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Chapter 3
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References to Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah in the writings of Baha'u'llah.
All recent major dispensations have had Dependent Prophets/Messengers who receive their revelation
from the Independent Prophet; for example, the twelve Imams in the era
of Muhammad; the twelve Apostles in the era of Christ; Prophets like
David, Solomon, Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel in the era of Moses; and
so on. At the following link is a brief compilation explaining the two classes of Prophets (Independent Prophets and Dependent/Lesser Prophets).
Following are symbolic terms
used by Bahá'u'lláh to refer to Prophets (both Independent Prophets and
Dependent/Lesser Prophets): "Maid(s) of Heaven", "Bride(s)", "handmaidens", "húrís", "Beauties", "black-eyed Damsel(s)".
Other terms used include: "His chosen ones", "Face of God", "Temples", "countenances", "manifestations of Thy Divine holiness", "Cord of God", "Straight Path", "Firm Handle", "angels", "assayers", "servants", "root", "branch", "Sun", "Moons", "stars", "Letter", "Immortal beings", "birds of heaven", "doves".
More terms used which are applicable to Prophets include: "pre-existence", "Oneness of God", "signs", "revelation", "trumpet", "Resurrection", "clouds", "grace", "descent" [from heaven], "covenant", "throne", "testimony", "announcement", "balance", "holy chamber", "holy veil", "veil of concealment", "Tablet of God", "mansions", "call", "cry".
1)
In the following passage,
"the angels of God are seen descending" is a reference to the pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Bahá'u'lláh appearing on earth. This is paralleled to the next passage from the Quran, "the Light which we have sent down",
which is a reference to the pre-existent Twelve Holy Imams (Dependent Prophets of Muhammad) appearing on earth;
cited in "Introduction to Shi'i Islam" by Moojan Momen, p. 151-153.
Following are two translations of similar passages on the twelve
Messengers who appeared
in the era of Moses (among: Joshua, Aaron, David, Solomon, Daniel,
Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Samuel, Amos, Hezekiah, Elijah). In the subsequent passage, "a company of His exalted and favoured angels" is another reference to the Dependent Prophets of Bahá'u'lláh.
This is the Day whereon the All-Merciful hath come down in the clouds
of knowledge, clothed with manifest sovereignty. He well knoweth the
actions of men. He it is Whose glory none can mistake, could ye but
comprehend it. The heaven of every religion hath been rent, and the
earth of human understanding been cleft asunder, and the angels of God are seen descending.
Say: This is the Day of mutual deceit; whither do ye flee? The
mountains have passed away, and the heavens have been folded together,
and the whole earth is held within His grasp, could ye but understand
it. Who is it that can protect you? None, by Him Who is the
All-Merciful! None, except God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the
Beneficent. Every woman that hath had a burden in her womb hath cast
her burden. We see men drunken in this Day, the Day in which men and
angels have been gathered together.
Say: Is there any doubt concerning God? Behold how He hath come down
from the heaven of His grace, girded with power and invested with
sovereignty. Is there any doubt concerning His signs? Open ye your
eyes, and consider His clear evidence. Paradise is on your right hand,
and hath been brought nigh unto you, while Hell hath been made to
blaze. Witness its devouring flame. Haste ye to enter into Paradise, as
a token of Our mercy unto you, and drink ye from the hands of the
All-Merciful the Wine that is life indeed.
Drink with healthy relish, O people of Bahá. Ye are indeed they with
whom it shall be well. This is what they who have near access to God
have attained. This is the flowing water ye were promised in the Qur'án, and later in the Bayán, as a recompense from your Lord, the God of Mercy. Blessed are they that quaff it.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 45-46
64:8 Believe, therefore, in God and His Apostle, and in the Light which we have sent down. And God is well acquainted with all that ye do.
64:9 The Day that He assembles you (all) for a Day of Assembly,- that
will be a Day of mutual loss and gain (among you), and those who
believe in God and work righteousness,- He will remove from them their
ills, and He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: that will be the Supreme Achievement.
64:10 But those who reject Faith and treat Our Signs as falsehoods, they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein for aye: and evil is that Goal.
-- Qur'an: 64 - AT-TAGHABUN.
5:12. Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed twelve captains among them, and Allah said: "I am with you: if ye (but) establish regular prayers, practice regular charity, believe in My apostles, honor and assist them and loan to Allah a beautiful loan, verily I will wipe out from you your evils, and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath; but if any of you, after this, resisteth faith, he hath truly wandered from the path of rectitude.
-- The Qur'an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5.
5:12 Allah made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We raised among them twelve chieftains, and Allah said: Lo! I am with you. If ye establish worship and pay the poor-due, and believe in My messengers and support them, and lend unto Allah a kindly loan, surely I shall remit your sins, and surely I shall bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow. Whoso among you disbelieveth after this will go astray from a plain road.
-- The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 5.
Erelong shall the faithful behold, in the day of the latter Resurrection, Him Whom God shall make manifest [Baha'u'llah] descending with this city from the heaven of the Unseen, together with a company of His exalted and favoured angels.
Great, therefore, is the blessedness of him that attaineth unto His
presence and beholdeth His countenance. We all, verily, cherish this
hope, and exclaim: "Praise be unto Him, for verily He is the Eternal
Truth, and unto Him do we return!"
-- Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 72
O ye beloved of God! O ye children of His Kingdom! Verily, verily the
new heaven and the new earth are come. The holy City, new Jerusalem,
hath come down from on high in the form of a maid of heaven, veiled,
beauteous, and unique, and prepared for reunion with her lovers on
earth. The angelic company of the celestial Concourse have joined in a
call that hath rung throughout the universe, all loudly and mightily
acclaiming: "Hail, O City of God! Abide Thou, and make Thy habitation
with the pure, virtuous and holy servants of Thine; for they are Thy
people, and Thou art their Lord."
-- Compilation, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 350
2)
In the following passage from Gleanings CXXIX:
"concealed within the Holy Veil" -- refers to the realm of pre-existence of the Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah, same as the pre-existence of the Holy Imams.
"a company of His chosen ones" -- the Dependent/Lesser Prophets of Baha'u'llah.
"Warn, then, those that have joined partners with Him" -- warn
those who reject the Dependent Prophet as the Face of God.
"I am come from the Throne of glory" -- reference to her/his station as a Dependent Prophet of Baha'u'llah.
"And bear you an announcement from God" -- the declaration of the Dependent Prophet.
"Weigh it with the just Balance that ye possess, the Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of God" -- judge their testimony with same standards you use for Prophets and Messengers of God, as they are.
"And render your works vain, and be numbered with the infidels" -- reference to believers who after serving the faith reject a Dependent Prophet, and thereby render their works vain.
"Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of Heaven" --
the pre-existent Dependent Prophet is summoned to appear on earth. The
Dependent Prophets have the same title, "Maid of Heaven", as
Baha'u'llah (the Independent Prophet), consistent with all of them being the Face of God.
"I am the Maid of Heaven, the Offspring begotten by the Spirit of Bahá. My habitation is the Mansion of His Name, the All-Glorious." --
I am a Prophet, the Dependent Prophet of Bahá'u'lláh, whose habitation
is the Mansion of His Name. Similar to how Bahá'u'lláh referred to the
Jafar as-Sadiq, the Sixth Imam,
as 'son' of Muhammad in the Kitab-i-Iqan, i.e. his Dependent Prophet: 'Thus hath Sádiq, son
of Muhammad, spoken: "God verily will test them and sift them"'.
CXXIX. O wayfarer in the path of God! Take thou thy portion of the
ocean of His grace, and deprive not thyself of the things that lie
hidden in its depths. Be thou of them that have partaken of its
treasures. A dewdrop out of this ocean would, if shed upon all that are
in the heavens and on the earth, suffice to enrich them with the bounty
of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. With the hands of
renunciation draw forth from its life-giving waters, and sprinkle
therewith all created things, that they may be cleansed from all
man-made limitations and may approach the mighty seat of God, this
hallowed and resplendent Spot.
Be not grieved if thou performest it thyself alone. Let God be
all-sufficient for thee. Commune intimately with His Spirit, and be
thou of the thankful. Proclaim the Cause of thy Lord unto all who are
in the heavens and on the earth. Should any man respond to thy call,
lay bare before him the pearls of the wisdom of the Lord, thy God,
which His Spirit hath sent down unto thee, and be thou of them that
truly believe. And should any one reject thine offer, turn thou away
from him, and put thy trust and confidence in the Lord, thy God, the
Lord of all worlds.
By the righteousness of God! Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and
maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration
shall descend upon him from the heaven of My name, the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. On him shall also descend the Concourse on high, each bearing
aloft a chalice of pure light. Thus hath it been foreordained in the
realm of God's Revelation, by the behest of Him Who is the
All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.
There lay concealed within the Holy Veil, and prepared for the service
of God, a company of His chosen ones who shall be manifested unto men,
who shall aid His Cause, who shall be afraid of no one, though the
entire human race rise up and war against them. These are the ones who,
before the gaze of the dwellers on earth and the denizens of heaven,
shall arise and, shouting aloud, acclaim the name of the Almighty, and
summon the children of men to the path of God, the All-Glorious, the
All-Praised. Walk thou in their way, and let no one dismay thee. Be of
them whom the tumult of the world, however much it may agitate them in
the path of their Creator, can never sadden, whose purpose the blame of
the blamer will never defeat.
Go forth with the Tablet of God and His signs, and rejoin them that
have believed in Me, and announce unto them tidings of Our most holy
Paradise. Warn, then, those that have joined partners with Him. Say: I
am come to you, O people, from the Throne of glory, and bear you an
announcement from God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most
Great. In mine hand I carry the testimony of God, your Lord and the
Lord of your sires of old. Weigh it with the just Balance that ye
possess, the Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of
God. If ye find it to be established in truth, if ye believe it to be
of God, beware, then, lest ye cavil at it, and render your works vain,
and be numbered with the infidels. It is indeed the sign of God that
hath been sent down through the power of truth, through which the
validity of His Cause hath been demonstrated unto His creatures, and
the ensigns of purity lifted up betwixt earth and heaven.
Say: This is the sealed and mystic Scroll, the repository of God's
irrevocable Decree, bearing the words which the Finger of Holiness hath
traced, that lay wrapt within the veil of impenetrable mystery, and
hath now been sent down as a token of the grace of Him Who is the
Almighty, the Ancient of Days. In it have We decreed the destinies of
all the dwellers of the earth and the denizens of heaven, and written
down the knowledge of all things from first to last. Nothing whatsoever
can escape or frustrate Him, whether created in the past or to be
created in the future, could ye but perceive it.
Say: The Revelation sent down by God hath most surely been repeated,
and the outstretched Hand of Our power hath overshadowed all that are
in the heavens and all that are on the earth. We have, through the
power of truth, the very truth, manifested an infinitesimal glimmer of
Our impenetrable Mystery, and lo, they that have recognized the
radiance of the Sinaic splendor expired, as they caught a lightening
glimpse of this Crimson Light enveloping the Sinai of Our Revelation.
Thus hath He Who is the Beauty of the All-Merciful come down in the
clouds of His testimony, and the decree accomplished by virtue of the
Will of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Say: Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of Heaven, inmate of the
Exalted Paradise! Drape thyself in whatever manner pleaseth Thee in the
silken Vesture of Immortality, and put on, in the name of the
All-Glorious, the broidered Robe of Light. Hear, then, the sweet, the
wondrous accent of the Voice that cometh from the Throne of Thy Lord,
the Inaccessible, the Most High. Unveil Thy face, and manifest the
beauty of the black-eyed Damsel, and suffer not the servants of God to
be deprived of the light of Thy shining countenance. Grieve not if Thou
hearest the sighs of the dwellers of the earth, or the voice of the
lamentation of the denizens of heaven. Leave them to perish on the dust
of extinction. Let them be reduced to nothingness, inasmuch as the
flame of hatred hath been kindled within their breasts. Intone, then,
before the face of the peoples of earth and heaven, and in a most
melodious voice, the anthem of praise, for a remembrance of Him Who is
the King of the names and attributes of God. Thus have We decreed Thy destiny. Well able are We to achieve Our purpose.
Beware that Thou divest not Thyself, Thou Who art the Essence of
Purity, of Thy robe of effulgent glory. Nay, enrich Thyself
increasingly, in the kingdom of creation, with the incorruptible
vestures of Thy God, that the beauteous image of the Almighty may be
reflected through Thee in all created things and the grace of Thy Lord
be infused in the plenitude of its power into the entire creation.
If Thou smellest from any one the smell of the love of Thy Lord, offer
up Thyself for him, for We have created Thee to this end, and have
covenanted with Thee, from time immemorial, and in the presence of the
congregation of Our well-favored ones, for this very purpose. Be not
impatient if the blind in heart hurl down the shafts of their idle
fancies upon Thee. Leave them to themselves, for they follow the
promptings of the evil ones.
Cry out before the gaze of the dwellers of heaven and of earth: I am
the Maid of Heaven, the Offspring begotten by the Spirit of Bahá. My
habitation is the Mansion of His Name, the All-Glorious. Before the
Concourse on high I was adorned with the ornament of His names. I was
wrapt within the veil of an inviolable security, and lay hidden from
the eyes of men. Methinks that I heard a Voice of divine and
incomparable sweetness, proceeding from the right hand of the God of
Mercy, and lo, the whole Paradise stirred and trembled before Me, in
its longing to hear its accents, and gaze on the beauty of Him that
uttered them. Thus have We revealed in this luminous Tablet, and in the
sweetest of languages, the verses which the Tongue of Eternity was
moved to utter in the Qayyúmu'l-Asmá.
Say: He ordaineth as He pleaseth, by virtue of His sovereignty, and
doeth whatsoever He willeth at His own behest. He shall not be asked of
the things it pleaseth Him to ordain. He, in truth, is the
Unrestrained, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.
They that have disbelieved in God and rebelled against His sovereignty
are the helpless victims of their corrupt inclinations and desires.
These shall return to their abode in the fire of hell: wretched is the
abode of the deniers!
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 279-284
3)
In the following passage from Gleanings CLIII:
"I have summoned the Maids of
Heaven to emerge from behind the veil of concealment" -- Bahá'u'lláh
has called on His pre-existent Dependent Prophets to appear on
earth. "and have clothed them with these words of Mine -- words of consummate power and wisdom" -- and they
receive their revelation from Him, the Independent Prophet (this theme is explained by Abdu'l-Baha when describing the two classes of Prophets). Bahá'u'lláh, the Independent Prophet,
receives Revelation directly from God. No Independent Prophet will
appear until after at least one thousand years of Baha'u'llah's dispensation have passed.
Wherefore, O My servants, defile not your wings with the clay of
waywardness and vain desires, and suffer them not to be stained with
the dust of envy and hate, that ye may not be hindered from soaring in
the heavens of My divine knowledge.
O My servants! Through the might of God and His power, and out of the
treasury of His knowledge and wisdom, I have brought forth and revealed
unto you the pearls that lay concealed in the depths of His everlasting
ocean. I have summoned the Maids of Heaven to emerge from behind
the veil of concealment, and have clothed them with these words of Mine
-- words of consummate power and wisdom. I have, moreover, with the
hand of divine power, unsealed the choice wine of My Revelation, and
have wafted its holy, its hidden, and musk-laden fragrance upon all
created things. Who else but yourselves is to be blamed if ye choose to
remain unendowed with so great an outpouring of God's transcendent and
all-encompassing grace, with so bright a revelation of His resplendent
mercy?...
O My servants! There shineth nothing else in Mine heart except the
unfading light of the Morn of Divine guidance, and out of My mouth
proceedeth naught but the essence of truth, which the Lord your God
hath revealed. Follow not, therefore, your earthly desires, and violate
not the Covenant of God, nor break your pledge to Him. With firm
determination, with the whole affection of your heart, and with the
full force of your words, turn ye unto Him, and walk not in the ways of
the foolish. The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing,
bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it.
Break not the bond that uniteth you with your Creator, and be not of
those that have erred and strayed from His ways.
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 328
4)
In the following passage, "one of
the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise" is a reference to one of the
Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah. The "Wronged One" refers to
Bahá'u'lláh himself.
"We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof
in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One
day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We
beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight
playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what
the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the
eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed in that most sanctified, that most
sublime, that blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left
We gazed on one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise,
standing on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: `O inmates of
earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem.
I am the most great ornament of the people of Bahá, and the vesture of
glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the supreme
instrument for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of
assurance unto all beings.' Thus have We sent down for thee that which
will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation."
This Wronged One hath, at all times, summoned the peoples of the world
unto that which will exalt them, and draw them nigh unto God. From
the Most Sublime Horizon there hath shone forth that which leaveth no
room unto any one for vacillation, repudiation or denial. The wayward,
however, have failed to profit therefrom; nay, it shall only increase
their loss.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 136-137
5)
The Surih of the Temple, an important tablet revealed by Baha'u'llah, is another
place where Baha'u'llah refers to His many Dependent Prophets, in
addition to other important themes covered. "Temples" is one of the terms Baha'u'llah applies to Prophets (both Independent Prophets
and Dependent Prophets), who are the Face of God on earth, affirmed by the words, "temples of the Oneness of God", in the passage below. "Raise up, then, from this Temple," refers to Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet. "the temples of the Oneness of God" refers to the pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah summoned to appear on earth by him. "be of them that are illumined by His
light" -- be among the true believers who recognise the Dependent Prophets.
1.12
O Pen of the Most High! Hearken unto the Call of Thy Lord, raised from
the Divine Lote-Tree in the holy and luminous Spot, that the sweet
accents of Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, may fill Thy soul with joy and
fervour, and that the breezes that waft from My name, the
Ever-Forgiving, may dispel Thy cares and sorrows. Raise up, then, from
this Temple [Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet], the temples of the Oneness of God [the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah],
that they may tell out, in the kingdom of creation, the tidings of
their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and be of them that are
illumined by His light.
1.13
We, verily, have ordained this Temple [Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet] to be the source of all existence
in the new creation, that all may know of a certainty My power to
accomplish that which I have purposed through My word "Be", and it is!
Beneath the shadow of every letter of this Temple
We shall raise up a people whose number none can reckon save God, the
Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall God bring forth from
His Temple such souls as will remain unswayed by the insinuations of
the rebellious, and who will quaff at all times of the cup that is life
indeed. These, truly, are of the blissful.
1.14
These are servants
who abide beneath the shelter of the tender mercy of their Lord, and
who remain undeterred by those who seek to obstruct their path. Upon
their faces may be seen the brightness of the light of the
All-Merciful, and from their hearts may be heard the remembrance of
Mine all-glorious and inaccessible Name. Were they to unloose their
tongues to extol their Lord, the denizens of earth and heaven would
join in their anthems of praise -- yet how few are they who hear! And
were they to glorify their Lord, all created things would join in their
hymns of glory. Thus hath God exalted them above the rest of His creation, and yet the people remain unaware!
1.15
These are they who circle round the Cause of God even as the shadow
doth revolve around the sun. Open, then, your eyes, O people of the
Bayan, that haply ye may behold them! It is by virtue of their movement
that all things are set in motion, and by reason of their stillness all
things are brought to rest, would that ye might be assured thereof! Through
them the believers in the Divine Unity have turned towards Him Who is
the Object of the adoration of the entire creation, and by them the
hearts of the righteous have found rest and composure, could ye but
know it! Through them the earth hath been established, the
clouds have rained down their bounty, and the bread of knowledge hath
descended from the heaven of grace, could ye but perceive it!
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 8.
6)
Letter
is another symbolic term use to refer to Dependent Prophets, while Word
refers to the Independent Prophet. In the next two passages from the Surih of the Temple, reference is made to
two Letters (i.e. two Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah). Following are a few more
symbolic references to the Dependent Prophets, providing more details
about them. The tablet contains many
other symbolic references to Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah,
provided in
separate paragraphs in the English transation.
1.37
O First Letter of this Temple [Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet], betokening the Essence of Divinity! We
have made thee the treasury of My Will and the repository of My Purpose
unto all who are in the kingdoms of revelation and creation. This is
but a token of the grace of Him Who is the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 21
1.38
O Second Letter of this Temple [Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet], betokening My name, the Almighty! We
have made thee the manifestation of Our sovereignty and the dayspring
of Our Names. Potent am I to fulfil that which My tongue speaketh.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 21
1.19
O Eyes of this Temple [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet]!
Look not upon the heavens and that which they contain, nor upon the
earth and them that dwell thereon, for We have created you to behold
Our own Beauty: See it now before you! Withhold not your gaze
therefrom, and deprive not yourselves of the Beauty of your Lord, the
All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Erelong shall We bring into being
through you keen and penetrating eyes that will contemplate the
manifold signs of their Creator and turn away from all that is
perceived by the people of the world. Through you shall We bestow the
power of vision upon whomsoever We desire, and lay hold upon those who
have deprived themselves of this gracious bounty. These, verily, have
drunk from the cup of delusion, though they perceive it not.
1.20
O Ears of this Temple [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet]!
Purge yourselves from all idle clamour and hearken unto the voice of
your Lord. He, verily, revealeth unto you, from the Throne of glory,
that there is none other God save Me, the All-Glorious, the Almighty,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall We bring into
being through you pure and undefiled ears which will heed the Word of
God and that which hath appeared from the Dayspring of the Utterance of
your Lord, the All-Merciful. They shall assuredly perceive the sweet
accents of Divine Revelation that proceed from these most blessed and
hallowed precincts.
1.21
O Tongue of this Temple [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet]!
We, verily, have created thee through Our name, the All-Merciful, have
taught thee whatsoever had remained concealed in the Bayan, and have
bestowed upon thee the power of utterance, that thou mayest make
mention of Mine exalted Self amidst My creatures. Proclaim, then, this
wondrous and mighty Remembrance, and fear not the manifestations of the
Evil One. Thou wert called into being for this very purpose by virtue
of My transcendent and all-compelling command. Through thee have We
unloosed the Tongue of Utterance to expound all that hath been, and We
shall again, by My sovereign power, unloose it to speak of that which
is yet to come. Erelong shall We bring into being through thee eloquent
tongues that will praise and extol Me amongst the Concourse on high and
amidst the peoples of the world. Thus have the verses of God been
revealed, and thus hath it been decreed by the Lord of all names and
attributes. Thy Lord, verily, is the True One, the Knower of things
unseen. Nothing whatsoever shall prevent these tongues from magnifying
their Creator. Through them, all created things shall arise to glorify
the Lord of names and to bear witness that there is none other God save
Me, the All-Powerful, the Most-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Nor shall
those who make mention of Me speak aught unless they be inspired by
this Tongue from its lofty station. Few, however, are they who
understand! No tongue is there that speaketh not the praises of its
Lord and maketh not mention of His Name. Amongst the
people, however, are those who understand and utter praises, and those
who utter praises, yet understand not.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 11
1.64
O Breast of this Temple [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet]! We, verily, have caused all things to mirror
forth thy reality, and made thee as a mirror of Our own Self. Shed,
then, upon the breasts of all created beings the splendours of the
light of thy Lord, that they may be freed from all allusions and
limitations. Thus hath the Daystar of wisdom shone forth above the
horizon of the Pen of the Eternal King. Blessed are those who perceive
it! Through thee have We created other sanctified breasts, and unto
thee shall We cause them to return, as a token of Our grace unto thee
and unto Our favoured servants. Erelong shall We bring into being
through thee men with sanctified and illumined breasts, who will
testify to naught save My beauty and show forth naught but the
resplendent light of My countenance. These shall in truth be the
mirrors of My Names amidst all created things.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 30
1.67
O Inmost Heart of this Temple [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet]!
We have made thee the dawning-place of Our knowledge and the dayspring
of Our wisdom unto all who are in heaven and on earth. From thee have
We caused all sciences to appear, and unto thee shall We cause them to
return. And from thee shall We bring them forth a second time. Such,
indeed, is Our promise, and potent are We to effect Our purpose.
Erelong shall We bring into being through thee exponents of new and
wondrous sciences, of potent and effective crafts, and shall make
manifest through them that which the heart of none of Our servants hath
yet conceived. Thus do We bestow upon whom We will whatsoever We
desire, and thus do We withdraw from whom We will what We had once
bestowed. Even so do We ordain whatsoever We please through Our behest.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 35
1.81
O Living [the pre-existent Dependent Prophet when on the earthly plane] Temple!
We, verily, have made Thee a mirror unto the kingdom of names, that
Thou mayest be, amidst all mankind, a sign of My sovereignty, a herald
unto My presence, a summoner unto My beauty, and a guide unto My straight and perspicuous Path.
We have exalted Thy Name among Our servants as a bounty from Our
presence. I, verily, am the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. We
have, moreover, adorned Thee with the ornament of Our own Self, and
have imparted unto Thee Our Word, that Thou mayest ordain in this
contingent world whatsoever Thou willest and accomplish whatsoever Thou
pleasest. We have destined for Thee all the good of the heavens and of
the earth, and decreed that none may attain unto a portion thereof
unless he entereth beneath Thy shadow, as bidden by Thy Lord, the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have conferred upon Thee the Staff of
authority and the Writ of judgement, that Thou mayest test the wisdom
of every command. We have caused the oceans of inner meaning and explanation to surge from Thy heart in remembrance of Thy Lord, the God of mercy,
that Thou mayest render thanks and praise unto Him and be of those who
are truly thankful. We have singled Thee out from amongst all Our
creatures, and have appointed Thee as the Manifestation of Our own Self unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 43.
7)
In the following passage from Prayers and Meditations CLXXXIV, "handmaidens" is a symbolic
reference to the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah, who assist the "Bride",
Baha'u'llah (the Independent Prophet), referred to in the last passage of the Hidden Words. Later
in the passage, the handmaidens are also referred to as "Thy chosen
ones", affirming they are Prophets. In the passage further
below from the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, Baha'u'llah (the Maid of
Heaven), summons a pre-existent handmaiden (a Dependent/Lesser Prophet) to
appear on earth from the mansions of eternity..
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.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 326-327
Glorified be my Lord, the All-Glorious! Thereupon she [the Maid of Heaven, Baha'u'llah] summoned unto herself one maiden from her handmaidens,
Glorified be my Lord, the All-Glorious! And commanded her: "Descend into space from the mansions of eternity,
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablet of the Holy Mariner.
8)
In the following passage from
Prayers and Meditations CLXXXIV, "those countenances which are hid
within the chambers of chastity" and "the manifestations of Thy Divine holiness" are also references to Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah.
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.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 337
In like manner, every time the Prophets of God have illumined the world
with the resplendent radiance of the Day Star of Divine knowledge, they
have invariably summoned its peoples to embrace the light of God
through such means as best befitted the exigencies of the age in which
they appeared. They were thus able to scatter the darkness of
ignorance, and to shed upon the world the glory of their own knowledge.
It is towards the inmost essence of these Prophets, therefore, that the eye of every man of discernment must be directed,...
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 80
9)
In the following passage, "Beauties of divine mystery", "birds abiding within the domains of My Kingdom", "doves dwelling in the rose-garden of My wisdom" are also symbolic references to Dependent Prophets of Bahá'u'lláh.
O thou honoured enquirer! We bear witness that thou didst firmly adhere
unto seemly patience during the days when the Pen was held back from
movement and the Tongue hesitated to set forth an explanation regarding
the wondrous sign, the Most Great Infallibility.
Thou hast asked this Wronged One to remove for thee its veils and
coverings, to elucidate its mystery and character, its state and
position, its excellence, sublimity and exaltation. By the life of God!
Were We to unveil the pearls of testimony which lie hid within the shells of the ocean of knowledge and assurance or to let the beauties of divine mystery which are hidden within the chambers of utterance in the Paradise of true understanding, step out of
their habitation, then from every direction violent commotion would
arise among the leaders of religion and thou wouldst witness the people
of God held fast in the teeth of such wolves as have denied God both in
the beginning and in the end. Therefore We restrained the Pen for a
considerable lapse of time in accordance with divine wisdom and for the
sake of protecting the faithful from those who have bartered away
heavenly blessings for disbelief and have chosen for their people the
abode of perdition.
O thou seeker who art gifted with keen insight. I swear by Him Who
attracted the Concourse on High through the potency of His most sublime
Word! Verily, the birds abiding within the domains of My Kingdom and the doves dwelling in the rose-garden of My wisdom
utter such melodies and warblings as are inscrutable to all but God,
the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven; and were these melodies
to be revealed even to an extent smaller than a needle's eye, the
people of tyranny would utter such calumnies as none among former
generations hath ever uttered, and would commit such deeds as no one in
past ages and centuries hath ever committed. They have rejected the
bounty of God and His proofs and have repudiated the testimony of God and His signs.
They have gone astray and have caused the people to go astray, yet
perceive it not. They worship vain imaginings but know it not. They
have taken idle fancies for their lords and have neglected God, yet
understand not. They have abandoned the most great Ocean and are
hastening towards the pool, but comprehend not. They follow their own
idle fancies while turning aside from God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 106-107
10)
In the following passage, the "temples of pre-existence"
and "chaste maidens of beauty bearing flagons brimming with the water
of life" are Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah (the sun). "Blessed is the
person who attains to sprinkled droplets thereof" refers to true believers who recognise the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah (who are "the return of their chosen ones"), similar to those who recognised the Holy Imams in the era of Muhammad.
The sun [Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet] has risen over the sacred horizon, and the concourse on high
has been illumined by its radiance. The scent of musk has diffused from
the knolls of sanctity, perfuming the temples of pre-existence. Happy
is he who adorns himself with these fragrances! The luminary of the
Cause has risen in the midst of the sky, and has taken the form of a
full moon, brilliant in its whiteness. Concourse of the near ones, seek
to be illumined by its splendor! Say: The throne has been established
behind the pavilion of majesty, and about it circle chaste maidens of
beauty bearing flagons brimming with the water of life. Blessed is the
person who attains to sprinkled droplets thereof. Say: The Maiden of
Eternity has uncovered Beauty itself with a gut-wrenching gaze. Blessed
is the one who is struck by her glance! Say: The voice of God has been
heard from the sanctuary of eternity, and the hearts of the mystic
knowers have been enthralled by its melodies.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Surah of the Companions (a provisional translation by Juan Cole).
In like manner, in every
subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact,
the truth of which is firmly established. Inasmuch as the return of the
Prophets of God, as attested by verses and traditions, hath been
conclusively demonstrated, the return of their chosen ones also is
therefore definitely proven. This return is too manifest in itself to
require any evidence or proof.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 153
11)
In the following passage, "how innumerable are the pearls", "How many the húrís [maidens] of inner meaning that are as yet concealed within the chambers of divine wisdom!" -- how many the pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Bahá'u'lláh? An allusion to the fact that in the era of Baha'u'llah, a Universal Manifestation,
the number of Dependent Prophets is greater than the usual number:
twelve. As a parallel, Bahá'u'lláh also cites a reference in the Quran
to Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn who were Dependent Prophets of Muhammad -- the "pearls and coral" that came out from the Two Seas ("two bodies of flowing water"): Imam
Ali and Fatima, their parents who belong to the Family of Muhammad;
cited in "Introduction to Shi'i Islam," Moojan Momen, p. 153. In Quran
55:56 where it states, "In them will be (Maidens), chaste, restraining their glances" can be paralled to "Those countenances which are hid within the chambers of chastity" and "the manifestations of Thy Divine holiness" referred to in passage #8 above from Prayers and Meditations CLXXXIV..
We have digressed from the purpose of Our argument, although whatsoever
is mentioned serveth only to confirm Our purpose. By God! however great
Our desire to be brief, yet We feel We cannot restrain Our pen.
Notwithstanding all that We have mentioned, how innumerable are the pearls which have remained unpierced in the shell of Our heart! How many the húrís of inner meaning that are as yet concealed within the chambers
of divine wisdom![1] None hath yet approached them;--húrís, "whom no
man nor spirit hath touched before." Notwithstanding all that hath been
said, it seemeth as if not one letter of Our purpose hath been uttered,
nor a single sign divulged concerning Our object. When will a faithful
seeker be found who will don the garb of pilgrimage, attain the Ka'bih
of the heart's desire, and, without ear or tongue, discover the
mysteries of divine utterance? [1 Qur'an 55:56.]
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 70
55:19 He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:
55:20 Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
55:21 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
55:22 Out of them come Pearls and Coral:...
55:37 When the sky is rent asunder, and it becomes red like ointment [dawn of a new dispensation]:
55:38 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?...
55:56 In them will be (Maidens), chaste, restraining their glances, whom no man or Jinn before them has touched;-
55:57 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
55:58 Like unto Rubies and coral.
-- The Qur'an 55 - AR-RAHMAN
12)
In the following passage, the "Brides of inner meaning" is a reference to Dependent Prophets who will continue the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh; who will "utter a myriad songs", "unfold innumerable mysteries" and proclaim His Revelation.
By God! This Bird of Heaven, now dwelling upon the dust, can, besides
these melodies, utter a myriad songs, and is able, apart from these
utterances, to unfold innumerable mysteries. Every single note of its
unpronounced utterances is immeasurably exalted above all that hath
already been revealed, and immensely glorified beyond that which hath
streamed from this Pen. Let the future disclose the hour when the Brides of inner meaning will, as decreed by the Will of God, hasten forth, unveiled, out of their mystic mansions,
and manifest themselves in the ancient realm of being. Nothing
whatsoever is possible without His permission; no power can endure save
through His power, and there is none other God but He. His is the world
of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 175
It should first be noted that in one sense the stations of the Prophets
of God differ one from another. For instance, consider Moses. He
brought forth a Book and established ordinances, whilst a number of the
Prophets and Messengers who arose after Him were charged with the
promulgation of His laws, insofar as they remained consonant with the
needs of the age. The books and chronicles annexed to the Torah bear
eloquent testimony to this truth.
-- Baha'u'llah, Tabernacle of Unity.
The continuation of revelation
is also alluded to by the following passage which can be interpreted as a reference
to the laws of the Aqdas, and their formulation according to the
spiritual capacity and social context of the earliest believers. Hence,
for example, their partriachal nature. It was also permitted for a
man to have up to two wives. In the era of Muhammad, it was permitted
for a man to have up to four
wives -- based on the spiritual capacity of believers then. Similarly,
in the era of Muhammad, the Holy Imams introduced new doctrines after the ascension of Muhammad.
67. O SON OF BEAUTY!
By My spirit and by My favor! By My mercy and by My beauty! All that I
have revealed unto thee with the tongue of power, and have written for
thee with the pen of might, hath been in accordance with thy capacity
and understanding, not with My state and the melody of My voice.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 19
13)
In the following passage, "Thy chosen ones" is another reference to the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah.
For were men to abide by and observe the divine teachings, every trace
of evil would be banished from the face of the earth. However, the
widespread differences that exist among mankind and the prevalence of
sedition, contention, conflict and the like are the primary factors
which provoke the appearance of the satanic spirit. Yet the Holy Spirit
hath ever shunned such matters. A world in which naught can be
perceived save strife, quarrels and corruption is bound to become the
seat of the throne, the very metropolis, of Satan.
How vast the number of the loved and chosen ones
of God who have lamented and moaned by day and by night that haply a
sweet and fragrant breeze might blow from the court of His
good-pleasure and dispel altogether the loathsome and foul-smelling
odours from the world. However, this ultimate goal could not be
attained, and men were deprived thereof by virtue of their evil deeds,
which brought upon them the retribution of God, in accordance with the
basic principles of His divine rule. Ours is the duty to remain patient
in these circumstances until relief be forthcoming from God, the
Forgiving, the Bountiful.
Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord of all beings and Desire of all created
things! I beseech Thee, by the Word which hath caused the Burning Bush
to lift up its Voice and the Rock to cry out, whereby the well-favoured
have hastened to attain the court of Thy presence and the pure in heart
the dayspring of the light of Thy countenance, and by the sighing of
Thy true lovers in their separation from Thy chosen ones
and by the lamentation of them that long to behold Thy face before the
dawning splendour of the light of Thy Revelation, to graciously enable
Thy servants to recognize what Thou hast ordained for them by Thy
bounty and Thy grace. Prescribe for them then through Thy Pen of Glory
that which will direct their steps to the ocean of Thy generosity and
will lead them unto the living waters of Thy heavenly reunion.
-- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 176
14)
"Servant" is another term used to refer to Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah, in relevant contexts; the same way the Holy Imams were servants of Muhammad.
14.1)
In the passage below from the Hidden Words, "My servant", is the Dependent Prophet of
Baha'u'llah, who is also the Face of God (like Baha'u'llah). The
statement "his face is My face" is true when the Manifestations of God
are viewed from the "station of pure abstraction and essential unity"; similar in inner meaning to how the Holy Imams said, "Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our
last, Muhammad our all." which is cited by Baha'u'llah in the
Kitab-i-Iqan when explaining the station. "be then abashed before Me" -- recognise the sovereignty of the Dependent Prophet (who is the Face of God) -- recognise the sovereignty of God.
30. O SON OF MAN!
Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words
14.2)
In passage below, "My chosen servants" are the
Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah, who are also the "Sure
[Firm] Handle" and the "Cord of God", like the Holy Imams in the era of Muhammad.
Assist ye, O My people, My chosen
servants who have arisen to make mention of Me among My creatures and
to exalt My Word throughout My realm. These, truly, are the stars of the heaven of My loving providence
and the lamps of My guidance unto all mankind. But he whose words
conflict with that which hath been sent down in My Holy Tablets is not
of Me. Beware lest ye follow any impious pretender. These Tablets are
embellished with the seal of Him Who causeth the dawn to appear, Who
lifteth up His voice between the heavens and the earth. Lay hold on
this Sure Handle and on the Cord of My mighty and unassailable Cause.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 61
14.3)
In passage below, "His servants"
are the Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah, and else besides them are as naught; described
in more detail in the subsequent passage from the Kitab-i-Iqan about
the Manifestations of God.
1.101
Take heed lest ye hesitate in recognizing this resplendent Beauty when
once He hath appeared in the plenitude of His sovereign might and
majesty. He, verily, is the True One, and all else besides Him is as
naught before a single one of His servants, and paleth into nothingness
when brought face to face with the revelation of His splendours.
Hasten, then, to attain the living waters of His grace, and be not of
the negligent. As to him who hesitateth, though it be for less than a
moment, God shall verily bring his works to naught and return him to
the seat of wrath; wretched indeed is the abode of them that tarry!
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 54
And of all men, the most accomplished, the most distinguished and the
most excellent are the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth. Nay, all
else besides these Manifestations, live by the operation of their Will,
and move and have their being through the outpourings of their grace.
"But for Thee, I would have not created the heavens." Nay, all in their
holy presence fade into utter nothingness, and are a thing forgotten.
Human tongue can never befittingly sing their praise, and human speech
can never unfold their mystery. These Tabernacles of holiness, these
primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading glory, are but
expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles. By the
revelation of these gems of divine virtue all the names and attributes
of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty and dominion, mercy
and wisdom, glory, bounty and grace, are made manifest.
These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed
specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the
Prophets of God, His well-favoured, His holy, and
chosen Messengers, are, without exception, the bearers of His
names, and the embodiments of His attributes. They only differ in the
intensity of their revelation, and the comparative potency of their
light. Even as He hath revealed: "Some of the Apostles We have caused
to excel the others."[1] It hath therefore become manifest and evident
that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God
the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been
reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may
not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of
men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested
by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are
the Daysprings of God's attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names
did not actually possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these
beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed
with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion, and the
like, even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all earthly
majesty. To every discerning eye this is evident and manifest; it
requireth neither proof nor evidence.
[1 Qur'án 2:253.]
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 102
15)
In the following passages, "assayers" (plural) is another reference to Dependent Prophets of Bahá'u'lláh.
15.1)
... For ages and centuries they settled and dwelt in that pleasant and
spiritual station, in that divine and holy rose garden, with perfect
joy and happiness.
Then the gales of divine tests and the winds of lordly temptation blew
from the Sheba of the everlasting Cause. They became distracted by the
beauty of the wine server and grew heedless of the immortal countenance,
to the extent that they imagined the shadow to be the sun and phantoms
to be light. They set out for the ladders of the greatest name so that
they might scale those heavens and arrive at that seat and place. When
they rose toward it, the divine assayers descended upon them with the sacred touchstone, by the irresistible decree of the lord. When these emissaries did not perceive the scent of the spiritual youth, they forbade entry to all.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablet of the Holy Mariner (from the Persian). A provisional translation by Juan Cole.
15.2)
I swear by Him Who is Our Beloved and your Beloved, that if one's life
be not offered up in His path, it would not be worth even as much as a
mustard seed, and if one's inmost being were not laid down at His feet,
it would appear more abject and insignificant than a pebble. However,
none but the divine Assayers
are able to recognize this gem. In truth, when bereft of vision, what
advantage would one gain by entering into the all-highest Paradise? If
destitute of hearing, what can one perceive by drawing close unto the
celestial Tree of Blessedness? The Assayers
of these priceless gems are such souls unto whom the following tribute
is paid: 'They that speak not till He hath spoken and act according to
His commandment.' Likewise He saith: 'They whom neither merchandise nor
traffic beguile from the remembrance of the Almighty.'
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Compilations, Fire and Light, p. 12
15.3)
69. O CHILDREN OF ADAM!
Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of
celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be cleansed from the dust
of self and hypocrisy and find favor at the court of glory; for ere
long the assayers
of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored One, accept naught
but absolute virtue and deeds of stainless purity. This is the daystar
of wisdom and of divine mystery that hath shone above the horizon of
the divine will. Blessed are they that turn thereunto.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 46
Persian no. 69 This holy verse is replete with meaning, and as time is
pressing only a brief mention is made as follows: naught else but
upright conduct and pure deeds shall be accepted at His divine
Threshold. ('Abdu'l-Bahá from a Tablet to an individual believer --
translated from the Persian)
15.4)
35. O MY FRIENDS!
Quench ye the lamp of error, and kindle within your hearts the everlasting torch of divine guidance. For ere long the assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored, accept naught but purest virtue and deeds of stainless holiness.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 34
16)
In the following passage, "His
loved ones" and they "whose hearts witness to His unity, whose tongues
proclaim His oneness, and who speak not except by His leave" are
the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah, who are the Face of God (like
the Holy Imams in the era of Muhammad).
True believers in the Unity of God follow them, faithful to the
commandment: "forget not His covenant with you, and be not of them that
are shut out as by a veil from Him."
The days of your life are far spent, O people, and your end is fast
approaching. Put away, therefore, the things ye have devised and to
which ye cleave, and take firm hold on the precepts of God, that haply
ye may attain that which He hath purposed for you, and be of them that
pursue a right course. Delight not yourselves in the things of the
world and its vain ornaments, neither set your hopes on them. Let
your reliance be on the remembrance of God, the Most Exalted, the
Most Great. He will, erelong, bring to naught all the things ye
possess. Let Him be your fear, and forget not His covenant with you,
and be not of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him.
Beware that ye swell not with pride before God, and disdainfully reject
His loved ones. Defer ye humbly to the faithful, they that have
believed in God and in His signs, whose hearts witness to His unity,
whose tongues proclaim His oneness, and who speak not except by His
leave. Thus do We exhort you with justice, and warn you with truth,
that perchance ye may be awakened.
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 127
17)
In the following passage, "souls
who will adorn the world of being with a new raiment and a wondrous
robe" is another reference to Dependent Prophets, and the new
teachings they bring. "Moon" and "divine unity" are also terms applicable to the Dependent Prophets.
O Thou kind Lord! From the horizon of detachment Thou hast manifested souls that, even as the shining moon,
shed radiance upon the realm of heart and soul, rid themselves from the
attributes of the world of existence and hastened forth unto the
kingdom of immortality. With a drop from the ocean of Thy loving
kindness Thou didst oft-times moisten the gardens of their hearts until
they gained incomparable freshness and beauty. The holy fragrance of
Thy divine unity was diffused far and wide, shedding its sweet savours
over the entire world, causing the regions of the earth to be redolent
with perfume.
Raise up then, O Spirit of
Purity, souls who, like those sanctified beings, will become free and
pure, Will adorn the world of being with a new raiment and a wondrous
robe, will seek no one else but Thee, tread no path except the path of
Thy good-pleasure and will speak of naught but the mysteries of Thy
Cause.
-- Compilations, Fire and Light.
Passage above can be likened to the one below in reference to Bahá'u'lláh himself.
"O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo,
the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the
knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from
One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice
between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused
the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning current
amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city
wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them
who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of
thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still
when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of
all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The evanescent is
as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling
summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all
people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of
thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me."
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 11-12
18)
In the following passage, the "black-eyed damsels" is another reference to Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah ("the visitor of Akká").
The Apostle of God [Muhammad]--may the blessings of God and His salutations be
upon Him--is reported to have said: "Blessed the man that hath visited
Akká, and blessed he that hath visited the visitor of Akká. Blessed the
one that hath drunk from the Spring of the Cow and washed in its
waters, for the black-eyed damsels
quaff the camphor in Paradise, which hath come from the Spring of the
Cow, and from the Spring of Salván (Siloam), and the Well of Zamzam.
Well is it with him that hath drunk from these springs, and washed in
their waters, for God hath forbidden the fire of hell to touch him and
his body on the Day of Resurrection."
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 179-180
Say: Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of Heaven, inmate of the Exalted Paradise! Drape thyself in whatever manner pleaseth Thee in the silken Vesture of Immortality,
and put on, in the name of the All-Glorious, the broidered Robe of
Light. Hear, then, the sweet, the wondrous accent of the Voice that
cometh from the Throne of Thy Lord, the Inaccessible, the Most High.
Unveil Thy face, and manifest the beauty of the black-eyed Damsel, and suffer not the servants of God to be deprived of the light of Thy shining countenance. Grieve
not if Thou hearest the sighs of the dwellers of the earth, or the
voice of the lamentation of the denizens of heaven. Leave them to
perish on the dust of extinction. Let them be reduced to nothingness,
inasmuch as the flame of hatred hath been kindled within their breasts.
Intone, then, before the face of the peoples of earth and heaven, and
in a most melodious voice, the anthem of praise, for a remembrance of
Him Who is the King of the names and attributes of God. Thus have We
decreed Thy destiny. Well able are We to achieve Our purpose.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings CXXIX from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 282-283
19)
The Bab, an Independent Prophet,
foretells the appearance of Baha'u'llah and His Dependent Prophets
("His
messengers will bring glorious and resplendent Tablets from Him"). The next passage by the Bab alludes to a Dependent Prophet of Baha'u'llah
who will be female.
Beware, O concourse of Mirrors, lest on that Day [WHEN the Day-Star of
Baha will shine resplendent above the horizon of eternity] titles make
you vainglorious. Know ye of a certainty that ye, together with all
those who stand above you or below you, have been created for that Day.
Fear ye God and commit not that which would grieve His heart, nor be of
them that have gone astray. Perchance He will appear invested with the
power of Truth while ye are fast asleep on your couches, or His
messengers will bring glorious and resplendent Tablets from Him while
ye turn away disdainfully from Him, pronounce sentence against Him --
such sentence as ye would never pass on yourselves -- and say, 'This is
not from God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Existent'.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 165
O QURRATU'L-'AYN [Tahirih]! Stretch not Thy hands wide open in the Cause,
inasmuch as the people would find themselves in a state of stupor by
reason of the Mystery, and I swear by the true, Almighty God that there
is yet for Thee another turn after this Dispensation.
And when the appointed hour hath struck, do Thou, by the leave of God,
the All-Wise, reveal from the heights of the Most Lofty and Mystic
Mount a faint, an infinitesimal glimmer of Thy impenetrable Mystery,
that they who have recognized the radiance of the Sinaic Splendour may
faint away and die as they catch a lightning glimpse of the fierce and
crimson Light that envelops Thy Revelation. And God is, in very truth,
Thine unfailing Protector.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 53
20)
In the following passage from the Quran, Muhammad fortells the coming of the Bab (first Trumpet) and Bahá'u'lláh (second Trumpet). "And the Earth will shine with
the Glory of its Lord" refers to the Day of God, the era of
Baha'u'llah. "the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward"
refers to the pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah summoned
to appear on earth. "Did not apostles come to you from among
yourselves" refers to the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah.
"rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord, and warning you of the
Meeting of This Day of yours?" refers to the Dependent Prophets
promoting the teachings of Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet, the
same way, for example, that the Holy Imams promoted the teachings of Muhammad.
39:67 No just estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him: On
the Day of Judgment the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and
the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory to Him! High is
He above the Partners they attribute to Him!
39:68 The Trumpet will (just) be sounded [appearance of the Bab],
when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such
as it will please God (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded [appearance of Baha'u'llah], when, behold, they will be standing and looking on!
39:69 And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord [the era of Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God]: the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open); the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward [the pre-existent Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah will be summoned to appear on earth] and a just decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).
39:70 And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its Deeds; and (God) knoweth best all that they do.
39:71 The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they
arrive, there, its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, "Did
not apostles [Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah] come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord [promoting the teachings of Baha'u'llah],
and warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?" The answer will
be: "True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against
the Unbelievers!"
-- Qur'an: 39 - AZ-ZUMAR
21)
In the following passages from the Bible, the "Son of man coming in the
glory of his Father" is a reference to Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God; "his angels" are the
Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah.
16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven [God].
-- Bible: Matthew
16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his
angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall
not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
-- Bible: Matthew.
22)
References to Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah in the writings of Abdu'l-Baha.
23)
General references on the Prophets of God (both Independent Prophets and Dependent/Lesser Prophets).
These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed
specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the
Prophets of God, His well-favoured, His holy, and chosen Messengers,
are, without exception, the bearers of His names, and the embodiments
of His attributes. They only differ in the intensity of their
revelation, and the comparative potency of their light. Even as He hath
revealed: "Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others." It
hath therefore become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles
of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite
names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light
of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from
these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of
God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment
doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God's
attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually
possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these beauteous
Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed with all
the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion, and the like,
even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all earthly majesty. To
every discerning eye this is evident and manifest; it requireth neither
proof nor evidence.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 103
These Manifestations of God
have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and
essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name,
and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from
the truth. Even as He hath revealed: "No distinction do We make between
any of His Messengers!"[1] For they one and all summon the people of
the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the
Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the
robe of Prophethood, and honoured with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muhammad, the Point of the Qur'án, revealed: "I am all
the Prophets." Likewise, He saith: "I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses,
and Jesus." Similar statements have been made by Ali. Sayings such as
this, which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness,
have also emanated from the Channels of God's immortal utterance, and
the Treasuries of the gems of divine knowledge, and have been recorded
in the scriptures. These Countenances are the recipients of the Divine
Command, and the day-springs of His Revelation. This Revelation is
exalted above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of number. Thus
He saith: "Our Cause is but one."[2] Inasmuch as the Cause is one and
the same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same.
Likewise, the Imams of the Muhammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: "Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all."
[1 Qur'án 2:285.]
[2 Qur'án 54:50.]
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 152
The Commander of the Faithful (Imám `Alí) hath said: "I am He Who can
neither be named, nor described." And likewise He hath said: "Outwardly
I am an Imám; inwardly I am the Unseen, the Unknowable."
Abú-Ja'far-i-Túsí hath said: "I said to Ábí `Abdi'lláh: `You are the
Way mentioned in the Book of God, and you are the Impost, and you are
the Pilgrimage.' He replied: `O man! We are the Way mentioned in the
Book of God,--exalted and glorified be He--and We are the Impost, and
We are the Fast, and We are the Pilgrimage, and We are the Sacred
Month, and We are the Sacred City, and We are the Kaaba of God, and We
are the Qiblih of God, and We are the Face of God.'"
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 112
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in
the face of all beings, the Source of infinite grace, according to His
saying: "His grace hath transcended all things; My grace hath
encompassed them all" hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to
appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human
temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto
the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the
subtleties of His imperishable Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these
Day-springs of ancient glory are one and all the Exponents on earth of
Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate
Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is
derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a
reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless
glory. They are the Treasuries of divine knowledge, and the
Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace
that is infinite, and by them is revealed the light that can never
fade. Even as He hath said: "There is no distinction whatsoever between
Thee and them; except that they are Thy servants, and are created of
Thee." This is the significance of the tradition: "I am He, Himself,
and He is I, myself."
-- Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 99
XXI. O Salmán! The door of the knowledge of the Ancient Being hath ever
been, and will continue for ever to be, closed in the face of men. No
man's understanding shall ever gain access unto His holy court. As a
token of His mercy, however, and as a proof of His loving-kindness, He
hath manifested unto men the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the
Symbols of His divine unity, and hath ordained the knowledge of these
sanctified Beings to be identical with the knowledge of His own Self.
Whoso recognizeth them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth to their
call, hath hearkened to the Voice of God, and whoso testifieth to the
truth of their Revelation, hath testified to the truth of God Himself.
Whoso turneth away from them, hath turned away from God, and whoso
disbelieveth in them, hath disbelieved in God. Every one of them is the
Way of God that connecteth this world with the realms above, and the
Standard of His Truth unto every one in the kingdoms of earth and
heaven. They are the Manifestations of God amidst men, the evidences of
His Truth, and the signs of His glory.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 49
Know that the attributes of perfection, the splendor of the divine
bounties, and the lights of inspiration are visible and evident in all
the Holy Manifestations; but the glorious Word of God, Christ, and the
Greatest Name, Bahá'u'lláh, are manifestations and evidences which are
beyond imagination, for They possess all the perfections of the former
Manifestations; and more than that, They possess some perfections which
make the other Manifestations dependent upon Them. So all the Prophets
of Israel were centers of inspiration; Christ also was a receiver of
inspiration, but what a difference between the inspiration of the Word
of God and the revelations of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Elijah!
-- `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 149-150
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