mysteries unheard by the ears
and incomprehensible by the intellects.
As to thy question regarding the meeting of trinity, it is incumbent on
thee to make it a meeting of unity, an exposition of the mysteries of
singleness, the elevation of the standard of universal love, the spreading
of the knowledge of thy Merciful Lord, the guidance of the souls unto the
path of the Kingdom of God, the animation of the hearts by the spirit of
the love of God, and the purification of the eyes by the light of the
knowledge of God.
Verily, I pray God to confirm thee in lighting the lamp of God’s love in
the hearts and spirits. It is incumbent on thee to organize a spiritual
assembly in that city, wherein the mysteries of the Kingdom of thy Lord be
spread and this wondrous Manifestation promulgated.
This is beneficial for thee both in the world and in the Kingdom, and all
else vanisheth away.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
I have read thy recent letter and noted its beautiful contents.
I thank God that He hath opened thy sight for thee, unfolded to thee His
word of love and chosen thee from among women.
Thus thou responded to the call, east attracted to the lights of the
Kingdom of the Lord of Manifest Signs, proclaimed the Truth and called in
the Name of the Lord of the high heaven.
O maid-servant of God! This day is not a day of seclusion and solitude,
but a day of proclaiming the manifestation of the light of the Beauty of
thy Supreme Lord.
Therefore, abandon silence and seclusion and solitary nooks and go forth
into the arena of explanation. Convey the Message of thy Lord with
clearest speech and most complete elucidation. This is better for thee
than solitude.
The season of seclusion in quiet nooks is the season of winter when the
cold and the winds increase. But during the spring, the wafting of gentle
breezes, the passing of fragrances from the rose, the state of equilibrium
in the atmosphere and the green hue of valleys and prairies, it is best
for man to leave solitude and enjoy out-of-door blessings. Thus be thou
happy in the commemoration of thy Lord.
Go out from the solitary place like unto a shining star blazing on its
horizon. This is better for thee in the Kingdom of the Lord of the worlds.
Thus, hearken unto the melodies of the birds of holiness, in the garden of
fellowship, upon the branches of purity; to the murmuring of its waters,
the rustling of the trees, the blowing of its breezes and the cooing of
its doves.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
The Divine Providence hath chosen thee, made thee the object of favors and
guided thee to the Heavenly Father. He bestowed upon thee the eternal
outpouring and granted thee the life everlasting.
I hope that thou shalt discover the hidden significances of divine verses,
and through the bounty of the Almighty, thou mayest become informed of the
concealed mystery and recondite symbol of the stone of the Most Great
Name(239) . These mysteries can neither be written nor uttered. Whenever
the eye of insight is opened, the reality of meanings is understood.
In reality, all the souls are silent and speechless, but be thou a a
speaker. God willing, thou wilt become such.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Mr. ... hath greatly praised thee that—praise be to God! —thou art like
unto a melodious nightingale, singing and warbling in the rose-garden of
the love of God, and art uttering of the mystery of the Kingdom; that thy
house and dwelling is a meeting-place of the spiritual ones and thy nest
and abode is a shelter for the birds of heaven. Nothing is better than
that man should become a manifestor of the powers of God and the cause of
illuminating the creatures.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received. From its contents it became known that thou hast
turned thy face toward His Highness, the Merciful One, after the reading
of the Book of Ighan(240), and hast become a new creation.
I trust in the favor of the True One, that thy sisters and brothers may
likewise attain, and that thou mayest become confirmed with the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit, in order that thou mayest be the cause of
teaching many souls, and guide every person with whom thou hast
association and intercourse.
I ask from God that thou mayest be the cause of the awakening and
mindfulness of thy father and mother, and that many of thy friends may
rend asunder the veils of superstition and behold the Light of Truth.
O thou advancer toward the Kingdom! Endeavor thou day by day to increase
thy yearning and attraction, so that the attitude of supplication and
prayer may be realized more often.
If we do not meet in this physical word, I ask from God that we may meet
in the realm of vision, and that day by day the revelation of the Kingdom
may become greater. ***
Convey my respectful greeting to Mr. ... I hope that he will become
confirmed and assisted in his voyage to India; and that the power of the
Word of God will penetrate in such wise in those parts (India) that Mr.
... himself will stand astonished and add to his faith and assurance.
“O thou tree planted in the Garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou tree planted in the Garden of the Love of God!
Although thou art absent in body, yet, praise God! thou art present in
spirit and art illuminated by the lights of the Divine Love. Thou must
develop day by day and become more rejoiced than before through the
fragrances of the Holy Spirit and illumine the hearts of others by the
light of the love of God. I ask God to confirm thee in the service of the
Threshold of God and to strengthen thee in His servitude, like unto
Abdul-Baha. Thus thou mayest be thrilled with the ecstasy of the wine of
the Covenant and give a drink thereof unto the world.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was read. The doors of the Kingdom are open and the bounty of
God is like unto spring rain. Although the signs of material bounty are
great, yet the true bounty is that of heaven, spiritual, which gives life
eternal. Follow this and thy heart will become as beautiful as a garden,
thine eyes bright, thy spirit happy and thy thought a comfort to souls.
Be a well-wisher of humanity and a servant of mankind. Thus the strength
of the Kingdom will uphold thee and the avenues of revelation open to
thee. Because today every servant is served and is an honorable lord and
every maid-servant the queen of horizons. Grow in humility and meekness
daily, until thou attainest eternal glory and everlasting grace.
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was received. In reality thou art spiritually hungry and
athirst for the Water of Life. Therefore I send to thee spiritual food and
bestow upon thee the Water of Life Eternal. That food is the divine
advices and exhortations revealed in the Tablets and the spiritual
outpourings of the breath of the Holy Spirit. I hope ere long it will
reach thee and thou wilt behold what an exhilaration and beatitude it
produceth and what cheerfulness and serenity and what heavenly emotions it
createth.
Educate and train thou that dear child with the utmost perseverance.
“O thou yearning one!...”
O thou yearning one!
Be thou a physician to every sick one and teach thou every ignorant one;
that is, show thou to others the way of the Kingdom and guide them to life
eternal.
Praise be to God! I became known and revealed myself to thee in the world
of vision and instructed thee in the search of Truth. Seek thou the light
of God, relate thou the mysteries of the True One and walk thou in the
path of the Kingdom, so that thou mayest behold wonderful signs and
observe universal confirmations.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily I am in receipt of thy last letter which indicateth thy exceeding
love for Abdul-Baha, thy confidence in God, and thy good and sincere
intention in the service of the Cause of God.
Excellent is the statement given by thee in that precious letter—that ye
are in need of love and affinity in that country to unite the hearts and
spirits.
This is the truth and there is naught beyond the truth save error. Know
thou assuredly that—
Love is the mystery of divine revelations!
Love is the effulgent manifestation!
Love is the spiritual fulfillment!
Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit inspired into the human spirit!
Love is the cause of the manifestation of the Truth (God) in the
phenomenal world!
Love is the necessary tie proceeding from the realities of things through
divine creation!
Love is the means of the most great happiness in both the material and
spiritual worlds!
Love is a light of guidance in the dark night!
Love is the bond between the Creator and the creature in the inner world!
Love is the cause of development to every enlightened man!
Love is the greatest law in this vast universe of God!
Love is the one law which causeth and controleth order among the existing
atoms!
Love is the universal magnetic power between the planets and stars shining
in the loft firmament!
Love is the cause of unfoldment to a searching mind, of the secrets
deposited in the universe by the Infinite!
Love is the spirit of life in the bountiful body of the world!
Love is the cause of the civilization of nations in this mortal world!
Love is the highest honor to every righteous nation!
The people who are confirmed therein are indeed glorified by the Supreme
Concourse, the angels of heaven and the dwellers of the Kingdom of
El-Abha! But if the hearts of the people become devoid of the Divine
Grace—the Love of God—they wander in the desert of ignorance, descend to
the depths of ruin and fall to the abyss of despair where there is no
refuge! They are like insects living in the lowest plane.
O beloved of God! Be ye the manifestations of God and the lamps of
guidance throughout all regions shining with the light of love and union!
How beautiful the effulgence of this light!
O my friend! Let this letter be spread among the beloved in America, that
they may agree, unite and love one another; nay, rather that they should
love all the people, and (be willing to) sacrifice even their lives for
one another.
This is the Path of El-Baha!
This is the Religion of El-Baha!
This is the Law of El-Baha!
He who hath not this hath no portion with El-Baha!
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
I ask from the favors of the Sun of Truth the splendors of the eternal
outpouring for thee; I beg everlasting glory and desire for thee and thy
family divine gifts, so that all of you may become united and harmonized,
rest under the shade of the Tree of Life, and become eternal and
established in the Kingdom of Being.
“O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!
I was informed of the contents of thy excellent letter and supplicated the
Holy Threshold, the Circuit of the Supreme Concourse, to baptize thee with
the water of knowledge and the fire of the love of God and to make thee a
perfect and faithful servant in His Great Vineyard, so that thou mayest
water the trees of the love of God in the Paradise of Abha; and to make
thee a sign of meekness and humbleness among the maid-servants of God and
a promulgator of His Cause in those vast and extensive regions.
“O thou pure soul who hath turned with a submissive...”
O thou pure soul(241) who hath turned with a submissive heart to the
Kingdom of God!
Turn thy face to the Assembly of the Covenant and [hear him] say:
“Salutations and praise be upon you, the fragrances of God be upon you!
for that by reason of which ye have awakened from your sleep, arisen from
your negligence and heedlessness, aroused from your couches, relied upon
your Creator, depended upon your Maker and been kindled with the fire
burning in the Spirit on Mt. Sinai and in the Heart of Mt. Paran —from
this conflagration shall appear dazzling lights, which shall shine upon
all regions.
“Consider the first century of the time of Christ—glory be unto Him! —and
the beginning of His Cause. In that time no one but a certain few persons
believed in Him; and the great one among them was Peter the disciple, who,
through the burning of the fire of test and persecution, was in great fear
and denied Christ three times; then the Jews who were scoffing,
persecuting, deriding and laughing at Him, despised Him as through He were
a thief, a murderer, or a villain, and committed against Him that which
made the hearts lament, distressed the minds, caused tears to flow and the
foundations of existence to tremble and shake! They thought that they had
quenched the Fire which flamed in the tree of Christian certainty; nay,
verily, that Lamp hath diffused its dazzling rays unto the Supreme Height
and that Fire hath burned until it kindled the hearts of the righteous!”
“Then consider this day, and the day of His existence among those
people—how they crowned Him with a diadem of thorns and now how thousands
of people adorn their heads in His name, with the Most Brilliant Gem,
glittering to the sight! Woe, woe unto the like of such heedless people!
Alas for the souls, because of what they have committed against the Word
of God in the day of His Appearance—and today they worship the dust which
the feet of His Beloved have trod! Such is the condition of the people.
Abandon them and let them play until they fall in abasement and loss!
“But as to you, O ye beloved of God, let your breasts be dilated with joy
for that by reason of which ye have attained unto the Day of God, entered
the Kingdom of God, and tasted the food of Knowledge which hath descended
from Heaven!”
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was read; its contents had bearing upon Guidance. Praise be to
God! thou possessed a perceiving eye and an attentive ear! Now is the time
for thee to give thanks to God with an expressive tongue; to appreciate
this bounty.
Consider in what a great age thou hast stepped into the world of existence
and under the shadow of what an Ensign of Guidance thou wert sheltered and
attained the hope and greatest desire of the saints!
If thou dost arise to comply with that which is deemed worthy of this
favor and is a duty, thou shalt observe that this Guidance is the crown of
eternal sovereignty and this attainment is everlasting glory, happiness
and the means of the forgiveness of sins and the lamp of eternal life in
the Kingdom of Heaven.
“O thou who art witnessing the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art witnessing the Light of Guidance!
Verily I read thy excellent letter and praised God, for He hath removed
the veil (from thy sight), caused the light of guidance to appear, filled
for thee the cup of bestowal and directed thee to His Kingdom.
I supplicate God to increase thy faith, to encircle thee with the lights
of the Kingdom, and to guide thy thirsting and craving sons to the
Fountain-head of Mercifulness. And (I beg of Him) to enable thee
“III-530...”
III-530 to teach His truth, to deliver His Cause, to promote His Word, and
to train the souls whom superstitions have veiled from witnessing the
lights of the Bounty of these days.
O maid-servant of God! Be filled with joy, so that thine eyes may be
overflowing with tears of happiness and beatitude, and beseech thou God to
remove the veil from the face of your sons so that they may find a
spiritual understanding of the existence of God and may know how the human
soul can receive bounty from the divine Spirit.
“O thou kind maid-servant of God!...”
O thou kind maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was like a perfumed nosegay and from that nosegay the fragrance
of faith and assurance was inhaled. Well done! Well done! that thou hast
turned thy face toward the invisible Kingdom. Excellent! Excellent that
thou art attracted to the Beauty of His Highness the Almighty! Well done!
Well done! How happy thou art that thou hast attained to his Most Great
Gift!
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thank thou God that thou hast stepped into the arena of existence in such
a blessed Age and hast opened thine ears and thine eyes in such a Promised
Day. The Splendor of the Sun of Truth thou hast beheld and the divine Call
thou hast heard. To thine ultimate desire thou hast attained and from the
sweetness of the love of God thou hast tasted. Consequently, supplicate
ardently for spiritual attraction and ecstacy.
O thou beloved maid-servant of God! If thou art not seeing dreams (and
visions), be thou not sad. Thou are going to see, whilst thou art awake. A
wakeful eye is acceptable in the Threshold of the Almighty. Therefore, I
hope that thou wilt open the eye of thine insight, travel in all the
realms of God, see the splendor of the Kingdom and behold the effulgence
of the Realm of Might.
Show thou forth love and kindness on my behalf toward thy dear husband and
convey to him longing greeting. I supplicate from God in his behalf, and
invoke assistance and confirmation for you both.
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye(242) friends of Abdul-Baha!
His honor Mr. ... wrote a letter and in that letter he mentioned your
names, asking divine favor on your behalf. While reading your names I
opened my tongue in thanksgiving in the Threshold of Oneness, that he hath
granted such favor and bestowed such providence. He guided the souls and
pointed out to them the entrance to the Kingdom. Such confirmation
deserveth thanks and praise, and such guidance is the most great bounty of
His Highness the One.
Likewise, you must be engaged day and night, with all your soul and heart,
in thanksgiving and the glorification of His Highness the Desired One who
hath created you in such a glorious period, made you the manifestors of
guidance in the Day of the Lord, imparted to you the insight and enkindled
your souls and spirits with the fire of love. Today the grandeur, the
majesty, the splendor and the magnitude of this station is not clear and
manifest because it is the time of seed-sowing and the beginning of the
planting of trees in the orchard of the Merciful One. When that seed is
grown and the tree reacheth the time of its fruition, then many harvests
shall be gathered and all regions and kingdoms shall be adorned with its
blossoms and fruits.
Ere long the Adored One of this providence will become the Beloved of the
assemblages of the world and the rays of the Sun of Truth will illumine
every house, every place and corner. At that time the greatness and
superiority of the friends of God will become evident and demonstrated.
Consider ye! In the day of His Highness Christ, the grandeur and majesty
of their Holiness the Apostles, was not known. After three-hundred years
the loftiness of the station and the exaltation of their attainment became
manifest. Ere long the result of the deeds in this cycle of Baha’o’llah
will appear and every one of the friends and the maid-servants will be
crowned with a diadem whose splendid gems will radiate brilliancy and
effulgence throughout cycles and ages.
Therefore, O ye servants of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful One,
do ye not rest for one moment! Do ye not seek any composure! Do ye not
wish for any rest and ease! Endeavor and make ye an effort with all your
heart and soul to spread the fragrances of Paradise, to raise the eternal
melody of the Kingdom of Abha, to establish the gathering of fellowship,
to become assisted with the confirmations of the Holy Spirit; to clothe
the temple of existence with a new garment; to bestow eternal life upon
the reality of souls; to become a cause of the civilization of the human
world; to characterize the bloodthirsty animals with the heavenly
attributes and divine commemorations; to pacify the world with peace and
salvation, and to adorn man with the favors of His Highness the Merciful
One; that perchance ignorance, animosity and strangeness may be removed
entirely from among the denizens of the world, and the Banner of
Reconciliation, Freedom, Nobleness and Oneness be hoisted; for the chains
of existence contain countless links, each connected with the other. This
connection is the cause of the appearance of the invisible powers in the
world of the visible.
O ye real friends! Make ye an effort that this universe may become another
universe and this darkened world find a ray of the Sun of Truth and become
luminous and refulgent.
I entreat God that this favor may be realized and this unending outpouring
become manifest and apparent, and the friends of God be confirmed by every
bounty.
“O ye blessed souls!...”
O ye(243) blessed souls!
On the night of the feast ye entertained the beloved and were occupied in
the service of the friends of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful
One. Service to the sons and the daughters of the Kingdom is the diadem of
everlasting glory with which ye have crowned your heads, the garment of
eternal sovereignty with which ye have adorned your bodies, and the throne
of majesty and grandeur of heaven upon which ye sat. Abdul-Baha found the
utmost rejoicing from that feast and he was a host in his heart and soul,
praying and entreating at the Threshold of Oneness that the breaths of the
Holy Spirit waft, the angels of mercy descend and the confirmations of the
Kingdom of Abha surround you upon all sides.
Rest ye assured that ye will become illumined, spiritual and celestial,
and your services were accepted and praised at the Threshold of Oneness.
“O ye two kind and beloved maid-servants of God!...”
O ye two(244) kind and beloved maid-servants of God!
A splendour from the Supper of the Lord was cast upon the table that ye
have spread and the spiritual food descended. It was on this account that
the souls were rejoicing and happy and the spirits of those who were
present were uplifted. The soul and heart of Abdul-Baha was present and
manifest. What a happy night that was, and what a blessed feast! It became
conducive to the happiness of the people of the Supreme Concourse, and the
cause of joy and bliss to the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Abha. I beg of
God that He may assist and confirm you so that ye may bring about such
feasts.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom of God!
Be thou thankful and grateful to the favored maid-servant ..., for she
became the cause of thy utmost joy and bliss; she delivered thee from the
narrow way of doubts and imaginations and ushered thee into the delectable
meadow of happiness and beatitude. She led thee from the inferior world to
the exalted realm of divinity; she took thee away from darkness and guided
thee to light, and while thou hast been deprived, she made thee confident
of the mysteries of the Kingdom.
I supplicate God that the coverings may be removed, the Beauty of Truth
become apparent and evident; in order that thou mayest be taught in the
wisdom of God, become a great teacher in the world of humanity and all thy
desires be attained.***
“O thou seeker of the Kingdom!...”
O thou seeker of the Kingdom!
The letter was received and I became acquainted with its contents.
The Cause of Baha’o’llah is the same as the Cause of Christ. It is the
same Temple and the same Foundation. Both of these are spiritual
springtimes and seasons of the soul-refreshing awakening and the cause of
the renovation of the life of mankind. The spring of this year is the same
as the spring of last year. The origins and ends are the same. The sun of
today is the sun of yesterday. In the coming of Christ, the divine
teachings were given in accordance with the infancy of the human race. The
teachings of Baha’o’llah have the same basic principles, but are according
to the stage of the maturity of the world and the requirements of this
illumined age.
O thou seeker of the Kingdom! Make thou an effort so that thou mayest
partake from the spiritual Supper of the Lord. At that time every
difficulty will become easy, and every trouble will be conducive to the
tranquility of the heart and soul.
I supplicate God that thy spiritual sight be opened so that thou mayest
behold the mysteries of the Kingdom and become the cause of ease,
adornment, reconciliation, faithfulness and uprightness in the human
world.
“O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!...”
O thou who art guided by the Light of Guidance!
The material world is gloomy. Praise be to God! thou hast been led to the
illumined realm. Darkness hath environed all the inhabitants of the globe,
but thou hast found guidance. The souls are dead; thou hast been quickened
through the Spirit of Truth. The eyes are blind; thine eyes became bright
by beholding the lights. The ears are deaf; thou hast heard the voice of
the Merciful One.
Thou must express the utmost satisfaction and thanks to Mrs. ..., for she
hath guided thee and beckoned thee to the everlasting universe. For thee
she desired perpetual glory and for thee she asked life eternal. Therefore
strive in order that in the divine vineyard thou mayest become a gardener
of Truth and live with such deeds and words that thou mayest become the
cause of the enlightenment of the world.
“O thou wooer of Truth and attracted one toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou wooer of Truth and attracted one toward the Kingdom of God!
Thy detailed letter was received and its reading produced the utmost joy,
for it was a glorious proof of the loftiness of thy aim and the exaltation
of thine intention. Praise be to God! that thou art the well-wisher of the
human world, art attracted to the Kingdom of Abha and art aspiring for the
advancement of the realm of humanity. I hope that, through the
instrumentality of these lofty thoughts, attractions of heart and heavenly
glad-tidings, thou mayest become so illumined that, through the mildly
beaming splendor of the love of God, thou mayest shine and gleam
throughout centuries and cycles.
Thou hast written that thou art a student in the progressive spiritual
school. Happy is thy condition! If the various progressive schools join
themselves to the universal university of the Kingdom, such knowledge and
sciences will be brought into light that man will see that the
potentialities of the “Open Tablet” of existence are infinite; will
realize that all the created things are as letters and words; will be
instructed in the lessons of the degrees of significances; will perceive
the signs of oneness in the primordial atoms of the earth; will hear the
voice of the Lord of the Kingdom; will behold the confirmations of the
Holy Spirit and will find such ecstasy and joy that, being unable to
contain himself in the vast area of existence, he will prepare himself for
the journey toward the Kingdom and will hasten to the immensity of the
Realm of Might. As soon as a bird if fledged, it cannot keep itself on the
ground; nay, rather it soareth up toward the Supreme Apex—except the birds
whose feet are tied, whose wings are clipped and feathers broken and who
are soiled with water and clay.
O thou seeker of Truth! The realm of the Kingdom is a unit. The only
difference lies in this: That when the season of spring dawneth, a new and
wonderful motion and rejuvenation is witnessed in all the existing things;
the mountains and meadows are revived; the trees find freshness and
delicacy and are clothed with radiant and bright leaves, blossoms and
fruits. In a like manner the preceding Manifestations form an inseparable
link with the subsequent dispensations; nay, rather they are identical
with each other. Since the world is constantly developing itself, the rays
become stronger, the outpouring becometh greater and the sun appeareth in
the meridian orbit.
O thou yearner after the Kingdom! Each Manifestations is the heart of the
world and the proficient Physician of every patient. The world of humanity
is sick, but that skilled Physician hath the healing remedy and He
bestoweth divine teachings, exhortations and advices which are the remedy
of every ailment and the dressing for every wound. Undoubtedly, the wise
physician discovereth the needs of the patient at every season and
prescribeth medicine. Therefore, when thou wilt compare the teachings of
the Beauty of Abha with the requisitions and necessities of the present
time, thou wilt conclude that they are to the sick body of the world the
swift healing antidote; nay, rather they are the remedy of everlasting
health. The prescription of the proficient physicians of the past and the
future will not be the same; nay, rather they will be in accord with the
ailment of the patient. Although the medicine is changed, yet all of these
are for the sole purpose of the healing of the sick. In former
dispensations the sick body of the world could not bear the strong and
overpowering remedies. That is why His Highness the Christ said: “I have
yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit,
when He, the Spirit of the Comforter, who is sent by the Father, is come,
He will guide you into all truth.” Therefore, in this age of lights,
specific teachings have become universal, in order that the outpouring of
the Merciful One environ both the East and the West, the oneness of the
Kingdom of humanity become visible and the luminosity of truth enlighten
the world of consciousness. The descent of the New Jerusalem is the
heavenly religion which secures the prosperity of the human world and is
the effulgence of the illumination of the realm of God. In reality
Emmanuel was the forerunner of the second coming of His Highness the
Christ and the herald of the path of the Kingdom.
This is self-evident that the letter is an organic member of the word.
This membership denotes subordination; that is, the letter draws its life
from the word and hath spiritual relationship with it and is accounted a
part of it. The apostles were the Letters and His Highness Christ the
Essence of the Word; and the significance of the Word, which is the
Everlasting Outpouring, cast a splendor upon those Letters,. Since a
Letter is a part of the Word itself, it is intrinsically identical with
the Word.
I hope that thou shalt arise to perform all that which His Highness
Emmanuel hath predicted. Know thou this of a certainty that thou shalt
become assisted. The confirmations of the Holy Spirit are descending
uninterruptedly. The power of the Word shall penetrate in such wise that
the Letter will become the reflective mirror of the Sun of the Word, and
the radiation of the lights of the Word shall illumine the whole earth.
But the heavenly Jerusalem, which is established upon the Apex of the
world and the Holy of Holies of the Almighty, which hath hoisted its
banner, comprehendeth and includeth in it all the perfections and
teachings of the former dispensations. Likewise, it is the herald of the
oneness of the world of humanity, the ensign of universal peace, the
spirit of eternal life, the lights of divine perfections, the surrounding
bestowal of the realm of existence, the adornment and grandeur of the
world of creation and the cause of the tranquility of human-kind.
Turn thy attention toward the holy Tablets. Read and reflect upon the
Tablets of Ishraghat, Tajalliat, the Words of Paradise, the Glad-tidings,
Tarazat and the Book of Akdas.(245) These divine teachings in this day are
the remedy of the ailments of the world of man and the dressing for the
wounded body of existence; they are the Spirit of Life, the Ark of
Salvation, the Magnet of the Everlasting Glory and the penetrative power
in the reality of man!
“O thou dear wise man!...”
O thou dear wise man!
They letter *** was considered. Its contents were in the utmost of beauty
and great joy was realized therefrom.
Thou hast asked “Is it possible that this new and living Cause is to take
the place of the dead religion of England when there hath been organized
certain sects who have arrived at high stations of spiritual knowledge and
to exalted degrees of merciful powers, and have become distinguished in
virtue from all predecessors; notwithstanding this, is it possible that
this new Cause will attract the attention of such people to such a degree
as to unite their hearts, and gather them under its over-shadowing
protection?”
O thou dear friend! Know thou that the Distinguished Individual of every
age is according to the virtues of that age. The Distinguished Personage
who was in the former cycle, His power and virtues were according to the
former age, but in this brilliant age and divine cycle, the Noble
Personage, the Radiant Star, the Distinguished One, will manifest with
virtues which will eventually amaze the peoples, for He is in spiritual
virtues and divine perfections loftier than all the Individuals; any,
rather He is the Source of Divine Benediction and the Center of the
Radiant Circle. He is certainly comprehensive. There is no doubt that He
will reveal Himself to such a degree as to bring all under His
over-shadowing shelter.
When thou considerest carefully thou wilt find this order and system to be
established in all things. The whole attracted the part, and the center of
the circle is the axis of the compass. Consider His Holiness the Spirit
(Christ): Since He was the Center of spiritual power and the Origin of
divine benediction, although in the beginning He gathered but few under
His power, yet later through that conquering power, He ushered all sects
under the shadow of the Christian tabernacle. Compare the present with the
past, see the great difference. By this thou canst measure and reach the
reality and know for a certainty that the difference among the sects of
the world is due to the difference of comprehensions. As long as the
perceptive powers differ, surely the opinions and thoughts also differ.
But if One Great Perceptive Power which comprehendeth all, cometh to the
Center, the differing opinions become united, and ideal unity and oneness
are revealed.
For example: When His Holiness, the Spirit (Jesus Christ) appeared, the
comprehensions of the creatures, the susceptibilities and minds of the
sects then present, such as the Romans, the Greeks, Assyrians and
Israelites were different. When the universal power of the Spirit of God
appeared in the Center, eventually after three-hundred years, all the
differing minds gathered under the protection of One Center. The same
spiritual susceptibilities were attained.
For the sake of illustration (literally, likeness), I will say: When an
army is under the command of generals who have differing opinions,
certainly it will disagree in regard to maneuvers and in the order of
marching to the battlefields. But when the great commander-in-chief who is
expert in the arts of warfare cometh to the front, all the differing
opinions will be erased and one opinion will prevail; the
commander-in-chief will bring all under his own direction. This is an
instance and not a likeness.
Now if thou shouldest say, the generals of this army are every one artists
in the art of warfare, expert and experienced, why should they obey one
person, even though he may have accomplished a great feat—this saying does
not deserve attention, for this matter is certain and there is no doubt
therein.
Likewise the Holy Manifestations, especially the reality of the Greatest
Name, the Beauty of Abha, when unveiled amid the assemblage of the world,
like unto Joseph of Canaan, in the divine Egypt, will appear with such
Beauty and Sweetness as to make the lovers of the world His captives.
As to the souls who are born into this world radiant entities and who
through excessive difficulty are deprived of great benefits and thus leave
the world—they are worthy of all sympathy, for in reality this is worthy
of regret. It is for this purpose (that is, it is with regard to this
wisdom) that the great Manifestations (of God) unveil themselves in this
world, bear every difficulty and ordeal—to make these ready souls dawnings
of light and confer upon them eternal life. This is the real atonement
that His Holiness Christ made—He sacrificed Himself for the life of the
world.
As to the question that the holy and spiritual souls influence, help and
guide the creatures after they have cast off this elemental mould—this is
an established truth of the Bahais. Nay even the Holy Manifestations of
God extend a great Bounty and an evident Light after their ascent from
this world. For His Holiness Christ there was more and greater promotion
of the Word, manifestation of divine power, conversion of holy souls, and
the giving of eternal life, after [His] martyrdom. Likewise for the
Blessed Beauty (Baha’o’llah) there was greater bounty and dawning of
light, manifestation of divine power, and effectiveness of the Word after
His Ascent; and ere long the Sun of His Reality will encircle the world
with its motion, heat, radiation and bounty.
Be not sorry on account of the limited extent of the progress of the Bahai
Cause in that country(246) . This is the beginning of the dawn. Consider
the Cause of His Holiness Christ, which took three-hundred years to
produce great effect. Now sixty years have not passed since the beginning
of this Cause, and Its Lights are shed upon all horizons.
Regarding the Society for healing of which thou art of a member; when it
comes under the protection of this Cause, its power will be an hundred
fold.
Thou hast observed how extensive is the love of the Bahais and that the
foundation is love. As the power of love among the Bahais is in the utmost
degree and superior to that in other religions, it is even the same in
other relations, for the cause of all is Love.
As to the question of translating the Books and Tablets of the Blessed
Beauty; it will soon be done in all languages with the utmost of eloquence
and excellence. When the Tablets of His Holiness (Baha’o’llah) are
translated in accordance with the original, with excellence and eloquence,
then the Lights of Significances will dawn and brighten all the eyes.
Endeavor thou with all thy power to make the translation as the original.
The Blessed Beauty went to Haifa many times, and thou hast seen Him.(247)
I hope thou mayest attain the real meeting and that is the witnessing with
the eye of insight and not of sight.
The essence of the teachings of His Holiness Baha’o’llah is Universal
Love, which comprehendeth all the virtues of the world of humanity, is the
cause of eternal life and of the progress of all the individuals of the
human race. Soon thou wilt see that these heavenly teachings, like unto
the light of reality, will envelope and enlighten the world.
The short prayer which thou hast written at the end of thy letter is in
reality original, beautiful, sweet and effective. Chant it always.
“O thou esteemed maid-servant of God!...”
O thou esteemed maid-servant of God!
Be thou hopeful and be thou happy and rejoiced. For I have supplicated and
beseeched before the Threshold of the Almighty that thy wish may be
realized, so thou mayest overcome the self and perform charitable deeds
and that the human perfections may appear from thee; that thou mayest be
endowed with lofty gifts; find thy way to divine wisdom and show forth the
manners and conduct of those who are favored in the Threshold of the
Almighty.
The essence of all exhortation is that thou shouldst abandon thyself and
sacrifice life, body and heart for the Beloved One of the world.
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant of God!
Thy letter was received and the sign of the hand was observed. This sign
was a mystery of the perfection of Love. I ask God that it may become
realized, and day by day, thou mayest walk more and more in the path of
the Kingdom, in order that thou mayest be freed from the strangers and
friends, be disengaged from attachment to the material world and be
attached wholly to the divine Kingdom. At that time thou wilt behold the
lights of the most great gift.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy poetry was received. The context was elegant. The words were eloquent
and the theme, the Manifest Light. Consequently, it was highly
appreciated. Endeavor, so far as it is possible for thee, that day by day
thou mayest string the pearls of poesy with sweeter rhythm and more
eloquent contents, in order that it may become conducive to the perpetuity
of thy name in the spiritual meetings. Upon thee be greeting and praise!
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant of God!
What thou hast written was perused. Be thou rejoiced on account of hearing
the glad-tidings of the Kingdom. To render thanks for such a bounty is to
show forth praiseworthy deeds.
Sacrifice thyself for the well-being of the people and be thou a kind
comforter to all the inhabitants of the world. Ask and pray to God that
thou mayest become an enkindled lamp, to shed light upon the assembly, to
become a lover of men and a well-wisher of human kind; nay, rather, thou
mayest become the manifestation of the divine providence, finding out the
heavenly gifts, enlisting thyself among the soldiers of the kingdom of
peace and reconciliation, delivering the people as far as possible from
war and carnage, spreading righteousness and friendship and becoming the
cause of tranquility and composure to the world of humanity.
“O thou seeker after Truth!...”
O thou seeker after Truth!
The letter which thou hast written to ... was received and its contents
became known. If thou ask my name and title, it is Abdul-Baha and any name
beside this is unknown here. Whosoever calleth me by this name, accept
from him—otherwise reject.
But about the three questions which thou hast asked for thyself: The first
is true. Undoubtedly, when a soul engages in commemoration of the True
One, he will naturally feel the rest of soul and tranquility of heart.
The second question about the supernatural power: Without advancing toward
the Kingdom of Abha, it is impossible and inaccessible. But should a soul
enter under the shadow of the Blessed Perfection, step into the divine
Kingdom, act according to the councils and exhortations of God and
practice the New Teachings, unquestionably he will become endowed with a
supernatural power.
But about thy third question: “Have I been subjected to such troubles and
vicissitudes before?” and the indisputable answer, “No!”—this is also
true.
For any soul who walketh in the path of guidance, there is no doubt he
shall endure hardships. Consider thou their Highness the Apostles;
likewise the Assembly of Christians, who were sanctified souls; what
calamities and persecutions hailed them in the Cause during the first and
second century and even up to the third century!
Look thou around the world of existence: A little worldly transaction
cannot be brought about except through surmounting many an obstacle. How
much more important are the objects of the Supreme World! Certainly there
existeth troubles, trials, afflictions, persecution, censure and contempt.
When thou didst occupy thy time in the past to give out religious
exhortations and advices, thou experienced some persecutions and trouble.
But thou canst not realize in this present moment what great ordeals are
in store and what unbearable calamities, affliction and adversity exist,
and that to give up life is the easiest of all those calamities. But the
end of all these is bliss, overflowing joy, everlasting exultation,
happiness and supreme contentment. it is eternal life, never ending glory,
a lordly gift and divine sovereignty!
In brief, thou hast asked concerning my desire for thee: I wish, if thou
art worldly, to become heavenly; if thou art of the world of possession,
become thou celestial; if thou art of the material sphere, become an
inhabitant of the realm of Light; hasten from the world of darkness to the
world of illumination and become the manifestor of the exhortations,
advices and instructions of the Blessed Perfection. This is my greatest
desire for thee.
“O ye seekers of Truth!...”
O ye(248) seekers of Truth!
Your letter was received and its contents became known. The new Kingdom
hath raised its tents in all regions and hath enveloped East and West, but
the blind ones cannot see and the deaf ones cannot hear. In the time of
Christ, the doors of the divine Kingdom were opened, but the people, being
veiled, were negligent and in a deep sleep. Therefore, they were deprived
of the spiritual glory. Now, thank ye God that ye have found the way to
the Kingdom of peace and salvation and have heard the call of the True
One.
Supplicate God that ye may become heavenly hosts, spreading the oneness of
the world of humanity, taking in hand the armor of peace and conquering
the hearts with the sword of love.
Ye are people of the earth, become ye angels of heaven; ye are from the
West, draw ye bounties from the East! Be ye illumined, become ye heavenly,
become ye merciful and show kindness to all the people!
“O thou dear friend!...”
O thou dear friend!
Although a person of good deeds is acceptable at the Threshold of the
Almighty, yet it is first “to know,” and then “to do.” Although a blind
man produceth a most wonderful and exquisite art, yet he is deprived of
seeing it. consider how most animals labor for man, draw loads and
facilitate travel; yet, as they are ignorant, they receive no reward for
this toil and labor. The cloud raineth, roses and hyacinths grow; the
plain and meadow, the garden and trees become green and blossom; yet they
do not realize the results and outcome of all these. The lamp is lighted,
but as it hath not a conscious knowledge of itself, no one hath become
glad because of it. Moreover, a soul of excellent deeds and good manners
will undoubtedly advance from whatever horizon he beholdeth the lights
radiating. Herein lies the difference: By faith is meant, first, conscious
knowledge, and second, the practice of good deeds.
Thou hast asked concerning reincarnation: Reincarnation as understood by
the people, is untrue; but in the Gospel, “return” is referred to, and
that is the return of qualities(249) and not the return of entities. This
matter is explained in detail in the Book of Ighan, which is translated
and published. Study that Book.
But the difference between Christ and others is this: Christ was the
Spirit, others were bodies; Christ was the Sun, others were mirrors;
Christ was the Truth and was bestowing eternal life, others were dead and
imparting deadness and negligence.
Thou hast asked concerning the spirits of men: They are not at all
annihilated—they are immortal.(250) The spirits of heavenly souls will
find eternal life, that is, they will attain the highest and most great
stations of perfection; but the spirits of the heedless souls, although
they are eternal, yet they are in a world of imperfection, concealment and
ignorance. This is a concise answer. Contemplate and meditate upon it, in
order that thou mayest comprehend the reality of the mysteries in detail.
for instance: No matter how much the mineral has an existence and life,
yet in comparison to man, it is entirely non-existent and deprived of
life. For where man is translated from life to death, his comparative
station will be that of a mineral existence.
“O ye seekers of Truth!...”
O ye(251) seekers of Truth!
Your letter was received and a sweet fragrance was inhaled from the
rose-garden of its significances. it was an evidence of your insight,
hearing and spiritual life. For, no matter if the people are living in
appearance, yet they may be dead in reality. That is why His Holiness
Christ, sayeth in the gospels: “Let the dead bury the dead!”
Praise be to God! that you have found eternal life from among the dead;
that is, you have hear the call of the divine Kingdom, are attracted to
the Heavenly Countenance and have turned your faces toward the Center of
the Light of Truth. I hope that you continue to be a living, eternal
light!
Two stones of the Most Great Name are sent enclosed with this Tablet.
“O thou Glorious Lord!...”
O thou Glorious Lord!(252)
Make thou this little maid-servant a brilliant-starred daughter of the
Kingdom; endear her in the Threshold of Oneness and overflow her with the
cup of Thy love, in order that she may raise the cries of joy and ecstasy
and mix ambergris with musk.(253)
Verily, Thou art the Powerful and the Mighty, and Thou art the Wise, the
Seer!
“O thou plant of the Garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou plant of the Garden of the Love of God!
Thy letter was received. Its content was of utmost grace and sweetness. As
thou hast turned thy face toward the Supreme Kingdom, I hope thy
disposition and nature will prove agreeable and comforting to thy brother
and sister.
Although thou art small, yet I hope thou wilt become great in the Kingdom.
His Highness Christ, sayeth: “Happy is the condition of the children!” God
willing, thou art one of those children.
Be obedient and kind to thy father and mother, caressing brother and
sister, and day by day adding to thy faith and assurance.
“O thou dear friend!...”
O thou dear friend!
What thou hast written was perused. Thank thou God that the doors of the
Kingdom are opened and the way of the Truth become manifest and evident.
Therefore, enter thou completely into this divine Kingdom; that is,
acquire heavenly bliss and beatitude and turn thy face to the Luminous
Realm, so that the hurtful powers may be dispersed at once, eternal
felicity, composure and tranquility become realized, the heart find
glad-tidings, the soul, peace, and even the body, grace and beauty.
“O thou faithful one!...”
O thou faithful one!
One of the requirements of faithfulness is that thou mayest sacrifice
thyself and, in the divine path, close thine eye to every pleasure and
strive with all thy soul that thou mayest disappear and be lost, like unto
a drop, in the ocean of the love of God.
“O thou who art advanced toward God!...”
O thou who art advanced toward God!
Thy letter was received. Its contents indicated that thou hast become
alive through the spiritual breaths of his honor, Mr. ......... Thank thou
God that thou hast attained to this bounty and hast caught the light of
guidance. Thou must be thankful to his honor, Mr. ........., to the end of
thy days, for from his hand thou hast drunk this overflowing cup of the
Most Great Guidance.
Now show thou forth firmness and steadfastness without wavering. If any
test fall upon thee, it will be conducive to the strength of thy faith.
“O thou servant of the True One!...”
O thou servant of the True One!
Thy letter was received. The meeting *** which was arranged with the
utmost union in the studio of Miss ......... was in reality spiritual,
merciful and illumined. The friends of God were associating with great
harmony and friendship. I hope that all the people of the world become
united and cemented. The Blessed Perfection hath appeared for the sole
purpose of the unification and solidarity of the people of the world, so
that all of them may enter under the shade of one tree, sing one melody in
one rose-garden and adorn the universe with love and oneness.
Every meeting which is organized for the purpose of unity and concord will
be conducive to changing strangers into friends, enemies into associated,
and Abdul-Baha will be present in his heart and soul with that meeting.
I entreat from God that the believers may at all times strive to bring
about union and harmony, in order that this power of unity may display an
effect in this world; each country become illuminated, the darkness of
foreignness be dispelled gradually and the light of unanimity dawn and
shed its rays to all parts.
“O thou heavenly one!...”
O thou heavenly one!
Organize ye spiritual assemblies; lay ye the foundation of union and
concord in this world; destroy ye the fabric of strife and war from the
face of the earth; construct ye the temple of harmony and agreement;
enkindle ye the light of the realm of the oneness of humanity; open ye
your eyes; gaze and behold ye the other world! The Kingdom of peace,
salvation, uprightness and reconciliation is founded in the Invisible
World, and it will by degrees become manifest and apparent through the
power of the Word of God!
I supplicate God that ye may become the army of that Kingdom, in order
that by the power of the Most Great Name, the friends of God may conquer
this world through love, friendship and the strength of the Kingdom of
peace; the human race become compassionate, and bloodshed and carnage be
completely effaced from the universe.
The Spirit of truth is soaring on the Supreme Apex, like unto a bird, in
order that it may discover a severed heart and alight therein and make its
nest.
I hope that all the friends become manifestors of knowledge and the
centers of merciful feelings. Each of them become like unto an angel and
radiate heavenly deeds, thoughts and actions.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Thy letter contained meanings full of sweetness. I therefore took it in my
hand with the utmost love and became informed of thy desire.
O thou maid-servant of God! Glad-tidings be unto thee! As thou art
faithful and art going to remain firm, the favors of the Bounty of Abha
will encircle thee; thou wilt become a cause of the illumination of the
human world, and be assisted by the heavenly confirmation.
“O ye spiritual assembly!...”
O ye spiritual assembly!(254)
As ye were gathered in the meeting of hospitality with the utmost longing
for the knowledge of God, that meeting was mentioned in the divine Kingdom
and you became favored with special bounty. Such gatherings are very
praiseworthy and acceptable, for all beget joy and fragrance, the hearts
become illumined and the despondent souls become heavenly.
Likewise, thou I was remote in so far as the body is concerned, I was near
to the friends in heart and spirit and close to the believers in that
assembly.
I entreat God that your assembly wax greater day by day and the meeting of
the love of God become adorned with celestial attributes, so that the
confirmation of the Kingdom of God descend continually.
“O ye friends!...”
O ye friends!(255)
Thank God that the Light of Truth shone in that city, the bounty of
guidance was granted, the fire of the love of God was ignited and the veil
of superstition was burned away.
Some souls have arisen who have unsealed their eyes, unstopped their ears,
witnessed the great signs and heard the eternal melody of the Supreme
Concourse. Each of them became a faithful tree in the orchard of the love
of God and a shining luminous star in the horizon of the knowledge of God.
this is from the eternal bounty and the everlasting gift.
I entreat and supplicate in the Threshold of the Almighty and ask for your
confirmation and assistance, that you may be born wholly out of the
physical world into the Realm Divine, to seek after the eternal life and
wish for the everlasting gift, so that you may shine upon ages and cycles
like unto the morning star!
“O thou lamp of the Love of God!...”
O thou lamp of the Love of God!
Thou hast made the wish for the great martyrdom in the path of Baha’, that
thou mayest become intoxicated with that overflowing cup and sacrifice
this ephemeral life upon the divine altar, in order that thou mayest walk
in the road of faithfulness and show forth firmness and steadfastness for
the sake of the love of Baha’.
This is the ultimate desire of the people of sanctity. If the eternal
prosperity favor and befriend thee, thou wilt undoubtedly attain to this
bounty. But for the present this very attitude is sacrifice and martyrdom.
Blessed art thou, and again, blessed art thou!***
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received; its contents were of the utmost sweetness. No
sooner had I heard it, than I supplicated to God in thy behalf that thou
mayest become a strong growing tree, protected and guarded from the winds
of tests and attain to heavenly guidance.
Know thou the value of Miss ......... Truly I say, she was an angel of
heaven and a light beaming and sparkling. Endear thy beloved daughter,
........ Entreat God that she and ......... may become two shining lamps
in the assemblage of the world and the cause of the grandeur and promotion
of the divine teachings.
Blessing be upon thy dear son ......... and his family. Endeavor thou in
their training.
Convey on my behalf, spiritual greeting to the new bridegroom and bride
......... and say to them: “You must become the young trees in the divine
garden and produce good fruits.”
Convey my love to ......... I prayed in behalf of all the family that they
may be confirmed with the most great guidance and sacrifice their
abilities, talents and possessions in the Path of God.
O thou maid-servant of God! This celestial music hath moved the hearts of
the people in the world and the Blessed Tree embraced all communities and
nations under its shade!
“O thou who art attracted toward the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted toward the Kingdom!
Be thou not unhappy; the tempest of sorrow shall pass; regret will not
last; disappointment will vanish; the fire of the love of God will become
enkindled, and the thorns and briars of sadness and despondency will be
consumed! Be thou happy; rest thou assured upon the favors of Baha’, so
that uncertainty and hesitation may become non-existent and the invisible
outpourings descend upon the arena of being!
If thou art seeking after spiritual tranquility, turn thy face at all
times toward the Kingdom of Abha. If thou art desiring divine joy, free
thyself from the bands of attachment. if thou art wishing for the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit, become thou engaged in teaching the Cause
of God.
If the friends and relatives are keeping themselves at a distance from
thee, be thou not sad, for God is near to thee. Associate thou, as much as
thou canst, with the relatives and strangers; display thou loving
kindness; show thou forth the utmost patience and resignation. The more
they oppose thee, shower thou upon them the greater justice and equity;
the more they show hatred and opposition toward thee, challenge thou them
with great truthfulness, friendship and reconciliation.
Praise be to God, thou art near to the Kingdom of Abha! Rest thou assured.
With all my soul and spirit, I am thy companion at all moments. Know thou
this of a certainty!
I prayed in behalf of thy relatives and family, supplicating from God
confirmation and assistance for them.
“O ye friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye(256) friends of Abdul-Baha!
The glad-tidings of your attraction and enkindlement, ecstasy and
exhilaration, hath reached us before and a special Rablet hath been
forwarded to you. Mr. ......... and Mr. ......... arrived and praised you
with the utmost enthusiasm, that “the friends of Hoboken are firm,
steadfast and eloquent (in delivering the Truth).” In that region they
have adorned a meeting with the fragrances of holiness and organized an
assembly like unto the delectable paradise. Each one of them is like unto
a lamp brilliant with the light of guidance and a conquering host
invincible with the power of the love of god. Likewise, they gave the
utmost praise to all the beloved throughout the regions of America, and
they were extremely happy and grateful. They praised and commended highly
the spiritual assembly of New York, saying that day and night they were
engaged in the service of the Kingdom; likewise they were very grateful to
Mr. .........
Briefly, four days and four nights were they the guests in the house of
this imprisoned one, continually praising and commending the beloved of
God and giving the glad-tidings of the attraction of the friends with the
fragrances of God. In this prison, Abdul-Baha hath no happiness except the
arrival of the good news of the believers. Whenever one praises them, the
heart is dilated and the soul is rejoiced.
Therefore, O ye companions of Abdul-Baha, display ye an effort, so that ye
may make that region (America) the Paradise of Abha, hoisting the banner
of the Most Great Peace and spreading the teachings of the Beauty of Abha;
in order that the slumbrous world become awakened, the unconscious become
mindful, the universe become another universe, the human world become the
realm of the Kingdom, earthly emotions become heavenly attractions,
cruelty and oppression be changed into love and faithfulness, the
clattering of the sword be transformed into the sweet melody of the pen
and the discordant sound of war become the wonderful song of love and
intelligence; in order that all the individuals of humanity embrace each
other and live among themselves in perfect love and affinity.
“O thou who hast addressed Abdul-Baha!...”
(257) O thou who hast addressed Abdul-Baha!
Verily, I pray my Lord to teach thee a language and writing of the Kingdom
which will satisfy thee, so as to dispense with all things; for that
spiritual writing and instructive tongue are eloquent, clear, laudable,
legible, read by the tongue and preserved in the heart. Blessed is he who
knows it in the world of man!
Know, verily, that the Ocean is waving, the Sun shining, the Stars
dawning. (Understand what I say!)
The tree will grow, the earth will send forth hyacinths(258) and give
blessings, and man will become of the heavenly angels. Feed on the light
of guidance and impart light to the people. The bird will warble melodies
unknown save by the birds of heaven; then tear asunder the veil and see
the realities of things with the eye of God. Verily, thy Lord guideth
whomsoever He willeth unto the Straight Path!
The Promised Spot will be made a racecourse for the steeds of the race of
Knowledge and the lights of the Merciful will shine upon it. The dispersed
ones will return to the Center of Gathering and the birds will return from
the meadows of the world unto the Nest of Harmony. This is a preordained
matter.
As to thee: Thou hast borne every difficulty and hardship and soon will be
rewarded by God with a good reward. He will destine to thee all that is
good, and choose for thee the manifestation of His mercy among the
servants; that they may thus see that the Sons of the Kingdom have gone
out(259), while there hath come a soul from the remotest horizon who hath
entreated the Kingdom of God.***
“O thou who art the single one of Japan and the unique...”
O thou who art the single one of Japan and the unique one of the extreme
Orient!
That country hath been deprived of the divine breath until this time; now,
God be praised! thou art initiated in the mysteries and conscious of the
secrets of the lights.
Thou hast been earthly, I hope that thou wilt become heavenly; thou hast
been gloomy, I desire that thou wilt become luminous. Thou wert wandering
in the wilderness, thou hast found a way to the abode of the Beloved One;
thou wert a thirsty fish, thou hast attained to the endless Ocean; thou
wert a roving bird, thou hast reached the divine Rose-garden; thou wert
spiritually sick and thou hast found real health!
Now is the time that thou shouldest entirely abandon the comfort, ease,
enjoyment and the life of this transient world, and wholly arise to guide
the people of Japan, illuminating faces, perfuming nostrils and
conquering, through the heavenly hosts and divine reinforcements, the
hearts of the people of that region.
Do not wonder at the favor and bounty of the Lord. By the favor of God,
how often a drop hath become undulating like a sea, and an atom hath
become shining like the sun!
The sun of Truth hath enlightened the divine world and illumined the
universe. The rays of His grace have shone upon the East and West, and His
heat hath caused vegetation in all countries. So the lights and the heat
of the Sun of Truth being help and assistance, what more dost thou need?
Thou must warble, like the nightingale of significances, in the
rose-garden, so that thou mayest inspire all the birds of the meadow to
chant and to sing.
“O thou youth of God!...”
O thou youth of God!
Thank God that thou hast found thy way to the Radiant Kingdom, torn
asunder the veil of superstition and learned the reality of the mysteries.
All the people have formed a god in the world of thought, and that form of
their own imagination they worship; when the fact is that the imagined
form is finite and the human mind is infinite.(260) Surely the infinite is
greater than the finite, for imagination is accidental (or non-essential)
while the mind is essential; surely the essential is greater than the
accidental.
Therefore consider: All the sects and peoples worship their own thought;
they create a god in their own minds and acknowledge him to be the creator
of all things, when that form is superstition—thus people adore and
worship imagination (or illusion).
That Essence of the Divine Entity and the Unseen of the unseen is holy
above imagination and is beyond thought. Consciousness doth not reach It.
Within the capacity of comprehension of a produced (or created) reality
that Ancient Reality cannot be contained. It is a different world; from it
there is no information; arrival thereat is impossible; attainment thereto
is prohibited and inaccessible. This much is known: It exists and Its
existence is certain and proven—but the condition is unknown.
All the philosophers and the doctors knew that It is, but they were
perplexed in the comprehension of Its existence and were at last
discouraged, and in great despair they left this world. For the
comprehension of the condition and mysteries of that Reality of realities
and Mystery of mysteries there is need for another power and another
sense. That power and sense is not possessed by mankind, therefore they
have not found any information. For example: If a man possess the power of
hearing, the power of tasting, the power of smelling and the power of
feeling, but no power of seeing, he cannot see. Hence, through the powers
and senses present in man the realization of the Unseen Reality, which is
pure and holy above the reach of doubts, is impossible. Other powers are
needed and other senses required. If those powers and senses are obtained,
then information can be had; otherwise, not.
As to the question of marriage, according to the law of God: First you
must select one, and then it depends upon the consent of the father and
mother. Before your selection they have no right of interference.
Endeavor as much as thou canst to acquire the English language with the
utmost of eloquence and excellence, so that thou mayest be enabled to
translate the Tablets into the Japanese tongue. This is my advice.
Certainly exert thy utmost endeavor to attain this bounty.
“O thou who art attracted by the Word of god to the...”
O thou who art attracted by the Word of god to the Kingdom of God!
Turn with the whole of thy being to God, forget aught else save God, and
supplicate God to make thee a sign of guidance in the midst of people who
are veiled from God; perchance they may be guided to the Orb of all
horizons, enter the kingdom of harmony, drink of the cup of the love of
God, rejoice at the manifestation of the Kingdom of God, and shelter
themselves in the shadow of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise
of God.
This beseemeth the believers; this is the qualification of the sincere;
this is the path of the knowers, and this is the utmost aim of the
faithful.
Exert thy utmost power that thou mayest share this great bounty.
“O thou spiritual youth!...”
O thou spiritual youth!(261)
Japan hath made wonderful progress in material civilization, but she will
become perfect when she also becometh spiritually developed and the power
of the Kingdom becometh manifest in her.
One will encounter a little difficulty in the beginning of the
establishment of the Cause of God in that country, but later it will
become very easy, for the inhabitants of Japan are intelligent, sagacious
and have the power of rapid assimilation.
For the present, a perfect youth like thee is favored by the bounty of the
Kingdom and hath attained to the knowledge of the Lord of the Kingdom.
Show thou forth an effort that thou mayest finish that which is necessary
in the acquisition and study of science and art; then travel thou toward
the countries of Japan, so that thou mayest hoist the Ensign of Truth
waving from the apex of the Supreme Concourse. Look thou not upon thine
own capability; the invisible divine confirmations are great and the
protection and providence of the Beauty of Abha is the helper and the
assistant. When a drop draws help from the ocean, it is an ocean in
itself, and a little seed, through the outpouring of rain, the favor of
the sun and the soul-refreshing breeze, will become a tree with the utmost
freshness, full of leaves, blossoms and fruits. Therefore, do not consider
thy capacity and merit, but rely upon the infinite bounty and trust to His
Highness the Almighty. Do not delay. Undertake soon that which thou art
intending.
There are prophecies concerning this Manifestation in the Buddhistic
books, but they are in symbols and metaphors, and some spiritual
conditions are mentioned therein, but the leaders of religion do not
understand. They think these prophecies are material things; yet those
signs are foreshadowing spiritual occurances.
“Announce greeting on my behalf to the two young...”
(262) Announce greeting on my behalf to the two young Japanese(263) and
say:
“His Imperial Majesty, the Mikado, became the cause of the material
progress of Japan. I hope that you may become the cause of her spiritual
development. This is the principle of progress.
“Unless man maketh spiritual progress in the world of spirit, intellect
and heart, he cannot gather universal results from material advancements.
Now you must gird up the loins of endeavor and reflect duly, so that you
may quicken the people of Japan through the spirit of God.”
“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
(264) O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!
“Perfume Thou the East! Illumine Thou the West! Bestow Thou light to the
North! Grant Thou life to the South!”
This verse hath been revealed from the lips of the Center of the Covenant
one year after the departure(265) of Baha’o’llah. But the nakazeen (not
understanding its spiritual purport) wondered and derided. Praise be to
God! that now its signs have become manifest, its power evident, and its
proof plain. Thanks be unto Him! that the East and West are stirred into
cheerfulness, and through the Holy Fragrances all directions are perfumed.
The Blessed Perfection, in a clear text, hath promised us in the Book:
“Verily I behold you from the Horizon of Abha and will make victorious
whomsoever will arise in the service of my cause with the hosts of the
Supreme Concourse and the cohorts of the favored angels!” Praise be to
God! that this victory and confirmation became visible and manifest and
hath shone forth from the horizon of the world like unto the sun.
Therefore, O ye friends of God! Show ye forth an earnest endeavor and
display ye a resolute effort, so that ye may become assisted in the
adoration of the Ancient Beauty and the Manifest Light; to be the cause of
spreading the light of the Sun of Truth; to infuse into the dead,
antiquated body of the world a new spirit; to cast in the fields of the
hearts pure seeds; to arise in the service of the Cause; to speak with
eloquent tongues; to become candles of guidance in the assemblage of the
world; to become shining stars in the horizon of the existent being; to
become merciful birds in the rose-garden of oneness; to sing the melodies
of realities and significances; to spend every breath of your lives in the
most great Cause; and to devote the period of your existence to the
service of this conspicuous Light; so that in the end ye may be freed from
loss and failure and attain to the inexhaustible treasury of the Kingdom.
For the life on man is wholly subject to danger and impermanency. A person
cannot put his assurance even in one moment’s continuity. Notwithstanding
this, the nations of the world, deceived by the mirage of superstition,
imagine themselves secure in the heavenly way. Alas! Alas! Former
communities in bygone ages entertained the same perishing thoughts; but by
one of those periodical fluctuations they were all hidden under the ground
and afflicted with deprivation and loss, except those souls who had become
pure evanescence and had arisen with great self-abnegation in the path of
God. Such souls shine forth as brilliant stars from the Horizon of the
Ancient Glory, and the results which emanated from their lives in
succeeding ages and cycles are the proofs of this statement. Therefore, do
ye not rest, neither day nor night; seek ye not for composure; talk ye of
the mystery of servitude, and seek ye the path of thralldom; so that
through the promised confirmations ye may become assisted from the Kingdom
of Oneness.
O ye friends! Dense and gloomy clouds have covered the horizon of the
world, and the darkness of hatred, malignity, persecution, tyranny, and
the greatest cruelty is spreading. All the people are drunk with the wine
of heedlessness; and blood-thirstiness and rapaciousness are considered
the noblest excellencies of the world of men.
His Highness the Almighty hath chosen the friends from among the concourse
of men and hath especialized them with the most eminent guidance and the
highest gift; so that we may with our souls and hearts exert ourselves,
sacrifice our lives, be engaged in the guidance of the people and the
training of souls; so that the wild beasts may become the gazelles of the
meadows of unity; the wolves the sheep of God; the bloodthirsty ones the
heavenly angels; the fire of malice be extinguished and the flame of
safety in the blessed tabernacle bestow illumination; the odor of the
nether realm of infidelity be dispelled and the fragrances of the
rose-garden of faithfulness be diffused in all parts; the weak draw light
from the Universal Reason and evil souls seek to be purified with the holy
and divine Breath. There are needed manifestors for this gift; farmers for
this field; gardeners for this rose-garden; fishers for this sea; luminous
stars for this heaven; spiritual physicians for these ill ones, and loving
guides for these wanderers; so that they may bestow a share to those who
are deprived, grant a portion to those who are shareless, give unmeasured
treasure to the indigent ones, and show forth the power of proof to the
seekers.
“Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I supplicate unto...”
Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I supplicate unto Thee, O Thou my Helper! I
invoke Thee, O Thou my Refuge! I utter to Thee my agonies, O Thou my
Physician, and entreat Thee with all my hear, my soul and my spirit,
saying:
O my God! O my God! Verily, the gloomy night hath fallen upon all regions
and the clouds of ignorance have extended in all directions; the people
are immersed in the darkness of surmise and the tyrants are sunk in the
depths of brutality and lawlessness; the red glare of the burning fire is
flashing forth from the nether world; roaring, ominous voices are rising
from the cruel, destructive and terrible armaments; every region is crying
out with its dumb secret tongue: “Nothing that I possess hath benefitted
me and power and strength are taken away from me!” Verily, O my God, the
lamps of guidance are extinguished; the fire of animosity is enkindled;
wrath and antipathy are spread abroad and provocation and maliciousness
are disseminated upon the face of the earth. Yet I see only Thy wronged
followers who are crying at the tops of their voices and summoning the
people:
“Hasten ye toward affinity!
Hasten ye toward faithfulness!
Hasten ye toward generosity!
Hasten ye toward guidance!
Hasten ye toward union!
Hasten ye to behold the Light of the World!
Hasten ye toward love and prosperity!
Hasten ye toward peace and reconciliation!
Hasten ye toward the law of disarmament!
Hasten ye toward harmony and success!
Hasten ye toward co-operation and mutual help in the path of guidance!”
Verily, these wronged ones do sacrifice themselves with infinite joy and
happiness for the sake of the people, with all their souls and spirits
throughout all regions. Verily, Thou beholdest them weeping at the
misfortunes of every one of Thy creatures and becoming grieved at the
distress of Thy children; they are kind to all the people and pained at
the sight of the calamities of the inhabitants of the world. O my Lord!
make the wings of prosperity to grow upon their shoulders, so that they
may ever soar toward the apex of their aspirations; strengthen their loins
in the service of Thy people, and confirm them in the thralldom and
adoration of the threshold of Thy Holiness.
Verily, Thou art the Merciful! Thou art the Clement, and there is no God
but Thee, the Powerful, the Compassionate, and the Ancient!
“Glory be unto Thee, O my God!...”
Glory be unto Thee, O my God!
Thou seest me rolling my face in the dust of humility and contrition,
supplicating toward the Kingdom of Thy Might, yearning for the
contemplation of Thy Greatness, entreating Thy Grandeur, invoking at the
Threshold of Thy Mercifulness, beseeching the realm of Thy Singleness,
acknowledging my shortcomings, longing for Thy bounty, desiring Thy
concealing veil and expecting the outpouring of the rain of Thy favor upon
all the meadows and mountains!
O my Lord! Verily, Thy power hath enveloped all things, Thy dominion, Thy
glory and Thy sovereignty have become manifest as the manifestation of the
sun in mid-day; Thy Word hath penetrated the reality of the contingent
beings; Thy voice hath been raised on the apex of the world; Thy beaming
lights have radiated from the dawning-places of all the horizons and Thy
wonderful refulgent signs have become known in all directions;
consequently the sights and insights have become dazzled by beholding
these manifestations of truth! There is no land in which the fame of Thy
Merciful Cause hath not been spread, and there is no region in which Thy
manifest ensign hath not been hoisted! Verily, Thy voice hath reached the
ears of all the inhabitants of the globe, and the attracted ones have
become exhilarated by its holy and divine fragrances!
Praise be to Thee, O my God! for the bestowal of this most great bounty
upon Thy chosen ones; and thanks be to Thee, O my Lord! for this most
eminent favor upon Thy righteous servants in suffering them to become the
signs of Thy Oneness in this glorious age and the standards of Thy
sanctity in this new cycle!
O my Lord! O my Lord! Assist the weak ones with the Supreme Energy;
shelter the indigent ones near the asylum of Thy Greatest Majesty;
strengthen the loins of those souls whose faces radiate with Thy lights
and whose tongues become eloquent in the glorification and commemoration
of Thy Name; make them the plants of Thy luminous orchard, the blossoms of
Thy blessed tree, the leaves of Thy Sadrat-el-Montaha(266) and the flowers
of Thy exalted rose-garden! Verily, Thou art the Clement, the Lofty, the
Magnificent, the Omnipresent and Thou art the Protector, the Guardian, the
Helper, the Powerful, the Merciful and the Generous!
“O ye beloved ones of Abdul-Baha! This servant...”
O ye beloved ones of Abdul-Baha! This servant longeth to write a special
Tablet to each one of the friends of God—but what can be done! For there
is neither opportunity nor time. The affairs are like unto the waves, and
the requirements are like unto the vernal showers. I do not rest a moment,
neither do I have leisure for an instant. Letters are received every day
from all the regions and it is impossible and impracticable to answer one
among ten; yet there is no other mode than to answer the letters which are
the most important, for the urgent affairs must be attended to. Therefore,
I request the pardon and ask the forgiveness of the friends, that they may
overlook these shortcomings and be content and happy with that which is
possible.
O ye friends of Abdul-Baha! The East is illumined, the West is perfumed
and the world is in motion and acceleration. Such a tumult is visible in
the regions; and such a spiritual commotion is perceived in the pillars of
the earth! The fame of the grandeur of the Word of God hath reached the
ears of the inhabitants of the world, and the voice of the Cause of God
holdeth universal sway! It is the time for joy and happiness and the
moment of exhileration and ecstasy. One must live in accord with the
exhortations and advices of the Blessed Perfection and behave with such
deeds and actions as to become conducive to the illumination of the world
and the manifestion of mercifulness among the nations.
All the denizens of the earth, the communities and the people have taken
an axe in their hands to uproot the life-tree of each other; they are
blood-thirsty and the instigators of corruption; they are armed to the
teeth with destructive implements; each seeketh the death and annihilation
of the other. But the heavenly power, the divine energy and the celestial
hand of strength, hath raised the canopy of the oneness of the realm of
humanity on the pinnacle of the contingent being and hoisted the standard
of the most great peace, friendship, love, uprightness and the adoration
of truth. The friends are the servants of this canopy and the beloved are
the hosts of this standard. Therefore they must with one accord arise to
that which is the requirement and the merit of this day, become
overflowing with joy and beatitude, perfume the nostrils with the
fragrances, sweeten the tastes with the honey and delicacy of love, become
the signs of guidance, be the glad-tidings of the Supreme Concourse and
the army of the Kingdom of Abha; so that they may destroy the edifice of
war and bloodshed, efface the traces of battle and strife from the face of
the earth, uproot the tree of foreignness and plant the tree of unity in
the rose-garden of the regions, extinguish the fire of hatred and
animosity and set in motion the sea of love and affinity, erase the traces
of discord from the Tablet of the earth and register thereon the verses of
concord, clear the field of existence from the thorns and brambles of
hostilities and ill-feeling and adorn it with the hyacinths and anemones
of harmony, train and educate the souls and loosen the tongue in the
delivery of the instructions and teachings of the Blessed Perfection!
“O ye beloved ones! It is the moment of the ecstasy...”
O ye beloved ones! It is the moment of the ecstasy of the soul and
consciousness and the season of running in the arena of sacrifice! Show ye
kindness to all; be ye engaged in the refinement of the souls. Become ye
as ignited lamps and adorn ye the orchard of being! These days are swiftly
passing and this mortal life will remain fruitless and without result.
Therefore, while there is yet time and the arrow is in the bow, enter ye
the chase and strike ye the game. This game is the good-pleasure of God,
and this chase is the merciful Providence; that is, living in accord with
the divine instructions.
“O Thou Pure God!...”
O Thou Pure God!
Thou art the Seer and the Hearer! Thou art the Powerful and the Mighty!
The fame of Thy Most Great Cause hath traveled forth and radiated from all
the horizons! The believers have attracted to the Face of that Brilliant
Orb. The tongues are engaged in Thy Commemoration and the hearts are at
all times dilated with the Fragrances of Thy Holiness. The faces are all
turned toward Thee; the hearts are captive of Thy Abode, and the souls are
athirst for the Salubrious Water of Thy River. The call of Thy Greatest
Name hath caused a mighty reverberation throughout all the kingdoms, and
the Power of Thy Consummate Word hath unfurled Thy Ensign to the East and
to the West! The favored ones supplicate with the utmost humility, and the
righteous ones are in an attitude of soulful invocation to the Kingdom of
Beauty.
O my God! Assist Thou all of them and pour upon them the showers of Thy
Supreme Confirmations; so that they may become the cause of the
tranquility of the world of creation; to be the servants of the human
race; to become, with all their hearts and souls, the real friends of all
nations; to become with the utmost joy and fragrance, the spiritual
companions of the adherents of all religions; to dispel the darkness of
strangeness and to spread the lights of friendship in this transitory
world!
O God! Grant Thou to all of them an Asylum in Thy Neighborhood and gladden
their hearts and impart to them rejoicing through Thine Incomparable
bounties! Thou are the Omnipotent and the Mighty! Thou art the Seer and
the Hearer!
“O ye real companions! Day and night Abdul-Baha...”
O ye real companions! Day and night Abdul-Baha is engaged in the
remembrances of the friends, and time after time doth he associate with
them and behold their blessed faces. I entreat in the Threshold of the
Lord of Existence to confrim them in a befitting manner and assist them to
follow wholly the Commands of God!
O ye friends of God! According to what is heard, some of the friends have
celebrated my birthday in some countries on the fifth of Zamadi-Avval
(23rd day of May). Although their intention is no other than good, their
aim be to promote the Word of God and to commemorate the True One among
the people in this manner, yet, according to the text of the Religion of
God and the irrefutable command, the fifth of Zamadi-Avval (May 23rd) is
the day of the Declaration of His Highness the Supreme (the Bab)—may my
life be a sacrifice to Him! Consequently, they must celebrate and adorn
that Blessed Day in the name of the Declaration of that Orb of regions;
make rejoicing and happiness, and impart the glad-tidings of heavenly
beatitude to each other. For that holy essence was the Herald of the Most
Great Name. Therefore, no one must mention that day of the fifth of
Zamadi-Avval (May 23rd) except as the Day of the Declaration of His
Highness the Bab. This is the unquestionable text of the Religion of God.
Regarding the birth of this servant, which also happened on that day, this
is a proof of the favors and bounties of God toward this servant. However,
this Blessed Day must become known as the Day of the Declaration of His
Highness the Supreme (Bab) and the beginning of the effulgence of the Sun
of Reality. You must on this account be engaged in rejoicing, happiness
and gladness. This is the truth! Beware! Beware! that you avoid that which
is mentioned; otherwise, it will cause the utmost grief to the heart of
Abdul-Baha.
I ask from the inexhaustible bounties of His Highness the Almighty, that
the righteous ones become assisted to live in accord with the Religion of
God; neither do they deviate a hair’s breadth therefrom; and spread this
Tablet throughout all regions, so that all the friends may comprehend the
truth and act accordingly.
“O ye beloved of God and maid-servants of the Merciful!...”
O ye beloved of God and maid-servants of the Merciful!
The republic of wise men believes that the difference in minds and
opinions is due to the difference of education and the acquisition of
ethics. That is, that minds are equal in origin, but education and the
acquisition of ethics cause minds to differ and comprehensions to be at
variance; that this difference is not in entity but in education and
teaching; that there is no individual distinction for any soul. Hence, the
members of the human race all possess the capacity of attaining to the
highest station, and the proof they adduce therefor is this: “The
inhabitants of a country like Africa are all as wandering savages and wild
animals; they lack intelligence and knowledge; all are uncivilized; not
one civilized and wise man is to be found among them. On the contrary,
consider the civilized countries, the inhabitants of which are living in
the highest state of culture and ethics, solidarity and inter-dependence;
possessing, with few exceptions, acute power of comprehensions and sound
mind. Therefore, it is made clear and evident that the superiority and
inferiority of minds and comprehensions arises from education and
cultivation, or from their lack and absence. A bent branch is straightened
by training and the wild fruit of the jungle is made the product of the
orchard. An ignorant man by learning becomes knowing, and the world of
savagery, through the bounty of a wise educator, is changed into a
civilized kingdom. The sick is healed by medication, and the poor man, by
learning the arts of commerce, is made rich. The follower, by attaining
the virtues of the leader, becomes great, and the lowly man, by the
education of the teacher, rises from the nadir of oblivion to the zenith
of celebrity.” These are the proofs of the wise men.
The prophets also acknowledge this opinion, towit: That education hath a
great effect upon the human race, but they declare that minds and
comprehensions are originally different. And this matter is self-evident;
it cannot be refuted. We see that certain children of the same age,
nativity and race, nay, from the same household, under the tutorship of
one teacher, differ in their minds and comprehensions. One advanceth
rapidly, another is slow in catching the rays of culture, still another
remaineth in the lowest degree of stupidity.
No matter how much the shell is educated (or polished), it can never
become the radiant pearl. The black stone will not become the world
illumining gem. The calocynth(267) and the thorny cactus can never by
training and development become the blessed tree. That is to say, training
doth not change the human gem (i.e., human nature or entity), but it
produceth a marvelous effect. By this effective power all that is
registered latent of virtues and capacities in the human reality will be
revealed.
Cultivation by the farmer maketh of the grain the harvest, and the effort
of the gardener maketh of the seed a noble tree. The gentle teacher
promoteth the children of the school to the lofty altitude and the
bestowal of the trainer placeth the little child upon the throne of ether.
Therefore, it is demonstrated and proven that minds are different in the
original entity or nature, and that education commandeth a decided and
great influence. Were there no educator, all souls would remain savage,
and were it not for the teacher, the children would be ignorant creatures.
It is for this reason that, in this New Cycle, education and training are
recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it
is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all
effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of
knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts. Should they
neglect this matter, they shall, be held responsible and worthy of
reproach in the presence of the stern Lord.
This is a sin unpardonable, for they have made that poor babe a wanderer
in the Sahara of ignorance, unfortunate and tormented; to remain during a
lifetime a captive of ignorance and pride, negligent and without
discernment. Verily, if that babe depart from this world at the age of
infancy, it is sweeter and better. In this sense, death is better than
life; deprivation than salvation; non-existence lovelier than existence;
the grave better than the spacious, regal home; for in the sight of
mankind that child is abased and degraded and in the sight of God weak and
defective. in gatherings it is ashamed and humiliated and in the arena of
examination subdued and defeated by young and old. What a mistake is this!
What an everlasting humiliation!
Therefore, the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful must
train their children with life and heart and teach them in the school of
virtue and perfection. They must not be lax in the matter; they must not
be inefficient. Truly, if a babe did not live at all it were better than
to let it grow ignorant, for that innocent babe, in later life, would
become afflicted with innumerable defects, responsible to and questioned
by God, reproached and rejected by the people. What a sin this would be
and what an omission!
the first duty of the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful
is this: They must strive by all possible means to educate both sexes,
male and female; girls like boys; there is no difference whatsoever
between them. The ignorance of both is blameworthy, and negligence in both
cases is reprovable. “Are they who know and they who do not know equal?”
(Koran)
The command is decisive concerning both. If it be considered through the
eye of reality, the training and culture of daughters is more necessary
than that of sons, for these girls will come to the station of motherhood
and will mould the lives of the children. The first trainer of the child
is the mother. The babe, like unto a green and tender branch, will grow
according to the way it is trained. If the training be right, it will grow
right, and if crooked, the growth likewise, and unto the end of life it
will conduct itself accordingly.
Hence, it is firmly established that an untrained and uneducated daughter,
on becoming a mother, will be the prime factor in the deprivation,
ignorance, negligence and the lack of training of many children.
O ye beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful! Teaching and
learning, according to the decisive texts of the Blessed Beauty
(Baha’o’llah), is a duty. Whosover is indifferent therein depriveth
himself of the great bounty.
Beware! Beware! that ye fail not in this matter. Endeavor with heart, with
life, to train your children, especially the daughters. No excuse is
acceptable in this matter.
Thus may eternal glory and everlasting supremacy, like unto the mid-day
sun, shine forth in the assemblage of the people of Baha’, and the heart
of Abdul-Baha become happy and thankful.
“O pure friends of God!...”
O pure friends of God!
Cleanliness and sanctity in all conditions are the characteristics of pure
beings and necessities of free souls. The first perfection consists in
cleanliness and sanctity and in purity from every defect. When man in all
conditions is pure and immaculate, he will become the center of the
reflection of the manifest Light. In all his actions and conduct there
must first be purity, then beauty and independence. The channel must be
cleansed before it is filled with sweet water. The pure eye comprehendeth
the sight and the meeting of God; the pure nostril inhaleth the perfumes
of the rose-garden of bounty; the pure heart becometh the mirror of the
beauty of truth. This is why, in the heavenly Books, the divine counsels
and commands have been compared to water. So, in the Koran it is said,
“and we have caused a pure water to descend from heaven;” and in the
Gospel, “Except a man hath received the baptism of water and of the
spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” Then it is evident that
the divine teachings are the heavenly grace and the showers of the mercy
of God, which purify the hearts of men.
The meaning is, in all conditions, cleanliness and sanctity, purity and
delicacy exalt humanity and make the contingent beings progress. Even when
applied to physical things, delicacy causeth the attainment of
spirituality, as it is established in the Holy Scriptures.
External cleanliness, although it is but a physical thin, hath a great
influence upon spirituality. For example, although sound is but the
vibrations of the air which affect the tympanum of the ear, and vibrations
of the air are but an accident among the accidents which depend upon the
air, consider how much marvelous notes or a charming song influence the
spirits! A wonderful song giveth wings to the spirit and filleth the heart
with exalteth. To return to the subject, the fact of having a pure and
spotless body likewise exerciseth an influence upon the spirit of man.
Now, see how much purity is approved in the Court of God, that it should
be especially mentioned in the Holy Books of the Prophets. So the Holy
Books forbid the eating of any unclean thing, or the use of anything which
is not pure. Certain prohibitions are absolute and imperative for all: he
who commits that which is forbidden is detested by God and excluded from
the number of the elect. This applieth to the things forbidden by an
absolute prohibition and of which the perpetration is a grave sin; they
are so vile that even to mention them is shameful. There are other
forbidden things which do not cause an immediate evil and of which the
pernicious effect is only gradually produced. They are also abhorred,
blamed and rejected by God, but their prohibition is not recorded in an
absolute way, although cleanliness and sanctity, spotlessness and purity,
the preservation of health and independence are required by these
interdictions.
One of these last prohibitions is the smoking of tobacco, which is
unclean, malodorous, disagreeable and vulgar and of which the gradual
harmfulness is universally recognized. All clever physicians have judged,
and have also shown by experiment, that one of the constituents of tobacco
is a mortal poison and that smokers are exposed to different
indispositions and maladies. That is why cleanly people have a marked
aversion for its use.
His Supreme Highness (the Bab)—may my soul be His sacrifice! —in the
beginning of His Cause, openly forbade it and all the friends abandoned
its use. But, as it was a time for caution and he who abstained from
smoking was ill treated, persecuted and even killed, therefore the friends
were obliged, as a matter of prudence, to smoke. later, the Kitab-el-Akdas
was revealed and as the prohibition of tobacco was not clearly stated in
it, the friends did not renounce it. But the Blessed Perfection had always
a marked aversion for its use. At the beginning of the Cause, for certain
reasons, he smoked a little, but later he abandoned it completely, and the
holy souls who obeyed him in all circumstances, also entirely gave up
smoking. I wish to say that, in the sight of God, the smoking of tobacco
is a thing which is blamed and condemned, very unclean, and of which the
result is by degrees injurious. Besides it is a cause of expense and of
loss of time and it is a harmful habit. So, for those who are firm in the
Covenant, it is a thing reprobated by the reason and by tradition, the
renouncement of which giveth gradual repose and tranquility, permitteth
one to have stainless hands and a clean mouth, and hair which is not
pervaded by a bad odor.
Without any doubt, the friends of God on receiving this epistle will
renounce this injurious by all means, even if it be necessary to do so by
degrees. This is my hope.
As to the question of opium, disgusting and execrated, I resign myself to
God for its punishment. The formal text of the Kitab-el-Akdas forbids and
reproves it and, according to reason, its use leads to madness. Experience
hath shown that he who giveth himself up to it is completely excluded from
the world of humanity. Let us take refuge in God against the perpetration
of so shameful a thing, which is the destruction of the foundations of
humanity and which causeth a perpetual unhappiness. It taketh possession
of the soul of man, killeth the reason, weakeneth the intelligence, maketh
a living man dead and extinguisheth the natural heat. It is impossible to
imagine anything more pernicious. Happy is he who never mentioneth the
word opium! But what is the fate of those who make use of it!
O friends of God! Force and violence, constraint and oppression are
condemned in this divine cycle, but to prevent the use of opium, all means
must be employed, so that the human species may be delivered and freed
from this great calamity. Otherwise, alas! for all the negligent before
God.
O Lord! Give to the people of Baha’ cleanliness and holiness in all
conditions, purify and free them from all defilement, deliver them from
the use of all that is execrated, liberate them from the chains of habits,
so that they may be pure and free, clean and spotless, that they may be
worthy servants of the Sacred Threshold and may deserve to enter into
relation with God. Deliver them from alcohol and tobacco, and save them
from opium, the purveyor of madness! Make them companions of the holy
breezes, in order that they may know the pleasures of the wine of the love
of God, and that they may attain to the joy and the happiness of
attraction to the Kingdom of Abha!
Hast Thou not said, “All that thou hast in thy cellar will not appease the
thirst of my love—bring me, O cup-bearer, of the wine of the spirit, a cup
full as the sea!”
O friends of God! Experience hath shown how much the renouncing of
tobacco, wine and opium, giveth health, strength and intellectual
enjoyments, penetration of judgment and physical vigor. There exists today
a tribe(268) which refrains and abstains from tobacco, alcohol and opium
and it completely excels all others in power, in bravery, in health,
beauty and grace. A single one of these men can withstand ten men of other
tribes, and this hath been universally proved; that is to say, generally,
the individuals of this tribe are superior to the individuals of the other
tribes.
Therefore strive that the greatest cleanliness and sanctity, which is the
great desire of Abdul-Baha, should be resplendent among the Bahais, and
that the companions of God should surpass the rest of mankind in all
conditions and perfections; that they may be physically and morally
superior to others; that through cleanliness and purity, refinement and
health, they may be the chief of wise men, and that by their
affranchisement, their prudence, and the control of their desires, they
may be the princes of the pure, the free and the wise.
Upon you be the glory of El-Abha!
“O ye two , servant and maid-servant of the Beauty of...”
O ye two(269), servant and maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!
Thank ye His Highness the Incomparable One, that ye have become assisted
in the service of the self-subsistent Lord and that ye are making copies
of the Tablets of Abdul-Baha, spreading them all around. This service is
the most great bounty; for like unto the messenger from Egypt, ye are
sending the garment of the Joseph of the love of God to all directions, so
that the fragrance of the rose-garden of the Kingdom of Abha impart the
spirit of life to the inquirers.
Excellent! Excellent is your magnanimity and exalted intention!
“O thou who art skilled in the Knowledge of God and...”
O thou who art skilled in the Knowledge of God and wise in the Wisdom of
the Almighty!
Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Might with supplication and invocation
and entreat thy Lord, the Merciful, with this commune, until the heart and
consciousness be illumined by the breath of God from the right side of
grace and generosity, and say:
“O my God! O my God! Verily I am Thy humble servant and Thy meek slave. I
beseech Thee with all my heart and soul, in the middle of nights, and
declare: O my Lord! O my Lord! Enlighten the sights [or eyes] by the
outpouring of lights; purify the souls by the fragrances of Paradise;
dilate the hearts by the wafting of the breeze whereby the sorrows are
dispelled, and exhilarate the spirits by the cups of the wine which is
gleaming and sparkling like unto a lamp!
“Then intoxicate me with the wine of Thy love, so that I may attain to
success and prosperity in this dawn of Light; may speak Thy praises, call
upon Thy Name, be engaged in Thy commemoration in this vast country and
spacious continent and be inebriated with the pure Wine which is glowing
in the excellent Cup. Then suffer me to become the sign of guidance among
Thy creatures and to become a supreme example among the believers, in
order that I may lead others to Thy Word, spread Thy truth, promulgate Thy
knowledge and deliver Thy teachings.
“Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Mighty, the Powerful
and the Beneficent!”
“O seeker for the Truth!...”
O seeker for the Truth!
There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual
means. The first is by the use of remedies, of medicines; the second
consists in praying to God and in turning to Him. Both means should be
used and practiced.
Illness caused by physical accident should be treated with medical
remedies; those which are due to spiritual causes disappear through
spiritual means. Thus an illness caused by affliction, fear, nervous
impressions, will be healed by spiritual rather than by physical
treatment. Hence, both kinds of remedies should be considered. Moreover,
they are not contradictory, and thou shouldst accept the physical remedies
as coming from the mercy and favor of God, who hath revealed and made
manifest medical science so that His servants may profit from this kind of
treatment also. Thou shouldst give equal attention to spiritual
treatments, for they produce marvellous effects.
Now, if thou wishest to know the divine remedy which will heal man from
all sickness and will give him the health of the divine kingdom, know that
it is the precepts and teachings of God.l Guard them sacredly.
“O thou darling dear!...”
O thou darling dear!
Turn thy face toward the Supreme Kingdom and chant thou this commune:
O Thou Pure God! I am a little child; make Thou the bosom of Thy Gift a
dear resting-place of comfort, suffer me to grow and be nurtured with the
honey and the milk of Thy love and train me under the breast of Thy
knowledge; bestow Thou freedom while in a state of childhood and grant
Thou excellence!
O Thou Incomparable One! Make me the confident of the Kingdom of the
Unseen! Verily, Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful!
O Unequalled Lord!(270)
For this helpless child be a Protector; for this weak and sinful one be
kind and forgiving.
O Creator! Although we are but useless grass, still we are of Thy garden;
though we are but young trees, bare of leaves and blossoms, still we are
of Thy orchard; therefore, nourish this grass with the rain of Thy county;
refresh and vivify these young, languishing trees with the breeze of Thy
spiritual springtime.
Awaken us, enlighten us, sustain us, give us eternal life and accept us
into Thy Kingdom!
“O thou worshipper of Truth!...”
O thou worshipper of Truth!
Thy letter was received and its contents became known. Praise be to God!
immense results and great effect have been produced by forwarding [recent]
Tablets to that country (America). They gladdened and exhilarated the
friends and imparted happiness to the souls. They granted sight to the
eyes and hearing to the ears. It is hoped that wonderful effects will be
displayed in the future, that the friends of God may live and act in
accord with the heavenly teachings, in order that the region of America
may become the Paradise of Abha, that desert and wilderness become the
rose-garden of human perfections, the verses of guidance be read, the
melody of “Ya Baha El-Abha!” reach the Kingdom of Beauty; warfare and
bloodshed be removed from among the people, affinity and love hoist their
tent upon the apex of the world, all mankind become real friends with one
another and each soul respect the other. Whenever these signs appear, then
it will become manifest that the Tablets have had their effect.
“O thou whose face is radiant with the light of the Love...”
O thou whose face is radiant with the light of the Love of God!
Verily, the angel of mercy heralds to thee the glad-tidings which are the
light of the eyes of the sincere believers and the illumination of the
countenance of the virtuous and pious.
Rest assured in God! Engage in commemoration of God; be aglow with the
fire of the love of God and be severed from all else save God. This is the
spirit of life for the soul who is submissive to the Word of God.
“O thou yearner after Truth!...”
O thou yearner after Truth!
I know in what condition thou art, and how much thou longest for the
meeting. The real meeting consists in the communication of heart. I hope
that this communication will become strong, for the hearts which are
spiritually related to each other, their meetings are eternal, both in
this world and in the Universe of God. I hope that thou mayest attain
thereunto!
“O thou yearner after the Kingdom!...”
O thou yearner after the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received. It was brief and expressive of meaning. I ask
from God that thy name be registered in the Tablet of the Kingdom; [that
thou] be assisted by the merciful confirmation; become characterized with
divine characteristics, and that thou mayest become a tree with the utmost
freshness and delicacy in the orchard of God.
“O thou flower of the Rose-garden of God!...”
O thou flower of the Rose-garden of God!
Thou hast presented thy life. I have also accepted it, in order that thou
mayest sacrifice thyself in the path of God and attain to the ultimate
desire of the spiritual ones. Thou art a fresh plant in this divine
orchard. I hope that thou mayest become fruitful, and become the cause of
the adornment of this rose-garden.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast written regarding the visit of the
beloved maid-servant of God, the attracted one to the fragrance of
holiness, Mrs. ........., to California, which hath been the cause of
affinity among the friends and the guidance of others.
Mrs. ......... is the favored maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection. In
reality she is the daughter of the Kingdom and is an informed speaker.
Have ye the utmost consideration toward her and show her exceeding
respect.
Should anyone in this day attach his heart to the Kingdom, release himself
from all else save God and become attracted to the fragrances of holiness,
the army of the Kingdom of Abha will help him and the angels of the
Supreme Concourse will assist him.
Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... I sought for her
protection and bounty from the Lord of the Kingdom.
Regarding the question of your presence in Acca now, it is not according
to wisdom. Postpone this matter to some other time.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thou hast written regarding the death of thy mother. Praise be to God, she
hath attained to the desire of her heart and hath ascended to the Kingdom
of Abha!
Happiness dependeth of the spiritual glad-tidings and not upon material
means. It is found in the Kingdom of Abha and not in this mortal world.
O thou maid-servant of God! Become thou not extinguished by the winds of
tests, but rather become ignited and be more happy, for then thou wilt
become a tried believer.
Guide the maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........., to the power of the Holy
Spirit and say: “Unless the Holy Spirit become intermediary, one cannot
attain directly to the bounties of God. Do not overlook the obvious
truths, for it is a self-evident fact that a child cannot be instructed
without a teacher, and knowledge is a bounty from the bounties of God. The
soil is not covered with grass and green without the rain of the cloud;
therefore the cloud is the intermediary between the divine bounties and
the soil. A body doth not develop and grow without the soul; therefore the
soul is the medium of the spiritual life.”
Convey respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... and say: “I hope that through
the breath of the Holy Spirit the mysteries may become disclosed to thee,
for without this channel it is impossible and unattainable. Turn thine
attention to the days of His Highness the Christ; some people imagine that
without the Messianic outpourings, it is possible to attain to Truth, but
this very imagination became the cause of their deprivation.”
O thou maid-servant of God! Whenever thou art desiring to talk and answer
questions, turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Abha and beseech for
assistance; then loosen thy tongue. Thou wilt behold at that time how thou
art able to answer all the questions!
o thou maid-servant of God! The aim of the theosophists is to attain to
Truth, but the Truth is unattainable except through the favor of the Holy
Spirit. The light hath a center and if one desire to seek it otherwise but
from the center, he can never attain to it. In this solar system the
source of light is the sun and every light is acquired from it; even the
lamps of the night are ignited through the sun, for if there were no sun
the trees would not grow nor the mines develop, so that the oil be
extracted from those trees and mines, and the lamps of the night be lit by
it. Is it possible that one attain to the light in this globular sphere
without the mediation of the sun? No, by the life of God! To suppose it,
is pure imagination. But the Truth is this: The main source of the lights
is the Sun and the rays are shed from it upon all the regions.
“O ye spiritual ones! O ye heavenly ones!...”
O ye(271) spiritual ones! O ye heavenly ones!
The assembly which you have established in that city is a splendor from
the congregation of the Supreme Concourse. I ask from God that the hearts
may be illuminated, the spirits be rejoiced through the most great
glad-tidings, the eyes be upraised toward the Supreme Realm and the
tongues be loosened in thanksgiving and glorification.
The members of that assembly are favored in the Threshold of Oneness and
are loved and respected by this imprisoned one. They must continue to
teach with utmost firmness, be engaged in the mentioning of the True One,
read the verses of God, supplicate toward the Kingdom of eternity, bring
about the meetings of consultation,(272) and spread the Word of God, the
spiritual attraction of the love of God, the increase of the knowledge of
God and the realization of affinity, friendship, unison and nobility.
“O ye servants of the True One and the maid-servants...”
O ye(273) servants of the True One and the maid-servants of the Merciful!
Do not think that ye are forgotten for one moment! Abdul-Baha is at all
times remembering you with infinite love and kindness and supplicates
assistance and favor, at the Threshold of Oneness, so that the invisible
confirmation may pour down, the divine bounties unveil their countenances,
the friends in that region be ignited like unto lamps and the
maid-servants of God shine like stars; in order to illumine that country,
to make that clime the “Paradise of perpetual abode” [or heaven], to
suffer the people to drink from the wine of guidance, to intoxicate the
ones yearning after the Kingdom of Abha, to open spiritual universities,
to be instructed in the mysteries of the love of God by the Heavenly
Instructor, to associate with each other with the utmost humility and
attain to spiritual affinity.
Each one must sacrifice his life and possessions to the other and each
person be loving to all the inhabitants of the world, rending asunder the
curtain of foreignness and consorting with all the people with union and
accord. They must be faithful to the traitors and benevolent to the
tyrant. They must recognize the enemies as friends, the unknown as known.
These are the advices and exhortations of God!
O ye friends: O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! In order to thank God
for this most great guidance, consort with all the people with the utmost
joy and happiness, so that ye may become the recipients of the glances of
Providence.
Become ye not sad on account of any calamity, neither be ye broken hearted
by any trials. Be ye firm and steadfast in order that the beloved may
become the cup-bearer of the assembly and the greatest desire become
realized.
Blessing be upon ye by the bounty of your Lord the Merciful!
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
(274) O my Lord! O my Lord!
(275) I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy
mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy
guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty! Deliver me from
darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness, make me a
flower of the rose-garden; suffer me to become the servant of Thy
Threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous
ones; make me a cause of bounty to the human world and crown my head with
the diadem of eternal life!
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer!
“Thou hast written concerning the universal peace,...”
(276) Thou hast written concerning the universal peace, that before long
the congress of The Hague will be opened(277) and discussion will be made
in regard to the universal peace.
This problem cannot be solved by the congress of The Hague, whose members
are the representatives of nations; nay, rather, this graceful beloved
will unveil her face in all the regions through the penetrative power of
the Word of God.
The congress of The Hague is as follows: The wine sellers call a meeting
so that they may discuss the evils of wine and remove from the world the
drinking of wine; yet their own vocation is wine selling.
Nations who are constantly thinking wither of worldly conquest, the
expansion of their own dominion or waging war upon their contemporaries,
send ministers and representatives to the congress of The Hague to discuss
the problem of universal peace and legislative registrations for the
prevention of war!
But regarding the universal language: Ere long significance and scientific
discussions concerning this matter will arise among the people of
discernment and insight and it will produce the desired result.
“O thou who art attracted by the brilliant lights of the...”
O thou who art attracted by the brilliant lights of the Merciful One,
shining from the Supreme Kingdom!
I opened thy letter with the greatest happiness and considered the meaning
of thine address; but sadness became most intense within me when I learned
about the dissensions among the brethren(278) in those countries. By the
life of God! “This is a wonderful thing!”
Verily, the mission of all the prophets, the relation of all the
scriptures, the diffusion of the instructions of God and the descent of
His law, were all in order to establish agreement and union and to
strengthen love and harmony among nations of different customs and
thoughts, of diverse beliefs, doctrines, rites and habits; of various
classes, tribes and races. So likewise, as thou seest in this beautiful
religion, verily, men of different beliefs, creeds and religions, of
contrary ideas and thoughts, of various races, languages and natal
lands—whether from East, West, North or South—all have entered under the
shade of this Blessed Tree, planted, grown and reared in the midst of
Paradise, and are formed into a single nation and religion in mutual union
and agreement, ready to sacrifice their souls and bodies, each to the
other. This harmony is not effected but through the influence of the Word
of God and is circulated and spread in all directions among the believers
of God, who are firm in the Covenant.
The dissensions prevailing in those parts (America) is altogether too
surprising and strange; and I entreat God to purge it out through thy
power of unity and oneness and unite the congregations and gather together
the dispersed multitude. verily, He is powerful in all things!
But for thee, leave such matters and disturbances and withdraw from those
districts and places and turn thy face sincerely to God; take His
instructions and be expanded through the breaths of god. The Spirit of God
shall assist thee and His angels will confirm thee; the life of holiness
of God will be breathed into thy mouth and thou wilt find thyself in a
position free from these ideas and thoughts resulting from worldly grades.
(Verily, these are disgraces to all who are in the habit of reading the
verses of unity in the assemblies of existence!) Seize the opportunity,
use every effort and depend not upon circumstances which produce no
fruits. Spend thy days, with all joy and fragrance, in speaking to the
praise of God, being gladdened through His good tidings, in rejoicing
through His graces and in spreading His breaths. Then thou shalt, with the
eye of joy, see the banners of the Covenant fluttering above all stately
mansions. Verily, God effecteth that which He pleaseth; naught can annul
His Covenant; naught can obstruct His favor nor oppose His Cause! He doeth
with His will that which pleaseth Him and He is powerful over all things!
At that time thou wilt find the waverers in manifest loss.
As for the instructions: They will be revealed to thee and spread all
through all those regions by the translation of the divine verses.
As for the symbol of the cross, appointed in former times: Know verily,
that the cross form is a wonderful figure and consists of two right lines
placed crosswise—one perpendicular to the other—and this figure exists in
all things.
Meditate upon these words and pay attention to the tissue in all existing
substances, either plant, animal or man, and thou wilt see that they all
are formed of the cross figure or two crosswise lines. Consider this
intently with true meditation. Then thou wilt be taught by the Holy Ghost
that it is for this reason that God hath chosen this symbol to be
displayed as the token of sacrifice in all periods of the ages.
I will explain to thee, in future time, the mystery of sacrifice. There is
nothing more beautiful than this tree united with the cross. Verily, this
tree is a type of the Tree of Life inconjunction with the cross; in this,
the mystery of sacrifice.
as for the crescent: It hath reference to the beginning of the religion of
God which shall grow to be a full moon.
As for the stars: They are types of the guides; for, verily, the star is a
guide to people, even in the most gloomy darkness, on both land and sea.
In former centuries, people were aided by the pole-star in whatever
direction they went.
Verily, I supplicate God to raise the instrument of sacrifice in those
regions and to reveal there the mystery of sacrifice; to cause the
crescent of the religion of God to rise until it groweth into a shining
full moon; to brighten the stars of guidance and guide all through it; and
I beseech Him to assist those brethren to promote His Word in those most
distant places, cause them to be servants to His precious olive-garden,
keepers of His inaccessible fortress and guides to his straight path!
May glory be unto thee and unto them!
“O thou who art illuminated by the Light of Knowledge!...”
O thou who art illuminated by the Light of Knowledge!
Verily, I beseech God and supplicate Him to increase thine assurance, thy
knowledge and thine attraction and enkindlement by the fire of the love of
God, day by day.
O maid-servant of God! Clothe thyself with the cuirass of assurance, so
that thou mayest endure the arrows of suspicion which are successively
pouring from the tongues of the heedless ones. Be a lamp, the light of
which may dispel the darkness, and a real standard which may remove the
doubts of the veiled people. Turn thou unto the Kingdom of thy Lord, the
Ancient, and seek for confirmation at every moment and time, so that
lights may shine forth unto thee from the kingdom of mysteries, and the
angels of the Kingdom may come unto thee in succession, with a power from
the Realm of Might. Verily, thy Lord shall assist thee and strengthen thee
in that whereby thy breast will be dilated among the maid-servants of the
Merciful One!
“O thou who art gazing toward Abdul-Baha!...”
O thou who art gazing toward Abdul-Baha!
Now I address thee with a heart filled with affection toward thee, and
say: “O maid-servant of God! Be a flame of the fire of the love of God,
and consume the veils of women’s doubts. And know thou that, verily, the
Lord who “doeth whatsoever He willeth” will assist thee in proof and
argument and will enable thee to speak the praise of the Merciful One and
will make thee a sign of knowledge.
“Arise to serve the Cause of God in the vineyard of God and water the
developed and flourishing trees with the waters of mysteries which are
deposited in the innermost parts of the words of the Books; and be assured
that the fountain of assurance will gush out in the hearts of the firm and
steadfast women believers, and the divine graces will strengthen them from
all sides, and the Lord will enable them to diffuse the fragrances. And He
will make them manifest signs, beaming stars, shining lights, fruitful
trees, flowing fountains, perfect words and mature proofs. Then know thou
that verily Abdul-Baha is between the fangs of the dragon of afflictions
and in the grasp of dangers night and day.”
As to ye, O maid-servants of the Merciful One: “Gird up your loins in
union and harmony, so that the Lord may strengthen your backs in His
mighty Kingdom, make you servants in His excellent vineyard, raise you to
the highest stations in this glorious age, and cause you to reach your
greatest hopes in this auspicious day.”
Address thou the maid-servants of the Merciful One, and say: “Verily, Mary
Magdalene was a villager, but on account of her keeping firm in the Cause
of Christ after His death, she was rendered successful in such a matter,
whereby her face is shining and beaming forth on the horizon of the
universe forevermore! And she surpassed even men in defending the fortress
of the Cause of God against the attack of the hosts of suspicions. This is
indeed a glorious condition! This is indeed a great matter! This is indeed
a manifest light!”
“O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Spirit of Truth!
At this moment I remember thee, while the cup of my tongue is overflowing
with the wine of God’s praise, and I address thee in a spirit whereby the
hearts of all the creation are cheerfully moved.
Know thou, verily, the Spirit hath indeed so surrounded my limbs that it
moveth them as it willeth and my tongue uttereth the most wonderful speech
and most sweet words while addressing thee, so that thou mayest be moved
by these holy fragrances which perfume all regions, and be dilated with
joy by this address, which is revealed because of my abundant love for
thee and my excessive kindness and great affection unto thee.
O maid-servant of God, verily the Holy Spirit breathes in this day unto
the hearts which are moving, beating, pure and attracted by the love of
God.
Abandon thou every occupation and be engaged in the affairs of thy Lord
and serve the Spirit of Truth which hath poured a spiritual, divine and
everlasting life upon the brilliant hearts.
O maid-servant of God! By God, the True One, verily the crown of mighty
gift is suspended betwixt heaven and earth and the angels of holiness are
awaiting a lofty head which may be worthy of this great bestowal, so that
it may descend upon that head, and that it may wear that glorious crown,
the most precious gems of which illumine the eyes of all in the world!
O maid-servant of God! Many a spiritual woman came (into the world) and
passed away in vain; no sound is heard of them and no trace of them is
seen; inasmuch as their spirits were not dependent upon the Holy Spirit,
nor were they attracted to the fragrances of Truth; nor were they ever
baptized by the Water of Life, not by the Spirit of Truth which speaketh
in the assemblies of the Kingdom and which breathes upon spirits the
breezes which waft an eternal glory, the signs of which are everlasting.
“O thou who art attracted to the call of the Lord of the...”
O thou who art attracted to the call of the Lord of the Kingdom!
Know thou, verily, the Kingdom is a magnet of the divine world, and it
attracteth the iron of pure hearts which are capable of the bounties of
the Lord of Might. Blessed art thou, for thou hast turned unto the Lord of
Heaven, thy heart hath depended upon the Light of Guidance, thou hast
advanced toward the Center of Righteousness, and thy spirit is cheered by
the abundance of the Supreme Concourse! Verily, I beseech God to
strengthen thee with “One Mighty in Power,” so that the spirit may pour
upon thee the teachings of the Beauty of El-Abha, and to baptize thee with
the water of life, the fire of the love of God, and with the spirit of
confirmation, among maid-servants.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to supplicate thy Lord,
to seek His nearness with thy heart, to be submissive and humble before
His maid-servants, and to serve His great vineyard. forsake the mortal
grades, i.e., things of the world, and be engaged in praising thy Lord, so
that His Holy Spirit may assist thee, may make thee a sign of faith and
illumine thy heart with the light of assurance and that thou mayest become
a sign of peace and a servant of reconciliation, love and security.
Verily, my Merciful Lord is gracious under all aspects!
As to thy question concerning Christ” Know thou, He was perfect in respect
to spirit as well as body. His material (body) was a perfect body in every
respect; none of His material conditions were imperfect. His heavenly
condition was also a perfect at all, inasmuch as imperfection is contrary
to perfection. His heavenly condition was also a perfect one, comprising
all the divine perfections. Reflect thou upon these words, so that the
door of knowledge may be opened before thy face.
“O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted to the...”
O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Speak of my servitude unto God, of my humbleness and submissiveness to the
Beloved of God, and of my evanescence, nothingness and utter meekness to
the Threshold of Baha’. Verily, I am the servant of Baha’, the slave of
Baha’ and the captive of Baha’. I have no grade but this and I do not
possess anything for myself. Therefore, mention me in my pure servitude;
this is that by which my heart is dilated by every maid-servant who speaks
the praise of God. I beseech God to make thee a dove in the grove of
holiness, to coo with the most wonderful melodies the praise of thy Lord,
the Merciful!
“O thou who art ablaze with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art ablaze with the fire of the Love of God!
As to thy vision that thou wert traveling to Acca in a ship with the
maid-servant of God .........: this ship is the ship of the Covenant,
which is surrounded by the winds of discord from the people of hypocrisy.
Be rejoiced that ye two are preserved and have reached the shore of
salvation.
Know thou, verily, the winds of confirmation shall surely surround the Ark
of Deliverance, the sails of the covenant shall be unfurled, and it shall
reach the shore of the Kingdom of God. Blessed art thou, for thou hast
entered this Ark and art saved from afflictions!
As to what thou hast seen in the dream, concerning the letter which
reached thee from me, and angels were enclosed in it and they surrounded
thee: Know thou verily, that letter is this glorious writing whereby I
address thee; and, verily, this is full of angels of confirmation from the
Kingdom off God and they will assist thee to serve the Cause of God in the
vineyard of God.
“O thou seeing one!...”
O thou seeing one!
Know thou, verily, God hath preferred the insight to the sight, because
the sight seeth the material things, while the insight apprehendeth the
spiritual. the former witnesseth the earthly world, while the latter seeth
the world of the Kingdom. The former’s judgment is temporary, while the
latter’s vision is everlasting. Thou shalt soon behold the Kingdom of God
and its mysteries and the signs of God and the lights of His great Realm
of Divinity!
“O thou who art speaking the praise of god in that vast...”
O thou who art speaking the praise of god in that vast and extensive
region!
Thank God, who hath raised such women from the essences of the love of God
in that distant place and hath made them as fountains of knowledge,
sources of assurance and dawning-places of the commemoration of thy Lord,
the Merciful! I beg of God to strengthen them through the most strong
power, by the hosts rushing forth from the kingdom of El-Abha and by the
angels successively coming from heaven. Verily, He is the Assister, the
Beneficient!
As to thy question concerning the husband and wife, the tie between them
and the children given to them by God: Know thou, verily, the husband is
one who hath sincerely turned unto God, is awakened by the call of the
Beauty of El-Baha and chanteth the verses of Oneness in the great
assemblies; the wife is a being who wisheth to be overflowing with and
seeketh after the attributes of God and His names; and the tie between
them is none other than the Word of God. Verily, it [the Word of God]
causeth the multitudes to assemble together and the remote ones to be
united. Thus the husband and wife are brought into affinity, are united
and harmonized, even as though they were one person. Through their mutual
union, companionship and love great results are produced in the world,
both material and spiritual. The spiritual result is the appearance of
divine bounties. The material result is the children who are born in the
cradle of the love of God, who are nurtured by the breast of knowledge of
God, who are brought up in the bosom of the gift of God, and who are
fostered in the lap of the training of God. Such children are those of
whom it was said by Christ, “Verily, they are the children of the
Kingdom!”
Consequently, O thou maid-servant of God, go unto the maid-servants of the
Merciful one and tell them from the tongue of Abdul-Baha: “O maid-servants
of the Merciful! It is incumbent upon you to train the children from their
earliest babyhood! It is incumbent upon you to beautify their morals! It
is incumbent upon you to attend to them under all aspects and
circumstances, inasmuch as God—glorified and exalted is He! —hath ordained
mothers to be the primary trainers of children and infants. This is a
great and important affair and a high and exalted position, and it is not
allowable to slacken therein at all!
If thou walkest in this right path, thou wouldst become a real mother to
the children, both spiritually and materially. I beg of God to make thee
severed from this world, attracted to the fragrances of sanctity which are
being diffused from the garden of the Kingdom of El-Abha, and a servant of
the Cause of God in the vineyard of God.
Greeting and high respects to the maid-servant of God Miss........., who
is attracted, enkindled, hath spoken and called out, and hath stripped
herself from the garment of dependence of this mortal world and its
concerns and is clothed with the embroidered garments of separation (from
the world) in this great Paradise.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Know thou that some of the souls who arrive at this Blessed Spot possess
hearing, seeing and smelling; they see what no eye hath ever seen, they
hear the melodies of the Dove of Holiness on the Tree of Life, they inhale
the fragrances of God from this Garden, and they surely realize that,
verily, this Blessed Spot is a center for pure seeing and strong hearing
and is the direction from which the breezes of the Holy Spirit blow.
But those who have neither seeing not hearing apprehend nothing and say
what they understand not.
As to thee and thy daughter who is devoted to god, who presented herself,
saw and heard: Know ye, verily, (one possessing) a pure insight is a
servant to the people of Baha’, but only the prudent can understand this.
Know thou, verily, insight (or mental perception) seeth that which sight
(or physical perception) seeth not and apprehendeth that which the body
perceiveth not, inasmuch as the sight seeth the mirage as water, the
images pictured in the mirror as a reality and genuine, and it seeth the
earth as stationary, the great stars as small. But the insight correcteth
the mistake of the sight and apprehendeth the reality and seeth that the
mirage is not water, that the images pictured in mirrors are naught else
save mere reflections, that the earth is moving and the distant stars are
great. Consequently, the truth of insight, its effectiveness and power is
proven, as well as the weakness of sight, its inefficiency and defects.
Then, know thou that the power of the Word of God is effective, both in
the spirit and the body, and the influence of the spirit of god is
predominant over the material as well as the essential and spiritual. And
that, verily, God is powerful in all things, and that the signs (or
verses) have exoteric and esoteric meaning, and neither their outward
preventeth their inward, nor doth their inward prevent their outward
meaning.
Greeting and praise to the maid-servant of God, thy revered daughter, and
to all who commemorate the praise of god, long for the Kingdom of God and
are cheerfully moved by the fragrances of God!
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Consider not thy capacity and merit, nay rather consider the grace of thy
Lord, the Clement, the Merciful. Verily, thy Lord confirmeth whomsoever He
willeth of His servants, through the glad-tidings of the Kingdom, the
signals of clemency and the spiritual fragrances. forsake every
commemoration and thought in the cell of oblivion (i.e., forget
everything) and confine thy days and time in preaching the Kingdom of God,
spreading the teachings of god and igniting the lights of guidance in the
hearts which are awaiting the Kingdom of God. Truly, I say unto thee, to
be engaged in diffusing the fragrance of God (teaching the Truth) for one
hour of time is better than the dominion of the world and all therein; for
the latter is mortal and temporary, while the former is permanent and
endless. This is the day of Life, the day of Salvation and the day of
Bestowal; it is not the day of death, unless it be martyrdom in the path
of God, or embracing the cross in the love of God.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
As to thy question, “If the husband preventeth his wife from entering into
the Light, or the wife preventeth the husband from entering into the
Kingdom of God:“ In reality neither one of them preventeth the other from
entering into the Kingdom of God, except when the husband hath a great
attachment to the wife, or the wife to the husband. When either one of the
two adoreth the other to the exclusion of God, then each will prevent the
other from entering into the Kingdom of God.
As to thy question concerning the additions to the Old and New Testament:
Know thou, verily, as people could not understand the words, nor could
they apprehend the realities therein, therefore they have translated them
according to their own understanding and interpreted the verses after
their own ideas and thus the text fell into confusion. This is undoubtedly
true. As to an intentional addition: This is something uncertain. But they
have made great mistakes as to the understanding of the texts and the
comprehending of the references and have therefore fallen into doubts,
especially in regard to the symbolical verses.
As to thy question, “That Abdul-Baha hath said to some of the believers
that evil never exists, nay rather, it is a non-existent thing:“ This is
but truth, inasmuch as the greatest evil is (man’s) going astray and being
veiled from Truth. Error is lack of guidance; darkness is absence of
light; ignorance is lack of knowledge; falsehood is lack of truthfulness;
blindness is lack of sight; and deafness is lack of hearing. Therefore,
error, blindness, deafness and ignorance are non-existent things. If we
say that according to the text of the bible, “God hardened Pharaoh’s
heart” that he not believe in Moses, this signifies that, verily, He did
not soften his heart. And when we wish to say that God hath not guided a
certain one of His servants, this would be interpreted (by people) that
God led him astray. The darkness spoken of in the Bible as being created
by God, signifieth that, verily, God hath not caused light to shine;
inasmuch as where there is no light, there will be darkness; when there is
no sight, there will be blindness; when there is no life, there ill be
death; when there is no riches, there will be poverty; and when there is
no knowledge, there will be ignorance.
Consequently, it is proven by indisputable argument and clear explanation
that, verily, evils are non-existent, but people have not understood the
meaning of the verses of the Bible.
I beg of God to make thee a faithful servant in His great vineyard, enable
thee to speak His praise, to diffuse His fragrances, to chant His verses
and to herald His name at every moment.
“O thou who art rejoiced at the explanation of the maid-servant...”
O thou who art rejoiced at the explanation of the maid-servant of God
.........!
Thank thou god that He hath sent forth unto thee such a spiritual and
loving sister, who is preserved from egotism and desires and is rejoiced
at the glad-tidings of God. Can there be imagined any greater mercy than
this? No! by the One who hath created the heaven and earth! Blessed thou
art, for thou hast inhaled the fragrances of life from the garden of the
Kingdom of El-Baha before thine ears had heard the call!
As to ......... whom thou hast mentioned, it behooveth him to seek only
the divine bounties and subjects which lead to the real knowledge of the
invisible (world of god), through the mediation of the Holy spirit. Then
he will perceive the reality of the triune powers in man, through his
innate perception. For, verily, the sign of these triune powers which
exist in mankind are spirit, mind and soul. The spirit is the power of
life, the mind is the power which apprehendeth the reality of things, and
the soul is an intermediary between the Supreme Concourse (or Spiritual
World) and the lower concourse (or material world). It, i.e., the soul,
hath two phases: The higher aspireth to the Kingdom of El-Baha, and the
lights of the mind shine forth from that horizon (or kingdom) unto its
higher sphere; the other phase inclineth to the lower concourse of the
material world and its lowest sphere is enveloped in the darkness of
ignorance. But when light is poured upon this phase, and if this phase of
the soul is capable of receiving it, then “truth hath come and falsehood
vanisheth, for falsehood is of short duration”—otherwise, darkness will
surround it from all directions and it will be deprived of association
with the Supreme Concourse and will remain in the lowest depths.
As to the “voice:“ There are two kinds of voices. One is the physical
voice and it is expressed by atmospheric vibrations which affect the
nerves of the ear; the other is the breath of the Merciful, and this is a
call which is continually heard from the Supreme Concourse and cheereth
the pure and holy souls. May it be beneficial to those who have heard the
Call!
Know thou that the Ancient Light and the Manifest Beauty (God) hath sown
seeds in the soil of existence and hath irrigated it through His spiritual
bounties. This soil will surely bring forth good plants of divine gifts;
the leaves of this growth are love and union, its stem is the teachings of
the True One and His supreme laws, and the grain pods are the heavenly
blessings which giveth life to the souls. Depend thou on these! Depend
thou on these! Depend thou on this, and abandon every imagination and be
attracted to the light of reality and discover both the divine truths and
physical truths!
also, know thou that the greatest spiritual and divine “chaplet” is the
Word of God and the Sun of Truth which penetrateth the reality of the
created things and attracteth the entire soul of man in the world of
existence and shineth forth unto all horizons (or regions). Hast thou ever
perceived a greater “chaplet” than this? No! by the Splendor of Baha’!
Verily, I yearn for the visit of those souls who are cheered, dilated and
moved by and attracted to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
“O thou who art awakened to the Cause of God!...”
O thou who art awakened to the Cause of God!
Verily, I read thy letter and my heart was rejoiced at thine interesting
words; and I thanked God for He hath favored those souls who earnestly
desire to guard His strongly fortified fortress and His inaccessible cave
and who love unity, affinity, harmony and accord and who agree on one
opinion, one idea and one word. This behooveth the sincere souls! This
behooveth such as believe in the divine unity! This behooveth such as are
firm and steadfast in the Covenant, which is throbbing within the heart of
the whole creation!
Be ye guardians of the throne of the Kingdom of God and armies of defense
for the Religion of God. Whenever ye find someone desiring to separate
himself from the flock, it is incumbent upon you to treat him with
fragrance and kindness and persuade and encourage him, so that this
secluded sheep may return to the flock.
Verily, thy Lord loveth union and hateth discord; for the appearance of
the Holy Manifestations and divine laws is only for the sake of affinity,
union and concord, so that the remote, contradictory and different nations
and creeds may enter under the shadow of the Blessed Tree in unanimous
love and agreement.
I bed of god to confirm all of His dearly beloved ones in one opinion, one
belief, one movement, one path and one manner. This is that by which the
station of the beloved ones will be elevated, the Word of God will be
promoted, the fragrances of God will be diffused and the faces of the
sincere ones will be illuminated in the path of God. It is incumbent upon
you to practice these [instructions] under all aspects and circumstances.
As to the manifestation of the Greatest Name (Baha’o’llah): This was the
Divine Manifestation which appeared upon the earthly world. This is He
whom God promised in all His Books and Scriptures, such as the Bible, the
gospels and the Koran. All of these Books indicate this fact, and the
least doubt cannot possibly occur to the minds concerning this clear fact,
as is recorded in detail in the heavenly Books, especially in the
brilliant and holy Tablets. But notwithstanding this fact, if there is
anyone who hesitates therein, do not dispute with him, nay rather prove
this to him with all joy and fragrance, lest he may be obstinately
compelled to rebellion.
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!
Praise be unto Thee! for Thou hast created me of the most excellent
fabric, in the most honored form, and in the most exalted kind of Thy
creation; didst nurture me from the breast of Thy favor, didst nurse me in
the bosom of Thy mercy, until I grew up under the protection of Thy
divinity, in the cradle of Thy training, and reached full growth through
Thy favor and grace. Then Thou hast made me to experience various
circumstances and suffer countless calamities, afflictions and troubles in
myself and griefs in my soul. Thou hast (finally) guided me to the
fountain of Thy favor and illumined my sight through the light of Thy
guidance, quickened by spirit with Thy fragrances of holiness and moved my
heart with the breeze of the garden of Thy favor. Then I became rejoiced
at the appearance of Thy Beauty, the rising of Thy Lights and the dawning
of the morn of Thy Oneness. Thou hast delivered me from the depths of
sorrows, saved me from the darkness of griefs and dilated my breast by
showing unto me Thy greatest Signs in the Day of Resurrection. O my Lord!
Engage me in Thy love, [enable me] to cut myself from aught else save
Thee, to be consumed with the love of Thy Beauty, to burn with the fire of
love for Thy Face, so that I may be entirely drawn unto Thee and become
enkindled by the fire ablaze in the Sinaiatic Tree. O my Lord! Verily,
with Thee I am free from all else, while turning unto Thy Glorious
Kingdom. Deliver me from every gloomy sorrow; shelter me under the
protection of Thy greatest favor; save me from my attachment to this
inferior world. O my Lord! Verily, I am humble; elevate me through Thy
greatest bounty! I am poor; enrich me by Thine abundant treasury! I am
ill; heal me by Thy precious antidote and make me as a sign of Thy favor
among Thy maid-servants! Verily, Thou art powerful to do that which Thou
willest! Verily, Thou art Potent and Mighty!
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
O my Lord! O my Lord!
Verily, I am one of Thy maid-servants, supplicating humbly before the Door
of Thy Singleness, beseeching and humbling myself to Thee! O my Lord!
Thanks be unto Thee for Thy greatest guidance and Thy greatest favor,
which Thou hast assigned unto me and unto Thy worshipping maid-servants,
whom Thou hast chosen to enter Thine exalted Kingdom and abide in Thy
Paradise of El-Abha. O my Lord! Sanctify me from every worldly station in
this primal life and purify me from all else save Thee, O Thou Great
Giver! Exhilarate me with the wine of Thy love, O Thou Brilliant
Countenance! Intoxicate me with the wine of sanctity, purity, unity and
singleness, O Thou who attractest the hearts of the righteous by the
magnet of favors, unto the Kingdom of El-Abha! O my Lord! Cause me to
speak Thy praise, illumine my sight through the light of Thy knowledge,
cause me to hear Thy Call, and quicken me with the spirit of Thy grace.
Make me rejoiced at the melodies of the birds of Thy holiness, and make me
a servant to Thy maid-servants. Cause my soul to be tranquilized, my heart
attached, and my mind drawn to the light of thy guidance, which is shining
unto all regions; so that I may walk in the path of Thy good pleasure,
yield to Thy decree and be rejoiced at the most violent calamities, and
that my breast may become dilated during every tribulation, even though
the suffering is beyond endurance. Verily, thou art the Holy, the Pure,
the Potent, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Great!
“My Lord! My Lord!...”
My Lord! My Lord!
Thou hast caused me to hear the Call, guided me unto the sea of favor,
awakened me through Thy fragrant breeze, and quickened me by the spirit of
Thy greatest guidance. I thank and praise Thee for this. O my Lord! O my
Lord! Verily, I am athirst; do cause me to drink from the fountain of Thy
grace. O my Lord! O my Lord! Verily, I am ill; do heal me by the antidote
of Thy mercy. O my Lord! O my Lord! Verily, I am sick; do Thou cure me
through Thy favor. O my Lord! O my Lord! I am needy; do enrich me through
Thy compassion. And I am poor; render me prosperous by the treasury of Thy
Kingdom. O my Lord! O my Lord! Increase my hope in the court of Thy
holiness, and grant my wishes by thy favor and grace. Confirm me to
deliver Thy Cause, enable me to call in Thy Name, and cause me to show
forth the proofs of Thy Manifestation. Strengthen me to promote Thy Word,
dilate my breast by serving Thy maid-servants and being humble and
submissive before Thy beloved ones. O my Lord! Verily, I am impotent; do
strengthen me by Thy power. I am lost in indigence; do confer on me Thy
greatest favor. Make me as one of the maid-servants who diffuse Thy
fragrances, who worship Thy Kingdom, who bow down in the
worshipping-places of Thy unity, who kneel down on every dust which is
related to the threshold of Thy beloved ones, and who serve in Thy
vineyard, speak Thy praise and are attracted to Thy love. Verily, Thou are
the Giver, the Powerful, the Mighty!
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!
This, thy servant, is turning unto Thee, relying upon Thee and is
believing in Thee and in Thy great signs. He hath indeed traversed lands
and seas, desiring to reach Thy brilliant Holy Land and Thy perfuming
dust, and hath advanced toward the lofty court of Thy mercy to worship
Thine Exalted Word. O my God! Assist him, through the One Mighty in Power,
to obey Thy command, to walk in the path of Thy good pleasure to
supplicate before the Kingdom of Thy Oneness, to become severed from all
else save Thee, to beseech Thy might, to be consumed by Thy love and to
spread Thy commemoration, O Thou who grantest the wishes of every
supplicant! Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty!
“O my God! O my God!...”
O my God! O my God!
This, Thy servant, hath advanced toward Thee, is passionately wandering in
the desert of Thy love, walking in the path of Thy service, anticipating
Thy favors, hoping for Thy bounty, relying upon Thy Kingdom, and being
exhilarated with the wine of Thy gift. O my God! Increase his fervor in
Thy passion, his constancy in Thy praise and his ardor in Thy love.
Verily, Thou art the Beneficient and endowed with great bounty! There is
no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful!
“O my Lord! O my Lord!...”
O my Lord! O my Lord!
This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame
which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his
enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai
of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the
Powerful, the Generous, the Loving!
“O my Lord, my Beloved, my Desire!...”
O my Lord, my Beloved, my Desire!
Befriend me in my loneliness and accompany me in my exile; remove my
sorrow, cause me to be devoted to Thy Beauty, withdraw me from all else
save Thee, attract me through Thy fragrances of holiness, cause me to be
associated in Thy Kingdom with those who are severed from all else save
Thee and who long to serve Thy Sacred Threshold and who stand to work in
Thy Cause, and enable me to be one of Thy maid-servants who have attained
to Thy good pleasure. verily, Thou art the Gracious, the Generous!
“O my Lord!...”
O my Lord!(279)
Thou knowest that the people are encircled with pain and calamities and
are environed with hardships and trouble. Every trial doth attack man and
every dire adversity doth assail him like unto the assault of a serpent.
There is no shelter and asylum for him except under the wing of Thy
protection, preservation, guard and custody.
O Thou the Merciful One! O my Lord! Make Thy protection my armory, Thy
preservation my shield, humbleness before the door of Thy Oneness my
guard, and Thy custody and defense my fortress and abode. Preserve me from
the suggestions of myself and desire, and guard me from every sickness,
trial, difficulty and ordeal.
Verily, Thou art the Protector, the Guardian, the Preserver, the Sufficer,
and verily, Thou art the Merciful of the Most Merciful!
“O thou who art advancing unto God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto God!
Verily, I read thy letter and noted its contents. Rest assured in the
bounty of thy Lord. Verily, He confirmeth whomsoever He willeth in all
aspects and conditions.
I supplicate God to sustain thee and thine honorable husband, to open for
you the door of comfort and rest and protect you from the harm of every
hateful one.
If thou wishest to guide the souls, it is incumbent on thee to be firm, to
be good and to be imbued with praiseworthy attributes and divine qualities
under all circumstances. Be a sign of love, a manifestation of mercy, a
fountain of tenderness, kind-hearted, good to all and gentle to the
servants of God, and especially to those who bear relation to thee, both
men and women. Bear every ordeal that befalleth thee from the people and
confront them not save with kindness, with great love and good wishes.
“O thou lamp glowing with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou lamp glowing with the fire of the Love of God!
Know that the garden drew near and the paradise hath been adorned with the
sweet-basils of the knowledge of God. Be, therefore, a gilly-flower of
fragrant smell in the Garden of El-Abha, that, through thy perfumed
breaths, the spirits and hearts be quickened and animated.
O thou friend of Abdul-Baha! I do mention thee now while my heart is
throbbing through the breezes that are blowing from the verdant gardens of
the love of God. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon thee to be purely
sincere, to turn to the holy Kingdom and to generously give the spirit in
the cause of the Lord of Might. Verily, this is no other than an eternal
and everlasting life which hath no end in the world of existence.
“O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!...”
O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!
Thank thou God for that He hath removed from off thine eyes the covering,
made thee to see the signs of the Kingdom of thy Lord, the supreme, filled
for thee the cup of bounty and gave thee to drink the pure wine of
fidelity which He hath promised to the sincere in the holy Books and
Tablets.
O thou my dear! The cup of knowledge is overflowing; blessed are they who
partake in draughts! The fountain of life is issuing forth; blessed are
they who drink! The doors of the Kingdom are opened; O what good news to
those who advance! The garden of paradise is drawn near; O what a pleasure
to those who enter! The dove of holiness is cooing; O what a happiness to
those who hear! The gates of heaven are open; blessed are they who see!
The hosts of angels are standing in battle order; what a joy to those who
gain the victory! The trumpet of life is sounding; how good it is to those
who are awake!
As to thee: Realize the bounty of thy Lord as it is, and thank thou thy
Lord and praise Him for that He hath directed thee to the right path.
“O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the...”
O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the Fragrance of God!
Thy terse and eloquent letter, showing the excess of thine attraction as
caused by the fragrances of god, was read by me.
I, therefore, supplicate God to confirm thy glorious children, Frederick,
Robert and Herbert, to surround them with the glances of His merciful eye,
to direct them to the path of guidance and to make them enter the Ark of
Safety which is cleaving the sea of this contingent world in the midst of
the deluge of tests; that they may become righteous, guiding the people to
the Kingdom of the glorious Lord, the doors of which are open before the
faces of all beings.
I implore Him to appoint thee one of the angels of the Spirit, that thou
mayest blow the spirit of life into the hearts which are good and pure
through the love of God; that He may strengthen the elect in America to
spread the fragrances of God and to reveal the spirit of knowledge to the
hearts which are cheered by the breaths of God.
“O ye dear children!...”
O ye dear children!(280)
Your father is compassionate, clement and merciful unto you and desireth
for you success, prosperity and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon you, dear children, to seek his good
pleasure, to be guided by his guidance, to be drawn by the magnet of the
love of God and be brought up in the lap of the love of God; that ye may
become beautiful branches in the Garden of El-Abha, verdant and watered by
the abundance of the gift of God.
“O thou advancer to the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou advancer to the Kingdom of God!
Shouldst thou come with the whole of thy being to God and be attracted to
the lights of the Kingdom of God and be enkindled by the fire of the love,
of God, then wilt thou see that which thou canst not see today, wilt
comprehend the inner significance of the Word of God and thoroughly
understand the mysteries contained in the holy books.
But as to the Jewish doctors, Christian priests and monks who read those
Books, verily, they know the letter only and they utter the words, as
parrots, without understanding their inner meanings. They comprehend them
not, because they are engrossed in worldly desires and lusts and their
hearts are attached to mundane allurements. Verily, are they not heedless
of God and understand nothing and find not the right path?
“Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the...”
(281) Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the maid-servant of
god, Madam ........., and say:
“Praise be to god! that thy house hath become the nest and the shelter of
the divine birds and thy face is illumined and brightened by the light of
the love of God and thy tongue is loosened in uttering heavenly proofs and
evidences. Therefore, in order to [give] thanks for this bestowal, add,
day by day, to thy love of God and be thou engaged in service.”
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
O thou seeker of Truth!
Praise be to God! the essence of severance is manifest from this world and
the star of the love of God is shining, and kindness towards mankind is
clear and evident. These divine gifts became manifest, spread and known in
the world through the teachings of Baha’o’llah. I hope thou mayest
abundantly partake of all there three benefits, so that thou mayest appear
among people in the utmost spirituality and illumination.
“O thou excellent maid-servant of God!...”
O thou excellent maid-servant of God!
Thank thou God that thou hast stepped into the arena of existence in this
glorious age, hast become the manifestor of never-ending outpouring, hast
attained to the most great gift, hast found the season of the divine
springtime, hast perfumed thy nostrils with heavenly flowers, hast
discovered the way to the celestial Kingdom and hast partaken a share from
eternal life.
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thy excellent letter was full of spiritual significance. It was an
indication of the loftiness of thy nature, the grandeur of thy aspiration,
the sincerity of thy aim and the confirmation of the bounty of His
Highness the Single One. Moreover, it proved that thou shalt be purified
and sanctified from attachment to material conditions, be freed from every
restriction and thou shalt dedicate thy life to the spreading of the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom.
Whenever this longing and desire is attained, that maid-servant of God
[i.e., thyself] will become a lighted candle in the assemblage of the
world, receiving the lights of the Kingdom and reflecting them in turn
upon the souls.
This trip thou hast in mind is blessed and acceptable and the cause of the
attainment of everlasting glory in the world of existence, but thou
shouldest have a companion to go with thee. Therefore, start thou with a
firm resolution, pure intention, heavenly glad-tidings, divine gift and
supreme confirmation toward the East, i.e., Japan, China, India, Russia,
Greece, Bulgaria, Roumania, Austria, Germany, France and the English
empires, perchance thou mayest spread the fragrances of God in those parts
and receive the lights of confirmation from the Kingdom of Holiness. But
it is not necessary, for the present, to travel in the Turkish, Egyptian
and Persian territories, for internal troubles make the traveling of women
very difficult. It is hoped, from the eminent bounty and favor of God,
that thou mayest be quickened in such wise, from the fragrances of the
Kingdom of Abha, that thou mayest bestow upon dead souls eternal life.
Convey, on my behalf, respectful greetings to the attracted Miss
........., who is favored and enkindled with the fire of the love of her
Lord. That blessed leaf is mentioned and known in the Kingdom of God.***
As Persia hath many nomadic tribes and they are now(282) rebellious and
insurgent and infesting the highways, the maid-servants of the Merciful
cannot travel there, but men can. However, after that maid-servant hath
traveled in Japan, China, Russia, Germany, France, England, Austria,
Greece, Roumania, Bulgaria and India, perhaps peace and security will be
established in Persia and then thou canst also travel there.
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
Thank thou God for having found the realm of the Kingdom, become guided by
the lights of the Sun of Reality and guided others.
Endeavor day and night in order to make the negligent souls mindful, to
give life to the dead spirits, to heal the spiritual patients, to make
wise the simple, to inform the uninformed, to make the earthly heavenly,
to draw nigh (unto God) those who are afar and to make the strangers
friends.
This is the magnetic power which attracts the confirmation of God.
“O thou favored maid-servant of the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou favored maid-servant of the Kingdom of God!
The letter, which thou hast written, was received. Its contents evinced
high aspiration and rare magnanimity; and that thou hast the intention to
travel to the far-eastern countries and bear great trouble, so that thou
mayest become the cause of the guidance of the souls and spread the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God. This desire indicateth that the
beloved maid-servant of God hath a very high aim. However, thou mayest
deliver the glad-tidings in the following manner:
“The Promised One of all the nations of the world hath become apparent and
manifest! Each community and religion expecteth the coming of their
Promised One, and His Highness Baha’o’llah is the Promised One of all!
Therefore, the Cause of Baha’o’llah is conductive to harmony, raiseth the
canopy of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity upon the apex of the
contingent beings and unfurleth the ensign of universal brotherhood and
ideal commonwealth upon the summit of the hills and mountains!”
When thou openest thy tongue with such glad-tidings, it will become
conducive to the teaching of others. But this trip is indeed very remote
and unless there are several [teachers], the delivery of the glad-tidings
will not produce the desired results in those parts. Shouldst thou deem it
advisable, thou mayest take a trip to Persia and on thy return pass by
Japan and China. This plan seems much better and more pleasant. Otherwise,
thou mayest act according to thy judgment and it will be acceptable.
The contribution that thou hast made to the Temple is beloved. The Temple
is the most great foundation of the world of humanity and it hath many
branches. Although the Temple is the place of worship, with it is
connected a hospital, pharmacy, pilgrims’ house, school for the orphans,
and a university for the study of high sciences. Every Temple is connected
with these five things. I hope that now in America they will build a
Temple and gradually add to it the hospital, school, university, pharmacy
and pilgrims’ house with the utmost efficiency and thoroughness. Thou
shouldst make known to the believers these details, so that they may
realize how important the Temple is. The Temple is not only a place for
worship; nay, it is perfect in every way.
O thou beloved maid-servant of God! Didst thou know what station is
destined and appointed, under the protection of His Highness Baha’o’llah,
for those souls who are severed, attracted and teachers of truth,
undoubtedly thou shouldst find the utmost joy and happiness, and, by
reason of exultation and rejoicing, soar toward the heaven of peace,
inasmuch as thou art walking in this road and advancing toward such a
Kingdom.
Regarding the statement that I have written to thee, about dedicating
thyself to the service of the Cause of God, it means this: Center thy
thoughts in the teachings of the Cause, day and night, and act according
to the teachings and behests of His Highness Baha’o’llah. This is not
contrary to marriage. It is possible for thee to be married and be engaged
in the service of the Cause of God. The first does not interfere with the
latter.
Briefly, avail thyself of the opportunity and do not let it slip from thy
grasp; i.e., supplicate God that in this darkened world thou mayest become
an ignited candle and the cause of the guidance of many souls.
“O ye blessed maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
O ye blessed maid-servant(283) of the Beauty of Abha!
If ye have written letters to Abdul-Baha and answers to them are delayed,
know ye of a certainty that untold hindrances have been the cause. Be ye
not unhappy. Praise be to God! that, on account of firmness and
steadfastness in the Cause of God and service to the Word of God,
spiritual letters are continually and uninterruptedly descending from the
Supreme Concourse and the Kingdom of Abha. That holy Messenger is eternal
and perennial and His messages come to the heart successively and the
verses of oneness are read therein. Likewise, this imprisoned one is
greatly attached with his heart and soul to the beloved ones and this very
attachment is the faithful Messenger and the manifest Tablet. Therefore,
my request is this: Should ye send a hundred letters and no answers be
received, do ye not feel at all sad; nay, rather think of this occurrence
as a glorious proof of the power of love, as it will demonstrate that
there is no incumbency (or formality) between us. Were there any
opportunity, undoubtedly answers would be forwarded. In brief, I beg of
God that each one of you become the sign of guidance, a manifest book from
the Supreme Concourse, attracted with the fragrances of God and enkindled
with the fire of the love of God.
“O thou pure and spiritual one!...”
O thou pure and spiritual one!
Turn thou toward God with thy heart beating with His love, devoted to His
praise, gazing toward His Kingdom and seeking help from His Holy Spirit in
a state of ecstasy, rapture, love, yearning, joy and fragrance. God will
assist thee, through a Spirit from His Presence, to heal sickness and
diseases.
“O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art turning toward the Kingdom of God!
I have read thy letter of clearest composition. I beg of God to make thee
fluent in tongue, pure in heart, strong in spirit, severed in heart from
all else save God and occupied in the praise of God; to continue in prayer
and supplication unto God, to be humble, meek, spiritual, free from the
earthly world and its concerns and awakened to the Kingdom and its
Manifestation. Verily, thy Lord is powerful in all things!
“O thou who art tranquilized by the Call of the Kingdom...”
O thou who art tranquilized by the Call of the Kingdom at this time!
The meanings of thy words evinced thine abundant attraction and thy
turning unto the Lamp of Lights. Be not grieved on account of lack of
information of the mysteries of this great Cause. If thou keepest firm in
the religion of God, the covering shall be removed for thee and thou shalt
become informed of the allegories and mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
O maid-servants of God! Continue in healing hearts and bodies and seek
healing for sick persons by turning unto the Supreme Kingdom and by
setting the heart upon obtaining healing through the power of the Greatest
Name and by the spirit of the love of God.
Verily, I beg of God to ordain perfect rest and composure for thy revered
daughter.
As to your moving to another city: Meditate thou, perform the ablution and
pray to God before sleeping; and whatever the Merciful One may inspire
unto thee at the time of revelation in a dream, that will be consistent
with obtaining thy wishes. But the greatest motive for the happiness (or
felicity) of that family, both in this world and the next one, is that thy
revered husband and thy dear son-in-law should become believers in the
lights of the Kingdom which have surrounded all regions at this age of
effulgence.
“O thou who art yearning for the Glad-tidings of God!...”
O thou who art yearning for the Glad-tidings of God!
Verily, I was informed of the contents of thy letter which showed that
thine insight is opened, thy heart is purified, that thou art baptized by
the divine water and by the lordly fire and spirit and that thou art born
again from the womb of this mortal world. This is through the grace of thy
Lord, the Clement, the Merciful!
As to the imprisonment of Abdul-Baha: This is his utmost wish, his extreme
joy and this is what refreshes his burning; and I do not long for
deliverance from the depths of this agreeable prison. Verily, this Most
Great Prison is conducive unto the [shining of the] Orb of the
Horizons.(284)
Verily, I beg of God to bless unto thee thy marriage with thy revered
husband, to protect thee under all conditions from the violence of tests
and trials and to make thy feet firm in the Religion of God in this
wonderful (or new) age.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Mrs. ......... became the cause of thy life and suffered thee to inhale of
the rose-garden of the Holy Spirit. Be thou thankful to her and sacrifice
thyself for her, for she became the means of thy guidance and thou hast
become the object of favor and a center of the bounty of God. She was thy
guide to the Kingdom and the cause of eternal life. Supplicate thou also
from God that thou mayest walk in her footsteps and become engaged in the
training and guidance of souls.
Caress on my behalf the beloved maid-servant of God, Miss ........., thy
daughter, and convey to her my respectful greetings.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Praise God! for thou didst hear the call of the
Kingdom, wast awakened, attentive and attained faith in the Lord of Hosts.
His Holiness Christ, addressing the believers, uttereth the following in
the Gospel: “Be awake lest the Son of Man come and find ye asleep!” Now,
thou wast awake, therefore thou didst advance and engage in the service of
the Word of God. Appreciate the value of this attainment, and, like unto a
candle, radiate the light of the love of God in the meeting of the
beloved. Encourage the beloved of God and be a source of joy and gladness
to the Bahais. hold meetings and read and chant the heavenly teachings, so
that city may be illumined with the light of reality and that country
become a veritable paradise by the strength of the Holy Spirit, for this
cycle is the cycle of the Glorious Lord and the melody of oneness and
solidarity of the world of mankind must reach the ears of the East and
West.
Convey greeting of reverence to all the maid-servants of God and His
man-servants.
“O ye friends of this prisoner!...”
O ye friends(285) of this prisoner!
According to what is heard and evident, you have arranged an assembly in
the utmost beauty and a number of you present yourselves in that meeting
with all love and unity and engage in communion (i.e., reading of the
communes), chanting of the verses, spiritual conversation and utterance of
the Kingdom. Blessed are ye for having adorned such a meeting and for
having prepared such a feast! That gathering receiveth bounty from the
Supreme Concourse and that nucleus is under the protection of the Bounty
of Abha.
In thanksgiving for this attainment and confirmation you must strive to
make Boston a fruit-garden(286) and a rose-garden. Verily, this is not
difficult with the Lord.
the beloved of God in this mortal world are each a spiritual trumpet. They
breathe the breath of life and thus confer upon them that are dead in
negligence and ignorance, the life eternal. They are the merciful
physicians who bestow upon the spiritual patients eternal healing.
The city of Boston hath great preparation (literally, readiness), but the
endeavor of the righteous is needed and the efforts and strivings of the
free are necessary. For unless the seed is sown, the bounty and blessing
will not be attained; until the tree be planted, the fresh fruit will not
be produced; unless the candle contact with fire, it will not ignite; and
until a light dawn, the darkness will not vanish. Therefore, the beloved
of God must sow the seeds and plant the fresh plants in that garden. They
must ignite the extinguished candles so that the purpose may be attained
and the beloved intent unveil its face.
In the spirit of humility and supplication do I beg and implore at the
Divine Threshold and seek for you assistance and providence.
“O thou near servant to the Threshold of God!...”
O thou near servant to the Threshold of God!
Thy letter was received and thy desire became known. Thou wishest to serve
the Threshold of God. I wish for thee the same. Therefore, copy the
Tablets and spread them among the beloved. The meanings of those leaves
are the spiritual table, the heavenly blessing and the means for the life
eternal.
Thou hast written concerning the organization of a council for the
building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar. This news brought much spirit and
fragrance, for the nine delegates, sent by the various assemblies,
gathered in that meeting and consulted concerning the building of the
Mashrak-el-Azcar.
The Mashrak-el-Azcar is the most important matter and the greatest divine
institute. Consider how the first institute of His Holiness Moses, after
His exodus from Egypt, was the “Tent of Martyrdom” which He raised and
which was the traveling Temple. It was a tent which they pitched in the
desert, wherever they aobde, and worshipped in it. Likewise, after His
Holiness Christ—may the spirit of the world be a sacrifice to Him! —the
first institute by the disciples was a Temple. They planned a church in
every country. Consider the Gospel (read it) and the importance of the
Mashrak-el-Azcar will become evident.
In fine, I hope that all the beloved of God, collectively, in the
continent of America, men and women, will strive night and day until the
Mashrak-el-Azcar be erected in the utmost solidity and beauty.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Thy likeness (photograph) was seen. The Sun of the Kingdom hath shed a
light on thee, so thy likeness is made radiant and thy face happy.
Beneath the photograph the word “faithfully” was inscribed which indicated
that thine heart is attracted to faithfulness and that thou seekest
faithfulness. No attribute is more commmendable than faithfulness. It is
of the greatest of the virtues in the world of humanity. I hope that thou
mayest be faithful to the Lord of the Kingdom, be attracted to His Beauty,
serve in His Threshold and strive in His vineyard.
“O ye two merciful assemblies!...”
O ye two merciful assemblies!(287)
Praise be to God! that through the outpouring of guidance, India is
rapidly becoming a Rose-garden of Abha, for many souls have lately
embraced the truth and are in the utmost attraction and enkindlement.
Forward ye, as soon as ye can, a few copies of every Tablet and epistle
which is translated into the English and the books which are written by
the believers, in this language, to the merciful assembly of Bombay and to
his honor ......... in Rangoon.
O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha! At this moment when danger is
threatening to surround all directions, Abdul-Baha is attracted to the
fragrances of the Kingdom of Abha and with infinite joy and happiness is
begging providence and favor from the Threshold of Oneness in your behalf.
Now is the time of firmness and resolution and the moment of steadfastness
and constancy and the period of showing forth divine power by the strength
of proof, the solidity of argument, the eloquence of utterance and the
grandeur of spirit!
“O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the Love of God!
The letter was received. Thou hast commended the meeting held at the home
of Miss ......... In reality it was a goodly meeting. Although I was
absent in body, yet in life and heart I was present.
it is as thou hast written: Thy services at Green Acre were accepted in
the Kingdom of Abha. Every year a number of the beloved ones and the
maid-sevants of the Merciful must go to Green Acre and raise the divine
call there. The more who go, the better.
Convey greeting of reverence to the dear maid-servant of God, Mrs.
......... I pray for her and wish her the joy, the happiness, the
tranquility of the godly.
Convey loving greeting to his honor Mr. ......... and say: “It is hoped,
through the favor and confirmation of God, that thou mayest organize a
spiritual meeting at Leominster and become the cause of guidance to many
souls.”
O thou dear maid-servant of God, Florence! Rest assured in the bounty and
favor of God. I hope thou wilt achieve great services.
“O thou advancer to God!...”
O thou advancer to God!
Verily, I have read thy brilliant letter which is elegantly composed. I
supplicate God to alleviate thy trials and look upon thee with the eye of
His mercy under all aspects. Turn thou to the Kingdom of thy great Lord
with a truthful heart and with all devotion, sincerity and great
spirituality and ask to be healed from pain and passions and be confident
in the great bounty of thy Lord.
“O thou pure soul who art turning toward the Lord of...”
O thou pure soul who art turning toward the Lord of the creatures!
Verily, I received thy letter*** and was informed of its meanings and
contents which indicated thine humbleness before God and thy meekness to
His great realm of might.
O my dear one! This day is the day of purification, the day of
sanctification, the day of turning toward God, the day of severance from
all else save God, the day of lowliness and humiliation, the day of
serving the beloved ones of God, the day of becoming utterly destitute of
and free from egotism and desire and the day of purity and sacrifice in
the path of God. This is incumbent upon thee, so that thou mayest be
accepted in the court of the Almighty and praised in His lofty Threshold
of Holiness.
“O thou whose heart is pure and whose souls is rejoiced!...”
O thou whose heart is pure and whose souls is rejoiced!
Verily, thy revered wife sent unto us thy photograph and we say and
rejoiced at witnessing thy face, even though it was a (mere) image, for,
verily, this image indicateth the reality. Verily, I saw in thine eyes the
sign of acuteness and thought. Let thy thoughts be an eternal thought, a
spiritual reflection and divinely full of meaning. This is but truth and
there is naught beyond truth except extinction.
“O maid-servant of God!...”
O maid-servant of God!
Thank thy Lord for confirming thee unto this wonderful day and new century
and giving thee to drink the cup of His love with the hand of His
providence. Verily, this is a great favor.
Be not sorrowful on account of the maid-servant of God, Madam .........
This is a test on the part of God and its wisdom (or reason) is concealed.
We ask God to gaze on her with the eye of mercy. Verily, He is the
Merciful, the Clement!
“O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his...”
O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his Lord, the Glorious!
Know thou that the Kingdom of God hath pitched its tents, hoisted its
banner and uplifted its pavilions in this extensive space. The hosts of
the angels of God have come down with standards of signs; marched off
towards all horizons; opened the cities of the hearts of the servants by
the power of thy Lord, the Generous; and have blown the great trumpet. The
Hoy Spirit hath freely given eternal life to every pure heart, and the
souls became attracted through the effulgence of the Beauty of the
Glorious Kingdom and through the brilliancy of the Light of Truth over all
regions. The clamor of the spiritual people hath risen with praise and
glory to God, the All-glorious!
As to thee, thank thou thy Lord for that He hath enabled to see the sins
of His Kingdom in this wonderful day. Arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord
and devote thyself to God’s service as a penitent servant.
“O thou servant of God!...”
O thou servant of God!
I was assuredly informed of thy confessing the unity of God and that thou
hast drawn from the ocean of the gift of God and thine insight hath
brightened by the light of guidance and by the dependence of thine heart
upon the lights of the Beauty of God. The, glad-tidings be unto thee for
this bounty which God hath assigned unto every holy and spiritual being in
the Kingdom of God.
By the life of God! verily, the gift of guidance, during this great
century and this age of lights, is greater than reigning over the earth
and all that is in it; because the earthly reign is mortal, banishing,
imaginary and of no permanence; but this gift is permanent, eternal,
everlasting and endless. consequently, it is confirmed that this (gift of
guidance) is greater than the sovereignty of the world.
O servant of God! Rejoice, announce glad-tidings and be filled with the
Spirit and preach and call in the Name of God in that region and hear the
good-tidings of God in that land!
Thou shalt hear the sound of this glorious bell in every near and distant
region, and the call of the True One will be elevated in the monasteries
of the world of mankind, just as it was elevated in the assmeblies of the
divine world, and the earthly people will be combined with the divine and
heavenly concourse.
Thereupon thy heart shall rejoice, thy soul shall become pure, thine eye
shall brighten and thou shalt be inwardly revived. Praise be upon thee!
“O thou who art advancing unto the Face of God!...”
O thou who art advancing unto the Face of God!
Blessed art thou for that thou wert saved from the storm of doubts, wert
healed from all manner of disease, wert rejoiced in spirit by the
fragrances of God, held firm to the love of God and God helped thee
through the trials. This we heralded unto thee before and it was an
ordained and firm promise.
Draw night unto God and perservere in (thy) communion with (or prayer to)
thy Lord, so that the fire of God’s love may glow more luminously in the
heart, its heat grow stronger and give warmth to that region and its sound
reach the Supreme Concourse.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Truly, I say, complete capacity and ability is the cause of the appearance
of the divine gifts. Souls are many who in the years gone by have listened
to the glad-tidings, but up to this time they have remained veiled,
deprived and unmoved. But, through the bounty of the Beauty of Abha, as
soon as thou didst hear the call, thou didst turn thy face toward the Lord
of Hosts and became a believer in God and assured of His divine verses.
Immediately the Most Great Name made an impression upon thee. Therefore, I
hope thy breath may become also effective and in a short time, like unto
dry wood, become enkindled and ignited.
Do not wonder at the mercy and bounty of God. Consider thou how one spark
sets on fire a great forest. Therefore, there is great hope, and the favor
and grace of the Almighty is limitless.
“O thou advancing maid-servant of God!...”
O thou advancing maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and I was informed of its contents. Thanks be to
God! thou art guided to the Light of guidance and hast attained to this
most great gift. I hope thou mayest become a daughter of the Kingdom. Thou
must be thankful to Mrs. ........., for she was the cause of thy guidance;
and thou must forever seek the providence of God in her behalf, for she
hath illumined thine eyes. The love that she hath shown to you, its value
is not known at present, but after departing from this transient world,
its value will become known and evident in the divine Kingdom, and even in
this mortal world its value shall appear in future. In the days of Christ,
guidance had no importance whatever to the deniers; now consider how much
importance it hath gained.
Turn thou with thy heart ot he divine Kingdom and supplicate to Him,
(saying):
“”O Compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for...”
“O Compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for Thou hast awakened and made
(me) conscious. Thou hast given me a seeing eye and favored me with a
hearing ear; hast led me to Thy Kingdom and guided me to Thy Path. Thou
hast shown me the right way and caused me to enter the Ark of Deliverance.
O God! Keep me steadfast and make me firm and stanch. Protect me from
violent tests and preserve and shelter me in the strongly fortified
fortress of Thy Covenant and Testament. Thou art the Powerful! Thou art
the Seeing! Thou art the Hearing! O Thou the Compassionate God! Bestow
upon me a heart which, like unto glass, may be illumined wit the light of
Thy love, and confer upon me a thought which may change this world into a
rose-garden through the spiritual bounty. Thou art the Compassionate, the
Merciful! Thou art the Great Beneficent God!”
“O ye friends of God!...”
O ye(288) friends of God!
Do ye know in what cycle ye are created and in what age ye exist? This is
the age of the Blessed Perfection and this is the time of the Greatest
Name! This is the century of the Manifestation, the age of the Sun of the
Horizons and the beautiful springtime of His Holiness the Eternal One!
The earth is in motion and growth; the mountains, hills and prairies are
green and pleasant; the bounty is overflowing; the mercy universal; the
rain is descending from the cloud of mercy; the brilliant Sun is shining;
the full moon is ornamenting the horizon of ether; the great ocean-tide is
flooding every little stream; the gifts are successive; the favors
consecutive; and the refreshing breeze is blowing, wafting the fragrant
perfume of the blossoms. Boundless treasure is in the hand of the King of
Kings! Lift the hem of thy garment in order to receive it.
If we are not happy and joyous at this season, for what other season shall
we wait and for what other time shall we look?
This is the time for growing; the season for joyous gathering! Take the
cup of the Testament in thy hand; leap and dance with ecstasy in the
triumphal procession of the Covenant! Lay your confidence in the
everlasting bounty, turn to the presence of the generous God; ask
assistance from the Kingdom of Abha; seek confirmation from the Supreme
World; turn thy vision to the horizon of eternal wealth; and pray for help
from the Source of Mercy!
Soon shall ye see the friends attaining their longed-for destination and
pitching their tents, while we are but in the first day of our journey.
“O thou servant of the Threshold of God!...”
O thou servant(289) of the Threshold of God!
I read what flowed from thy pen in the love of God, and found charming
meanings from the contents (of thy letter). I hope, through the gift of
the glorious Lord, that thou wilt be always refreshed and revived by the
fragrances of the Merciful.
As to what thou hast written concerning “Reincarnation”: Believing in
reincarnation is one of the old tenets held by most nations and creeds, as
well as by the Greek and Roman philosophers and wise men, the old
Egyptians and the chief Assyrians. But all these sayings and superstitions
are vanity in the sight of God.
The greatest [argument] produced by those who held to reincarnation has
been this: “That it is necessary to the justice of God to give every one
his due. Now everybody who is afflicted by any calamity is said to have
sinned; but when a little child, which is still in the womb of its mother
and hath just been formed, is found to be blind, deaf or imperfect, how
could it have committed any sin that we might say this imperfection is
given to it as a punishment therefore—so, though such a child hath not
done outwardly any sin in the womb of its mother, ye [they say] it must
have sinned when it was in its former body, which hath caused it to suffer
this punishment.”
Indeed, these people have been negligent of the fact that had the creation
been carried out in a uniform fashion, how could the statement be true,
that “God doeth whatever He wisheth and God doeth whatever He
desireth!”(290)
Though the fact of “Return” is mentioned in the Divine Books, by this is
intended the return of the qualities, characters, perfections, truths and
lights (of the past age), which re-appear in every age, and not (the
return) of certain persons and souls. For example: If we say this lamp is
the return of that of last night, or that the last year’s flower hath
returned in the garden (this year), in this sense the return of the
individual, or identity, or personality is not meant; nay, rather, it is
intended that the same qualities and states existing in that lamp or
flower, which are now seen in this lamp or flower, have returned. That is,
the same perfections and virtues and properties which existed in the past
springtime have returned during this present springtime. For instance:
When one says, these fruits are the same as those of last year; in this
sense, he hath reference to the freshness and delicacy of the fruit, which
hath returned, although there is no doubt that the identical fruit of last
year hath not returned.
Have the friends of God found such enjoyments and respose during their
existence on this visible earth, that they might wish to have their return
renewed and repeated constantly? Are all these calamities, injuries,
trials and difficulties of the once coming not sufficient for them that
they should wish a repeated life in this world? Hath this cup been of such
sweetness that they should long for it successively and repeatedly? No!
the friends of the Beauty of El-Baha neve seek any recompense or reward
except the meeting and the visit (of God) in the Kingdom of El-Baha; and
they never walk but in the valley of desire to attain the Supreme Height.
They only wish the immortal blessing and the eternal gift, which are
sanctified above the worldly understanding.
Because, when thou lookest with the iron sight, thou wilt find that all
mankind is suffering in this earthly world; there is no one in such
tranquility that this (state) might have been a reward for his good deeds
in a former life and there is no soul so happy that this might be the
fruit of his past pain! Had the life of a man in his spiritual being been
only confined to his life in this world, the creation would have proved
useless; the divine qualities would have no result and effect; nay, all
things, created beings and the world of creation would have proved
abortive. I ask pardon of God for such false imaginations and for such
errors!
As the usefulness and powers of the life (of a child) were not seen in
that dark and narrow world (of the womb), but when it is brought into this
vast world, all the use of its growth and development becometh manifest
and obvious in it, so likewise, reward and punishment, paradise and hell,
and the requital of deeds and actions done by it in the present life
become manifest and evident when it is transferred to the world to
come—which is far from this world! Had the life and growth of the child in
the womb been confined to that condition, then the existence of the child
in the womb would have proved utterly abortive and unintelligible; as
would the life of this world, were its deeds, actions and their results
not to appear in the world to come.
Therefore, know thou that the True One possesseth invisible worlds which
human meditation is unable to comprehend and the intellect of man hath no
power to imagine. When thou wilt purify and clarify thy spiritual;
nostrils from every worldly moisture, then thou wilt inhale the holy
fragrances diffusing from the merciful gardens of these worlds.
El-Abha be upon thee and upon all those who are gazing and turning unto
the Kingdom of El-Baha, which God hath sanctified above the understanding
of the heedless souls and from being perceived by the eye of those who
deny!
“O my spiritual friends!...”
O my spiritual friends!(291)
What you have written is perused, all of which was an entreaty and
invocation unto God and a desire for devotion unto the Most High. I hope
through the bounty of God, day by day, your assurance, belief and faith
will increase; moment by moment the flame of the love of God will be
intensified; louder and louder will the proclamation of the Word of God be
heard in that country; the breeze of sanctity will begin to blow; the
attraction of the inner consciousness will cause these districts to be
animated; the mercy and aid of God will be your associates and the
assistance from the Kingdom of compassion will be momentarily bestowed.
Now is the time for those spiritual friends, (i.e., yourselves,) to adorn
the divine meetings, endeavor to spread the Cause of god, arise to diffuse
His breaths and stand for the promotion of His Word; that the breath of
the Holy Spirit may bestow life to the hearts, causing the spirits to
attain the Beloved.
The letter you have previously written is not yet received; if it were you
may be sure it would be answered, because this servant hath great love and
attachment for the believers in that city and will always communicate with
them.
O Thou pitiful God! These friends are perfectly infatuated with Thy
nearness; they have given their hearts for the beauty of Thy face; are
devoted to Thy Kingdom and are intoxicated by the wine of belief. In the
meeting of the covenant they are bearing in their hands the cup of
anxiety, needing Thy benevolence and yearning for the heavenly blessings.
O Mighty Creator! Cause these souls to be the receptacle of Thy mercy,
regarded by divine attention, and render each one as a lighted candle,
that they may illuminate that region with the light of righteousness. Make
them the companions of and partaker with this servant [Abdul-Baha] in the
devotion of Thy Threshold. O my God! Strengthen the weak ones and open the
eyes of those who are anxious to behold the beauty of the Kingdom, that
they may arise with divine strength, heavenly bounty, spiritual blessing,
ethereal breaths and mighty assistance for Thy service, dispelling the
superstitions of the doubters, elucidating the proofs and evidences before
all seekers, healing the sick, being kind to the poor, a refuge and home
for the helpless and a light for the hopeless.
Thou art the Powerful and the Able, the Pitiful and Compassionate God!
O my friends! Endeavor to your utmost ability that, day by day, unity and
harmony will increase and the love of God will so firmly capture the
hearts that they will forget all save Him and be engrossed, night and day,
in mentioning the Kingdom, the heavenly signs and the divine verses. If
love, friendship, association and unity be established among the
believers, the door of all significances will be opened and each believer
of God will be able to explain and interpret all of the holy Books.
O believers! The tests of God are very severe; you should beseech and cry
unto Him that you may be firm and steadfast during all temptations.
“As to [what thou hast heard concerning] the child...”
(292) As to [what thou hast heard concerning] the child born from Russian
parentage, this is pure imagination. Yea, certain persons shall in this
divine dispensation produce heavenly children and such children shall
promulgate the teachings of the Beauty of Abha and serve His great Cause.
Through a heavenly power and spiritual confirmation they shall be enabled
to promote the Word of God and to diffuse the fragrances of God. These
children are neither Oriental nor Occidental, neither Asiatic nor
American, neither European nor African, but they are of the Kingdom; their
native home is heaven and their resort is the Kingdom of Abha. This is but
the truth and there is naught after truth save superstitions (or fancy).
“O thou spiritual beloved!...”
O thou spiritual beloved!
I have carefully looked at thy picture and found that from thy face
emanates the spiritual glad-tidings, the merciful complaisance and the
heavenly brightness. Their traces shall appear and their lights shall
shine.
“O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom of the...”
O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom of the Testament!
I already received thy letter which announced thy receipt of the loving
letter sent to thee by the pen of Abdul-Baha. By God the True One! Verily,
those letters are as gifts of God to thee, to thy noble wife and to thine
honorable daughter. I beg of God to enable thee to perfectly endeavor to
practice according to their contents.
Yes, some of the intellectually cultured people in those countries exert
themselves to reach the loftiest summits of prosperity in worldly affairs
and most of them are desiring wealth and are making an effort to attain it
somehow. But they are unmindful of the treasury of the Kingdom, the
spiritual affluence and the wealth of mind; therefore, thou findest them
subject to the rage of lusts and under the influence of egotistic and
selfish desires, sinking into intemperance and engaged in drinking the cup
of lust. Were they to become mindful of their heedlessness and awakened
from the sleep of ignorance, they would become intoxicated by the cup of
the love of God and exhilarated by the good cheer of the wine of the
knowledge of God.
I beg of God to shine forth unto you with the lights of His sanctity and
send to you divine souls, that they may fully reveal to you the divine
teachings.
The letters which I sent to you are as the fragrant breezes of the garden
of the knowledge of God, which can be smelled by every one whose sense of
smelling is clean and purified from any rheum, because they are
glad-tidings proceeding from pure lips which are fluent in explaining the
mysteries of God. I beg of God to ordain for us to meet one another.
“O thou who art assuredly believing in God!...”
O thou who art assuredly believing in God!
Verily, I read thy letter which showed how thou art believing in God,
assured of the signs of God and art attracted by the love of God.
I thank God for that He hath ignited the fire of His love in thy heart,
hath drawn thee by the magnet of His guidance, hath dilated thy heart
through the light of His knowledge, hath assisted thee to be firm in His
Testament, hath sent down His blessing upon thee, upon thy household and
upon thy children, hath illuminated thy house by igniting therein the lamp
of the praise of God, hath caused those souls who have drawn nigh unto the
Kingdom to abide in thy house(293)—those who deliver the Cause of God, who
speak the praise of God and explain the indisputable proofs of God unto
the servants. It behooveth thee to thank God for this great gift and say:
“O my Lord! Confirm me to serve Thy beloved and to be submissive and
humble before Thy chosen ones. Make me to know the meaning of Thy Words
and inform me of the mysteries of Thy signs. Place me in the shadow of the
standard of Thy Testament and preserve me from Thy tests which break backs
and unveil the sins of the back-sliders and tend to disgrace the party of
deception and the people of wickedness (i.e., the nakazeen). Verily, Thou
art the Mighty, the Pardoner!”
“O thou confident soul who art content and patient!...”
O thou confident soul who art content and patient!
Verily, I read thy welcome letter and was informed of its contents which
gladdened the hearts of the unitarians (i.e., the believers at Acca) of
thy desire for God’s confirmation in the service of His Cause among the
sincere servants. Do not consider the weakness of the people, but observe
the power of attainment in this manifest day. Separate thyself from all
thoughts, strip thyself from the unclean garment of attachment to this
drossful (or earthly) world, arise for the service of thy Lord, the
Clement, and be clothed with the robe of assurance (or certainty), so that
thou mayest behold the hosts of confirmation from thy Lord arising from
all sides.
As to thy information concerning the services of Mirza Assad Ullah to the
holy and brilliant Threshold, verily, it gladdened Abdul-Baha and he
thanked God for this great bounty unto him (Mirza Assad Ullah) and the
chosen of God. Verily, I hope, through the favor of my Lord, that He will
confirm ye unto that which he (Mirza Assad Ullah) was confirmed; because
the treasury of the favors of thy Lord are full of bounties. Verily, he
granteth to whomsoever He wisheth what He desireth, and, verily, He is the
Generous, the Giver and the Forgiver!
“O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may God...”
O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may God confirm thee!
Know, that the divine springtime hath come with its rains and abundance,
with the heat of its sun, the breeze of its life and the scent of its
fragrance; and through this universal and great abundance, the land of the
holy truth and facts hath moved and brought forth of every kind, good and
beautiful fruits. But the barren, wicked land will not bring forth save
the thorn of denial, of haughtiness and disdain. Therefore, thank thou God
for He hath made thee a good, fertile land by the clouds of the abundance
of God the Chosen.
Convey my greetings to thy esteemed wife and daughter, who are honored by
the people of the Kingdom of Perfection.
“O thou who art esteemed and guarded!...”
O thou who art esteemed and guarded!
Thank God for that by reason of which thy picture hath come into the court
of holiness of perfumed breaths. I supplicate to God to confirm thee in
that which beseemeth this station.
“O thou who art rejoiced by the Appearance of God!...”
O thou who art rejoiced by the Appearance of God!
Blessed art thou for that thine eyes were brightened by the light of
guidance, thine ears heard the calling of God from the Supreme Concourse,
thine heart was gladdened by the love of God and attracted unto the Beauty
of God. Verily, by the Lord of Hosts, thou wilt find thyself in the
Kingdom surrounded by favors on the part of thy Lord, the Clement, and the
angels of mercy will herald to thee glad-tidings which are the greatest
gift from the King of Might.
Upon thee be El-Baha and upon thee be praise! O thou who art attracted by
the fragrance of God in this manifest day!
“O thou who art exhilarated by the Wine of the Love of...”
O thou who art exhilarated by the Wine of the Love of God—young in age and
old in soul!
Truly, truly, I say unto thee, thy thanksgiving for my brilliant letter,
which was sent thee, caused me to address thee repeatedly with the
greatest affection of soul and spirit. By the life of God! verily, this
letter will make thee and thine household [rejoice] throughout the
eternity of the eternities, because the tongue of Abdul-Baha is addressing
thee from this lofty and sublime threshold of the Blessed Perfection.
I assuredly cast mine eyes on the picture traced by thine hand and smelled
the fragrance of the love of God from its flowers, because it is painted
while thine heart hath been overflowing with the love of Baha’ and thou
hast made it as a token for thy remembrance.
I beg of God to make thee cut thine heart from this world and whatever is
in it, to devote thy life to the service of the maid-servants of God, to
kneel down, worship and glorify the affectionate Lord, the Exalted, the
Lord of angels and spirit!***
The brilliant leaves (i.e., the ladies of the household) who are
overshadowed by the protection of Baha’, present their greetings and love
to thee.
“To the servant of God!...”
To the servant of God!
I ask God to make thee a growing, developing branch in His vineyard,
bearing flowers, leaves and fruits, with widespread branches, blooming,
verdant and watered by the abundance of the clouds of His Kingdom and the
heat of the sun of His Word.
“To the servant of God, .........:...”
To the servant of God, .........:
What thou hast written is understood. In reply I will elucidate briefly,
the purport of which you, with your intelligence, will surely comprehend:
The world of humanity is encompassed by the darkness of conventionalities,
disagreements, discords, avoidance, animosity, enmity, ignorance, folly,
lustful desires and animal tendencies; the gloomy night had darkened the
horizon of the world in such manner that all had forgotten the light and
deemed the darkness inevitable in the world of humanity, and its solution
impossible; when, unexpectedly, the Light of Reality appeared and
enlightened the horizon of the world, diffusing its rays throughout the
East and West, the beholding of which instantly delighted the perfect and
perceiving eyes; but the imperfect eyes, afflicted by the darkness, were
dazzled by the radiance, while the negligent closed theirs and turned away
entirely. That light is the Love of God, the Spirit of God, unity,
concord, science and knowledge, bounty and perfection, redemption of life,
spiritual perception, universal peace, alliance of the nations,
unification of all peoples and the reality of the attributes of the
Merciful One, which I hope thou wilt fully attain.
“O seeker of the truth!...”
O seeker of the truth!
There are two ways of healing diseases, the material way and the spiritual
way. The first is the remedies of the physician; the second prayers and
turning one’s self to God. Both must be practiced and followed. The
diseases that happen to be caused by physical accident are cured by
medical aid; others, which are due to spiritual causes, will disappear by
spiritual means. For instance: For a disease due to grieving, fear,
nervous impressions, the spiritual remedies will take more effect than the
physical. Therefore, these tow kinds of remedies must be followed; neither
is an obstacle to the other. You must take care of the physical remedies.
These also came from the bounty and mercy of God who revealed and made
evident the science of medicine, so that His servants may also be
benefited by this mode of healing. In the same way take care of the
spiritual healing, because it giveth wonderful results.
And if thou art looking for the divine remedy which will cure the spirit
of man of all diseases and make him obtain the health of the divine
Kingdom, know that it is the precepts and teaching of God. Take the
greatest care of them.
“Thy letter was received and its contents noted. In...”
(294) Thy letter was received and its contents noted. In truth, thou hast
been thrown amid dire ordeals, enduring agonizing afflictions. These
trials were according to the consummate wisdom, therefore they were for
the best. It is good for man to endure (in such moments).
Reflect upon his holiness Job: What trials, calamities and perplexities
did he not endure! But these tests were like unto the fire and his
holiness Job was like unto pure gold. Assuredly gold is purified by being
submitted to the fire and if it contain any alloy or imperfection, it will
disappear. That is the reason why violent tests become the cause of the
everlasting glory of the righteous and are conducive to the destruction
and disappearance of the unrighteous.
The wisdom of all these tribulations that poured successively upon thee
was this, that thou shouldst be prepared and made ready for this Cause,
that thou mightiest expect the attainment to the greatest guidance, for
all these trials were but a preparation for thine entrance into the Most
Exalted Paradise and the beginning of obtaining this most great benefit.
Unless the season of winter appear, thunder roll, lightening flash, snow
and rain fall, hail and frost descend and the intensity of cold execute
its command, the season of the soul-refreshing spring would not come, the
fragrant breeze would not waft, the moderation of temperature would not be
realized, the roses and hyacinths would not grow, the surface of the heart
would not become a delectable paradise, the trees would not bloom, neither
would they bring forth fruits and leaves. That was the beginning of the
manifestation of these roses, hyacinths, buds, blossoms and fruits.
Therefore, be not distressed on account of those adversities which fell
upon thee; nay, rather, arise and render thanks that the ultimate goal is
the attainment to this eminent bounty and the enjoyment of this highest
gift of the almighty God. Consequently gird up the loins of thine
endeavor, that thereby some results might be produced, some fruits
gathered, the lamp of everlasting life ignited and the gifts of the Lord
of the Kingdom be manifest, so that thou mayest accomplish again, with
great yearning and exaltation, the worship of the Lord of Hosts.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
Thy last letter, sent by Mirza ........., hath arrived. It is not a very
long time since I wrote thee a letter in which I said how contented I was
with thee and I explained to thee the importance of thy visit to India and
showed thee the results and the fruits of that visit.
At this moment hath arrived a letter in which thou hast praised the
believers of Rangoon, especially Seyed ........., Mirza ........., Mirza
......... and Khai Khosroe(295) who sacrificed his life for thine; ea,
this is the truth! Consider what a difference exists between his country
and thine and what a great effect this Bahai spirit hath manifested that
an oriental sacrificed his life for an Occidental! What attraction, what
love, what relationship is this! Blessed are those who are able to arrive
at an understanding of the reality of the power of this love!
Concerning Mr. ........., one of the Hindus of whom thou hast written: Say
to him, “To me thou art not a stranger, but a friend; thou art not
unknown, but known.”
Thou hast spoken of a spiritual wave. This is not a wave, but a sea; nay,
the very ocean! But his is not to destroy the cities, but to purify them;
and soon it will submerge them all. This does not mean destruction, but
salvation; it is not death, but life; it is not enmity, but love; it is
not pain; it is a remedy. The world of existence is the body, and this is
its spirit; this immense world is the glass [chimney], and this is the
lamp [lighted wick]; humanity is the heaven, and this is its sun. The
signs of this bounty are clear and visible. The proof is the changing of
the characters of the friends and the perfection that the believers have
made in their actions and words: They were dark, they became luminous;
they were terrestrial, they became celestial; they were human, they became
divine; they were diabolic, they became angelic; they were a drop, they
became the sea; they were an atom, they became the sun. These are the
signs of those who are entirely submerged by this wave; that is to say,
this ocean.
O thou .........! I hope that thou wilt progress more and more; that thou
wilt increase thy knowledge and science; and that thou wilt ever strive
for gentleness and love.
Perhaps it will be possible for thee, next winter, to go to Persia.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thank ye that God hath enkindled the light of guidance in this darkness of
ignorance, hath quickened those who were asleep, made mindful those who
were heedless, made unproductive trees full of blossoms and fruit, and old
men laden with years, fair and graceful youths.
Praise be unto God! What an effect there lies in divine guidance! It
endoweth the blind with sight, granteth strength to the impotent, maketh
the darkened ones illuminated, changeth youth to the aged; nay, rather it
breatheth life into the dead!
O thou maid-servant of God! If thou seeketh after a work which is brighter
and more attractive, sweeter and more delightful than all the affairs, it
is the thralldom in the Threshold of the Almighty and servitude to His
Highness the Lord of Might.
Forget thou entirely the ease, tranquility, composure and living of this
transitory world and occupy thyself with the well-being and the service of
the human world and conduct thyself in accord with the advices and
exhortations of God.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
I have read thy beautiful letter containing beautiful significances and
indicating that which hath occurred to thy heart of spiritual events, and
that which hath encompassed thy spirit of merciful thoughts. This is from
the bounty of Thy Lord upon thee and upon every maid-servant chosen by His
mercy in this new age.
(Question: “Master, who art thou? Art thou the Christ?”)
As to what thou asked concerning me: Verily, I say unto thee, that I am
indeed an humble, submissive and imploring servant of God; a servant of
His Beloved; a messenger of the exaltation of His Word; a spreader of His
Fragrances; an extoller of the banner of love and harmony; a promoter of
the greatest peace among all nations and tribes; a kindler of the fire of
the love of God in the hearts of the people; a runner to the place of
martyrdom in the Cause of God; a yearner for every calamity in the love of
God; a longer for suspension upon the cross for the love of the beloved; a
herald of the Kingdom of God among the sects of all horizons. This is my
station and condition; this is my blazing crown; this is my glorious
throne; because my servitude to the Holy Threshold is my brilliant light,
my shining star and my drawn sword; and beside this I have no other name.
Then know that for the dominion of the reality of Christ there is no
beginning and there is no end. Everlastingly that luminous Entity hath
been sitting on the throne of might and everlastingly It will have a
penetrating dominion over the worlds of existence. This dominion is
eternal and everlasting and has no abrupt end.
(Question: “When is the time of the millenium? Will I see it?)
Concerning the one thousand years as recorded in the Book: It signifieth
the beginning of this Manifestation until the end of its predominance
throughout the contingent world; because this Cause is great, its powers
are growing and its signs are dazzling. It shall continue in elevation,
exaltation, growth, promulgation and promotion until it shall reach the
apex of its glory in one thousand years—as the day of this Manifestation
is one thousand years. Thou shalt see its conquering power, its manifest
dominion, its eternal might and its everlasting glory.
(Question: “At the time of thy departure will there not be some great
spiritual manifestation all over the earth?”)
As to the question of “after my departure” to the neighborhood of the
mercy of my Lord: Know there shall appear wonderful traces; the breath of
God shall pass by; the fragrance of God shall spread and the Spirit of God
shall run in the body of the contingent world both before and after my
departure; but I supplicate God that He may grant the greatest
spirituality in these days. Endeavor, therefore, that thou mayest have a
great portion in it.
(Question: “What did the vision of a paper signify in my dream?”)
Concerning the appearance of a paper in thy dream, before thine eyes,
which thou wast unable to read: Thou shalt read it through the permission
of God and thou shalt comprehend its meanings. It is a diary of the Word
of God and the divine mysteries.
“O ye who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O ye(296) who are attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, this mundane world is as the mirage of the desert, but the Kingdom
is like unto a sea of great surges and rolling waves. Those who longed for
the mirage have indeed become more thirsty the more they hastened toward
it and have perished in grief after a drop of water.
Ye see, as the condition really is, that the people of the world are
striving day and night for the sake of attaining perfect happiness and
tranquil life, but the result is none other to them than disappointment,
affliction, lamentation and destruction.
But those who have advanced to the Kingdom of God have assuredly advanced
to a sea of clear and limpid water and thus have attained unto the
greatest bounty, the perfect rest and the eternal life to which there is
no abrupt end. Their faces have shined with joy, their souls delighted
with pleasure, their hearts illumined and their cups overflowed with
abundance. Their edifice hath risen high, their palaces have been adorned,
their suns shone, their stars gleamed and their diadems radiated with a
dazzling light. Their dominions have expanded and their lights have spread
to all ages and generations. These are their set-up thrones, their high
palaces, their luminous lamps and their shining moons throughout all
horizons. These are their traces in the world; how much more then would be
their lights in the highest of the high—consider, therefore, O ye
maid-servants of the Merciful!
This being the case, care no more for the world and its desires, but cling
to the spiritual world and its gifts, spread the fragrances of God, be
submissive to the Word of God, establish a spiritual meeting-place
wherefrom theincense of sanctity and purity will rise up to God, assemble
there with fragrance and spirituality and celebrate the Name of your Lord
by day and by night. At that time ye would become illumined lamps,
spiritual stars; rather, eternal suns. This is a favor that was longed for
by the spirits of the godly people and the hearts of the queens in the
former ages.
“O ye maid-servants of God and leaves of the Tree of...”
O ye maid-servants(297) of God and leaves of the Tree of Eternal Life!
Blessed are ye for attaining to that which was the greatest hope of Mary
the Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jacob! This gift was shining on the
face of the Virgin Mary like unto a brilliant gem glistening on the great
crown of glory.
Happy are ye for this favor, the likeness of which was not seen by the eye
of existence, not its similitude heard by the ears of the creatures;
because it is the greatest favor on the part of the Lord of the Kingdoms
in the world of existence; that is, the greatest guidance, the attainment
unto the day of the Lord and listening unto the call of God. How blessed
is this great favor!
O ye maid-servants of God! All the palaces shall be destroyed and become
like graves, buried beneath the ground, but god, through His mighty hand,
will build for ye solid palaces in His Kingdom which will not be destroyed
forever and evermore; nay, rather its foundation will be strengthened in
the course of ages and centuries.
Therefore, call in His Name, spread the fragrances of God, guide unto the
path of God and cause souls to enter the Kingdom of God!
“If you arise in accord with the exhortations and commands...”
(298) If you arise in accord with the exhortations and commands of the
Blessed Perfection—may my life be a sacrifice to His beloved ones! —before
long agreeable results will be obtained, the great newspapers of the world
will all engage in praising you and such activity will be brought about in
the West as will increase the motion and activity in the East.
You have written concerning the meetings in Cambridge and Boston. The more
such meetings increase, it will increase the diffusing of the fragrances.
The news concerning the unity, harmony, affinity and oneness of the
maid-servants of the Merciful One and the friends of God in those parts,
imparted the utmost joy and happiness (to me). This indicated that the
Cause will before long yield results in that country.
Convey on my behalf respectful greeting to the favored and attracted
maid-servant of God, the daughter of the Kingdom, Miss .........
O thou .........! Exhort thou all the believers and say: “The Beauty of
Abha—may my life be a sacrifice to the dust of His footsteps! —hath opened
a great door before your faces and bestowed a weighty gift upon you. We
must know the value of this and sacrifice ourselves entirely; nay, we must
forget ourselves. We must wish for no rest and seek no joy. We must seek
no name nor fame, no ease, amplitude nor convenience; nay, we must
sacrifice everything in order that we may be clad in the kingdom of
immortality!”(299)
The letter which thou hast written was received and its perusal brought me
joy, for it indicated that you are extremely pleased with the beloved ones
(i.e., men) and the maid-servants of God in Persia. forsooth, their love
is heartfelt and real; they are devoted in service with all their soul and
they are attracted by the love of the friends with all their heart. If any
occasion befalleth and cases of tests come up, they will sacrifice their
precious lives for the sake of the friends and freely give up all their
possessions.
Briefly, O thou dear maid-servant of God! Praise be to God! thou didst see
with thine own eyes, thou didst hear with thine own ears and thou didst
comprehend with thine own heart. Thou didst witness the qualities and the
life and conduct of Abdul-Baha and thou didst behold the love and
kindness, faith and assurance of the friends of Persia. Thou didst see the
exaltation (or progress) of the Cause of God and thou didst test the
general character (or qualities) of the friends; and thou didst know with
perfect assurance that the Cause of Baha’o’llah is the means for the
quickening of the world and for the extraordinary progress of mankind;
that it hath quickened Persia and hath removed the darkness of ignorance,
that the friends are kind unto all the people of the world and
self-sacrificing servants of mankind.
“O thou who art firm in the Covenant!...”
O thou who art firm in the Covenant!
I am ever busy with the remembrance of the friends, praying and
supplicating at the threshold of His Majesty, the Merciful One, and seek
aid and assistance for the beloved.
Concerning the journey of Mr. .........: The friends of the west put forth
their efforts and helped until the means for the trip were made ready and
he left for India in perfect comfort and is now busy with the diffusion of
the fragrances. This service of the beloved to the Kingdom of Abha will be
the means of great bounty, a magnet of strength and power attracting
assistance and providence in the divine realm.
The beloved of God must take thought night and day for the spread of the
fragrances and for the promotion of the Word of God. They must send criers
and messengers (teachers) to all parts of the world. Every soul who is
himself able must ignite the candle of guidance, illumine the hearts with
the light of knowledge and, if possible, they must travel to other
countries of God. Thus may the confirmation of the Holy Spirit arrive and
the breath of life reach other souls.
The purport is this: I am made happy and am pleased with the souls who
have furnished the means for the journey of Mr. ......... I pray for them
and supplicate for bounty and blessing on their behalf.
“Convey my respectful greeting to Mr. ......... and...”
(300) Convey my respectful greeting to Mr. ......... and say: “Praise be
to God! that there exists in thee capacity and endowment to enter into the
Kingdom of God, and that thy wisdom and intelligence are known to the
republic.(301) Therefore, tarry thou not. Enter thou immediately into the
Kingdom of God. Enlist thyself in the roll of the army of the Lord of
Hosts, in order that thou mayest become the cause of salvation to the
people, endow sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and life to the
dead. This is the divine gift! This is the supreme guidance! make thou thy
meetings a palace for the heavenly beloved and thy residence a glass for
the light of Deity. Suffer thy home to become a nest for the dove of the
Holy Spirit and thine eye the mirror for the reflection of the Beauty of
the Almighty.”
“O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!...”
O ye beloved friends of Abdul-Baha!(302)
The news of your spiritual assembly reached this Illumined Spot and the
heart of this yearning one was rejoiced on account of your concord, unity
and affinity. What wonderful meetings and brilliant gatherings were those,
whose fame will become world-wide and whose melody will ere long reach to
all the kingdoms! that in the region of America the believers are real
companions and associates with each other and are as beloved friends among
themselves; that they bring about gatherings of friendship, engage
themselves in the praise and glorification of the glorious Lord, deliver
eloquent speeches, establish the proofs and arguments of the Manifestation
of the Sun of Truth, spread the divine teachings and shed broadcast the
musk-diffusing fragrances of the Kingdom, so that the nostrils become
perfumed and the eyes become brightened.
O ye friends! O ye maid-servants of the Merciful! Those assemblies are the
emblems of the Supreme Concourse and the prototypes of the congregations
of the spirits in the Kingdom of Abha. Avail yourselves of the
opportunities of this time, neither let the occasion slip by unheeded. The
season of the soul-refreshing springtime will not appear at all time,
neither will the breezy dawn be at every moment. Now is the time of
proclamation and the occasion of supplication and invocation toward the
Kingdom of Abha.
Therefore, sing ye the sweet melody in the assemblages, entreat ye at the
Threshold of the Kingdom of the Lord of Hosts and beg ye for confirmation
and assistance. The Guide of Providence will appear and the “beloved of
divine gift” will unveil her luminous countenance.
“O thou dear maid-servant of God!...”
O thou dear maid-servant of God!
Thou hast learned of thy Lord and engaged thyself in the servitude of the
Lord of Hosts. In the promised day thou art adoring the beloved
Countenance and thou shalt be aided and confirmed in that which is the
greatest desire of the saints.
The cause of eternal glory to man is faith and certainty and then living
(or acting) according to the behests of His Majesty the Eternal God. My
hope is that thou wilt attain to the three.
As long as thou canst, wish thou the most great peace for all mankind:
Associate with all in perfect love and kindness; hold all dear and count
all friends and familiar ones; know no enemies; imagine no strangers. Thus
mayest thou be a mercy to the people of the world and a source of bounty
to the world of humanity.
“O thou who art waiting for the Appearance of the...”
O thou who art waiting for the Appearance of the Kingdom!
Glad-tidings be unto thee, for the Kingdom of God hath raised its tent and
tabernacle upon the apex of the world, the standard of the Kingdom is
hoisted, the call of the Kingdom is sent forth and the hosts of the
Kingdom have appeared.
Therefore, there are many fortresses and castles of hearts which are
conquered and many regions of spirits which are subdued. The lights of the
Kingdom have shone forth from the horizon of the East and West. Praise be
to God! that thou hast entered therein and hast received manifest
outpouring from the Most Great Beauty.
Although thou art old in age, yet thou art young in spirit and have
freshness and vivacity, vigor and strength, beauty and sweetness. Thank
thou God for this.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
The breeze of Life is wafting from the rose-garden of the Kingdom; become
thou undoubtedly moved thereby. The rays of light are emanating from the
Luminary of regions; become thou unquestionably illumined thereby. Drink
thou as much as thou canst from this overflowing cup of the love of God
and then cause others to drink; take thou a portion from this ocean of
guidance and then suffer others to share.
I hope that God will become thy helper and the outpouring of the manifest
Light will shine in thy heart.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received and i supplicated and implored at the Divine
Kingdom that He may bestow real health to thee, thy husband and thy child
and confirm all of you by the heavenly assistance and grant you happiness
and joy in both worlds!
“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!...”
O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Love of God!
Thank thou God that, through the utterances of Mrs. ........., thou hast
heard of the universe of the Kingdom, thy heart recognized (the Truth),
thine eyes became seeing and thy soul became mindful. Shouldst thou remain
firm and steadfast in faith, the desire of thy heart and soul will become
realized, thou wilt find the utmost joy and wilt be assisted in visiting
the holy Threshold.
“O thou who art uttering the mention of God!...”
O thou who art uttering the mention of God!
Know, that the pure hearts upon which the mysteries of the Kingdom of God
are printed and pictured, are reflectors one upon another and thus the
once can discover the secrets of the other, because such hearts are only
mirrors confronting each other on which the secrets of unity, affinity and
concord are printed and reflected. Accordingly, it would be possible that
a certain servant of the servants of the Merciful might discover a
treasured mystery or a preserved sign, whatever his shortcomings or
defects might be; yet we do indeed rely upon God the Forgiver. I
supplicate Him to deliver us from the pangs of lust and its dangers and
from the destructive conditions of passion.
Verily, I do testify that thine heart is moved by the fragrance of the
love of God, that thy memory is a fountain overflowing with the water of
the knowledge of God. Therefore, finish the poem which thou art composing
and send it here, that through reading it the breast of the believers may
be refreshed and dilated with joy.
“O thou who art kindled by the fire of the Love of God!...”
O thou who art kindled by the fire of the Love of God!
Rejoice through the fragrance of God and be attracted by the melodies of
the holy birds in the garden of the gifts of God! Verily, I, with great
humbleness and submissiveness before the abundance of His mercy, do roll
my face upon the dust to make thee a sign of unity and a gift of mercy,
that thou mayest be, in all aspects and cases, near to the Kingdom of God.
Blessed thou art for this great abundance! Glad-tidings unto thee because
of this manifest light! By the life of God! a single drop of the ocean of
His love is more profitable unto thee than the earth and that which is
thereupon, because this will vanish and perish, but that drop of love will
remain eternally and everlastingly in the worlds of God.
“O thou dear servant of God!...”
O thou dear servant of God!
During the time of thy visit here the meanings of the words of Christ,
“Let the dead bury their dead,” was explained to thee. Those souls who are
not vivified and attracted by the Holy Spirit, are accounted among the
dead, because their souls are deprived of the breath of the Holy Spirit,
and these persons after physical death are in a certain condition, having
feeling and discernment in their environment, but in comparison with the
pure souls who have been vivified by the Holy Spirit, they are as dead and
deprived.
For example: The mineral kingdom in comparison with the vegetable is
lifeless; also the existence of the animal kingdom in comparison with that
of man is death. The meaning is not that the neglectful souls will be
non-existent.
Give my loving greeting to all the servants of God and the sharers of
divinity.
“O thou attracted one!...”
O thou attracted one!
Thy letter was an evidence of the happiness and rejoicing of thy heart and
soul and a proof of knowing the True One and severing thyself from all
else save Him. When thou beholdest with the eye of Truth, then thou wilt
realize that in this world neither known or unknown, neither kind father
or beloved son, mother or sister, help us. No persons assist except the
Benevolent Almighty.
When thou knowest Him, thou art independent from all else. When thou art
attached to His love, then thou art detached from every kith and kin.
O thou attracted one of the Kingdom! Complete thou the study of the art of
music and sacrifice thyself more or less to the Lord of the Kingdom.
The spiritual lily reached [me] in the world of the Merciful and its sweet
fragrance perfumed the nostril.(303) I ask God that thou mayest find a
soul overflowing with glad-tidings, seek a heart of joy and attain to tthe
beautiful ideal! That thou mayest sever thyself from this world and soar
up to the Universe of the Creator!
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and from the rose-garden of its significances
sweet fragrances were inhaled. Thank God that thou hast found guidance,
become knowing, attached thyself to the Lord of the Kingdom and attained
to spiritual attraction.
Thou hast asked permission to come in the presence. If the means are
brought about that traveling may be made with utmost ease, thou hast
permission.
“O thou spiritual leaf who art verdant and well-watered...”
O thou spiritual leaf who art verdant and well-watered by the outpouring
from the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I beseech His Presence, the Mighty and the majestic One, to
enlighten the mind through the lights gleaming from the summit of the
Kingdom, and by which thy tongue shall become eloquent with the
remembrance of the Ever-living One (He who liveth and dieth not), to make
thee a lamp shininng with the lights of knowledge in those far-distant
horizons and vast countries.
Verily, I say unto thee, the Covenant of God and His Alliance is a Lamp
diffusing lights from the Supreme Concourse unto the horizons of the earth
and heaven. Whosoever hath this Divine Lamp before his face, his forehead
shall glisten with manifest light and his speech shall take effect in all
minds and spirits, and God shall assist him by the poser which penetrateth
the essences of things.
“O thou bird of the Garden of God!...”
O thou bird of the Garden of God!
Why art thou sad and sorrowful, disappointed and grieved! Praise be to
God! the eternal bounty is in succession, the divine glory is apparent and
manifest, the display of Providence and light of guidance is glistening
and shining from the Kingdom of Abha and the appearance of the Greatest
Sun is clear and evident. if thou art outwardly far, then thou art near in
spirit, and if thou art absent in body, thou art present in heart and
spirit.
Arise and wash thy body, wear a pure gown, and directing thyself to the
Kingdom of God, supplicate and pray to Him. Sleep in a clean, well
prepared and ventilated place, and ask for appearance (or display) in the
world of vision. Thou wilt have visions which will cause the doors of
doubts to be closed, which will five you new joy, wonderful dilation,
brilliant glory. thou wilt comprehend realities and meanings.
Verily, the bounty of the Kingdom is unlimited and the favors of the Lord
of Majesty are like unto the rains of springtime.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Dost thou remember when Mrs. ......... was talking with thee, what a
cheerful feeling thou felt in thy heart? And what a gladness and rejoicing
thou didst find? Even thy friends were astonished at what was the cause of
this joy. Therefore, follow thou that rejoicing, and continue (saying) the
Greatest Name every morning.
May thy soul be cheered!
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Happiness consists of two kinds; physical and spiritual. The physical
happiness is limited; its utmost duration is one day, one month, one year.
It hath no result. Spiritual happiness is eternal and unfathomable. This
kind of happiness appeareth in one’s soul with the love of God and
suffereth one to attain to the virtues and perfections of the world of
humanity. Therefore, endeavor as much as thou art able in order to
illumine the lamp of thy heart by the light of love.
“O thou seeker of the Divine Kingdom!...”
O thou seeker of the Divine Kingdom!
The heavenly doors opened, the hosts of realities and significances rushed
forth, the Lord of Hosts established a heavenly throne and spread the
armies of peace and reconciliation in all parts of the world, in order
that the reign of peace and love may be founded. Now that army is engaged
in [diffusing] virtues throughout all regions.
As to thee: Be thou of God, that thou mayest become a leader of peace and
reconciliation, hoist the banner of love and quicken the souls through the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit.
“O thou who art longing for the Heavenly Kingdom!...”
O thou who art longing for the Heavenly Kingdom!
Mrs. ......... became the guide and directed thee to the path of the
Kingdom and informed thee of my love. Whatever she said is correct. I am
the lamp and the love of God is my light. this light hath become reflected
in the mirrors of hearts. Therefore turn thou unto thy heart, that is,
when it is in the utmost freedom, and behold how the radiance of my love
is manifest in that mirror, and thou art near unto me.
Recite the Greatest Name at every morn, and turn thou unto the Kingdom of
Abha, until thou mayest apprehend my mysteries.
“O thou plant in the Garden of the Kingdom!...”
O thou plant in the Garden of the Kingdom!
God created man in the utmost perfection, for He inscribed the edict of
the divine likeness on his brow. Every excellent person (or soul), if
confirmed by the heavenly bounty, is a plant of the Kingdom and becometh
green and refreshed and putteth forth wonderful blossoms and groweth on
the river bank of the love of God.
“O thou seeker of Truth!...”
O thou seeker of Truth!
Thank thou the maid-servant of God Mrs. ........., for she hath guided
thee to the Divine Kingdom and led thee to the noblest station of the
human world. Appreciate thou her value, and turn thou unto the Word of
God, so that thou mayest be confirmed by the power of the Merciful One,
and attain to that which is wished for by the holy ones.
“O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!...”
O thou who art advancing toward the Kingdom of God!
The doors of the Ideal Heaven of God are opened and some souls are on the
wing like unto birds of holiness and have attained to the divine Kingdom.
I beg of God that thou wilt become one of those birds and soar up in such
manner that thou mayest astonish all.
“O ye maid-servants of His Majesty, the Lord—daughters...”
O ye maid-servants of His Majesty, the Lord—daughters and sons of the
Kingdom!(304)
The meeting of the Lord’s Supper, which you held in the home of Mr. and
Mrs. ......... (was blessed) with the lights of the Beauty of the
Merciful, which shone from the Kingdom of Abha, and Abdul-Baha was present
in spirit and heart although absent in body. That meeting was exceedingly
bright, and as the rose-garden, emitted a pleasant fragrance.
Meetings organized with the utmost holiness and piety, wherein those who
are present engage in the mention and thought of God, and wherein the
verses of Oneness are chanted and the prayers of the Threshold of the Lord
of Verses are offered and the exhortations and counsels of the Blessed
Beauty recited, such meetings are illumined, spiritual, divine and
heavenly. They are the means of training the world of humanity.
I am, night and day, engaged in remembering you, and happy with your
thought, and ask the Lord of the Kingdom for confirmation, that He may
make each one of you a sign of guidance and the means of educating and
guiding other women and men.
The bounty and grace of God in this illumined cycle is like the ocean.
Every instant it surges, reaching the apogee with its waves and inundating
the shores of existence. Therefore, O ye maid-servants of the Merciful and
servants of God, endeavor while this ocean is still surging and this cloud
raining and pouring, to make the surface of the earth feel the reality,
that it may grow the hyacinths, the flowers and frits of concord, peace,
love, faith, realities and significances.
“O seeker of Truth!...”
O seeker of Truth!
If thou desirest that god may open thy (spiritual) eye, thou must
supplicate unto God, pray to and commune with Him at midnight, saying:
“O Lord, I have turned my face unto thy Kingdom of Oneness and am drowned
in the sea of Thy mercy! O Lord, enlighten my sight by beholding Thy
lights in this dark night, and make me happy by the wine of Thy love in
this wonderful age! O Lord, make me hear Thy call, and open before my face
the doors of Thy heaven, so that I may see the light of Thy glory (Baha’)
and become attracted to Thy beauty!
“Verily, thou art the Giver, the Generous, the Merciful, the Forgiving!”
At that time such signs will appear which will guide thee to the Kingdom
of Thy Lord, the Merciful.
The babe dressed in the white garment that gave thee the jessamine is a
fragrance of the fragrances of God, reared through His love, a sign of His
signs and a breeze of His breezes. It hath a wonderful power and there
shall be for it astonishing states to the minds and spirits. Understand
what I say to thee through the best of symbols.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy writing was considered. Thank God that thou wert fed from the table
which hath descended from heaven. That food is the “I am the bread which
descended from heaven,” recorded in the Gospel. That is faith, certainty,
love and knowledge. I ask God that, day by day, thy steps may progress,
that thou mayest grow firmer in the love of God; that unto thee and thy
kindred a blessing of God shall come, and that thou mayest remain
protected and sheltered under all conditions. Thus, may thy weakness be
changed to strength and thy inability to power.
“O ye dear servants of God!....”
O ye(305) dear servants of God!
Your letter received and the contents proved excellent. That which is the
desire of you hearts is the utmost hope of the daughters of the Kingdom;
that is, they wish to sacrifice themselves for the Beauty of Abha(306) and
offer their lives for His Holiness, the Supreme.(307)
In reality, the radiant, pure hearts are the Mashrak-el-Azcar and from
them the voice of supplication and invocation continually reacheth the
Supreme Concourse.
I ask God to make the heart of every one of you a temple of the Divine
Temples and to let the lamp of the great guidance be lighted therein; and
when the hearts find such an attainment, they will certainly exert the
utmost endeavor and energy in the building of the Mashrak-el-Azcar; thus
may the outward express the inward, and the form (or letter) indicate the
meaning (or reality).
“O servant of God!...”
O servant of God!
Give thanks to God, for thou hast come to the Holy Land, visited the
Sacred Threshold, associated with us for a few days and heard the divine
admonitions, which are in the heavenly Books. Now return, behave and act
with perfect firmness, according to the heavenly teachings, in those
regions, in order that you may become the cause by which human perfections
will be attained.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Give thanks unto God for having revealed unto thee, in visions, the
mysteries of His Kingdom and for having strengthened thee to attain
certain revelations which show thine utmost attraction and constancy unto
this great Cause.
Verily, the three birds are the three holy souls. The one on the right is
His Holiness the great Bab, the one on the left is His Honor the
Khudoos,(308) the glorious soul, and the great bird in the middle is the
Greatest Name.(309) The light shining from the Supreme Horizon is the
Beauty of El-Abha. These birds descended from an infinite height and the
nearer they came to earth the more their majesty and glory became
manifest. All nations were promised by a sure promise and were awaiting
with anxiety and longing the coming of the Promised One. The two birds
accompanying the great bird in the center signifies that the Bab and His
Honor the Khudoos were both under the wings of the Greatest name. As those
birds descended and their shadows extended vertically over the expectants,
as the sun approacheth the zenith at noontide, at this time thou hast seen
a majestic being in the form of man upon the back of the huge bird in the
center. This person in the human form is the “divine station” mentioned in
the Bible: “Let us make man in our image after our likeness.” And the
divine lights were reflected from the reality of the Greatest Name.
Although this station is far from the minds and understandings, yet its
lights are apparent, its rays reflected and its brilliancy manifested
throughout the universe.
The white garments signify holy dignity and a station sanctified from
color, i.e., free from the universal conditions and material qualities.
That luminous countenance, manifested in beauty, signifieth that the
divine lights shone forth from the human form, which were reflected and
descended upon thee, dazzling the eyes of those who were perceiving it as
the sun dazzles the eyes of those who try to look upon it. That divine
form manifested itself in America and entered the great Temple which shall
soon be constructed therein. this glorious Temple resembles the Oriental
edifices and soon thou wilt see it erected there with a most solid
foundation and strongest basis. That divine face will beam upon numberless
souls who will enter this Temple.
Regarding the table laid in that magnificent house: This is the heavenly
table of divine knowledge, love and eternal life. As to the people
gathered there, they are the beloved of God and His chosen ones whose
faces shine with wonderful and heavenly beauty. The woman sitting at the
side of the Temple is the law of God, which will soon dispel all veils and
its beauty will appear, after which it shall be established forever and
ever. The stamped coins presented to the woman sitting in that honored
station, are the good deeds and actions of the beloved of God and His
maid-servants, submitted with praise, greetings and great thanksgiving
unto that holy law. The beautiful woman is blessed by being touched by
that Merciful Being the glory of whose blessing shall suffuse the
universe. Then the Merciful Being returned to His station, mounting the
bird and ascended to the Supreme Horizon in the infinite realm.
This vision showeth that thou, O confirmed and attracted one, by the
breezes of God will soon be acquainted with the ancient mysteries, for the
Manifest Light will appear to thee. The vision also signifieth that a
Mashrak-el-Azcar will soon be established in America. The cries of
supplication and invocation will be raised to the Highest Kingdom
therefrom and, verily, the people will enter into the religion of God by
troops with great enthusiasm and attraction.
Concerning thy vision of the angels surrounding the great white throne:
This “throne” is the body of the Greatest name. The beautiful and glorious
person riding upon the white horse is the Greatest Name and the white
horse means also His glorious body. The herald who proclaimed the written
names is Abdul-Baha who announceth the names of those who deserve
salvation and are firm in the Covenant of God, and thou art one of those
people, the people of salvation. Be thankful for this great favor.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
Verily, thy coming, at this time, unto this shining, blessed Holy Land is
not consistent with wisdom, but when the (proper) time cometh, we shall
give thee permission to come to this Spot of Light. Thank thou God for
that the love of God hath pervaded thee and seized the reins from thy
hands. This spiritual love shall surely pervade all regions.
As to the human souls (or individuals): Unless they acquire the light,
they are unable to shine upon other individuals. But when a man ariseth to
expound the arguments of God and invite people to enter in the religion of
God, and when he uttereth those argumments and advanceth consummate proofs
concerning the appearance of the great Kingdom, then intense love shall
become manifest in his heart. This love causeth the development of this
spirit by the grace of the beneficent Lord. Consider, O maid-servant of
God, the bearer who brought the garment of Joseph to Jacob. That messenger
was the bearer of the garment, but he could not inhale the fragrance of
Joseph. But Jacob, whose nostrils were pure, inhaled the fragrances of
Joseph from a long distance.
It may be that man can guide a blessed, holy soul into the Kingdom of God
while he, himself, is deprived therof. Consider Judas Iscariot: He invited
others, while he, himself, was deprived of the Kingdom of God. But in
spiritual training (or development) it is impossible for an imperfect one
to perfect another or train another unless he first conquers his own self
and desire and becomes purified from selfish impurities in order to become
capable of merciful slendors. When he acquires divine bounties, then he is
able to train another. An ignorant man hath no power to teach a seeker (of
knowledge) and a poor man hath no power to succor a needy one.
Consequently, be thou assured that, verily, man needs to wish for eternal
life and then confer the same upon another. These human perfections and
merciful bounties are that peace which was promised and spoken of by
Christ.
Then know thou that, verily, the people of Baha’ must need be
distinguished from others in all respects, until they become the lamps of
the True One among the creatures and the stars of guidance shining from
the Supreme Concourse.
Then know thou, verily, that Luminous Man, the lights of whose Face dazzle
the eyes and before whom thou knelt down when thou sawest His light, is
the Greatest Name, the Ancient Light, the Honorable Temple!
“O thou sincere servant of Baha’o’llah!...”
O thou sincere servant of Baha’o’llah!
Thy letter was received and its content was the cause of infinite
happiness, for it was an indication of thy firmness in the faith and thy
steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament. Today, the greatest of all
titles and praises are firmness and steadfastness, for the tests and
trials are of the utmost intensity. I ask God that day by day thou mayest
increase in steadfastness, so like unto a solid rock thou mayest withstand
the tempestuous sea of test.
The people of the world are like unto trees (i.e., trees without roots),
they are torn up by the passing of a gust of wind, but trees which are
deeply rooted, strong and sturdy, are not uprooted by the most violent
tempest—therefore they produce leaves, blossoms and fruits.
O thou spiritual friend! Thou hast asked the wisdom of prayer. Know thou
that prayer is indispensable and obligatory, and man under no pretext
whatsoever is excused from performing the prayer unless he be mentally
unsound, or an insurmountable obstacle prevent him. The wisdom of prayer
is this: That it causeth a connection between the servant and the True
One, because in that state (i.e., prayer) man with all heart and soul
turneth his face towards His Highness the Almighty, seeking His
association and desiring His love and compassion. The greatest happiness
for a lover is to converse with his beloved, and the greatest gift for a
seeker is to become familiar with the object of his longing; that is why
with every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of God, his greatest hope
is to find an opportunity to entreat and supplicate before his Beloved,
appeal for His mercy and grace and be immersed in the ocean of His
utterance, goodness and generosity.
Beside all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and
mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests. The
obligatory prayer is revealed from the Supreme Pen and is translated in
America. Ask for it from the believers and use it.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thank thou God that thou art directed to the Light of Guidance and ushered
into the Kingdom of the Love of God, became the recipient of the
inexhaustible bounties and that thou hast a son like ........., who is the
servant in the Threshold of God and is one of the sons of the Kingdom of
the Merciful.
God hath accomplished His gift in thee; thou must be happy and thankful
and hopeful for the favor of the True one.
“O thou who art longing for the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art longing for the Kingdom!
Mr. ......... in thy behalf hath made a great endeavor. Thou shouldst be
eternally grateful to him and thank him, for he hath guided thee to the
Kingdom, led thee to life eternal and set upon thy brow a crown whose
brilliant gems shall illumine the world of existence. That crown is the
Divine Guidance. Thousands of illustrious and famous women are deprived
but thou hast partaken of a share of this heavenly food. The queens of the
world are portionless, but thou art inexhaustibly supplied.
Therefore, thank thou the Pure, the Almighty, and adore Him, that He hath
bestowed such a beloved and glorious gift upon thee!
“O thou leaf who art moved by the Breeze of God!...”
O thou leaf who art moved by the Breeze of God!
Verily, I address thee with all spiritual love and gladness from this my
residence at the base of Mount Carmel, which is blessed through all ages
by the prophets, as recorded in the ancient Books. And I beseech His
Highness the Merciful One to ordain thee a faithful footing in the Kingdom
of God and to provide for thee all things by which thy mind may be
brightened, thy breast be gladdened, thy tongue become eloquent and
whereby the doors of the meanings hinted at in the sacred Books and
Tablets be opened to thy mind. Verily, the people are veiled from
comprehending the meanings of the Gospel, the Bible and the Koran and know
not the interpretation of the scriptures of God, except those whose eyes
are opened by the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Thou shalt behold
men-servants and maid-servants of Baha’ in those far-distant lands and
wide countries, speaking the secrets of the Gospel and the mysteries of
the Bible and the allusions of the Koran and the explanation of the Words
of the Merciful One. Those are the servants to whomsoever God hath
assigned His mercy which overfloweth the existence.
“O thou tree planted in the Vineyard of God!...”
O thou tree planted in the Vineyard of God!
Verily, the clouds of the mercy of thy Lord have poured forth the rain of
His greatest gift; the heat of the Sun of Truth hath become intense upon
the plains, valleys and hills, and the winds of fecundation of the mercy
of thy Lord have blown o’er the gardens, mountains and thickets.
Therefore, O thou tree, be verdant, blossom, put forth leaves and bear
beautiful fruits in this most Supreme Paradise!
“O thou who art seeking fire from the Fire of the Love...”
O thou who art seeking fire from the Fire of the Love of God!
I received thy brilliant letter and became pleased with its beautiful
contents. Shouldst thou desire to add perception and understanding, to
become fully aware of the mysteries as deposited in the Holy Books and to
spread the divine significances, it is incumbent upon thee to be
straightforward in the right Path, to be firm in the teachings and to be
patient under the great test. he who is steadfast shall grow and he who is
straightforward shall succeed.
I supplicate God to grant thee power wherewith thou wilt confront the
beliefs of all regions and innumerable nations; and to make it possible
for thee to come hither in a convenient time when no obstacles exist, but
now there are many obstacles in the way of thy coming. However, if thou
turn thy face thoroughly to God, He will grant thee wisdom and power which
maketh thy words to penetrate the hearts as the spirit penetrate the body.
O thou maid-servant of God! Thou must leave selfishness, separate thyself
from the world and cling thoroughly to the Most Supreme Kingdom.
Give my salutations to Mrs. ......... and to the maid-servant of God,
........., and say to them that “God hath chosen His pure, devout and good
maid-servants to turn their faces to Him and to become attracted by His
fragrances in this new and wonderful day.”
“O thou son of the Kingdom!...”
O thou son of the Kingdom!
Thy sweet letters with their interesting contents are always conducive to
the joy of the hearts. They are like unto the melodies of the nightingale
which imparteth exultation to soul and mind. Thank thou God! that thou
hast gone to those parts(310) for the purpose of spreading the Word of God
and diffusing the holy fragrances of the Kingdom of God and that thou art
a gardener in the divine orchard. Ere long, confirmation and assistance
shall environ thee.
O thou son of the Kingdom! If one possesses the love of God, everything
that he undertakes is useful, but if the undertaking is without the love
of God, then it is hurtful and the cause fo veiling one’s self from the
Lord of the Kingdom. But with the love of God every bitterness is changed
into sweetness and every gift becometh precious. For instance, a musical
and melodious voice imparteth life to an attracted heart but lureth toward
lust those souls who are engulfed in passion and desire.
With the love of God all sciences are accepted and beloved, but without
it, are fruitless; nay, rather the cause of insanity. Every science is
like unto a tree; if the fruit of it is the love of God, that is a blessed
tree. Otherwise it is dried wood and finally a food for fire.
O thou sincere servant of the True One and the spiritual physician of the
people! Whenever thou presentest thyself at the bed of a patient turn thy
face toward the Lord of the Kingdom and supplicate assistance from the
Holy Spirit and heal the ailments of the sick one. I beg of God to bestow
thee with an eloquent tongue.
“O thou maid-servant of God!...”
O thou maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and the contents indicated that—praise be to God!
—thy heart is ablaze with the fire of the love of God and thine eyes are
illumined with the light of the guidance of God, that thy face is
cheerfully beaming and thy countenance is shining and gleaming.
Say unto thine honored helpmate, thy dear husband: “Thousands of souls,
including the great divines and Pharisees among the Jews, were awaiting
the Manifestation of Christ, lamenting and weeping and supplicating that
the Messiah should soon appear. But when His Holiness Christ came with a
beautiful face and sweet utterance and dawned from the day-spring of the
contingent world like unto the shining sun, all those souls who awaited
Him rejected Him, became afflicted with the sleep of heedlessness, did not
wake up by the voice of Christ nor did they gain consciousness. Now again
the same is the case in the Manifestation of Baha’o’llah.”
I beg of God that thy dear husband be guided through the light of guidance
and become a sign of the gift of the Kingdom of Abha.
“O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Kingdom!
The decoration and adornment of the tongue consists in praising and
thanksgiving to the Lord Almighty, especially when a man is guided by
divine grace and mercy to the path of guidance and when he is intoxicated
by the chalice of boundless blessings.
Thank God that—praise be to God! —the glass of thy life and heart hath
become bright with the lamp of guidance, and the chalice of hope and
desire hath overflowed with the wine of the love of God. This is an
attainment and blessing that, if thou give thanks a thousand centuries and
cycles, thou wilt not be capable of doing it justice. Therefore, in the
utmost joy, gladness, rejoicings and endless happiness thou must open thy
tongue in thanksgiving and glorifying the Lord of mercy and become the
cause of enlightenment.
When in perfect obedience thou followest the path of the evident Light,
thou mayest rest assured that in a little while life will find the
Beloved, the seeker the Desired One and the traveler the Goal.
Kiss the face and hair of thy dear children for me, love them and educate
them in divine education.
“***O ye children of the Kingdom!...”
***O ye(311) children of the Kingdom!
The letter that ye have written, although short and significant, was a
manifest book and an evidence of your faith and assurance and a proof of
your union and harmony.
Praise be to God! that ye are gathered in one assembly like unto the stars
of the Pleiades, are illumined with the light of the knowledge of God and
through the outpouring of the cloud of the love of God, ye are the fresh
flowers of the meadow and plain; ye are intimate and familiar with
infinite unity and love.
Therefore, this meeting is blessed. But if it is firmly established and
become constant, it will bring forth great results and most weighty
developments will be attained. Consequently, persevere ye in renewing your
meetings and display utmost magnanimity in firmness and steadfastness.
When the root of the tree of the garden is well established and its
protection is safeguarded, it will bring forth luscious fruits.
Likewise, when the regiment of an army and the individuals of a cohort are
united and related with ease, untold triumphs will be acquired. But if
they come together one day and disperse another day, no fruits will be
produced.
Therefore, as ye have prepared an army of heaven and become the host of
life, ye must continue to hold meetings, have spiritual communications, be
firm in resolution, steadfast in purpose and be constant and persevering
so that ye may win celestial conquests.
I supplicate and entreat at the Threshold of God to assist and confirm you
in firmness and steadfastness and cause you to guide the inhabitants of
that region.
“O thou lover of humanity!...”
O thou lover of humanity!(312)
Thy letter was received and its contents imparted spiritual significances.
Thank thou God that from thy early childhood thou hast been always a
seeker after salvation and hast been spending thy energy and effort in
charitable affairs and the excellences of the world of humanity. However,
every great Cause in this world of existence findeth a visible expression
through three means; first, intention; second, confirmation; third,
action. Today on this earth there are many souls who are the spreaders of
peace and reconciliation and are longing for the realization of the
oneness and unity of the world of man; but this intention needs a dynamic
power, so that it may become manifest in the world of being. Today the
divine instructions and lordly exhortations of Baha’o’lah promulgate this
most great aim and the confirmations of the Kingdom are the supports and
defenders of this eminent intention. For the power of the Word of God is
penetrative and the existence of the divine Kingdom is uninterrupted.
Therefore, ere long it will become evident and clear that the ensign of
the Most Great Peace is the teachings of Baha’o’llah. For the intention,
the power and the action, all the three essential elements are brought
together and the realization of everything in the contingent world
dependeth upon these three principles.
Therefore, O thou lover of the oneness of the world of humanity! spread
thou as much as thou canst the instructions and teachings of His Highness
Baha’o’llah, so that the desired Beloved become unveiled in the assembly
of humankind and cast her light upon all the people.
Likewise, some of the ancient philosophers have spoken regarding the
oneness of the world of humanity, but confirmation and assistance became
not their supports and helpers. Consequently their endeavors ended in
being without result and the tree of their hope without fruit.
Thou hast written regarding the language of Esperanto. This language will
be spread and universalized to a certain degree, but later on a language
more complete than this, or the same language will undergo some changes
and alterations and will be adopted and become universal. I hope that Dr.
Zamenhof become assisted by the invisible confirmation and do a great
service to the world of humanity.
O thou maid-servant of God! Whatsoever question thou hast in thy heart,
turn thou thy heart toward the Kingdom of Abha and entreat in the
Threshold of the Almighty and reflect upon that problem, then
unquestionably the light of truth shall dawn and the reality of that
problem will become evident and clear to thee. For the teachings of His
Highness Baha’o’llah are the keys to all the doors. Every hidden secret
will become discovered and every hidden mystery will become manifest and
apparent.***
“O thou who art rejoicing by the Glad-tidings of God!...”
O thou who art rejoicing by the Glad-tidings of God!
The contents of thy letter clearly show that thou art drawn by the love of
God, pondering over the Cause of God and that the cover hath been removed
from off thine eyes.
I ask God to shower down upon thee a heavenly blessing; to make thee to
serve His Cause and attain His good pleasure; to teach thee that which
thou knewest not; to inspire thee with His argument and proof; to confirm
thee in faith and assurance; and to make thee the sign of the Merciful
among the concourse of the worlds.
Verily, He is the Giver, the Generous!
“O thou maid-servant of God, who art guided to the...”
O thou maid-servant of God, who art guided to the Light of Guidance!
Verily, I read thy letter which expressed praise to thy Supreme Lord for
having guided thee to the Fountain-head of Knowledge, quickened thy heart
with the spirit of faith, poured on thee the clouds of beneficence and
opened thine insight to witness His mighty signs in the world of man.
O thou maid-servant of God! Be rejoiced by this most great glad-tidings;
praise in commemorating the Name of thy Supreme Lord; thank thou God
because He hath quickened thee with an eternal spirit, bestowed upon thee
a heavenly bounty and hath illumined thy face with the light by which the
existence scintillates in the world of emanation!
Verily, I was informed of thy great longing to present thyself at this
holy, luminous Spot, but at present this is not favorable; but I bear unto
thee the glad-tidings that when thou hast departed to thy native land, the
invisible hosts will surely confirm and assist thee with power and
strength, and God will reveal unto thy heart that which will rejoice it
forevermore; and He shall endow thee with a speech whereat thou in thyself
shalt be astonished and wilt say: “Blessed am I for this great gift!
Glad-tidings be unto me for this mighty bestowal, for my Lord hath
confirmed me therewith and enabled me to uplift the Word of God and to
diffuse His fragrances! Verily, I glory among all the women of the world!
This is a bestowal which hath no equal!”
O thou maid-servant of God! Verily, the tongue of the Supreme Concourse
uttereth the praise of those women who are the glory of men; women who
have forgotten themselves, have abandoned their own rest, attached their
hearts to the Kingdom of God, raised their voice in the Name of God,
diffused the signs of God and uttereed clear arguments and firm proofs
concerning the manifestation of the Kingdom of God. Trust thou in this
promise; then depart to those regions with infinite joy and gladness and
bear unto people glad-tidings in commemorating thy Lord. Verily, thy Lord
will assist thee under all aspects and circumstances. And in the coming
year, if it is possible for thee to come, present thyself at this Blessed
Spot and fragrant region.
“O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted unto...”
O thou maid-servant of God who art attracted unto Him!
Verily, I read thy letter and was informed of its words. Its meaning
showed that thou hast come out of the tests of God and that thou art firm
and steadfast in the love of God. This is through the grace of thy Lord
and His mercy upon those of His maid-servants who are firm in His right
path.
Gird up thy loins, therefore, to serve the Cause of God in His great
vineyard; trust in the favors of thy Lord; supplicate unto Him and beseech
in the middle of the night and at early morn just as a needy and captive
one beseeches. It is incumbent upon thee to turn unto the Kingdom of God
and to pray, supplicate and invoke during all times. This is the means by
which thy soul shall ascend upward to the apex of the gift of God.
“O thou seeker after the Beauty of the True One!...”
O thou seeker after the Beauty of the True One!
What thou hast written was perused. In indicated thy yearning and
advancement toward the Kingdom of God.
If thou standest steadfast and firm in this seeking and advancement, not
becoming agitated by the trials, giving repose and composure to the mind,
and freeing thyself from attachment to this ephemeral world, be thou
assured that thou shalt become an enkindled lamp, spreading the lights of
faith, assurance, knowledge and the love of God in every gathering-place.
We will five thee permission to stand before the Presence when it is a
favorable and suitable time and not contrary to wisdom.
If thou seekest after the light of the Kingdom, hasten undoubtedly to the
meetings of the believers, in order that the rays of truth may reflect in
thy heart.
“O thou advancing maid-servant of God!...”
O thou advancing maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and considered. Thank God that the evidence and
the proof became clear and manifest to thee. He gave thee eyes to see
therewith the lights of guidance; He gave thee ears to hear the divine
call; He gave thee nostrils to sense the beautiful fragrance of the
rose-garden of the Kingdom; He gave thee taste to find the sweetness of
the love of God; He gave thee a tongue to mention Him. Therefore, thou
must thank Him night and day for having attained this bounty. Thus mayest
thou become firm in trials and bear every difficulty and, like unto the
mountains, hold thy feet firm and steadfast, so that thou mayest not be
shaken by the adverse winds.
The bounty of the Lord of the Kingdom is great and His outpouring is
glorious. His favors are boundless. I ask, through His bounty, to grant
thee readiness and capacity, so that the rains of mercy may cultivate
flowers of significances in the garden of the heart.
The essential thing is firmness and steadfastness. I hope that all the
friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful One may be strengthened and
confirmed therein.
To pardon shortcomings is an attribute of the Lord of forgiveness. Thank
God, thou art a dawning-point of kindness and the recipient of pardon and
forgiveness.
Sacrifice thy life to the Lord of the Kingdom and seek only His will. Make
thy meeting the house of Abdul-Baha and the rose-garden of the heavenly
birds.
Convey reverential greeting to Miss ......... and say: “Know thou the
value of the day of the Lord and take a portion and a share of the bounty
in this glorious cycle. If a tree doth not thrive and grow in this divine
springtime, in what season will it bear fruit? I hope that, though the
life-nurturing breeze of the rose-garden of the Kingdom, thou mayest
become a tree full of blossoms and fruit.”
Convey reverential greeting to the maid-servant of God, ......... and say:
“Happy is thy condition that thou art meek and humble and directed to the
Kingdom of God and looking to God. I ask God that, day by day, thou mayest
become more illumined and more spiritual.”
Be in sympathy with ......... and in the utmost of kindness. Close thine
eyes to shortcomings and live according to the divine teachings. I hope
that the breath of life may penetrate them. Thank God that in the world of
vision thou art witnessing great signs.
In great tenderness blow the breath of life into ......... and .........
and call them to God. Perchance, through divine bounty and providence,
their hearts may become radiant and illumined and may remain firm and
steadfast through trials.
To be far in body is of no account. To be near in spirit is essential.
Seek that from God. When thou hast attained that, thou art always with me.
“O thou ignited candle!...”
O thou ignited candle!
The real light is the light of the love o God. Praise be to God! thy face
is illumined by the radiance of the divine love and thy nostrils are
perfumed through the fragrances of the garden of the Kingdom of Abha, and
thou art engaged, night and day, in service in this divine garden and art
spreading the Tablets of Abdul-Baha. Wherefore, thank thou God that thou
art assisted to such a service.
“O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom!...”
O thou who art gazing toward the Kingdom!
Thy letter was received. its contents became known. Thank thou God that
thy house became the shelter and the nest of the birds of the Kingdom. The
spiritual assembly was arranged. Abdul-Baha, in His heart, was present in
your gathering and His spirit was gazing upon you.
In order to render thanks for this gift, you must become engaged in
creating harmony and union to such an extent that all of you may become as
one soul and one spirit; that you may become waves of one sea, breezes of
one rose-garden, flowers of one meadow and trees of one orchard. You must
devote your time to the training of yourselves and the guidance of souls.
Thy house is my house. Therefore, it must become adorned with the lights
of the Kingdom.
“O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom!...”
O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom!
What thou hast written was read. Convey my loving greeting to .........
and say: “Every soul who was deprived of the Kingdom of God in the day of
Christ was disappointed in the other world. Now be thou a seeker of Truth
with all thy soul and heart and receive thou the reflection of guidance,
so that thou mayest not become sad and disappointed in the other realm.”
O my Juliet! In this glorious age the divine confirmations are like unto
the rays of the sun. The hearts and souls are like unto the surface of
crystal. The clearer the crystal the greater the refulgence of the
sunlight.
Praise be to God! that the door of servitude is already opened before thy
face. Therefore, be thou the cause of happiness to the souls of the
friends of God; impart thou attraction and exhilaration to others and
suffer them to quaff the wine of bounty from the cup of the most great
guidance, in order that they may open wings like unto birds and soar
upward, upward to the realm of the Kingdom.
Thou hast written: “So that the friends may discover the Truth, become
like unto a flaming torch and change the darkness of that country into
illumination.” This statement was of the utmost sweetness. My heart was
rejoiced by reading it. The second statement of thy letter was this: “In
order that we may demonstrate this manifest light to others through deeds
and actions.” This also was of the utmost eloquence and beauty.
O thou maid-servant of God! The penetration of the word of man dependeth
upon the heat of the fire of the love of God. The more the splendors of
the love of God become manifest in the heart, the greater will be the
penetration of the Word.
I hope that thou, O my Juliet, with ........., will become confirmed in
the service and arise to the good pleasure of the True One.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
The letter was received and a sweet fragrance was inhaled from the
rose-garden of its significances. Glad-tidings be unto thee that thou hast
become the object of such county and hast attained to the Kingdom of the
Lord of Hosts. I hope that thou mayest progress day by day in the
spiritual attributes, the beauty of deeds, the knowledge of the True One
and the love of God, and that thou mayest grow nearer and nearer to the
threshold of the Almighty.
Convey on my behalf greeting and salutation to his honor Prof. ........ I
desire from my heart and soul that he may become a cause of the
illumination of the world, hoist the ensign of gift and point out the
light of the Kingdom to the eyes.
Announce respectful greeting to the attracted maid-servant of God, Mrs.
......... In reality, she is spiritual and illumined and hath arisen to
the requirements of service. You must exercise toward her the utmost
respect and consideration.
Show thou on my behalf loving kindness to ......... and rejoice her heart
by the gift of the most great glad-tidings.
O thou maid-servant of God! The utmost desire of the lordly ones is the
union of the friends, the agreement of the believers and the spiritual
communication of the hearts; in order that they may shine in this darkened
world like unto bright stars; educate all the communities of the world
like unto bright stars; educate all the communities of the world in the
precepts of love; be kind and benevolent to every one, sympathetic and
compassionate to all; to become the cool and pure water to every thirsty
one, a heavenly table to every hungry one, a swift healing antidote to
every sick one and the cause of the everlasting glory to every humiliated
one.
Convey on my behalf respectful greeting to all the maid-servants of the
Merciful One and the friends of God.
“O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of...”
O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Thou art a beloved daughter in the Kingdom of Abha and art respected in
the presence of Abdul-Baha. Truly, I declare, thou art engaged in the
service of the Cause of God from all directions, art familiar with the
glorification of the Most Great name and art intimate in spreading the
fragrances of holiness. God is pleased with thee, I am pleased with thee
and the angels of the Supreme Concourse are pleased with thee.
It is hoped, from the bounty of His Highness the Almighty, that thou
mayest find such ecstasy and exhilaration and so ignite the fire of the
love of God that thou mayest bring the regions of America near to the
Kingdom of Abha.
“O maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
O maid-servant of the Beauty of Abha!
The valued epistle was received and the contents understood. By its
reading and perusal the utmost of spirit and fragrance was obtained, for
it indicated that during the period of cessation of communication, no
failure obtained in the delivery of the Word of God.
O servant of the Kingdom! Know for a certainty that this light of reality
shall eventually envelop the world, illuminating the East and the West
entirely.
That dear maid-servant of God [i.e., thyself] is in reality the servant of
the Cause of God and in future thou wilt be more confirmed.
I pray for .........
Convey my great respect to the attracted maid-servants of God, Mrs.
......... and Mrs. ........., and say: “Praise God for having found the
treasury of the Kingdom and that in the Threshold of the Kingdom of the
Lord ye are very dear and are of the maid-servants of the Beauty of Abha.”
Convey my message to his honor ......... and say: “Thank God that thou
became a sign of the divine blessing and the cause of guiding the people.
I hope day by day thou wilt become more illumined and eloquent until thou
mayest guide a great number of people.”
“O thou attracted one of the Kingdom!...”
O thou attracted one of the Kingdom!
The epistle was received; likewise the enclosed epistle was read. The
personage (Mr. .........) is in reality enraptured with the truth and
seeketh the discovery of the mysteries of God. His intention is blessed
and his efforts (directed toward) the development of the world of
humanity.
The various sects who consider themselves servants of the world of
humanity are possessed of good intention, but they are inert, not active;
captive, not free; silent, not eloquent; slow, not fast. They have
sluggish movement and great intention. These tow do not agree (or unite).
Many a good intention was there in the world of existence which left no
trace, for it was not confirmed by the effective power. But the good
intentions of the beloved of God and the merciful projects of the real
friends are enforced by the power of the Word of God; therefore, it is
effective and quick in action and the means of life to the world of
humanity. Thank thou God that He hath provided such a means for thee that
by divine aid, heavenly confirmation, merciful intention and heavenly
power thou mayest arise to serve, so that thou mayest see wonderful signs
and marvelous results.
The good news of the unity and concord of the friends of New York proved a
great source of Joy. The original intention and the divine foundation is
the unification of the world of humanity. Therefore, this merciful reality
must first find realization among the friends (Bahais), so that it may
affect other souls.
Today the world and the people are under the shadow of divine providence,
the light of the Sun of Reality hath been shed upon the world of minds and
thoughts; hence, light is seen everywhere.
“O thou illumined maid-servant of God!...”
O thou illumined maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Praise be to God! that thou art assisted and
confirmed and, through the light of the love of God, thou art an ignited
candle. Thou hast an eloquent tongue and a pure heart; thou art attracted
to the Kingdom and wondering, in awe and astonishment, at the power and
dominion of the Lord of Hosts.
Exercise infinite kindness and convey longing greeting on my behalf to
Miss .........
Thank God that thou hast found a way to the treasury of the Kingdom and
hast attained to the heavenly wealth.
I supplicate God that the hearts and souls of ......... and .........
receive a share from the love of God, and that ......... find a portion
from the divine bestowal and be assisted with heavenly confirmations, so
that she may help thee.
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of God!
Thy letter was received. I ask from God, supplicating and entreating in
the Threshold of Oneness, that thy utmost desire may become realized. The
desire of the sanctified souls is always for sacrifice in the path of God,
attraction by the merciful fragrances, the vivification of souls, the
proclamation of universal peace, the establishment of the oneness of
humanity and the enkindlement of the fire of the love of God in the hearts
of men. It is my hope that the desire of the friends of God be as such, so
that they may be released from the influence of the ephemeral world, shine
in the Kingdom of eternity, be exhilarated by the wine of the love of God
and, like unto the tempestuous sea, rage and roar with the ardor of the
love of God. I desire this station for thee.
“O thou who art preparing to receive knowledge from...”
O thou who art preparing to receive knowledge from the Herald of the
Kingdom!
I have read thy letter in which thou showed thy desire toward the divine
teachings and the texts of the knowledge of Truth. Blessed thou art and
more blessed thou shalt be if thy feet be firm, thy heart tranquil through
the fragrance of His Holy Spirit and thy secret and hidden thoughts pure
before the Lord of Hosts! Then, by God the Truth! the hosts of the angels
of the Kingdom shall surround thee and convey to all thy limbs and veins
the Spirit of Life; thy tongue shall utter fluently and distinctly the
most eloquent and clear words and thoughts; thy bosom shall be cheered
with joy through the appearance of the evident texts; thy face shall be
illuminated, among the daughters of the Kingdom, with the light of
firmness; the door of glad-tidings shall be opened before thy face and
thou shalt receive knowledge through the symbolic signs descending from
the heavenly Kingdom in the Books and Tablets!
“O thou who are supplicating to God and turning to...”
O thou who are supplicating to God and turning to the Spirit of His
Kingdom!
I have read the texts of thy praise to God on the occasion of the arrival
of my letter to thee. Know thou, that letter sent to thee by me, was only
because of my perfect love for thee and my pity upon thee, for I had the
desire that the fragrance of the Holy Spirit, which hath perfumed all
regions and imbued the entire body of the world with the Spirit of Life,
should pass over thee and abide with thee. Notwithstanding the high
position it occupieth, still, with an eloquent tongue, through which the
Spirit moveth, hearts are attracted and bosoms burn, it speaketh to the
pure hearts and to the good and righteous souls in every spot of the
earth. This is the powerful Spirit, the dazzling light, the brilliant star
and the overwhelming and universal abundance. And, from its traces, spread
and divulged everywhere, thou wilt know and realize its influence and
comprehend its radiance. I ask God to expose thee by its coals of fire and
illuminate thee by its brightness. Turn thyself wholly to it—thus thou
shalt be enabled to ascertain its influence and power, the strength of its
life and the greatness of its confirmation. Verily, I say unto thee, that
if for the appearance of that Divine Essence thou desirest to have a
definite proof, and indisputable testimony and a strong, convincing
evidence, thou must prepare thyself to make thy heart empty and thine eye
ready to look only toward the Kingdom of God. Then, at that time, the
radiance of that widespread effulgence will descend upon thee
successively, and that motion rendered thee by the Holy Spirit will make
thee dispense with any other strong evidence that leadeth to the
appearance of this Light, because the greatest and strongest proof for
showing the abundance of the Spirit to the bodies is the very appearance
of its power and influence in those bodies.
Think deeply of this in order to know the reality of my explanation and
demonstration.
“O thou that virtuous soul and individual who art ready...”
O thou that virtuous soul and individual who art ready for the
confirmation of the Holy Spirit!
I, with the utmost clemency, have read thy brilliant letter which showeth
thine advancement toward the Kingdom of God and the excessive preparation
for the effulgence of the lights of God and the greatest tendency for the
baptism of the Spirit of God and thy pleasure at the glad-tidings of God,
thine attraction by the fragrance of God and thy gladness in the love of
God. May God strengthen thee so thou mayest come nearer to God, to
separate thyself from aught else save Him and to assist thee in spreading
His lights and uttering the abundance of His mysteries, to perfume thy
nostrils with the fragrance of His holiness and to prepare for thee the
heavenly table, that thou mayest taste the delight of His loving-kindness.
I now assure thee, O servant of God, that, if thy mind become empty and
pure from every mention and thought and thy heart attracted wholly to the
Kingdom of God, forget all else besides God and come in communion with the
Spirit of God, then the Holy Spirit will assist thee with a power which
will enable thee to penetrate all things, and a Dazzling Spark which
enlightens all sides, a Brilliant Flame in the zenith of the heavens, will
teach thee that which thou dost not know of the facts of the universe and
of the divine doctrine. Verily, I say unto thee, every soul which ariseth
today to guide others to the path of safety and infuse in them the Spirit
of Life, the Holy Spirit will inspire that soul with evidences, proofs and
facts and the lights will shine upon it from the Kingdom of God. Do not
forget what I have conveyed unto thee from the breath of the Spirit.
Verily, it is the shining morning and the rosy dawn which will impart unto
thee the lights, reveal the mysteries and make thee competent in science,
and through it the pictures of the Supreme World will be printed in thy
heart and the facts of the secrets of the Kingdom of God will shine before
thee. Christ said—glory be to Him! —“Many are called but few chosen.”
Thank thou thy Lord for He hath made thee of the chosen. By my life!
verily, this is a station which God giveth to whomsoever He pleaseth. Know
its value and appreciate it according to its desserts! Arise with all thy
power to answer [i.e., to perform] all that is necessary to obtain this
grace and bounty and be strengthened in all circumstances and conditions
of this existence. how many noble-minded women, who were the queens of all
provinces and countries, have died and passed away and thou no longer
hearest any mention of them; but every servant of the servants of the
Merciful, who were in the past decades and centuries, owing to their
bright faces illumined by the lights of truth and knowledge, their stars
shine until today in the horizon of the highest and their rays dazzle in
the mirrors of the world and their fame is divulged in the Supreme World
and their sanctification spread in the Kingdom of God; and if—God forbid!
—the foot of man deviate as did that of Judas, so that he became human
after he was divine and sold the blood of Christ for a small and trifling
sum—verily, there is in that a great lesson to the people of
understanding!
Although I am far away from thee in body, still I am near unto thee in
spirit. But I ask God that the body will follow the spirit and out meeting
will be facilitated. The most essential thing is the spiritual relation,
the hearty friendship and the heavenly attraction. Thou must accomplish
this.
“O thou gem of the Kingdom and brilliant leaf!...”
O thou gem of the Kingdom and brilliant leaf!
Verily, I have read thy letter which showeth how thou art turning unto
God, moved by the breath of God, drawn by the Spirit of God and how the
mystery of existence, the image of the Lord of Hosts, was revealed unto
thee. This indicates that God shall open before thee the doors of
revelation and the Spirit of Truth shall confirm thee with evident signs.
Seeing this servant in thy prayers is a proof of the ideal nearness, of
the spiritual unity and of the impression that was printed within thine
own consciousness. At all times I do supplicate to the divine Kingdom to
make thy heart a pure, clear and polished mirror, facing the most glorious
Kingdom, El-Abha, that the pictures of the Supreme Concourse may be
printed in it, and this is exactly what was meant in the Bible by this
text: “Let us create man after our own image and likeness.”
To see repeatedly is an evidence that the vision will take place both in
the spirit and body; but separation and union, parting and meeting are
things which belong to the material body. The spirit is sanctified from
association, departure, nearness, remoteness, connection and separation,
for these are of the properties of material bodies and of the
characteristics of the elementary facts; but the Spirit is everlastingly
in the station of its loftiness and supremacy in a similar way to the sun
which is continually stationed in its sphere orbit; its appearance and
disappearance signify the clearness of the place and the fineness of the
body which is facing it, and as long as the confronting surface continues
to be in a well-polished condition, the lights of the sun will then appear
in it; but when it becometh rough and impure, the lights disappear.
Consequently, it hath been proven that nearness and remoteness signify
smoothness, clearness and fineness; or rust, impurity and roughness,
respectively.
And if God wisheth, through the clearness of the heart, we will be
continually in the assembly of alliance and friendship, resting
permanently in the spiritual and heavenly realm, adoring and worshipping
God, meeting and uniting by the holy fragrances, drawn by the magnet of
the love of God and thanking Him for this great bounty and evident
victory.
As to our meeting materially (i.e., face to face), I ask God that He may
ordain this for us in the way He deemeth best.
Then know, O thou virtuous soul, that as soon as thou becometh separated
from aught else save God and dost cut thyself from the worldly things, thy
heart will shine with the lights of divinity and with the effulgence of
the Sun of Truth from the horizon of the Realm of Might, and then thou
wilt be filled by the spirit of power from God and become capable of doing
that which thou desirest. This is the confirmed truth.
As to the desire shown by thee towards serving holy and spiritual souls,
it is indeed of the best desires and of the most noble qualities. Blessed
is he who is strengthened and confirmed by such a desire during all his
life, in the hope of attaining eternal life.
As to thee, O thou being who art attracted to God, announce the
glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God through the breaths of the Holy Spirit;
for He will confirm thee in a similar manner to the confirmation He
bestowed upon the holy souls in the past decades and former ages.
“O thou who art attracted to the “Spirit of Truth!”...”
O thou who art attracted to the “Spirit of Truth!”
At this moment I remember thee while the cup of my tongue is overflowing
with the wine of God’s praise and I address thee in a spirit whereby the
hearts of all the creation are cheerfully moved.
Know thou, verily, the Spirit hath indeed so surrounded my limbs that it
moveth them as it willeth and my tongue uttereth the most wonderful
speeches and most sweet words while addressing thee, so that thou mayest
be moved by these holy fragrances which perfume all regions and be dilated
with joy by this address which is raised from my abundant love for thee
and my excessive kindness and great affection unto thee.
o maid-servant of God! Verily, the Holy Spirit breathes, in this day, unto
the hearts which are moving, beating, pure and attracted by the love of
God.
Abandon thou every occupation and be engaged in the affairs of thy Lord
and serve the “Spirit of Truth” which hath poured a spiritual, divine and
everlasting life upon the brilliant hearts.
O maid-servant of God! By God the True One, verily, the crown of mighty
gift is suspended betwixt heaven and earth and the angels of holiness are
awaiting a lofty head which may be worthy of this great bestowal, so that
it may descend upon that head, that it may wear that glorious crown, the
most precious gems of which illumine the eyes of all the world.
O maid-servant of God! Many spiritual women came (into the world) and
passed away in vain; no sound is heard of them and no trace is seen of
them, inasmuch as their spirits were not dependent upon the Holy Spirit,
nor were they attracted to the fragrances of truth; nor were they ever
baptized by the water of life, by the fire of the love of God, nor by the
“Spirit of Truth” which speaketh in the assemblies of the Kingdom and
breatheth upon spirits the breezes which waft an eternal glory, the signs
of which are everlasting.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of God!
I was informed of thy recent letter which indicated thine abundant love
for God, thine attraction to the Kingdom of God and thy reliance upon the
Word of God.
Verily, I address thee, with the tongue of my spirit, such an address
which is life to hearts and souls, light to existent beings and is joy and
fragrance. Hearken unto this address and be dilated in breast for the
emanation of this letter.
Be thou a breath of life, a banner of salvation and a manifest sign in
this great world, so that thou mayest become a lamp of reconciliation and
peace, a banner of love and attraction, a star of guidance among mankind,
(and be thou) humble, meek and a servant to the maid-servants of the
Merciful One. Unfurl the sail of spirit on the ship of guidance and hoist
the banner of piety in those regions, so that the everlasting light may
shine forth upon all parts.
Verily, I am cognizant of the sincerity of thine intention and the purity
of thine heart. Therefore, I address thee with this great address, so that
thou mayest impart the “Greatest Name” to whomsoever thou findest prepared
for entering the Kingdom of God.
We have sent letters for the names which were written in thy letter. We
have also sent [stones of the] Greatest Name and roses which express the
redness of my blood which I beg of God to be shed in the path of God.
Then, know thou, verily, I will always associate thee with the fragrances
of the Spirit and will continually rejoice thee at the glad-tidings of
god. I beg of God to enable thee to diffuse the spirit of life (i.e., to
teach this truth0, to herald the Kingdom of God, to speak the praise of
God and to be wholly attracted to the Word of God, so that thou mayest
become a well-rooted tree in the garden of the Kingdom, its fruits within
reach, its wide-spread branches overshadowing those regions.
“O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of Holiness!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Fragrances of Holiness!
Verily, I read thy words in which thou hast thanked God for His great
kindness and providence after those Tablets reached thee, for the bounty
of their significances which hath shone forth upon thee. Verily, they are
Tablets the words of which have proceeded from a heart which is filled
with the love of God, is free and isolated from all else save God, is
illumined and over-flowing with the bounties of the Kingdom of El-Abha and
in which the verses of unity are traced through the breath of the spirit
of the gift of God.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to learn that which the
spirit of Abdul-Baha poureth upon thee. Look not at thy capacity and
ability; nay, look at the grace of thy Lord in these days and at the gift
of His Kingdom, the like of which hath never been seen by the eye of
existence in former cycles.
Verily existence is a parched ground and the bounty of the Kingdom is a
copious rain. The ground of existence shall surely be developed into
myrtles of the wisdom of God, for the fragrances of holiness have
encompassed the earth, east and west, the glad-tidings of God have
successively come from the Kingdom of heaven and the Sun of Truth hath
shone forth to all regions with the greatest effulgence. Impart thou the
Greatest Name to the ears, so that all may call out among nations: “O Thou
Baha’ of the world! O Thou Sun of Pre-existence!”
Truly, I say unto thee, this blessed Name is the spirit of life, the
deliverer from death, the word of salvation and of manifest signs! Thou
shalt surely hear from all parts the cry, “Ya Baha El-Abha!” reaching to
the Supreme Concourse.
Deliver my spiritual greeting to thy spiritual son and to his revered wife
whose name is near to thy name. Deliver my greeting to thy spiritual
daughter, the revered ......... and tell her: “O my dear daughter! Turn
unto the Kingdom of thy Lord and be benefited by spiritual bounties. Be
attracted by the fragrances of holiness—such an attraction which may
breather life into dead souls, quicken them by a pure life and may
illumine their sights with the light which is shining forth to all the
world in this glorious century and new age.”
Deliver my praise to the maid-servant of God, ......... and say unto her:
“Verily, thou hast seen the physical picture of Abdul-Baha printed by the
rays of the phenomenal sun (i.e., his photograph) and thine eyes became
overflowing with tears. Beg thou of God that He may show unto thee his
(Abdul-Baha’s) spiritual picture printed by the ray shining forth from the
Merciful Kingdom. Then the attractions of God shall overtake thee and make
thee as a spark of fire aflame with the heat of the love of God.”
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to visit his holiness
Mirza Abul Fazl, so that thou mayest learn from him the arguments and
decisive texts in the holy Bible concerning the appearance of the Kingdom
of God in this great cycle. Verily, his visit(313) is a prize unto thee, a
hoard(314) unto thee, a consolation unto
O maid-servant of God! Verily, Mr. ......... is an excellent man, exerting
all his powers to diffuse fragrances of God. God shall surely strengthen
him in a great matter and make him a banner waving through the winds of
confirmation upon this glorious castle.
As to my drinking the sup of sacrifice: By the Lord of heaven, this is my
utmost hope, the joy of my heart, the consolation of my soul and my final
desire. Thou shouldst pray God that He may prepare this hope for me and
ordain for me this mighty gift and that he may give me to quaff this cup
which is overflowing with the wine of faithfulness in the path of Baha’.
O maid-servant of God! When I had thy letter in my hand, I was in such a
condition that the breeze of the love of God cheered me and I was thereby
moved with such joy that the place was filled with the spirit of the love
of God. No doubt thy heart hath been also impressed by this spiritual joy,
merciful attraction and ecstatic love.
“O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!...”
O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of God!
Verily, I read thy letter of graceful expressions and eloquent composition
and was rejoiced in heart at the feelings sent forth from thy pure heart.
Verily, I invoke God that He may bestow upon thee the confirmation of the
Spirit in all moments, so that thou mayest direct (or guide) people to the
glorified and praised One, hold the cup of the love of God in thy hand,
give it to drink to every thirsty [one], heal every sick person and
nourish every hungry one with this table (or food) which hath descended
from heaven.
As to thy question concerning the registering of the names of those to
whom thou hast given the “Greatest Name,” there is no obstacle (or harm)
in this. Verily, thy Lord will enroll their names upon the scroll of the
Kingdom and the angels of heaven will bless them with the glad-tidings of
the Kingdom of Abha.
As to what thou hast said concerning the longing and the burning of thy
revered daughter with the fire of the love of God: I beg of God to make
her a sign of salvation and a light scintillating in the Supreme Apex.
As to what thou hast written concerning thy coming (to Acca): For the
present this is not consistent with wisdom. When the opportunity cometh,
at an appointed time, we will summon thee to come; and this is a
glad-tidings unto thee and the greatest joy and happiness.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to boil forth like unto
the fire ablaze in Sinai, so that thou mayest attract hearts unto the
Kingdom of the Merciful. This is a gift which the dominion of the world
cannot equal!
“O thou lamp who art enkindled with the fire of the...”
O thou lamp who art enkindled with the fire of the Love of God!
Verily, I read thy recent letter which showed thy strong love, thy being
ablaze with the fire of the love of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praised, and
the penetration of the Spirit of Truth in thy limbs, nerves, veins,
arteries, bones, blood and flesh, until it hath taken the reins of power
from thy hands and moveth thee as it willeth, causeth thee to speak in
what it willeth and attracteth thee as it willeth. This is becoming of
whatever heart is replenished with the spirit of the love of God. Thou
shalt surely behold wondrous traces and shalt discover the signs of thy
Mighty Lord.
O maid-servant of God! The meaning which thou hast apprehended from my
former statement is the real fact. It is the meaning of (my) statement;
God hath strengthened thee therein and shall surely confirm thee in still
greater than this. At that time thou wilt say: “This is that which was
promised by Abdul-Baha and His promise was certain and decided.”
O maid-servant of God! Verily, thy Lord hath breathed the spirit of
argument into thy mouth. Speak thou in the most wonderful explanation and
meditate not at the time of advancing proofs, evidences and signs, and
speak thou that which the Spirit inspireth thee. This is a proof unto thee
and unto every just one among the possessors of understanding.
O maid-servant of God! Verily, I am with thee in spirit and reveal unto
thee the word of guidance at every moment and time.
O maid-servant of God! We have sent thee nine ring stones of the Greatest
Name. This is an allusion unto thee of a matter which thou shalt surely
understand henceforth. We have also sent unto thee a photograph of His
Holiness the glorious Badi whom thy Lord did send to His Highness
Nassir-ed’Din-Shah with a manifest epistle by which He perfected the proof
and evidence to the people of Persia. this faithful messenger (Badi) took
the epistle of Baha’ with all power and authority and repaired to the
threshold of His Highness the Shah, while cheered and smiling in joy. He
then presented himself before the Shah and said: “This is an epistle from
Baha’o’llah,” and then presented it to him. They arrested him and after
severe torture and punishment, delivered him to the executioners. he was
sitting between the executioners at the time of his death with all
dignity, while turning unto God.
“O thou candle of the Love of God!...”
O thou candle of the Love of God!
What thou hast written was considered. The contents were spiritual and the
sentiments merciful. Praise be to God! that thou art attracted to the
Beauty of Abha and severed from the world. Thy face hast glowed like unto
fire and thou hast consumed the veils of superstitions. Thou hast opened
thine eyes to the Sun of Truth and inhaled the fragrant odor from the
garment of the divine Joseph. Thy mission now is this: Travel as much as
possible to different parts in America, pass through cities and villages
(or towns), guide all to the Beauty of Abha and raise the call of the
Kingdom and say: “O greatest of glad-tidings, for the Sun of Truth of the
Beauty of Abha hath dawned from the horizon of the contingent world and
illumined the regions with the lights of the mightiest guidance! The
reality of the Pentateuch and the Gospel have become manifest and the
mysteries of the heavenly Books have appeared! Now is the age of the
Merciful One and the time of joy and gladness! O ye heedless ones, be ye
conscious! O ye sleepers, be ye awake! O ye blind ones, see! O ye deaf
ones, hear! O ye dumb ones, speak! O ye dead ones, be quickened! O ye
destitute ones, receive a portion and share! It is the irradiation of the
Merciful One and the moving of the boundless sea! It is the bounty of the
wonderful springtime and the downpour of the rain of the gift of the Great
Lord!” This is thy mission.
Send greeting to the maid-servant fo God, Miss ........, and say, “As the
love of God hath the utmost penetration in thy heart, the ring-stone
bearing the Greatest Name will take effect in thy heart like unto a strong
wine, for capacity is great and the power of the wine is intense.
Therefore, there wilt not remain any power or resistance.”(315)
Looking upon the picture which thou hast sent caused great delight, joy
and fragrance. God willing, thine actual picture (or form) will also
become present (here).
When thou wert present at Acca, the seeds of the love of God were sown in
thy heart, through the power of the Spirit. At that time they were not so
much manifest. Now that pure seed is growing more verdant and refreshed,
day by day, and becometh more manifest. This is why thou findest thyself
possessing more and more spiritual sentiments.
“The contents of thy last letter were extremely rejoicing,...”
(316) The contents of thy last letter were extremely rejoicing, for they
were a glorious evidence of the glowing of the fire of the love of God, of
attainment to the gift of God and of the spiritual connection of the
spirits. Forasmuch as hearts are like unto mirrors, when the light of the
love of God is enkindled, brilliant rays will reflect and merciful
phenomena become manifest and clear. Physical nearness or remoteness is of
no importance; the essential fact is the spiritual affinity and ideal
nearness. Judas Iscariot was for a long time favored in the holy court of
His Holiness Christ, yet he was entirely far and remote; while Paul, the
apostle, was in close embrace with His Holiness. The Egyptian carrier of
glad-tidings was the bearer of the garment of Joseph, yet he could not
inhale the fragrance of the garment. His holiness Jacob, in Canaan, longed
for meeting (Joseph), yet he was near and inhaled the fragrance of the
garment. Consequently, it is evident that one can certainly and surely
inhale the perfume of affinity even from a far distance. I beg of God that
He may strengthen and solidify such connections between the friends
(believers), so that the spiritual unity may become a manifest light and
the earthly world may become a camping-place for the heavenly hosts.
O thou dear maid-servant of God! Be thou aglow and illumined and be thou
enkindled in soul with the fire of the love of God in every assemblage. Be
not quiet for a moment and do not seek composure even for an hour (i.e.,
be active in spreading the light). Be thou a cause for the illumining of
hearts and spiritualizing of souls. Always communicate about this (truth)
with that great personage in France and write to him: “No matter how
clear, pure and polished a mirror may be, not until it is turned unto the
Sun of Truth will it find glorious bounty and become reflective of rays.”
***
“O thou servant of the Beauty of Abha!...”
O thou servant of the Beauty of Abha!
We considered all that thou hast written. It seems that the maid-servant
of God, Mrs. ........., hath arisen to deliver (the truth). If she
advanceth in this manner, maketh more effort and day by day groweth in
spirituality, sincerity, devotion and severance, in a short time she will
become purely merciful and will spiritualize others; she will progress in
the stations of sanctity and purity; she will become the possessor of a
fluent speech and will find her heart brilliant and full of serenity and
faith to such an extent that her pure breath will so take effect even in
stone, tree and clay (i.e., in all people), that she, herself, will be
astonished. When the interior parts of musical instruments become clear
and polished, their tone will take effect and warm the hearts. I hope the
maid-servant of God, Mrs. ........., may attain to this degree, for she is
capable.
“O thou who art attracted to the Holy Spirit!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Holy Spirit!
It is some time since news hath come from thee, though I have the utmost
kindness toward that favored maid-servant of the Threshold of the
Almighty. I beg of God that the power of the Spirit will cause in thee
such an ecstasy and attraction that thou mayest be the cause of
everlasting life to the seekers; mayest hold a cup of the knowledge of God
in thy hand and give people to drink the wine of the love of God; that
thou mayest exhilarate the souls, awaken the heedless, bring the ignorant
to consciousness, make the blind seeing, quicken the dead, enkindle the
faded souls and refresh the withered ones.
Convey greeting and praise to the favored maid-servant of God, thy revered
daughter. Also, announce thou on my behalf the confirmations of the Holy
Spirit unto the other maid-servants of the Merciful One.
O thou divinely attracted one! If thou wishest for the illumination of the
Kingdom, exert thyself in steadfastness as much as thou canst and resist
thou the tests, so that thou mayest, like unto a lamp, illumine the world
and bestow everlasting life, like unto the Spirit.
“O thou flame of the Love of God!...”
O thou flame of the Love of God!
What thou hast written caused joy, for that letter was like unto a
rose-garden whose roses of significances bestowed the sweet odor of the
love of God upon the nostrils. Similarly, my answers to thy letters will,
like unto rain and dew, bestow infinite purity and freshness upon those
myrtles of significances which have blossomed in the garden of the heart.
thou hast written concerning the tests that have come upon thee. To the
sincere ones, tests are as a gift from God, the Exalted, for a heroic
person hasteneth, with the utmost joy and gladness, to the tests of a
violent battlefield, but the coward is afraid and trembles and utters
moaning and lamentation. Likewise, an expert student prepareth and
memorizeth his lessons and exercises with the utmost effort, and in the
day of examination he appeareth with infinite joy before the master.
Likewise, the pure gold shineth radiantly in the fire of test.
Consequently, it is made clear that for holy souls, trials are as the gift
of God, the Exalted; but for weak souls they are an unexpected calamity.
This test is just as thou hast written: it removeth the rust of egotism
from the mirror of the heart until the Sun of Truth may shine therein.
For, no veil is greater than egotism and no matter how thin that covering
may be, yet it will finally veil man entirely and prevent him from
receiving a portion from the eternal bounty.
O thou attracted maid-servant of God! When the men and maid-servants of
God pass in my mind, I feel the heat of the love of God and I pray the
Almighty God to assist those blessed souls with the invisible hosts.
Praise be to God! the prophecies of all the prophets have become manifest
and are fulfilled in this holy and blessed age and this great day of
Baha’o’llah!
O thou attracted maid-servant of God! Nearness is, in reality, of the
soul, not of the body, and help and receptivity of help are spiritual, not
physical. Notwithstanding this, I hope that thou mayest attain nearness in
every respect. Be thou assured that the divine bounties will so encompass
holy souls even as the light of the sun doth the moon and stars.
Convey thou, on behalf of Abdul-Baha, the sweet odor of the fragrances of
holiness to the nostrils of each one of the friends of God and the
maid-servants of the Merciful and inspire and encourage thou all of them
to diffuse the fragrances of God (i.e., to teach the truth).
“O thou dear sister!...”
O thou dear sister!
The letter arrived at a time when—praise be to God! —calamities and
sufferings in the path of God have surrounded us from every direction and
arrows and darts are flying from every bow. But, through the love of His
Holiness Baha’o’llah, we, in this intense darkness, are like unto a
shining torch, and while in this tempest of calamities, we are turning
toward the Kingdom of the Almighty and engaged in remembering thee. We do
not consider this calamity as billows of the sea of afflictions and
sufferings; nay, it is the ark of deliverance and the shore of peace and
security.
Praise be to God! according to the commandments and exhortations of
Baha’o’llah, we are the well-wisher of all governments and act toward all
the nations of the world in peace and love. We have no intention but that
which is good and no desire but the good pleasure of God. We mean well
toward every people and seek to have sincerity and good-will toward every
government. In return for arrows and swords, we present milk and honey and
we heal the deadly poison with the swift healing antidote. Night and day
we are in action and exertion, in order to dress the wounds and cure the
pain (of the people), to care for the afflicted and comfort even the
ill-natured one, so that, through the assistance and favor of God, this
darkness of selfish prejudice shall vanish and the error of folly and
ignorance shall be changed into divine guidance.
O thou dear sister! Whenever the daughters of the Kingdom are ready in the
Presence, they become initiated into the mystery and are always companions
and associates (with us).
Convey respectful greeting to the favored maid-servant of God, Mrs.
........., and tell her: “Be thou assured in the divine favors and rejoice
in the glad-tidings of the Merciful One.”
I hope the maid-servants of the Merciful will day by day increase in faith
and assurance.
I send thee a few stones (of the Greatest Name). All the holy leaves send
greeting to thee.
“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received and it produced joy and fragrance. Its contents
were of the utmost sweetness. Whatsoever thou mayest write I will read
with great attention.
Praise be to God! thou hast consumed the veils and become enkindled with
the fire of the love of God. thank thou God for this.
Mr. ......... hath been delighted with your city, for he hath inhaled the
fragrance fo the love of God from it.
Although thy visit to Acca in the year 1899 was short, yet it was the
breath of life. Later on its traces will become manifest.
I hope that the divine mysteries may become revealed to thee at all time.
Become thou engaged in teaching the truth, for the teaching of the Cause
containeth the power of a magnet; it attracteth the mysteries of God.
Regarding my freedom: To me prison is freedom; to me incarceration is an
open court; to me humility is identical with glory; to me adversity is a
gift and death is life. I hope that thou wilt also take a portion from
this sea and seek a reflection from these lights, becoming and ignited
lamp so that the winds of contradiction will not blow it out, and day by
day more revelation and vision may descend, and thou be enkindled more
than before with the fire of the love of God.
Convey respectful greeting to the maid-servants of the Merciful One. I
supplicate God that they may add to their faith and assurance every
moment.
“O thou sign of the Kingdom and the bird singing with...”
O thou sign of the Kingdom and the bird singing with the most wonderful
melodies in the rose-garden of Paradise!
Verily, I have considered the meanings of thy brilliant letter which was
of most eloquent expression and found it overflowing with praise,
thanksgiving, sanctification, supplication and invocation toward the
Supreme Kingdom. By my life, it was like unto a rose-garden adorned with
the myrtles of realities and truths, wherefrom the pure fragrances
emanated and perfumed the nostrils and dilated the hearts and souls.
O thou maid-servant of God! Display thou an effort, gird up the loins of
endeavor, dilate thy breast and be thou prepared for the manifestation of
the breaths of the Holy Spirit in thine heart. By God, the true One,
verily, the Holy Spirit confirmeth every maid-servant who ariseth to
spread the fragrances of God, so that the inhabitants of the whole world
cannot overcome her spiritual strength—for similar things have happened in
the past centuries.
O thou maid-servant of God! Celebrate the praises of God; become thou
engaged with His mentioning like unto the tempestuous and roaring torrent
rushing down from the mountains and hills; rend asunder the veils and
coverings, so that the shining lights may become manifest to the eyes,
refreshing the hearts of the righteous ones with the gentle breezes of the
flowers of truth and the sweet fragrance of the dawn of eternity.
O thou maid-servant of God! Verily, the bounties of thy Lord are great and
great in this glorious century and new age; the confirmations are
consecutive and continuous; the rays of the Sun of Truth are shining and
sparkling; the stars of guidance are gleaming and scintillating and the
rains of generosity are falling and flowing! Blessing is upon the one who
taketh a share from this glorious outpouring and receiveth illumination
from this light which is shining forth from the firmament of ether.
O thou maid-servant of God! Blessed art thou, for the Temple of the
Covenant (Abdul-Baha) hath become manifest to thee in a dream with
incomparable humility and submission toward God, and that thou hast beheld
that countenance overflowing with yearning, attraction and love toward the
Beauty of the Almighty. Ere long thou shalt witness a great effect through
this observation, whereby the spirit of life will become manifest in thee,
which is now flowing in the veins of the contingent beings. Then thou
shalt behold that which none have seen! At that time thou shalt fall upon
the ground before God the True One, for He hath favored thee with this
most great bounty.
“O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!...”
O thou bird of the Rose-garden of the Kingdom!
In appearance there hath some time elapsed since news hath been received
from thee, but in spirit the arrival of the news is uninterrupted. I hope,
from the bounties of the Exalted, the Quickener of the souls, that thou
mayest not rest for one moment but pulsate constantly like unto the
pulsation of an artery in the body of the world, to infuse the spirit of
life in the souls and suffer the people to soar up the the zenith of the
Kingdom.
Undoubtedly, write thou letters and do not stop correspondence even in
appearance.
“Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. .........”
(317) Convey my respectful greeting to Mrs. ......... and say: “We hope
that day by day thou mayest take higher flights, attain to greater
spiritual attractions, thy word become more penetrative through the power
of the Spirit and through the confirmations of the Spirit of Abha become
illumined. This is the path of salvation and prosperity. This is the
attractive power of the Holy Spirit from the Supreme Concourse.”
“O thou daughter of the Kingdom!...”
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
I hope, from the Almighty, that thou mayest be confirmed to the
necessities and conditions of the following address; that is, to forget
this world of possession, become wholly heavenly, become embodied spirit
and attain to universal mind. This arena is vast and unlimited; therein
the charger of spirit must move swiftly, for here one cannot travel by
foot. This gift is very great but complete and sufficient capacity is
necessary.
O thou daughter of the Kingdom! The moment thou presented thyself in this
prison, at the time of meeting, I realized that thou wouldst become
attracted and attain to spiritual communication, such communication that
as soon as the mirror of the heart is cleansed from the rust of worldly
thoughts, immediately thou shalt find me reflected therein, and all the
mountains, seas and deserts annihilated. Thou art present and visible and
under all circumstances thou art protected by the glances of the Spirit.
Print the account which thou hast written about thy trip to Acca and
spread it.
Shouldst thou become entirely attached to the Kingdom of Abha, thou shalt
find the Holy Spirit always thy companion and shalt behold the spiritual
confirmations uninterrupted.
Convey in my behalf the utmost love and kindness to each and all the
friends and maid-servants of the Merciful.
Upon thee and upon them to Baha-el-Abha!
“O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of Abha!...”
O thou who art attracted to the Beauty of Abha!
For a period of time no news hath been outwardly received from thee, but
spiritual communications are continual (between us). Thou hast always been
remembered and been present here. Though bodily ailments have come upon
thee, yet the divine health is always constant and permanent. If thou
knewest to what favors thou hast attained and how thou art gazed upon by
the eye of the Beauty of Abha, even thy bodily ailments will be removed
and merciful glad-tidings will surround thee.
Thou hast asked for permission to come: If the means for a comfortable
journey are, in the best manner, arranged and ready for thee, thou art
permitted to come here.
That merciful maid-servant (i.e., thyself) seeth some spiritual dreams (or
visions). These are, in reality, discoveries of the heart and are
spiritual visions. I beg of God that, through the power of insight, thou
mayest continually witness the lights of the Kingdom of Abha.
Thou hast written that the fundamental basis is love. This is the actual
truth; the divine splendors are founded on love and the radiance of the
Merciful One in the human world produceth heartfelt attractions.
Convey on behalf of Abdul-Baha the most wonderful Abha greeting to Dr.
......... in Cleveland and tell her I always bear a resemblance of her.
Convey the most wonderful greeting of Abha to the attracted maid-servant
of God, Mrs. .........
O maid-servant of God! The Lord of the Kingdom hath raised His voice with
the utmost power and strength and is conquering the realms of hearts and
souls with the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. All holy souls in the
kingdom of existence respond unto this voice and cause the call, “Ya Baha
El-Abha!” to reach the Lofty Apex.
All the members of the household send their most wonderful Abha greeting.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
Abdul-Baha Abbas.
FOOTNOTES
1 See pages 1 and 6 of Tablets.
2 Surat-ul-Hykl, by Baha’o’llah, a portion of which was translated by
Anton Haddad, published in 1900. The retranslation of this book has
not yet been undertaken.
3 Referring to passage in “The Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi”
(Abdul-Baha) by Myron T. Phelps, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
New York.
4 This is a usage of the people of the East. The purpose is that in
every matter the commencement should be in the Name of God.
5 This Tablet bears the following superscription: “To the members of
the House of Justice, the servants of the Covenant, the faithful
worshippers of the Holy Threshold of the Beauty of El-Abha.” This
Tablet and the following eighteen are to the House of Spirituality
of Chicago.
6 Abha—literally, the Most Glorious.
7 This Tablet is also addressed to the House of Justice.
8 Acca, Syria—the Holy Land.
9 I.e., such as hath no precedent in any former age.
10 A renowned Bahai teacher sent by Abdul-Baha in 1901 to America, and
who organized the House of Justice (House of Spirituality) in
September of that year.
11 Addressed to the Secretary of the House of Spirituality.
12 Baha’o’llah.
13 Mashrak-el-Azcar—Temple of Worship. Literally, the Dawning-place of
Praises.
14 Addressed to the Secretary of the House of Spirituality.
15 This instruction is to the organized and elected Body, whose
function is to look after the welfare of the Cause in its community.
16 Prayer to be said at the close of the meeting of the House of
Spirituality.
17 Temple of Worship. Literally, the Dawning-place of Praises.
18 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
19 Refers to a declaration intended to be spread broadcast drafted by
the House of Spirituality, and sent to Abdul-Baha for his approval.
20 This spelling was later changed by Abdul-Baha to Baha’o’llah, as an
aid to more correct pronunciation.
21 A term synonymous with heavenly food.
22 Ishrakat, i.e., Effulgences. Tarazat, i.e., Spiritual Ornaments.
Bescharat, i.e., Glad-tidings. Tajalliat, i.e., Spiritual Splendors.
Kalamat, i.e., Words of Paradise.
23 This completes the Tablets to the House of Spirituality.
24 Extracts from a Tablet to Mirza Assad Ullah, at the time of the
organization of the House of Justice, and the Assembly of Teaching
of Chicago, in September, 1901.
25 Leaves, i.e., women. This Tablet and the two following are to the
Assembly of Teaching of Chicago.
26 Maid-servants.
27 To the believers in general throughout America.
28 The Tomb of BAHA’O’LLAH.
29 Mirza Ameen Ullah Fareed, son of Mirza Assad Ullah.
30 Acca.
31 American believers.
32 Revealed in response to a supplication signed by 422 believers in
America and sent July 4, 1905.
33 Revealed for American believers in 1906, who had sent Abdul-Baha a
New Year’s greeting.
34 Revealed in response to a supplication signed by 489 believers in
America during the period of the 19-day fast in 1906.
35 Kheta and Khotan are two cities in China celebrated for having large
numbers of musk-producing animals. The reference here symbolizes the
severed and detached believers who are diffusing the fragrance of
the Word of God.
36 The BAB.
37 BAHA’O’LLAH.
38 Acca.
39 Acca.
40 Ring stone having this design:[i: Ringstone symbol].
41 Husband and wife.
42 Husband and wife.
43 The word “mind” (Persian, “dale”) is also translated “heart”; here
it is mind.
44 From March 2d to March 20th, inclusive. The fast is kept by
refraining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.
45 Acca.
46 To the Muskegon (Mich.) assembly.
47 Husband and wife.
48 Texts relating to parables and which are veiled in symbols and have
esoteric meanings.
49 The Tomb of BAHA’O’LLAH.
50 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
51 Women.
52 The Cause.
53 The high station mentioned in the Koran referring to the
Manifestation, BAHA’O’LLAH.
54 Husband and wife.
55 The Light of the World.
56 See following Tablet.
57 To the above mentioned assembly of Racine (Wis.).
58 To the Racine assembly.
59 Christ.
60 The BAB.
61 Site of Temple at Chicago, Ill.
62 April 21, 1909.
63 The BAB.
64 “Bible” signifies the Old Testament; “Gospel” signifies the New
Testament.
65 During the time of BAHA’O’LLAH’S residence in Baghdad (the Dwelling
of Peace), men of learning, including Jews, Christians and
Mohammedans, visited Him seeking answer to religious and scriptural
questions. Such answer He gave in the Book of Ighan, otherwise known
as the Book of Explanations and Assurance. It concerns the Reality
and Authority of the human Divine “Manifestations.”
66 The book was published in 1904.
67 Acca.
68 Extract from Tablet. Copy sent in bore no opening line of address.
69 Acca, Syria—the Holy Land.
70 The Tomb of BAHA’O’LLAH.
71 Interrupted.
72 Abdul-Baha himself.
73 Through the western states.
74 El-Zekkum—a thorny tree so called, which bears fruit like an almond,
but extremely bitter. Therefore the tree symbolizes a very sever
punishment and bitter remorse for the unbelievers.
75 Praise be to God!
76 Husband and wife.
77 To the Board of Counsel of Kenosha (Wis.).
78 To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly.
79 To the maid-servants of the Kenosha assembly.
80 To the Kenosha assembly.
81 To the Kenosha assembly.
82 When the recipient was in Acca.
83 The Recipients of the following Tablets, up to and including page
167, are unknown to the Librarian of the House of Spirituality, but
have previously been published.
84 May be said before meals.
85 May be said after meals.
86 Eternal world.
87 Following extracts from Tablets as received bore no opening line of
address.
88 Following extracts from Tablets as received bore no opening line of
address.
89 Ring having stone of this design: [i: Ring Stone symbol].
90 See following Tablet.
91 A prayer for the forgiveness of souls who have departed from this
world in ignorance of the Truth.
92 “Deprivest whomsoever Thou willest not,” refers to the reward and
punishment of the souls according to its deeds. There are many
instances of this in all the heavenly Scriptures.
93 Husband and wife.
94 A rosary is generally used in connection with the daily mentioning
of the Greatest Name.
95 The BAB.
96 The mother of the one to whom this Tablet was revealed was an
Adventist, who, in 1844, expected to “meet the Lord in the air.” At
that time the recipient was three months old.
97 At Acca.
98 BAHA’O’LLAH.
99 Insight.
100 The Manifestation of God.
101 Revealed in 1905.
102 The Holy Land.
103 One of the translators.
104 See page 107.
105 The Holy Land.
106 The Greatest Name.
107 I.e., as the sun rises out of the darkness.
108 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
109 Supplication begging the forgiveness of God for Dr. .........., who
hath ascended to the Kingdom of God.
110 Revealed in 1906.
111 Baha’o’llah.
112 Mirza Abul Fazl—a renowned Bahá’í teacher who visited America during
1902–1904.
113 To the Cleveland (O.) assembly.
114 Husband and wife.
115 El Abd—the Servant, meaning Abdul-Baha.
116 “Consolation of the eye”—idiomatic Persian expression meaning “son.”
117 To aXXX a man who was born a slave and freed by the emancipation
proclamation.
118 To the Counsel Board of West Hoboken (N.J.).
119 To the West Hoboken assembly.
120 To the West Hoboken assembly.
121 America.
122 1905.
123 Written by Abdul-Baha on the flyleaf of a Bible.
124 Mirza Abul Fazl—a renowned Bahai teacher, then in Cairo, Egypt.
125 Leaf, Leaves—meaning the ladies of the Household at Acca—sister,
wife and daughters of Abdul-Baha.
126 Christmas tree.
127 To Acca.
128 The residence was destroyed by fire.
129 The Sister of Abdul-Baha.
130 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
131 Answer to question of a physician regarding the sympathetic nervous
system of the human organism.
132 Husband and wife.
133 Husband and wife.
134 Husband and wife.
135 Husband and wife.
136 During the time of Baha’o’llah’s residence in Baghdad (the Dwelling
of Peace), men of learning, including Jews, Christians and
Mohammedans, visited Him seeking answer to religious and scriptural
questions. Such answer He gave in the Book of Ighan, otherwise known
as the Book of Explanations and Assurance. It concerns the Reality
and Authority of the human “Divine Manifestations.”
137 “The Bahai Proofs.”
138 Refers to California and the Pacific coast.
139 Naurooz, i.e., New Day—or spring equinox, March 21st.
140 Kitab-el-Akdas, by Baha’o’llah.
141 Inshallah, i.e., if it be the will of God—also implies hope or wish.
142 See Tablet commencing bottom page 139, Vol. I.
143 All martyred in Persia. Khudoos, in the city of Barfurush;
Bab-el-Bab, in Tabarsi; King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs, both
in Ispahan; Vaheed, in Nariz.
144 July 24,1908, the day of the proclamation of a constitutional
government in Turkey, and the freeing of all political prisoners and
exiles.
145 To four members of the Chicago (Ill.) assembly.
146 To three members of the Chicago assembly who were traveling and
teaching.
147 To two members of the Chicago assembly.
148 To the Chicago assembly.
149 Baha’o’llah.
150 Addressed to the translator for the Chicago assembly.
151 Baha’o’llah.
152 Refers to an invitation sent from Chicago, in 1901, to Abdul-Baha to
come to America.
153 To the Chicago assembly.
154 To fifteen members of the Chicago assembly.
155 To the Chicago assembly.
156 “Wealth of Nature” refers to a state wherein man can dispense with
things and be happy in their absence.
157 The Book of Laws—the Most Holy Book.
158 Revealed for the believers in Persia in 1901.
159 One of the fountains of Paradise mentioned in the Koran.
160 Salsahil, i.e., Sweet Water of Life.
161 The unkind brother.
162 An accusation that Abdul-Baha was claiming to be a Manifestation who
is promised after a lapse of a thousand years.
163 Abdul-Baha.
164 Syria.
165 An expression of astonishment.
166 The Tomb of the Bab on Mt. Carmel.
167 These expressions are intended to convey the inference that he is
orthodox.
168 Baha’o’llah.
169 One of the teachers of the Bahai Revelation in Persia.
170 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Reza, of
Isfand-Abad, Persia, a famous and valiant man who suffered martyrdom
in 1901. The chief religious magistrate of the locality commissioned
a number of men to enter his home at night and they shot him to
death.
171 Idiomatic expression for turning unto God and being illumined with
His Spirit.
172 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Seyed-Jaffar,
of Isfand-Abad, Persia, who suffered martyrdom in 1901. When he
would not recant, Mulla Abdul-Kani, the chief religious magistrate
of the locality, turned him over to three different men for
execution, and when each refused to carry out the order, the Mulla
struck him on the head with a stone, and, with the assistance of
another Mulla, put him to death.
173 For recitation when visiting the tomb of his honor Aka-Zaman, of
Isfand-Abad, Persia, who suffered martyrdom in 1901. He was
delivered into the hands of a mob, who brought him out of prison,
made him ride an ox and paraded him through the streets. Many struck
him with stones and clubs, and wounded him. While he was surrounded
by this general assault and uproar and the people danced and clapped
their hands in joy, Aka-Zaman himself also clapped his hands with
them, and evinced great joy on account of his approaching martyrdom.
Then a wretch from behind cut off his ear and stuffed it into the
martyr’s mouth, but he did not even turn nor move. Finally they put
him to death with all kinds of wounds and with the severest
persecutions, and stoned him. Then they dragged away his body from
under the heaps of stones and burned it along with the body of his
honor Aka-Seyed-Jaffar.
174 To the assembly of Zanjan, Persia.
175 One of the angels of the “Resurrection day,” mentioned in the Koran.
176 To the assembly of Teheran, Persia.
177 To the assembly of Teheran, Persia.
178 This Tablet is to the believers throughout Persia. Copy sent in bore
no opening line of address.
179 One of the Fountains of Paradise mentioned in the Koran.
180 One of XXXhe teachers of the Bahai Revelation in Persia.
181 Baha’o’llah.
182 Abdul-Baha.
183 An expression of astonishment.
184 Refers to the following poem composed by a nine-year-old boy of
Hamadan, Persia, by the name of Isaac. It is a literal rather than a
poetic translation:
HE IS THE PURPOSE!
Rejoice, O ye servants,
for the King of kings hath come!
Be glad, be happy,
The shining Sun hath come!
O ye lovers! O ye lovers!
Lights have been shed upon the world.
O nightingales! O nightingales!
The Rose hath come to the garden.
O ye who are negligent, be mindful!
O ye who sleep, awake!
O ye who are dead, get ye life!
For the Life of lives hath come.
How long will ye remain ignorant?
Your time is but a waste.
Rejoice in this glad-tidings:
Abdul-Baha the beloved hath come!
My Lord! My God!
Thou who gave life again to my brethren.
His bounty hath enveloped me,
His love hath thrilled me.
Thy love makes Isaac proclaim;
His joy increase, O Baha’!
The world has Abdul-Baha.
The sea hath the brilliant pearl.
185 To the maid-servant Ta-er, of Teheran, Persia.
186 To a believer in Persia.
187 To the Johnstown (N.Y.) assembly.
188 To the Johnstown (N.Y.) assembly.
189 When the recipient was in Acca.
190 Feast of Remembrance or Meeting of Faithfulness, held every nineteen
days.
191 The Sister of Abdul-Baha.
192 Spiritual women.
193 Baha’o’llah.
194 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
195 Where a number of the believers spent the summer months.
196 To the New York City Board of Counsel.
197 “In the Tablet in which I have stateXXX ’I am not Christ and am not
Eternal,’ the meaning is this, that I am not Christ—and not the
Eternal Lord! But I am Abdul-Baha. This is its real purport.
Undoubtedly those souls who are under the shadow of the Blessed
Cause, believing and assured, firm and steadfast, and living in
accord with the divine exhortations and advices, all of them are
confirmed in the everlasting life.”—Abdul-Baha.
198 To the New York City assembly.
199 To the New York City assembly.
200 To the New York City assembly.
201 Acca.
202 Nakazeen—violators, i.e., those who reject after having professed
allegience. Here it refers particularly to those scattered few who
profess to believe in Baha’o’llah but who refuse to follow His
command to turn to Abdul-Baha, the Centre of the Covenant, as
appointed by Baha’o’llah.
203 To the Washington (D.C.) assembly.
204 Revealed in 1900.
205 To the Washington (D.C.) assembly.
206 To the “Working Committee” of the Washington (D.C.) assembly. As no
Board of Counsel had been organized, a number of the believers, both
men and women, volunteered for service as a “Working Committee.”
207 To the Baltimore (Md.) assembly.
208 To the Baltimore assembly.
209 To the Baltimore assembly.
210 The Tomb of the Bab on Mt. Carmel.
211 Rizwan, i.e., Paradise.
212 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
213 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
214 Names of some important Tablets of Baha’o’llah, published in 1906.
215 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
216 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
217 See page 441.
218 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
219 Ishkabad, Russia, near the Persian border.
220 Mother and daughter.
221 Hyacinths typify knowledge; roses typify wisdom.
222 To the Newark (N.J.) assembly.
223 See page 562.
224 Established Sept. 12, 1906.
225 Followers of Subi-Ezel who disturbed the Babis by claiming to be the
One promised by the Bab.
226 America.
227 One of the well-known Bahais in Egypt.
228 During 1906.
229 Following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
230 To the Fair Hope (Ala.) assembly.
231 See foot note page 479. Here it implies the wisdom which comes from
knowledge of realities and significations.
232 Acca.
233 Addressed to two maid-servants living in the same household.
234 Following Tablets as received bore no opening line of address.
235 Refers to the earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906.
236 The first meetings of the House of Justice (House of Spirituality)
in America, were held in the household of the recipient of this
Tablet—Librarian.
237 Husband and wife.
238 Incorporated in book entitled “Some Answered Questions,” compiled by
Miss L. C. Barney and published in 1908 by Kegan Paul, Trench,
Trubner & Co., London, Eng.
239 Ring stone having this design: [Design of Greatest Name]
240 See footnote page 107, Vol. 1, or page 322, Vol. II.
241 To the Ithaca (N.Y.) assembly.
242 To the Montreal (Canada) assembly.
243 To a family.
244 Mother and daughter.
245 All revealed by Baha’o’llah.
246 England.
247 While in Haifa, some years ago, before he became a believer, the
recipient of this Tablet saw Baha’o’llah and some of the followers
and was attracted to Him, but owing to circumstances had no means of
communicating with Him at that time.
248 Husband and wife.
249 I.e., the return of the qualities, powers and attributes in another
human being.
250 I.e., in the sense of continued existence after the death of the
body.
251 Husband and wife.
252 This Tablet bore the following heading: “Chant thou this commune.”
253 This metaphor means the state of spontaneous prayer and communion
with God.
254 To the Buffalo (N.Y.) assembly.
255 To the Buffalo assembly.
256 To the Hoboken (N.J.) assembly.
257 The following four Tablets are addressed to a Japanese residing in
the United States.
258 Hyacinth—the flower symbolic of knowledge.
259 Comparing those near at hand who disobeyed the command of
Baha’o’llah, with the recipient of this Tablet—a Japanese.
260 Infinite in regard to imagination, for without the mind there would
be no imagination. Another translation of this paragraph is as
follows: “All the people have formed a god in the world of thought
and they worship that form of their own imagination, while the fact
is that the imagined concept is comprehended by the mind which is
comprehensive. Surely that which comprehends is greater than the
comprehended, for imagination is accidental (non-essential), while
the mind is essential. Surely the essential is greater than the
accidental.”
261 Addressed to a Japanese residing in the United States—a friend of
the recipient of the four preceding Tablets.
262 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
263 Refers to the recipients of the preceding Tablets.
264 The following Tablets up to and including page 585, are “General
Tablets” revealed for all the friends throughout the world.
265 Departure, i.e., death—which occurred May 29, 1892.
266 Sadrat-el-Montaha—The name of a tree planted by the Arabs in ancient
times at the end of a road, to serve as a guide. As a symbol it
denotes a Manifestation in His day.
267 Cucumis calocynthis.
268 The Druses.
269 Husband and wife.
270 A prayer for children.
271 To the Milwaukee (Wis.) assembly.
272 Board of Counsel.
273 The recipients of the following Tablets up to and including page
619, are unknown, and although we have no specific permission to
publish them, they are included here as they have been previously
published.—Librarian
274 The recipients of the following Tablets up to and including page
619, are unknown, and although we have no specific permission to
publish them, they are included here as they have been previously
published.—Librarian.
275 This Tablet bears the following heading: “Each child may memorize as
much as he can from this supplication.”
276 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
277 Refers to the congress of The Hague held in 1907.
278 During the year 1899.
279 This Tablet bore the following heading: “A general prayer for
everyone to recite.”
280 Children of the recipient of the preceding Tablet.
281 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
282 Revealed during 1908.
283 Addressed to three maid-servants.
284 Baha’o’llah.
285 To the Boston (Mass.) assembly.
286 The name “Boston” rhymes with the Arabic name “Bostan,” or
fruit-garden.—Translator.
287 This Tablet bears the following heading: “To the members of the
Spiritual Assembly of Chicago and the Spiritual Assembly of New
York.”
288 To the Samarkand, Russia, assembly.
289 To a believer in Baku, Russia.
290 Abdul-Baha elucidated Jesus’ teaching against the theory of
“blindness from birth” and the defects being caused by the sin of
the individual in a former state (see St. John 9:1–3), thus: “Jesus
states that this defect exists in order to prove and show that the
gift of sight is from God alone and is one of his bounties. Because
were all created with sight the people would consider it a mere
natural fact that they must be so made, and not give God thanks for
His great gift.”—Translator
291 To the Cincinnati (O.) assembly.
292 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
293 The first teachers of the Bahai Cause to come to America from the
Orient dwelt in the household of the recipient of this Tablet.
294 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
295 Khai Khosroe was a Zoroastrian Bahai of Bombay, India, who left his
home and went to Lahore to nurse Mr. Sydney Sprague who was sick of
a fever. Mr. Sprague recovered, while the great Khai Khosroe died.
He was the first Oriental friend to give his life for a Western
Bahai brother.
296 To the California maid-servants.
297 To the California maid-servants.
298 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
The Tablet is to husband and wife.
299 Literally, in order that we may emerge our head out of the bosom of
the kingdom of immortality.
300 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
301 The believers are sometimes referred to as a republic.
302 To the Brooklyn (N.Y.) assembly.
303 The recipient of this Tablet, when writing to Abdul-Baha, extended
to him, in spirit, a lily.
304 To the Fruitport (Mich.) assembly.
305 To three maid-servants at Chicago.
306 Baha’o’llah.
307 The Bab.
308 Khudoos, literally, Holy; the title given to one of the great
martyrs of Persia.
309 Baha’o’llah.
310 Germany.
311 To the Seattle (Wash.) assembly.
312 To a believer in New Zealand.
313 To America.
314 This word means a treasure or supply laid up for future
use.—Translator.
315 I.e., the power of the spiritual wine of truth will make her
conscious of all else save the love of God.—Translator.
316 The following Tablet as received bore no opening line of address.
317 The following extract from a Tablet as received bore no opening line
of address.
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