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Title: Prayers and Meditations
Author: Bahá'u'lláh, 1817-1892
Language: English
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Prayers and Meditations
by Bahá’u’lláh
Edition 1, (November 2, 2005)
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CONTENTS
Baha’i Terms of Use
I - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every man...
II - Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat...
III - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech...
IV - Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art...
V - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest...
VI - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I swear by Thy...
VII - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee...
VIII - Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou...
IX - Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I know...
X - O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration...
XI - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Darkness...
XII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! This is Thy...
XIII - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest...
XIV - All praise be to Thee, O my God! Thou beholdest...
XV - O Thou Who art the Ruler of earth and heaven...
XVI - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou seest my...
XVII - Magnified be Thy name, O God, the Lord of...
XVIII - Praised be Thou, O my God! How can I thank...
XIX - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee,...
XX - Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who beholdest all...
XXI - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I am Thy servant...
XXII - Exalted art Thou, O Lord my God! I am the one...
XXIII - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I implore...
XXIV - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee...
XXV - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech...
XXVI - Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee,...
XXVII - Thou beholdest, O my God, the Day-Star of Thy...
XXVIII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I bear witness...
XXIX - Many a chilled heart, O my God, hath been set...
XXX - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest...
XXXI - Praised be Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by...
XXXII - Thou seest Thy dear One, O my God, lying at...
XXXIII - Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art He...
XXXIV - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee...
XXXV - I give praise to Thee, O Lord my God! I entreat...
XXXVI - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I am so carried...
XXXVII - Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the...
XXXVIII - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I testify...
XXXIX - O Thou Who dealest equitably with all who are...
XL - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee,...
XLI - Thy unity is inscrutable, O my God, to all except...
XLII - Lauded be Thy name, O my God and the God of...
XLIII - O God, Who art the Author of all Manifestations,...
XLIV - Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who art my God...
XLV - My God, my Fire and my Light! The days which...
XLVI - Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained...
XLVII - O Thou the Lord of the visible and the invisible,...
XLVIII - Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I beseech...
XLIX - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I entreat...
L - Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou hearest Thine...
LI - Thou dost witness, O my God, how He Who is...
LII - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I entreat Thee...
LIII - I know not, O my God, what the Fire is which...
LIV - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Aid Thou by...
LV - O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the...
LVI - Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! These are the...
LVII - God testifieth to the unity of His Godhood and to...
LVIII - Praise be to Thee, to Whom the tongues of all...
LIX - All praise, O my God, be to Thee Who art the...
LX - Glorified be Thou, O my God! Behold Thou my...
LXI - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou dost...
LXII - Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord my God!...
LXIII - Thou beholdest, O my God, Thy servant who...
LXIV - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God, my Master!...
LXV - Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest that...
LXVI - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou seest...
LXVII - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I yield Thee...
LXVIII - Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou seest me shut up...
LXIX - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! My tongue,...
LXX - Faded now is all that erstwhile flourished in the...
LXXI - Magnified be Thy name, O my God, for that Thou...
LXXII - Lauded be Thy name, O Thou in Whose hands is...
LXXIII - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech...
LXXIV - Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God, inasmuch...
LXXV - All-praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! I know...
LXXVI - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I...
LXXVII - O Thou, at Whose dreadful majesty all things have...
LXXVIII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I...
LXXIX - All glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I bear...
LXXX - O Thou Whose remembrance is the delight of the...
LXXXI - Unto Thee be praise, O Thou Who inclinest Thine...
LXXXII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He...
LXXXIII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou seest my...
LXXXIV - Magnified art Thou, O Lord my God! I ask Thee...
LXXXV - These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst...
LXXXVI - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I yield Thee...
LXXXVII - Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Behold...
LXXXVIII - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I testify that no...
LXXXIX - I know not, O my God, what the Fire is with which...
XC - Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest that...
XCI - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! How great...
XCII - Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations...
XCIII - Glory to Thee, O my God! One of Thy handmaidens,...
XCIV - The hearts that yearn after Thee, O my God, are...
XCV - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Rain down,...
XCVI - Magnified, O Lord my God, be Thy Name, whereby...
XCVII - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee...
XCVIII - Magnified be Thy name, O Thou in Whose grasp...
XCIX - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I pray Thee,...
C - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest...
CI - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest...
CII - Glory to Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all...
CIII - Glory be to Thee, Thou in Whose hand are the...
CIV - O Thou Whose nearness is my wish, Whose presence...
CV - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He...
CVI - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I give Thee...
CVII - I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by that Remembrance...
CVIII - Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast been...
CIX - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest...
CX - I know not, O my God, whether I should speak...
CXI - Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou beholdest both...
CXII - Thou beholdest, O my God, how bewildered in...
CXIII - Magnified be Thy name, O my God! I testify that...
CXIV - Mine eyes are cheered, O my God, when I contemplate...
CXV - Thou seest, O my God, how the wrongs committed...
CXVI - My God, my Well-Beloved! No place is there for...
CXVII - Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings of...
CXVIII - Thou seest, O my God, how Thy servants have...
CXIX - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou seest how...
CXX - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest...
CXXI - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I am the one...
CXXII - Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou seest and...
CXXIII - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou hast,...
CXXIV - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time...
CXXV - O Thou the dread of Whom hath fallen upon all...
CXXVI - Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He...
CXXVII - All praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! How mysterious...
CXXVIII - Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy...
CXXIX - Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou seest how Thy...
CXXX - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest...
CXXXI - Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou seest how...
CXXXII - Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I beseech...
CXXXIII - O Thou Whose tests are a healing medicine to such...
CXXXIV - I am he, O my Lord, that hath set his face towards...
CXXXV - Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I testify...
CXXXVI - Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I am Thy...
CXXXVII - Glorified art Thou, O my God! I yield Thee thanks...
CXXXVIII - O God, and the God of all Names, and Maker of...
CXXXIX - Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who hast, through the...
CXL - Praised be Thou, O my God! This servant of Thine...
CXLI - I give Thee thanks, O my God, for that Thou hast...
CXLII - Glory be to Thee, O my God! My face hath been...
CXLIII - Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beg of Thee by Thy...
CXLIV - O my God and my Master! I am Thy servant and...
CXLV - O God, my God! Be Thou not far from me, for...
CXLVI - Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of Thee...
CXLVII - Thou art He, O my God, through Whose names...
CXLVIII - Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee...
CXLIX - Glorified art Thou, O my God! I give praise to...
CL - I give praise to Thee, O my God, that the fragrance...
CLI - Glorified art Thou, O my Lord! Thou beholdest...
CLII - Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I can discover...
CLIII - My God, Thou Whom I adore and worship, Who...
CLIV - Dispel my grief by Thy bounty and Thy generosity,...
CLV - Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew...
CLVI - I give praise to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast...
CLVII - My God, Whom I worship and adore! I bear witness...
CLVIII - I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it...
CLIX - O my God, the God of bounty and mercy! Thou...
CLX - My God, the Object of my adoration, the Goal of...
CLXI - Praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch as Thou...
CLXII - Lauded and glorified art Thou, O my God! I entreat...
CLXIII - Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest...
CLXIV - O God, my God! I have set out from my home,...
CLXV - From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity...
CLXVI - O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration,...
CLXVII - O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of...
CLXVIII - O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and...
CLXIX - Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Abase not him...
CLXX - Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance...
CLXXI - O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire!...
CLXXII - How can I choose to sleep, O God, my God, when...
CLXXIII - My God, my Adored One, my King, my Desire!...
CLXXIV - O God, my God! I beg of Thee by the ocean of...
CLXXV - I have risen this morning by Thy grace, O my...
CLXXVI - Praise be unto Thee, Who art my God and the...
CLXXVII - I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy mighty Sign,...
CLXXVIII - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I supplicate...
CLXXIX - Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! The tongues of...
CLXXX - The praise which hath dawned from Thy most...
CLXXXI - I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created...
CLXXXII - Whoso wisheth to pray, let him wash...
CLXXXIII - Whoso wisheth to recite this prayer, let...
CLXXXIV - Since Thou hast, O my God, established Thyself...
I: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! EVERY MAN...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every man of insight confesseth Thy
sovereignty and Thy dominion, and every discerning eye perceiveth the
greatness of Thy majesty and the compelling power of Thy might. The winds
of tests are powerless to hold back them that enjoy near access to Thee
from setting their faces towards the horizon of Thy glory, and the
tempests of trials must fail to draw away and hinder such as are wholly
devoted to Thy will from approaching Thy court.
Methinks, the lamp of Thy love is burning in their hearts, and the light
of Thy tenderness is lit within their breasts. Adversities are incapable
of estranging them from Thy Cause, and the vicissitudes of fortune can
never cause them to stray from Thy pleasure.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by them and by the sighs which their hearts
utter in their separation from Thee, to keep them safe from the mischief
of Thine adversaries, and to nourish their souls with what Thou hast
ordained for Thy loved ones on whom shall come no fear and who shall not
be put to grief.
II: “UNTO THEE BE PRAISE, O LORD MY GOD! I ENTREAT...”
Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have
encompassed the entire creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that
hath illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth, and by Thy mercy
that hath surpassed all created things, and by Thy grace that hath
suffused the whole universe, to rend asunder the veils that shut me out
from Thee, that I may hasten unto the Fountain-Head of Thy mighty
inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful favors,
and may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.
Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy
days, and divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of
the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the
Paradise (Ridván) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was
established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and
my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made
firm.
Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might,
supreme over all things, and, through the operation of His will, was able
to ordain all things. Nothing whatsoever, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy
earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord,
through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and incline mine ear to
the sweet melodies of the birds that warble their praise of Thee, amidst
the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.
Thou art the Great Giver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
III: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Him Who is Thy Most
Great Name, Who hath been sorely afflicted by such of Thy creatures as
have repudiated Thy truth, and Who hath been hemmed in by sorrows which no
tongue can describe, to grant that I may remember Thee and celebrate Thy
praise, in these days when all have turned away from Thy beauty, have
disputed with Thee, and turned away disdainfully from Him Who is the
Revealer of Thy Cause. None is there, O my Lord, to help Thee except Thine
own Self, and no power to succor Thee save Thine own power.
I entreat Thee to enable me to cleave steadfastly to Thy Love and Thy
remembrance. This is, verily, within my power, and Thou art the One that
knoweth all that is in me. Thou, in truth, art knowing, apprised of all.
Deprive me not, O my Lord, of the splendors of the light of Thy face,
whose brightness hath illuminated the whole world. No God is there beside
Thee, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.
IV: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU ART...”
Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art He Whom all things worship
and Who worshipeth no one, Who is the Lord of all things and is the vassal
of none, Who knoweth all things and is known of none. Thou didst wish to
make Thyself known unto men; therefore, Thou didst, through a word of Thy
mouth, bring creation into being and fashion the universe. There is none
other God except Thee, the Fashioner, the Creator, the Almighty, the Most
Powerful.
I implore Thee, by this very word that hath shone forth above the horizon
of Thy will, to enable me to drink deep of the living waters through which
Thou hast vivified the hearts of Thy chosen ones and quickened the souls
of them that love Thee, that I may, at all times and under all conditions,
turn my face wholly towards Thee.
Thou art the God of power, of glory and bounty. No God is there beside
Thee, the Supreme Ruler, the All-Glorious, the Omniscient.
V: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest me in the clutches of my
oppressors. Every time I turn to my right, I hear the voice of the
lamentation of them that are dear to Thee, whom the infidels have made
captives for having believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and for having set
their faces towards the horizon of Thy grace and of Thy loving-kindness.
And when I turn to my left, I hear the clamor of the wicked doers who have
disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs, and persistently striven to put out
the light of Thy lamp which sheddeth the radiance of Thine own Self over
all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth.
The hearts of Thy chosen ones, O my Lord, have melted because of their
separation from Thee, and the souls of Thy loved ones are burnt up by the
fire of their yearning after Thee in Thy days. I implore Thee, O Thou
Maker of the heavens and Lord of all names, by Thy most effulgent Self and
Thy most exalted and all-glorious Remembrance, to send down upon Thy loved
ones that which will draw them nearer unto Thee, and enable them to
hearken unto Thine utterances.
Tear asunder with the hand of Thy transcendent power, O my Lord, the veil
of vain imaginings, that they who are wholly devoted to Thee may see Thee
seated on the throne of Thy majesty, and the eyes of such as adore Thy
unity may rejoice at the splendors of the glory of Thy face. The doors of
hope have been shut against the hearts that long for Thee, O my Lord!
Their keys are in Thy hands; open them by the power of Thy might and Thy
sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do as Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the
Almighty, the Beneficent.
VI: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I SWEAR BY THY...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I swear by Thy might! Successive
afflictions have withheld the pen of the Most High from laying bare that
which is hidden from the eyes of Thy creatures, and incessant trials have
hindered the tongue of the Divine Ordainer from proclaiming the wonders of
Thy glorification and praise. With a stammering tongue, therefore, I call
upon Thee, O my God, and with this my afflicted pen I occupy myself in
remembrance of Thy name.
Is there any man of insight, O my God, that can behold Thee with Thine own
eye, and where is the thirsty one who can direct his face towards the
living waters of Thy love? I am the one, O my God, who hath blotted out
from his heart the remembrance of all except Thee, and hath graven upon it
the mysteries of Thy love. Thine own might beareth me witness! But for
tribulations, how could the assured be distinguished from the doubters
among Thy servants? They who have been inebriated with the wine of Thy
knowledge, these, verily, hasten to meet every manner of adversity in
their longing to pass into Thy presence. I implore Thee, O Beloved of my
heart and the Object of my soul’s adoration, to shield them that love me
from the faintest trace of evil and corrupt desires. Supply them, then,
with the good of this world and of the next.
Thou art, verily, He Whose grace hath guided them aright, He Who hath
declared Himself to be the All-Merciful. No God is there but Thee, the
All-Glorious, the Supreme Helper.
VII: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH THEE...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by this Revelation
whereby darkness hath been turned into light, through which the Frequented
Fane hath been built, and the Written Tablet revealed, and the Outspread
Roll uncovered, to send down upon me and upon them who are in my company
that which will enable us to soar into the heavens of Thy transcendent
glory, and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have hindered the
suspicious from entering into the tabernacle of Thy unity.
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the cord of Thy
loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou
ordain for me and for my loved ones the good of this world and of the
world to come. Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou didst ordain
for the choicest among Thy creatures.
These are, O my Lord, the days in which Thou hast bidden Thy servants to
observe the fast. Blessed is he that observeth the fast wholly for Thy
sake and with absolute detachment from all things except Thee. Assist me
and assist them, O my Lord, to obey Thee and to keep Thy precepts. Thou,
verily, hast power to do what Thou choosest.
There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. All praise be to
God, the Lord of all worlds.
VIII: “GLORIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU...”
Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest my dwelling-place,
and the prison into which I am cast, and the woes I suffer. By Thy might!
No pen can recount them, nor can any tongue describe or number them. I
know not, O my God, for what purpose Thou hast abandoned me to Thine
adversaries. Thy glory beareth me witness! I sorrow not for the vexations
I endure for love of Thee, nor feel perturbed by the calamities that
overtake me in Thy path. My grief is rather because Thou delayest to
fulfill what Thou hast determined in the Tablets of Thy Revelation, and
ordained in the books of Thy decree and judgment.
My blood, at all times, addresseth me saying: “O Thou Who art the Image of
the Most Merciful! How long will it be ere Thou riddest me of the
captivity of this world, and deliverest me from the bondage of this life?
Didst Thou not promise me that Thou shalt dye the earth with me, and
sprinkle me on the faces of the inmates of Thy Paradise?” To this I make
reply: “Be thou patient and quiet thyself. The things thou desirest can
last but an hour. As to me, however, I quaff continually in the path of
God the cup of His decree, and wish not that the ruling of His will should
cease to operate, or that the woes I suffer for the sake of my Lord, the
Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, should be ended. Seek thou my wish and
forsake thine own. Thy bondage is not for my protection, but to enable me
to sustain successive tribulations, and to prepare me for the trials that
must needs repeatedly assail me. Perish that lover who discerneth between
the pleasant and the poisonous in his love for his beloved! Be thou
satisfied with what God hath destined for thee. He, verily, ruleth over
thee as He willeth and pleaseth. No God is there but Him, the
Inaccessible, the Most High.”
IX: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! I KNOW...”
Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I know not what the water is with
which Thou hast created me, or what the fire Thou hast kindled within me,
or the clay wherewith Thou hast kneaded me. The restlessness of every sea
hath been stilled, but not the restlessness of this Ocean which moveth at
the bidding of the winds of Thy will. The flame of every fire hath been
extinguished except the Flame which the hands of Thine omnipotence have
kindled, and whose radiance Thou hast, by the power of Thy name, shed
abroad before all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth. As
the tribulations deepen, it waxeth hotter and hotter.
Behold, then, O my God, how Thy Light hath been compassed with the
onrushing winds of Thy decree, how the tempests that blow and beat upon it
from every side have added to its brightness and increased its splendor.
For all this let Thee be praised.
I implore Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, and Thy most ancient sovereignty,
to look upon Thy loved ones whose hearts have been sorely shaken by reason
of the troubles that have touched Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine
own Self. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily,
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
X: “O THOU WHOSE FACE IS THE OBJECT OF THE ADORATION...”
O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that yearn after
Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to Thy
will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy
court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy
truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face,
Whose voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are
as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!
I beseech Thee, by the wrong Thou hast suffered and the ills inflicted
upon Thee by the hosts of wrongful doers, to send down upon me from the
clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me of all that is not of Thee,
that I may be worthy to praise Thee and fit to love Thee.
Withhold not from me, O my Lord, the things Thou didst ordain for such of
Thy handmaidens as circle around Thee, and on whom are poured continually
the splendors of the sun of Thy beauty and the beams of the brightness of
Thy face. Thou art He Who from everlasting hath succored whosoever hath
sought Thee, and bountifully favored him who hath asked Thee.
No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty, the Ever-Abiding, the
All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.
XI: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! DARKNESS...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Darkness hath fallen upon every land,
and the forces of mischief have encompassed all the nations. Through them,
however, I perceive the splendors of Thy wisdom, and discern the
brightness of the light of Thy providence.
They that are shut out as by a veil from Thee have imagined that they have
the power to put out Thy light, and to quench Thy fire, and to still the
winds of Thy grace. Nay, and to this Thy might beareth me witness! Had not
every tribulation been made the bearer of Thy wisdom, and every ordeal the
vehicle of Thy providence, no one would have dared oppose us, though the
powers of earth and heaven were to be leagued against us. Were I to
unravel the wondrous mysteries of Thy wisdom which are laid bare before
me, the reins of Thine enemies would be cleft asunder.
Glorified be Thou, then, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name
to assemble them that love Thee around the Law that streameth from the
good-pleasure of Thy will, and to send down upon them what will assure
their hearts.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
XII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THIS IS THY...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! This is Thy servant who hath quaffed from
the hands of Thy grace the wine of Thy tender mercy, and tasted of the
savor of Thy love in Thy days. I beseech Thee, by the embodiments of Thy
names whom no grief can hinder from rejoicing in Thy love or from gazing
on Thy face, and whom all the hosts of the heedless are powerless to cause
to turn aside from the path of Thy pleasure, to supply him with the good
things Thou dost possess, and to raise him up to such heights that he will
regard the world even as a shadow that vanisheth swifter than the
twinkling of an eye.
Keep him safe also, O my God, by the power of Thine immeasurable majesty,
from all that Thou abhorrest. Thou art, verily, his Lord and the Lord of
all worlds.
XIII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest how the tempestuous winds of
tests have caused the steadfast in faith to tremble, and how the breath of
trials hath stirred up those whose hearts had been firmly established,
except such as have partaken of the Wine that is life indeed from the
hands of the Manifestation of Thy name, the Most Merciful. These are the
ones whom no word except Thy most exalted word can move, whom nothing
whatever save the sweet smelling fragrance of the robe of Thy remembrance
can enrapture, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and the Maker of
earth and heaven!
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the beloved Companion of Bahá, by Thy name,
the All-Glorious, to keep safe these Thy servants under the shadow of the
wings of Thine all-encompassing mercy, that the darts of the evil
suggestions of the wicked doers among Thy creatures, who have disbelieved
in Thy signs, may be kept back from them. No one on earth, O my Lord, can
withstand Thy power, and none in all the kingdom of Thy names is able to
frustrate Thy purpose. Show forth, then, the power of Thy sovereignty and
of Thy dominion, and teach Thy loved ones what beseemeth them in Thy days.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the
Most Great.
XIV: “ALL PRAISE BE TO THEE, O MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
All praise be to Thee, O my God! Thou beholdest my helplessness and
poverty, and bearest witness unto my woes and trials. How long wilt Thou
abandon me among Thy servants? Suffer me to ascend into Thy presence. The
power of Thy might beareth me witness! Such are the tribulations with
which I am encompassed that I am powerless to recount them before Thy
face. Thou, alone, verily, hast through Thy knowledge reckoned them.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art my Companion in my lowliness, to rain down
upon Thy loved ones from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will cause
them to be satisfied with Thy pleasure, and will enable them to turn unto
Thee and to be detached from all else except Thee. Ordain, then, for them
every good conceived by Thee and predestined in Thy Book. Thou art,
verily, the All-Powerful, He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate. From
everlasting Thou hast been clothed with transcendent greatness and power,
with unspeakable majesty and glory. There is no God beside Thee, the
Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.
Glorified be Thy name, Thou in Whose hand are the kingdoms of earth and
heaven.
XV: “O THOU WHO ART THE RULER OF EARTH AND HEAVEN...”
O Thou Who art the Ruler of earth and heaven and the Author of all names!
Thou hearest the voice of my lamentation which from the fortress-town of
Akká ascendeth towards Thee, and beholdest how my captive friends have
fallen into the hands of the workers of iniquity.
We render Thee thanks, O our Lord, for all the troubles which have touched
us in Thy path. Oh, that the span of my earthly life could be so extended
as to embrace the lives of the former and the latter generations, or could
even be so lengthened that no man on the face of the earth could measure
it, and be afflicted every day and every moment with a fresh tribulation
for love of Thee and for Thy pleasure’s sake!
Thou well knowest, however, O my God, that my wish is wholly dissolved in
Thy wish, and that Thou hast irrevocably decreed that my soul should
ascend unto the loftiest mansions of Thy Kingdom, and pass into the
presence of my all-glorious Companion.
Hasten, by Thy grace and bounty, my passing, O my Lord, and pour forth
upon all them that are dear to Thee what will preserve them from fear and
trembling after me. Powerful art Thou to do whatsoever may please Thee. No
God is there except Thee, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants have left their homes in their
longing to meet Thee, and how they have been hindered by the ungodly from
looking upon Thy face, and from circumambulating the sanctuary of Thy
grandeur. Pour out Thy steadfastness and send down Thy calm upon them, O
my Lord! Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
XVI: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST MY...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou seest my tears and lamentations,
and hearest my sighing, my cry and bitter wailing. I am the one, O my
Lord, that hath held fast the cord of Thy mercy which hath surpassed the
entire creation. I am the one that hath clung to the hem of Thy
loving-kindness, O Thou in Whose hand is the empire of all names!
Have mercy upon me and upon all them that are in my company, through the
wonders of Thy grace and power. Shield us, then, O my God, from the
mischief of Thine enemies, and assist us to help Thy Faith, and to protect
Thy Cause, and to celebrate Thy glory. Thou art, verily, He Who from
everlasting hath inhabited the inaccessible heights of His unity, and will
continue to remain the same for ever and ever. Nothing whatsoever escapeth
Thy knowledge, nor is there anything that can frustrate Thee. No God is
there beside Thee, the Almighty, the Ever-Faithful, the Most Exalted, the
All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved.
Lauded and glorified art Thou, in Whose hand is the empire of all things!
XVII: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O GOD, THE LORD OF...”
Magnified be Thy name, O God, the Lord of heaven! Attire my head with the
crown of martyrdom, even as Thou didst attire my body with the ornament of
tribulation before all that dwell in Thy land. Grant, moreover, that they
whose hearts yearn over Thee may draw nigh unto the horizon of Thy grace,
above which the Day-Star of Thy beauty sheddeth its radiance. Ordain,
also, for them what will make them rich enough to dispense with aught else
except Thee, and rid them of all attachment to such as have repudiated Thy
signs.
There is none other God but Thee, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting.
XVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! HOW CAN I THANK...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! How can I thank Thee for having singled me out
and chosen me above all Thy servants to reveal Thee, at a time when all
had turned away from Thy beauty! I testify, O my God, that if I were given
a thousand lives by Thee, and offered them up all in Thy path, I would
still have failed to repay the least of the gifts which, by Thy grace,
Thou hast bestowed upon me.
I lay asleep on the bed of self when lo, Thou didst waken me with the
divine accents of Thy voice, and didst unveil to me Thy beauty, and didst
enable me to listen to Thine utterances, and to recognize Thy Self, and to
speak forth Thy praise, and to extol Thy virtues, and to be steadfast in
Thy love. Finally I fell a captive into the hands of the wayward among Thy
servants.
Thou beholdest, therefore, the exile which I suffer in Thy days, and art
aware of my vehement longing to look upon Thy face, and of mine
irrepressible yearnings to enter the court of Thy glory, and of the
stirrings of my heart under the influences of the winds of Thy mercy.
I entreat Thee, O Thou Who art the Ruler of the kingdoms of creation and
the Author of all names, to write down my name with the names of them who,
from eternity, have circled round the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, and clung
to the hem of Thy loving-kindness, and held fast the cord of Thy tender
mercy.
Thou art, in truth, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
XIX: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE,...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee, by Thy Most Great Name
through Which Thou didst stir up Thy servants and build up Thy cities, and
by Thy most excellent titles, and Thy most august attributes, to assist
Thy people to turn in the direction of Thy manifold bounties, and set
their faces towards the Tabernacle of Thy wisdom. Heal Thou the sicknesses
that have assailed the souls on every side, and have deterred them from
directing their gaze towards the Paradise that lieth in the shelter of Thy
shadowing Name, which Thou didst ordain to be the King of all names unto
all who are in heaven and all who are on earth. Potent art Thou to do as
pleaseth Thee. In Thy hands is the empire of all names. There is none
other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.
I am but a poor creature, O my Lord; I have clung to the hem of Thy
riches. I am sore sick; I have held fast the cord of Thy healing. Deliver
me from the ills that have encircled me, and wash me thoroughly with the
waters of Thy graciousness and mercy, and attire me with the raiment of
wholesomeness, through Thy forgiveness and bounty. Fix, then, mine eyes
upon Thee, and rid me of all attachment to aught else except Thyself. Aid
me to do what Thou desirest, and to fulfill what Thou pleasest.
Thou art truly the Lord of this life and of the next. Thou art, in truth,
the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
XX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O THOU WHO BEHOLDEST ALL...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who beholdest all things and art hidden from
all things! From every land Thou hearest the lamentations of them that
love Thee, and from every direction Thou hearkenest unto the cries of such
as have recognized Thy sovereignty. Were their oppressors to be asked:
“Wherefore have ye oppressed them and held them in bondage in Ba_gh_dád
and elsewhere? What injustice have they committed? Whom have they
betrayed? Whose blood have they spilled, and whose property have they
plundered?” they would know not what to answer.
Thou knowest full well, O my God, that their only crime is to have loved
Thee. For this reason have their oppressors laid hold on them, and
scattered them abroad. Aware as I am, O my God, that Thou wilt send down
upon Thy servants only what is good for them, I nevertheless beseech Thee,
by Thy name which overshadoweth all things, to raise up, for their
assistance and as a sign of Thy grace and as an evidence of Thy power,
those who will keep them safe from all their adversaries.
Potent art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou art, verily, the Supreme Ruler,
the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
XXI: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I AM THY SERVANT...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy
servant. I have set my face towards Thy Cause, believing in Thy oneness,
acknowledging Thy unity, recognizing Thy sovereignty and the power of Thy
might, and confessing the greatness of Thy majesty and glory. I ask Thee,
by Thy name through which the heaven was cleft asunder, and the earth was
rent in twain, and the mountains were crushed, not to withhold from me the
breezes of Thy mercy which have been wafted in Thy days, nor to suffer me
to be far removed from the shores of Thy nearness and bounty.
I am he who is sore athirst, O my Lord! Give me to drink of the living
waters of Thy grace. I am but a poor creature; reveal unto me the tokens
of Thy riches. Doth it beseem Thee to cast out of the door of Thy grace
and bounty such as have set their hopes on Thee, and can it befit Thy
sovereignty to hinder them that yearn after Thee from attaining the adored
sanctuary of Thy presence and from beholding Thy face? By Thy glory! Such
is not my belief in Thee, for I am persuaded that Thou art the God of
bounteousness, Whose grace hath encompassed all things.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy mercy that hath surpassed the entire
creation, and Thy generosity that hath embraced all created things, to
cause me to turn my face wholly towards Thee, and to seek Thy shelter, and
to be steadfast in my love for Thee. Write down, then, for me what Thou
didst ordain for them who love Thee. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou
pleasest. No God is there beside Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the
All-Bountiful.
Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds!
XXII: “EXALTED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I AM THE ONE...”
Exalted art Thou, O Lord my God! I am the one who hath forsaken his all
and set his face towards the splendors of the glory of Thy countenance,
who hath severed every tie and clung to the cord of Thy love and of Thy
good-pleasure. I am he, O my God, who hath embraced Thy love and accepted
all the adversities which the world can inflict, who hath offered up
himself as a ransom for the sake of Thy loved ones, that they may ascend
into the heavens of Thy knowledge and be drawn nearer unto Thee, and may
soar in the atmosphere of Thy love and Thy good-pleasure.
Ordain, O my God, for me and for them that which Thou didst decree for
such of Thy chosen ones as are wholly devoted unto Thee. Cause them, then,
to be numbered among those whose eyes Thou hast cleansed and kept from
turning to any one save Thee, and whose eyes Thou hast protected from
beholding any face except Thy face.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the
Supreme King, the Help in Peril, the All-Pardoner, the Ever-Forgiving.
XXIII: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by the onrushing winds
of Thy grace, and by them Who are the Day-Springs of Thy purpose and the
Dawning-Places of Thine inspiration, to send down upon me and upon all
that have sought Thy face that which beseemeth Thy generosity and
bountiful grace, and is worthy of Thy bestowals and favors. Poor and
desolate I am, O my Lord! Immerse me in the ocean of Thy wealth; athirst,
suffer me to drink from the living waters of Thy loving-kindness.
I beseech Thee, by Thine own Self and by Him Whom Thou hast appointed as
the Manifestation of Thine own Being and Thy discriminating Word unto all
that are in heaven and on earth, to gather together Thy servants beneath
the shade of the Tree of Thy gracious providence. Help them, then, to
partake of its fruits, to incline their ears to the rustling of its
leaves, and to the sweetness of the voice of the Bird that chanteth upon
its branches. Thou art, verily, the Help in Peril, the Inaccessible, the
Almighty, the Most Bountiful.
XXIV: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Them Who are the
Tabernacles of Thy Divine holiness, Who are the Manifestations of Thy
transcendent unity and the Day-Springs of Thine inspiration and
revelation, to grant that Thy servants may not be kept back from this
Divine Law which, at Thy will and according to Thy pleasure, hath branched
out from Thy most great Ocean. Do Thou, then, ordain for them that which
Thou didst ordain for Thy chosen ones and for the righteous among Thy
creatures, whose constancy in Thy Cause the tempests of trials have failed
to shake, and whom the tumults of tests have been powerless to hinder from
magnifying Thy most exalted Word—the Word through Which the heavens of
men’s idle fancies and vain imaginations have been split asunder. Thou
art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing.
Enable, then, Thy servants, O my God, to recognize the Day-Star that hath
shone forth above the horizon of Thine irrevocable decree and purpose, and
suffer them not to be deprived of the Paradise which Thou, by Thy name,
the All-Glorious, hast called into being in the heavens of Thine exalted
omnipotence. Cause them, moreover, O my God, to hearken to Thy most sweet
voice, that they may all hasten to recognize Thy unity and acknowledge Thy
oneness, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the hearts of all that yearn after
Thee, and the Object of the adoration of such as have known Thee!
I beseech Thee, by them that have cut down all the idols in this
Revelation through which the Most Grievous Convulsion and the Great Terror
have appeared, to assist, at all times, Thy servants with the signs of
Thine almighty power and the evidences of Thy transcendent and
all-compelling might. Grant, then, that their hearts may be made as strong
as brass, that they may remain unmoved by the overpowering might of such
as have transgressed against Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine Essence
and the Day-Spring of Thine invisible Self, and that they may all arise to
glorify and help Thee, so that through them the ensigns of Thy triumph may
be lifted up in Thy realm, and the standards of Thy Cause may be unfurled
throughout Thy dominions. Thou art He who from everlasting hath, through
the potency of His will, been all-powerful, and will continue to remain
the same for ever and ever. Thou art, verily, the All-Glorious, the Most
High. No God is there but Thee, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the
Help in Peril, the Most Great, the One Being, the Incomparable, the
All-Glorious, the Unrestrained.
XXV: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Chosen Ones, and
by the Bearers of Thy Trust, and by Him Whom Thou hast ordained to be the
Seal of Thy Prophets and of Thy Messengers, to let Thy remembrance be my
companion, and Thy love my aim, and Thy face my goal, and Thy name my
lamp, and Thy wish my desire, and Thy pleasure my delight.
I am a sinner, O my Lord, and Thou art the Ever-Forgiving. As soon as I
recognized Thee, I hastened to attain the exalted court of Thy
loving-kindness. Forgive me, O my Lord, my sins which have hindered me
from walking in the ways of Thy good-pleasure, and from attaining the
shores of the ocean of Thy oneness.
There is no one, O my Lord, who can deal bountifully with me to whom I can
turn my face, and none who can have compassion on me that I may crave his
mercy. Cast me not out, I implore Thee, of the presence of Thy grace,
neither do Thou withhold from me the outpourings of Thy generosity and
bounty. Ordain for me, O my Lord, what Thou hast ordained for them that
love Thee, and write down for me what Thou hast written down for Thy
chosen ones. My gaze hath, at all times, been fixed on the horizon of Thy
gracious providence, and mine eyes bent upon the court of Thy tender
mercies. Do with me as beseemeth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the God
of power, the God of glory, Whose help is implored by all men.
XXVI: “SUFFER ME, O MY GOD, TO DRAW NIGH UNTO THEE,...”
Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to abide within the
precincts of Thy court, for remoteness from Thee hath well-nigh consumed
me. Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the
flame of my separation from Thee hath melted my heart within me. Draw me
nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst
in its ceaseless search after Thee. My sighs, O my God, proclaim the
bitterness of mine anguish, and the tears I shed attest my love for Thee.
I beseech Thee, by the praise wherewith Thou praisest Thyself and the
glory wherewith Thou glorifiest Thine own Essence, to grant that we may be
numbered among them that have recognized Thee and acknowledged Thy
sovereignty in Thy days. Help us then to quaff, O my God, from the fingers
of mercy the living waters of Thy loving-kindness, that we may utterly
forget all else except Thee, and be occupied only with Thy Self. Powerful
art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Glorified be Thy name, O Thou Who art the King of all Kings!
XXVII: “THOU BEHOLDEST, O MY GOD, THE DAY-STAR OF THY...”
Thou beholdest, O my God, the Day-Star of Thy Word shining above the
horizon of Thy prison-city, inasmuch as within its walls He who is the
Manifestation of Thy Self and the Day-Spring of the light of Thy unity
hath raised His voice and uttered Thy praise. The fragrances of Thy love
have thereby been wafted over Thy cities and have encompassed all the
dwellers of Thy realm.
Since Thou hast revealed Thy grace, O my God, deter not Thy servants from
directing their eyes towards it. Consider not, O my God, their estate, and
their concerns and their works. Consider the greatness of Thy glory, and
the plenteousness of Thy gifts, and the power of Thy might, and the
excellence of Thy favors. I swear by Thy glory! Wert Thou to look upon
them with the eye of justice, all would deserve Thy wrath and the rod of
Thine anger. Hold Thou Thy creatures, O my God, with the hands of Thy
grace, and make Thou known unto them what is best for them of all the
things that have been created in the kingdom of Thine invention.
We testify, O my God, that Thou art God, and that there is no God besides
Thee. From eternity Thou hast existed with none to equal or rival Thee,
and wilt abide for ever the same. I beseech Thee, by the eyes which see
Thee stablished upon the throne of unity and the seat of oneness, to aid
all them that love Thee by Thy Most Great Name, and to lift them up into
such heights that they will testify with their own beings and with their
tongues that Thou art God alone, the Incomparable, the One, the
Ever-Abiding. Thou hast had at no time any peer or partner. Thou, in
truth, art the All-Glorious, the Almighty, Whose help is implored by all
men.
XXVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I BEAR WITNESS...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I bear witness that from eternity Thou
wert exalted in Thy transcendent majesty and might, and wilt to eternity
abide in Thy surpassing power and glory. None in the kingdoms of earth and
heaven can frustrate Thy purpose; none throughout the realms of revelation
and of creation can prevail against Thee. At Thy command Thou doest what
Thou willest, and by the power of Thy sovereignty Thou rulest as Thou
pleasest.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who causest the dawn to appear, by Thy Lamp which
Thou didst light with the fire of Thy love before all that are in heaven
and on earth, and whose flame Thou feedest with the fuel of Thy wisdom in
the kingdom of Thy creation, to make me to be of those who have soared in
Thine atmosphere, and surrendered their will to Thy decree.
I am all wretchedness, O my Lord, and Thou art the Most Powerful, the
Almighty. Have pity upon me by Thy grace and bountiful favor, and
graciously aid me to serve Thee and them that are dear to Thee. Potent art
Thou to do as Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the God of strength,
of glory and wisdom.
XXIX: “MANY A CHILLED HEART, O MY GOD, HATH BEEN SET...”
Many a chilled heart, O my God, hath been set ablaze with the fire of Thy
Cause, and many a slumberer hath been wakened by the sweetness of Thy
voice. How many are the strangers who have sought shelter beneath the
shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, and how numerous the thirsty ones who
have panted after the fountain of Thy living waters in Thy days!
Blessed is he that hath set himself towards Thee, and hasted to attain the
Day-Spring of the lights of Thy face. Blessed is he who with all his
affections hath turned to the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the
Fountain-Head of Thine inspiration. Blessed is he that hath expended in
Thy path what Thou didst bestow upon him through Thy bounty and favor.
Blessed is he who, in his sore longing after Thee, hath cast away all else
except Thyself. Blessed is he who hath enjoyed intimate communion with
Thee, and rid himself of all attachment to any one save Thee.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Him Who is Thy Name, Who, through the power
of Thy sovereignty and might, hath risen above the horizon of His prison,
to ordain for every one what becometh Thee and beseemeth Thine exaltation.
Thy might, in truth, is equal to all things.
XXX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest me in this day shut up in my
prison, and fallen into the hands of Thine adversaries, and beholdest my
son (The Purest Branch) lying on the dust before Thy face. He is Thy
servant, O my Lord, whom Thou hast caused to be related to Him Who is the
Manifestation of Thyself and the Day-Spring of Thy Cause.
At his birth he was afflicted through his separation from Thee, according
to what had been ordained for him through Thine irrevocable decree. And
when he had quaffed the cup of reunion with Thee, he was cast into prison
for having believed in Thee and in Thy signs. He continued to serve Thy
Beauty until he entered into this Most Great Prison. Thereupon I offered
him up, O my God, as a sacrifice in Thy path. Thou well knowest what they
who love Thee have endured through this trial that hath caused the
kindreds of the earth to wail, and beyond them the Concourse on high to
lament.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by him and by his exile and his imprisonment,
to send down upon such as loved him what will quiet their hearts and bless
their works. Potent art Thou to do as Thou willest. No God is there but
Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
XXXI: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! I BESEECH THEE BY...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by them who have circled round
the throne of Thy will, and soared in the atmosphere of Thy good-pleasure,
and turned with all their affections towards the Horizon of Thy Revelation
and the Day-Spring of Thine inspiration, and the Dawning-Place of Thy
names, to aid Thy servants to observe what Thou hast commanded them in Thy
days—commandments through which the sacredness of Thy Cause will be
demonstrated unto Thy servants and the affairs of Thy creatures and of Thy
realm will be set aright.
I testify, O my God, that this is the Day whereon Thy testimony hath been
fulfilled, and Thy clear tokens have been manifested, and Thine utterances
have been revealed, and Thy signs have been demonstrated, and the radiance
of Thy countenance hath been diffused, and Thy proof hath been perfected,
and Thine ascendancy hath been established, and Thy mercy hath overflowed,
and the Day-Star of Thy grace hath shone forth with such brilliance that
Thou didst manifest Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and the Treasury of
Thy wisdom and the Dawning-Place of Thy majesty and power. Thou didst
establish His covenant with every one who hath been created in the
kingdoms of earth and heaven and in the realms of revelation and of
creation. Thou didst raise Him up to such heights that the wrongs
inflicted by the oppressors have been powerless to deter Him from
revealing Thy sovereignty, and the ascendancy of the wayward hath failed
to prevent Him from demonstrating Thy power and from exalting Thy Cause.
So highly didst Thou exalt Him that He openly delivered unto the kings Thy
messages and commandments, and hath never for one moment sought His own
protection, but striven to protect Thy servants from whatever might
withhold them from approaching the kingdom of Thy nearness, and from
setting their faces towards the horizon of Thy good-pleasure.
Thou seest, O my God, how, notwithstanding the swords that are drawn
against Him, He calleth the nations unto Thee, and though Himself a
prisoner summoneth them to turn in the direction of Thy gifts and
bounties. With every fresh tribulation He manifested a fuller measure of
Thy Cause, and exalted more highly Thy word.
I testify that through Him the Pen of the Most High was set in motion, and
with His remembrance the Scriptures in the kingdom of names were
embellished. Through Him Thy fragrances were wafted, and the sweet smell
of Thy raiment was shed abroad amongst all the dwellers of the earth and
the inmates of heaven. Thou seest and knowest full well, O my God, how He
hath been made to dwell within the most desolate of cities, so that He may
build up the hearts of Thy servants, and hath been willing to suffer the
most grievous abasement, that Thy creatures may be exalted.
I pray Thee, O Thou Who causest the dawn to appear, by Thy Name through
Which Thou hast subjected the winds, and sent down Thy Tablets, that Thou
wilt grant that we may draw near unto what Thou didst destine for us by
Thy favor and bounty, and to be far removed from whatsoever may be
repugnant unto Thee. Give us, then, to drink from the hands of Thy grace
every day and every moment of our lives of the waters that are life
indeed, O Thou Who art the Most Merciful! Make us, then, to be of them who
helped Thee when fallen into the hands of those Thine enemies who are
numbered with the rebellious among Thy creatures and the wicked amidst Thy
people. Write down, then, for us the recompense ordained for him that hath
attained Thy presence, and gazed on Thy beauty, and supply us with every
good thing ordained in Thy Book for such of Thy creatures as enjoy near
access to Thee.
Brighten our hearts, O my Lord, with the splendor of Thy knowledge, and
illumine our sight with the light of such eyes as are fixed upon the
horizon of Thy grace and the Day-Spring of Thy glory. Preserve us, then,
by Thy Most Great Name, Which Thou didst cause to overshadow such nations
as lay claim to what Thou hast forbidden in Thy Book. This, verily, is
what Thou didst announce unto us in Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets.
Cause us, then, to be so steadfast in our love towards Thee that we will
turn to none except Thee, and will be reckoned amongst them that are
brought nigh to Thee, and acknowledge Thee as One Who is exalted above
every comparison and is holy beyond all likeness, and will lift up our
voices amongst Thy servants and cry aloud that He is the one God, the
Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the
All-Wise.
Strengthen Thou, O my Lord, the hearts of them that love Thee, that they
may not be affrighted by the hosts of the infidels that are turned back
from Thee, but may follow Thee in whatsoever hath been revealed by Thee.
Aid them, moreover, to remember and to praise Thee, and to teach Thy Cause
with eloquence and wisdom. Thou art He Who hath called Himself the Most
Merciful. Ordain, then, O my God, for me and for whosoever hath sought
Thee what beseemeth the excellence of Thy glory and the greatness of Thy
majesty. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Compassionate.
XXXII: “THOU SEEST THY DEAR ONE, O MY GOD, LYING AT...”
Thou seest Thy dear One, O my God, lying at the mercy of Thine enemies,
and hearest the voice of His lamentation from the midst of such of Thy
creatures as have dealt wickedly in Thy sight. He it is, O my Lord,
through Whose name Thou didst beautify Thy Tablets, and for Whose greater
glory Thou didst send down the Bayán, and at Whose separation from Thee
Thou didst weep continually. Look Thou, then, upon His loneliness, O my
God, and behold Him fallen into the hands of them that have disbelieved in
Thy signs, have turned their backs upon Thee, and have forgotten the
wonders of Thy mercy.
He it is, O my God, about Whom Thou hast said: “But for Thee the
Scriptures would have remained unrevealed, and the Prophets unsent.” And
no sooner had He, by Thy behest, been manifested and spoken forth Thy
praise, than the wicked doers among Thy creatures compassed Him round,
with the swords of hate drawn against Him, O Thou the Lord of all names!
Thou well knowest what befell Him at the hands of such as have rent
asunder the veil of Thy grandeur, and cast behind their backs Thy Covenant
and Thy Testament, O Thou Who art the Maker of the heavens! He is the One
for Whose sake Thou (the Báb) hast yielded Thy life, and hast consented to
be touched by the manifold ills of the world that He may manifest Himself,
and summoned all mankind in His name. As soon as He came down, however,
from the heaven of majesty and power, Thy servants stretched out against
Him the hands of cruelty and sedition, and caused Him to be afflicted with
such troubles that the scrolls of the world are insufficient to contain a
full recital of them.
Thou seest, therefore, O Thou Beloved of the world, Him Who is dear to
Thee in the clutches of such as have denied Thee, and beholdest Thy
heart’s desire under the swords of the ungodly. Methinks He, from His most
exalted station, saith unto me: “Would that my soul, O Prisoner, could be
a ransom for Thy captivity, and my being, O wronged One, be sacrificed for
the adversities Thou didst suffer! Thou art He through Whose captivity the
standards of Thine almighty power were hoisted, and the day-star of Thy
revelation shone forth above the horizon of tribulation, in such wise that
all created things bowed down before the greatness of Thy majesty.
“The more they strove to hinder Thee from remembering Thy God and from
extolling His virtues, the more passionately didst Thou glorify Him and
the more loudly didst Thou call upon Him. And every time the veils of the
perverse came in between Thee and Thy servants, Thou didst shed the
splendors of the light of Thy countenance out of the heaven of Thy grace.
Thou art, in very truth, the Self-Subsisting as testified by the tongue of
God, the All-Glorious, the one alone Beloved; and Thou art the Desire of
the world as attested by what hath flowed down from the Pen of Him Who
hath announced unto Thy servants Thy hidden Name, and adorned the entire
creation with the ornament of Thy love, the Most Precious, the Most
Exalted.
“The eyes of the world were gladdened at the sight of Thy luminous
countenance, and yet the peoples have united to put out Thy light, O Thou
in Whose hands are the reins of the worlds! All the atoms of the earth
have celebrated Thy praise, and all created things have been set ablaze
with the drops sprinkled by the ocean of Thy love, and yet the people
still seek to quench Thy fire. Nay—and to this Thine own Self beareth me
witness—they are all weakness, and Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful; and
they are but paupers and Thou, in truth, art the All-Possessing; and they
are impotent and Thou art, truly, the Almighty. Naught can ever frustrate
Thy purpose, neither can the dissensions of the world harm Thee. Through
the breaths of Thine utterance the heaven of understanding hath been
adorned, and by the effusions of Thy pen every moldering bone hath been
quickened. Grieve not at what hath befallen Thee, neither do Thou lay hold
on them for the things they have committed in Thy days. Do Thou be
forbearing toward them. Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Compassionate.”
XXXIII: “PRAISE BE UNTO THEE, O MY GOD! THOU ART HE...”
Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art He Who by a word of His mouth hath
revolutionized the entire creation, and by a stroke of His pen hath
divided Thy servants one from another. I bear witness, O my God, that
through a word spoken by Thee in this Revelation all created things were
made to expire, and through yet another word all such as Thou didst wish
were, by Thy grace and bounty, endued with new life.
I render Thee thanks, therefore, and extol Thee, in the name of all them
that are dear to Thee, for that Thou hast caused them to be born again, by
reason of the living waters which have flowed down out of the mouth of Thy
will. Since Thou didst quicken them by Thy bounteousness, O my God, make
them steadfastly inclined, through Thy graciousness, towards Thy will; and
since Thou didst suffer them to enter into the Tabernacle of Thy Cause,
grant by Thy grace that they may not be kept back from Thee.
Unlock, then, to their hearts, O my God, the portals of Thy knowledge,
that they may recognize Thee as One Who is far above the reach and ken of
the understanding of Thy creatures, and immeasurably exalted above the
strivings of Thy people to hint at Thy nature, and may not follow every
clamorous impostor that presumeth to speak in Thy name. Enable them,
moreover, O my Lord, to cleave so tenaciously to Thy Cause that they may
remain unmoved by the perplexing suggestions of them who, prompted by
their desires, utter what hath been forbidden unto them in Thy Tablets and
Thy Scriptures.
Thou art well aware, O my Lord, that I hear the howling of the wolves
which appear in Thy servants’ clothing. Keep safe, therefore, Thy loved
ones from their mischief, and enable them to cling steadfastly to
whatsoever hath been manifested by Thee in this Revelation, which no other
Revelation within Thy knowledge hath excelled.
Do Thou destine for them, O my Lord, that which will profit them.
Illumine, then, their eyes with the light of Thy knowledge, that they may
see Thee visibly supreme over all things, and resplendent amidst Thy
creatures, and victorious over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are
on Thy earth. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there but
Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.
Praised be Thou, Who art the Lord of all creation.
XXXIV: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thine Ancient Beauty and
Most Great Name, Whom Thou hast sacrificed that all the dwellers of Thine
earth and heaven may be born anew, and Whom Thou hast cast into prison
that mankind may, as a token of Thy bounty and of Thy sovereign might, be
released from the bondage of evil passions and corrupt desires, to number
me with those who have so deeply inhaled the fragrance of Thy mercy, and
hastened with such speed unto the living waters of Thy grace, that no dart
could hinder them from turning unto Thee, nor any spear from setting their
faces towards the orient of Thy Revelation.
We testify, O my Lord, that Thou art God and that there is none other God
besides Thee. From everlasting Thou wast enthroned on the inaccessible
heights of Thy power, and wilt unto everlasting continue to exercise Thy
transcendent and unrestrained dominion. The hosts of the world are
powerless to frustrate Thy will, nor can all the dwellers of the earth and
all the inmates of heaven annul Thy decree. Thou truly art the Almighty,
the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
Bless, O my God, those of the followers of the Bayán as have been numbered
with the people of Bahá, who have entered within the Crimson Ark in Thy
Name, the Most Exalted, the Most High. Thy might, verily, is equal to all
things.
XXXV: “I GIVE PRAISE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I ENTREAT...”
I give praise to Thee, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee by Thy Name through
which Thou didst cause the dawn to appear, and the winds to blow, and the
seas to surge, and the trees to bring forth their fruits, and the earth to
be beautified with its rivers, that Thou wilt aid all them that are dear
to Thee with both Thy visible and invisible hosts. Render them, moreover,
victorious over all those who have so rebelled in Thy land, and dishonored
Thy name, and disbelieved in Thy signs, and broken Thy Covenant, and cast
behind their backs Thy laws, and have to such an extent risen up against
Thee, that they carried into captivity Thy kindred, and flung the
Manifestation of Thy Self into prison, and immured Him Who is the
Day-Spring of Thine Essence in the most desolate of cities.
Thou, O my Lord, art He whose strength is immense, Whose decree is
terrible. Lay hold on Thine adversaries by the power of Thy sovereignty,
and assemble Thy loved ones beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness,
that they may stand before Thy throne, and catch the accents of Thy voice,
and gaze on Thy beauty, and discover the power of Thy might.
Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
XXXVI: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! I AM SO CARRIED...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I am so carried away by the breezes blowing
from Thy presence that I have forgotten my self and all that I possess.
This is but a sign of the wonders of Thy grace and bountiful favors
vouchsafed unto me. I give praise to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast chosen
me out of all Thy creatures, and made me to be the Day-Spring of Thy
strength and the Manifestation of Thy might, and empowered me to reveal
such of Thy signs and such tokens of Thy majesty and power as none,
whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can produce.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy most effulgent Name, to acquaint my
people with the things Thou didst destine for them. Do Thou, then,
preserve them within the stronghold of Thy guardianship and the tabernacle
of Thine unerring protection, lest through them may appear what will
divide Thy servants. Assemble them, O my Lord, on the shores of this
Ocean, every drop of which proclaimeth Thee to be God, besides Whom there
is none other God, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Uncover before them, O my Lord, the majesty of Thy Cause, lest they be led
to doubt Thy sovereignty and the power of Thy might. I swear by Thy glory,
O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds! Had they been aware of Thy power
they would of a certainty have refused to utter what Thou didst not ordain
for them in the heaven of Thy will.
Inspire them, O my Lord, with a sense of their own powerlessness before
Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self, and teach them to recognize the
poverty of their own nature in the face of the manifold tokens of Thy
self-sufficiency and riches, that they may gather together round Thy
Cause, and cling to the hem of Thy mercy, and cleave to the cord of the
good-pleasure of Thy will.
Thou art the Lord of the worlds, and of all those who show mercy, art the
Most Merciful.
XXXVII: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O KING OF ETERNITY, AND THE...”
Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the
Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which
Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and
didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number
me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and
have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such
misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy
gifts.
I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung
steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me,
out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the
remembrance of any one except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who
is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been
arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and
disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs.
Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and
deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of
the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast
purposed by Thy power.
No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
XXXVIII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! I TESTIFY...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I testify that Thou wast a hidden
Treasure wrapped within Thine immemorial Being and an impenetrable Mystery
enshrined in Thine own Essence. Wishing to reveal Thyself, Thou didst call
into being the Greater and the Lesser Worlds, and didst choose Man above
all Thy creatures, and didst make Him a sign of both of these worlds, O
Thou Who art our Lord, the Most Compassionate!
Thou didst raise Him up to occupy Thy throne before all the people of Thy
creation. Thou didst enable Him to unravel Thy mysteries, and to shine
with the lights of Thine inspiration and Thy Revelation, and to manifest
Thy names and Thine attributes. Through Him Thou didst adorn the preamble
of the book of Thy creation, O Thou Who art the Ruler of the universe Thou
hast fashioned!
I bear witness that in His person solidity and fluidity have been joined
and combined. Through His immovable constancy in Thy Cause, and His
unwavering adherence to whatsoever Thou, in the plentitude of the light of
Thy glory, didst unveil to His eyes, throughout the domains of Thy
Revelation and creation, the souls of Thy servants were stirred up in
their longing for Thy Kingdom, and the dwellers of Thy realms rushed forth
to enter into Thy heavenly dominion. Through the restlessness He evinced
in Thy path, the feet of all them that are devoted to Thee were steeled
and confirmed to manifest Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures, and to
demonstrate Thy sovereignty throughout Thy realm.
How great, O my God, is this Thy most excellent handiwork, and how
consummate Thy creation, which hath caused every understanding heart and
mind to marvel! And when the set time was fulfilled, and what had been
preordained came to pass, Thou didst unloose His tongue to praise Thee,
and to lay bare Thy mysteries before all Thy creation, O Thou Who art the
Possessor of all names, and the Fashioner of earth and heaven! Through Him
all created things were made to glorify Thee, and to celebrate Thy praise,
and every soul was directed towards the kingdom of Thy revelation and Thy
sovereignty.
At one time, Thou didst raise Him up, O my God, and didst attire Him with
the ornament of the name of Him Who conversed with Thee (Moses), and didst
through Him uncover all that Thy will had decreed and Thine irrevocable
purpose ordained. At another time, Thou didst adorn Him with the name of
Him Who was Thy Spirit (Jesus), and didst send Him down out of the heaven
of Thy will, for the edification of Thy people, infusing thereby the
spirit of life into the hearts of the sincere among Thy servants and the
faithful among Thy creatures. Again, Thou didst reveal Him, decked forth
by the name of Him Who was Thy Friend (Muḥammad), and caused Him to shine
brightly above the horizon of Ḥijáz, as a token of Thy power and an
evidence of Thy might. Through Him Thou didst send unto Thy servants what
enabled them to scale the heights of Thy unity, and to yearn over the
wonders of Thy manifold knowledge and wisdom.
I testify, O Thou Who art the Lord of the whole creation, and the Desire
of whosoever hath sought Thee, that, amidst Thy creatures, They resemble
the sun which no matter how often it riseth and setteth is still the one
and the same sun. Whoso maketh any distinction between any of Them hath
truly failed to attain the ultimate purpose, and to reach the highest
goal, and hath been deprived of the mysteries of unity and of the lights
of sanctity and oneness. I testify, moreover, that Thou hast decreed that
none on the face of the earth should equal Them, and none of Thy creatures
be able to be compared with any of Them, in order that Thine own
singleness and peerlessness might be recognized and established.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified be Thy name, O my God! How can I ever
befittingly mention Thee or sufficiently praise Thee, that Thou hast
manifested Him by the power of Thy might, and caused Him to shine above
the horizon of Thy will, and made Him the Day-Spring of Thy signs, and the
Dawning-Place of the revelation of Thy names and Thine attributes? How
bewilderingly mysterious, moreover, O my God, is His nature and all that
Thou hast infused into Him, through Thy strength and by the power of Thy
might! At one time He appeareth as the water which is Life indeed, sent
down out of the heaven of Thy grace, and poured forth from the clouds of
Thy mercy, that Thy creatures may be endued with new life, and live as
long as Thine own Kingdom endureth. Every drop of that water would suffice
to quicken the dead, and to set their faces in the direction of Thy favors
and Thy gifts, and to rid them of all attachment to aught else except
Thee. At another time He revealeth Himself as the Fire which Thou didst
kindle in the tree of Thy unity, whose heat melted the hearts of Thine
ardent lovers when He Who is the Day-Star of the world shone forth above
the horizon of ‘Iráq. I testify, O my God, that through Him the veils of
human fancy were burnt up, and the hearts of men were set towards the
scene of Thy most resplendent glory.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Supreme Ordainer, not to suffer me to
be deprived of the breezes which are wafted in Thy days, the days whereon
the sweet smell of the raiment of Thy mercy hath been shed abroad. Neither
do Thou keep me back from Thy most great Ocean, every drop of which crieth
out and saith: “Great is the blessedness that awaiteth him who hath been
awakened from his sleep by the breath of God which, from the source of His
mercy, hath blown over all such of His creatures as have set themselves
towards Him!”
Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants are held captive by their own
selves and desires. Redeem them from their bondage, O my God, by the power
of Thy sovereignty and might, that they may turn towards Thee when He Who
is the Revealer of Thy names and attributes is manifested unto men.
Cast upon this poor and desolate creature, O my Lord, the glance of Thy
wealth, and flood his heart with the beams of Thy knowledge, that he may
apprehend the verities of the unseen world, and discover the mysteries of
Thy heavenly realm, and perceive the signs and tokens of Thy kingdom, and
behold the manifold revelations of this earthly life all set forth before
the face of Him Who is the Revealer of Thine own Self. Direct, then, his
eyes, O my God, towards the horizon of Thy loving-kindness, and make
steadfast his heart in its attachment to Thee, and unloose his tongue to
praise Thee, and make him able to hold fast the cord of Thy love, and to
cling to the hem of Thy bounteousness, and to proclaim Thy name amidst Thy
creatures, and to recount Thy virtues throughout Thy realm, in such wise
that no obstacle will deter him from turning to Thy name, the
All-Bountiful, and no veil shut him out from Thee, in Whose hand is the
dominion of utterance and the kingdom of all names and attributes!
Hold Thou the hand of this seeker who hath set his face towards Thee, O my
Lord, and draw him out of the depths of his vain imaginations, that the
light of certainty may shine brightly above the horizon of his heart in
the days whereon the sun of the knowledge of Thy creatures hath been
darkened through the shining of the Day-Star of Thy glory; the days
whereon the moon of the world’s wisdom hath been eclipsed through the
appearance of Thy hidden knowledge, and the manifestation of Thy
well-guarded secret, and the revelation of Thine enshrined mystery; the
days whereon the stars of men’s doings have fallen through the rising of
the orb of Thy unity and the shedding of the radiance of Thy transcendent
oneness.
I beg of Thee, O my God, by Thy most exalted Word which Thou hast ordained
as the Divine Elixir unto all who are in Thy realm, the Elixir through
whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into
purest gold, O Thou in Whose hands are both the visible and invisible
kingdoms, to ordain that my choice be conformed to Thy choice and my wish
to Thy wish, that I may be entirely content with that which Thou didst
desire, and be wholly satisfied with what Thou didst destine for me by Thy
bounteousness and favor. Potent art Thou to do as Thou willest. Thou, in
very truth, art the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Happy is the man who hath recognized Thee, and discovered the sweetness of
Thy fragrance, and set himself towards Thy kingdom, and tasted of the
things that have been perfected therein by Thy grace and favor. Great is
the blessedness of him who hath acknowledged Thy most excellent majesty,
and whom the veils that have shut out the nations from Thee have not
hindered from directing his eyes towards Thee, O Thou Who art the King of
eternity and the Quickener of every moldering bone! Blessed, also, is he
that hath inhaled Thy sweet savors, and been carried away by Thine
utterances in Thy days. Blessed, moreover, be the man that hath turned
unto Thee, and woe betide him that hath turned his back upon Thee.
Praised be Thou, the Lord of the worlds!
XXXIX: “O THOU WHO DEALEST EQUITABLY WITH ALL WHO ARE...”
O Thou Who dealest equitably with all who are in heaven and on earth, and
rulest over the kingdom of Thy creation and of Thy Revelation! I testify
that every man of equity hath recognized his unfairness in the face of the
revelation of the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy Justice, and the ablest
of pens hath confessed its impotence before the movement of Thy most
exalted Pen.
By Thy life, O Thou the Possessor of all names! The minds of the
profoundest thinkers are sore perplexed as they contemplate the ocean of
Thy knowledge, and the heaven of Thy wisdom, and the Luminary of Thy
grace. How can he who is but a creation of Thy will claim to know what is
with Thee, or to conceive Thy nature?
Praise, immeasurable praise be to Thee! I swear by Thy glory! My inner and
outer tongue, openly and secretly, testify that Thou hast been exalted
above the reach and ken of Thy creatures, above the utterance of Thy
servants, above the testimonies of Thy dear ones and Thy chosen ones, and
the apprehension of Thy Prophets and of Thy Messengers.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Name which Thou hast made to be the
Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration,
to ordain for this wronged One and for them that are dear to Thee what
becometh Thy loftiness. Thou, in very truth, art the All-Bountiful, the
All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
XL: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE,...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee, by Thy Name which none
hath befittingly recognized, and whose import no soul hath fathomed; I
beseech Thee, by Him Who is the Fountain-Head of Thy Revelation and the
Day-Spring of Thy signs, to make my heart to be a receptacle of Thy love
and of remembrance of Thee. Knit it, then, to Thy most great Ocean, that
from it may flow out the living waters of Thy wisdom and the crystal
streams of Thy glorification and praise.
The limbs of my body testify to Thy unity, and the hair of my head
declareth the power of Thy sovereignty and might. I have stood at the door
of Thy grace with utter self-effacement and complete abnegation, and clung
to the hem of Thy bounty, and fixed mine eyes upon the horizon of Thy
gifts.
Do Thou destine for me, O my God, what becometh the greatness of Thy
majesty, and assist me, by Thy strengthening grace, so to teach Thy Cause
that the dead may speed out of their sepulchers, and rush forth towards
Thee, trusting wholly in Thee, and fixing their gaze upon the orient of
Thy Cause, and the dawning-place of Thy Revelation.
Thou, verily, art the Most Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.
XLI: “THY UNITY IS INSCRUTABLE, O MY GOD, TO ALL EXCEPT...”
Thy unity is inscrutable, O my God, to all except them that have
recognized Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy singleness and the
Day-Spring of Thy oneness. Whoso assigneth a rival unto Him hath assigned
a rival unto Thee, and whoso hath set up a peer for Him hath set up a peer
for Thyself. No, no, none can withstand Thee in the whole of creation.
Thou hast everlastingly been exalted far above all comparison and
likeness. Thy oneness hath been demonstrated by the oneness of Him Who is
the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation. Whosoever denieth this, hath denied
Thy unity, and disputed with Thee about Thy sovereignty, and contended
with Thee in Thy realm, and repudiated Thy commandments.
Assist Thou Thy servants, O my Lord, to recognize Thy unity and to declare
Thy oneness, that all may gather together around what Thou didst desire in
this Day whereon the sun of Thine essence hath shone forth above the
horizon of Thy will, and the moon of Thine own being hath risen from the
Day-Spring of Thy behest. Thou art He, O my Lord, from Whose knowledge
nothing whatsoever escapeth, and Whom no one can frustrate. Thou doest Thy
pleasure, by Thy sovereignty that overshadoweth the worlds.
Thou well knowest, O my God, my Best-Beloved, that naught can quench the
thirst I suffer in my separation from Thee except the waters of Thy
presence, and that the tumult of my heart can never be stilled save
through the living fountain of my reunion with Thee. Send down, then, upon
me, O my Lord, out of the heaven of Thy bounty what will draw me nearer
unto the chalice of Thy gifts, and make me able to quaff the choice sealed
Wine, Whose seal hath been loosed in Thy name, and from Which the sweet
savors of Thy days have been shed abroad. Thou, in truth, art the
All-Bountiful, Whose grace is infinite.
The whole universe testifieth to Thy generosity. Have mercy, then, upon me
by Thy graciousness, and deal bountifully with me through the power of Thy
sovereignty, and suffer me to enjoy near access to Thee by Thy manifold
favors. Thou, truly, art the Great Giver, the Almighty, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.
XLII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD AND THE GOD OF...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God and the God of all things, my Glory and the
Glory of all things, my Desire and the Desire of all things, my Strength
and the Strength of all things, my King and the King of all things, my
Possessor and the Possessor of all things, my Aim and the Aim of all
things, my Mover and the Mover of all things! Suffer me not, I implore
Thee, to be kept back from the ocean of Thy tender mercies, nor to be far
removed from the shores of nearness to Thee.
Aught else except Thee, O my Lord, profiteth me not, and near access to
any one save Thyself availeth me nothing. I entreat Thee by the
plenteousness of Thy riches, whereby Thou didst dispense with all else
except Thyself, to number me with such as have set their faces towards
Thee, and arisen to serve Thee.
Forgive, then, O my Lord, Thy servants and Thy handmaidens. Thou, truly,
art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
XLIII: “O GOD, WHO ART THE AUTHOR OF ALL MANIFESTATIONS,...”
O God, Who art the Author of all Manifestations, the Source of all
Sources, the Fountain-Head of all Revelations, and the Well-Spring of all
Lights! I testify that by Thy Name the heaven of understanding hath been
adorned, and the ocean of utterance hath surged, and the dispensations of
Thy providence have been promulgated unto the followers of all religions.
I beseech Thee so to enrich me as to dispense with all save Thee, and be
made independent of any one except Thyself. Rain down, then, upon me out
of the clouds of Thy bounty that which shall profit me in every world of
Thy worlds. Assist me, then, through Thy strengthening grace, so to serve
Thy Cause amidst Thy servants that I may show forth what will cause me to
be remembered as long as Thine own kingdom endureth and Thy dominion will
last.
This is Thy servant, O my Lord, who with his whole being hath turned unto
the horizon of Thy bounty, and the ocean of Thy grace, and the heaven of
Thy gifts. Do with me then as becometh Thy majesty, and Thy glory, and Thy
bounteousness, and Thy grace.
Thou, in truth, art the God of strength and power, Who art meet to answer
them that pray Thee. There is no God save Thee, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.
XLIV: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O THOU WHO ART MY GOD...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who art my God and throbbest within my heart!
Thou art well aware and dost witness that whatsoever shameth them that are
dear to Thee must shame also Him Who is the Manifestation of Thyself and
the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation. Nay, He is put to greater shame than
they when they are led to confess the good things which have escaped them
in Thy days.
These are Thy servants, O my Lord, who for love of Thee have abandoned
their homes, and sustained the tribulations decreed by Thee in Thy path. I
swear by Thy glory! Every time any one of them testifieth before Thee to
his evil doings, shame covereth my face, for they are Thy servants who
have tasted of the cup of woe in Thy Cause, who have quaffed from the
chalice of adversity when the light of Thy countenance was lifted upon
them, and who were so vexed by trials that peace was utterly denied them
within the precincts of Thy court.
The power of Thy might beareth me witness! My heart hath melted by reason
of my love for them that are dear to Thee, and my soul is laden with
anguish for the sorrows which have afflicted them at the revelation of Thy
Cause and the appearance of the billowing oceans of Thy grace and favors.
The sighs they uttered, O my Lord, have caused my sighs to ascend towards
Thee, and the burning of their hearts hath consumed mine own heart within
me.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being and the Enlightener
of all things visible and invisible, to grant that every one of them may
become an ensign of Thy guidance among Thy servants, and a revelation of
the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness amidst Thy creatures.
Thou hast, O my God, chosen them to love Thee, and to stand before the
throne of Thy majesty. No other station hath excelled the station to which
Thou hast called them. How many the nights, O my God, when sleep failed to
overtake them because of their remembrance of Thee, and how numerous the
days which they spent in lamentation over the things that have befallen
Thee at the hands of Thine enemies! I entreat Thee, O Thou Who art the
Ruler of rulers, and the Uplifter of the downtrodden, to aid them so to
assist Thy Cause and exalt Thy word that through them Thy praise may be
shed abroad amidst Thy creatures, and Thy virtues recounted throughout Thy
realm. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! This is Thy servant whom Thou hast in the
kingdom of Thy names called by Thine own name, and whom Thou hast reared
under the wings of Thy grace and favors. Thou seest him, therefore,
hastening in the direction of Thy gifts, and rushing forth towards Thee
seeking after Thy bounty. Attire him, O my God, with the mantle of Thy
favor and the robe of Thy munificence and generosity, that all created
things may perceive from him the sweet smell of the raiment of Thy love.
Adorn, then, his head with the crown of Thy remembrance, in such wise that
his fame may be noised abroad among Thy servants as one who loveth Thee
and cleaveth steadfastly to Thy Cause. Assist him, moreover, at all times
and under all conditions to help Thee and to remember Thee, and to extol
Thy virtues amidst Thy creatures.
I swear by Thy glory, O my God! Every time I muse on Thy glory and Thy
sovereignty I find myself as the most guilty among them that have
transgressed against Thee in Thy realm, and every time I contemplate the
heights in which none except Thee can abide, I discover that I am the most
sinful of all the creatures that dwell in Thy land. Had it not been for
Thy name, the Concealer, and for Thy name, the Ever-Forgiving, and for the
sweet savors of Thy name, the Most Merciful, all Thy chosen ones had been
reckoned amongst the perverse and the wicked.
I render Thee thanks that Thy mercy hath overtaken them and Thy grace and
bountiful favors compassed them on every side.
And now, having confessed the things Thou didst cause to flow down from my
Pen, I implore Thee, by Thy name which Thou hast raised up above every
other name, and hast caused to overshadow all that are in heaven and all
that are on earth, to cast not away him that hath turned towards Thee, and
to deny him not the wonders of Thy grace and the hidden evidences of Thy
mercy. Let the hands of Thine omnipotence kindle in his heart a lamp that
will enable him to shine brightly in Thy days, and to cry out with such
vehemence in Thy name that no timidity will deter him from soaring in the
atmosphere of Thy love, and from ascending to the horizon of rapture and
longing for Thee, and that the pursuits of Thy creatures will not withhold
him from magnifying Thy word, that Thou mayest behold him sanctified as
Thou wishest and as beseemeth Thy majesty and glory.
Exalted though this station may be, O my God, and however excellent this
position—for who else except Thyself hath the power to show forth what may
be deemed worthy of Thine exaltation and befit Thy greatness—yet Thou art
He Who is the All-Bountiful, the Most Compassionate. All the atoms of the
earth testify that Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Benevolent, the Great
Giver, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise. Look, then, upon him, O my God,
with the eyes of Thy loving-kindness, and cast upon him the glance of Thy
generosity. Enrapture him, moreover, with the sweet melodies of Him Who is
the Fountain-Head of Thy Revelation, in such wise that he may wholly
surrender his will to Thy pleasure, and fix his hopes upon the things Thou
didst ordain in Thy Tablets. Strengthen, then, his heart by Thy name, the
Almighty, the Faithful, that he may draw forth the hand of power, and with
it help Thy Cause when the light of Thy beauty is manifested and the
Day-Star of Thy majesty is risen.
Since Thou hast called him by Thy name, O my Lord, single him out among
Thy servants for Thy service. Thou well knowest, O my Lord, that in
revealing myself I have sought only to reveal Thy Cause, and have turned
to no one except for the sake of Thy Revelation and for the purpose of
manifesting Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy treasured Name
Who, at this very moment, is speaking, to send down upon him and upon them
that love Thee that which is enshrined in the heaven of Thy favor and
bounties, that they may be filled with vehement longing towards Thee, and
exult in Thy Covenant, O Thou Who art the Lord of Lords! Ordain, then, for
him and for them that which becometh Thy name, the All-Bountiful.
Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the
All-Glorious, the Most Great.
XLV: “MY GOD, MY FIRE AND MY LIGHT! THE DAYS WHICH...”
My God, my Fire and my Light! The days which Thou hast named the
Ayyám-i-Há (the Days of Há, Intercalary days) in Thy Book have begun, O
Thou Who art the King of names, and the fast which Thy most exalted Pen
hath enjoined unto all who are in the kingdom of Thy creation to observe
is approaching. I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by these days and by all such
as have during that period clung to the cord of Thy commandments, and laid
hold on the handle of Thy precepts, to grant that unto every soul may be
assigned a place within the precincts of Thy court, and a seat at the
revelation of the splendors of the light of Thy countenance.
These, O my Lord, are Thy servants whom no corrupt inclination hath kept
back from what Thou didst send down in Thy Book. They have bowed
themselves before Thy Cause, and received Thy Book with such resolve as is
born of Thee, and observed what Thou hadst prescribed unto them, and
chosen to follow that which had been sent down by Thee.
Thou seest, O my Lord, how they have recognized and confessed whatsoever
Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures. Give them to drink, O my Lord, from
the hands of Thy graciousness the waters of Thine eternity. Write down,
then, for them the recompense ordained for him that hath immersed himself
in the ocean of Thy presence, and attained unto the choice wine of Thy
meeting.
I implore Thee, O Thou the King of kings and the Pitier of the
downtrodden, to ordain for them the good of this world and of the world to
come. Write down for them, moreover, what none of Thy creatures hath
discovered, and number them with those who have circled round Thee, and
who move about Thy throne in every world of Thy worlds.
Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
XLVI: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD, THAT THOU HAST ORDAINED...”
Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Rúz as a festival
unto those who have observed the fast for love of Thee and abstained from
all that is abhorrent unto Thee. Grant, O my Lord, that the fire of Thy
love and the heat produced by the fast enjoined by Thee may inflame them
in Thy Cause, and make them to be occupied with Thy praise and with
remembrance of Thee.
Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast
prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine
acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men
are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy
behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath
observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had
been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed
the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have
caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far
removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.
Thou art He through Whom the ensign “Praiseworthy art Thou in Thy works”
hath been lifted up, and the standard “Obeyed art Thou in Thy behest” hath
been unfurled. Make known this Thy station, O my God, unto Thy servants,
that they may be made aware that the excellence of all things is dependent
upon Thy bidding and Thy word, and the virtue of every act is conditioned
by Thy leave and the good-pleasure of Thy will, and may recognize that the
reins of men’s doings are within the grasp of Thine acceptance and Thy
commandment. Make this known unto them, that nothing whatsoever may shut
them out from Thy Beauty, in these days whereon the Christ exclaimeth:
“All dominion is Thine, O Thou the Begetter of the Spirit (Jesus)”; and
Thy Friend (Muḥammad) crieth out: “Glory be to Thee, O Thou the
Best-Beloved, for that Thou hast uncovered Thy Beauty, and written down
for Thy chosen ones what will cause them to attain unto the seat of the
revelation of Thy Most Great Name, through which all the peoples have
lamented except such as have detached themselves from all else except
Thee, and set themselves towards Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and
the Manifestation of Thine attributes.”
He Who is Thy Branch and all Thy company, O my Lord, have broken this day
their fast, after having observed it within the precincts of Thy court,
and in their eagerness to please Thee. Do Thou ordain for him, and for
them, and for all such as have entered Thy presence in those days all the
good Thou didst destine in Thy Book. Supply them, then, with that which
will profit them, in both this life and in the life beyond.
Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
XLVII: “O THOU THE LORD OF THE VISIBLE AND THE INVISIBLE,...”
O Thou the Lord of the visible and the invisible, and the Enlightener of
all creation! I beseech Thee, by Thy sovereignty which is hid from the
eyes of men, to reveal in all directions the signs of Thy manifold
blessings and the tokens of Thy loving-kindness, that I may arise with
exultation and rapture and extol Thy wondrous virtues, O Thou the Most
Merciful, and stir up by Thy name all created things, and so kindle the
fire of Thy glorification amidst Thy creatures, that all the world may be
filled with the brightness of the light of Thy glory, and all existence be
inflamed with the fire of Thy Cause.
Roll not up, O my Lord, what hath been spread out in Thy name, and
extinguish not the lamp which Thine own fire hath lit. Withhold not, O my
Lord, the water that is life indeed from running down—the water from whose
murmuring the wondrous melodies which extol and glorify Thee can be heard.
Deny not, moreover, Thy servants the sweet fragrance of the breath which
hath been wafted through Thy love.
Thou seest, O Thou Who art my All-Glorious Beloved, the restless waves
that surge within the ocean of my heart, in my love and yearning towards
Thee. I implore Thee, by the signs of Thy majesty and the evidences of Thy
sovereignty, to subdue Thy servants by this Name Which Thou hast made to
be the King of all names in the kingdom of Thy creation. Potent art Thou
to rule as Thou pleasest. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, the
All-Bountiful.
Do Thou ordain, moreover, for every one who hath turned towards Thee what
will make him steadfast in Thy Cause, in such wise that neither the vain
imaginations of the infidels among Thy creatures, nor the idle talk of the
froward amidst Thy servants will have the power to shut him out from Thee.
Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
XLVIII: “UNTO THEE BE PRAISE, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH...”
Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name
Who hath been shut up in the prison-town of Akká, and Who—as Thou
beholdest, O my God—hath fallen into the hands of His enemies, and is
threatened by the swords of the wicked doers, to make me steadfast in His
Cause, and to direct mine eyes continually towards His court, in such wise
that nothing whatsoever will have the power to turn me back from Him.
I testify, O my Lord, that He hath surrendered His life in Thy path, and
hath wished for Himself nothing but tribulation in the love He beareth to
Thee. He hath endured all manner of vexations that He may manifest Thy
sovereignty unto Thy servants, and exalt Thy word amidst Thy creatures. As
the adversities deepened, and the troubles sent down by Thee compassed Him
on every side, He became so impassioned by His thought of Thee, that the
hosts of all them that had disbelieved in Thee and repudiated Thy signs
ceased to affright Him.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Him and by whatsoever pertaineth unto Him,
to set my affections upon Him even as He hath set His own affections upon
Thyself. I testify that His love is Thy love, and His self Thy self, and
His beauty Thy beauty, and His Cause Thy Cause.
Deny me not, O my Lord, what is with Thee, and suffer me not to be
forgetful of what Thou didst desire in Thy days. Thou art, verily, the
Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
XLIX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! I ENTREAT...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee by Thy Name through
which the Hour hath struck, and the Resurrection came to pass, and fear
and trembling seized all that are in heaven and all that are on earth, to
rain down, out of the heaven of Thy mercy and the clouds of Thy tender
compassion, what will gladden the hearts of Thy servants, who have turned
towards Thee and helped Thy Cause.
Keep safe Thy servants and Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, from the darts of
idle fancy and vain imaginings, and give them from the hands of Thy grace
a draught of the soft-flowing waters of Thy knowledge.
Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the
Most Generous.
L: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O MY GOD! THOU HEAREST THINE...”
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou hearest Thine ardent lovers lamenting in
their separation from Thee, and such as have recognized Thee wailing
because of their remoteness from Thy presence. Open Thou outwardly to
their faces, O my Lord, the gates of Thy grace, that they may enter them
by Thy leave and in conformity with Thy will, and may stand before the
throne of Thy majesty, and catch the accents of Thy voice, and be
illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy face.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. None can withstand the power of
Thy sovereign might. From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to equal
Thee, and wilt unto everlasting remain far above all thought and every
description of Thee. Have mercy, then, upon Thy servants by Thy grace and
bounty, and suffer them not to be kept back from the shores of the ocean
of Thy nearness. If Thou abandonest them, who is there to befriend them;
and if Thou puttest them far from Thee, who is he that can favor them?
They have none other Lord beside Thee, none to adore except Thyself. Deal
Thou generously with them by Thy bountiful grace.
Thou, in truth, art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
LI: “THOU DOST WITNESS, O MY GOD, HOW HE WHO IS...”
Thou dost witness, O my God, how He Who is Thy splendor calleth Thee to
remembrance, notwithstanding the manifold troubles that have touched Him,
troubles which none except Thee can number. Thou beholdest how, in His
prison-house, He recounteth Thy wondrous praises with which Thou didst
inspire Him. Such is His fervor that His enemies are powerless to deter
Him from mentioning Thee, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names!
Praised be Thou that Thou hast so strengthened Him with Thy strength, and
endowed Him by Thine almighty power with such potency, that aught save
Thee is in His estimation but a handful of dust. The lights of unfading
splendor have so enveloped Him that all else but Thee is in His eyes but a
shadow.
And when Thine irresistible summons reached me, I arose, fortified by Thy
strength, and called all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy
earth to turn in the direction of Thy favors and the horizon of Thy
bounties. Some caviled at me, and determined to hurt me and slay me.
Others drank to the full of the wine of Thy grace, and hastened towards
the habitation of Thy throne.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Creator of earth and heaven and the
Source of all things, to attract Thy servants through the fragrances of
the Robe of Thine Inspiration and Thy Revelation, and to help them attain
the Tabernacle of Thy behest and power. From eternity Thou wert by Thy
transcendent might supreme over all things, and Thou wilt be exalted unto
eternity in Thy Godhead and surpassing sovereignty.
Let Thy mercy, then, be upon Thy servants and Thy creatures. Thou art, in
truth, the Almighty, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the
Unconditioned.
LII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! I ENTREAT THEE...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I entreat Thee by the fragrances of the
Raiment of Thy grace which at Thy bidding and in conformity with Thy
desire were diffused throughout the entire creation, and by the Day-Star
of Thy will that hath shone brightly, through the power of Thy might and
of Thy sovereignty, above the horizon of Thy mercy, to blot out from my
heart all idle fancies and vain imaginings, that with all my affections I
may turn unto Thee, O Thou Lord of all mankind!
I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, O my God! I have laid hold on
the handle of Thy grace, and clung to the cord of Thy tender mercy. Ordain
for me the good things that are with Thee, and nourish me from the Table
Thou didst send down out of the clouds of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy
favor.
Thou, in very truth, art the Lord of the worlds, and the God of all that
are in heaven and all that are on earth.
LIII: “I KNOW NOT, O MY GOD, WHAT THE FIRE IS WHICH...”
I know not, O my God, what the Fire is which Thou didst kindle in Thy
land. Earth can never cloud its splendor, nor water quench its flame. All
the peoples of the world are powerless to resist its force. Great is the
blessedness of him that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring.
Some, O my God, Thou didst, through Thy strengthening grace, enable to
approach it, while others Thou didst keep back by reason of what their
hands have wrought in Thy days. Whoso hath hasted towards it and attained
unto it hath, in his eagerness to gaze on Thy beauty, yielded his life in
Thy path, and ascended unto Thee, wholly detached from aught else except
Thyself.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by this Fire which blazeth and rageth in the
world of creation, to rend asunder the veils that have hindered me from
appearing before the throne of Thy majesty, and from standing at the door
of Thy gate. Do Thou ordain for me, O my Lord, every good thing Thou didst
send down in Thy Book, and suffer me not to be far removed from the
shelter of Thy mercy.
Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the
All-Powerful, the Most Generous.
LIV: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! AID THOU BY...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Aid Thou by Thy strengthening grace Thy
servants and Thy handmaidens to recount Thy virtues and to be steadfast in
their love towards Thee. How many the leaves which the tempests of trials
have caused to fall, and how many, too, are those which, clinging
tenaciously to the tree of Thy Cause, have remained unshaken by the tests
that have assailed them, O Thou Who art our Lord, the Most Merciful!
I render Thee thanks that Thou hast made known unto me such servants as
have utterly abolished, by the power of Thy might and of Thy sovereignty,
the idols of their corrupt desires, and were not kept back by the things
which are possessed by Thy creatures from turning in the direction of Thy
grace. These have so vehemently rent the veils asunder that the dwellers
of the cities of self have wept, and fear and trembling seized the people
of envy and wickedness who, adorning their heads and their bodies with the
emblems of knowledge, have proudly rejected Thee and turned away from Thy
beauty.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy surpassing majesty and Thine Ancient
Name, to enable Thy loved ones to assist Thee. Direct, then, continually
their faces towards Thy face, and write down for them what will cause all
hearts to exult and all eyes to be gladdened.
Thou, truly, art the Help in peril, the Self-Subsisting.
LV: “O GOD! THE TRIALS THOU SENDEST ARE A SALVE TO THE...”
O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who
are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to
the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is
the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent
desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a
torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from
Thee is death unto them that have recognized Thy truth!
I beseech Thee by the sighs which they whose souls pant after Thee have
uttered in their remoteness from Thy court, and by the cries of such of
Thy lovers as bemoan their separation from Thee, to nourish me with the
wine of Thy knowledge and the living waters of Thy love and pleasure.
Behold Thy handmaiden, O my Lord, who hath forgotten all else except Thee,
and who hath delighted herself with Thy love, and lamented over the things
that have befallen Thee at the hands of the wicked doers among Thy
creatures. Do Thou ordain for her that which Thou didst ordain for such of
Thy handmaidens as circle round the throne of Thy majesty, and gaze, at
eventide and at dawn, on Thy beauty.
Thou art, verily, the Lord of the Judgment Day.
LVI: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! THESE ARE THE...”
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! These are the days whereon Thou hast
bidden all men to observe the fast, that through it they may purify their
souls and rid themselves of all attachment to any one but Thee, and that
out of their hearts may ascend that which will be worthy of the court of
Thy majesty and may well beseem the seat of the revelation of Thy oneness.
Grant, O my Lord, that this fast may become a river of life-giving waters
and may yield the virtue wherewith Thou hast endowed it. Cleanse Thou by
its means the hearts of Thy servants whom the evils of the world have
failed to hinder from turning towards Thine all-glorious Name, and who
have remained unmoved by the noise and tumult of such as have repudiated
Thy most resplendent signs which have accompanied the advent of Thy
Manifestation Whom Thou hast invested with Thy sovereignty, Thy power, Thy
majesty and glory. These are the servants who, as soon as Thy call reached
them, hastened in the direction of Thy mercy and were not kept back from
Thee by the changes and chances of this world or by any human limitations.
I am he, O my God, who testifieth to Thy unity, who acknowledgeth Thy
oneness, who boweth humbly before the revelations of Thy majesty, and who
recognizeth with downcast countenance the splendors of the light of Thy
transcendent glory. I have believed in Thee after Thou didst enable me to
know Thy Self, Whom Thou hast revealed to men’s eyes through the power of
Thy sovereignty and might. Unto Him I have turned, wholly detached from
all things, and cleaving steadfastly unto the cord of Thy gifts and
favors. I have embraced His truth, and the truth of all the wondrous laws
and precepts that have been sent down unto Him. I have fasted for love of
Thee and in pursuance of Thine injunction, and have broken my fast with
Thy praise on my tongue and in conformity with Thy pleasure. Suffer me
not, O my Lord, to be reckoned among them who have fasted in the daytime,
who in the night-season have prostrated themselves before Thy face, and
who have repudiated Thy truth, disbelieved in Thy signs, gainsaid Thy
testimony, and perverted Thine utterances.
Open Thou, O my Lord, mine eyes and the eyes of all them that have sought
Thee, that we may recognize Thee with Thine own eyes. This is Thy bidding
given us in the Book sent down by Thee unto Him Whom Thou hast chosen by
Thy behest, Whom Thou hast singled out for Thy favor above all Thy
creatures, Whom Thou hast been pleased to invest with Thy sovereignty, and
Whom Thou hast specially favored and entrusted with Thy Message unto Thy
people. Praised be Thou, therefore, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast
graciously enabled us to recognize Him and to acknowledge whatsoever hath
been sent down unto Him, and conferred upon us the honor of attaining the
presence of the One Whom Thou didst promise in Thy Book and in Thy
Tablets.
Thou seest me then, O my God, with my face turned towards Thee, cleaving
steadfastly to the cord of Thy gracious providence and generosity, and
clinging to the hem of Thy tender mercies and bountiful favors. Destroy
not, I implore Thee, my hopes of attaining unto that which Thou didst
ordain for Thy servants who have turned towards the precincts of Thy court
and the sanctuary of Thy presence, and have observed the fast for love of
Thee. I confess, O my God, that whatever proceedeth from me is wholly
unworthy of Thy sovereignty and falleth short of Thy majesty. And yet I
beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast revealed Thy Self, in the
glory of Thy most excellent titles, unto all created things, in this
Revelation whereby Thou hast, through Thy most resplendent Name,
manifested Thy beauty, to give me to drink of the wine of Thy mercy and of
the pure beverage of Thy favor, which have streamed forth from the right
hand of Thy will, that I may so fix my gaze upon Thee and be so detached
from all else but Thee, that the world and all that hath been created
therein may appear before me as a fleeting day which Thou hast not deigned
to create.
I moreover entreat Thee, O my God, to rain down, from the heaven of Thy
will and the clouds of Thy mercy, that which will cleanse us from the
noisome savors of our transgressions, O Thou Who hast called Thyself the
God of Mercy! Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the
Beneficent.
Cast not away, O my Lord, him that hath turned towards Thee, nor suffer
him who hath drawn nigh unto Thee to be removed far from Thy court. Dash
not the hopes of the suppliant who hath longingly stretched out his hands
to seek Thy grace and favors, and deprive not Thy sincere servants of the
wonders of Thy tender mercies and loving-kindness. Forgiving and Most
Bountiful art Thou, O my Lord! Power hast Thou to do what Thou pleasest.
All else but Thee are impotent before the revelations of Thy might, are as
lost in the face of the evidences of Thy wealth, are as nothing when
compared with the manifestations of Thy transcendent sovereignty, and are
destitute of all strength when face to face with the signs and tokens of
Thy power. What refuge is there beside Thee, O my Lord, to which I can
flee, and where is there a haven to which I can hasten? Nay, the power of
Thy might beareth me witness! No protector is there but Thee, no place to
flee to except Thee, no refuge to seek save Thee. Cause me to taste, O my
Lord, the divine sweetness of Thy remembrance and praise. I swear by Thy
might! Whosoever tasteth of its sweetness will rid himself of all
attachment to the world and all that is therein, and will set his face
towards Thee, cleansed from the remembrance of any one except Thee.
Inspire then my soul, O my God, with Thy wondrous remembrance, that I may
glorify Thy name. Number me not with them who read Thy words and fail to
find Thy hidden gift which, as decreed by Thee, is contained therein, and
which quickeneth the souls of Thy creatures and the hearts of Thy
servants. Cause me, O my Lord, to be reckoned among them who have been so
stirred up by the sweet savors that have been wafted in Thy days that they
have laid down their lives for Thee and hastened to the scene of their
death in their longing to gaze on Thy beauty and in their yearning to
attain Thy presence. And were any one to say unto them on their way,
“Whither go ye?” they would say, “Unto God, the All-Possessing, the Help
in Peril, the Self-Subsisting!”
The transgressions committed by such as have turned away from Thee and
have borne themselves haughtily towards Thee have not availed to hinder
them from loving Thee, and from setting their faces towards Thee, and from
turning in the direction of Thy mercy. These are they who are blessed by
the Concourse on high, who are glorified by the denizens of the
everlasting Cities, and beyond them by those on whose foreheads Thy most
exalted pen hath written: “These! The people of Bahá. Through them have
been shed the splendors of the light of guidance.” Thus hath it been
ordained, at Thy behest and by Thy will, in the Tablet of Thine
irrevocable decree.
Proclaim, therefore, O my God, their greatness and the greatness of those
who while living or after death have circled round them. Supply them with
that which Thou hast ordained for the righteous among Thy creatures.
Potent art Thou to do all things. There is no God but Thee, the
All-Powerful, the Help in Peril, the Almighty, the Most Bountiful.
Do not bring our fasts to an end with this fast, O my Lord, nor the
covenants Thou hast made with this covenant. Do Thou accept all that we
have done for love of Thee, and for the sake of Thy pleasure, and all that
we have left undone as a result of our subjection to our evil and corrupt
desires. Enable us, then, to cleave steadfastly to Thy love and Thy
good-pleasure, and preserve us from the mischief of such as have denied
Thee and repudiated Thy most resplendent signs. Thou art, in truth, the
Lord of this world and of the next. No God is there beside Thee, the
Exalted, the Most High.
Magnify Thou, O Lord my God, Him Who is the Primal Point, the Divine
Mystery, the Unseen Essence, the Day-Spring of Divinity, and the
Manifestation of Thy Lordship, through Whom all the knowledge of the past
and all the knowledge of the future were made plain, through Whom the
pearls of Thy hidden wisdom were uncovered, and the mystery of Thy
treasured name disclosed, Whom Thou hast appointed as the Announcer of the
One through Whose name the letter B and the letter E have been joined and
united, through Whom Thy majesty, Thy sovereignty and Thy might were made
known, through Whom Thy words have been sent down, and Thy laws set forth
with clearness, and Thy signs spread abroad, and Thy Word established,
through Whom the hearts of Thy chosen ones were laid bare, and all that
were in the heavens and all that were on the earth were gathered together,
Whom Thou hast called ‘Alí-Muḥammad in the kingdom of Thy names, and the
Spirit of Spirits in the Tablets of Thine irrevocable decree, Whom Thou
hast invested with Thine own title, unto Whose name all other names have,
at Thy bidding and through the power of Thy might, been made to return,
and in Whom Thou hast caused all Thine attributes and titles to attain
their final consummation. To Him also belong such names as lay hid within
Thy stainless tabernacles, in Thine invisible world and Thy sanctified
cities.
Magnify Thou, moreover, such as have believed in Him and in His signs and
have turned towards Him, from among those that have acknowledged Thy unity
in His Latter Manifestation—a Manifestation whereof He hath made mention
in His Tablets, and in His Books, and in His Scriptures, and in all the
wondrous verses and gem-like utterances that have descended upon Him. It
is this same Manifestation Whose covenant Thou hast bidden Him establish
ere He had established His own covenant. He it is Whose praise the Bayán
hath celebrated. In it His excellence hath been extolled, and His truth
established, and His sovereignty proclaimed, and His Cause perfected.
Blessed is the man that hath turned unto Him, and fulfilled the things He
hath commanded, O Thou Who art the Lord of the worlds and the Desire of
all them that have known Thee!
Praised be Thou, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast aided us to recognize and
love Him. I, therefore, beseech Thee by Him and by Them Who are the
Day-Springs of Thy Divinity, and the Manifestations of Thy Lordship, and
the Treasuries of Thy Revelation, and the Depositories of Thine
inspiration, to enable us to serve and obey Him, and to empower us to
become the helpers of His Cause and the dispersers of His adversaries.
Powerful art Thou to do all that pleaseth Thee. No God is there beside
Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the One Whose help is sought by all
men!
LVII: “GOD TESTIFIETH TO THE UNITY OF HIS GODHOOD AND TO...”
God testifieth to the unity of His Godhood and to the singleness of His
own Being. On the throne of eternity, from the inaccessible heights of His
station, His tongue proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him. He
Himself, independently of all else, hath ever been a witness unto His own
oneness, the revealer of His own nature, the glorifier of His own essence.
He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Beauteous.
He is supreme over His servants, and standeth over His creatures. In His
hand is the source of authority and truth. He maketh men alive by His
signs, and causeth them to die through His wrath. He shall not be asked of
His doings and His might is equal unto all things. He is the Potent, the
All-Subduing. He holdeth within His grasp the empire of all things, and on
His right hand is fixed the Kingdom of His Revelation. His power, verily,
embraceth the whole of creation. Victory and overlordship are His; all
might and dominion are His; all glory and greatness are His. He, of a
truth, is the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful, the Unconditioned.
LVIII: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, TO WHOM THE TONGUES OF ALL...”
Praise be to Thee, to Whom the tongues of all created things have, from
eternity, called, and yet failed to attain the heaven of Thine eternal
holiness and grandeur. The eyes of all beings have been opened to behold
the beauty of Thy radiant countenance, yet none hath succeeded in gazing
on the brightness of the light of Thy face. The hands of them that are
nigh unto Thee have, ever since the foundation of Thy glorious sovereignty
and the establishment of Thy holy dominion, been raised suppliantly
towards Thee, yet no one hath been able to touch the hem of the robe that
clotheth Thy Divine and sovereign Essence. And yet none can deny that Thou
hast ever been, through the wonders of Thy generosity and bounty, supreme
over all things, art powerful to do all things, and art nearer unto all
things than they are unto themselves.
Far be it, then, from Thy glory that anyone should gaze on Thy wondrous
beauty with any eye save Thine own eye, or hear the melodies proclaiming
Thine almighty sovereignty with any ear except Thine own ear. Too high art
Thou exalted for the eye of any creature to behold Thy beauty, or for the
understanding of any heart to scale the heights of Thine immeasurable
knowledge. For should the birds of the hearts of them that are nigh unto
Thee be ever enabled to soar as long as Thine own overpowering sovereignty
can endure, or to ascend as long as the empire of Thy Divine holiness can
last, they shall, in no wise, be able to transcend the limitations which a
contingent world hath imposed upon them, nor pass beyond its confines.
How, then, can he whose very creation is restricted by such limitations,
attain unto Him Who is the Lord of the Kingdom of all created things, or
ascend into the heaven of Him Who ruleth the realms of loftiness and
grandeur?
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, my Best-Beloved! Inasmuch as
Thou hast ordained that the utmost limit to which they who lift their
hearts to Thee can rise is the confession of their powerlessness to enter
the realms of Thy holy and transcendent unity, and that the highest
station which they who aspire to know Thee can reach is the acknowledgment
of their impotence to attain the retreats of Thy sublime knowledge I,
therefore, beseech Thee, by this very powerlessness which is beloved of
Thee, and which Thou hast decreed as the goal of them that have reached
and attained Thy court, and by the splendors of Thy countenance that have
encompassed all things, and by the energies of Thy Will whereby the entire
creation hath been generated, not to deprive them that have set their
hopes in Thee of the wonders of Thy mercy, nor to withhold from such as
have sought Thee the treasures of Thy grace. Ignite, then, within their
hearts the torch of Thy love, that its flame may consume all else except
their wondrous remembrance of Thee, and that no trace may be left in those
hearts except the gem-like evidences of Thy most holy sovereignty, so that
from the land wherein they dwell no voice may be heard except the voice
that extolleth Thy mercifulness and might, that on the earth on which they
walk no light may shine except the light of Thy beauty, and that within
every soul naught may be discovered except the revelation of Thy
countenance and the tokens of Thy glory, that haply Thy servants may show
forth only that which shall please Thee and shall conform wholly unto Thy
most potent will.
Glory be to Thee, O my God! The power of Thy might beareth me witness! I
can have no doubt that should the holy breaths of Thy loving-kindness and
the breeze of Thy bountiful favor cease, for less than the twinkling of an
eye, to breathe over all created things, the entire creation would perish,
and all that are in heaven and on earth would be reduced to utter
nothingness. Magnified, therefore, be the marvelous evidences of Thy
transcendent power! Magnified be the potency of Thine exalted might!
Magnified be the majesty of Thine all-encompassing greatness, and the
energizing influence of Thy will! Such is Thy greatness that wert Thou to
concentrate the eyes of all men in the eye of one of Thy servants, and to
compress all their hearts within his heart, and wert Thou to enable him to
behold within himself all the things Thou hast created through Thy power
and fashioned through Thy might, and were he to ponder, throughout
eternity, over the realms of Thy creation and the range of Thy handiwork,
he would unfailingly discover that there is no created thing but is
overshadowed by Thine all-conquering power, and is vitalized through Thine
all-embracing sovereignty.
Behold me, then, O my God, fallen prostrate upon the dust before Thee,
confessing my powerlessness and Thine omnipotence, my poverty and Thy
wealth, mine evanescence and Thine eternity, mine utter abasement and
Thine infinite glory. I recognize that there is none other God but Thee,
that Thou hast no peer nor partner, none to equal or rival Thee. In Thine
unapproachable loftiness Thou hast, from eternity, been exalted above the
praise of any one but Thee, and shalt continue for ever, in Thy
transcendent singleness and glory, to be sanctified from the glorification
of any one except Thine own Self.
I swear by Thy might, O my Beloved! To make mention of any created thing
beseemeth not Thy most exalted Self, and to bestow any praise upon any one
of Thy creatures would be wholly unworthy of Thy great glory. Nay, such a
mention would be but blasphemy uttered within the court of Thy holiness,
and such praise would amount to no less than a transgression in the face
of the evidences of Thy Divine sovereignty. For the mere mention of any
one of Thy creatures would in itself imply an assertion of their existence
before the court of Thy singleness and unity. Such an assertion would be
naught but open blasphemy, an act of impiety, the essence of profanity and
a wanton crime.
Wherefore, I bear witness with my soul, my spirit, my entire being, that
should They Who are the Day-Springs of Thy most holy unity and the
Manifestations of Thy transcendent oneness be able to soar so long as
Thine own sovereignty endureth and Thine all-compelling authority can
last, they will fail in the end to attain unto even the precincts of the
court wherein Thou didst reveal the effulgence of but one of Thy most
mighty Names. Glorified, glorified be, therefore, Thy wondrous majesty.
Glorified, glorified be Thine unattainable loftiness. Glorified, glorified
be the préeminence of Thy kingship and the sublimity of Thine authority
and power.
The highest faculties which the learned have possessed, and whatsoever
truths they, in their search after the gems of Thy knowledge, have
discovered; the brightest realities with which the wise have been endowed,
and whatever secrets they, in their attempts to fathom the mysteries of
Thy wisdom, have unraveled, have all been created through the generative
power of the Spirit that was breathed into the Pen which Thy hands have
fashioned. How, then, can the thing which Thy Pen hath created be capable
of comprehending those treasures of Thy Faith with which, as decreed by
Thee, that Pen hath been invested? How can it ever know of the Fingers
that grasp Thy Pen, and of Thy merciful favors with which it hath been
endowed? How can it, already unable to reach this station, be made aware
of the existence of Thy Hand that controlleth the Fingers of Thy might?
How can it attain unto the comprehension of the nature of Thy Will that
animateth the movement of Thy Hand?
Glorified, glorified be Thou, O my God! How can I ever hope to ascend into
the heaven of Thy most holy will, or gain admittance into the tabernacle
of Thy Divine knowledge, knowing as I do that the minds of the wise and
learned are impotent to fathom the secrets of Thy handiwork—a handiwork
which is itself but a creation of Thy will?
Praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God, my Master, my Possessor, my King. Now
that I have confessed unto Thee my powerlessness and the powerlessness of
all created things, and have acknowledged my poverty and the poverty of
the entire creation, I call unto Thee with my tongue and the tongues of
all that are in heaven and on earth, and beseech Thee with my heart and
the hearts of all that have entered beneath the shadow of Thy names and
Thine attributes, not to shut us from the doors of Thy loving-kindness and
grace, nor to suffer the breeze of Thy bountiful care and favor to cease
from being wafted over our souls, nor to permit that our hearts be
occupied with any one except Thee, or our minds to be busied with any
remembrance save remembrance of Thy Self.
By the glory of Thy might, O my God! Wert Thou to set me king over Thy
realms, and to establish me upon the throne of Thy sovereignty, and to
deliver, through Thy power, the reins of the entire creation into my
hands, and wert Thou to cause me, though it be for less than a moment, to
be occupied with these things and be oblivious of the wondrous memories
associated with Thy most mighty, most perfect, and most exalted Name, my
soul would still remain unsatisfied, and the pangs of my heart unstilled.
Nay, I would, in that very state, recognize myself as the poorest of the
poor, and the most wretched of the wretched.
Magnified be Thy name, O my God! Now that Thou hast caused me to apprehend
this truth, I beseech Thee by Thy Name which no scroll can bear, which no
heart can imagine and no tongue can utter—a Name which will remain
concealed so long as Thine own Essence is hidden, and will be glorified so
long as Thine own Being is extolled—to unfurl, ere the present year draw
to a close, the ensigns of Thine undisputed ascendancy and triumph, that
the whole creation may be enriched by Thy wealth, and may be exalted
through the ennobling influence of Thy transcendent sovereignty, and that
all may arise and promote Thy Cause.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Highest, the All-Glorious, the
All-Subduing, the All-Possessing.
LIX: “ALL PRAISE, O MY GOD, BE TO THEE WHO ART THE...”
All praise, O my God, be to Thee Who art the Source of all glory and
majesty, of greatness and honor, of sovereignty and dominion, of loftiness
and grace, of awe and power. Whomsoever Thou willest Thou causest to draw
nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, and on whomsoever Thou desirest Thou
conferrest the honor of recognizing Thy Most Ancient Name. Of all who are
in heaven and on earth, none can withstand the operation of Thy sovereign
Will. From all eternity Thou didst rule the entire creation, and Thou wilt
continue for evermore to exercise Thy dominion over all created things.
There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the
All-Powerful, the All-Wise.
Illumine, O Lord, the faces of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee;
and cleanse their hearts that they may turn unto the court of Thy heavenly
favors, and recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the
Day-Spring of Thine Essence. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all worlds.
There is no God but Thee, the Unconstrained, the All-Subduing.
LX: “GLORIFIED BE THOU, O MY GOD! BEHOLD THOU MY...”
Glorified be Thou, O my God! Behold Thou my head ready to fall before the
sword of Thy Will, my neck prepared to bear the chains of Thy Desire, my
heart yearning to be made a target for the darts of Thy Decree, mine eyes
expectant to gaze on the tokens and signs of Thy wondrous Mercy. For
whatsoever may befall me from Thee is the cherished desire of them who
thirst to meet Thee, and the supreme aspiration of such as have drawn nigh
unto Thy court.
By the glory of Thy might, O Thou my Well-Beloved! To have sacrificed my
life for the Manifestations of Thy Self, to have offered up my soul in the
path of the Revealers of Thy wondrous Beauty, is to have sacrificed my
spirit for Thy Spirit, my being for Thy Being, my glory for Thy glory. It
is as if I had offered up all these things for Thy sake, and for the sake
of Thy loved ones.
Though my body be pained by the trials that befall me from Thee, though it
be afflicted by the revelations of Thy Decree, yet my soul rejoiceth at
having partaken of the waters of Thy Beauty, and at having attained the
shores of the ocean of Thine eternity. Doth it beseem a lover to flee from
his beloved, or to desert the object of his heart’s desire? Nay, we all
believe in Thee, and eagerly hope to enter Thy presence.
LXI: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU DOST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou dost witness that Thy will hath
prevailed over all created things, and Thy mercy hath surpassed all who
are in heaven and on earth. And when Thou didst purpose to unveil Thy
sovereignty, and to glorify Thy word, and to reveal Thy bounteousness and
mercy, Thou didst raise up one of Thy servants, and didst choose Him above
all Thy creatures, and didst single Him out for Thy purpose, and didst
clothe Him with the robe of Thy guidance, and didst immerse Him beneath
the seas of Thy majesty and grandeur, and didst sanctify Him from all that
beseemeth not the greatness of Thy glory and the power of Thy might, and
didst bid Him to cry out before all that are in heaven and on earth, and
summon the multitudes to the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Revealer of
Thy signs.
No sooner had He proclaimed Thy Cause, and risen up to carry out the
things prescribed unto Him in the Tablets of Thy decree, than the Great
Terror fell upon Thy creatures. Some turned towards Thee, and detached
themselves from all except Thee, and sanctified their souls from the world
and all that is therein, and were so enravished by the sweetness of Thy
voice that they forsook all Thou hadst created in the kingdom of Thy
creation. Others recognized Thee and then hesitated, others allowed the
world to come in between them and Thee and to withhold them from
recognizing Thee. Others disdained Thee, and turned back from Thee, and
wished to prevent Thee from achieving Thy purpose. And yet behold how all
of them are calling upon Thee, and are expecting the things they were
promised in Thy Tablets. And when the Promised One came unto them, they
recognized Him not, and disbelieved in Thy signs, and repudiated Thy clear
tokens, and strayed so grievously from Thy path that they slew Thy
servants, through the brightness of whose faces the countenances of the
Concourse on high have been illumined.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names, to guard Thy loved
ones against Thine enemies, and to strengthen them in their love for Thee
and in fulfilling Thy pleasure. Do Thou protect them, that their footsteps
may slip not, that their hearts may not be shut out as by a veil from
Thee, and that their eyes may be restrained from beholding anything that
is not of Thee. Cause them to be so enraptured by the sweetness of Thy
divine melodies that they will rid themselves of all attachment to any one
except Thee, and will turn wholly towards Thee, and extol Thee under all
conditions, saying: “Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, inasmuch as Thou
hast enabled us to recognize Thy most exalted and all-glorious Self. We
will, by Thy mercy, cleave to Thee, and will detach ourselves from any one
but Thee. We have realized that Thou art the Beloved of the worlds and the
Creator of earth and heaven!”
Glorified be God, the Lord of all creation!
LXII: “LAUDED AND GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD!...”
Lauded and glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He Who from
everlasting hath been clothed with majesty, with authority and power, and
will continue unto everlasting to be arrayed with honor, with strength and
glory. The learned, one and all, stand aghast before the signs and tokens
of Thy handiwork, while the wise find themselves, without exception,
impotent to unravel the mystery of Them Who are the Manifestations of Thy
might and power. Every man of insight hath confessed his powerlessness to
scale the heights of Thy knowledge, and every man of learning hath
acknowledged his failure to fathom the nature of Thine Essence.
Having barred the way that leadeth unto Thee, Thou hast, by virtue of
Thine authority and through the potency of Thy will, called into being
Them Who are the Manifestations of Thy Self, and hast entrusted Them with
Thy message unto Thy people, and caused Them to become the Day-Springs of
Thine inspiration, the Exponents of Thy Revelation, the Treasuries of Thy
Knowledge and the Repositories of Thy Faith, that all men may, through
Them, turn their faces towards Thee, and may draw nigh unto the kingdom of
Thy Revelation and the heaven of Thy grace.
I beseech Thee, therefore, by Thyself and by Them, to send down, from the
right hand of the throne of Thy grace, upon all that dwell on earth, that
which shall wash them from the stain of their trespasses against Thee, and
cause them to become wholly devoted to Thy Self, O Thou in Whose hand is
the source of all gifts, that they may all arise to serve Thy Cause, and
may detach themselves entirely from all except Thee. Thou art the
Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Unrestrained.
O my God, my Master, my Best-Beloved! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy
servant. I have held fast the cord of Thy grace, and clung to the hem of
the garment of Thy loving providence. I entreat Thee, by Thy Most Great
Name, Whom Thou hast appointed as the unerring Balance among the nations,
and Thine infallible Proof unto all men, not to forsake me, nor to abandon
me to my corrupt desires. Do Thou preserve me beneath the shadow of Thy
Supreme Sinlessness, and enable me to magnify Thine own Self amidst the
concourse of Thy creatures. Withhold not from me the Divine fragrance of
Thy days, and deprive me not of the sweet savors wafting from the
Day-Spring of Thy Revelation. Bestow on me the good of this world and of
the next, through the power of Thy grace that hath encompassed all created
things and Thy mercy that hath surpassed the entire creation. Thou art He
Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom of all things. Thou doest what Thou
willest through Thy decree, and choosest, through the power of Thy might,
whatsoever Thou desirest. None can resist Thy will; naught can exhaust the
impelling force of Thy command. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty,
the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.
LXIII: “THOU BEHOLDEST, O MY GOD, THY SERVANT WHO...”
Thou beholdest, O my God, Thy servant who dwelleth in this prison-house,
wholly detached from any one but Thee, his eyes turned in the direction of
the Day-Spring of Thy mercy, his heart longing for the wondrous
manifestations of Thy grace. Thou, O my Lord, hast reckoned up the ills
that have afflicted him in Thy path. Thou seest him compassed about with
such of Thy creatures as have transgressed and rebelled against Thee, who
have come in between him and Thy loved ones, who have fixed his abode in
this land and wronged Thee, and who have hindered Thy servants from
turning towards Thee.
For all these things I offer thanksgiving unto Thee, O my Lord! I implore
Thee to assist me and them that love me to magnify Thy Word, and to endow
us with such strength that the ills of this world and its tribulations
will be powerless to hinder us from remembering Thee and from extolling
Thy virtues. Powerful art Thou to do all things; resplendent art Thou
above all things.
Every conqueror is but a serf whom Thy hand hath subjected, and the
richest of the rich is as destitute before the immensity of Thy wealth.
The noblest of nobles is humbled when faced with the manifestations of Thy
glory, and the mightiest of potentates is a mere abject one when
confronted with the compelling evidences of Thine authority.
Tear asunder, O my God, the veil of vain imaginings that hath obscured the
vision of Thy people, that all may haste towards Thee, may tread the path
of Thy pleasure, and walk in the ways of Thy Faith. We are, O my God, Thy
servants and Thy bondsmen. Thou art sufficient unto us so that we can
dispense with the world and all that is therein. We are wholly satisfied
with all that hath befallen us in Thy path, and exclaim: “Praised be Thou,
in Whose hand are the realms of revelation and of creation, and all the
kingdoms of earth and heaven!”
LXIV: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD, MY MASTER!...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God, my Master! Thou hearest the sighing of
those who, though they long to behold Thy face, are yet separated from
Thee and far distant from Thy court. Thou testifiest to the lamentations
which those who have recognized Thee pour forth because of their exile
from Thee and their yearning to meet Thee. I beseech Thee by those hearts
which contain naught except the treasures of Thy remembrance and praise,
and which show forth only the testimonies of Thy greatness and the
evidences of Thy might, to bestow on Thy servants who desire Thee power to
approach the seat of the revelation of the splendor of Thy glory and to
assist them whose hopes are set on Thee to enter into the tabernacle of
Thy transcendent favor and mercy.
Naked am I, O my God! Clothe me with the robe of Thy tender mercies. I am
sore athirst; give me to drink of the oceans of Thy bountiful favor. I am
a stranger; draw me nearer unto the source of Thy gifts. I am sick;
sprinkle upon me the healing waters of Thy grace. I am a captive; rid me
of my bondage, by the power of Thy might and through the force of Thy
will, that I may soar on the wings of detachment towards the loftiest
summits of Thy creation. Thou, verily, doest what Thou choosest. There is
no God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the Unconstrained.
LXV: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY GOD! THOU KNOWEST THAT...”
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest that my sole aim in revealing
Thy Cause hath been to reveal Thee and not my self, and to manifest Thy
glory rather than my glory. In Thy path, and to attain Thy pleasure, I
have scorned rest, joy, delight. At all times and under all conditions my
gaze hath been fixed on Thy precepts, and mine eyes bent upon the things
Thou hast bidden me observe in Thy Tablets. I have wakened every morning
to the light of Thy praise and Thy remembrance, and reached every evening
inhaling the fragrances of Thy mercy.
And when the entire creation was stirred up, and the whole earth was
convulsed, and the sweet savors of Thy name, the All-Praised, had almost
ceased to breathe over Thy realms, and the winds of Thy mercy had
well-nigh been stilled throughout Thy dominions, Thou didst, through the
power of Thy might, raise me up among Thy servants, and bid me to show
forth Thy sovereignty amidst Thy people. Thereupon I arose before all Thy
creatures, strengthened by Thy help and Thy power, and summoned all the
multitudes unto Thee, and announced unto all Thy servants Thy favors and
Thy gifts, and invited them to turn towards this Ocean, every drop of the
waters of which crieth out, proclaiming unto all that are in heaven and on
earth that He is, in truth, the Fountain of all life, and the Quickener of
the entire creation, and the Object of the adoration of all worlds, and
the Best-Beloved of every understanding heart, and the Desire of all them
that are nigh unto Thee.
Though the fierce winds of the hatred of the wicked doers blew and beat on
this Lamp, He was, at no time, in His love for Thy beauty, hindered from
shedding the fragrance of His light. As the transgressions committed
against Thee waxed greater and greater, my eagerness to reveal Thy Cause
correspondingly increased, and as the tribulations deepened—and to this
Thy glory beareth me witness—a fuller measure of Thy sovereignty and of
Thy power was vouchsafed by me unto Thy creatures.
And finally, I was cast by the transgressors into the prison-city of Akká,
and my kindred were made captives in Ba_gh_dád. The power of Thy might
beareth me witness, O my God! Every trouble that hath touched me in Thy
path hath added to my joy and increased my gladness. I swear by Thee, O
Thou Who art the King of Kings! None of the kings of the earth hath power
to hinder me from remembering Thee or from extolling Thy virtues. Were
they to be leagued—as they have been leagued—against me, and to brandish
their sharpest swords and most afflictive spears against me, I would not
hesitate to magnify Thy name before all them that are in Thy heaven and on
Thy earth. Nay rather, I would cry out and say: “This, O my Beloved, is my
face which I have offered up for Thy face, and this is my spirit which I
have sacrificed for Thy spirit, and this is my blood that seetheth in my
veins, in its longing to be shed for love of Thee and in Thy path.”
Though—as Thou beholdest me, O my God—I be dwelling in a place within
whose walls no voice can be heard except the sound of the echo, though all
the gates of ease and comfort be shut against us, and thick darkness
appear to have compassed us on every side, yet my soul hath been so
inflamed by its love for Thee, that nothing whatsoever can either quench
the fire of its love or abate the consuming flame of its desire. Lifting
up its voice, it crieth aloud amidst Thy servants, and calleth them, at
all times and under all conditions, unto Thee.
I beseech Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to open the eyes of Thy servants,
that they may behold Thee shining above the horizon of Thy majesty and
glory, and that they may not be hindered by the croaking of the raven from
hearkening to the voice of the Dove of Thy sublime oneness, nor be
prevented by the corrupt waters from partaking of the pure wine of Thy
bounty and the everlasting streams of Thy gifts.
Gather them, then, together around this Divine Law, the covenant of which
Thou hast established with all Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, and Whose
ordinances Thou hast written down in Thy Tablets and Thy Scriptures. Raise
them up, moreover, to such heights as will enable them to perceive Thy
Call.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the
Inaccessible, the All-Glorious.
LXVI: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou seest me dwelling in this
prison-house that lieth behind the seas and the mountains, and knowest
full well what I have endured for love of Thee and for the sake of Thy
Cause. Thou art He, O my God, Who hath raised me up at Thy behest, and
bidden me to occupy Thy seat, and to summon all men to the court of Thy
mercy. It is Thou Who hast commanded me to tell out the things Thou didst
destine for them in the Tablet of Thy decree and didst inscribe with the
pen of Thy Revelation, and Who hast enjoined on me the duty of kindling
the fire of Thy love in the hearts of Thy servants, and of drawing all the
peoples of the earth nearer to the habitation of Thy throne.
And when, as bidden by Thee, I arose and called out, by Thy leave, all Thy
creatures, the wayward among Thy servants opposed me. Some turned away
from me, others disowned my claim, a few hesitated, while others were sore
perplexed, notwithstanding that Thy testimony was set forth before the
followers of all religions, and Thy proof demonstrated unto all the
peoples of the earth, and the signs of Thy might so powerfully manifested
as to encompass the entire creation.
I was, moreover, opposed by mine own kindred, although, as Thou knowest,
they were dear to me and I had desired for them that which I had desired
for mine own self. These are the ones who, when learning that I had been
cast into prison, perpetrated against me what no man else on earth had
perpetrated.
I entreat Thee, therefore, O my God, by Thy name by which Thou hast
separated between truth and denial, to purify their hearts of all evil
suggestions, and to enable them to draw nigh unto Him Who is the
Day-Spring of Thy names and Thine attributes.
Thou knowest, O my God, that I have severed every tie that bindeth me to
any of Thy creatures except that most exalted tie that uniteth me with
whosoever cleaveth unto Thee, in this the day of the revelation of Thy
most august Self, that hath appeared in Thy name, the All-Glorious. Thou
knowest that I have dissolved every bond that knitteth me to any one of my
kindred except such as have enjoyed near access to Thy most effulgent
face.
I have no will but Thy will, O my Lord, and cherish no desire except Thy
desire. From my pen floweth only the summons which Thine own exalted pen
hath voiced, and my tongue uttereth naught save what the Most Great Spirit
hath itself proclaimed in the kingdom of Thine eternity. I am stirred by
nothing else except the winds of Thy will, and breathe no word except the
words which, by Thy leave and Thine inspiration, I am led to pronounce.
Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Well-Beloved of all that have known
Thee, and the Desire of the hearts of such as are devoted to Thee,
inasmuch as Thou hast made me a target for the ills that I suffer in my
love for Thee, and the object of the assaults launched against me in Thy
path. Thy glory beareth me witness! I can, on no account, feel impatient
of the adversities that I have borne in my love for Thee. From the very
day Thou didst reveal Thyself unto me, I have accepted for myself every
manner of tribulation. Every moment of my life my head crieth out to Thee
and saith: “Would, O my Lord, that I could be raised on the spear-point in
Thy path!” while my blood entreateth Thee saying: “Dye the earth with me,
O my God, for the sake of Thy love and Thy pleasure!” Thou knowest that I
have, at no time, sought to guard my body against any affliction, nay
rather I have continually anticipated the things Thou didst ordain for me
in the Tablet of Thy decree.
Behold, then, O my God, my loneliness among Thy servants and my remoteness
from Thy friends and Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee, by the showers of
the clouds of Thy mercy, whereby Thou hast caused the blossoms of Thy
praise and utterance and the flowers of Thy wisdom and testimony to spring
forth in the hearts of all them that have recognized Thy oneness, to
supply Thy servants and my kindred with the fruits of the tree of Thy
unity, in these days when Thou hast been established upon the throne of
Thy mercy. Hinder them not, O my Lord, from attaining unto the things Thou
dost possess, and write down for them that which will aid them to scale
the heights of Thy grace and favor. Give them, moreover, to drink of the
living waters of Thy knowledge, and ordain for them the good of this world
and of the world to come.
Thou art, verily, the Lord of Bahá, and the Beloved of his heart, and the
Object of his desire, and the Inspirer of his tongue, and the Source of
his soul. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the Most High. Thou
art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Merciful.
LXVII: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I YIELD THEE...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I yield Thee thanks for having enabled
me to recognize the Manifestation of Thyself, and for having severed me
from Thine enemies, and laid bare before mine eyes their misdeeds and
wicked works in Thy days, and for having rid me of all attachment to them,
and caused me to turn wholly towards Thy grace and bountiful favors. I
give Thee thanks, also, for having sent down upon me from the clouds of
Thy will that which hath so sanctified me from the hints of the infidels
and the allusions of the misbelievers that I have fixed my heart firmly on
Thee, and fled from such as have denied the light of Thy countenance.
Again I thank Thee for having empowered me to be steadfast in Thy love,
and to speak forth Thy praise and to extol Thy virtues, and for having
given me to drink of the cup of Thy mercy that hath surpassed all things
visible and invisible.
Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving.
LXVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! THOU SEEST ME SHUT UP...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou seest me shut up in this Prison, and art
well aware that I have entered it solely for Thy sake and for the sake of
the glorification of Thy word and the proclamation of Thy Cause. I cry out
to Thee, this very moment, O Thou Who art the Lord of all worlds,
beseeching Thee, by Thine undoubted Name, to attract the hearts of Thy
servants unto the Day-Spring of Thy most excellent titles and the
Dawning-Place of Thy most resplendent signs.
But for the troubles that touch me in Thy path, O my God, how else could
my heart rejoice in Thy days; and were it not for the blood which is shed
for love of Thee, what else could tinge the faces of Thy chosen ones
before the eyes of Thy creatures? I swear by Thy might! The ornament that
adorneth the countenance of Thy dear ones is the blood which, in their
love for Thee, floweth out of their foreheads over their faces.
Thou beholdest, O my God, how every bone in my body soundeth like a pipe
with the music of Thine inspiration, revealing the signs of Thy oneness
and the clear tokens of Thy unity. I entreat Thee, O my God, by Thy Name
which irradiateth all things, to raise up such servants as shall incline
their ears to the voice of the melodies that hath ascended from the right
hand of the throne of Thy glory. Make them, then, to quaff from the hand
of Thy grace the wine of Thy mercy, that it may assure their hearts, and
cause them to turn away from the left hand of idle fancies and vain
imaginings to the right hand of confidence and certitude.
Now that Thou hast guided them unto the door of Thy grace, O my Lord, cast
them not away, by Thy bounty; and now that Thou hast summoned them unto
the horizon of Thy Cause, keep them not back from Thee, by Thy
graciousness and favor. Powerful art Thou to do as Thou pleasest. No God
is there but Thee, the Omniscient, the All-Informed.
LXIX: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! MY TONGUE,...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! My tongue, both the tongue of my body
and the tongue of my heart, my limbs and members, every pulsating vein
within me, every hair of my head, all proclaim that Thou art God, and that
there is none other God beside Thee. From everlasting Thou hast been
immeasurably exalted above all similitudes and comparisons, and sanctified
from whatsoever pertaineth to the creation Thou hast created and
fashioned. From eternity Thou hast been alone, with none to share the
majesty of Thy singleness, and hast remained far above the changes and
chances to which all Thy creatures are subjected.
And when Thou didst purpose to demonstrate the power of Thy sovereign
might, and to glorify Thy word, and to guide the steps of Thy people, Thou
didst raise up from among Thy creatures One of Thy servants, Whom Thou
didst send forth with the signs of Thy sovereignty, and Whom Thou didst
endue with the clear tokens of Thy oneness, that He might fulfill Thy
testimony unto all created things, and perfect Thy proof before all men.
As soon as He revealed Himself, as bidden by Thee, and called Thy servants
to turn in the direction of Thy gifts, and to set their faces towards the
horizon of Thy knowledge, the signs of dissension appeared amongst them.
Some responded to Thy call and, without the least hesitation, obeyed Thy
summons. Others turned their backs to Thee, and followed the desires of a
corrupt inclination.
I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Great Name, to enrapture the nations
through the potency of the Word which Thou didst ordain to be the king of
all words, the Word whereby the goodly pearls of Thy hidden wisdom were
uncovered, and the gem-like mysteries which were wrapped up within Thee
were unraveled. Deprive them not, by Thy grace and bounty, of the things
Thou didst desire for them, and suffer them not to be far removed from the
shores of the ocean of Thy presence.
Every existence, whether seen or unseen, O my Lord, testifieth that Thy
mercy hath surpassed all created things, and Thy loving-kindness embraced
the entire creation. Look upon them, I entreat Thee, with the eyes of Thy
mercy. Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. Do with them
as beseemeth Thy glory, and Thy majesty, and Thy greatness, and Thy
bounteousness and Thy grace. Deal not with them according to the
limitations imposed upon them, or the manifold vicissitudes of their
earthly life.
Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I am but one of Thy servants. I have tasted
of the sweetness of Thy speech, and acknowledged Thy unity and Thy
singleness, and set my face towards the Source of Thy most excellent names
and the Day-Spring of Thy transcendent attributes, and wished to be
enabled by Thee to immerse myself beneath the ocean of Thy oneness and to
be submerged by the mighty waters of Thy unity.
Assist me, by Thy strengthening grace, O my Lord, to do what Thou didst
will, and withhold not from me the things Thou dost possess. So enravish
me with the wonders of Thine utterances that the noise and distraction of
this world may be powerless to deter me from turning unto Thee, and may
fail to shake my constancy in Thy Cause, or to distract my gaze from the
horizon of Thy grace. Aid me, then, O my God, to do what pleaseth Thee,
and to carry out Thy will. Write down for me, moreover, the good of this
world and of the world which is to come, and ordain for me a seat of truth
in Thy presence. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to rule as
Thou pleasest. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the
All-Glorious, the Most Great.
All-praise to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the Object of the adoration
of the entire creation!
LXX: “FADED NOW IS ALL THAT ERSTWHILE FLOURISHED IN THE...”
Faded now is all that erstwhile flourished in the Paradise of Thy
transcendent oneness, O my God! Where are the rain-giving clouds of Thy
mercy? Shorn are the branches of the Tree of Thy unity of the vesture of
Thy majesty and wisdom; where is the spring-time of Thy gifts and
bounties? Motionless lies the Ark of Thy Cause on the sea of Thy creation;
where are the winds of Thy grace and favors? Encompassed on every side is
Thy Lamp by the tempests of discord blowing from every land; where is the
globe of Thy graciousness and protection?
Thou seest, O my God, how the eyes of these poor creatures are bent upon
the horizon of Thy riches, how the hearts of these helpless ones are set
in the direction of Thy might. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the sole
Desire of them that have recognized Thee, and the Object of the adoration
of the entire creation, not to suffer them, now that Thou hast attracted
them by Thy most exalted Word, to be far removed from the Tabernacle which
Thou hast reared up by Thy name, the All-Glorious.
They are sore pressed with cares, O my Lord, and are encompassed about by
the wicked. Send down, therefore, from the heaven of Thy behest Thine
invisible hosts, that, holding aloft the ensigns of Thy victory, they may
help them in Thy land, and may shield them against Thine adversaries.
I entreat Thee, O my God, by Thy name through which the clouds have rained
down their rain, and the streams have flowed, and the fire of Thy love
hath been kindled throughout Thy dominion, to assist Thy servant who hath
turned towards Thee, and hath spoken forth Thy praise, and determined to
help Thee. Fortify, then, his heart, O my God, in Thy love and in Thy
Faith. Better is this for him than all that hath been created on Thine
earth, for the world and whatsoever is therein must perish, and what
pertaineth unto Thee must endure as long as Thy most excellent names
endure. By Thy Glory! Were the world to last as long as Thine own kingdom
will last, to set their affections upon it would still be unseemly for
such as have quaffed, from the hands of Thy mercy, the wine of Thy
presence; how much more when they recognize its fleetingness and are
persuaded of its transience. The chances that overtake it, and the changes
to which all things pertaining unto it are continually subjected, attest
its impermanence.
Whosoever hath recognized Thee will turn to none save Thee, and will seek
from Thee naught else except Thyself. Thou art the sole Desire of the
heart of him whose thoughts are fixed on Thee, and the highest Aspiration
of whosoever is wholly devoted unto Thee.
No God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the
All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.
LXXI: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD, FOR THAT THOU...”
Magnified be Thy name, O my God, for that Thou hast manifested the Day
which is the King of Days, the Day which Thou didst announce unto Thy
chosen Ones and Thy Prophets in Thy most excellent Tablets, the Day
whereon Thou didst shed the splendor of the glory of all Thy names upon
all created things. Great is his blessedness whosoever hath set himself
towards Thee, and entered Thy presence, and caught the accents of Thy
voice.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the name of Him round Whom circleth in
adoration the kingdom of Thy names, that Thou wilt graciously assist them
that are dear to Thee to glorify Thy word among Thy servants, and to shed
abroad Thy praise amidst Thy creatures, so that the ecstasies of Thy
revelation may fill the souls of all the dwellers of Thine earth.
Since Thou hast guided them, O my Lord, unto the living waters of Thy
grace, grant, by Thy bounty, that they may not be kept back from Thee; and
since Thou hast summoned them to the habitation of Thy throne, drive them
not out from Thy presence, through Thy loving-kindness. Send down upon
them what shall wholly detach them from aught else except Thee, and make
them able to soar in the atmosphere of Thy nearness, in such wise that
neither the ascendancy of the oppressor nor the suggestions of them that
have disbelieved in Thy most august and most mighty Self shall be capable
of keeping them back from Thee.
LXXII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O THOU IN WHOSE HANDS IS...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Thou in Whose hands is the kingdom of all names, and
in the grasp of Whose might are all that are in heaven and all that are on
earth! I entreat Thee, by Him Who is Thy Most Effulgent Name Whom Thou
hast made a target for the darts of Thy decree in Thy path, O Thou the
King of eternity, to rend asunder the veils that have shut off Thy
creatures from the horizon of Thy glory, that haply they may turn their
faces in the direction of Thy mercy, and draw nigh unto the Day-Spring of
Thy loving-kindness.
Leave not Thy servants to themselves, O my Lord! Draw them through the
influence of Thine utterances unto the Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration,
and to the Fountain of Thy Revelation, and to the Treasury of Thy wisdom.
Thou art He to Whose strength and power all things have testified, Whose
Purpose nothing whatsoever of all that hath been created in Thy heaven and
on Thy earth hath been able to frustrate.
Render, then, victorious, O my God, Thy servants who have set their faces
towards Thee, and directed their steps to the seat of Thy grace. Send
down, then, upon them what will keep them safe from the danger of turning
to any one but Thee, and from fixing their eyes upon aught else except
Thyself.
Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to rule as Thou pleasest.
There is no God but Thee, the God of glory and wisdom.
LXXIII: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the
Restrainer, to withhold from us the maleficence of Thine adversaries who
have disbelieved in Thy testimony, and caviled at Thy beauty. Overpower by
Thy Name, the All-Subduing, such as have wronged Thy Previous
Manifestation Who hath now appeared invested with Thy title, the
All-Glorious. Lay hold, by Thy name, the Chastiser, on them that have
treated Thy Cause with scorn, have jested at Thy most mighty utterances,
and were hindered from attaining this most exalted station. Enable Thy
loved ones, by Thy Name, the Victorious, to prevail against Thine enemies
and the infidels among Thy creatures. Rend asunder, by Thy Name, the
Cleaver, the veil that hideth the doings of them that have besmirched
Thine honor and undermined Thy Faith among Thy people. Bind, by Thy Name,
the Restorer, the broken hearts of them that love Thee, and graciously
bless them in their affairs. Teach them, by Thy Name, the All-Knowing, the
wonders of Thy wisdom, that they may cleave steadfastly to Thy Faith and
walk in the ways of Thy pleasure. Keep them safe, by Thy Name, the
Withholder, from the tyranny of the oppressor and the wickedness of the
evil-doers and the malice of the stirrers of mischief. Shield them, by Thy
Name, the Preserver, within the stronghold of Thy might and power, that
haply they may be protected from the darts of doubt that are hurled by
such as have rebelled against Thee. Sanctify for Thy servants, by Thy Name
which Thou hast blessed above all other names, which Thou hast singled out
for Thy favor, and by which Thou didst reveal Thy beauty, these days of
which the Pen of Thy decree hath distinctly written, and which, according
to Thy will and wisdom, have been preordained in Thine irrevocable Tablet.
Subject to Thy rule, by Thy Name, the Conqueror, the people of Thy realm,
that all may turn towards Thy face and forsake their all for love of Thee
and for the sake of Thy pleasure.
Abase Thou, O my Lord, Thine enemies, and lay hold on them with Thy power
and might, and let them be stricken by the blast of Thy wrath. Make them
taste, O my God, of Thine awful majesty and vengeance, for they have
repudiated the truth of the One in Whom they had believed, Who came unto
them with Thy signs and Thy clear tokens and the evidences of Thy power
and the manifold revelations of Thy might. Gather, then, together Thy
loved ones beneath the shadow of the Tree of Thy oneness, and of the
Manifestation of the effulgent light of Thy unity.
Thou art, verily, the One Whose power is immense, Whose vengeance is
terrible. No God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
LXXIV: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD, INASMUCH...”
Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God, inasmuch as Thou hast inclined mine
ear to Thy voice, and called me to Thyself, and opened mine eyes to gaze
on Thy beauty, and illumined my heart with Thy knowledge, and sanctified
my breast from the doubts of the infidels in Thy days. I am the one, O my
God, who lay fast asleep on his couch, when lo, the messengers of Thy
manifold mercies were sent down upon me by Thee, and the gentle winds of
Thy loving-kindness blew over me, and roused me up, and caused me to set
my face towards the sanctuary of Thy knowledge, and to fix mine eyes upon
the splendors of the light of Thy face.
I am but a poor creature, O my Lord! Behold me clinging to the hem of Thy
riches. I have fled from darkness and from waywardness unto the brightness
of the light of Thy countenance. Were I—and to this Thy glory beareth me
witness—to render thanksgiving unto Thee, through the whole continuance of
Thy kingdom and the duration of the heaven of Thine omnipotence, I would
still have failed to repay Thy manifold bestowals.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name, the Ever-Abiding, and by Thy name
which Thou didst ordain to be the most great Instrument binding Thee to
Thy servants, to grant that I may flee for shelter to Thy door, and speak
forth Thy praise. Write down, then, for me, in every world of Thine, that
which will enable me to enter beneath Thy shadow and within the borders of
Thy court.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Bountiful, the Most Exalted, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
LXXV: “ALL-PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD, MY GOD! I KNOW...”
All-praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! I know not how to sing Thy praise,
how to describe Thy glory, how to call upon Thy Name. If I call upon Thee
by Thy Name, the All-Possessing, I am compelled to recognize that He Who
holdeth in His hand the immediate destinies of all created things is but a
vassal dependent upon Thee, and is the creation of but a word proceeding
from Thy mouth. And if I proclaim Thee by the name of Him Who is the
All-Compelling, I readily discover that He is but a suppliant fallen upon
the dust, awe-stricken by Thy dreadful might, Thy sovereignty and power.
And if I attempt to describe Thee by glorifying the oneness of Thy Being,
I soon realize that such a conception is but a notion which mine own fancy
hath woven, and that Thou hast ever been immeasurably exalted above the
vain imaginations which the hearts of men have devised.
The glory of Thy might beareth me witness! Whoso claimeth to have known
Thee hath, by virtue of such a claim, testified to his own ignorance; and
whoso believeth himself to have attained unto Thee, all the atoms of the
earth would attest his powerlessness and proclaim his failure. Thou hast,
however, by virtue of Thy mercy that hath surpassed the kingdoms of earth
and heaven, deigned to accept from Thy servants the laud and honor they
pay to Thine own exalted Self, and hast bidden them celebrate Thy glory,
that the ensigns of Thy guidance may be unfurled in Thy cities and the
tokens of Thy mercy be spread abroad among Thy nations, and that each and
all may be enabled to attain unto that which Thou hast destined for them
by Thy decree, and ordained unto them through Thine irrevocable will and
purpose.
Having testified, therefore, unto mine own impotence and the impotence of
Thy servants, I beseech Thee, by the brightness of the light of Thy
beauty, not to refuse Thy creatures attainment to the shores of Thy most
holy ocean. Draw them, then, O my God, through the Divine sweetness of Thy
melodies, towards the throne of Thy glory and the seat of Thine eternal
holiness. Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the Supreme Ruler, the
Great Giver, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Desired.
Grant, then, O my God, that Thy servant who hath turned towards Thee, hath
fixed his gaze upon Thee, and clung to the cord of Thy mercifulness and
favor, may be enabled to partake of the living waters of Thy mercy and
grace. Cause him, then, to ascend unto the heights to which he aspireth,
and withhold him not from that which Thou dost possess. Thou art, verily,
the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.
LXXVI: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! EVERY TIME I...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I attempt to make mention of
Thee, I am hindered by the sublimity of Thy station and the overpowering
greatness of Thy might. For were I to praise Thee throughout the length of
Thy dominion and the duration of Thy sovereignty, I would find that my
praise of Thee can befit only such as are like unto me, who are themselves
Thy creatures, and who have been generated through the power of Thy decree
and been fashioned through the potency of Thy will. And at whatever time
my pen ascribeth glory to any one of Thy names, methinks I can hear the
voice of its lamentation in its remoteness from Thee, and can recognize
its cry because of its separation from Thy Self. I testify that everything
other than Thee is but Thy creation and is held in the hollow of Thy hand.
To have accepted any act or praise from Thy creatures is but an evidence
of the wonders of Thy grace and bountiful favors, and a manifestation of
Thy generosity and providence.
I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Most Great Name whereby Thou didst
separate light from fire, and truth from denial, to send down upon me and
upon such of my loved ones as are in my company the good of this world and
of the next. Supply us, then, with Thy wondrous gifts that are hid from
the eyes of men. Thou art, verily, the Fashioner of all creation. No God
is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most High.
LXXVII: “O THOU, AT WHOSE DREADFUL MAJESTY ALL THINGS HAVE...”
O Thou, at Whose dreadful majesty all things have trembled, in Whose grasp
are the affairs of all men, towards Whose grace and mercy are set the
faces of all Thy creatures! I entreat Thee, by Thy Name which Thou hast
ordained to be the spirit of all names that are in the kingdom of names,
to shield us from the whisperings of those who have turned away from Thee,
and have repudiated the truth of Thy most august and most exalted Self, in
this Revelation that hath caused the kingdom of Thy names to tremble.
I am one of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord! I have turned my face towards the
sanctuary of Thy gracious favors and the adored tabernacle of Thy glory.
Purify me of all that is not of Thee, and strengthen me to love Thee and
to fulfill Thy pleasure, that I may delight myself in the contemplation of
Thy beauty, and be rid of all attachment to any of Thy creatures, and may,
at every moment, proclaim: “Magnified be God, the Lord of the worlds!”
Let my food, O my Lord, be Thy beauty, and my drink the light of Thy
presence, and my hope Thy pleasure, and my work Thy praise, and my
companion Thy remembrance, and my aid Thy sovereignty, and my
dwelling-place Thy habitation, and my home the seat which Thou hast
exalted above the limitations of them that are shut out as by a veil from
Thee.
Thou art, in truth, the God of power, of strength and glory.
LXXVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! EVERY TIME I...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I am reminded of Thee and muse
on Thy virtues, I am seized with such ecstasies and am so enravished by
Thee that I find myself unable to make mention of Thy name and to extol
Thee. I am carried back to such heights that I recognize my self to be the
same as the remembrance of Thee in Thy realm, and the essence of Thy
praise among Thy servants. As long as that self endureth, so long will Thy
praise continue to be shed abroad among Thy creatures and Thy remembrance
glorified by Thy people.
Every man endued with insight among Thy servants is persuaded that my self
liveth eternally and can never perish, inasmuch as remembrance of Thee is
eternal and will endure so long as Thine own Self endureth, and Thy praise
is everlasting and will last as long as Thine own sovereignty will last.
By its means Thou art glorified by such of Thy chosen ones as call upon
Thee and by the sincere among Thy servants. Nay, the praise wherewith any
one, in the entire creation, praiseth Thee proceedeth from this exalted
self and returneth unto it, even as the sun which, while it shineth,
sheddeth its splendor upon whatsoever may be exposed to its rays. From
this sun is generated, and unto it must return, the light which is shed
over all things.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou above any attempt to measure the
greatness of Thy Cause, above any comparison that one may seek to make,
above the efforts of the human tongue to utter its import! From
everlasting Thou hast existed, alone with no one else beside Thee, and
wilt, to everlasting, continue to remain the same, in the sublimity of
Thine essence and the inaccessible heights of Thy glory.
And when Thou didst purpose to make Thyself known unto men, Thou didst
successively reveal the Manifestations of Thy Cause, and ordained each to
be a sign of Thy Revelation among Thy people, and the Day-Spring of Thine
invisible Self amidst Thy creatures, until the time when, as decreed by
Thee, all Thy previous Revelations culminated in Him Whom Thou hast
appointed as the Lord of all who are in the heaven of revelation and the
kingdom of creation, Him Whom Thou hast established as the Sovereign Lord
of all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. He it was Whom
Thou hast determined to be the Herald of Thy Most Great Revelation and the
Announcer of Thy Most Ancient Splendor. In this Thou hadst no other
purpose except to try them who have manifested Thy most excellent titles
unto all who are in heaven and on earth. He it was Whom Thou hast
commanded to establish His covenant with all created things.
And when Thy promise came to pass and the set time was fulfilled, He Who
is the Possessor of all Names and Attributes was made manifest unto men.
Thereupon all that were in the heavens and all that were on the earth were
terror-stricken save those whom Thou didst keep under Thy protection and
preserve within the shelter of Thy power and gracious providence. There
befell Him, at the hands of such of Thy creatures as have transgressed
against Thee, that which the tongue of no one of Thy servants can recount.
Look down, then, upon Him, O my God, with the eye of Thy tender mercy, and
send down upon Him and upon those that love Him all the good Thou didst
ordain in the heaven of Thy will and the Tablet of Thy decree. Aid them,
then, with Thy succor, for Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most
Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling.
LXXIX: “ALL GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I BEAR...”
All glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I bear witness for Thee to that
whereto Thou Thyself didst bear witness for Thine own Self, ere the day
Thou hadst created the creation or made mention thereof, that Thou art
God, and that there is none other God beside Thee. From eternity Thou
hast, in Thy transcendent oneness, been immeasurably exalted above Thy
servants’ conception of Thy unity, and wilt to eternity remain, in Thine
unapproachable singleness, far above the praise of Thy creatures. No words
that any one beside Thee may utter can ever beseem Thee, and no man’s
description except Thine own description can befit Thy nature. All who
adore Thy unity have been sore perplexed to fathom the mystery of Thy
oneness, and all have confessed their powerlessness to attain unto the
comprehension of Thine essence and to scale the pinnacle of Thy knowledge.
The mighty have all acknowledged their weakness, and the learned
recognized their ignorance. They that are possessed of influence are as
nothing when compared with the revelations of Thy stupendous sovereignty,
and they who are exalted sink into oblivion when brought before the
manifestations of Thy great glory. The radiance of the brightest
luminaries is eclipsed by the effulgent splendors of Thy face, and the
tongues of the most eloquent of speakers falter under the unrestrained
effusions of Thy holy utterance, and the foundations of the mightiest
structures tremble before the onrushing force of Thy compelling power.
Who is there, O my God, that can be deemed worthy to be remembered when
Thou art remembered, and where is he to be found who can be regarded as
capable of hinting at Thy nature or worthy of mention in the court of Thy
transcendent oneness? From everlasting Thou hast been alone with no one
else beside Thee, and to everlasting Thou wilt continue to be one and the
same. No God is there beside Thee, the God of power, of glory and wisdom.
Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Him Who is Thine
exalted and supreme Remembrance, Whom Thou hast sent down unto all Thy
creatures and invested with Thy name, the All-Glorious, Whose will Thou
hast ordained to be Thine own will, Whose self Thou hast decreed to be the
revealer of Thine own Self, and His essence the Day-Spring of Thy wisdom,
and His heart the treasury of Thine inspiration, and His breast the
dawning-place of Thy most excellent attributes and most exalted titles,
and His tongue the fountain-head of the waters of Thy praise and the
well-spring of the soft-flowing streams of Thy wisdom, to send down upon
us that which will enable us to dispense with all else except Thee, and
will cause us to direct our steps towards the sanctuary of Thy pleasure
and to aspire after the things Thou didst ordain for us according to Thine
irrevocable decree. Empower us, then, O my God, to forsake ourselves and
cleave steadfastly to Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Most
Exalted, the Most High. Supply us also with that which is best for us, and
write us down with such of Thy servants as have repudiated the Idol (Mírzá
Yaḥyá), and firmly believed in Thee, and been so established on the throne
of certitude that the whisperings of the Evil One have been powerless to
hinder them from turning their faces towards Thy name, the All-Merciful.
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest and to ordain what Thou
willest. No God is there but Thee, the All-Possessing, the All-Highest,
the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
LXXX: “O THOU WHOSE REMEMBRANCE IS THE DELIGHT OF THE...”
O Thou Whose remembrance is the delight of the souls of all them that
yearn after Thee, Whose name is the exultation of the hearts of all who
are wholly devoted to Thy will, Whose praise is cherished by such as have
drawn nigh unto Thy court, Whose face is the ardent desire of all them
that have recognized Thy truth, Whose trial is the healer of the
sicknesses of them who have embraced Thy Cause, Whose calamity is the
highest aspiration of such as are rid of all attachment to any one but
Thyself!
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, in Whose hands is the empire
of whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on earth, Thou, Who
through but one word of Thy mouth, caused all things to expire and
dissolve asunder, and Who, by yet another word, caused whatever had been
separated to be combined and reunited! Magnified be Thy name, O Thou Who
hast power over all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth,
Whose dominion embraceth whatsoever is in the heaven of Thy Revelation and
the kingdom of Thy creation. None can equal Thee in Thy created realms;
none can compare with Thee in the universe Thou hast fashioned. The mind
of no one hath comprehended Thee, and the aspiration of no soul hath
reached Thee. I swear by Thy might! Were any one to soar, on whatever
wings, as long as Thine own Being endureth, throughout the immensity of
Thy knowledge, he would still be powerless to transgress the bounds which
the contingent world hath set for him. How can, then, such a man aspire to
wing his flight into the atmosphere of Thy most exalted presence?
He, indeed, is endued with understanding who acknowledgeth his
powerlessness and confesseth his sinfulness, for should any created thing
lay claim to any existence, when confronted with the infinite wonders of
Thy Revelation, so blasphemous a pretension would be more heinous than any
other crime in all the domains of Thine invention and creation. Who is
there, O my Lord, that, when Thou revealest the first glimmerings of the
signs of Thy transcendent sovereignty and might, hath the power to claim
for himself any existence whatever? Existence itself is as nothing when
brought face to face with the mighty and manifold wonders of Thine
incomparable Self.
Far, immeasurably far, art Thou exalted above all things, O Thou Who art
the King of Kings! I entreat Thee by Thy Self and by Them Who are the
Manifestations of Thy Cause and the Day-Springs of Thine authority to
write down for us that which Thou hast written down for Thy chosen ones.
Withhold not from us that which Thou didst ordain for Thy loved ones, who,
as soon as Thy call reached them, hastened unto Thee, and when the
splendors of the light of Thy countenance were shed upon them, instantly
prostrated themselves in adoration before Thy face.
We are Thy servants, O my Lord, and in the grasp of Thy power. If Thou
chastisest us with the chastisement inflicted upon the former and the
latter generations, Thy verdict would be assuredly just and Thine act
praiseworthy. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. None other God
is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Help in Peril,
the Self-Subsisting.
LXXXI: “UNTO THEE BE PRAISE, O THOU WHO INCLINEST THINE...”
Unto Thee be praise, O Thou Who inclinest Thine ear to the sighing of them
that have rid themselves of all attachment to any one but Thee, and Who
hearest the voice of the lamentation of those who are wholly devoted to
Thy Self! Thou beholdest all that hath befallen them at the hands of such
of Thy creatures as have transgressed and rebelled against Thee. Thy might
beareth me witness, O Thou Who art the King of the realms of justice and
the Ruler of the cities of mercy! The tribulations they have been made to
suffer are such as no pen, in the entire creation, can reckon. Should any
one attempt to make mention of them, he would find himself powerless to
describe them.
As these tribulations, however, were sustained in Thy path and for love of
Thee, they who were afflicted by them render thanks, under all conditions,
unto Thee, and say: “O Thou Who art the Delight of our hearts and the
Object of our adoration! Were the clouds of Thy decree to rain down upon
us the darts of affliction, we would, in our love for Thee, refuse to be
impatient. We would yield Thee praise and thanksgiving, for we have
recognized and are persuaded that Thou hast ordained only that which will
be best for us. If our bodies be, at times, weighed down by our troubles,
yet our souls rejoice with exceeding gladness. We swear by Thy might, O
Thou Who art the Desire of our hearts and the Exultation of our souls!
Every trouble that toucheth us in our love for Thee is an evidence of Thy
tender mercy, every fiery ordeal a sign of the brightness of Thy light,
every woeful tribulation a cooling draught, every toil a blissful repose,
every anguish a fountain of gladness.”
Whosoever, O my Lord, is impatient in the tribulations befalling him in
Thy path, hath not drunk of the cup of Thy love nor tasted of the
sweetness of Thy remembrance. I implore Thee, by Him Who is the King of
all names and their Sovereign, Who is the Revealer of all attributes and
their Creator, and by them who have soared aloft and drawn nigh unto Thee
and winged their flight into the atmosphere of Thy presence, and have
endured the galling of chains for Thy sake, to grant that all Thy people
may be graciously aided to recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine
own Self, Who, because He summoned mankind unto Thee, hath been exiled and
cast into prison.
The tenderness of Thy mercy, O my Lord, surpasseth the fury of Thy wrath,
and Thy loving-kindness exceedeth Thy hot displeasure, and Thy grace
excelleth Thy justice. Hold Thou, through Thy wondrous favors and mercies,
the hands of Thy creatures, and suffer them not to be separated from the
grace which Thou hast ordained as the means whereby they can recognize
Thee. The glory of Thy might beareth me witness! Were such a thing to
happen, every soul would be sore shaken, every man endued with
understanding would be bewildered, and every possessor of knowledge would
be dumbfounded, except those who have been succored through the hands of
Thy Cause, and have been made the recipients of the revelations of Thy
grace and of the tokens of Thy favors.
I swear by Thy might, O my God! Wert Thou to regard Thy servants according
to their deserts in Thy days, they would assuredly merit naught except Thy
chastisement and torment. Thou art, however, the One Who is of great
bounteousness, Whose grace is immense. Look not down upon them, O my God,
with the glance of Thy justice, but rather with the eyes of Thy tender
compassions and mercies. Do, then, with them according to what beseemeth
Thy generosity and bountiful favor. Potent art Thou to do whatsoever may
please Thee. Incomparable art Thou. No God is there beside Thee, the Lord
of the throne on high and of earth below, the Ruler of this world and of
the world to come. Thou art the God of Bounty, the Ever-Forgiving, the
Great Giver, the Most Generous.
Do Thou bless, O Lord my God, the One through Whom the mysteries of Thine
omnipotence have been disclosed, through Whom the revelations of Thy
divinity have been glorified, through Whom the goodly pearls of Thy
knowledge and wisdom have been uncovered, through Whom Thy signs and
tokens have been noised abroad, through Whom Thy word hath been set forth
with clearness, through Whom the light of Thy countenance hath shone forth
and the power of Thy sovereignty been established. Bless Thou all those
also who, wholly for Thy sake, have turned towards Thee. Send down,
moreover, upon Him and them such of Thy wondrous mercies as may well
beseem Thy highness. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Help in Peril,
the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.
LXXXII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU ART HE...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He Who hath created all things
through a word uttered by Thy behest, and fashioned the entire creation
through the power of Thy sovereignty and might. The mightiest of men are
abased before the revelations of Thy glory, and they who are endued with
strength tremble when faced with the evidences of Thy might. Every man of
insight is bereft of vision when confronted with the effulgence of the
glory of Thy face, and he who is possessed of riches is poor and desolate
when beholding the plenteousness of Thy wealth.
I implore Thee by Thine All-Glorious Name, wherewith Thou didst adorn all
the denizens of the kingdom of Thy revelation and the inmates of the
heaven of Thy will, to grant that my soul may be attracted by the
sweetness of the melody of the Bird of Heaven that chanteth amidst the
branches of the tree of Thy decree that Thou art God, that there is none
other God beside Thee.
Cleanse me with the waters of Thy mercy, O my Lord, and make me wholly
Thine, and cause me to approach the Tabernacle of Thy Cause and the adored
Sanctuary of Thy Presence. Ordain, then, for me all the things Thou didst
ordain for the chosen ones among Thy handmaidens, and rain down upon me
that which will illuminate my face and enlighten my heart.
Thou hast power to do what Thou willest, and Thou ordainest what Thou
pleasest.
LXXXIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST MY...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou seest my poverty and my misery, my
troubles and my needs, my utter helplessness and my extreme lowliness, my
lamentations and my bitter wailing, the anguish of my soul and the
afflictions which beset me. The power of Thy might beareth me witness!
Such is the depth of mine abasement that Thy servants who have strayed far
from Thy path deride me. Thou knowest that I am recognized as the bearer
of Thy name among Thy creatures. Thou knowest that my station is but an
image of Thy station, that my virtues recount Thy virtues, that within
mine inmost being naught can be found except the revelations of Thy signs,
and that my very essence is but a reflection of the evidences of Thy
unity.
All these things Thou hast noised abroad among Thy creatures, in such wise
that none can recognize me, except as one who beareth Thy name. I swear by
Thy glory! My lamentations are not for the things which have befallen me
in Thy path, but are due to my recognition that by reason of mine
abasement the hearts of them that love Thee have been sore shaken, and the
souls of Thine adversaries have been so filled with joy that they rejoice
over those who have detached themselves from all except Thee and have
hastened towards the river of Thy remembrance and praise. So great is
their waywardness that when meeting Thy loved ones, they shake their heads
in derision of Thy Cause and say: “Where is your Lord Whom ye mention in
the daytime and in the night season? Where is He to be found Whom ye call
your Sovereign, to Whom ye summon all men to turn?” Their pride and
haughtiness waxed greater and greater until they denied the power of Thy
might and rejected Thy sovereignty and dominion.
Thy glory beareth me witness! I delight in mine own afflictions and in the
afflictions which they who love me suffer in Thy path. Neither I nor they,
however, are able to bear such affronts and reproaches as are uttered by
Thine enemies against Thy Self, the Unrestrained. How long shalt Thou
remain seated, O my God, on the throne of Thy forbearance and patience?
Speak Thou Thy word of wrath, O Thou Whom no eyes can see! Well-beloved is
Thy mercy unto the sincere among Thy servants, and well-beseeming Thy
chastisement of the infidels among Thine enemies. Send down upon them,
therefore, O my Lord, that which will unmistakably reveal unto them the
fury of Thy wrath and the ascendancy of Thy power, and will enable them to
recognize the weight of Thy might and the greatness of Thy strength. If
Thou refusest, O my God, to aid them that love Thee, assist Thou, then,
Thine own Self and Him Who is Thy Remembrance.
I entreat Thee by Thy name, that hath caused the ocean of Thy wrath to
surge, to chastise them who have repudiated Thy truth and disowned Thine
utterances. Abase them, then, by Thy might and power, and exalt such as
have, wholly for Thy sake, set their faces towards Thee, that through them
the ensigns of Thy glorification may be unfurled among all nations, and
Thy tokens be spread abroad among all peoples, and that all may testify
that Thou art God, that there is none other God beside Thee, the God of
power, of majesty and glory.
LXXXIV: “MAGNIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I ASK THEE...”
Magnified art Thou, O Lord my God! I ask Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast
set up above all other names, through which the veil of heaven hath been
split asunder and the Day-Star of Thy beauty hath risen above the horizon,
shining with the brightness of Thy Name, the Exalted, the Most High, to
succor me with Thy wondrous help and to preserve me in the shelter of Thy
care and protection.
I am one of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord! Unto Thee have I turned, and in
Thee have I placed my trust. Grant that I may be so confirmed in my love
for Thee, and in fulfilling that which is well-pleasing unto Thee, that
neither the defection of the infidels among Thy people, nor the clamor of
the hypocrites among Thy creatures, may avail to keep me back from Thee.
Purge Thou mine ear, O my Lord, that I may hearken unto the verses sent
down unto Thee, and illuminate my heart with the light of Thy knowledge,
and loose my tongue that it may make mention of Thee and sing Thy praise.
By Thy might, O my God! My soul is wedded to none beside Thee, and my
heart seeketh none except Thine own Self.
No God is there beside Thee, the All-Glorious, the Great Giver, the
Forgiving, the Compassionate.
LXXXV: “THESE ARE, O MY GOD, THE DAYS WHEREON THOU DIDST...”
These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to
observe the fast. With it Thou didst adorn the preamble of the Book of Thy
Laws revealed unto Thy creatures, and didst deck forth the Repositories of
Thy commandments in the sight of all who are in Thy heaven and all who are
on Thy earth. Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special
virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee, Whose knowledge embraceth all
created things. Thou hast, also, assigned unto every soul a portion of
this virtue in accordance with the Tablet of Thy decree and the Scriptures
of Thine irrevocable judgment. Every leaf of these Books and Scriptures
Thou hast, moreover, allotted to each one of the peoples and kindreds of
the earth.
For Thine ardent lovers Thou hast, according to Thy decree, reserved, at
each daybreak, the cup of Thy remembrance, O Thou Who art the Ruler of
rulers! These are they who have been so inebriated with the wine of Thy
manifold wisdom that they forsake their couches in their longing to
celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy virtues, and flee from sleep in their
eagerness to approach Thy presence and partake of Thy bounty. Their eyes
have, at all times, been bent upon the Day-Spring of Thy loving-kindness,
and their faces set towards the Fountain-Head of Thine inspiration. Rain
down, then, upon us and upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy what
beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounteousness and grace.
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! This is the hour when Thou hast unlocked the
doors of Thy bounty before the faces of Thy creatures, and opened wide the
portals of Thy tender mercy unto all the dwellers of Thine earth. I
beseech Thee, by all them whose blood was shed in Thy path, who, in their
yearning over Thee, rid themselves from all attachment to any of Thy
creatures, and who were so carried away by the sweet savors of Thine
inspiration that every single member of their bodies intoned Thy praise
and vibrated to Thy remembrance, not to withhold from us the things Thou
hast irrevocably ordained in this Revelation—a Revelation the potency of
which hath caused every tree to cry out what the Burning Bush had
aforetime proclaimed unto Moses, Who conversed with Thee, a Revelation
that hath enabled every least pebble to resound again with Thy praise, as
the stones glorified Thee in the days of Muḥammad, Thy Friend.
These are the ones, O my God, whom Thou hast graciously enabled to have
fellowship with Thee and to commune with Him Who is the Revealer of
Thyself. The winds of Thy will have scattered them abroad until Thou didst
gather them together beneath Thy shadow, and didst cause them to enter
into the precincts of Thy court. Now that Thou hast made them to abide
under the shade of the canopy of Thy mercy, do Thou assist them to attain
what must befit so august a station. Suffer them not, O my Lord, to be
numbered with them who, though enjoying near access to Thee, have been
kept back from recognizing Thy face, and who, though meeting with Thee,
are deprived of Thy presence.
These are Thy servants, O my Lord, who have entered with Thee in this, the
Most Great Prison, who have kept the fast within its walls according to
what Thou hadst commanded them in the Tablets of Thy decree and the Books
of Thy behest. Send down, therefore, upon them what will thoroughly purge
them of all Thou abhorrest, that they may be wholly devoted to Thee, and
may detach themselves entirely from all except Thyself.
Rain down, then, upon us, O my God, that which beseemeth Thy grace and
befitteth Thy bounty. Enable us, then, O my God, to live in remembrance of
Thee and to die in love of Thee, and supply us with the gift of Thy
presence in Thy worlds hereafter—worlds which are inscrutable to all
except Thee. Thou art our Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and the God of
all that are in heaven and all that are on earth.
Thou beholdest, O my God, what hath befallen Thy dear ones in Thy days.
Thy glory beareth me witness! The voice of the lamentation of Thy chosen
ones hath been lifted up throughout Thy realm. Some were ensnared by the
infidels in Thy land, and were hindered by them from having near access to
Thee and from attaining the court of Thy glory. Others were able to
approach Thee, but were kept back from beholding Thy face. Still others
were permitted, in their eagerness to look upon Thee, to enter the
precincts of Thy court, but they allowed the veils of the imaginations of
Thy creatures and the wrongs inflicted by the oppressors among Thy people
to come in between them and Thee.
This is the hour, O my Lord, which Thou hast caused to excel every other
hour, and hast related it to the choicest among Thy creatures. I beseech
Thee, O my God, by Thy Self and by them, to ordain in the course of this
year what shall exalt Thy loved ones. Do Thou, moreover, decree within
this year what will enable the Day-Star of Thy power to shine brightly
above the horizon of Thy glory, and to illuminate, by Thy sovereign might,
the whole world.
Render Thy Cause victorious, O my Lord, and abase Thou Thine enemies.
Write down, then, for us the good of this life and of the life to come.
Thou art the Truth, Who knoweth the secret things. No God is there but
Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
LXXXVI: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I YIELD THEE...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I yield Thee thanks for that Thou hast
made me the target of divers tribulations and the mark of manifold trials,
in order that Thy servants may be endued with new life and all Thy
creatures may be quickened.
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou the Best Beloved of the worlds and the Desire
of all such as have recognized Thee! The one reason I wish to live is that
I may reveal Thy Cause, and I seek the continuance of life only that I may
be touched by adversity in Thy path.
I implore Thee, O Thou by Whose summons the hearts of all them who were
nigh unto Thee have soared into the atmosphere of Thy presence, to send
down upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with all else
except Thee. Endue them, then, with such constancy that they will arise to
proclaim Thy Cause, and will call on Thy name, before all that are in Thy
heaven and on Thy earth, in such wise that the Pharaonic cruelties
inflicted by the oppressors among Thy servants will not succeed in keeping
them back from Thee.
Thou art, verily, the God of power, the God of glory, the God of strength
and wisdom.
LXXXVII: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! BEHOLD...”
Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Behold Thou mine eye expectant to
gaze on the wonders of Thy mercy, and mine ear longing to hearken unto Thy
sweet melodies, and my heart yearning for the living waters of Thy
knowledge. Thou seest Thy handmaiden, O my God, standing before the
habitation of Thy mercy, and calling upon Thee by Thy name which Thou hast
chosen above all other names and set up over all that are in heaven and on
earth. Send down upon her the breaths of Thy mercy, that she may be
carried away wholly from herself, and be drawn entirely towards the seat
which, resplendent with the glory of Thy face, sheddeth afar the radiance
of Thy sovereignty, and is established as Thy throne. Potent art Thou to
do what Thou willest. No God is there beside Thee, the All-Glorious, the
Most Bountiful.
Cast not out, I entreat Thee, O my Lord, them that have sought Thee, and
turn not away such as have directed their steps towards Thee, and deprive
not of Thy grace all that love Thee. Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath
called Himself the God of Mercy, the Most Compassionate. Have mercy, then,
upon Thy handmaiden who hath sought Thy shelter, and set her face towards
Thee.
Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
LXXXVIII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! I TESTIFY THAT NO...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I testify that no thought of Thee, howsoever
wondrous, can ever ascend into the heaven of Thy knowledge, and no praise
of Thee, no matter how transcendent, can soar up to the atmosphere of Thy
wisdom. From eternity Thou hast been removed far above the reach and the
ken of the comprehension of Thy servants, and immeasurably exalted above
the strivings of Thy bondslaves to express Thy mystery. What power can the
shadowy creature claim to possess when face to face with Him Who is the
Uncreated?
I bear witness that the highest thoughts of all such as adore Thy unity,
and the profoundest contemplations of all them that have recognized Thee,
are but the product of what hath been generated through the movement of
the Pen of Thy behest, and hath been begotten by Thy will. I swear by Thy
glory, O Thou Who art the Beloved of my soul and the Fountain of my life!
I am persuaded of my powerlessness to describe and extol Thee in a manner
that becometh the greatness of Thy glory and the excellence of Thy
majesty. Aware as I am of this, I beseech Thee, by Thy mercy that hath
surpassed all created things, and Thy grace that hath embraced the entire
creation, to accept from Thy servants what they are capable of showing
forth in Thy path. Aid them, then, by Thy strengthening grace, to exalt
Thy word and to blazon Thy praise.
Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, truly, art the
All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
LXXXIX: “I KNOW NOT, O MY GOD, WHAT THE FIRE IS WITH WHICH...”
I know not, O my God, what the Fire is with which Thou didst light the
Lamp of Thy Cause, or what the Glass wherewith Thou didst preserve it from
Thine enemies. By Thy might! I marvel at the wonders of Thy Revelation,
and at the tokens of Thy glory. I recognize, O Thou Who art my heart’s
Desire, that were fire to be touched by water it would instantly be
extinguished, whereas the Fire which Thou didst kindle can never go out,
though all the seas of the earth be poured upon it. Should water at any
time touch it, the hands of Thy power would, as decreed in Thy Tablets,
transmute that water into a fuel that would feed its flame.
I, likewise, recognize, O my God, that every lamp, when exposed to the
fury of the winds, must cease from burning. As to Thy Lamp, however, O
Beloved of the worlds, I cannot think what power except Thy power could
have kept it safe for so many years from the tempests that have
continually been directed upon it by the rebellious among Thy creatures.
I swear by Thy glory, O my God! Thy Lamp which Thou didst light within the
tabernacle of man crieth out to Thee and saith: “O Thou the one alone
Beloved! How long wilt Thou forsake me? Lift me up to Thee, I pray Thee.
Though this wish of mine be the wish of a human creature, yet Thou knowest
that my true wish is to sacrifice myself in Thy path. Thou art He Who hath
made my desire to be the same as Thy desire, and my will the same as Thy
will. Do Thou preserve Thy loved ones, I beseech Thee, in the shelter of
Thy shadowing mercy which transcendeth all things, that haply the
sufferings they bear may not deter them from turning in the direction of
Thy name, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.”
XC: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY GOD! THOU KNOWEST THAT...”
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest that in my love for Thee I have
not sought any rest, that in proclaiming Thy Cause I have denied myself
every manner of tranquillity, and that in the observance of whatever Thou
hast prescribed in Thy Tablets I have not delayed to do Thy bidding. I
have, for this reason, suffered what no man among all the inhabitants of
Thy realm hath suffered.
Thy glory beareth me witness! Nothing whatsoever can withhold me from
remembering Thee, though all the tribulations of the earth were to assault
me from every direction. All the limbs and members of my body proclaim
their readiness to be torn asunder in Thy path and for the sake of Thy
pleasure, and they yearn to be scattered in the dust before Thee. O would
that they who serve Thee could taste what I have tasted of the sweetness
of Thy love!
I implore Thee to supply whosoever hath sought Thee with the living waters
of Thy bounty, that they may rid him of all attachment to any one but
Thee. Thou art, verily, the Omniscient, the All-Glorious, the Almighty.
XCI: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! HOW GREAT...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! How great is Thy might and Thy
sovereignty; how vast Thy strength and Thy dominion! Thou hast called into
being Him Who speaketh in Thy name before all who are in Thy heaven and on
Thy earth, and hast bidden Him cry out amongst Thy creatures.
No sooner had a word gone forth from His lips, however, than the divines
among Thy people turned back from Him, and the learned among Thy servants
caviled at His signs. Thereby the fire of oppression was kindled in Thy
land, until the kings themselves rose up to put out Thy light, O Thou Who
art the King of kings!
Hostility waxed so intense that my kindred and my loved ones were made
captives in Thy land, and they that are dear to Thee were hindered from
gazing on Thy beauty and from turning in the direction of Thy mercy. This
hostility failed to cause the fire that burned within them to subside. The
enemy finally carried away as captive Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy
beauty and the Revealer of Thy signs, and confined Him in the
fortress-town of Akká, and sought to hinder Him from remembering Thee and
from magnifying Thy name. Thy servant, however, could not be restrained
from carrying out what Thou hadst bidden Him fulfill. Above the horizon of
tribulation He hath lifted up His voice and He crieth out, summoning all
the inmates of heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth to the
immensity of Thy mercy and the court of Thy grace. Day and night He
sendeth down the signs of Thine omnipotent power and revealeth the clear
tokens of Thy majesty, so that the souls of Thy creatures may be drawn
towards Thee, that they may forsake themselves and turn unto Thee, and may
flee from their misery and seek the tabernacle of Thy riches, and may
haste away from their wretchedness into the court of Thy majesty and
glory.
This is the Lamp which the light of Thine own Essence hath lit, and whose
radiance the winds of discord can never extinguish. This is the Ocean that
moveth by the power of Thy sovereign might, and whose waves the influence
of the infidels that have disbelieved in the Judgment Day can never still.
This is the Sun that shineth in the heaven of Thy will and the splendor of
which the veils of the workers of iniquity and the doubts of the evil
doers can never cloud.
I yield Thee thanks, O my God, for that Thou hast offered me up as a
sacrifice in Thy path, and made me a target for the arrows of afflictions
as a token of Thy love for Thy servants, and singled me out for all manner
of tribulation for the regeneration of Thy people.
How sweet to my taste is the savor of woes sent by Thee, and how dear to
my heart the dispositions of Thy providence! Perish the soul that fleeth
from the threats of kings in its attempt to save itself in Thy days! I
swear by Thy glory! Whoso hath quaffed the living waters of Thy favors can
fear no trouble in Thy path, neither can he be deterred by any tribulation
from remembering Thee or from celebrating Thy praise.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art my Governor and the Possessor of all names,
to protect them that have branched out from me (Afnán), whom Thou hast
caused to be related to Thyself, and to whom Thou hast, in this
Revelation, shown Thy special favor, and whom Thou hast summoned to draw
nigh unto Thee and to turn towards the horizon of Thy Revelation. Withhold
not from them, O my Lord, the outpourings of Thy mercy or the effulgence
of the Day-Star of Thy grace. Enable them to distinguish themselves
amongst Thy people, that they may exalt Thy word and promote Thy Cause.
Aid them, O my God, to do Thy will and pleasure.
No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most
High.
XCII: “GLORY TO THEE, O MY GOD! BUT FOR THE TRIBULATIONS...”
Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in
Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the
trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as
yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth me witness! The companions
of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such
as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to
meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts.
How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and
how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when
encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy word! Let me quaff in
Thy Cause, O my God, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me
in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou
wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times,
placed my whole trust and confidence.
Raise up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this Revelation such as
shall be counted worthy of Thy name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may
remember me among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in
Thy land.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
XCIII: “GLORY TO THEE, O MY GOD! ONE OF THY HANDMAIDENS,...”
Glory to Thee, O my God! One of Thy handmaidens, who hath believed in Thee
and in Thy signs, hath entered beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy
oneness. Give her to quaff, O my God, by Thy Name, the Manifest and the
Hidden, of Thy choice sealed Wine that it may take her away from her own
self, and make her to be entirely devoted to Thy remembrance, and wholly
detached from any one beside Thee.
Now that Thou hast revealed unto her the knowledge of Thee, O my Lord,
deny her not, by Thy bounty, Thy grace; and now that Thou hast called her
unto Thyself, drive her not away from Thee, through Thy favor. Supply her,
then, with that which excelleth all that can be found on Thine earth. Thou
art, verily, the Most Bountiful, Whose grace is immense.
Wert Thou to bestow on one of Thy creatures what would equal the kingdoms
of earth and heaven, it would still not diminish by even as much as an
atom the immensity of Thy dominion. Far greater art Thou than the Great
One men are wont to call Thee, for such a title is but one of Thy names
all of which were created by a mere indication of Thy will.
There is no God but Thee, the God of power, the God of glory, the God of
knowledge and wisdom.
XCIV: “THE HEARTS THAT YEARN AFTER THEE, O MY GOD, ARE...”
The hearts that yearn after Thee, O my God, are burnt up with the fire of
their longing for Thee, and the eyes of them that love Thee weep sore by
reason of their crushing separation from Thy court, and the voice of the
lamentation of such as have set their hopes on Thee hath gone forth
throughout Thy dominions.
Thou hast Thyself, O my God, protected them, by Thy sovereign might, from
both extremities. But for the burning of their souls and the sighing of
their hearts, they would be drowned in the midst of their tears, and but
for the flood of their tears they would be burnt up by the fire of their
hearts and the heat of their souls. Methinks, they are like the angels
which Thou hast created of snow and of fire. Wilt Thou, despite such
vehement longing, O my God, debar them from Thy presence, or drive them
away, notwithstanding such fervor, from the door of Thy mercy? All hope is
ready to be extinguished in the hearts of Thy chosen ones, O my God! Where
are the breezes of Thy grace? They are hemmed in on all sides by their
enemies; where are the ensigns of Thy triumph which Thou didst promise in
Thy Tablets?
Thy glory is my witness! At each daybreak they who love Thee wake to find
the cup of woe set before their faces, because they have believed in Thee
and acknowledged Thy signs. Though I firmly believe that Thou hast a
greater compassion on them than they have on their own selves, though I
recognize that Thou hast afflicted them for no other purpose except to
proclaim Thy Cause, and to enable them to ascend into the heaven of Thine
eternity and the precincts of Thy court, yet Thou knowest full well the
frailty of some of them, and art aware of their impatience in their
sufferings.
Help them through Thy strengthening grace, I beseech Thee, O my God, to
suffer patiently in their love for Thee, and unveil to their eyes what
Thou hast decreed for them behind the Tabernacle of Thine unfailing
protection, so that they may rush forward to meet what is preordained for
them in Thy path, and may vie in hasting after tribulation in their love
towards Thee. And if not, do Thou, then, reveal the standards of Thine
ascendancy, and make them to be victorious over Thine adversaries, that
Thy sovereignty may be manifested unto all the dwellers of Thy realm, and
the power of Thy might demonstrated amidst Thy creatures. Powerful art
Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the Omniscient,
the All-Wise.
Make steadfast Thou, O my God, Thy servant who hath believed in Thee to
help Thy Cause, and keep him safe from all dangers in the stronghold of
Thy care and Thy protection, both in this life and in the life which is to
come. Thou, verily, rulest as Thou pleasest. No God is there save Thee,
the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
XCV: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! RAIN DOWN,...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Rain down, I beseech Thee, from the
clouds of Thine overflowing grace, that which shall cleanse the hearts of
Thy servants from whatever may prevent their beholding Thy face, or may
prevent them from turning unto Thee, that they may all recognize Him Who
is their Fashioner and Creator. Help them, then, O God, to reach forth,
through the power of Thy sovereign might, towards such a station that they
can readily distinguish every foul smell from the fragrance of the raiment
of Him Who is the Bearer of Thy most lofty and exalted name, that they may
turn with all their affections toward Thee, and may enjoy such intimate
communion with Thee that if all that is in heaven and on earth were given
them they would regard it as unworthy of their notice, and would refuse to
cease from remembering Thee and from extolling Thy virtues.
Shield, I pray Thee, O my Beloved, my heart’s Desire, Thy servant who hath
sought Thy face, from the darts of them that have denied Thee and from the
shafts of such as have repudiated Thy Truth. Cause him, then, to be wholly
devoted to Thee, to declare Thy name, and to fix his gaze upon the
sanctuary of Thy Revelation. Thou art, in truth, He Who, at no time, hath
turned away those who have set their hopes in Thee from the door of Thy
mercy, nor prevented such as have sought Thee from attaining the court of
Thy grace. No God is there but Thee, the Most Powerful, the All-Highest,
the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling, the
Unconditioned.
XCVI: “MAGNIFIED, O LORD MY GOD, BE THY NAME, WHEREBY...”
Magnified, O Lord my God, be Thy Name, whereby the trees of the garden of
Thy Revelation have been clad with verdure, and been made to yield the
fruits of holiness during this Springtime when the sweet savors of Thy
favors and blessings have been wafted over all things, and caused them to
bring forth whatsoever had been preordained for them in the Kingdom of
Thine irrevocable decree and the Heaven of Thine immutable purpose. I
beseech Thee by this very Name not to suffer me to be far from the court
of Thy holiness, nor debarred from the exalted sanctuary of Thy unity and
oneness.
Ignite, then, O my God, within my breast the fire of Thy love, that its
flame may burn up all else except my remembrance of Thee, that every trace
of corrupt desire may be entirely mortified within me, and that naught may
remain except the glorification of Thy transcendent and all-glorious
Being. This is my highest aspiration, mine ardent desire, O Thou Who
rulest all things, and in Whose hand is the kingdom of the entire
creation. Thou, verily, doest what Thou choosest. No God is there beside
Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.
XCVII: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thy Name that hath
caused to surge within every drop the oceans of Thy loving-kindness and
mercy, and to shine within every atom the luminaries of Thy bountiful
blessings and favors,—I implore Thee to adorn every soul with the ornament
of Thy love, that none may remain on Thine earth who hath not turned
towards Thee, or hath failed to detach himself from all except Thy Self.
Thou hast, verily, O my God, suffered Him Who is the Manifestation of
Thine own Self to be afflicted with all manner of adversity in order that
Thy servants may ascend unto the pinnacle of Thy gracious favor, and
attain unto that which Thou hast, through Thy providence and tender
mercies, ordained for them in the Tablets of Thine irrevocable decree. The
glory of Thy might beareth me witness! Were they, every moment of their
lives, to offer up themselves as a sacrifice in Thy path, they would still
have done but little in comparison with the manifold bestowals vouchsafed
unto them by Thee.
Grant, therefore, I beseech Thee, that their hearts may be inclined
towards Thee, and that their faces may be turned in the direction of Thy
good-pleasure. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there
but Thee, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.
Deign, then, to accept, O my God, from Thy servant the things which he
hath shown forth in his love for Thee. Fortify him, then, that he may
cling to Thy most exalted Word, and to unloose his tongue to celebrate Thy
praise, and cause him to be gathered unto such of Thy people as are nigh
unto Thee. Thou art He within Whose grasp is the empire of all things.
There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the
All-Glorious, the Unconstrained.
XCVIII: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O THOU IN WHOSE GRASP...”
Magnified be Thy name, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of the souls of
all them that have recognized Thee, and in Whose right hand are the
destinies of all that are in heaven and all that are on earth! Thou doest,
through the power of Thy might, what Thou willest, and ordainest, by an
act of Thy volition, what Thou pleasest. The will of the most resolute of
men is as nothing when compared with the compelling evidences of Thy will,
and the determination of the most inflexible among Thy creatures is
dissipated before the manifold revelations of Thy purpose.
Thou art He Who, through a word of Thy mouth, hath so enravished the
hearts of Thy chosen ones that they have, in their love for Thee, detached
themselves from all except Thyself, and laid down their lives and
sacrificed their souls in Thy path, and borne, for Thy sake, what none of
Thy creatures hath borne.
I am one of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord! I have turned my face towards the
habitation of Thy mercy, and have sought the wonders of Thy manifold
favors, inasmuch as all the members of my body proclaim Thee to be the
All-Bounteous, He Whose grace is immense.
O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my
sanctuary, Whose court is my goal, Whose remembrance is my wish, Whose
affection is my solace, Whose love is my begetter, Whose praise is my
companion, Whose nearness is my hope, Whose presence is my greatest
longing and supreme aspiration! Disappoint me not, I entreat Thee, by
withholding from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among
Thy handmaidens, and supply me with the good of this world and of the
world to come.
Thou art, verily, the Lord of creation. No God is there beside Thee, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.
XCIX: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I PRAY THEE,...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I pray Thee, by Him Who is the
Day-Spring of Thy signs and the Manifestation of Thy names, and the
Treasury of Thine inspiration, and the Repository of Thy wisdom, to send
upon Thy loved ones that which will enable them to cleave steadfastly to
Thy Cause, and to recognize Thy unity, and to acknowledge Thy oneness, and
to bear witness to Thy divinity. Raise them up, O my God, to such heights
that they will recognize in all things the tokens of the power of Him Who
is the Manifestation of Thy most august and all-glorious Self.
Thou art He, O my Lord, Who doeth what He willeth, and ordaineth what He
pleaseth. Every possessor of power is forlorn before the revelations of
Thy might, and every fountain of honor becomes abject when confronted by
the manifold evidences of Thy great glory.
I beseech Thee, by Thyself and by whatsoever is of Thee, to grant that I
may help Thy Cause and speak of Thy praise, and set my heart on the
sanctuary of Thy glory, and detach myself from all that pertaineth not
unto Thee. No God is there beside Thee, the God of power, the God of glory
and wisdom.
C: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest my perplexity, and the
depth of mine anguish, and the agony of my soul, and the afflictions which
beset me. By Thy glory! My heart crieth to Thee by reason of the things
that have befallen my loved ones in Thy path, and mine eyes run down with
tears for them who, in these days, have ascended unto Thee, who have cast
the world behind their backs, and set their faces towards the shores of
Thy transcendent mercy.
Clothe them, O my God, with the robe of Thy favor and the raiment of Thy
loving providence, which Thou hast reserved for Thine own Self and woven
with the hands of Thy manifold bounties and gifts. Give them, then, to
drink, from the hands of Thy loving-kindness, of the cups of Thy
measureless mercy. Cause them, moreover, O my Best-Beloved, to abide
within the precincts of Thy court and around Thy most effulgent
Tabernacle. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee.
And now I implore Thee, by the eternity of Thy Self, to enable me to be
patient in these tribulations which have caused the Concourse on high to
wail and the denizens of the everlasting Paradise to weep, and through
which all faces have been covered with the tawny dust provoked by the
anguish that hath seized such of Thy servants as have turned towards Thy
Name, the Most Exalted, the Most High. No God is there but Thee, the
Almighty, the Inaccessible, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
All Thy servants, O my God, are occupied with their own selves, so great
have been the troubles which, as decreed by Thee, have encompassed them on
every side. My tongue, however, is busied in extolling Thy chosen ones,
and my heart in remembering them that are dear to Thee and are wholly
subject to Thy will.
Look not on my state, O my God, nor my failure to serve Thee, nay rather
regard the oceans of Thy mercy and favors, and the things that beseem Thy
glory and Thy forgiveness and befit Thy loving-kindness and bounties. Thou
art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
CI: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest what the tongue of no one
except Thee can utter, and bearest witness unto things which no mouth can
recount. The floods of afflictions are let loose, and the winds of Thy
judgment have blown, and from the clouds rain down the darts of tests, and
the heavens of Thy decree pour forth the arrows of trial.
Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants, who have believed on Thee and
acknowledged Thy signs, have fallen into the clutches of Thine enemies,
how the doors of ease and comfort have been shut against them, how they
languish in the Fortress wherein neither pleasantness nor hope can be
found. They have suffered in Thy path what no man before them hath
suffered. To this bear witness they who abide around Thy throne, and the
dwellers of the earth, and the Concourse on high.
These, O my God, are Thy servants who, for love of Thy beauty, have
forsaken their homes, and been so stirred up by the gentle winds of their
desire for Thee that they have sundered every tie in Thy path. Such of Thy
servants as dwell in Thy land and have transgressed against Thee have
assailed them, and banished them from Thy cities, and made them captives,
and delivered them into the hands of workers of iniquity among Thy people
and the perverse amidst the wicked doers in Thy realm. And finally, they
were made to abide in this place with which no other place, however
loathsome, in all Thy dominion, can compare. They were seized with such
trials that the clouds weep over them and the thunder groaneth by reason
of the manifold tribulations that have afflicted them in their love for
Thee and for the sake of Thy pleasure.
Thou knowest full well, O my God, that there is no one on Thine earth who
can claim to be related to Thee except these, some of whom have suffered
martyrdom for Thy sake, while the rest have been permitted to survive.
Though for such as are like unto us, O my God, it beseemeth not to claim
to be related to Thee, inasmuch as our misdeeds and our waywardness have
hindered us from reaching the depths of the ocean of Thy oneness, and from
immersing ourselves beneath the waters of Thy transcendent mercy, yet our
tongues, O my God, bear witness, and our hearts testify, and our limbs
confess that Thy mercy hath enveloped all created things and Thy
compassion surpassed all that are in heaven and all that are on earth.
I beseech Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, through which all created things
were rent asunder and the whole creation was shaken, to send down from the
clouds of Thy mercy that which will purge them from every ordeal and from
whatever is hateful to Thee. Raise them up, then, to such heights that no
amount of tribulation will keep them back from Thy wondrous remembrance,
nor any trouble hinder them from turning toward the court of Thy
transcendent oneness.
By Thy might, O Well-Beloved of Bahá and His heart’s Desire! I myself cry
out, under all conditions, unto Thee saying: “Would I had, ere this day,
drawn nigh unto Thee!” When I hear, however, the sighs of such of Thy
people as are wholly devoted to Thee, and those of Thy servants as enjoy
near access to Thy court, who have taken no other friend than Thee, and
sought no refuge except Thee, and have chosen for themselves, in Thy path,
what no man hath chosen in the days of the Manifestations of Thy
transcendent unity and the Day-Springs of Thy most holy sovereignty, then
my heart is saddened and my soul is vexed, and I cry to Thee, imploring
Thee to protect them, by Thy power that hath encompassed the entire
creation both visible and invisible, from whatsoever may be abhorrent to
Thee. This is not for their own sakes, but that Thy name may, through
them, abide amongst Thy servants, and Thy remembrance may continue to
endure in Thy dominions.
Thou knowest, O my God, that all Thy servants have turned back from Thee
and risen up against Thee. Thou knowest that Thou hast no one to obey Thee
except them and such as have believed in Thy Revelation, through which the
foundations of the entire universe have been shaken, and the souls of all
men have trembled, and all that lay asleep were quickened. Thou art, O my
God, the God of bounty, Whose grace is immense.
Send down, then, upon them that which will assure their hearts, and quiet
their souls, and renew their spirits, and refresh their bodies. Thou art,
verily, their Lord and the Lord of the worlds.
Praised be God, the Lord of all creation!
CII: “GLORY TO THEE, O THOU WHO ART THE LORD OF ALL...”
Glory to Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all worlds, and the Beloved of
all such as have recognized Thee! Thou seest me sitting under a sword
hanging on a thread, and art well aware that in such a state I have not
fallen short of my duty towards Thy Cause, nor failed to shed abroad Thy
praise, and declare Thy virtues, and deliver all Thou hadst prescribed
unto me in Thy Tablets. Though the sword be ready to fall on my head, I
call Thy loved ones with such a calling that the hearts are carried away
towards the horizon of Thy majesty and grandeur.
Purge out thoroughly their ears, O my Lord, that they may hearken unto the
sweet melodies that have ascended from the right hand of the throne of Thy
glory. I swear by Thy might! Were any one to attune his ears to their
harmony he would soar up to the kingdom of Thy revelation, wherein every
created thing proclaimeth that Thou art God, and that there is none other
God save Thee, the Omnipotent, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Cleanse Thou, O my God, the eyes of Thy servants, and so transport them by
the sweetness of Thine utterances that calamities will be powerless to
hinder them from turning unto Thee, and from directing their eyes towards
the horizon of Thy Revelation.
Darkness hath encompassed every land, O my God, and caused most of Thy
servants to tremble. I beseech Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to raise in
every city a new creation that shall turn towards Thee, and shall remember
Thee amidst Thy servants, and shall unfurl by virtue of their utterances
and wisdom the ensigns of Thy victory, and shall detach themselves from
all created things.
Potent art Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there but Thee, the Most
Powerful, He Whose help is implored by all men.
CIII: “GLORY BE TO THEE, THOU IN WHOSE HAND ARE THE...”
Glory be to Thee, Thou in Whose hand are the heaven of omnipotence and the
kingdom of creation. Thou doest, by Thy sovereignty, what Thou willest,
and ordainest, through the power of Thy might, what Thou pleasest. From
eternity Thou hast been exalted above the praise of all created things,
and wilt to eternity remain far above the glorification of any one of Thy
creatures. Existence itself testifieth to its non-existence when face to
face with the manifold revelations of Thy transcendent oneness, and every
created thing confesseth, by its very nature, its nothingness when
compared with the sacred splendors of the light of Thy unity. Thou hast,
in Thyself, been independent of any one besides Thee and rich enough, in
Thine own essence, to dispense with any one except Thy Self. Every
description by which they who adore Thy unity describe Thee, and every
praise wherewith they who are devoted unto Thee praise Thee, are but the
traces of the pen which the fingers of Thy strength and power have set in
motion—fingers whose movement is controlled by the arm of Thy decree—the
arm itself animated by the potency of Thy might.
Thy glory beareth me witness! How can I, aware as I am of this truth, hope
to befittingly make mention of Thee and celebrate Thy praise? Howsoever I
describe Thee, whichever of Thy virtues I recount, I cannot but blush and
feel ashamed of what my tongue hath uttered or my pen written.
The quintessence of knowledge, O my Lord, proclaimeth its powerlessness to
know Thee, and perplexity, in its very soul, confesseth its bewilderment
in the face of the revelations of Thy sovereign might, and remembrance, in
its inmost spirit, acknowledgeth its forgetfulness and effacement before
the manifestations of Thy signs and the evidences of Thy praise. What,
then, can this poor creature hope to achieve, and to what cord must this
wretched soul cling?
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of the worlds, and the Beloved of
such as have recognized Thee, and the Desire of all that are in heaven and
on earth, by Thy Name through which the cry of every suppliant hath
ascended into the heaven of Thy transcendent holiness, through which every
seeker hath soared to the sublimities of Thy unity and grandeur, through
which the imperfect have been perfected, and the abased exalted, and the
tongue of every stammerer unloosed, and the sick made whole, and whatever
was unworthy of Thy highness and beseemed not Thy greatness and Thy
sovereignty made acceptable unto Thee,—I beseech Thee to aid us by Thine
invisible hosts and by a company of the angels of Thy Cause. Do Thou,
then, accept the works we have performed for love of Thee, and for the
sake of Thy pleasure. Cast us not away, O my God, from the door of Thy
mercy, and break not our hopes in the wonders of Thy grace and favors.
Our limbs, our members, O my Lord, bear witness to Thy unity and oneness.
Send down upon us Thy strength and power, that we may become steadfast in
Thy Faith and may aid Thee among Thy servants. Illumine our eyes, O my
Lord, with the effulgence of Thy beauty, and enlighten our hearts with the
splendors of Thy knowledge and wisdom. Write us up, then, with those who
have fulfilled their pledge to Thy Covenant in Thy days, and who, through
their love for Thee, have detached themselves from the world and all that
is therein.
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest. No God is there beside Thee,
the All-Powerful, the Omniscient, the Supreme Ruler, the Help in Peril,
the Self-Subsisting.
CIV: “O THOU WHOSE NEARNESS IS MY WISH, WHOSE PRESENCE...”
O Thou Whose nearness is my wish, Whose presence is my hope, Whose
remembrance is my desire, Whose court of glory is my goal, Whose abode is
my aim, Whose name is my healing, Whose love is the radiance of my heart,
Whose service is my highest aspiration! I beseech Thee by Thy Name,
through which Thou hast enabled them that have recognized Thee to soar to
the sublimest heights of the knowledge of Thee and empowered such as
devoutly worship Thee to ascend into the precincts of the court of Thy
holy favors, to aid me to turn my face towards Thy face, to fix mine eyes
upon Thee, and to speak of Thy glory.
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath forgotten all else but Thee, and turned
towards the Day-Spring of Thy grace, who hath forsaken all save Thyself in
the hope of drawing nigh unto Thy court. Behold me, then, with mine eyes
lifted up towards the Seat that shineth with the splendors of the light of
Thy Face. Send down, then, upon me, O my Beloved, that which will enable
me to be steadfast in Thy Cause, so that the doubts of the infidels may
not hinder me from turning towards Thee.
Thou art, verily, the God of Power, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious,
the Almighty.
CV: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU ART HE...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He the excellence of Whose glory
hath exalted them who are the sources of authority and honor, the potency
of Whose might hath empowered them who are the fountain-heads of energy
and strength, the dominion of Whose will hath elevated the Exponents of
Thy Cause above all that are in heaven and on earth, and the life-giving
effusions of Whose Pen have quickened the souls of the denizens of the
kingdom of creation.
I am he, O my Lord, who, wholly for Thy sake, hath turned his face unto
Thee, and who, while acknowledging Thy power and Thy sovereignty, hath
directed his steps towards Thy dearly-loved Sanctuary, and Thine adored
and hallowed Court. In this state I have reached the City (Ba_gh_dád)
wherein, in the full glory of Thy names, Thou didst reveal Thy Self unto
all created things. In it I have communed with Thy loved ones, and from
the House within its walls I have inhaled the breaths of Thy holiness and
perceived the fragrances of Thy fellowship.
Cast me not from Thy presence, O my Lord, neither do Thou drive me away
from the shores of Thy love and Thy good-pleasure. For the poor can find
no refuge unless he knocketh at the door of Thy wealth, and the outcast
can find no peace until he be admitted to the court of Thy favor.
Magnified be Thy name, O my Lord, for Thou hast enabled me to recognize
the Manifestation of Thine own Self, and hast caused me to be assured of
the truth of the verses which have descended upon Thee. Empower me, I
implore Thee, to cling steadfastly unto whatsoever Thou hast bidden me
observe. Help me to guard the pearls of Thy love which, by Thy decree,
Thou hast enshrined within my heart. Send down, moreover, every moment of
my life, O my God, that which will preserve me from any one but Thee, and
will set my feet firm in Thy Cause.
Thou art, verily, the God of glory, the God of power, the God of knowledge
and wisdom. No God is there beside Thee, the Great Giver, the
All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving.
Praised be God, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling.
CVI: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I GIVE THEE...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I give Thee thanks inasmuch as Thou
hast called me into being in Thy days, and infused into me Thy love and
Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, by Thy name whereby the goodly pearls of
Thy wisdom and Thine utterance were brought forth out of the treasuries of
the hearts of such of Thy servants as are nigh unto Thee, and through
which the Day-Star of Thy name, the Compassionate, hath shed its radiance
upon all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, to supply me, by Thy
grace and bounty, with Thy wondrous and hidden bounties.
These are the earliest days of my life, O my God, which Thou hast linked
with Thine own days. Now that Thou hast conferred upon me so great an
honor, withhold not from me the things Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen
ones.
I am, O my God, but a tiny seed which Thou hast sown in the soil of Thy
love, and caused to spring forth by the hand of Thy bounty. This seed
craveth, therefore, in its inmost being, for the waters of Thy mercy and
the living fountain of Thy grace. Send down upon it, from the heaven of
Thy loving-kindness, that which will enable it to flourish beneath Thy
shadow and within the borders of Thy court. Thou art He Who watereth the
hearts of all that have recognized Thee from Thy plenteous stream and the
fountain of Thy living waters.
Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds.
CVII: “I BESEECH THEE, O MY LORD, BY THAT REMEMBRANCE...”
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by that Remembrance of Thee through which all
things have been raised to life, and through which all faces have been
made to shine, not to frustrate the hopes I have set on the things Thou
dost possess. Cause me, then, by Thy mercy, to enter beneath Thy shadow
that shadoweth all things.
Be Thou, O my Lord, my sole Desire, my Goal, mine only Hope, my constant
Aim, my Habitation and my Sanctuary. Let the object of mine ardent quest
be Thy most resplendent, Thine adorable, and ever-blessed Beauty. I
implore Thee, O my Lord, by whatsoever is of Thee, to send, from the right
hand of Thy might, that which will exalt Thy loved ones and abase Thine
enemies.
No God is there beside Thee, Thou alone art my Beloved in this world and
in the world which is to come. Thou alone art the Desire of all them that
have recognized Thee.
Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds.
CVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD, THAT THOU HAST BEEN...”
Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast been true to what the Pen of Thy
Revelation hath inscribed upon the Tablets sent down by Thee unto Them
Whom Thou hast chosen above all Thy creatures, and through Whom Thou hast
unlocked the doors of Thy mercy, and shed abroad the radiance of the light
of Thy guidance. Glory to Thee that Thou hast laid bare what had from
eternity been wrapped up within the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, Thine
omnipotence and glory, and through which Thou hadst decked forth the
heaven of Thy Revelation and adorned the pages of the book of Thy
testimony.
And when the Pledge was fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, He was
rejected by such of Thy servants as profess to have believed in Him in
Whom Thy Godhead was manifested, Whom Thou didst ordain to be the Herald
of this Revelation, and through Whose advent the eyes of the inmates of
the sanctuary of Thy unity were cheered.
I know, O my Lord, neither their reasoning with which they have
acknowledged Thee and believed in Thy signs, nor their argument whereby
they have repudiated Thy sovereignty. Every time I call them to Thee and
say: “O people! Consider the utterances of the Lord your God which are in
your possession and those that have been sent down from the heaven of His
will and power,” they cavil at Thee, and turn their backs to Thee,
though—as Thou art aware—each of the words that have gone out of the mouth
of Thy will sheddeth the fragrance of the breaths of Thy mercy.
Some have chosen to cleave to him who is counted unworthy to converse with
any of Thy servants that watch at Thy door (Mírzá Yaḥyá), how much more to
enter into the court in which the Tongue of Thy majesty speaketh. Cleanse
Thou their hearts and their eyes, O my Lord, that they may see with their
eyes and understand with their hearts, that haply they may be attracted by
Thine utterances to the Day-Spring of Thine inspiration, and draw nigh
unto the soft-flowing stream of Thy knowledge.
Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath, in every line of Thy Book, entered into
covenant with them for me, and made it so sure that none of Thy creatures
can any longer evade it. Thou didst say—and Thy word is the truth: “One
single letter from Him excelleth all that hath been sent down in the
Bayán.”
Thou dost consider, therefore, O my God, how they have transgressed
against Thy Cause, and beholdest what their hands have wrought in Thy
days. They have so grievously wronged me that the Lote-Tree of Thy
Revelation moaneth, and the inmates of the Tabernacle of Thy majesty and
the dwellers of the cities of Thy names lament. I know not, O my God, for
what reason they have risen up to oppress me, and by what proof they have
turned aside from Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs. I beseech Thee,
O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens, to
aid them to act equitably in Thy Cause, that haply they may discover the
sweet smell of the robe of Thy mercy, and set their faces towards the
horizon that shineth with the brightness of the light of Thy face. Weak
are they, O my Lord, and Thou art the Lord of strength and power. They are
but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most Generous.
Thou art well aware, O my God, that throughout my life I have sought no
advantage for myself. I have offered up my spirit and my whole being for
the exaltation of Thy word amidst Thy creatures and the glorification of
Thy name among Thy servants. Thou didst send me with such a Testimony that
They Who are the Exponents of Thy Revelation and the Day-Springs of Thine
inspiration were stirred up with vehement longing. Through it, Thy proof
was established, and Thy bounty fulfilled, and Thy Cause perfected, and
Thine utterances released, and Thy clear tokens uncovered.
Thou knowest, O my God, that I have wished only what Thou hast wished, and
desire what Thou dost desire. Were I to speak forth before Thy servants
the things wherewith Thou didst, through Thy bounty, inspire me and which
Thou didst command me to utter amidst Thy creatures, the oppressors among
Thy people would cavil at me. And were I to hold my peace and cease to
celebrate the wonders of Thy praise, all the limbs of my body would be
stirred up to extol Thee. I know not what the water is with which Thou
didst create me, or what the fire Thou didst kindle within me. I swear by
Thy glory! I shall not cease to mention Thee, though all that are in Thy
heaven and on Thy earth rise up against me. Thee will I magnify, in all
circumstances, with a heart wholly rid of all attachment to the world and
all that is therein.
Praised be Thou, the Well-Beloved of the hearts of all such as have
recognized Thee.
CIX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest how my gaze is fixed
toward Thy tender mercies, and how mine eyes are bent upon the horizon of
Thy grace, and Thy loving-kindness, and how my hands are stretched out
unto the heaven of Thy bestowals. Thy might beareth me witness! Every limb
of my body crieth out to Thee and saith: “O Thou Who art the Well-Beloved
of the worlds, and the Lord of all that are in heaven and on earth, and
the one Desire of the hearts which are devoted to Thee! I implore Thee, by
Thine Ocean unto which Thou didst summon all the inmates of heaven and all
the dwellers of the earth, to help Thy servants who have been kept back
from turning unto it and from approaching its shores. Make them, then, O
my God, to be detached from all else but Thee, and enable them to speak
forth Thy praise and extol Thy virtues. Supply them, moreover, O my God,
with the choice Wine of Thy mercy, that it may cause them to be forgetful
of any one except Thee, and to arise to serve Thy Cause, and to be
steadfast in their love for Thee. Thou art, verily, the Lord of their
lives and the Object of their adoration. If they be driven away by Thee,
who will then look upon them; and if they be removed far from Thee, who is
there that can help them to approach Thy Presence? I swear by Thy might!
No refuge is there to flee to except Thee, and no shelter to seek except
Thy shelter, and no protection except Thy protection. Woe betide him who
hath taken as Lord any one beside Thee, and blessed are the ones who have
rid themselves of all attachment to all the dwellers of Thine earth, and
clung to the hem of Thy bounteousness. These! the people of Bahá, before
all that are in heaven and all that are on earth. No God is there but
Thee, the Omniscient, the All-Wise.”
Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.
CX: “I KNOW NOT, O MY GOD, WHETHER I SHOULD SPEAK...”
I know not, O my God, whether I should speak forth the wonders of Thy
praise among Thy servants, and lay bare before them the secrets of Thy
mercy and the mysteries of Thy Cause, or keep them wrapped up within the
receptacle of my heart. Though the lover be loth to share with any one the
intimate conversation of his beloved, yet at whatever time Thine
inescapable commandment to declare Thy Cause reacheth me, I will
unhesitatingly obey it. I would proclaim Thee, undeterred by the darts of
affliction that may rain down upon me from the clouds of Thy decree.
I swear by Thy might! Neither the hosts of the earth nor those of heaven
can keep me back from revealing the things I am commanded to manifest. I
have no will before Thy will, and can cherish no desire in the face of Thy
desire. By Thy grace I am, at all times, ready to serve Thee and am rid of
all attachment to any one except Thee.
What I desire, however, O my God, is that Thou shouldst bid me unveil the
things which lie hid in Thy knowledge, so that they who are wholly devoted
to Thee may, in their longing for Thee, soar up into the atmosphere of Thy
oneness, and the infidels may be seized with trembling and may return to
the nethermost fire, the abode ordained for them by Thee through the power
of Thy sovereign might.
Thou dost consider, O my Lord, how Thy dear ones are sore pressed by Thine
enemies, and hearest from all sides their sighing by reason of what hath
befallen them in Thy path. Thou knowest, O my Lord, that their one desire
was to seek Thy face, and that the sole Object of their adoration was
Thee. They who wronged them had no other purpose except to turn them away
from Thee, and to extinguish the fire which Thou hadst kindled with the
hands of Thine almighty power.
Unseal the lips of Thy will, O my Lord, and let a word proceed therefrom
that shall subject unto itself the world and all that is therein. How long
shalt Thou behold these things and tarry, O my God? Darkness hath
enveloped the whole earth, and Thy tokens are ready to be blotted out
throughout Thy realm.
Forgive me, O my God, for what I have spoken, for Thou art the One that
knoweth all things, and in Thee are wrapped up the secrets that are hid
from all else except Thyself. When Thy promise shall come to pass, Thou
wilt manifest what Thou wilt, and subdue as Thou pleasest. We should wish
only what Thou hast wished for us. In Thee is the knowledge of all things,
and with Thee is the issue of all things. Thou art, verily, the Truth, the
Knower of things unseen.
Forgive me, then, my sins and the sins of them that love me, and supply
them with the good of this world and of the next.
Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
CXI: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST BOTH...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou beholdest both the helplessness of Thy
dear ones and the ascendancy of Thy foes, both the wretchedness of Thy
chosen ones and the glory of them who gainsaid Thy Cause and repudiated
Thy signs. The latter deny Thy tokens, and fail to repay Thee for the
temporal benefits Thou didst bestow upon them, while the former yield Thee
thanks for what hath befallen them in their eagerness to partake of the
everlasting gifts Thou dost possess.
How sweet is the thought of Thee in times of adversity and trial, and how
delightful to glorify Thee when compassed about with the fierce winds of
Thy decree! Thou knowest full well, O my God, that I endure patiently
whatsoever toucheth me in Thy path. Nay, I perceive that all the members
and limbs of my body long for tribulation, that I may manifest Thy Cause,
O Thou Who art the Lord of all names! The waters of Thy love have
preserved me in the kingdom of Thy creation, and the fire of my
remembrance of Thee hath set me ablaze before all that are in heaven and
on earth. Great is my blessedness, and great the blessedness of this fire
whose flame crieth out: “No God is there save Thee, Who art the Object of
my heart’s adoration, and the Source and Center of my soul!”
Thy glory beareth me witness! Were all that are in the heavens and all
that are on earth to unite and seek to hinder me from remembering Thee and
from celebrating Thy praise, they would assuredly have no power over me,
and would fail in their purpose. And were the infidels to slay me, my
blood would, at Thy command, lift up its voice and proclaim: “There is no
God but Thee, O Thou Who art all my heart’s Desire!” And were my flesh to
be boiled in the cauldron of hate, the smell which it would send forth
would rise towards Thee and cry out: “Where art Thou, O Lord of the
worlds, Thou One Desire of them that have known Thee!” And were I to be
cast into fire, my ashes would—I swear by Thy glory—declare: “The Youth
hath, verily, attained that for which he had besought his Lord, the
All-Glorious, the Omniscient.”
How, then, can such a man be fearful of the combination of the kings to
injure him in Thy Cause? No, no, I swear by Thyself, O Thou Who art the
King of kings! Such is my love for Thee that I can fear no one, though the
powers of all the worlds be arrayed against me. Alone and unaided I have,
by the power of Thy might, arisen to proclaim Thy Cause, unafraid of the
host of my oppressors.
To all that dwell on earth I cry aloud and say: “Fear ye God, O ye
servants of God, and suffer not yourselves to be kept back from this pure
Wine that hath flowed from the right hand of the throne of the mercy of
your Lord, the Most Merciful. I swear by God! Better for you is what He
possesseth than the things ye yourselves possess and the things ye have
sought and are now seeking in this vain and empty life. Forsake the world,
and set your faces towards the all-glorious Horizon. Whoso hath partaken
of the wine of His remembrance will forget every other remembrance, and
whoso hath recognized Him will rid himself of all attachment to this life
and to all that pertaineth unto it.”
I implore Thee, O my God and my Master, by Thy word through which they who
have believed in Thy unity have soared up into the atmosphere of Thy
knowledge, and they who are devoted to Thee have ascended into the heaven
of Thy oneness, to inspire Thy loved ones with that which will assure
their hearts in Thy Cause. Endue them with such steadfastness that nothing
whatsoever will hinder them from turning towards Thee.
Thou art, verily, the Bountiful, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the
Compassionate.
CXII: “THOU BEHOLDEST, O MY GOD, HOW BEWILDERED IN...”
Thou beholdest, O my God, how bewildered in their drunkenness are Thy
servants who have turned back from Thy beauty and caviled at what hath
been sent down from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty. Thou
didst come, O my God, in the clouds of Thy spirit and Thine utterance, and
lo, the entire creation shook and trembled, and the limbs of them who
repudiated Thy testimonies were made to quiver, O Thou in Whose grasp is
the lordship of all things!
Thou art He, O my God, Who hast summoned all men to turn in the direction
of Thy mercy, and called them unto the horizon of Thy grace and bounties.
None, however, heeded Thy call, except such as have forsaken all things
save Thee, and hastened unto the Day-Spring of Thy beauty, and the
Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration and Thy revelation.
Thou knowest, O my God, that none can be found on the face of the earth to
remember Thee except them. Thou seest how the oppressors among Thy
creatures have laid hold on them. Some, O my God, have shed their blood in
Thy path, others have abandoned their homes and set their faces towards
the seat of Thy throne, and were hindered from stepping into the court of
Thy great glory, while still others have been cast into prison and are at
the mercy of the workers of iniquity.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who holdest in Thy hands the reins of unconstrained
power, to succor them through the wondrous potency of Thy might. Misery, O
my Lord, hath taken hold on them in Thy path, exalt them by the power of
Thy sovereignty; and weariness hath afflicted them in their love for Thee,
render them victorious, through Thy strength and Thine omnipotence, over
Thine enemies.
Aware as I am, O my God, that Thou hast decreed for them that which
excelleth whatsoever is in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, I still cherish
the desire that Thou mayest behold them in Thy days exalted and honored by
Thy creatures. Supreme art Thou over Thy creation. All are held within Thy
grasp, and lie prisoned in the hollow of Thy hand. No God is there but
Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CXIII: “MAGNIFIED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! I TESTIFY THAT...”
Magnified be Thy name, O my God! I testify that if Thy servants were to
turn towards Thee with the eyes Thou didst create in them and with the
ears wherewith Thou didst endow them, they would all be carried away by a
single word sent down from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty.
That word alone would suffice to brighten their faces, and to assure their
hearts, and to cause their souls to soar up to the atmosphere of Thy great
glory, and to ascend into the heaven of Thy sovereignty.
I pray Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Ruler of both
earth and heaven, to grant that all who are dear to Thee may each become a
cup of Thy mercy in Thy days, that they may quicken the hearts of Thy
servants. Empower them also, O my God, to be as the rain that poureth down
from the clouds of Thy grace, and as the winds that waft the vernal
fragrances of Thy loving-kindness, that through them the soil of the
hearts of Thy creatures may be clad with verdure, and may bring forth the
things that will shed their fragrance over all Thy dominion, so that every
one may perceive the sweet smell of the Robe of Thy Revelation. Potent art
Thou to do what Thou willest.
The power of Thy might beareth me witness! Whoso hath drunk of the cup
which the hand of Thy mercy hath borne round will strip himself of all
things except Thee, and will be able, through a word of his mouth, to
enrapture the souls of such of Thy servants as have slumbered on the bed
of forgetfulness and negligence, and to cause them to turn their faces
toward Thy most Great Sign, and seek from Thee naught else except Thyself,
and ask of Thee only what Thou hast determined for them by the pen of Thy
judgment and hast prescribed in the Tablet of Thy decree.
Send down, then, O my God, through Thy Most Great Name, upon Thy loved
ones what will, under all conditions, draw them nearer unto Thee. Thou
art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all
men.
CXIV: “MINE EYES ARE CHEERED, O MY GOD, WHEN I CONTEMPLATE...”
Mine eyes are cheered, O my God, when I contemplate the tribulations that
descend upon me from the heaven of Thy decree, and which have encompassed
me on every side according to what Thy pen hath irrevocably established. I
swear by Thy Self! Whatsoever is of Thee is well pleasing unto me, though
it involve the bitterness of mine own death.
He Who was Thy Spirit (Jesus), O my God, withdrew all alone in the
darkness of the night preceding His last day on earth, and falling on His
face to the ground besought Thee saying: “If it be Thy will, O my Lord, my
Well-Beloved, let this cup, through Thy grace and bounty, pass from me.”
By Thy beauty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the
heavens! I can smell the fragrance of the words which, in His love for
Thee, His lips have uttered, and can feel the glow of the fire that had
inflamed His soul in its longing to behold Thy face and in its yearning
after the Day-Spring of the light of Thy oneness, and the Dawning-Place of
Thy transcendent unity.
As to me—and to this Thou art Thyself my witness—I call upon Thee saying:
“I have no will of mine own, O my Lord, and my Master and my Ruler, before
the indications of Thy will, and can have no purpose in the face of the
revelation of Thy purpose. I swear by Thy glory! I wish only what Thou
wishest, and cherish only what Thou cherishest. What I have chosen for
myself is what Thou hast Thyself chosen for me, O Thou the Possessor of my
soul!” Nay, I find myself to be altogether nothing when face to face with
the manifold revelations of Thy names, how much less when confronted with
the effulgent splendors of the light of Thine own Self. O miserable me!
Were I to attempt merely to describe Thee, such an attempt would itself be
an evidence of my impiety, and would attest my heedlessness in the face of
the clear and resplendent tokens of Thy oneness. Who else except Thee can
claim to be worthy of any notice in the face of Thine own revelation, and
who is he that can be deemed sufficiently qualified to adequately praise
Thee, or to pride himself on having befittingly described Thy glory?
Nay—and to this Thou dost Thyself bear witness—it hath incontrovertibly
been made evident that Thou art the one God, the Incomparable, Whose help
is implored by all men. From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to
describe Thee, and wilt abide for ever the same with no one else to equal
or rival Thee. Were the existence of any co-equal with Thee to be
recognized, how could it then be maintained that Thou art the
Incomparable, or that Thy Godhead is immeasurably exalted above all peers
or likeness? The contemplation of the highest minds that have recognized
Thy unity failed to attain unto the comprehension of the One Thou hast
created through the word of Thy commandment, how much more must it be
powerless to soar into the atmosphere of the knowledge of Thine own Being.
Every praise which any tongue or pen can recount, every imagination which
any heart can devise, is debarred from the station which Thy most exalted
Pen hath ordained, how much more must it fall short of the heights which
Thou hast Thyself immensely exalted above the conception and the
description of any creature. For the attempt of the evanescent to conceive
the signs of the Uncreated is as the stirring of the drop before the
tumult of Thy billowing oceans. Nay, forbid it, O my God, that I should
thus venture to describe Thee, for every similitude and comparison must
pertain to what is essentially created by Thee. How can then such
similitude and comparison ever befit Thee, or reach up unto Thy Self?
By Thy glory, O my God! Though I recognize and firmly believe that no
description which any except Thyself can give of Thee can beseem Thy
grandeur, and that no glory ascribed to Thee by any save Thyself can ever
ascend into the atmosphere of Thy presence, yet were I to hold my peace,
and cease to glorify Thee and to recount Thy wondrous glory, my heart
would be consumed, and my soul would melt away.
My remembrance of Thee, O my God, quencheth my thirst, and quieteth my
heart. My soul delighteth in its communion with Thee, as the sucking child
delighteth itself in the breasts of Thy mercy; and my heart panteth after
Thee even as one sore athirst panteth after the living waters of Thy
bounty, O Thou Who art the God of mercy, in Whose hand is the lordship of
all things!
I give thanks to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast suffered me to remember
Thee. What else but remembrance of Thee can give delight to my soul or
gladness to my heart? Communion with Thee enableth me to dispense with the
remembrance of all Thy creatures, and my love for Thee empowereth me to
endure the harm which my oppressors inflict upon me.
Send, therefore, unto my loved ones, O my God, what will cheer their
hearts, and illumine their faces, and delight their souls. Thou knowest, O
my Lord, that their joy is to behold the exaltation of Thy Cause and the
glorification of Thy word. Do Thou unveil, therefore, O my God, what will
gladden their eyes, and ordain for them the good of this world and of the
world which is to come.
Thou art, verily, the God of power, of strength and of bounty.
CXV: “THOU SEEST, O MY GOD, HOW THE WRONGS COMMITTED...”
Thou seest, O my God, how the wrongs committed by such of Thy creatures as
have turned their backs to Thee have come in between Him in Whom Thy
Godhead is manifest and Thy servants. Send down upon them, O my Lord, what
will cause them to be busied with each others’ concerns. Let, then, their
violence be confined to their own selves, that the land and they that
dwell therein may find peace.
One of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, hath sought Thy face, and soared in the
atmosphere of Thy pleasure. Withhold not from her, O my Lord, the things
Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy handmaidens. Enable her,
then, to be so attracted by Thine utterances that she will celebrate Thy
praise amongst them.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the
Almighty, Whose help is implored by all men.
CXVI: “MY GOD, MY WELL-BELOVED! NO PLACE IS THERE FOR...”
My God, my Well-Beloved! No place is there for any one to flee to when
once Thy laws have been sent down, and no refuge can be found by any soul
after the revelation of Thy commandments. Thou hast inspired the Pen with
the mysteries of Thine eternity, and bidden it teach man that which he
knoweth not, and caused him to partake of the living waters of truth from
the cup of Thy Revelation and Thine inspiration.
No sooner, however, had the Pen traced upon the tablet one single letter
of Thy hidden wisdom, than the voice of the lamentation of Thine ardent
lovers was lifted up from all directions. Thereupon, there befell the just
what hath caused the inmates of the tabernacle of Thy glory to weep and
the dwellers of the cities of Thy revelation to groan.
Thou dost consider, O my God, how He Who is the Manifestation of Thy names
is in these days threatened by the swords of Thine adversaries. In such a
state He crieth out and summoneth all the inhabitants of Thine earth and
the denizens of Thy heaven unto Thee.
Purify, O my God, the hearts of Thy creatures with the power of Thy
sovereignty and might, that Thy words may sink deep into them. I know not
what is in their hearts, O my God, nor can tell the thoughts they think of
Thee. Methinks that they imagine that Thy purpose in calling them to Thine
all-highest horizon is to heighten the glory of Thy majesty and power. For
had they been satisfied that Thou summonest them to that which will
recreate their hearts and immortalize their souls, they would never have
fled from Thy governance, nor deserted the shadow of the tree of Thy
oneness. Clear away, then, the sight of Thy creatures, O my God, that they
may recognize Him Who showeth forth the Godhead as One Who is sanctified
from all that pertaineth unto them, and Who, wholly for Thy sake, is
summoning them to the horizon of Thy unity, at a time when every moment of
His life is beset with peril. Had His aim been the preservation of His own
Self, He would never have left it at the mercy of Thy foes.
I swear by Thy glory! I have accepted to be tried by manifold adversities
for no purpose except to regenerate all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy
earth. Whoso hath loved Thee, can never feel attached to his own self,
except for the purpose of furthering Thy Cause; and whoso hath recognized
Thee can recognize naught else except Thee, and can turn to no one save
Thee.
Enable Thy servants, O my God, to discover the things Thou didst desire
for them in Thy Kingdom. Acquaint them, moreover, with what He Who is the
Origin of Thy most excellent titles hath, in His love for Thee, been
willing to bear for the sake of the regeneration of their souls, that they
may haste to attain the River that is Life indeed, and turn their faces in
the direction of Thy Name, the Most Merciful. Abandon them not to
themselves, O my God! Draw them, by Thy bountiful favor, to the heaven of
Thine inspiration. They are but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing,
the ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
CXVII: “GLORY TO THEE, O MY GOD! THE FIRST STIRRINGS OF...”
Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings of the spring of Thy grace
have appeared and clothed Thine earth with verdure. The clouds of the
heaven of Thy bounty have rained their rain on this City within whose
walls is imprisoned Him Whose desire is the salvation of Thy creatures.
Through it the soil of this City hath been decked forth, and its trees
clothed with foliage, and its inhabitants gladdened.
The hearts of Thy dear ones, however, will rejoice only at the Divine
Springtime of Thy tender mercies, whereby the hearts are quickened, and
the souls are renewed, and the trees of human existence bear their fruits.
The plants that have sprung forth, O my Lord, in the hearts of Thy loved
ones have withered away. Send down upon them, from the clouds of Thy
spirit, that which will cause the tender herbs of Thy knowledge and wisdom
to grow within their breasts. Rejoice, then, their hearts with the
proclamation of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy sovereignty.
Their eyes, O my Lord, are expectantly turned in the direction of Thy
bounty, and their faces are set towards the horizon of Thy grace. Suffer
them not, through Thy bounty, to be deprived of Thy grace. Potent art
Thou, by Thy sovereign might, over all things. No God is there but Thee,
the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CXVIII: “THOU SEEST, O MY GOD, HOW THY SERVANTS HAVE...”
Thou seest, O my God, how Thy servants have been cleaving fast to Thy
names, and have been calling on them in the daytime and in the night
season. No sooner, however, had He been made manifest through Whose word
the kingdom of names and the heaven of eternity were created, than they
broke away from Him and disbelieved in the greatest of Thy signs. They
finally banished Him from the land of His birth, and caused Him to dwell
within the most desolate of Thy cities, though all the world had been
built up by Thee for His sake. Within this, the Most Great Prison, He hath
established His seat. Though sore tried by trials, the like of which the
eye of creation hath not seen, He summoneth the people unto Thee, O Thou
Who art the Fashioner of the universe!
I beseech Thee, O Thou the Shaper of all the nations and the Quickener of
every moldering bone, to graciously enable Thy servants to recognize Him
Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Revealer of Thy transcendent
might, that they may cut down, by Thy power, all the idols of their
corrupt inclinations, and enter beneath the shadow of Thine
all-encompassing mercy, which, by virtue of Thy name, the Most Exalted,
the All-Glorious, hath surpassed the entire creation.
I know not, O my God, how long will Thy creatures continue to slumber on
the bed of forgetfulness and evil desires, and remain far removed from
Thee and shut out from Thy presence. Draw them nearer, O my God, unto the
scene of Thine effulgent glory, and enrapture their hearts with the sweet
savors of Thine inspiration, through which they who adore Thy unity have
soared on the wings of desire towards Thee, and they who are devoted to
Thee have reached unto Him Who is the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy
creation.
Cleave asunder, O my Lord, the veils that shut them out from Thee, that
they may behold Thee shining above the horizon of Thy oneness and shedding
Thy radiance from the dawning-place of Thy sovereignty. By Thy glory! Were
they to discover the sweetness of Thy remembrance and apprehend the
excellence of the things that are sent down upon them from the right hand
of the throne of Thy majesty, they would cast away all that they possess,
and would rush forth into the wilderness of their longing after Thee, that
the glance of Thy loving-kindness may be directed towards them and the
radiance of the Day-Star of Thy beauty may be shed upon them.
Let their hearts, O my Lord, be carried away by Thy remembrance, and their
souls enriched by Thy riches, and their wills strengthened to proclaim Thy
Cause amidst Thy creatures. Thou art, verily, the Great Giver, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
CXIX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! THOU SEEST HOW...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou seest how I have been sorely vexed
among Thy servants, and beholdest the things that have befallen me in Thy
path. Thou knowest full well that I have not spoken a word but by Thy
leave, that my lips have never been opened except at Thy bidding and in
accordance with Thy pleasure, that every breath I have breathed hath been
animated with Thy praise and Thy remembrance, that I have summoned all men
to naught else except that whereunto Thy chosen ones have through all
eternity been summoned, and that I have bidden them observe only the
things that would draw them nearer unto the Day-Spring of Thy
loving-kindness, and the Dawning-Place of Thy favors, and the Horizon of
Thy riches, and the Manifestation of Thine inspiration and Thy revelation.
Thou art well aware, O my God, that I have not failed in my duty towards
Thy Cause. At all times and under all conditions I have wafted, in every
direction, the breezes of Thine inspiration, and shed abroad the sweet
smell of the raiment of Thy mercy, that haply Thy servants may discover
its fragrance, and through it be enabled to turn towards Thee.
I implore Thee, O my God, by the Lights of Thy unity and the Repositories
of Thy revelation, to send down from the clouds of Thy mercy that which
will cleanse the hearts of all such as have turned towards Thee. Blot out,
then, from their hearts all that may induce Thy servants to cavil at Thy
Cause.
Thy will hath overruled my will, O my God, and I have shown forth what
hath grievously vexed me. Have mercy, then, upon me, O Thou Who of all
those who show mercy art the Most Merciful!
Assist Thou Thy servants, O my God, to help Thy Cause, and give them to
drink what will quicken their hearts in Thy realm, lest anything hinder
them from remembering Thee and from extolling Thy virtues, that they may
quit their homes in Thy name, and summon all the multitudes unto Thee.
Guard their faces, O my God, from turning to any one save Thee, and their
ears from hearkening unto the sayings of all such as have turned away from
Thy beauty and repudiated Thy signs.
Supreme art Thou over all things. There is none other God save Thee, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CXX: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest my low estate and the
habitation wherein I dwell, and bearest witness unto my perplexity, my
crying needs, my troubles, and the afflictions I suffer among Thy servants
who recite Thy verses and repudiate their Revealer, who call on Thy names
and cavil at their Creator, who seek to draw nigh unto Him Who is Thy
Friend and put to death Him Who is the Best-Beloved of the worlds.
Open Thou their eyes, O my God, and My Master, that they may gaze on Thy
beauty, or cause them to return unto the lowest abyss of the fire. Potent
art Thou to do what Thou willest. Thou art, verily, the All-Glorious, the
All-Wise.
The glory of Thy might, O my God, beareth me witness! Every time I attempt
to remember Thee, I find myself overpowered by the sublimity of Thy
station and the immensity of Thy might; and every time I hold my peace,
lo, I am impelled by my love for Thee and by the potency of Thy will, to
unloose my tongue and mention Thee. He who is poor and needy, O my God, is
calling for his Lord, the All-Possessing; and he who is destitute of all
strength remembereth his Master, the All-Powerful. If He deign to accept
His servant’s supplication, He is, verily, of unsurpassed bounteousness;
and if He cast him out, He is of those who judge equitably the best. He
indeed is acceptable, O my God, who hath set his face towards Thee, and he
is truly deprived who hath been careless of the remembrance of Thee in Thy
days. Blessed is he that hath tasted of the sweetness of Thy remembrance
and praise. Nothing, not even the arising of all the peoples of the whole
world to assail him, can hinder such a man from directing his steps
towards the paths of Thy pleasure and the ways of Thy Cause.
Look, then, O Thou Who art the Well-Beloved of Bahá, upon the tears he
sheddeth before Thee, and behold the sighs which he uttereth, O Thou Who
art his heart’s Desire! I swear by Thy might, and Thy majesty and Thy
glory! Were I to inherit from Thee all the delights of Paradise, and to
keep them in my possession as long as Thine own Being endureth, and were I
to become, for less than a moment, careless of the remembrance of Thee, I
would, of a certainty, cast them away from me and cease to consider them.
I am the one, O my God, who for love of Thee hath forsaken the world and
all its benefits, and willingly accepted every tribulation for the sake of
Thy remembrance.
I entreat Thee, O Thou Who art my Companion and my Best-Beloved, to lift
the veil that hath come in between Thee and Thy servants, that they may
recognize Thee with Thine own eye and rid themselves of all attachment to
any one but Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving, the
Most Compassionate. No God is there beside Thee, the Most Exalted, the
Self-Sufficing, the Self-Exalting, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Praise be unto Thee, for Thou art, in truth, the Lord of earth and heaven.
CXXI: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I AM THE ONE...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I am the one who hath sought the good
pleasure of Thy will, and directed his steps towards the seat of Thy
gracious favors. I am he who hath forsaken his all, who hath fled to Thee
for shelter, who hath set his face towards the tabernacle of Thy
revelation and the adored sanctuary of Thy glory. I beseech Thee, O my
Lord, by Thy call whereby they who recognized Thy unity have sought the
shadow of Thy most gracious providence, and the sincere have fled far from
themselves unto Thy name, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, through
which Thy verses were sent down, and Thy word fulfilled, and Thy proof
manifested, and the sun of Thy beauty risen, and Thy testimony
established, and Thy signs uncovered,—I beseech Thee to grant that I may
be numbered with them that have quaffed the wine that is life indeed from
the hands of Thy gracious providence, and have rid themselves, in Thy
path, of all attachment to Thy creatures, and been so inebriated with Thy
manifold wisdom that they hastened to the field of sacrifice with Thy
praise on their lips and Thy remembrance in their hearts. Send down, also,
upon me, O my God, that which will wash me from anything that is not of
Thee, and deliver me from Thine enemies who have disbelieved in Thy signs.
Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there beside Thee, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CXXII: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST AND...”
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou seest and knowest that I have
called upon Thy servants to turn nowhere except in the direction of Thy
bestowals, and have bidden them observe naught save the things Thou didst
prescribe in Thy Perspicuous Book, the Book which hath been sent down
according to Thine inscrutable decree and irrevocable purpose.
I can utter no word, O my God, unless I be permitted by Thee, and can move
in no direction until I obtain Thy sanction. It is Thou, O my God, Who
hast called me into being through the power of Thy might, and hast endued
me with Thy grace to manifest Thy Cause. Wherefore I have been subjected
to such adversities that my tongue hath been hindered from extolling Thee
and from magnifying Thy glory.
All praise be to Thee, O my God, for the things Thou didst ordain for me
through Thy decree and by the power of Thy sovereignty. I beseech Thee
that Thou wilt fortify both myself and them that love me in our love for
Thee, and wilt keep us firm in Thy Cause. I swear by Thy might! O my God!
Thy servant’s shame is to be shut out as by a veil from Thee, and his
glory is to know Thee. Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever
hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world’s afflictions can in
no wise alarm me.
Send down, therefore, O my Lord, upon me and upon my loved ones that which
will protect us from the mischief of those that have repudiated Thy truth
and disbelieved in Thy signs.
Thou art, verily, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.
CXXIII: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU HAST,...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou hast, in Thine all highest
Paradise, assigned unto Thy servants such stations that if any one of them
were to be unveiled to men’s eyes all who are in heaven and all who are on
earth would be dumbfounded. By Thy might! Were kings to witness so great a
glory they would, assuredly, rid themselves of their dominions and cleave
to such of their subjects as have entered beneath the shadow of Thine
immeasurable mercy and sought the shelter of Thine all-glorious name.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds and the Desire of
all that have recognized Thee, by Thy name, through which Thou stirrest up
whom Thou willest and drawest toward Thee whom Thou pleasest, to open the
eyes of all that are dear to Thee, that haply they may not be veiled from
Thee as the peoples of the earth are, but may outwardly perceive the signs
and tokens of Thy power, and inwardly apprehend the things Thou didst
ordain for them in the realms of Thy glory.
Potent art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou art the one alone Beloved in both
this world and in the next. No God is there but Thee, the Most Exalted,
the All-Glorious.
CXXIV: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! EVERY TIME...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I venture to make mention of
Thee, I am held back by my mighty sins and grievous trespasses against
Thee, and find myself wholly deprived of Thy grace, and utterly powerless
to celebrate Thy praise. My great confidence in Thy bounty, however,
reviveth my hope in Thee, and my certitude that Thou wilt bountifully deal
with me emboldeneth me to extol Thee, and to ask of Thee the things Thou
dost possess.
I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created
things, and to which all that are immersed beneath the oceans of Thy names
bear witness, not to abandon me unto my self, for my heart is prone to
evil. Guard me, then, within the stronghold of Thy protection and the
shelter of Thy care. I am he, O my God, whose only wish is what Thou hast
determined by the power of Thy might. All I have chosen for myself is to
be assisted by Thy gracious appointments and the ruling of Thy will, and
to be aided with the tokens of Thy decree and judgment.
I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the hearts which long for
Thee, by the Manifestations of Thy Cause and the Day-Springs of Thine
inspiration, and the Exponents of Thy majesty, and the Treasuries of Thy
knowledge, not to suffer me to be deprived of Thy holy Habitation, Thy
Fane and Thy Tabernacle. Aid me, O my Lord, to attain His hallowed court,
and to circle round His person, and to stand humbly at His door.
Thou art He Whose power is from everlasting to everlasting. Nothing
escapeth Thy knowledge. Thou art, verily, the God of power, the God of
glory and wisdom.
Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds!
CXXV: “O THOU THE DREAD OF WHOM HATH FALLEN UPON ALL...”
O Thou the dread of Whom hath fallen upon all things, before the splendors
of Whose face the countenances of all men are downcast, at the revelations
of Whose sovereignty all necks have humbly bowed, to the ruling of Whose
will all hearts have been subdued, the awfulness of Whose majesty hath
caused the foundations of all things to tremble, and to the power of Whose
authority the winds have been subjected! I beseech Thee by the compelling
force of Thy Revelation, and by the power of Thy might, and by the
exaltation of Thy word, and by the sublimity of Thy sovereignty, to number
us with them whom the world hath been powerless to hinder from turning
towards Thee.
Cause me, O my Lord, to be of those who, with their substance and their
own selves, have fought valiantly in Thy path. Write down, then, for me
the recompense Thou didst ordain for them in the Tablet of Thy decree.
Stablish me also on the seat of truth in Thy presence, and join me with
the sincere among Thy servants.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Messengers, and Thy Chosen Ones, and by
Him through Whom Thou hast affixed Thy seal upon the Manifestations of Thy
Cause among Thy creatures, and Whom Thou hast adorned with the ornament of
Thine acceptance among all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, to
graciously assist me to attain unto what Thou hast ordained for Thy
servants and bidden them observe in Thy Tablets. Wash away, then, my sins,
O my God, by Thy grace and bounty, and reckon me among such as are not
overtaken by fear nor put to grief.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CXXVI: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THOU ART HE...”
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He the fire of Whose love hath
set ablaze the hearts of them who have recognized Thy unity, and the
splendors of Whose countenance have illuminated the faces of such as have
drawn nigh unto Thy court. How plenteous, O my God, is the stream of Thy
knowledge! How sweet, O my Beloved, is the injury which, in my love for
Thee, and for the sake of Thy pleasure, I suffer from the darts of the
wicked doers! How pleasing are the wounds which, in Thy path and in order
to proclaim Thy Faith, I sustain from the swords of the infidels!
I beseech Thee, by Thy name through which Thou turnest restlessness into
tranquillity, fear into confidence, weakness into strength, and abasement
into glory, that Thou of Thy grace wilt aid me and Thy servants to exalt
Thy name, to deliver Thy Message, and to proclaim Thy Cause, in such wise
that we may remain unmoved by either the assaults of the transgressors or
the wrath of the infidels, O Thou Who art my Well-Beloved!
I am, O my Lord, Thy handmaiden, who hath hearkened to Thy call, and
hastened unto Thee, fleeing from herself and resting her heart upon Thee.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name out of which all the treasures of
the earth were brought forth, to shield me from the hints of such as have
disbelieved in Thee and repudiated Thy truth.
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CXXVII: “ALL PRAISE BE TO THEE, O LORD, MY GOD! HOW MYSTERIOUS...”
All praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! How mysterious the Fire which Thou
hast enkindled within my heart! My very limbs testify to the intensity of
its heat, and evince the consuming power of its flame. Should my bodily
tongue ever attempt to describe Thee as the One Whose strength hath ever
excelled the strength of the most mighty amongst men, the tongue of my
heart would address me, saying: “These are but words which can only be
adequate to such things as are of the same likeness and nature as
themselves. But He, of a truth, is infinitely exalted above the mention of
all His creatures.”
The power of Thy might beareth me witness, O my Well-Beloved! Every limb
of my body, methinks, is endowed with a tongue that glorifieth Thee and
magnifieth Thy name. Armed with the power of Thy love, the hatred which
moveth them that are against Thee can never alarm me; and with Thy praise
on my lips, the rulings of Thy decree can in no wise fill me with sorrow.
Fortify, therefore, Thy love within my breast, and suffer me to face the
assaults which all the peoples of the earth may launch against me. I swear
by Thee! Every hair of my head proclaimeth: “But for the adversities that
befall me in Thy path, how could I ever taste the divine sweetness of Thy
tenderness and love?”
Send down, therefore, O my Lord, upon me and upon them that love me, that
which will cause us to become steadfast in Thy Faith. Enable them, then,
to become the Hands of Thy Cause amongst Thy servants, that they may
scatter abroad Thy signs, and show forth Thy sovereignty. There is no God
but Thee, Who art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest. Thou art, in
truth, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.
CXXVIII: “PRAISE BE UNTO THEE, O MY GOD! I AM ONE OF THY...”
Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed
on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the
door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy
loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most
exalted attributes, to open to my face the portals of Thy bestowals. Aid
me, then, to do that which is good, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all
names and attributes!
I am poor, O my Lord, and Thou art the Rich. I have set my face towards
Thee, and detached myself from all but Thee. Deprive me not, I implore
Thee, of the breezes of Thy tender mercy, and withhold not from me what
Thou didst ordain for the chosen among Thy servants.
Remove the veil from mine eyes, O my Lord, that I may recognize what Thou
hast desired for Thy creatures, and discover, in all the manifestations of
Thy handiwork, the revelations of Thine almighty power. Enrapture my soul,
O my Lord, with Thy most mighty signs, and draw me out of the depths of my
corrupt and evil desires. Write down, then, for me the good of this world
and of the world to come. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God
is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is sought by all men.
I yield Thee thanks, O my Lord, that Thou hast wakened me from my sleep,
and stirred me up, and created in me the desire to perceive what most of
Thy servants have failed to apprehend. Make me able, therefore, O my Lord,
to behold, for love of Thee and for the sake of Thy pleasure, whatsoever
Thou hast desired. Thou art He to the power of Whose might and sovereignty
all things testify.
There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Beneficent.
CXXIX: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! THOU SEEST HOW THY...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! Thou seest how Thy righteous servants have
fallen into the hands of the wicked doers, who have disbelieved in Thy
name, the Unconstrained, and denied Thy majesty, and Thine unrestrained
authority, and Thy strength, and Thy sovereign might. Their mouths utter
what the mouths of the Jews uttered aforetime.
Put forth, therefore, out of the bosom of Thy glory, O my Lord, the hand
of Thine omnipotence, and through it assist Thou Thy loved ones who,
though sore-tried in Thy path with such trials as have caused the inmates
of the kingdom of Thy Cause to groan, were not deterred from turning
towards the horizon of Thy Revelation.
Set, then, the seal of Thine unerring protection on their hearts, O my
Lord, lest perchance the remembrance of aught else except Thee enter
therein. Make them able, moreover, to proclaim Thy name amidst Thy
creatures, and supply them with the best of what Thou hast destined for
such of Thy chosen ones as enjoy near access to Thee.
Potent art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou truly art the All-Glorious, to
whom all cry for help.
CXXX: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest how Thy servants have
everywhere been compassed with tribulations, how their adversaries have
all risen up against them and grievously wronged them. Thy glory beareth
me witness! Were all the wicked doers of the earth to band themselves
against us, and to cast us into a fire such as no man hath kindled, they
would be powerless to distract our gaze from the horizon of Thy name, the
Most Exalted, the Most High, and would fail to turn aside our hearts from
the seat of Thine effulgent glory.
I swear by Thy might! The arrows that transfix us in Thy path are the
ornaments of our temples, and the spears which pierce us in our love for
Thee are as silk unto our bodies. By the glory of Thy might! Nothing
whatsoever can beseem Thy servants except what the pen of Thine
irrevocable decree hath traced in this priceless and exalted Tablet.
All praise be to Thy Self at all times and under all conditions. Thou art,
verily, the God of knowledge and wisdom.
CXXXI: “PRAISE BE UNTO THEE, O MY GOD! THOU SEEST HOW...”
Praise be unto Thee, O my God! Thou seest how He Who is Thy Light hath
been shut up in the fortress-town of Akká, and been sore oppressed by
reason of what the hands of the wicked doers have wrought, whose corrupt
desires have kept them back from turning towards Thee, O Thou Who art the
King of all names!
I swear by Thy glory! Tribulations, however woeful, can never hinder me
from remembering Thee or from celebrating Thy praise. Every vexation borne
for love of Thee is a token of Thy mercy unto Thy creatures, and every
ordeal suffered in Thy path is but a gift from Thee bestowed on Thy chosen
ones. I testify that my countenance, which shineth above the Day-Spring of
eternity, hath been irradiated by adversity, and my body hath been adorned
by it before all who are in heaven and all who are on earth.
I pray Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to aid all them that have believed on
Thee and on Thy signs to be steadfast in Thy love and to set themselves
towards the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness. Inspire
them, then, O my God, with what will unloose their tongue to praise Thee,
and will draw them nigh unto Thee in the life that now is and the life
that is to come.
Thou truly art the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Beneficent.
CXXXII: “GLORIFIED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! I BESEECH...”
Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy power that
hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy sovereignty that hath
transcended the entire creation, and by Thy Word which was hidden in Thy
wisdom and whereby Thou didst create Thy heaven and Thy earth, both to
enable us to be steadfast in our love for Thee and in our obedience to Thy
pleasure, and to fix our gaze upon Thy face, and celebrate Thy glory.
Empower us, then, O my God, to spread abroad Thy signs among Thy
creatures, and to guard Thy Faith in Thy realm. Thou hast ever existed
independently of the mention of any of Thy creatures, and wilt remain as
Thou hast been for ever and ever.
In Thee I have placed my whole confidence, unto Thee I have turned my
face, to the cord of Thy loving providence I have clung, and towards the
shadow of Thy mercy I have hastened. Cast me not as one disappointed out
of Thy door, O my God, and withhold not from me Thy grace, for Thee alone
do I seek. No God is there beside Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Bountiful.
Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of them that have known
Thee!
CXXXIII: “O THOU WHOSE TESTS ARE A HEALING MEDICINE TO SUCH...”
O Thou Whose tests are a healing medicine to such as are nigh unto Thee,
Whose sword is the ardent desire of all them that love Thee, Whose dart is
the dearest wish of those hearts that yearn after Thee, Whose decree is
the sole hope of them that have recognized Thy truth! I implore Thee, by
Thy divine sweetness and by the splendors of the glory of Thy face, to
send down upon us from Thy retreats on high that which will enable us to
draw nigh unto Thee. Set, then, our feet firm, O my God, in Thy Cause, and
enlighten our hearts with the effulgence of Thy knowledge, and illumine
our breasts with the brightness of Thy names.
CXXXIV: “I AM HE, O MY LORD, THAT HATH SET HIS FACE TOWARDS...”
I am he, O my Lord, that hath set his face towards Thee, and fixed his
hope on the wonders of Thy grace and the revelations of Thy bounty. I pray
Thee that Thou wilt not suffer me to turn away disappointed from the door
of Thy mercy, nor abandon me to such of Thy creatures as have repudiated
Thy Cause.
I am, O my God, Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have recognized
Thy truth in Thy days, and have directed my steps towards the shores of
Thy oneness, confessing Thy singleness, acknowledging Thy unity, and
hoping for Thy forgiveness and pardon. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou
willest; no God is there beside Thee, the All-Glorious, the
Ever-Forgiving.
CXXXV: “UNTO THEE BE PRAISE, O LORD MY GOD! I TESTIFY...”
Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I testify that Thou art God, and that
there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast from eternity been
immeasurably exalted above the praise of any one except Thee, and far
above the description of any of Thy creatures. All created things have
borne witness to Thy unity, and every dweller in Thy kingdom hath
confessed Thy oneness. The essence of the apprehension of the assured
among Thy creatures can never attain unto Thee, and the gem-like
utterances with which Thy people have praised and glorified Thee can never
hope to ascend unto the atmosphere of Thy holiness. For men’s apprehension
of Thee is but the apprehension of Thine own creation; how can it reach up
to Thee? And all human praise and glorification of Thee pertain unto Thy
servants; how can they be deemed worthy of the court of Thy oneness?
I swear by Thy glory! The quintessence of knowledge is powerless to
comprehend Thy nature, and the inmost reality of every praise of Thee
falleth short of the seat of Thy great glory and of Thine all-compelling
power. Every utterance that seeketh to describe Thee, and every knowledge
that attempteth to comprehend Thee, is but an expression of Thine own
creating, and is begotten by Thy will, and fashioned in conformity with
Thy purpose.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art inscrutable to all except Thee, and can be
comprehended through naught else save Thyself, by the wrongs which He Who
is the Day-Spring of Thy Cause hath suffered at the hands of the ignoble
among Thy creatures, and by what hath befallen Him in Thy path, to grant
that I may, at all times, be wholly dissolved in Thee, and fix my gaze
upon the horizon of Thy will and be steadfast in Thy love.
I have, O my Lord, turned unto Thee according to what Thou hast commanded
me in Thy Book, and have set my face towards the horizon of Thy
loving-kindness even as Thou hast permitted me in Thy Tablets. Cast me not
out of the door of Thy grace, I beseech Thee, and write down for me the
recompense destined for him who hath entered Thy presence, and hath risen
to serve Thee, and hath been carried away by the drops sprinkled upon him
from the Ocean of Thy favors in Thy days, and by the splendors of the
Day-Star of Thy gifts that have been shed upon him at the revelation of
the light of Thy countenance.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there save Thee, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CXXXVI: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! I AM THY...”
Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I am Thy servant who hath laid hold on
the cord of Thy tender mercies, and clung to the hem of Thy bounteousness.
I entreat Thee by Thy name whereby Thou hast subjected all created things,
both visible and invisible, and through which the breath that is life
indeed was wafted over the entire creation, to strengthen me by Thy power
which hath encompassed the heavens and the earth, and to guard me from all
sickness and tribulation. I bear witness that Thou art the Lord of all
names, and the Ordainer of all that may please Thee. There is none other
God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Do Thou ordain for me, O my Lord, what will profit me in every world of
Thy worlds. Supply me, then, with what Thou hast written down for the
chosen ones among Thy creatures, whom neither the blame of the blamer, nor
the clamor of the infidel, nor the estrangement of such as have withdrawn
from Thee, hath deterred from turning towards Thee.
Thou, truly, art the Help in Peril through the power of Thy sovereignty.
No God is there save Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
CXXXVII: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY GOD! I YIELD THEE THANKS...”
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I yield Thee thanks that Thou hast made
known unto me Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy mercy, and the
Dawning-Place of Thy grace, and the Repository of Thy Cause. I beseech
Thee by Thy Name, through which the faces of them that are nigh unto Thee
have turned white, and the hearts of such as are devoted to Thee have
winged their flight towards Thee, to grant that I may, at all times and
under all conditions, lay hold on Thy cord, and be rid of all attachment
to any one except Thee, and may keep mine eyes directed towards the
horizon of Thy Revelation, and may carry out what Thou hast prescribed
unto me in Thy Tablets.
Attire, O my Lord, both my inner and outer being with the raiment of Thy
favors and Thy loving-kindness. Keep me safe, then, from whatsoever may be
abhorrent unto Thee, and graciously assist me and my kindred to obey Thee,
and to shun whatsoever may stir up any evil or corrupt desire within me.
Thou, truly, art the Lord of all mankind, and the Possessor of this world
and of the next. No God is there save Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CXXXVIII: “O GOD, AND THE GOD OF ALL NAMES, AND MAKER OF...”
O God, and the God of all Names, and Maker of the heavens! I entreat Thee
by Thy Name through which He Who is the Day-Spring of Thy might and the
Dawning-Place of Thy power hath been manifested, through which every solid
thing hath been made to flow, and every dead corpse hath been quickened,
and every moving spirit confirmed—I entreat Thee to enable me to rid
myself of all attachment to any one but Thee, and to serve Thy Cause, and
to wish what Thou didst wish through the power of Thy sovereignty, and to
perform what is the good pleasure of Thy will.
I beseech Thee, moreover, O my God, to ordain for me what will make me
rich enough to dispense with any one save Thee. Thou seest me, O my God,
with my face turned towards Thee, and my hands clinging to the cord of Thy
grace. Send down upon me Thy mercy, and write down for me what Thou hast
written down for Thy chosen ones. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth
Thee. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
CXXXIX: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O THOU WHO HAST, THROUGH THE...”
Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who hast, through the movement of Thy most august
pen, subdued the concourse of Thy creation, and manifested the pearls of
the ocean of Thy wisdom through the words which Thy tongue hath spoken
before all who are in heaven and on earth. I testify that Thy might hath
encompassed the whole universe, and Thy mercy surpassed all created
things. The powers of the earth have never prevailed against Thee, nor
hath the tumult of the nations frustrated Thy purpose. Thou hast revealed
in Thy realm whatsoever Thou hadst desired through the power of Thy
sovereignty, and hast ordained all things according to the good pleasure
of Thy will. From eternity Thou hast inhabited the loftiest heights of Thy
dominion and of Thine unfettered sovereignty, and wilt unto eternity
continue to abide in the inaccessible retreats of Thy majesty and glory.
I implore Thee, by Thy Name through which the fragrance of the raiment of
Thy presence was wafted, and the gentle winds of Thy bountiful grace
passed over all created things, to graciously assist me, at all times and
under all conditions, to serve Thy Cause, and to enable me to remember
Thee and to extol Thy virtues. Let, then, Thine almighty arms enfold me, O
my God, and ordain for me what beseemeth Thy bounty in every world of Thy
worlds.
Thou beholdest, O my Lord, how I have set myself towards the ocean of Thy
grace and the adored sanctuary of Thy favors. Deny me not, I pray Thee,
the drops which are sprinkled from the ocean of Thy gifts; neither do Thou
withhold from me the outpourings of the clouds of Thy tender mercies. I am
he, O my God, that hath clung to the resplendent hem of Thy robe, and
taken hold on Thy strong cord that none can sever. I testify that Thou
hast created me, and nourished me, and brought me up, and fed me, and
sustained me, that I may recognize Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs,
and the Revealer of Thy clear tokens. I offer unto Thee, therefore, most
high praise, O Lord my God, that Thou hast suffered me to attain unto this
most sublime station and this most august seat. Thou, truly, art the Great
Giver, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Generous.
Illumine mine eyes, O my Lord, with the splendors of the horizon of Thy
Revelation, and brighten my heart with the effulgence of the Day-Star of
Thy knowledge and wisdom, that I may set myself wholly towards Thy face,
and be rid of all attachment to any one except Thee, in such wise that the
changes and chances of the world will be powerless to hinder me from
recognizing Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self, and the
Revealer of Thy signs, and the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, and the
Repository of Thy Cause.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Protector, the All-Glorious, the
All-Wise.
CXL: “PRAISED BE THOU, O MY GOD! THIS SERVANT OF THINE...”
Praised be Thou, O my God! This servant of Thine testifieth that naught
else except Thee can ever express Thee, nor canst Thou be described by any
one save Thyself. The thoughts of them that have recognized Thy reality,
however much they may ascend towards the heaven of Thy praise, can never
hope to pass beyond the bounds which, by Thy behest and decree, have been
fixed within their own hearts. How can the creature who is as nothing
comprehend Him Who is the Ancient of Days, or succeed in describing the
full measure of His sovereignty, His glory, and His grandeur? Nay, and to
this Thou Thyself dost witness, O Thou Who art the Governor of nations!
Every created thing hath recognized its own impotence, and the power of
Thy might, and hath confessed its own abasement and Thy great glory.
I beseech Thee by Thy Lastness which is the same as Thy Firstness, and by
Thy Revelation which is identical with Thy Concealment, to grant that they
who are dear to Thee, and their children, and their kindred, may become
the revealers of Thy purity amidst Thy creatures, and the manifestations
of Thy sanctity amongst Thy servants.
Thou art, verily, powerful to do Thy pleasure. Thou art, in truth, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CXLI: “I GIVE THEE THANKS, O MY GOD, FOR THAT THOU HAST...”
I give Thee thanks, O my God, for that Thou hast made me to be a target
for the darts of Thine adversaries in Thy path. I offer Thee most high
praise, O Thou Who art the Knower of the seen and unseen and the Lord of
all being, that Thou hast suffered me to be cast into prison for love of
Thee, and caused me to quaff the cup of woe, that I may reveal Thy Cause
and glorify Thy word.
Which of my tribulations am I to recount before Thy face, O my Lord? Am I
to recite before Thee what in days of old befell me at the hands of the
workers of iniquity among Thy creatures, or to describe the vexations
which have compassed me about in these days for the sake of Thy good
pleasure?
Thanks be to Thee, O Thou the Lord of all names; and glory be to Thee, O
Maker of the heavens, for all that I have sustained in these days at the
hands of such of Thy servants as have transgressed against Thee, and of
Thy people that have dealt frowardly towards Thee.
Number us, we implore Thee, with them who have stood fast in Thy Cause
until their souls finally winged their flight unto the heaven of Thy grace
and the atmosphere of Thy loving-kindness. Thou art, verily, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
CXLII: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O MY GOD! MY FACE HATH BEEN...”
Glory be to Thee, O my God! My face hath been set towards Thy face, and my
face is, verily, Thy face, and my call is Thy call, and my Revelation Thy
Revelation, and my self Thy Self, and my Cause Thy Cause, and my behest
Thy behest, and my Being Thy Being, and my sovereignty Thy sovereignty,
and my glory Thy glory, and my power Thy power.
I implore Thee, O Thou Fashioner of the nations and the King of eternity,
to guard Thy handmaidens within the tabernacle of Thy chastity, and to
cancel such of their deeds as are unworthy of Thy days. Purge out, then,
from them, O my God, all doubts and idle fancies, and sanctify them from
whatsoever becometh not their kinship with Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord
of names, and the Source of utterance. Thou art He in Whose grasp are the
reins of the entire creation.
No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the
All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.
CXLIII: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O MY GOD! I BEG OF THEE BY THY...”
Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beg of Thee by Thy name, the Most Merciful,
to protect Thy servants and Thy handmaidens when the tempests of trials
pass over them, and Thy manifold tests assail them. Enable them, then, O
my God, so to seek refuge within the stronghold of Thy love and of Thy
Revelation, that neither Thine adversaries nor the wicked doers among Thy
servants, who have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, and turned away
most disdainfully from the Day-Spring of Thine Essence and the Revealer of
Thy glory, may prevail against them.
They themselves, O my Lord, have waited at the door of Thy grace. Do Thou
open it to their faces with the keys of Thy bountiful favors. Potent art
Thou to do what Thou willest, and to ordain what Thou pleasest. These are
the ones, O my Lord, who have set their faces towards Thee, and turned
unto Thy habitation. Do with them, therefore, as becometh Thy mercy, which
hath surpassed the worlds.
CXLIV: “O MY GOD AND MY MASTER! I AM THY SERVANT AND...”
O my God and my Master! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I
have risen from my couch at this dawn-tide when the Day-Star of Thy
oneness hath shone forth from the Day-Spring of Thy will, and hath shed
its radiance upon the whole world, according to what had been ordained in
the Books of Thy Decree.
Praise be unto Thee, O my God, that we have wakened to the splendors of
the light of Thy knowledge. Send down, then, upon us, O my Lord, what will
enable us to dispense with any one but Thee, and will rid us of all
attachment to aught except Thyself. Write down, moreover, for me, and for
such as are dear to me, and for my kindred, man and woman alike, the good
of this world and the world to come. Keep us safe, then, through Thine
unfailing protection, O Thou the Beloved of the entire creation and the
Desire of the whole universe, from them whom Thou hast made to be the
manifestations of the Evil Whisperer, who whisper in men’s breasts. Potent
art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Bless Thou, O Lord my God, Him Whom Thou hast set over Thy most excellent
Titles, and through Whom Thou hast divided between the godly and the
wicked, and graciously aid us to do what Thou lovest and desirest. Bless
Thou, moreover, O my God, them Who are Thy Words and Thy Letters, and them
who have set their faces towards Thee, and turned unto Thy face, and
hearkened to Thy Call.
Thou art, truly, the Lord and King of all men, and art potent over all
things.
CXLV: “O GOD, MY GOD! BE THOU NOT FAR FROM ME, FOR...”
O God, my God! Be Thou not far from me, for tribulation upon tribulation
hath gathered about me. O God, my God! Leave me not to myself, for the
extreme of adversity hath come upon me. Out of the pure milk, drawn from
the breasts of Thy loving-kindness, give me to drink, for my thirst hath
utterly consumed me. Beneath the shadow of the wings of Thy mercy shelter
me, for all mine adversaries with one consent have fallen upon me. Keep me
near to the throne of Thy majesty, face to face with the revelation of the
signs of Thy glory, for wretchedness hath grievously touched me. With the
fruits of the Tree of Thine Eternity nourish me, for uttermost weakness
hath overtaken me. From the cups of joy, proffered by the hands of Thy
tender mercies, feed me, for manifold sorrows have laid mighty hold upon
me. With the broidered robe of Thine omnipotent sovereignty attire me, for
poverty hath altogether despoiled me. Lulled by the cooing of the Dove of
Thine Eternity, suffer me to sleep, for woes at their blackest have
befallen me. Before the throne of Thy oneness, amid the blaze of the
beauty of Thy countenance, cause me to abide, for fear and trembling have
violently crushed me. Beneath the ocean of Thy forgiveness, faced with the
restlessness of the leviathan of glory, immerse me, for my sins have
utterly doomed me.
CXLVI: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I BEG OF THEE...”
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of Thee by Thy Name through which
He Who is Thy Beauty hath been stablished upon the throne of Thy Cause,
and by Thy Name through which Thou changest all things, and gatherest
together all things, and callest to account all things, and rewardest all
things, and preservest all things, and sustainest all things—I beg of Thee
to guard this handmaiden who hath fled for refuge to Thee, and hath sought
the shelter of Him in Whom Thou Thyself art manifest, and hath put her
whole trust and confidence in Thee.
She is sick, O my God, and hath entered beneath the shadow of the Tree of
Thy healing; afflicted, and hath fled to the City of Thy protection;
diseased, and hath sought the Fountain-Head of Thy favors; sorely vexed,
and hath hasted to attain the Well-Spring of Thy tranquillity; burdened
with sin, and hath set her face toward the court of Thy forgiveness.
Attire her, by Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, O my God and my
Beloved, with the raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing, and make her quaff
of the cup of Thy mercy and Thy favors. Protect her, moreover, from every
affliction and ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from whatsoever
may be abhorrent unto Thee.
Thou, in truth, art immensely exalted above all else except Thyself. Thou
art, verily, the Healer, the All-Sufficing, the Preserver, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
CXLVII: “THOU ART HE, O MY GOD, THROUGH WHOSE NAMES...”
Thou art He, O my God, through Whose names the sick are healed and the
ailing are restored, and the thirsty are given drink, and the sore-vexed
are tranquillized, and the wayward are guided, and the abased are exalted,
and the poor are enriched, and the ignorant are enlightened, and the
gloomy are illumined, and the sorrowful are cheered, and the chilled are
warmed, and the downtrodden are raised up. Through Thy name, O my God, all
created things were stirred up, and the heavens were spread, and the earth
was established, and the clouds were raised and made to rain upon the
earth. This, verily, is a token of Thy grace unto all Thy creatures.
I implore Thee, therefore, by Thy name through which Thou didst manifest
Thy Godhead, and didst exalt Thy Cause above all creation, and by each of
Thy most excellent titles and most august attributes, and by all the
virtues wherewith Thy transcendent and most exalted Being is extolled, to
send down this night from the clouds of Thy mercy the rains of Thy healing
upon this suckling, whom Thou hast related unto Thine all-glorious Self in
the kingdom of Thy creation. Clothe him, then, O my God, by Thy grace,
with the robe of well-being and health, and guard him, O my Beloved, from
every affliction and disorder, and from whatever is obnoxious unto Thee.
Thy might, verily, is equal to all things. Thou, in truth, art the Most
Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. Send down, moreover, upon him, O my God,
the good of this world and of the next, and the good of the former and
latter generations. Thy might and Thy wisdom are, verily, equal unto this.
CXLVIII: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! I IMPLORE THEE...”
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thy Name, through which
Thou didst lift up the ensigns of Thy guidance, and didst shed the
radiance of Thy loving-kindness, and didst reveal the sovereignty of Thy
Lordship; through which the lamp of Thy names hath appeared within the
niche of Thine attributes, and He Who is the Tabernacle of Thy unity and
the Manifestation of detachment hath shone forth; through which the ways
of Thy guidance were made known, and the paths of Thy good pleasure were
marked out; through which the foundations of error have been made to
tremble, and the signs of wickedness have been abolished; through which
the fountains of wisdom have burst forth, and the heavenly table hath been
sent down; through which Thou didst preserve Thy servants and didst
vouchsafe Thy healing; through which Thou didst show forth Thy tender
mercies unto Thy servants and revealedst Thy forgiveness amidst Thy
creatures—I implore Thee to keep safe him who hath held fast and returned
unto Thee, and clung to Thy mercy, and seized the hem of Thy loving
providence. Send down, then, upon him Thy healing, and make him whole, and
endue him with a constancy vouchsafed by Thee, and a tranquillity bestowed
by Thy highness.
Thou art, verily, the Healer, the Preserver, the Helper, the Almighty, the
Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing.
CXLIX: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY GOD! I GIVE PRAISE TO...”
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I give praise to Thee, that Thou hast made
me able so to reveal Thine utterances, and manifest Thy proofs and Thy
testimonies, that every proof hath been made to circle round my will, and
every testimony to compass my pleasure. Thou seest me, O my Lord, lying at
the mercy of Thine adversaries, who have repudiated Thy signs, and refuted
Thy testimony, and turned back from Thy beauty, and resolved to shed Thy
blood. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names, by Thy name
through which Thou hast subdued all created things, to graciously aid Thy
servants and Thy loved ones to cleave steadfastly to Thy Cause. Give them,
then, to drink what will quicken their hearts in Thy days. Enable them,
moreover, O my Lord, to fix their gaze at all times upon Thy pleasure, and
to yield Thee thanks for the evidences of Thine irrevocable decree. For
Thou art, verily, praiseworthy in all that Thou hast done in the past, or
wilt do in the future, and art to be obeyed in whatsoever Thou hast wished
or wilt wish, and to be loved in all that Thou hast desired or wilt
desire. Thou lookest upon them that are dear to Thee with the eyes of Thy
loving-kindness, and sendest down for them only that which will profit
them through Thy grace and Thy gifts.
We entreat Thee, O Thou Who art the Cloud of Bounty and the Succorer of
the distressed, that Thou wilt aid us to remember Thee, and to make known
Thy Cause, and to arise to help Thee. Though all weakness, we yet have
clung to Thy Name, the Most Powerful, the Almighty.
Bless Thou, O my God, them that have stood fast in Thy Cause, and whom the
evil suggestions of the workers of iniquity have failed to deter from
turning towards Thy face, and who have hastened with their whole hearts
toward Thy grace, until they finally quaffed the water that is life indeed
from the hands of Thy bounty.
Potent art Thou to do Thy pleasure. No God is there save Thee, the Mighty,
the Most Generous.
CL: “I GIVE PRAISE TO THEE, O MY GOD, THAT THE FRAGRANCE...”
I give praise to Thee, O my God, that the fragrance of Thy loving-kindness
hath enraptured me, and the gentle winds of Thy mercy have inclined me in
the direction of Thy bountiful favors. Make me to quaff, O my Lord, from
the fingers of Thy bounteousness the living waters which have enabled
every one that hath partaken of them to rid himself of all attachment to
any one save Thee, and to soar into the atmosphere of detachment from all
Thy creatures, and to fix his gaze upon Thy loving providence and Thy
manifold gifts.
Make me ready, in all circumstances, O my Lord, to serve Thee and to set
myself towards the adored sanctuary of Thy Revelation and of Thy Beauty.
If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of
Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me
into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my
stillness may be wholly directed by Thee.
Thou art He, by Whose name the Hidden Secret was divulged, and the
Well-Guarded Name was revealed, and the seals of the sealed-up Goblet were
opened, shedding thereby its fragrance over all creation, whether of the
past or of the future. He who was athirst, O my Lord, hath hasted to
attain the living waters of Thy grace, and the wretched creature hath
yearned to immerse himself beneath the ocean of Thy riches.
I swear by Thy glory, O Lord the Beloved of the world and the Desire of
all them that have recognized Thee! I am sore afflicted by the grief of my
separation from Thee, in the days when the Day-Star of Thy presence hath
shed its radiance upon Thy people. Write down, then, for me the recompense
decreed for such as have gazed on Thy face, and have, by Thy leave, gained
admittance into the court of Thy throne, and have, at Thy bidding, met
Thee face to face.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name the splendors of which have
encompassed the earth and the heavens, to enable me so to surrender my
will to what Thou hast decreed in Thy Tablets, that I may cease to
discover within me any desire except what Thou didst desire through the
power of Thy sovereignty, and any will save what Thou didst destine for me
by Thy will.
Whither shall I turn, O my God, powerless as I am to discover any other
way except the way Thou didst set before Thy chosen Ones? All the atoms of
the earth proclaim Thee to be God, and testify that there is none other
God besides Thee. Thou hast from eternity been powerful to do what Thou
hast willed, and to ordain what Thou hast pleased.
Do Thou destine for me, O my God, what will set me, at all times, towards
Thee, and enable me to cleave continually to the cord of Thy grace, and to
proclaim Thy name, and to look for whatsoever may flow down from Thy pen.
I am poor and desolate, O my Lord, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the
Most High. Have pity, then, upon me through the wonders of Thy mercy, and
send down upon me, every moment of my life, the things wherewith Thou hast
recreated the hearts of all Thy creatures who have recognized Thy unity,
and of all Thy people who are wholly devoted to Thee.
Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise.
CLI: “GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY LORD! THOU BEHOLDEST...”
Glorified art Thou, O my Lord! Thou beholdest my tribulations and all that
hath befallen me at the hands of such of Thy servants as keep company with
me, who have disbelieved in Thy most resplendent signs, and turned back
from Thy most effulgent Beauty. I swear by Thy glory! Such are the
troubles that vex me, that no pen in the entire creation can either reckon
or describe them.
I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the King of names and the Creator of earth
and heaven, so to assist me by Thy strengthening grace that nothing
whatsoever will have the power to hinder me from remembering Thee, or
celebrating Thy praise, or to keep me back from observing what Thou hast
prescribed unto me in Thy Tablets, that I may so arise to serve Thee that
with bared head I will hasten forth from my habitation, cry out in Thy
name amidst Thy creatures, and proclaim Thy virtues among Thy servants.
Having accomplished what Thou hadst decreed, and delivered the thing Thou
hadst written down, the wicked doers among Thy people would, then, compass
me about and would do with me in Thy path as would please them.
In the love I bear to Thee, O my Lord, my heart longeth for Thee with a
longing such as no heart hath known. Here am I with my body between Thy
hands, and my spirit before Thy face. Do with them as it may please Thee,
for the exaltation of Thy word, and the revelation of what hath been
enshrined within the treasuries of Thy knowledge.
Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and able to ordain what Thou
pleasest.
CLII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O MY GOD! I CAN DISCOVER...”
Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I can discover no one in Thy realm who can
befittingly turn unto Thee, or is able to adequately hearken unto what
hath gone out of the mouth of Thy will. I beseech Thee, therefore, O Thou
Who art the Possessor of the entire creation and the King of the realm of
Thine invention, graciously to aid Thy creatures to accomplish that which
is pleasing and acceptable unto Thee, that they may arise to serve Thy
Cause amidst Thy creatures, and to speak forth Thy praise before all who
are in heaven and on earth.
Thou art He, O my Lord, Whose bounty hath surpassed all things, and Whose
power hath transcended all things, and Whose mercy hath encompassed all
things. Look, then, upon Thy people with the eyes of Thy tender mercies,
and leave them not to themselves and to their corrupt desires in Thy days.
How farsoever they may have strayed from Thee, and however grievously they
have turned back from Thy face, yet Thou, in Thine essence, art the
All-Bountiful, and, in Thine inmost spirit, art the Most Merciful. Deal
with them according to the unrevealed tokens of Thy bounty and Thy gifts.
Thou art, verily, the One to the power of Whose might all things have
testified, and to Whose majesty and omnipotence the whole creation hath
borne witness.
No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CLIII: “MY GOD, THOU WHOM I ADORE AND WORSHIP, WHO...”
My God, Thou Whom I adore and worship, Who art Most Powerful! I testify
that no description by any created thing can ever reveal Thee, and no
praise which any being is able to utter can express Thee. Neither the
comprehension of any one in the whole world, nor the intelligence of any
of its peoples, can, as it befitteth Thee, gain admittance into the court
of Thy holiness, or unravel Thy mystery. What sin hath kept the inmates of
the city of Thy names so far from Thine all-glorious Horizon, and deprived
them of access to Thy most great Ocean? One single letter of Thy Book is
the mother of all utterances, and a word therefrom the begetter of all
creation. What ingratitude have Thy servants shown forth that Thou hast
withheld them, one and all, from recognizing Thee? A drop out of the ocean
of Thy mercy sufficeth to quench the flames of hell, and a spark of the
fire of Thy love is enough to set ablaze a whole world.
O Thou Who art the All-Knowing! Wayward though we be, we still cling to
Thy bounty; and though ignorant, we still set our faces toward the ocean
of Thy wisdom. Thou art that All-Bountiful Who art not deterred by a
multitude of sins from vouchsafing Thy bounty, and the flow of Whose gifts
is not arrested by the withdrawal of the peoples of the world. From
eternity the door of Thy grace hath remained wide open. A dewdrop out of
the ocean of Thy mercy is able to adorn all things with the ornament of
sanctity, and a sprinkling of the waters of Thy bounty can cause the
entire creation to attain unto true wealth.
Lift not the veil, O Thou Who art the Concealer! From eternity the tokens
of Thy bounty have encompassed the universe, and the splendors of Thy Most
Great Name have been shed over all created things. Deny not Thy servants
the wonders of Thy grace. Cause them to be made aware of Thee, that they
may bear witness to Thy unity, and enable them to recognize Thee, that
they may hasten towards Thee. Thy mercy hath embraced the whole creation,
and Thy grace hath pervaded all things. From the billows of the ocean of
Thy generosity the seas of eagerness and enthusiasm were revealed. Thou
art what Thou art. Aught except Thee is unworthy of any mention unless it
entereth beneath Thy shadow, and gaineth admittance into Thy court.
Whatever betide us, we beseech Thine ancient forgiveness, and seek Thine
all-pervasive grace. Our hope is that Thou wilt deny no one Thy grace, and
wilt deprive no soul of the ornament of fairness and justice. Thou art the
King of all bounty, and the Lord of all favors, and supreme over all who
are in heaven and on earth.
CLIV: “DISPEL MY GRIEF BY THY BOUNTY AND THY GENEROSITY,...”
Dispel my grief by Thy bounty and Thy generosity, O God, my God, and
banish mine anguish through Thy sovereignty and Thy might. Thou seest me,
O my God, with my face set towards Thee at a time when sorrows have
compassed me on every side. I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all
being, and overshadowest all things visible and invisible, by Thy Name
whereby Thou hast subdued the hearts and the souls of men, and by the
billows of the Ocean of Thy mercy and the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy
bounty, to number me with them whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from
setting their faces toward Thee, O Thou Lord of all names and Maker of the
heavens!
Thou beholdest, O my Lord, the things which have befallen me in Thy days.
I entreat Thee, by Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy names and the
Dawning-Place of Thine attributes, to ordain for me what will enable me to
arise to serve Thee and to extol Thy virtues. Thou art, verily, the
Almighty, the Most Powerful, Who art wont to answer the prayers of all
men!
And, finally, I beg of Thee by the light of Thy countenance to bless my
affairs, and redeem my debts, and satisfy my needs. Thou art He to Whose
power and to Whose dominion every tongue hath testified, and Whose majesty
and Whose sovereignty every understanding heart hath acknowledged. No God
is there but Thee, Who hearest and art ready to answer.
CLV: “CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, O MY GOD, AND RENEW...”
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience
within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy
Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy
path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent
might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being,
and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God!
Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion,
and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except
Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine
incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of
the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!
CLVI: “I GIVE PRAISE TO THEE, O MY GOD, THAT THOU HAST...”
I give praise to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast awakened me out of my
sleep, and brought me forth after my disappearance, and raised me up from
my slumber. I have wakened this morning with my face set toward the
splendors of the Day-Star of Thy Revelation, through Which the heavens of
Thy power and Thy majesty have been illumined, acknowledging Thy signs,
believing in Thy Book, and holding fast unto Thy Cord.
I beseech Thee, by the potency of Thy will and the compelling power of Thy
purpose, to make of what Thou didst reveal unto me in my sleep the surest
foundation for the mansions of Thy love that are within the hearts of Thy
loved ones, and the best instrument for the revelation of the tokens of
Thy grace and Thy loving-kindness.
Do Thou ordain for me through Thy most exalted Pen, O my Lord, the good of
this world and of the next. I testify that within Thy grasp are held the
reins of all things. Thou changest them as Thou pleasest. No God is there
save Thee, the Strong, the Faithful.
Thou art He Who changeth through His bidding abasement into glory, and
weakness into strength, and powerlessness into might, and fear into calm,
and doubt into certainty. No God is there but Thee, the Mighty, the
Beneficent.
Thou disappointest no one who hath sought Thee, nor dost Thou keep back
from Thee any one who hath desired Thee. Ordain Thou for me what becometh
the heaven of Thy generosity, and the ocean of Thy bounty. Thou art,
verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
CLVII: “MY GOD, WHOM I WORSHIP AND ADORE! I BEAR WITNESS...”
My God, Whom I worship and adore! I bear witness unto Thy unity and Thy
oneness, and acknowledge Thy gifts, both in the past and in the present.
Thou art the All-Bountiful, the overflowing showers of Whose mercy have
rained down upon high and low alike, and the splendors of Whose grace have
been shed over both the obedient and the rebellious.
O God of mercy, before Whose door the quintessence of mercy hath bowed
down, and round the sanctuary of Whose Cause loving-kindness, in its
inmost spirit, hath circled, we beseech Thee, entreating Thine ancient
grace, and seeking Thy present favor, that Thou mayest have mercy upon all
who are the manifestations of the world of being, and to deny them not the
outpourings of Thy grace in Thy days.
All are but poor and needy, and Thou, verily, art the All-Possessing, the
All-Subduing, the All-Powerful.
CLVIII: “I HAVE WAKENED IN THY SHELTER, O MY GOD, AND IT...”
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh
that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the
Stronghold of Thy defense. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the
splendors of the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine
my outer being with the morning light of Thy favor.
CLIX: “O MY GOD, THE GOD OF BOUNTY AND MERCY! THOU...”
O my God, the God of bounty and mercy! Thou art that King by Whose
commanding word the whole creation hath been called into being; and Thou
art that All-Bountiful One the doings of Whose servants have never
hindered Him from showing forth His grace, nor have they frustrated the
revelations of His bounty.
Suffer this servant, I beseech Thee, to attain unto that which is the
cause of his salvation in every world of Thy worlds. Thou art, verily, the
Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CLX: “MY GOD, THE OBJECT OF MY ADORATION, THE GOAL OF...”
My God, the Object of my adoration, the Goal of my desire, the
All-Bountiful, the Most Compassionate! All life is of Thee and all power
lieth within the grasp of Thine omnipotence. Whosoever Thou exaltest is
raised above the angels, and attaineth the station: “Verily, We uplifted
him to a place on high!”; and whosoever Thou dost abase is made lower than
dust, nay, less than nothing.
O Divine Providence! Though wicked, sinful, and intemperate, we still seek
from Thee a “seat of truth,” and long to behold the countenance of the
Omnipotent King. It is Thine to command, and all sovereignty belongeth to
Thee, and the realm of might boweth before Thy behest. Everything Thou
doest is pure justice, nay, the very essence of grace. One gleam from the
splendors of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, sufficeth to banish and blot out
every trace of sinfulness from the world, and a single breath from the
breezes of the Day of Thy Revelation is enough to adorn all mankind with a
fresh attire.
Vouchsafe Thy strength, O Almighty One, unto Thy weak creatures, and
quicken them who are as dead, that haply they may find Thee, and may be
led unto the ocean of Thy guidance, and may remain steadfast in Thy Cause.
Should the fragrance of Thy praise be shed abroad by any of the divers
tongues of the world, out of the East or out of the West, it would,
verily, be prized and greatly cherished. If such tongues, however, be
deprived of that fragrance, they assuredly would be unworthy of any
mention, be they words or thoughts.
We beg of Thee, O Providence, to show Thy way unto all men, and to guide
them aright. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the
All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.
CLXI: “PRAISE BE TO THEE, O MY GOD, INASMUCH AS THOU...”
Praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast turned the faces of Thy
servants towards the right-hand of the throne of Thy gifts, and hast
caused them to be detached from all else besides Thee, that they may
recognize Thy sovereignty and acknowledge Thy glory. I testify to the
potency of Thy Cause, the pervasive influence of Thy decree, the
immutability of Thy will, the endlessness of Thy purpose. All things lie
prisoned within the grasp of Thy might, and the whole creation is
destitute when brought face to face with the evidences of Thy wealth.
Deal Thou, therefore, O my God, my Beloved, my supreme Desire, with Thy
servants and with all that were created by Thee as would beseem Thy beauty
and Thy greatness, and would be worthy of Thy generosity and gifts. Thou
art, in truth, He Whose mercy hath encompassed all the worlds, and Whose
grace hath embraced all that dwell on earth and in heaven. Who is there
that hath cried after Thee, and whose prayer hath remained unanswered?
Where is he to be found who hath reached forth towards Thee, and whom Thou
hast failed to approach? Who is he that can claim to have fixed his gaze
upon Thee, and toward whom the eye of Thy loving-kindness hath not been
directed? I bear witness that Thou hadst turned toward Thy servants ere
they had turned toward Thee, and hadst remembered them ere they had
remembered Thee. All grace is Thine, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom
of Divine gifts and the source of every irrevocable decree.
Send down, therefore, O my God, upon all that seek Thee that which will
entirely strip them of all that pertaineth not unto Thee, and will draw
them nigh unto Thy Self. Assist them, by Thy grace, to love Thee and to
conform unto that which shall please Thee. Grant, then, that they may go
straight on in the path of Thy Cause, the path wherein have slipped the
footsteps of the doubters among Thy people and the froward among Thy
servants. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Most
Great.
CLXII: “LAUDED AND GLORIFIED ART THOU, O MY GOD! I ENTREAT...”
Lauded and glorified art Thou, O my God! I entreat Thee by the sighing of
Thy lovers and by the tears shed by them that long to behold Thee, not to
withhold from me Thy tender mercies in Thy Day, nor to deprive me of the
melodies of the Dove that extolleth Thy oneness before the light that
shineth from Thy face. I am the one who is in misery, O God! Behold me
cleaving fast to Thy Name, the All-Possessing. I am the one who is sure to
perish; behold me clinging to Thy Name, the Imperishable. I implore Thee,
therefore, by Thy Self, the Exalted, the Most High, not to abandon me unto
mine own self and unto the desires of a corrupt inclination. Hold Thou my
hand with the hand of Thy power, and deliver me from the depths of my
fancies and idle imaginings, and cleanse me of all that is abhorrent unto
Thee.
Cause me, then, to turn wholly unto Thee, to put my whole trust in Thee,
to seek Thee as my Refuge, and to flee unto Thy face. Thou art, verily, He
Who, through the power of His might, doeth whatsoever He desireth, and
commandeth, through the potency of His will, whatsoever He chooseth. None
can withstand the operation of Thy decree; none can divert the course of
Thine appointment. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the
Most Bountiful.
CLXIII: “LAUDED BE THY NAME, O LORD MY GOD! THOU SEEST...”
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest how I have turned myself
toward Thee, and set my face in the direction of Thy grace and Thy gifts.
I implore Thee, by Thy name through which Thou didst enable all them that
have recognized Thy unity to partake of the wine of Thy mercy, and all
such as have drawn nigh unto Thee to quaff the living waters of Thy
loving-kindness, to rid me entirely of all vain imaginings, and to incline
me in the direction of Thy grace, O Thou Who art the Lord of all men!
Graciously assist me, O my God, in the days of the Manifestation of Thy
Cause and of the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, to tear asunder the veils
which have hindered me from recognizing Thee, and from immersing myself
beneath the ocean of Thy knowledge. Hold Thou me with the hands of Thy
power, and grant that I may be so carried away by the sweet melodies of
the Dove of Thy oneness, that I will cease to regard in all creation any
face except Thy face, O Thou the Goal of my desire, and will recognize in
the visible world naught else save the evidences of Thy might, O Thou Who
art the God of mercy!
I am but a wretched creature, O my Lord, and Thou art the All-Possessing,
the Most High; and I am all weakness, and Thou art the Almighty, and the
Supreme Ordainer in both the beginning and the end. Withhold not from me
the fragrances of Thy Revelation, and shatter not my hopes in the
outpourings which have been sent down out of the heaven of Thy gifts.
Ordain Thou for me, O my God, the good of this world and the world to
come, and grant me what will profit me in every world of Thy worlds, for I
know not what will help or harm me. Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
Have mercy, then, O my God, upon Thy servants who are drowned in the midst
of the ocean of evil suggestions, and deliver them by the power of Thy
sovereignty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and attributes! Thou art
He Who from everlasting hath ordained what hath pleased Thee, and will
unto everlasting abide the same. No God is there but Thee, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
CLXIV: “O GOD, MY GOD! I HAVE SET OUT FROM MY HOME,...”
O God, my God! I have set out from my home, holding fast unto the cord of
Thy love, and I have committed myself wholly to Thy care and Thy
protection. I entreat Thee by Thy power through which Thou didst protect
Thy loved ones from the wayward and the perverse, and from every
contumacious oppressor, and every wicked doer who hath strayed far from
Thee, to keep me safe by Thy bounty and Thy grace. Enable me, then, to
return to my home by Thy power and Thy might. Thou art, truly, the
Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
CLXV: “FROM THE SWEET-SCENTED STREAMS OF THINE ETERNITY...”
From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my
God, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my
Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory,
and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my
Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me
able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy
mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a
breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of
Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the
dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through
the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the
spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of
Thy good-pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within the garden of
Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou
Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O
Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me
up, O my Quickener, and unto the Day-Star of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou
my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me
to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the
essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me
to return, O Thou Who art my God!
Potent art Thou to do what pleasest Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most
Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Highest.
CLXVI: “O THOU WHOSE FACE IS THE OBJECT OF MY ADORATION,...”
O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my
sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose
providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose
mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my
dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from
me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants.
Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next.
Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
CLXVII: “O MY GOD! THIS IS THY SERVANT AND THE SON OF...”
O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant who hath believed
in Thee and in Thy signs, and set his face towards Thee, wholly detached
from all except Thee. Thou art, verily, of those who show mercy the most
merciful.
Deal with him, O Thou Who forgivest the sins of men and concealest their
faults, as beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy grace.
Grant him admission within the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy that
was before the foundation of earth and heaven. There is no God but Thee,
the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Let him, then, repeat six times the greeting “Alláh-u-Abhá,” and
then repeat nineteen times each of the following verses:
We all, verily, worship God.
We all, verily, bow down before God.
We all, verily, are devoted unto God.
We all, verily, give praise unto God.
We all, verily, yield thanks unto God.
We all, verily, are patient in God.
(If the dead be a woman, let him say:
This is Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden,
etc....)
_Prayer for the Dead._
CLXVIII: “O MY LORD! MAKE THY BEAUTY TO BE MY FOOD, AND...”
O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and
Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of
Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy
habitation my home, and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified
from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from
Thee.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.
CLXIX: “GLORY BE TO THEE, O LORD MY GOD! ABASE NOT HIM...”
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Abase not him whom Thou hast exalted
through the power of Thine everlasting sovereignty, and remove not far
from Thee him whom Thou hast caused to enter the tabernacle of Thine
eternity. Wilt Thou cast away, O my God, him whom Thou hast overshadowed
with Thy Lordship, and wilt Thou turn away from Thee, O my Desire, him to
whom Thou hast been a refuge? Canst Thou degrade him whom Thou hast
uplifted, or forget him whom Thou didst enable to remember Thee?
Glorified, immensely glorified art Thou! Thou art He Who from everlasting
hath been the King of the entire creation and its Prime Mover, and Thou
wilt to everlasting remain the Lord of all created things and their
Ordainer. Glorified art Thou, O my God! If Thou ceasest to be merciful
unto Thy servants, who, then, will show mercy unto them; and if Thou
refusest to succor Thy loved ones, who is there that can succor them?
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou! Thou art adored in Thy truth,
and Thee do we all, verily, worship; and Thou art manifest in Thy justice,
and to Thee do we all, verily, bear witness. Thou art, in truth, beloved
in Thy grace. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.
CLXX: “THY NAME IS MY HEALING, O MY GOD, AND REMEMBRANCE...”
Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy.
Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy
to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to
come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CLXXI: “O MY GOD, MY MASTER, THE GOAL OF MY DESIRE!...”
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to
sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy
grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection.
I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine
eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that
they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou
art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of
power hath trembled.
No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the
Unconditioned.
CLXXII: “HOW CAN I CHOOSE TO SLEEP, O GOD, MY GOD, WHEN...”
How can I choose to sleep, O God, my God, when the eyes of them that long
for Thee are wakeful because of their separation from Thee; and how can I
lie down to rest whilst the souls of Thy lovers are sore vexed in their
remoteness from Thy presence?
I have committed, O my Lord, my spirit and my entire being into the right
hand of Thy might and Thy protection, and I lay my head on my pillow
through Thy power, and lift it up according to Thy will and Thy
good-pleasure. Thou art, in truth, the Preserver, the Keeper, the
Almighty, the Most Powerful.
By Thy might! I ask not, whether sleeping or waking, but that which Thou
dost desire. I am Thy servant and in Thy hands. Do Thou graciously aid me
to do what will shed forth the fragrance of Thy good pleasure. This,
truly, is my hope and the hope of them that enjoy near access to Thee.
Praised be Thou, O Lord of the worlds!
CLXXIII: “MY GOD, MY ADORED ONE, MY KING, MY DESIRE!...”
My God, my Adored One, my King, my Desire! What tongue can voice my thanks
to Thee? I was heedless, Thou didst awaken me. I had turned back from
Thee, Thou didst graciously aid me to turn towards Thee. I was as one
dead, Thou didst quicken me with the water of life. I was withered, Thou
didst revive me with the heavenly stream of Thine utterance which hath
flowed forth from the Pen of the All-Merciful.
O Divine Providence! All existence is begotten by Thy bounty; deprive it
not of the waters of Thy generosity, neither do Thou withhold it from the
ocean of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee to aid and assist me at all times and
under all conditions, and seek from the heaven of Thy grace Thine ancient
favor. Thou art, in truth, the Lord of bounty, and the Sovereign of the
kingdom of eternity.
CLXXIV: “O GOD, MY GOD! I BEG OF THEE BY THE OCEAN OF...”
O God, my God! I beg of Thee by the ocean of Thy healing, and by the
splendors of the Day-Star of Thy grace, and by Thy Name through which Thou
didst subdue Thy servants, and by the pervasive power of Thy most exalted
Word and the potency of Thy most august Pen, and by Thy mercy that hath
preceded the creation of all who are in heaven and on earth, to purge me
with the waters of Thy bounty from every affliction and disorder, and from
all weakness and feebleness.
Thou seest, O my Lord, Thy suppliant waiting at the door of Thy bounty,
and him who hath set his hopes on Thee clinging to the cord of Thy
generosity. Deny him not, I beseech Thee, the things he seeketh from the
ocean of Thy grace and the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness.
Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. There is none other God save
Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
CLXXV: “I HAVE RISEN THIS MORNING BY THY GRACE, O MY...”
I have risen this morning by Thy grace, O my God, and left my home
trusting wholly in Thee, and committing myself to Thy care. Send down,
then, upon me, out of the heaven of Thy mercy, a blessing from Thy side,
and enable me to return home in safety even as Thou didst enable me to set
out under Thy protection with my thoughts fixed steadfastly upon Thee.
There is none other God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
CLXXVI: “PRAISE BE UNTO THEE, WHO ART MY GOD AND THE...”
Praise be unto Thee, Who art my God and the God of all men, and my Desire
and the Desire of all them that have recognized Thee, and my Beloved and
the Beloved of such as have acknowledged Thy unity, and the Object of my
adoration and of the adoration of them that have near access to Thee, and
my Wish and the Wish of such as are wholly devoted to Thee, and my Hope
and the Hope of them that have fixed their hearts upon Thee, and my Refuge
and the Refuge of all such as have hastened towards Thee, and my Haven and
the Haven of whosoever hath repaired unto Thee, and my Goal and the Goal
of all them that have set themselves towards Thee, and my Object and the
Object of those who have fixed their gaze upon Thee, and my Paradise and
the Paradise of them that have ascended towards Thee, and my Lode-star and
the Lode-star of all such as yearn after Thee, and my Joy and the Joy of
all them that love Thee, and my Light and the Light of all such as have
erred and asked to be forgiven by Thee, and my Exultation and the
Exultation of all them that remember Thee, and my Stronghold and the
Stronghold of all such as have fled to Thee, and my Sanctuary and the
Sanctuary of all that dread Thee, and my Lord and the Lord of all such as
dwell in the heavens and on the earth!
Unto Thee be praise for that Thou hast enraptured me by the sweetness of
Thine utterances, and set me towards the horizon above which the splendors
of the Day-Star of Thy face have shone, and caused me to turn unto Thee at
a time when most of Thy creatures had broken off from Thee.
Thou art He, O my God, Who hath unlocked the gate of heaven with the key
of Thy Name, the Ever-Blessed, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the
Most Great, and hast summoned all mankind to the ocean of Thy presence. No
sooner had Thy most sweet voice been raised, than all the inmates of the
Kingdom of Names and the Concourse on high were stirred up. By Thy call
the fragrance of the raiment of Thy Revelation was wafted over such of Thy
creatures as have loved Thee, and such of Thy people as have yearned
towards Thee. They rose up and rushed forth to attain the Ocean of Thy
meeting, and the Horizon of Thy beauty, and the Tabernacle of Thy
Revelation and Thy majesty, and the Sanctuary of Thy Presence and Thy
glory. They were so inebriated with the wine of their reunion with Thee,
that they rid themselves of all attachment to whatever they themselves and
others possessed.
These are Thy servants whom the ascendancy of the oppressor hath failed to
deter from fixing their eyes on the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, and whom
the hosts of tyranny have been powerless to affright and divert their gaze
from the Day-Spring of Thy signs and the Dawning-Place of Thy testimonies.
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou the Lord of all being and the Enlightener of
all things visible and invisible! Whoso hath quaffed from the hands of Thy
bounteousness the living waters of Thy love will never allow the things
pertaining to Thy creatures to keep him back from Thee, neither will he be
dismayed at the refusal of all the dwellers of Thy realm to acknowledge
Thee. Before all who are in heaven and on earth such a man will cry aloud,
and announce unto the people the tumult of the Ocean of Thy bounty and the
splendors of the Luminaries of the heaven of Thy bestowals.
Happy indeed is the man that hath turned towards the sanctuary of Thy
presence, and rid himself of all attachment to any one except Thyself. He
is truly exalted who hath confessed Thy glory, and fixed his eyes upon the
Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness. He is endued with understanding who is
aware of Thy Revelation and hath acknowledged Thy manifold tokens, Thy
signs, and Thy testimonies. He is a man of insight whose eyes have been
illumined with the brightness of Thy face, and who, as soon as Thy call
was raised, hath recognized Thee. He is a man of hearing who hath been led
to hearken unto Thy speech, and to draw nigh unto the billowing ocean of
Thine utterances.
Behold Thou this stranger, O my Lord, who hath hastened to attain his most
exalted Home in the shelter of Thy shadowing mercy, and this ailing soul
who hath set his face towards the ocean of Thy healing.
Look, then, O Thou my God Who settest my soul on fire, upon the tears I
shed, and the sighs I utter, and the anguish that afflicteth my heart and
the fire that consumeth my being. Thy glory beareth me witness, O Thou,
the Light of the world! The fire of Thy love that burneth continually
within me hath so inflamed me that whoever among Thy creatures approacheth
me, and inclineth his inner ear towards me, cannot fail to hear its raging
within each of my veins.
I am so carried away by the sweetness of Thine utterances, and so
inebriated with the wine of Thy tender mercies, that my voice can never be
stilled, nor can my suppliant hands any longer desist from being stretched
out towards Thee. Thou seest, O my Lord, how mine eyes are fixed in the
direction of Thy grace, and mine ears inclined towards the kingdom of
Thine utterance, and my tongue unloosed to celebrate Thy praise, and my
face set towards Thy face that surviveth all that hath been created by Thy
word, and my hands raised up towards the heaven of Thy bounty and favor.
Wilt Thou keep back from Thee the stranger whom Thou didst call unto his
most exalted Home beneath the shadow of the wings of Thy mercy, or cast
away the wretched creature that hath hastened to attain the shores of the
ocean of Thy wealth? Wilt Thou shut up the door of Thy grace to the face
of Thy creatures after having opened it through the power of Thy might and
of Thy sovereignty, or close the eyes of Thy people when Thou hast already
commanded them to turn unto the Day-Spring of Thy Beauty and the
Dawning-Place of the splendors of Thy countenance?
Nay, and to this Thy glory beareth me witness! Such is not my thought of
Thee, nor the thought of those of Thy servants that have near access to
Thyself, nor that of the sincere amongst Thy people.
Thou knowest, and seest, and hearest, O my Lord, that before every tree I
am moved to lift up my voice to Thee, and before every stone I am impelled
to sigh and lament. Hath it been Thy purpose in creating me, O my God, to
touch me with tribulation, or to enable me to manifest Thy Cause in the
kingdom of Thy creation?
Thou hearest, O my God, my sighs and my groaning, and beholdest my
powerlessness, and my poverty, and my misery, and my woes, and my
wretchedness. I swear by Thy might! I have wept with such a weeping that I
have been unable to make mention of Thee, or to extol Thee, and cried with
such a bitter cry that every mother in her bereavement was bewildered at
me, and forgot her own anguish and the sighs she had uttered.
I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thine Ark, through which the potency of Thy
will was manifested and the energizing influences of Thy purpose were
revealed, and which saileth on both land and sea through the power of Thy
might, not to seize me in my mighty sins and great trespasses. I swear by
Thy glory! The waters of Thy forgiveness and Thy mercy have emboldened me,
as hath Thy dealing, in bygone ages, with the sincere among Thy chosen
ones, and with such of Thy Messengers as have proclaimed Thy oneness.
I am well aware, O my Lord, that I have been so carried away by the clear
tokens of Thy loving-kindness, and so completely inebriated with the wine
of Thine utterance, that whatever I behold I readily discover that it
maketh Thee known unto me, and it remindeth me of Thy signs, and of Thy
tokens, and of Thy testimonies. By Thy glory! Every time I lift up mine
eyes unto Thy heaven, I call to mind Thy highness and Thy loftiness, and
Thine incomparable glory and greatness; and every time I turn my gaze to
Thine earth, I am made to recognize the evidences of Thy power and the
tokens of Thy bounty. And when I behold the sea, I find that it speaketh
to me of Thy majesty, and of the potency of Thy might, and of Thy
sovereignty and Thy grandeur. And at whatever time I contemplate the
mountains, I am led to discover the ensigns of Thy victory and the
standards of Thine omnipotence.
I swear by Thy might, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all mankind,
and the destinies of the nations! I am so inflamed by my love for Thee,
and so inebriated with the wine of Thy oneness, that I can hear from the
whisper of the winds the sound of Thy glorification and praise, and can
recognize in the murmur of the waters the voice that proclaimeth Thy
virtues and Thine attributes, and can apprehend from the rustling of the
leaves the mysteries that have been irrevocably ordained by Thee in Thy
realm.
Glorified art Thou, O God of all names and Creator of the heavens! I
render Thee thanks that Thou hast made known unto Thy servants this Day
whereon the river that is life indeed hath flowed forth from the fingers
of Thy bounty, and the springtime of Thy revelation and Thy presence hath
appeared through Thy manifestation unto all who are in Thy heaven and all
who are on Thy earth.
This is the Day, O my Lord, whose brightness Thou hast exalted above the
brightness of the sun and the splendors thereof. I testify that the light
it sheddeth proceedeth out of the glory of the light of Thy countenance,
and is begotten by the radiance of the morn of Thy Revelation. This is the
Day whereon the hopeless have been clothed with the raiment of confidence,
and the sick attired with the robe of healing, and the poor drawn nigh
unto the ocean of Thy riches.
I swear by Thy Beauty, O King of eternity Who sittest on Thy most glorious
Throne! He Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs and the Revealer of Thy
clear tokens hath, notwithstanding the immensity of His wisdom and the
loftiness of His knowledge, confessed His powerlessness to comprehend the
least of Thine utterances, in their relation to Thy most exalted Pen,—how
much more is He incapable of apprehending the nature of Thine all-glorious
Self and of Thy most august Essence!
I cannot think, O my God, of any words wherewith to make mention of Thee,
and know not how to express or extol Thee. Were I to attempt to describe
Thee by Thy names, I would readily recognize that the kingdom of these
names is itself created through the movement of Thy fingers, and trembleth
for fear of Thee. And were I to venture to extol Thine attributes, I would
be forced to admit that these attributes are Thine own creation, and lie
within Thy grasp. It behooveth not Them Who are the Manifestations of
these names and attributes to stand before the gate of the city of Thy
Revelation, how much less to scale the heights whereon Thou didst stablish
the throne of Thy majesty.
I swear by Thy might, O Thou Who art the King of names and the Maker of
the heavens! Whatsoever hath been adorned with the robe of words is but
Thy creation which hath been generated in Thy realm and begotten through
the operation of Thy will, and is wholly unworthy of Thy highness and
falleth short of Thine excellence.
And since it hath been demonstrated that Thy most august Self is
immeasurably exalted above all that hath been created in the world of
being, and is far above the reach and ken of the apprehension of Thy
chosen Ones and Thy loved Ones, the splendors of the light of Thy unity
are therefore manifested, and it becometh evident unto every one, whether
free or bond, that Thou art One in Thine own Self, one in Thy Cause, and
one in Thy Revelation. Great is the blessedness of the man who, in his
love towards Thee, hath rid himself of all attachment from every one
except Thyself, and hastened unto the horizon of Thy Revelation, and
attained unto this Cup which Thou hast caused to excel all the seas of the
earth.
I beg of Thee, O my God, by Thy power, and Thy might, and Thy sovereignty,
which have embraced all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, to make
known unto Thy servants this luminous Way and this straight Path, that
they may acknowledge Thy unity and Thy oneness, with a certainty which the
vain imaginations of the doubters will not impair, nor the idle fancies of
the wayward obscure. Illumine, O my Lord, the eyes of Thy servants, and
brighten their hearts with the splendors of the light of Thy knowledge,
that they may apprehend the greatness of this most sublime station, and
recognize this most luminous Horizon, that haply the clamor of men may
fail to deter them from turning their gaze towards the effulgent light of
Thy unity, and to hinder them from setting their faces toward the Horizon
of detachment.
This is the Day, O my Lord, which Thou didst announce unto all mankind as
the Day whereon Thou wouldst reveal Thy Self, and shed Thy radiance, and
shine brightly over all Thy creatures. Thou hast, moreover, entered into a
covenant with them, in Thy Books, and Thy Scriptures, and Thy Scrolls, and
Thy Tablets, concerning Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, and
hast appointed the Bayán to be the Herald of this Most Great and
all-glorious Manifestation, and this most resplendent and most sublime
Appearance.
And when the world’s horizon was illumined, and He Who is the Most Great
Name was manifested, all disbelieved in Him and in His signs, except such
as have been carried away by the sweetness of Thy glorification and
praise. There befell Him what must remain inscrutable to everyone except
Thee, Whose knowledge transcendeth all who are in Thy heaven and all who
are on Thy earth.
Thou well knowest, O my God, that the Revealer of the Bayán (the Báb) hath
commanded all mankind concerning Thy Cause, and Thy Revelation, and Thy
Sovereignty. He hath said, and sweet is His speech: “Beware lest the Bayán
and its Letters keep you back from Him Who is the Most Merciful and from
His sovereignty.” He, moreover, hath written: “Were He to produce no more
than one verse, ye must not deny Him. Haste ye towards Him, that haply He
may cause to descend upon you what He pleaseth, as a token of His grace
unto you. He truly is the Possessor of His servants, and the King of
creation.”
Thou seest, then, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the world and the Revealer
of the Most Great Name, how He hath come down with the kingdom of His
signs, and in a manner that hath caused the atoms of the earth to testify
that the whole world hath been filled with these signs. And yet,
notwithstanding this most manifest and all-glorious Revelation, and these
signs which none can appraise except Thee, O Thou the King of names, Thou
beholdest how they have broken off from Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thine
Essence, and have caviled at the One Who is the Fountain-Head of Thy
wisdom and of Thine utterance. They were so seized with thirst for fame,
that they rejected Thy tokens, and Thy testimonies, and Thy signs, which
every man of insight perceiveth in whatsoever declareth Thy greatness, and
Thy sovereignty, and acknowledgeth Thy Revelation and Thy might. They have
so traduced Him as to cause the inmates of the all-glorious Tabernacle and
the Concourse on high to lament, and have uttered such calumnies against
Him that the souls of Thy chosen Ones and the hearts of them that are dear
to Thee have melted. They have erred so grievously that they cast away Thy
most resplendent signs, and clung to their idle fancies, O Thou Who art
the Possessor of Names and the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth
below!
Thou art, O my God and the Exultation of my heart, the One Who hath
adorned Thy Tablet, of which none is aware except Thee, with the mention
of this Day which Thou didst call after Thy name, that haply none may on
that day be seen save Thy most august Self, and naught else be brought to
mind except Thy most sweet remembrance.
No sooner had He revealed Himself than the foundations of the kindreds of
the earth shook and trembled, and the learned swooned away, and the wise
were bewildered, except such as have, through the power of Thy might,
drawn nigh unto Thee, and received the choice wine of Thy Revelation from
the hand of Thy grace, and have quaffed it in Thy name, and exclaimed:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds! and glory be to
Thee, O Thou Who art the Exultation of the hearts that pant after Thee!”
My God, my Master, my Highest Hope, and the Goal of my desire! Thou seest
and hearest the sighing of this wronged One, from this darksome well which
the vain imaginations of Thine adversaries have built, and from this blind
pit which the idle fancies of the wicked among Thy creatures have digged.
By Thy Beauty, O Thou Whose glory is uncovered to the face of men! I am
not impatient in the troubles that touch me in my love for Thee, neither
in the adversities which I suffer in Thy path. Nay, I have, by Thy power,
chosen them for mine own self, and I glory in them amongst such of Thy
creatures as enjoy near access to Thee, and those of Thy servants that are
wholly devoted to Thy Self.
I beseech Thee, however, O Thou Who art the Enlightener of the world and
the Lord of the nations, at this very moment when, with the hands of hope,
I have clung to the hem of the raiment of Thy mercy and Thy bounty, to
forgive Thy servants who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness,
and set their faces towards the splendors of the light of Thy countenance,
and turned unto the horizon of Thy good pleasure, and approached the ocean
of Thy mercy, and all their lives long have spoken forth Thy praise, and
have been inflamed with the fire of their love for Thee. Do Thou ordain
for them, O Lord my God, both before and after their death, what becometh
the loftiness of Thy bounty and the excellence of Thy loving-kindness.
Grant, O my Lord, that they who have ascended unto Thee may repair unto
Him Who is the most exalted Companion, and abide beneath the shadow of the
Tabernacle of Thy majesty and the Sanctuary of Thy glory. Sprinkle, O my
Lord, upon them from the ocean of Thy forgiveness what will make them
worthy to abide, so long as Thine own sovereignty endureth, within Thy
most exalted kingdom and Thine all-highest dominion. Potent art Thou to do
what pleaseth Thee.
Deny not Thy loved ones, O my Lord, the sweet savors of this Day whereon
the mysteries of Thy name, the Self-Subsisting, were unraveled, and all
that had been enshrined within the treasuries of Thy wisdom was revealed.
This is the Day, O my Lord, whereon every atom of the earth hath been made
to vibrate and to cry out: “O Thou Who art the Revealer of signs and the
King of creation! I, verily, perceive the fragrance of Thy presence.
Methinks Thou hast revealed Thyself, and unlocked the door of reunion with
Thee before all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth. I am
persuaded through the fragrance of Thy robe, O my Lord, that the world
hath been honored through Thy presence, and hath inhaled the sweet smell
of Thy meeting. I know not, however, O Thou the Beloved of the world and
the Desire of the nations, the place wherein the throne of Thy majesty
hath been established, nor the seat which hath been made Thy footstool,
and been illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy face.”
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being and the
Possessor of all things visible and invisible! Every man of understanding
hath been so bewildered at Thy knowledge, and every man endued with
insight been so perplexed in his attempt to fathom the signs of Thy great
glory, that all have recognized their powerlessness to visualize, and
their impotence to soar into, the heaven wherefrom one of the Luminaries
of the Manifestations of Thy knowledge and of the Day-Springs of Thy
wisdom hath shone forth. Who is he that shall befittingly describe this
most sublime station and this most august seat—the seat which, as decreed
by Thee, transcendeth the comprehension of Thy creatures and the
testimonies of Thy servants, and which hath everlastingly been hid from
the understanding and the knowledge of men, and been closed with the seal
of Thy name, the Self-Subsisting.
I swear by Thy glory and Thy sovereignty which overshadow the kingdoms of
earth and of heaven! Were any of Thy chosen Ones and Thy Messengers to
meditate on the manifold evidences of Thy most exalted Pen—a Pen which is
driven by the fingers of Thy will—and were he to muse on its mysteries,
and its tokens, and all that it showeth forth, he would be so perplexed
that his tongue would fail to extol and describe Thee, and his heart would
be utterly unable to understand Thee. For he would, at one time, discover
that from this Pen there floweth out unto all created things the water
that is life indeed, and that the Pen itself hath been named by Thee the
trumpet whereby the dead speed out of their sepulchers. At another time he
would find that there proceedeth from this Pen such fire as Thine own
Revelation can kindle, and as He Who conversed with Thee (Moses) on Sinai
hath perceived.
How marvelous, then, are the manifold tokens of Thy might, and how great
are the diverse evidences of Thy power! The learned have, without
exception, admitted their ignorance when confronted with the radiance of
the Luminary of Thy knowledge; and the mighty have all confessed their
impotence in the face of the billowing Ocean of Thy power; and the rich
have one and all acknowledged their poverty before the effusions of the
Treasuries of Thy wealth; and the worldly wise have each recognized their
nothingness beside the splendors of the Light of Thy beauty; and the
exalted have all witnessed unto their abasement when face to face with the
effulgence of the Day-Star of Thy glory; and they who are in authority
have borne witness to their own evanescence and to the evanescence of
others, and discovered the eternity of Thy majesty, and of Thy
sovereignty, and of Thy sublimity, and of Thy power.
My God, and the God of all things, and my King and the King of all things,
and the Beloved of my soul, and the Goal of my desire! Thou knowest full
well that I make mention of Thee, in this day, in the name of such of Thy
creatures as have detached themselves from all except Thee, and I extol
Thy virtues through the tongue of those of Thy people that have recognized
Thy oneness, that haply there may pour out from the sighs which they utter
in their love and their yearning for Thee what will melt away all that may
hinder Thy servants from setting their faces towards the heaven of Thy
knowledge and the kingdom of Thy signs.
This, then, O my God and the God of all names, and the Creator of earth
and heaven, is the Day whereon He Whose heart gloweth with the flaming
fire of Thy presence is calling upon Thee. Where can separation from Thee
be found, O my God, so that reunion with Thee may be clearly recognized at
the appearance of the Light of Thy unity, and the revelation of the
splendors of the Sun of Thy oneness? I ask pardon of Thee, O my God, for
all that hath been said, and for whatsoever hath flowed out, and is now
flowing out from my Pen in Thy days. I testify that Thou hast decreed that
the offering of prayer should befit not me, but Him Who hath, at Thy
bidding and in conformity with Thy pleasure, preceded me. Rather hast Thou
ordained that the revelation of verses should be specially attributed unto
this mighty Manifestation, and to This Announcement that hath adorned the
Scrolls of Thy majesty and Thy Tablet in which account is kept.
I render Thee thanks, O Thou Who hast lighted Thy fire within my soul, and
cast the beams of Thy light into my heart, that Thou hast taught Thy
servants how to make mention of Thee, and revealed unto them the ways
whereby they can supplicate Thee, through Thy most holy and exalted
tongue, and Thy most august and precious speech. But for Thy leave, who is
there that could venture to express Thy might and Thy grandeur; and were
it not for Thine instruction, who is the man that could discover the ways
of Thy pleasure in the kingdom of Thy creation?
I beseech Thee, O God of bounty and King of all created things, to guard
Thy servants from the imaginations which their hearts may devise. Raise
them up, then, to such heights that their footsteps may slip not in the
face of the evidences of Thy handiwork, which the manifold exigencies of
Thy wisdom have ordained, and whose secrets Thou hast hid from the face of
Thy people and Thy creatures. Withhold them not, O my Lord, from the ocean
of Thy knowledge, neither do Thou deprive them of what Thou didst destine
for such of Thy chosen ones as have near access to Thee, and those of Thy
trusted ones as are wholly devoted to Thy Self. Supply them, then, from
Thy sea of certainty with what will calm the agitation of their hearts.
Turn, O Lord my God, the darkness of their fancies into the brightness of
certitude, and cause them to arise, and to walk steadfastly in Thy
straight Path, that haply Thy Book may not hinder them from recognizing
Him Who is its Revealer, and Thy names from acknowledging the One Who is
their Creator, and their Provider, and their Origin, and their King, and
their Begetter, and their Destroyer, and their Glorifier, and their
Abaser, and their Governor, and the Sovereign Protector of their Bearers.
Thou art the One, O my God and my Ruler, Who hast sent down Thy Book that
Thou mayest manifest my Cause, and glorify my Word. Through it Thou didst
enter into a Covenant, concerning me, with all that hath been created in
Thy realm. Thou seest, O Beloved of the world, how the rebellious among
Thy creatures have made of that Covenant a bulwark for themselves, and
through it have withdrawn from Thy Beauty, and repudiated Thy signs.
Thou art He, O my God, Who hath commanded them in Thy great Book, and
said: “Fear ye the Most Merciful, O people of the Bayán, and deny not Him
for Whom I have ordained the Bayán to be one of the leaves of His
Paradise. I, verily, esteem it as a gift from me unto Him. Were it His
pleasure to accept it, He, truly, is the Most Bountiful; and if He cast it
away and refuse to consider it, His verdict is just, and He, in very
truth, is Praiseworthy in His acts, and meet to be obeyed in His behests.
To none is given the right to cavil at Him.”
Thou beholdest, therefore, O my God, how this wronged one hath fallen into
the hands of such as have denied Thy right, and broken off from Thy
sovereignty. He, round whose person circleth Thy proof, and in whose name
and on behalf of whose sovereignty Thy testimony crieth out unto all
created things, hath suffered more grievously in his days than any pen can
recount, and been so harassed that He Who is Thy Spirit (Jesus) lamented,
and all the denizens of Thy Kingdom and all the inmates of Thy Tabernacle
in the realms above cried with a great and bitter lamentation.
Should any one incline his inner ear, he would hear the cry and the
wailing of all created things over what hath befallen Him Whom the world
hath wronged, at the hands of them with whom Thou hast covenanted in the
Day of Separation. Where is that fair-minded soul, O my God, who will
judge equitably Thy Cause, and where is the man of insight to be found who
will behold Thee with Thine own eyes? Is there any man of hearing who will
hear Thee with Thine ears, or one endued with eloquence who will speak the
truth in Thy days?
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who beholdest me from Thine all-glorious
horizon, and hearest the voice of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no
passing! Should any one consider Thy Books which Thou didst name the
Bayán, and ponder in his heart what hath been revealed therein, he would
discover that each of these Books announceth my Revelation, and declareth
my Name, and testifieth to my Self, and proclaimeth my Cause, and my
Praise, and my Rising, and the radiance of my Glory. And yet,
notwithstanding Thy proclamation, O my God, and in spite of the words Thou
didst utter, O my Beloved, Thou hast seen and heard their calumnies
against me, and their evil doings in my days.
I testify in my present state, O my Lord, and against the will of him who
hath turned his back to Thee (Mírzá Yaḥyá), that Thou art God, and that
there is none other God beside Thee. This, verily, is the Day wherewith
Thy Scriptures, and Thy Books, and Thy Tablets, have been adorned. And He
Who now speaketh is, in truth, the Well-guarded Treasure, and the Hidden
Secret, and the Preserved Tablet, and the Impenetrable Mystery, and the
Sealed Book. He, truly, is to be obeyed in whatsoever He commandeth, and
decreeth, and revealeth, and is to be loved in everything He, through His
sovereignty, enjoineth, and, through His power, ordaineth. Whoso will
hesitate for less than the twinkling of an eye, hath, verily, denied Thy
right, and repudiated all that Thou hast revealed in Thy Books, and in Thy
Scriptures, and sent down with Thy chosen Ones, and Thy Prophets, and Thy
Messengers, and the Trustees of Thy Revelation.
I beg of Thee, O Thou in Whose hands are the kingdoms of earth and heaven,
and in Whose grasp lie all who dwell in the dominions of Thy Revelation
and Thy creation, not to withhold the glance of Thy favors from such as
have sustained tribulations in Thy path, and tasted of the cup of woe in
their love towards Thee, and have been cast into prison in Thy name, and
endured what none of Thy creatures and Thy people have endured. They are
Thy servants, O my Lord, who have responded to Thee as soon as Thou didst
send out Thy summons, and have set their faces towards Thee when the light
of Thy countenance was lifted upon them, and turned unto Thee at the time
when Thy most exalted horizon shone forth with the brightness of Thy name
through which all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth swooned away.
Ordain for them, O my Lord, what Thou didst ordain for Thy chosen ones who
have welcomed the darts of the infidels in Thy Cause and for love of Thee,
and hasted to attain the orient of tribulation with Thy name on their lips
and Thy remembrance in their hearts. Thou art the One, O my God, Who hath
promised in Thy perspicuous utterances to remember them in Thy Book as a
recompense for their works in Thy days.
Bless them, O my God, and ascribe unto them such glory as hath shone forth
above the horizon of Thy will, and hath shed its splendors from the
kingdom of Thine utterance. Immerse them, O my Lord, beneath the ocean of
Thy mercy, and illumine them with the dawning light of Thy Revelation.
Forgive, then, O my God, their fathers and their mothers, by Thy favor,
and Thy bounty, and Thy tender mercies. Send, then, upon them from the
right hand of Thy most exalted Paradise the fragrance of the robe of Thine
all-glorious Beauty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou,
verily, art the Governor, the Ordainer, the All-Bountiful, the
Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of the world, and the Adored of
the hearts of them that have recognized Thee.
CLXXVII: “I BESEECH THEE, O MY GOD, BY THY MIGHTY SIGN,...”
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy mighty Sign, and by the revelation of Thy
grace amongst men, to cast me not away from the gate of the city of Thy
presence, and to disappoint not the hopes I have set on the manifestations
of Thy grace amidst Thy creatures. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy
Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great,
the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe
to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy most sweet Voice and by Thy most exalted
Word, to draw me ever nearer to the threshold of Thy door, and to suffer
me not to be far removed from the shadow of Thy mercy and the canopy of
Thy bounty. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy,
the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the
Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all
in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the splendor of Thy luminous brow and the
brightness of the light of Thy countenance, which shineth from the
all-highest horizon, to attract me by the fragrance of Thy raiment, and
make me drink of the choice wine of Thine utterance. Thou seest me, O my
God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most
Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging
to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the
world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy hair which moveth across Thy face, even
as Thy most exalted pen moveth across the pages of Thy Tablets, shedding
the musk of hidden meanings over the kingdom of Thy creation, so to raise
me up to serve Thy Cause that I shall not fall back, nor be hindered by
the suggestions of them who have caviled at Thy signs and turned away from
Thy face. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the
Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most
Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in
this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name which Thou hast made the King of
Names, by which all who are in heaven and all who are on earth have been
enraptured, to enable me to gaze on the Day-Star of Thy Beauty, and to
supply me with the wine of Thine utterance. Thou seest me, O my God,
holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty,
the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the
hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to
come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Tabernacle of Thy majesty upon the
loftiest summits, and the Canopy of Thy Revelation on the highest hills,
to graciously aid me to do what Thy will hath desired and Thy purpose hath
manifested. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy,
the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the
Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all
in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Beauty that shineth forth above the
horizon of eternity, a Beauty before which as soon as it revealeth itself
the kingdom of beauty boweth down in worship, magnifying it in ringing
tones, to grant that I may die to all that I possess and live to
whatsoever belongeth unto Thee. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy
Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great,
the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe
to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Manifestation of Thy Name, the
Well-Beloved, through Whom the hearts of Thy lovers were consumed and the
souls of all that dwell on earth have soared aloft, to aid me to remember
Thee amongst Thy creatures, and to extol Thee amidst Thy people. Thou
seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous,
the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and
clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in this world and
in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and the
murmur of the breezes of Thine utterance in the kingdom of Thy names, to
remove me far from whatsoever Thy will abhorreth, and draw me nigh unto
the station wherein He Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs hath shone
forth. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the
Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most
Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in
this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by that Letter which, as soon as it proceeded
out of the mouth of Thy will, hath caused the oceans to surge, and the
winds to blow, and the fruits to be revealed, and the trees to spring
forth, and all past traces to vanish, and all veils to be rent asunder,
and them who are devoted to Thee to hasten unto the light of the
countenance of their Lord, the Unconstrained, to make known unto me what
lay hid in the treasuries of Thy knowledge and concealed within the
repositories of Thy wisdom. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name,
the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the
Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to
which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the fire of Thy love which drove sleep from
the eyes of Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones, and by their remembrance
and praise of Thee at the hour of dawn, to number me with such as have
attained unto that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and manifested
through Thy will. Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most
Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most
Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which
have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the light of Thy countenance which impelled
them who are nigh unto Thee to meet the darts of Thy decree, and such as
are devoted to Thee to face the swords of Thine enemies in Thy path, to
write down for me with Thy most exalted Pen what Thou hast written down
for Thy trusted ones and Thy chosen ones. Thou seest me, O my God, holding
to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most
Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the
robe to which have clung all in this world and in the world to come.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast hearkened
unto the call of Thy lovers, and the sighs of them that long for Thee, and
the cry of them that enjoy near access to Thee, and the groaning of them
that are devoted to Thee, and through which Thou hast fulfilled the wishes
of them that have set their hopes on Thee, and hast granted them their
desires, through Thy grace and Thy favors, and by Thy Name through which
the ocean of forgiveness surged before Thy face, and the clouds of Thy
generosity rained upon Thy servants, to write down for every one who hath
turned unto Thee, and observed the fast prescribed by Thee, the recompense
decreed for such as speak not except by Thy leave, and who forsook all
that they possessed in Thy path and for love of Thee.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thyself, and by Thy signs, and Thy clear
tokens, and the shining light of the Day-Star of Thy Beauty, and Thy
Branches, to cancel the trespasses of those who have held fast to Thy
laws, and have observed what Thou hast prescribed unto them in Thy Book.
Thou seest me, O my God, holding to Thy Name, the Most Holy, the Most
Luminous, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most
Glorious, and clinging to the hem of the robe to which have clung all in
this world and in the world to come.
CLXXVIII: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! I SUPPLICATE...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I supplicate Thee by Him Whom Thou hast
called into being, Whose Revelation Thou hast ordained to be Thine own
Revelation and His Concealment Thine own Concealment. Through His
Firstness Thou hast confirmed Thine own Firstness, and through His
Lastness Thou hast affirmed Thine own Lastness. Through the power of His
might and the influence of His sovereignty the mighty have apprehended
Thine omnipotence, and through His glory they who are endowed with
authority have acknowledged Thy majesty and greatness. Through His supreme
ascendancy Thy transcendent sovereignty and all-encompassing dominion have
been recognized, and through His will Thine own will hath been revealed.
Through the light of His countenance the splendors of Thine own face have
shone forth, and through His Cause Thine own Cause hath been made
manifest. Through the generative power of His utterance the whole earth
hath been made the recipient of the wondrous signs and tokens of Thy
sovereignty, and the heavens have been filled with the revelations of
Thine incomparable majesty, and the seas have been enriched with the
sacred pearls of Thine omniscience and wisdom, and the trees adorned with
the fruits of Thy knowledge. Through Him all things have sung Thy praise,
and all the eyes have been turned in the direction of Thy mercy. Through
Him the faces of all have been set towards the splendors of the light of
Thy countenance, and the souls of all have been inclined unto the
revelations of Thy divine greatness.
How great is Thy power! How exalted Thy sovereignty! How lofty Thy might!
How excellent Thy majesty! How supreme is Thy grandeur—a grandeur which He
Who is Thy Manifestation hath made known and wherewith Thou hast invested
Him as a sign of Thy generosity and bountiful favor. I bear witness, O my
God, that through Him Thy most resplendent signs have been uncovered, and
Thy mercy hath encompassed the entire creation. But for Him, how could the
Celestial Dove have uttered its songs or the Heavenly Nightingale,
according to the decree of God, have warbled its melody?
I testify that no sooner had the First Word proceeded, through the potency
of Thy will and purpose, out of His mouth, and the First Call gone forth
from His lips than the whole creation was revolutionized, and all that are
in the heavens and all that are on earth were stirred to the depths.
Through that Word the realities of all created things were shaken, were
divided, separated, scattered, combined and reunited, disclosing, in both
the contingent world and the heavenly kingdom, entities of a new creation,
and revealing, in the unseen realms, the signs and tokens of Thy unity and
oneness. Through that Call Thou didst announce unto all Thy servants the
advent of Thy most great Revelation and the appearance of Thy most perfect
Cause.
No sooner had that Revelation been unveiled to men’s eyes than the signs
of universal discord appeared among the peoples of the world, and
commotion seized the dwellers of earth and heaven, and the foundations of
all things were shaken. The forces of dissension were released, the
meaning of the Word was unfolded, and every several atom in all created
things acquired its own distinct and separate character. Hell was made to
blaze, and the delights of Paradise were uncovered to men’s eyes. Blessed
is the man that turneth towards Thee, and woe betide him who standeth
aloof from Thee, who denieth Thee and repudiateth Thy signs in this
Revelation wherein the faces of the exponents of denial have turned black
and the faces of the exponents of truthfulness have turned white, O Thou
Who art the Possessor of all names and attributes, Who holdest in Thy
grasp the empire of whatever hath been created in heaven and on earth!
Praise be to Thee, therefore, O my God—such praise as Thou didst ascribe
to Thine own Self, and which none except Thee can either comprehend or
reckon. Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath made known His own Self unto me,
at a time when Thy servants have failed to recognize Thee—servants who, by
virtue of the ties that bind them to Thee, have been ruling over all that
dwell on earth and have been vaunting themselves over its peoples. Were I,
O my God, to exercise from pole to pole supreme dominion over the earth,
and were I to be offered all the treasures it containeth, and were I to
expend them in Thy path, I would still be powerless to attain unto this
station, unless I were assisted and strengthened by Thee. And were I to
glorify Thee, O my God, so long as the glory of Thy majesty endureth and
the influence of Thy sovereignty and power will last, such a glorification
could never be compared with any of the praises which Thou, as a token of
Thy grace, hast taught me, and wherewith Thou hast bidden me to extol Thy
virtues. If such be the excellence of each one of the praises which Thou
hast taught me, how immeasurably greater must be the excellence of the
station of the One Who hath known Thee, Who hath entered Thy Presence, and
pursued steadfastly the path of Thy Cause!
I have clearly perceived, and I am wholly persuaded, that Thou hast from
everlasting been immeasurably exalted above the mention of all beings, and
wilt continue unto everlasting to remain far above the conception of Thy
creatures. None can befittingly praise Thee except Thine own Self and such
as are like unto Thee. Thou hast, verily, been at all times, and wilt
everlastingly continue to remain, immensely exalted beyond and above all
comparison and likeness, above all imagination of parity or resemblance.
Having, thus, recognized Thee as One Who is incomparable, and Whose nature
none can possess, it becometh incontrovertibly evident that whosoever may
praise Thee, his praise can befit only such as are of his own nature, and
are subject to his own limitations, and it can in no wise adequately
describe the sublimity of Thy sovereignty, nor scale the heights of Thy
majesty and holiness. How sweet, therefore, is the praise Thou givest to
Thine own Self, and the description Thou givest of Thine own Being!
I testify, O my God, that Thou hast, from eternity, sent down upon Thy
servants naught else except that which can cause them to soar up and be
drawn near unto Thee, and to ascend into the heaven of Thy transcendent
oneness. Thou hast established Thy bounds among them, and ordained them to
stand among Thy creatures as evidences of Thy justice and as signs of Thy
mercy, and to be the stronghold of Thy protection amongst Thy people, that
no man may in Thy realm transgress against his neighbor. How great is the
blessedness of him who, for love of Thy beauty and for the sake of Thy
pleasure, hath curbed the desires of a corrupt inclination and observed
the precepts laid down by Thy most exalted Pen! He, in truth, is to be
numbered with them that have attained unto all good, and followed the way
of guidance.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Name through which Thou hast enabled Thy
servants and Thy people to know Thee, through which Thou hast drawn the
hearts of those who have recognized Thee towards the resplendent court of
Thy oneness, and the souls of Thy favored ones unto the Day-Spring of Thy
unity,—I beseech Thee to grant that I may be assisted to observe the fast
wholly for Thy sake, O Thou Who art full of majesty and glory! Empower me,
then, O my God, to be reckoned among them that have clung to Thy laws and
precepts for the sake of Thee alone, their eyes fixed on Thy face. These,
indeed, are they whose wine is all that hath proceeded out of the mouth of
Thy primal will, whose pure beverage is Thine enthralling call, whose
heavenly River is Thy love, whose Paradise is entrance into Thy presence
and reunion with Thee. For Thou hast been their Beginning and their End,
and their Highest Hope, and their Supreme Desire. Blinded be the eye that
gazeth on whatsoever may displease Thee, and confounded be the soul that
seeketh the things that are contrary to Thy will.
Deign, O my God, I implore Thee, by Thy Self and by them, to accept,
through Thy grace and Thy loving-kindness, the works we have performed,
however much they fall short of the loftiness of Thy state and the
sublimity of Thy station, O Thou Who art most dear to the hearts that long
for Thee, and the Healer of the souls that have recognized Thee! Rain
down, therefore, upon us from the heaven of Thy mercy and the clouds of
Thy gracious providence that which will cleanse us from the faintest trace
of evil and corrupt desires, and will draw us nearer unto Him Who is the
Manifestation of Thy most exalted and all-glorious Self. Thou art, verily,
the Lord of this world and of the next, and art powerful to do all things.
Do Thou bless, O Lord my God, the Primal Point, through Whom the point of
creation hath been made to revolve in both the visible and invisible
worlds, Whom Thou hast designated as the One whereunto should return
whatsoever must return unto Thee, and as the Revealer of whatsoever may be
manifested by Thee. Do Thou also bless such of His Letters as have not
turned away from Thee, who have been firmly established in Thy love, and
clung steadfastly to Thy good-pleasure. Bless Thou, likewise, as long as
Thine own Self endureth and Thine own Essence doth last, them that have
suffered martyrdom in Thy path. Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the
Most Merciful.
Moreover, I beseech Thee, O my God, by Him Whom Thou hast announced unto
us in all Thy Tablets and Thy Books and Thy Scrolls and Thy Scriptures,
through Whom the kingdom of names hath been convulsed, and all that lay
hid in the breasts of them that have followed their evil and corrupt
desires hath been revealed,—I beseech Thee to strengthen us in our love
for Him, to make us steadfast in His Cause, to help us befriend His loved
ones and challenge His enemies. Shield us, then, O my God, from the
mischief wrought by them that have denied Thy presence, and turned away
from Thy face, and resolved to put an end to the life of Him Who is the
Manifestation of Thine own Self.
O my God and my Master! Thou knowest how they have disgraced Thy Cause and
dishonored Thee among Thy creatures, how they have joined Thine enemies,
that they may undermine Thy Revelation and injure Thee. Lay hold on them
with the power of Thy wrath and might, O my God, and expose their shameful
acts and their wickedness, that whatever is hid in their breasts may be
revealed unto the people that dwell within Thy land, O Thou Who art the
Inflictor of trials, the Fashioner of nations, and the Bestower of favors!
No God is there beside Thee, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.
CLXXIX: “PRAISED BE THOU, O LORD MY GOD! THE TONGUES OF...”
Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! The tongues of all created things testify
to Thy sovereignty and Thine omnipotence, and proclaim mine own poverty
and my wretchedness when face to face with the revelations of Thy wealth.
Look, then, O my God, upon this sinner whose gaze hath, at all times, been
fixed upon the source of Thy forgiveness, and whose eyes have been bent
upon the horizon of Thy grace and Thy gifts.
Ever since the day Thou didst create me at Thy bidding, O my God, and
didst arouse me through the gentle winds of Thy tender mercies, I have
refused to turn to any one except Thee, and have, through the power of Thy
sovereignty and Thy might, arisen to face Thine enemies, and have summoned
all mankind unto the shores of the ocean of Thy oneness and the heaven of
Thine all-glorious unity. I have sought, all my days, not to guard myself
from the mischief of the rebellious among Thy creatures, but rather to
exalt Thy name amidst Thy people. I have, thereby, suffered what none of
Thy creatures hath suffered.
How many the days, O my God, which I have spent in utter loneliness with
the transgressors amongst Thy servants, and how many the nights, O my
Best-Beloved, during which I lay a captive in the hands of the wayward
amidst Thy creatures! In the midst of my troubles and tribulations I have
continued to celebrate Thy praise before all who are in Thy heaven and on
Thy earth, and have not ceased to extol Thy wondrous glory in the kingdoms
of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation, though all that I have been capable
of showing forth hath fallen short of the greatness and the majesty of Thy
oneness, and is unworthy of Thine exaltation and of Thine omnipotence.
I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the one alone Beloved! I find myself
to be only nothing before the habitation of Thy great glory. Every time I
attempt to extol any one of Thy virtues, my heart restraineth me, for
naught but Thee is able to soar into the atmosphere of the kingdom of Thy
nearness, or reach up to the heaven of Thy presence.
Thy might beareth me witness! I am well aware that were I to bow myself
before a handful of dust, from now until the end that hath no end, in
acknowledgment of its relationship to Thy name, the Fashioner, I would
still find myself far removed from that dust, and incapable of approaching
it, and would discover that such an adoration can in no wise befit it, nor
transcend the limitations to which I myself have been subjected. And were
I to arise to serve one of Thy servants, and to wait at his door so long
as Thine own kingdom endureth and Thine omnipotence will last, as a sign
of my acknowledgment of the tie that bindeth him to Thy name, the Creator,
I would, likewise,—and to this Thy glory beareth me witness—have to
confess my complete failure to do him adequate service, and my deprivation
of what can truly befit his station. And this for the reason that I
recognize in them naught else except the bond that bindeth them to Thy
names and Thine attributes. How can, then, such a man succeed in
befittingly extolling the One through a motion of Whose finger all the
names and their kingdom were called into being, and all the attributes and
their dominion were created, and Who, through yet another motion of that
same finger, hath united the letters B and E (Be) and knit them together,
manifesting thereby what the highest thoughts of Thy chosen ones who enjoy
near access to Thee are unable to grasp, and what the profoundest wisdom
of those of Thy loved ones that are wholly devoted to Thee are powerless
to fathom.
I swear by Thy glory, O Beloved of my soul! I am bewildered when I
contemplate the tokens of Thy handiwork, and the evidences of Thy might,
and find myself completely unable to unravel the mystery of the least of
Thy signs, how much more to apprehend Thine own Self. I beseech Thee,
therefore, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast caused all such
as love Thee to soar in the atmosphere of Thy will, and hast guided all
them that yearn after Thee into the Paradise of Thy nearness and Thy
presence, to waft from the heaven of Thy loving-kindness the fragrance of
certainty upon the needy among Thy loved ones, in these days when the
tempests of trials have compassed them on every side, and so grievously
assailed them that the souls of men have been troubled and the foundations
of all beings have trembled at what hath been sent down unto them from the
heaven of Thine irrevocable Purpose. They were so shaken that the lamp of
their love for Thee and of their remembrance of Thee was ready to be
extinguished in the recess of their hearts. Powerful art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee. Thou, in truth, art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Thou givest ear, O my God and my Master, to the sighing of them that are
dear to Thee, and hearest from all sides their cry, by reason of what hath
befallen them at the hands of those whose hearts have been deprived of the
sweet savors of Thy love. There is none either to befriend or to succor
them, nor can anything deter their enemies from harming them.
Unrestrained, they do what they wish, and deal with them as they please.
Give, therefore, O my Lord, the wonders of Thine aid to Thy loved ones,
who have sought no helper except Thee, and have turned to none save
Thyself, and whose eyes have expectantly awaited to behold the wonders of
Thy favors and Thy gifts. Have pity, then, upon them, O my God, through
the incomparable tokens of Thy mercy, and shelter them within the
stronghold of Thy protection and Thy loving-kindness. Thou art the One, O
my Lord, Who from everlasting hath been the Refuge of the fearful, and the
Haven of the needy. Withhold not, I beseech Thee, from these feeble
creatures the matchless tokens of Thy bounteousness and generosity, and
leave them not to the mercy of them whose essence hath been solely created
of the fire of Thy wrath and of Thine anger, and who have never discovered
the fragrance of compassion and equity, and who have been so deluded by
the deceitfulness of the world that they have denied Thy proof, and joined
partners with Thee, and repudiated Thy signs, and shed the blood of those
who are dear to Thee, and have been trusted by Thee. I swear by Thy might,
O my Beloved! They have committed what no man before them hath committed,
and have thereby deserved Thy wrath and the scourge of Thine anger. Lay
hold on them by the power of Thy sovereignty, and set over them such as
will have no mercy upon them, unless they return unto Thee, and enter
beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness, and are forgiven by Thee. Thou
hast from everlasting been supreme over all things, and wilt unto
everlasting remain the same. Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the Most
Exalted, the Equitable, the All-Wise.
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Look Thou upon this wronged one, who
hath been sorely afflicted by the oppressors among Thy creatures and the
infidels among Thine enemies, though he himself hath refused to breathe a
single breath but by Thy leave and at Thy bidding. I lay asleep on my
couch, O my God, when lo, the gentle winds of Thy grace and Thy
loving-kindness passed over me, and wakened me through the power of Thy
sovereignty and Thy gifts, and bade me arise before Thy servants, and
speak forth Thy praise, and glorify Thy word. Thereupon most of Thy people
reviled me. I swear by Thy glory, O my God! I never thought that they
would show forth such deeds, aware as I am that Thou hast Thyself
announced this Revelation unto them in the Scrolls of Thy commandment and
the Tablets of Thy decree, and hast covenanted with them concerning this
youth in every word sent down by Thee unto Thy creatures and Thy people.
I am bewildered, therefore, O my God, and know not how to act toward them.
Every time I hold my peace, and cease to extol Thy wondrous virtues, Thy
Spirit impelleth me to cry out before all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy
earth; and every time I am still, the breaths wafted from the right hand
of Thy will and purpose pass over me, and stir me up, and I find myself to
be as a leaf which lieth at the mercy of the winds of Thy decree, and is
carried away whithersoever Thou dost permit or command it. Every man of
insight who considereth what hath been revealed by me, will be persuaded
that Thy Cause is not in my hands, but in Thy hands, and will recognize
that the reins of power are held not in my grasp but in Thy grasp, and are
subject to Thy sovereign might. And yet, Thou seest, O my God, how the
inhabitants of Thy realm have arrayed themselves against me, and inflict
upon me every moment of my life what causeth the realities of Thy chosen
ones and trusted ones to tremble.
I entreat Thee, therefore, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast
guided Thy lovers to the living waters of Thy grace and Thy favors, and
attracted them that long for Thee to the Paradise of Thy nearness and Thy
presence, to open the eyes of Thy people that they may recognize in this
Revelation the manifestation of Thy transcendent unity, and the dawning of
the lights of Thy countenance and Thy beauty. Cleanse them, then, O my
God, from all idle fancies and vain imaginations, that they may inhale the
fragrances of sanctity from the robe of Thy Revelation and Thy
commandment, that haply they may cease to inflict upon me what will
deprive their souls of the fragrances of the manifold tokens of Thy mercy,
that are wafted in the days of Him Who is the Manifestation of Thyself,
and the Day-Spring of Thy Cause, and that they may not perpetrate what
will call down Thy wrath and anger.
Thou well knowest, O my God, that I was regarded as one of the people of
the Bayán, and consorted with them with love and fellowship, and summoned
them to Thee in the daytime and in the night season, through the wonders
of Thy Revelation and Thine inspiration, and sustained at their hands what
the inmates of the cities of Thine invention are powerless to recount. I
swear by Thy might, O my Beloved! Every morning I waken to find that I am
made a target for the darts of their envy, and every night, when I lie
down to rest, I discover that I have fallen a victim to the spears of
their hate. Though Thou hast made known unto me the secrets of their
hearts, and hast set me above them, I have refused to uncover their deeds,
and have dealt patiently with them, mindful of the time which Thou hast
fixed. And when Thy promise came to pass, and the set time was fulfilled,
Thou didst lift, to an imperceptible degree, the veil of concealment, and
lo, all the inmates of the kingdoms of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation
shook and trembled, except those who were created by Thee, through the
fire of Thy love, and the breath of Thine eagerness, and the water of Thy
loving-kindness, and the clay of Thy grace. These are they who are
glorified by the Concourse on high and the denizens of the Cities of
eternity.
I give praise to Thee, therefore, O my God, that Thou hast preserved them
that have acknowledged Thy unity, and hast destroyed them that have joined
partners with Thee, and hast divided the one from the other through yet
another word that hath proceeded out of the mouth of Thy will, and flowed
down from the pen of Thy purpose. Thereby have Thy servants, who were
created through the word of Thy commandment, and were begotten by Thy
will, caviled at me, and so fiercely opposed me that they repudiated Thee,
and have rejected Thy signs, and have risen up against Thee.
Thy glory beareth me witness, O my Beloved! My pen is powerless to
describe what their hands have wrought against Him Who is the
Manifestation of Thy Cause, and the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, and the
Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration. For all this I give praise to Thee. I
swear by Thy glory, O my God! My heart yearneth after the things ordained
by Thee in the heaven of Thy decree and the kingdom of Thine appointment.
For whatsoever befalleth me in Thy path is the beloved of my soul and the
goal of my desire. This, verily, is to be ascribed to naught except Thy
power and Thy might.
I am the one, O my God, who, through the love I bear to Thee, hath been
able to dispense with all who are in heaven and on earth. Armed with this
love, I am afraid of no one, though all the peoples of the world unite to
hurt me. Oh, that my blood could, this very moment, be shed on the face of
the earth before Thee, and Thou wouldst behold me in the condition in
which Thou didst behold such of Thy servants as have drawn nigh unto Thee,
and those of Thy righteous creatures as have been chosen by Thee!
I give Thee thanks, O my God, that Thou hast decided through the power of
Thy decree, and wilt continue to decide through Thine irrevocable
appointment and purpose. I entreat Thee, O my Beloved, by Thy Name through
which Thou didst lift up the ensigns of Thy Cause, and shed the splendors
of the light of Thy countenance, to send down upon me and upon such of Thy
servants as are wholly devoted to Thee all the good Thou hast ordained in
Thy Tablets. Establish us, then, upon the seats of truth in Thy presence,
O Thou in Whose hands is the kingdom of all things!
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Merciful.
CLXXX: “THE PRAISE WHICH HATH DAWNED FROM THY MOST...”
The praise which hath dawned from Thy most august Self, and the glory
which hath shone forth from Thy most effulgent Beauty, rest upon Thee, O
Thou Who art the Manifestation of Grandeur, and the King of Eternity, and
the Lord of all who are in heaven and on earth! I testify that through
Thee the sovereignty of God and His dominion, and the majesty of God and
His grandeur, were revealed, and the Day-Stars of ancient splendor have
shed their radiance in the heaven of Thine irrevocable decree, and the
Beauty of the Unseen hath shone forth above the horizon of creation. I
testify, moreover, that with but a movement of Thy Pen Thine injunction
“Be Thou” hath been enforced, and God’s hidden Secret hath been divulged,
and all created things have been called into being, and all the
Revelations have been sent down.
I bear witness, moreover, that through Thy beauty the beauty of the Adored
One hath been unveiled, and through Thy face the face of the Desired One
hath shone forth, and that through a word from Thee Thou hast decided
between all created things, causing them who are devoted to Thee to ascend
unto the summit of glory, and the infidels to fall into the lowest abyss.
I bear witness that he who hath known Thee hath known God, and he who hath
attained unto Thy presence hath attained unto the presence of God. Great,
therefore, is the blessedness of him who hath believed in Thee, and in Thy
signs, and hath humbled himself before Thy sovereignty, and hath been
honored with meeting Thee, and hath attained the good pleasure of Thy
will, and circled around Thee, and stood before Thy throne. Woe betide him
that hath transgressed against Thee, and hath denied Thee, and repudiated
Thy signs, and gainsaid Thy sovereignty, and risen up against Thee, and
waxed proud before Thy face, and hath disputed Thy testimonies, and fled
from Thy rule and Thy dominion, and been numbered with the infidels whose
names have been inscribed by the fingers of Thy behest upon Thy holy
Tablets.
Waft, then, unto me, O my God and my Beloved, from the right hand of Thy
mercy and Thy loving-kindness, the holy breaths of Thy favors, that they
may draw me away from myself and from the world unto the courts of Thy
nearness and Thy presence. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou,
truly, hast been supreme over all things.
The remembrance of God and His praise, and the glory of God and His
splendor, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who art His Beauty! I bear witness that
the eye of creation hath never gazed upon one wronged like Thee. Thou wast
immersed all the days of Thy life beneath an ocean of tribulations. At one
time Thou wast in chains and fetters; at another Thou wast threatened by
the sword of Thine enemies. Yet, despite all this, Thou didst enjoin upon
all men to observe what had been prescribed unto Thee by Him Who is the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
May my spirit be a sacrifice to the wrongs Thou didst suffer, and my soul
be a ransom for the adversities Thou didst sustain. I beseech God, by Thee
and by them whose faces have been illumined with the splendors of the
light of Thy countenance, and who, for love of Thee, have observed all
whereunto they were bidden, to remove the veils that have come in between
Thee and Thy creatures, and to supply me with the good of this world and
the world to come. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the
All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.
Bless Thou, O Lord my God, the Divine Lote-Tree and its leaves, and its
boughs, and its branches, and its stems, and its offshoots, as long as Thy
most excellent titles will endure and Thy most august attributes will
last. Protect it, then, from the mischief of the aggressor and the hosts
of tyranny. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. Bless
Thou, also, O Lord my God, Thy servants and Thy handmaidens who have
attained unto Thee. Thou, truly, art the All-Bountiful, Whose grace is
infinite. No God is there save Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Generous.
_The Tablet of Visitation._
CLXXXI: “I BEAR WITNESS, O MY GOD, THAT THOU HAST CREATED...”
I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to
worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy
might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth.
There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
_Short obligatory prayer, to be recited once in twenty-four hours, at
noon._
CLXXXII: “WHOSO WISHETH TO PRAY, LET HIM WASH...”
_Whoso wisheth to pray, let him wash his hands, and while he washeth, let
him say:_
Strengthen my hand, O my God, that it may take hold of Thy Book with such
steadfastness that the hosts of the world shall have no power over it.
Guard it, then, from meddling with whatsoever doth not belong unto it.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
And while washing his face, let him say:
I have turned my face unto Thee, O my Lord! Illumine it with the light of
Thy countenance. Protect it, then, from turning to anyone but Thee.
Then let him stand up, and facing the Qiblih (Point of Adoration,
i.e., Bahjí, Akká), let him say:
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His are the kingdoms
of Revelation and of creation. He, in truth, hath manifested Him Who is
the Day-Spring of Revelation, Who conversed on Sinai, through Whom the
Supreme Horizon hath been made to shine, and the Lote-Tree beyond which
there is no passing hath spoken, and through Whom the call hath been
proclaimed unto all who are in heaven and on earth: “Lo, the
All-Possessing is come. Earth and heaven, glory and dominion are God’s,
the Lord of all men, and the Possessor of the Throne on high and of earth
below!”
Let him, then, bend down, with hands resting on the knees, and
say:
Exalted art Thou above my praise and the praise of anyone beside me, above
my description and the description of all who are in heaven and all who
are on earth!
Then, standing with open hands, palms upward toward the face, let
him say:
Disappoint not, O my God, him that hath, with beseeching fingers, clung to
the hem of Thy mercy and Thy grace, O Thou Who of those who show mercy art
the Most Merciful!
Let him, then, be seated and say:
I bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness, and that Thou art God, and
that there is none other God beside Thee. Thou hast, verily, revealed Thy
Cause, fulfilled Thy Covenant, and opened wide the door of Thy grace to
all that dwell in heaven and on earth. Blessing and peace, salutation and
glory, rest upon Thy loved ones, whom the changes and chances of the world
have not deterred from turning unto Thee, and who have given their all, in
the hope of obtaining that which is with Thee. Thou art, in truth, the
Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
(If anyone choose to recite instead of the long verse these words:
“God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting,” it would be sufficient. And likewise,
it would suffice were he, while seated, to choose to recite these
words:
“I bear witness to Thy unity and Thy oneness, and that Thou art
God, and that there is none other God beside Thee.”)
_Medium obligatory prayer, to be recited daily, in the morning, at noon,
and in the evening._
CLXXXIII: “WHOSO WISHETH TO RECITE THIS PRAYER, LET...”
Whoso wisheth to recite this prayer, let him stand up and turn
unto God, and, as he standeth in his place, let him gaze to the
right and to the left, as if awaiting the mercy of his Lord, the
Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Then let him say:
O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Maker of the heavens! I
beseech Thee by them Who are the Day-Springs of Thine invisible Essence,
the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, to make of my prayer a fire that will
burn away the veils which have shut me out from Thy beauty, and a light
that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy Presence.
Let him then raise his hands in supplication toward God—blessed
and exalted be He—and say:
O Thou the Desire of the world and the Beloved of the nations! Thou seest
me turning toward Thee, and rid of all attachment to anyone save Thee, and
clinging to Thy cord, through whose movement the whole creation hath been
stirred up. I am Thy servant, O my Lord, and the son of Thy servant.
Behold me standing ready to do Thy will and Thy desire, and wishing naught
else except Thy good pleasure. I implore Thee by the Ocean of Thy mercy
and the Day-Star of Thy grace to do with Thy servant as Thou willest and
pleasest. By Thy might which is far above all mention and praise!
Whatsoever is revealed by Thee is the desire of my heart and the beloved
of my soul. O God, my God! Look not upon my hopes and my doings, nay
rather look upon Thy will that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth.
By Thy Most Great Name, O Thou Lord of all nations! I have desired only
what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love.
Let him then kneel, and bowing his forehead to the ground, let him
say:
Exalted art Thou above the description of anyone save Thyself, and the
comprehension of aught else except Thee.
Let him then stand and say:
Make my prayer, O my Lord, a fountain of living waters whereby I may live
as long as Thy sovereignty endureth, and may make mention of Thee in every
world of Thy worlds.
Let him again raise his hands in supplication, and say:
O Thou in separation from Whom hearts and souls have melted, and by the
fire of Whose love the whole world hath been set aflame! I implore Thee by
Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued the whole creation, not to
withhold from me that which is with Thee, O Thou Who rulest over all men!
Thou seest, O my Lord, this stranger hastening to his most exalted home
beneath the canopy of Thy majesty and within the precincts of Thy mercy;
and this transgressor seeking the ocean of Thy forgiveness; and this lowly
one the court of Thy glory; and this poor creature the orient of Thy
wealth. Thine is the authority to command whatsoever Thou willest. I bear
witness that Thou art to be praised in Thy doings, and to be obeyed in Thy
behests, and to remain unconstrained in Thy bidding.
Let him then raise his hands, and repeat three times the Greatest
Name. Let him then bend down with hands resting on the knees
before God—blessed and exalted be He—and say:
Thou seest, O my God, how my spirit hath been stirred up within my limbs
and members, in its longing to worship Thee, and in its yearning to
remember Thee and extol Thee; how it testifieth to that whereunto the
Tongue of Thy Commandment hath testified in the kingdom of Thine utterance
and the heaven of Thy knowledge. I love, in this state, O my Lord, to beg
of Thee all that is with Thee, that I may demonstrate my poverty, and
magnify Thy bounty and Thy riches, and may declare my powerlessness, and
manifest Thy power and Thy might.
Let him then stand and raise his hands twice in supplication, and
say:
There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.
There is no God but Thee, the Ordainer, both in the beginning and in the
end. O God, my God! Thy forgiveness hath emboldened me, and Thy mercy hath
strengthened me, and Thy call hath awakened me, and Thy grace hath raised
me up and led me unto Thee. Who, otherwise, am I that I should dare to
stand at the gate of the city of Thy nearness, or set my face toward the
lights that are shining from the heaven of Thy will? Thou seest, O my
Lord, this wretched creature knocking at the door of Thy grace, and this
evanescent soul seeking the river of everlasting life from the hands of
Thy bounty. Thine is the command at all times, O Thou Who art the Lord of
all names; and mine is resignation and willing submission to Thy will, O
Creator of the heavens!
Let him then raise his hands thrice, and say:
Greater is God than every great one!
Let him then kneel and, bowing his forehead to the ground, say:
Too high art Thou for the praise of those who are nigh unto Thee to ascend
unto the heaven of Thy nearness, or for the birds of the hearts of them
who are devoted to Thee to attain to the door of Thy gate. I testify that
Thou hast been sanctified above all attributes and holy above all names.
No God is there but Thee, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious.
Let him then seat himself and say:
I testify unto that whereunto have testified all created things, and the
Concourse on high, and the inmates of the all-highest Paradise, and beyond
them the Tongue of Grandeur itself from the all-glorious Horizon, that
Thou art God, that there is no God but Thee, and that He Who hath been
manifested is the Hidden Mystery, the Treasured Symbol, through Whom the
letters B and E (Be) have been joined and knit together. I testify that it
is He Whose name hath been set down by the Pen of the Most High, and Who
hath been mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of the Throne on high
and of earth below.
Let him then stand erect and say:
O Lord of all being and Possessor of all things visible and invisible!
Thou dost perceive my tears and the sighs I utter, and hearest my
groaning, and my wailing, and the lamentation of my heart. By Thy might!
My trespasses have kept me back from drawing nigh unto Thee; and my sins
have held me far from the court of Thy holiness. Thy love, O my Lord, hath
enriched me, and separation from Thee hath destroyed me, and remoteness
from Thee hath consumed me. I entreat Thee by Thy footsteps in this
wilderness, and by the words “Here am I. Here am I.” which Thy chosen Ones
have uttered in this immensity, and by the breaths of Thy Revelation, and
the gentle winds of the Dawn of Thy Manifestation, to ordain that I may
gaze on Thy beauty and observe whatsoever is in Thy Book.
Let him then repeat the Greatest Name thrice, and bend down with
hands resting on the knees, and say:
Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast aided me to remember Thee and
to praise Thee, and hast made known unto me Him Who is the Day-Spring of
Thy signs, and hast caused me to bow down before Thy Lordship, and humble
myself before Thy Godhead, and to acknowledge that which hath been uttered
by the Tongue of Thy grandeur.
Let him then rise and say:
O God, my God! My back is bowed by the burden of my sins, and my
heedlessness hath destroyed me. Whenever I ponder my evil doings and Thy
benevolence, my heart melteth within me, and my blood boileth in my veins.
By Thy Beauty, O Thou the Desire of the world! I blush to lift up my face
to Thee, and my longing hands are ashamed to stretch forth toward the
heaven of Thy bounty. Thou seest, O my God, how my tears prevent me from
remembering Thee and from extolling Thy virtues, O Thou the Lord of the
Throne on high and of earth below! I implore Thee by the signs of Thy
Kingdom and the mysteries of Thy Dominion to do with Thy loved ones as
becometh Thy bounty, O Lord of all being, and is worthy of Thy grace, O
King of the seen and the unseen!
Let him then repeat the Greatest Name thrice, and kneel with his
forehead to the ground, and say:
Praise be unto Thee, O our God, that Thou hast sent down unto us that
which draweth us nigh unto Thee, and supplieth us with every good thing
sent down by Thee in Thy Books and Thy Scriptures. Protect us, we beseech
Thee, O my Lord, from the hosts of idle fancies and vain imaginations.
Thou, in truth, art the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
Let him then raise his head, and seat himself, and say:
I testify, O my God, to that whereunto Thy chosen Ones have testified, and
acknowledge that which the inmates of the all-highest Paradise and those
who have circled round Thy mighty Throne have acknowledged. The kingdoms
of earth and heaven are Thine, O Lord of the worlds!
_Long obligatory prayer, to be recited once in twenty-four hours._
CLXXXIV: “SINCE THOU HAST, O MY GOD, ESTABLISHED THYSELF...”
Since Thou hast, O my God, established Thyself upon the throne of Thy
transcendent unity, and ascended the mercy seat of Thy oneness, it
befitteth Thee to blot out from the hearts of all beings whatsoever may
keep them back from gaining admittance into the sanctuary of Thy Divine
mysteries, and may shut them out from the tabernacle of Thy Divinity, that
all hearts may mirror Thy beauty, and may reveal Thee, and speak of Thee,
and that all created things may show forth the tokens of Thy most august
sovereignty, and shed the splendors of the light of Thy most holy
governance, and that all who are in heaven and on earth may laud and
magnify Thy unity, and give Thee glory, for having manifested Thy Self
unto them through Him Who is the Revealer of Thy oneness.
Divest, then, Thy servants, O my God, of the garments of self and desire,
or grant that the eyes of Thy people may be lifted up to such heights that
they will discern in their desires naught except the stirring of the
gentle winds of Thine eternal glory, and may recognize in their own selves
nothing but the revelation of Thine own merciful Self, that the earth and
all that is therein may be cleansed of whatever is alien to Thee, or
anything that manifesteth aught save Thy Self. All this can be fulfilled
throughout Thy dominion by Thy word of command, “Be,” and it is! Nay, even
swifter than this, and yet the people understand not.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Beloved! I swear by Thy
glory! I recognize this very moment that Thou hast granted all for which I
have supplicated Thee, in this blessed night which, as decreed by Thee,
calleth to remembrance Him Who was the Companion of Thy beauty and the
Beholder of Thy face, ere I had been mentioned by Thee, or called into
being within the court of Thy holiness. I perceive that Thou hast made all
things to be the manifestations of Thy behest, and the revelations of Thy
handiwork, and the repositories of Thy knowledge, and the treasuries of
Thy wisdom. I recognize, moreover, that were any of the revelations of Thy
names and Thine attributes to be withheld, though it be the weight of a
grain of mustard seed, from whatsoever hath been created by Thy power and
begotten by Thy might, the foundations of Thine everlasting handiwork
would thereby be made incomplete, and the gems of Thy Divine wisdom would
become imperfect. For the letters of negation, no matter how far they may
be removed from the holy fragrances of Thy knowledge, and however
forgetful they may become of the wondrous splendors of the dawning light
of Thy beauty, which are shed from the heaven of Thy majesty, must needs
exist in Thy realm, so that the words which affirm Thee may thereby be
exalted.
Thy might beareth me witness, O my Well-Beloved! The entire creation hath
been called into being to exalt Thy triumph and to establish Thine
ascendancy, and all the bounds that have been set by Thee are but the
signs of Thy sovereignty, and proclaim the power of Thy might. How great,
how very great, are the revelations of Thy wondrous power in all things!
They are such that the lowliest among Thy creatures hath been made by Thee
a manifestation of Thy most august attribute, and the most contemptible
token of Thy handiwork hath been chosen as a recipient of Thy most mighty
name. Poverty, as decreed by Thee, hath been made the means for the
revelation of Thy riches, and abasement a path leading to Thy glory, and
sinfulness a cause for the exercise of Thy forgiveness. By them Thou hast
demonstrated that to Thee belong Thy most excellent titles, and unto Thee
pertain the wonders of Thy most exalted attributes.
Since Thou hast purposed, O my God, to cause all created things to enter
into the tabernacle of Thy transcendent grace and favor, and to waft over
the entire creation the fragrances of the raiment of Thy glorious unity,
and to look upon all things with the eyes of Thy bounty and Thy oneness, I
beseech Thee, therefore, by Thy love, which Thou hast made to be the
mainspring of the revelations of Thine eternal holiness, and the flame
that gloweth within the hearts of such of Thy creatures as yearn towards
Thee, to create, this very moment, for those of Thy people who are wholly
devoted to Thee, and for such of Thy loved ones as love Thee, out of the
essence of Thy bounty and Thy generosity, and from the inmost spirit of
Thy grace and Thy glory, Thy Paradise of transcendent holiness, and to
exalt it above everything except Thee, and to sanctify it from aught else
save Thyself. Create, moreover, within it, O my God, out of the lights
shed by Thy throne, handmaidens who will intone the melodies of Thy
wondrous and most sweet invention, that they may magnify Thy name with
such words as have not been heard by any of Thy creatures, be they the
inmates of Thy heaven or the dwellers of Thine earth, nor been
comprehended by any of Thy people. Unlock, then, the gates of this
Paradise to the faces of Thy loved ones, that haply they may enter them in
Thy name, and by the power of Thy sovereignty, that thereby the sovereign
bounties vouchsafed by Thee unto Thy chosen ones and the transcendent
gifts granted unto Thy trusted ones be perfected, that they may extol Thy
virtues with such melodies as none can either intone or describe, and that
none of Thy people may conceive the design of appearing in the guise of
any of Thy chosen ones, or of emulating the example of Thy loved ones, and
that none may fail to discern between Thy friends and Thine enemies, or to
distinguish them that are devoted to Thee from such as stubbornly oppose
Thee. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and powerful and supreme
art Thou over all things.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, O my Beloved, above the strivings
of any of Thy creatures, however learned, to know Thee; exalted, immensely
exalted art Thou above every human attempt, no matter how searching, to
describe Thee! For the highest thought of men, however deep their
contemplation, can never hope to outsoar the limitations imposed upon Thy
creation, nor ascend beyond the state of the contingent world, nor break
the bounds irrevocably set for it by Thee. How can, then, a thing that
hath been created by Thy will that overruleth the whole of creation, a
thing that is itself a part of the contingent world, have the power to
soar into the holy atmosphere of Thy knowledge, or reach unto the seat of
Thy transcendent power?
High, immeasurably high art Thou above the endeavors of the evanescent
creature to soar unto the throne of Thine eternity, or of the poor and
wretched to attain the summit of Thine all-sufficing glory! From eternity
Thou didst Thyself describe Thine own Self unto Thy Self, and extol, in
Thine own Essence, Thine Essence unto Thine Essence. I swear by Thy glory,
O my Best-Beloved! Who is there besides Thee that can claim to know Thee,
and who save Thyself can make fitting mention of Thee? Thou art He Who,
from eternity, abode in His realm, in the glory of His transcendent unity,
and the splendors of His holy grandeur. Were any one except Thee to be
deemed worthy of mention, in all the kingdoms of Thy creation, from the
highest realms of immortality down to the level of this nether world, how
could it, then, be demonstrated that Thou art established upon the throne
of Thy unity, and how could the wondrous virtues of Thy oneness and Thy
singleness be glorified?
I bear witness, this very moment, to what Thou hast testified for Thine
own Self, ere Thou hadst created the heavens and the earth, that Thou art
God, and that there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast from
everlasting been potent, through the Manifestations of Thy might, to
reveal the signs of Thy power, and Thou hast ever made known, through the
Day-Springs of Thy knowledge, the words of Thy wisdom. No one besides Thee
hath ever been found worthy to be mentioned before the Tabernacle of Thy
unity, and none except Thyself hath proved himself capable of being
praised within the hallowed court of Thy oneness.
Praise be to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast revealed Thy favors and Thy
bounties; and glory be to Thee, O my Beloved, that Thou hast manifested
the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness and Thy tender mercies. I yield Thee
such thanks as can direct the steps of the wayward towards the splendors
of the morning light of Thy guidance, and enable those who yearn towards
Thee to attain the seat of the revelation of the effulgence of Thy beauty.
I yield Thee such thanks as can cause the sick to draw nigh unto the
waters of Thy healing, and can help those who are far from Thee to
approach the living fountain of Thy presence. I yield Thee such thanks as
can divest the bodies of Thy servants of the garments of mortality and
abasement, and attire them in the robes of Thine eternity and Thy glory,
and lead the poor unto the shores of Thy holiness and all sufficient
riches. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable the Heavenly Dove to warble
forth, upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Immortality, her song:
“Verily, Thou art God. No God is there besides Thee. From eternity Thou
hast been exalted above the praise of aught else but Thee, and been high
above the description of any one except Thyself.” I yield Thee such thanks
as can cause the Nightingale of Glory to pour forth its melody in the
highest heaven: “‘Alí (the Báb), in truth, is Thy servant, Whom Thou hast
singled out from among Thy Messengers and Thy chosen Ones, and made Him to
be the Manifestation of Thyself in all that pertaineth unto Thee, and that
concerneth the revelation of Thine attributes and the evidences of Thy
names.” I yield Thee such thanks as can stir up all things to extol Thee,
and to glorify Thine Essence, and can unloose the tongues of all beings to
magnify the sovereignty of Thy beauty. I yield Thee such thanks as can
fill the heavens and the earth with the signs of Thy transcendent Essence,
and assist all created things to enter the Tabernacle of Thy nearness and
Thy presence. I yield Thee such thanks as can make every created thing to
be a book that shall speak of Thee, and a scroll that shall unfold Thy
praise. I yield Thee such thanks as can establish the Manifestations of
Thy sovereignty upon the throne of Thy governance, and set up the
Exponents of Thy glory upon the seat of Thy Divinity. I yield Thee such
thanks as can make the corrupt tree to bring forth good fruit through the
holy breaths of Thy favors, and revive the bodies of all beings with the
gentle winds of Thy transcendent grace. I yield Thee such thanks as can
cause the signs of Thine exalted singleness to be sent down out of the
heaven of Thy holy unity. I yield Thee such thanks as can teach all things
the realities of Thy knowledge and the essence of Thy wisdom, and will not
withhold the wretched creatures from the doors of Thy mercy and Thy
bountiful favor. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable all who are in
heaven and on earth to dispense with all created things, through the
treasuries of Thine all-sufficing riches, and can aid all created things
to reach unto the summit of Thine almighty favors. I yield Thee such
thanks as can assist the hearts of Thine ardent lovers to soar into the
atmosphere of nearness to Thee, and of longing for Thee, and kindle the
Light of Lights within the land of ‘Iráq. I yield Thee such thanks as can
detach them that are nigh unto Thee from all created things, and draw them
to the throne of Thy names and Thine attributes. I yield Thee such thanks
as can cause Thee to forgive all sins and trespasses, and to fulfill the
needs of the peoples of all religions, and to waft the fragrances of
pardon over the entire creation. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable
them that recognize Thy unity to scale the heights of Thy love, and cause
such as are devoted to Thee to ascend unto the Paradise of Thy presence. I
yield Thee such thanks as can satisfy the wants of all such as seek Thee,
and realize the aims of them that have recognized Thee. I yield Thee such
thanks as can blot out from the hearts of men all suggestions of
limitations, and inscribe the signs of Thy unity. I yield Thee such thanks
as that with which Thou didst from eternity glorify Thine own Self, and
didst exalt it above all peers, rivals, and comparisons, O Thou in Whose
hands are the heavens of grace and of bounty, and the kingdoms of glory
and of majesty!
Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God, and my Master! Thou bearest witness,
and seest, and knowest the things that have befallen Thy loved ones in Thy
days, and the continual trials, and the successive tribulations, and the
incessant afflictions, which have been sent down upon Thine elect. Such
hath been their plight that the earth became too strait for them, and they
were encompassed by the evidences of Thy wrath and the signs of Thy fear
in every land, and the doors of Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness were
shut against them, and the garden of their hearts was deprived of the
overflowing showers of Thy grace and Thy bountiful favors. Wilt Thou
withhold, O my God, from such as love Thee the wonders of Thine ascendancy
and triumph? Wilt Thou shatter, O my Beloved, the hopes which they who are
devoted to Thee have fixed on Thy manifold bounties and gifts? Wilt Thou
keep back, O my Master, those that have recognized Thee from the shores of
Thy sanctified knowledge, or wilt Thou cease to rain down upon the hearts
of such as desire Thee the showers of Thy transcendent grace? No, no, and
to this Thy glory beareth me witness! I testify this very moment that Thy
mercy hath surpassed all created things, and Thy loving-kindness
encompassed all that are in heaven and all that are on earth. From
everlasting the doors of Thy generosity were open to the faces of Thy
servants, and the gentle winds of Thy grace were wafted over the hearts of
Thy creatures, and the overflowing rains of Thy bounty were showered upon
Thy people and the dwellers of Thy realm.
I know full well Thou hast delayed to manifest Thy triumph in the kingdom
of creation by reason of Thy knowledge which embraceth both the mysteries
of Thy decree, and the hidden things ordained behind the veils of Thine
irrevocable purpose, that thereby those who have entered beneath the
shadow of Thy transcendent mercy may be separated from those who have
dealt disdainfully with Thee, and turned back from Thy presence at the
time when Thou didst manifest Thy most exalted Beauty.
Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore, O my Beloved! Forasmuch
as Thou hast divided, in Thy realm, Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and
hast perfected Thy most weighty testimony and Thy most infallible Proof
unto all who are in heaven and on earth, have mercy, then, upon those who
were brought low in Thy land, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy
path. Exalt them, then, O my God, through the power of Thy might and the
potency of Thy will, and raise them up to proclaim Thy Cause through Thine
omnipotent sovereignty and purpose.
I swear by Thy glory! My sole purpose in showing forth Thine ascendancy
hath been to glorify Thy Cause, and to magnify Thy word. I am persuaded
that if Thou wert to delay to send down Thy victory and to demonstrate Thy
power, the signs of Thy sovereignty would assuredly perish in Thy land,
and the tokens of Thy rule would be blotted out throughout Thy dominion.
My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have
compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy
wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things
save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest,
and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them
by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should
any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity,
and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they
would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and
mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing
sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Master! Look, then, upon
the hearts which, in their love for Thee, have been transfixed by the
darts of Thine enemies, and the heads which were borne on spears for the
sake of the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy name.
Have pity, then, upon those hearts which have been consumed by the fire of
Thy love, and been touched by such tribulations as are known only unto
Thee.
All laud and honor to Thee, O my God! Thou well knowest the things which,
for a score of years, have happened in Thy days, and have continued to
happen until this hour. No man can reckon, nor can any tongue tell, what
hath befallen Thy chosen ones during all this time. They could obtain no
shelter, nor find any refuge in which they could abide in safety. Turn,
then, O my God, their fear into the evidences of Thy peace and Thy
security, and their abasement into the sovereignty of Thy glory, and their
poverty into Thine all-sufficient riches, and their distress into the
wonders of Thy perfect tranquillity. Vouchsafe unto them the fragrances of
Thy might and Thy mercy, and send down upon them, out of Thy marvelous
loving-kindness, what will enable them to dispense with all except Thee,
and will detach them from aught save Thyself, that the sovereignty of Thy
oneness may be revealed and the supremacy of Thy grace and Thy bounty
demonstrated.
Wilt Thou not, O my God, look upon the tears which Thy loved ones have
shed? Wilt Thou not pity, O my Beloved, the eyes which have been dimmed by
reason of their separation from Thee, and because of the cessation of the
signs of Thy victory? Wilt Thou not behold, O my Master, the hearts
wherein have beaten the wings of the dove of longing and love for Thee? By
Thy glory! Things have come to such a pass that hope hath well nigh been
banished from the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the breaths of despair
are ready to seize them, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days.
Behold me, then, O my God, how I have fled from myself unto Thee, and have
abandoned my own being that I may attain unto the splendors of the light
of Thy Being, and have forsaken all that keepeth me back from Thee, and
maketh me forgetful of Thee, in order that I may inhale the fragrances of
Thy presence and Thy remembrance. Behold how I have stepped upon the dust
of the city of Thy forgiveness and Thy bounty, and dwelt within the
precincts of Thy transcendent mercy, and have besought Thee, through the
sovereignty of Him Who is Thy Remembrance and Who hath appeared in the
robe of Thy most pure and most august Beauty, to send down, in the course
of this year, upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with
any one except Thee, and will set them free to recognize the evidences of
Thy sovereign will and all-conquering purpose, in such wise that they will
seek only what Thou didst wish for them through Thy bidding, and will
desire naught except what Thou didst desire for them through Thy will.
Sanctify, then, their eyes, O my God, that they may behold the light of
Thy Beauty, and purge their ears, that they may listen to the melodies of
the Dove of Thy transcendent oneness. Flood, then, their hearts with the
wonders of Thy love, and preserve their tongues from mentioning any one
save Thee, and guard their faces from turning to aught else except
Thyself. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the
Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Protect, moreover, O my Beloved, through Thy love for them and through the
love they bear to Thee, this servant, who hath sacrificed his all for
Thee, and expended whatsoever Thou hast given him in the path of Thy love
and Thy good pleasure, and preserve him from all that Thou abhorrest, and
from whatsoever may hinder him from entering into the Tabernacle of Thy
holy sovereignty, and from attaining the seat of Thy transcendent oneness.
Number him, then, O my God, with such as have allowed nothing whatever to
deter them from beholding Thy beauty, or from meditating on the wondrous
evidences of Thine everlasting handiwork, that he may have fellowship with
none except Thee, and turn to naught save Thyself, and discover in
whatever hath been created by Thee in the kingdoms of earth and heaven
nothing but Thy wondrous Beauty and the revelation of the splendors of Thy
face, and be so immersed beneath the billowing oceans of Thine overruling
providence and the surging seas of Thy holy unity, that he will forget
every mention except the mention of Thy transcendent oneness, and banish
from his soul the traces of all evil suggestions, O Thou in Whose hands
are the kingdoms of all names and attributes!
Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who art the Goal of my desire! I swear by Thy
glory! How great is my wish to attain unto a detachment so complete that
were there to appear before me those countenances which are hid within the
chambers of chastity, and the beauty of which Thou didst veil from the
eyes of the entire creation, and whose faces Thou didst sanctify from the
sight of all beings, and were they to unveil themselves in all the glory
of the splendors of Thine incomparable beauty, I would refuse to look upon
them, and would behold them solely for the purpose of discerning the
mysteries of Thy handiwork, which have perplexed the minds of such as have
drawn nigh unto Thee, and awed the souls of all them that have recognized
Thee. I would, by Thy power and Thy might, soar to such heights that
nothing whatsoever would have the power to keep me back from the manifold
evidences of Thy transcendent dominion, nor would any earthly scheme shut
me out from the manifestations of Thy Divine holiness.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Beloved, and
my Master, and my Desire! Shatter not the hopes of this lowly one to
attain the shores of Thy glory, and deprive not this wretched creature of
the immensities of Thy riches, and cast not away this suppliant from the
doors of Thy grace, and Thy bounty, and Thy gifts. Have mercy, then, upon
this poor and desolate soul who hath sought no friend but Thee, and no
companion except Thee, and no comforter save Thee, and no beloved apart
from Thee, nor cherished any desire but Thyself.
Cast, then, upon me, O my God, the glances of Thy mercy, and forgive me my
trespasses and the trespasses of them that are dear to Thee, and which
come in between us and the revelation of Thy triumph and Thy grace. Cancel
Thou, moreover, our sins which have shut off our faces from the splendors
of the Day-Star of Thy favors. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou
ordainest what Thou willest, and art not asked of what Thou wishest
through the power of Thy sovereignty, nor canst Thou be frustrated in
whatsoever Thou prescribest through Thine irrevocable decree. No God is
there save Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Ever-living, the
Most Compassionate.
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Prayers and Meditations" ***
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