Tablet on the Passing of Mirza 'Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání (Lawh-i-az Hadrat-i-‘Abdu‘l-Bahá‘ pas az Su‘udi-i-Mírzá Abu‘l-Fadl-i-Gulpáygání)

by Abdu'l-Bahá

translated by Khazeh Fananapazir
2000

He is God!^{[1] [2]}

O friends of God and the handmaidens of the All-Merciful!

The letter in which you expressed condolence at the loss of ‘Abú‘l-Fadl was studied. It brought comfort to our hearts and we thank God that the Washington friends are aware of the honour and station of that respected soul and that they join Me with tearful eyes and burning heart to lament his loss.

This glorious soul [Mírzá ‘Abú‘l-Fadl] was a luminous star, a bright lamp, a blessed and fruitful tree, a billowing ocean of knowledge, a fountain of everlasting life, and well-established^[3] in the Ark of Salvation. From the beginning of his childhood, he lived a life of utmost piety and spent all his days in acquiring perfections. He was either engaged in the worship of God or in the acquisition of knowledge and the arts until he heard the Voice of God and His summons and thus he hastened to the kingdom of God. He hearkened to the melody of the Concourse on High and focused all his attention on the ‘Abhá Beauty. He became so attracted and so enkindled that all his friends and acquaintances were astonished saying: “What light is it that hath become ignited in this lamp? What grace it is that hath become manifest in this century?” He cut himself utterly from the world of human attachment^[4] and turned entirely to the world of Divinity.^[5] He closed his eyes to all the comforts, joys and glory of this physical realm and sought attachment only to the fragrances of the All-Merciful and the grace and bounty of the Godhead. He caused everyone who came to see him and ask him questions relating to the abstruse problems of faith to attain satisfaction and his blessed heart was such a fountain of truth and significance that he caused every thirsty one to be filled up. He wrote books and treatises establishing the Cause of the ‘Abhá Beauty, some of which are published and some which are not as yet published. He left his native land in the path of God and traveled in all parts. In every city he raised the cry of the advent of the kingdom of God and he gave the glad tidings as to the light of the Sun of Truth. He put forth proofs, whether rational or traditional, and in all, he had an eloquent tongue and an attractive utterance and illumined heart, an immense intelligence and perspicacity and a wondrous capacity. Until at the end, after many journeys and pilgrimage to the sacred shrines, he came to Alexandria and was My companion for several months and was engaged in his writing. Because of his wish to have a change, he went from Alexandria to Cairo and there he ascended to the Concourse on High. Like unto a nightingale, he flew to the rose garden of the Luminary of the world. Like a thirsty fish, he hastened to the depth of the infinite sea. He caused our hearts to burn with the fire of his bereavement. He caused our souls to shed tears like a candle. From all towns and cities, lamentation and crying hath been raised and eyes are tearful and hearts are burning. Yet that master of the believers in the Lord^[6] hath become freed from the narrow confines of this world and hath flown unto the limitless apex of joy. A drop has gone back to the Mighty Ocean. The ray hath returned to the Sun. He is free from the wilderness of separation. He hath ascended to the assembly of the lights of the Lord of the Covenant and is now immersed in His light and established in the ‘Abhá Kingdom.

   Upon you all be the Glory of the Most Glorious!

Notes

^[1] From the Biography of Mírzá ‘Abú‘l-Fadl by Rúh’u’lláh Mihráb-khání, pages 347-348. Tablet likely dates soon after ‘Abú‘l-Fadl’s passing in 1914 (KF‘s note, modified by MF).

^[2] The Arabic/Farsí title given here is provisional and was suggested by the translator in an e-mail message to J. Vahid Brown and the present editor, dated Saturday, January 5th, 2002 (MF‘s note).

^[3] Mustaqirr. The editor thanks J. Vahid Brown for correcting the transliterations in this text (KF‘s note, expanded by MF)

^[4] Násút (KF‘s note)

^[5] Láhút (KF‘s note)