back to Main IndexLawh-i-Ishraqát:
Tablet Study Outline [?]
back to Main Index"This passage, now written by the Pen of Glory, is accounted as part of the Most Holy Book: The men of God's House of Justice have been charged with the affairs of the people...."3) Sen McGlinn, in the letter posted at Bahái- library.org/uhj/Ishráqát.html, notes that "the passage regarding interest on p. 133 [of _Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh_] is apparently "copied over from the earlier tablet to Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin, leaving his name in place in the final blessing." [see item #7, below]
These are verses We sent down previously, and We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken, when God came unto them with might and sovereignty. (_Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh..._, 117-9)
The Tablet of Ishráqát was addressed to Jalil-i-Khu'i, a coppersmith who lived in the province of Adhirbayjan and was a well- known believer. It was revealed in answer to his questions, particularly those on the subject of supreme infallibility. He had the inestimable privilege of attaining the presence of Bahá'u'lláh, and became the recipient of many bounties from Him.
But Jalil deprived himself of all the blessings which were showered on him, and perished spiritually. After the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, he violated the Covenant and joined hands with Muhammad-'Ali, the Arch- breaker of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. He was influenced by Jamál-i- Burújirdí, who was foremost among the Covenant-breakers in Persia and had the ambition of becoming the undisputed leader of the community in that country. ... About four years after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, Jamál went to Adhirbayjan, appointed Jalil as his agent in the area and urged him to meet the believers secretly and sow the seeds of Covenant- breaking among them. Jalil was further encouraged when Muhammad-'Alí despatched to Adhirbayjan a series of letters against the Centre of the Covenant.
In the meantime the Matter sent Ibn-i-Abhar, one of the Hands of the Cause, to the area to assist the believers to remain steadfast in the Covenant. Jalil failed to make appreciable headway in his subversive activities; the believers in Adhirbayjan stood firm, rallied around 'Abdu'l- Bahá and defended the Cause of God heroically from the onslaught of the unfaithful.
In AH 1315 (AD 1897-8) 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed a lengthy Tablet known as the Lawh-i-Hizar Bayti (Tablet of One Thousand Verses) to Jalil. In this celebrated Tablet He showers upon him much loving-kindness, exhorts him to faithfulness in the Cause, explains in detail he authenticity of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, sets forth convincing proofs in support of His argument and provides one of the most illuminating insights into the subject of the Covenant as a whole. ... Writing at a time of great agitation and danger in the Holy Land and wishing not to add fuel to the fire already lit by the Covenant-breakers, which threatened to engulf the community of the believers, the Master sent a trusted servant of the Cause, Mírzá Mahmud i-Zarghani, to Tabriz, the capital of Adhirbayjan, with instructions to read aloud the full contents of the Tablet to Jalil, but not to hand him a copy. Jalil heard this highly enlightening Tablet in full but, alas, the lust of leadership had blinded his eyes and stopped his ears. He later witnessed the futility of his efforts and died in ignominy.
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