The Covenant of Baha'u'llah
by Adib Taherzadeh
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Chapter 1
PART I
THE GREATER COVENANT
'Him Whom God shall make manifest'
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The Covenant of the Bab
The Bab was an independent Manifestation of God Who inaugurated the Babi Dispensation. In several of his writings Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'à Faith, extols the station of the Bab and describes at length the uniqueness of His Mission. The following is a brief extract from God Passes By:
"The Bab, acclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh as the 'Essence of Essences', the 'Sea of Seas', the 'Point round Whom the realities of the Prophets and Messengers revolve', 'from Whom God hath caused to proceed the knowledge of all that was and shall be', Whose 'rank excelleth that of all the Prophets', and Whose 'Revelation transcendeth the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen ones', had delivered His Message and discharged His mission. He Who was, in the words of Abdu'l-Bahá, the 'Morn of Truth' and 'Harbinger of the Most Great Light', Whose advent at once signalized the termination of the 'Prophetic Cycle', and the inception of the 'Cycle of Fulfilment', had simultaneously through His Revelation banished the shades of night that had descended upon His country, and proclaimed the impending rise of that Incomparable Orb Whose radiance was to envelope the whole of mankind. He, as affirmed by Himself, 'the Primal Point from which have been generated all created things', 'one of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God', the 'Mystic Fane', the 'Great Announcement', the 'Flame of that supernal Light that glowed upon Sinai', the 'Remembrance of God', concerning Whom 'a separate Covenant hath been established with each and every Prophet', had, through His advent, at once fulfilled the promise of all ages and ushered in the consummation of all Revelations." [1-1]
The Bab wielded the sceptre of an independent Manifestation of God. With a stroke of His pen He abrogated the laws of Islam, which were regarded as the most sacred and unassailable heritage bequeathed by the Prophet Muhammad to His followers. No one except a Manifestation of God has the authority to abrogate the laws of a former Dispensation, and this the Bab did. In their place He formulated new laws which were destined to be short-lived, and designed to be overtaken by the laws of Bahá'u'lláh. He thus founded an independent religion which spread throughout Persia so rapidly and with such dynamism as to revolutionize the lives of many a person in that land.
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But the Bab's Mission was two-fold. He was also the harbinger of the Supreme Manifestation of God Whom He designated as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. However, we must bear in mind the following comment by Shoghi Effendi.
"Indeed the greatness of the Bab consists primarily, not in His being the divinely-appointed Forerunner of so transcendent a Revelation, but rather in His having been invested with the powers inherent in the Inaugurator of a separate religious Dispensation, and in His wielding, to a degree unrivalled by the Messengers gone before Him, the sceptre of independent Prophethood." [1-2]
Indeed, the Mission of the Bab was unique. Never in the history of religion do we find two independent Revelations appearing in such rapid succession. Only nine years separated the birth of these two Revelations. The two Manifestations were contemporaries; the Bab was two years[1] younger than Bahá'u'lláh. They were natives of the same country, spoke the same language, practised the same religion, followed the same social customs but lived about five hundred miles apart and never met each other in person. In fact there is a Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh addressed to Varqa[2] one of His great apostles, written in the words[3] of His amanuensis Mirza Aqa Jan, in which it is stated that the Bab had attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh in person. [1-3] But Abdu'l-Bahá has stated that they never met. As He is the authorized Interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's Writings, we accept Abdu'l-Bahá's statement that the Bab did not attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh in person.
[1 There is a tradition attributed to Imam Ali in which he is reported to have said: 'I am two years younger than my Lord.' This is especially applicable to the Bab, whose name was Ali-Muhammad.]
[2 For a story of his illustrious life, see The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 4, ch. 4.]
[3 Some Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh are composed in such a way that the whole or part of the Tablet is in the words of His amanuensis, but was in fact dictated by Bahá'u'lláh to appear as if composed by the amanuensis. Every word of these Tablets, from beginning to end, is from Bahá'u'lláh Himself. For more information see The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 1, pp. 40-42.]
In a Tablet addressed to Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandar[1][1-4] Bahá'u'lláh states that at one time He revealed certain words addressed to the Bab, words which illumined all the Holy Books of God. Upon reading these words, the Bab was so carried away by the breezes of divine revelation that with His whole being He soared in the heaven of nearness to Bahá'u'lláh, and decided to present Himself before the face of His Lord. The revealed words exhilarated Him in such wise that no pen can record or tongue explain. Bahá'u'lláh asserts that for the protection of the Faith, this episode was not made public.
[1 For an account of his life, see The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 3.]
The Bab's unique Mission in the history of religion is that He stood in between two religious cycles. With his advent He closed, on the one hand, the 'Prophetic Cycle', which began with Adam as the
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first Manifestation of God in recorded history and ended with the Dispensation of Islam and, on the other, He opened the 'Cycle of Fulfilment' whose duration, according to the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá, will be at least five thousand centuries.
It is important to note that the mission of all the Manifestations of God in the prophetic cycle, up to and including Muhammad, was to prophesy the advent of the Day of God. Hence they are included in the 'Prophetic Cycle'. Muhammad was the last one among them and is therefore designated 'Seal of the Prophets'. Bahá'u'lláh's claim, on the other hand, makes it clear that He is not a Prophet in the category of those who prophesy, but His station is that of the Supreme Manifestation of God who inaugurates the 'Cycle of Fulfilment' and ushers in the Day of God whose advent had been so clearly foretold by all the Prophets gone before Him.
As we survey the Ministry of the Bab, which lasted a little over six years, we note that the most significant part of His Writings was devoted to establishing a mighty covenant with His followers concerning the Revelation of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' -- Bahá'u'lláh. Indeed, no Manifestation of God before Him has devoted so much of His Revelation to the subject of the Covenant. When we carefully study the Bayan[1] we note that on practically every page of that Book there is a mention of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', stating some aspect of His Revelation, but always extolling His station and mentioning His Name with a reverence which staggers the imagination. The Bab has mentioned 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' in the Persian Bayan more than three hundred times, and in the Arabic Bayan more than seventy. There are also references to Him without mentioning this designation. In several instances He identifies 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' with the designation ''Bahá'u'lláh'.
[1 The 'Mother-Book' of the Babi Dispensation.]
The announcement of the Revelation of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' is not limited to the Bayan. In the great majority of His Writings the Bab has directed the attention of the Babis to that great Revelation which was to follow Him, established a firm Covenant with them and directed all the forces of His Revelation towards the spiritual enrichment of the Babi community in order to rear a new race of men worthy to attain the presence of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', recognize His station and embrace His Cause.
The laws He promulgated, some very severe, were designed to shake up the lethargic people of Persia in general and to inflame His own followers with the zeal and fervour of a new and dynamic Faith
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in particular. In past Dispensations, the energies latent within God's Revelation have taken about a thousand years to be fully released and diffused gradually within human society. In the Dispensation of the Bab, however, the energies of a mighty Revelation had to be released within a very short period of time. Therefore, everything associated with His Faith, His laws, His teachings, His own public appearances, His Ministry, His personal life and His martyrdom were all characterized by a dynamism and forcefulness unparalleled in the annals of past religions, and which exerted a most potent and electrifying influence upon friend and foe alike.
The laws of the Bayan were promulgated for the sake of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. The aim of the Bab in revealing the laws of His Dispensation was to edify the souls of His followers and mould their conduct in such wise that they could be worthy to embrace the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. In the Kitab-i-Asma', one of His celebrated Writings, He reveals these thought-provoking words.
"But for the sole reason of His[1] being present amongst this people, We would have neither prescribed any law nor laid down any prohibition. It is only for the glorification of His Name and the exaltation of His Cause that We have enunciated certain laws at Our behest, or forbidden the acts to which We are averse, so that at the hour of His manifestation ye may attain through Him the good-pleasure of God and abstain from the things that are abhorrent unto Him." [1-5]
[1 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'.]
The Covenant that the Bab made with His followers concerning 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' was firm and irrevocable. His advent was unquestionable, assured as the mid-day sun. It was in the early days of His Revelation in Shiraz that He despatched Mulla Husayn, the first to believe in the Bab, to Tihran for the sole purpose of searching for and establishing contact with 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', the One Who was the Source of the Revelation of the Bab, the object of His adoration, and the One in Whose path He longed to lay down His life. Nabil-i-A'zam, the well-known Bahá'à historian, relates the following account:
"To Mulla Husayn, as the hour of his departure approached, the Bab addressed these words: 'Grieve not that you have not been chosen to accompany Me on My pilgrimage to Hijaz. I shall, instead, direct your steps to that city which enshrines a Mystery of such transcendent holiness as neither Hijaz[1] nor Shiraz[2] can hope to rival." [1-6]
[1 Signifies the Islamic Faith. (A.T.)]
[2 Signifies the Babi Faith. (A.T.)]
The story of Mulla Husayn as he tries to find a trace of His Beloved in Tihran is fascinating. The hand of providence brought
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him into close contact with a certain Mulla Muhammad who became immensely attracted to Mulla Husayn and the Message of the Bab. The story, recorded in the words of this Mulla Muhammad in The Dawn-Breakers, is as follows:
"'What is your name, and which city is your home?' 'My name,' I replied, 'is Mulla Muhammad, and my surname Mu'allim. My home is Nur, in the province of Mazindaran.' 'Tell me,' further enquired Mulla Husayn, 'is there to-day among the family of the late Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri, who was so renowned for his character, his charm, and artistic and intellectual attainments, anyone who has proved himself capable of maintaining the high traditions of that illustrious house?' 'Yea,' I replied, 'among his sons now living, one has distinguished Himself by the very traits which characterised His father. By His virtuous life, His high attainments, His loving-kindness and liberality, He has proved Himself a noble descendent of a noble father.' 'What is His occupation?' he asked me. 'He cheers the disconsolate and feeds the hungry,' I replied. 'What of His rank and position?' 'He has none,' I said, 'apart from befriending the poor and the stranger.' 'What is His name?' 'Husayn-'Ali.' 'In which of the scripts of His father does He excel?' 'His favourite script is shikastih-nasta'liq.' 'How does He spend His time?' 'He roams the woods and delights in the beauties of the countryside.' 'What is His age?' 'Eight and twenty.' The eagerness with which Mulla Husayn questioned me, and the sense of delight with which he welcomed every particular I gave him, greatly surprised me. Turning to me, with his face beaming with satisfaction and joy, he once more enquired: 'I presume you often meet Him?' 'I frequently visit His home,' I replied. 'Will you,' he said, 'deliver into His hands a trust from me?' 'Most assuredly,' was my reply. He then gave me a scroll wrapped in a piece of cloth, and requested me to hand it to Him the next day at the hour of dawn. 'Should He deign to answer me,' he added, 'will you be kind enough to acquaint me with His reply?' I received the scroll from him and, at break of day, arose to carry out his desire.
"As I approached the house of Bahá'u'lláh, I recognised His brother Mirza Musa, who was standing at the gate, and to whom I communicated the object of my visit. He went into the house and soon reappeared bearing a message of welcome. I was ushered into His presence, and presented the scroll to Mirza Musa, who laid it before Bahá'u'lláh. He bade us both be seated. Unfolding the scroll, He glanced at its contents and began to read aloud to us certain of its passages. I sat enraptured as I listened to the sound of His voice and the sweetness of its melody. He had read a page of the scroll when, turning to His brother, He said: 'Musa, what have you to say? Verily I say, whoso believes in the Qur'an and recognises its Divine origin, and yet hesitates, though it be for a moment, to admit that these soul-stirring words are endowed with the same regenerating power, has most assuredly erred in his judgment and has strayed far from the path of justice.' He spoke no more. Dismissing me from His presence, He charged me to take to Mulla Husayn, as a gift
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from Him, a loaf of Russian sugar and a package of tea,[1] and to convey to him the expression of His appreciation and love.
[1 Tea and that variety of sugar being extremely rare in Persia at that time, both were used as gifts among the higher classes of the population. (A.T.)]
"I arose, and, filled with joy, hastened back to Mulla Husayn, and delivered to him the gift and message of Bahá'u'lláh. With what joy and exultation he received them from me! Words fail me to describe the intensity of his emotion. He started to his feet, received with bowed head the gift from my hand, and fervently kissed it. He then took me in his arms, kissed my eyes, and said: 'My dearly beloved friend! I pray that even as you have rejoiced my heart, God may grant you eternal felicity and fill your heart with imperishable gladness.' I was amazed at the behaviour of Mulla Husayn. What could be, I thought to myself, the nature of the bond that unites these two souls? What could have kindled so fervid a fellowship in their hearts? Why should Mulla Husayn, in whose sight the pomp and circumstance of royalty were the merest trifle, have evinced such gladness at the sight of so inconsiderable a gift from the hands of Bahá'u'lláh? I was puzzled by this thought and could not unravel its mystery.
"A few days later, Mulla Husayn left for Khurasan. As he bade me farewell, he said: 'Breathe not to anyone what you have heard and witnessed. Let this be a secret hidden within your breast. Divulge not His name, for they who envy His position will arise to harm Him. In your moments of meditation, pray that the Almighty may protect Him, that, through Him, He may exalt the downtrodden, enrich the poor, and redeem the fallen. The secret of things is concealed from our eyes. Ours is the duty to raise the call of the New Day and to proclaim this Divine Message unto all people. Many a soul will, in this city, shed his blood in this path. That blood will water the Tree of God, will cause it to flourish, and to overshadow all mankind.'" [1-7]
The Bab had directed Mulla Husayn to send Him a letter and inform Him of that great Mystery which he was to discover in Tihran. That letter arrived on the night preceding 10 October 1844 when Quddus was present, with whom the Bab shared a number of its passages. Nabil-i-A'zam continues the story in these words:
"He sent his letter by way of Yazd, through the trustworthy partners of the Bab's maternal uncle who were at that time residing in Tabas. That letter reached the Bab on the night preceding the twenty-seventh day of Ramadan,[1] a night held in great reverence by all the sects of Islam and regarded by many as rivalling in sacredness the Laylatu'l-Qadr itself, the night which, in the words of the Qur'an, 'excelleth a thousand months'.[2] The only companion of the Bab, when that letter reached Him that night, was Quddus, with whom He shared a number of its passages.
[1 Corresponding with the night preceding the 10th October 1844 A.D.]
[2 The Laylatu'l-Qadr, meaning literally 'Night of Power', is one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and, as is commonly believed, the seventh of those nights reckoning backward.]
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"I have heard Mirza Ahmad[1] relate the following: 'The Bab's maternal uncle himself described to me the circumstances attending the receipt of Mulla Husayn's letter by the Bab: "That night I saw such evidences of joy and gladness on the faces of the Bab and of Quddus as I am unable to describe. I often heard the Bab, in those days, exultingly repeat the words, 'How marvellous, how exceedingly marvellous, is that which has occurred between the months of Jamadi and Rajab!' As He was reading the communication addressed to Him by Mulla Husayn, He turned to Quddus and, showing him certain passages of that letter, explained the reason for His joyous expressions of surprise. I, for my part, remained completely unaware of the nature of that explanation."'
[1 'The first to embrace the Faith in Khurasan was Mirza Ahmad-i-Azghandi, the most learned, the wisest, and the most eminent among the ulamas of that province.' (The Dawn-Breakers, p. 125)]
"Mirza Ahmad, upon whom the account of this incident had produced a profound impression, was determined to fathom its mystery. 'Not until I met Mulla Husayn in Shiraz,' he told me, 'was I able to satisfy my curiosity. When I repeated to him the account described to me by the Bab's uncle, he smiled and said how well he remembered that between the months of Jamadi and Rajab he chanced to be in Tihran. He gave no further explanation, and contented himself with this brief remark. This was sufficient, however, to convince me that in the city of Tihran there lay hidden a Mystery which, when revealed to the world, would bring unspeakable joy to the hearts of both the Bab and Quddus.'" [1-8]
The story of Bahá'u'lláh's immediate acknowledgement of the truth of the Message of the Bab, when He read a few lines of the Bab's newly-revealed Writings, may lead some to an erroneous conclusion that Bahá'u'lláh had no prior knowledge of the Bab's Revelation and that He was converted through reading a page of that historic scroll. Such a belief is contrary to many statements of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh themselves. For the Bab has made it very clear in His Writings that every word revealed by Him had originated from 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', Whose station was exalted beyond any description. The spiritual link of divine revelation existed between the two. The only link which needed to be established was a physical one, and this was achieved by the visit of Mulla Husayn. In the Persian Bayan, the Bab states:
"And know thou of a certainty that every letter revealed in the Bayan is solely intended to evoke submission unto Him Whom God shall make manifest, for it is He Who hath revealed the Bayan prior to His Own manifestation. [1-9]
There are many passages in the Writings of the Bab similar to the above. Bahá'u'lláh also refers to the Revelation of the Bab as 'My Own previous Revelation'. The perusal of the Writings of the Bab will make it abundantly clear that His relationship with Bahá'u'lláh,
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Whom He designated as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', was similar to that of Christ with the 'Heavenly Father' Who is reported in the Gospels as the Source of Christ's Revelation.
The station of Bahá'u'lláh is that of the Supreme Manifestation of God, the inaugurator of a universal cycle.'[1] His Revelation is that of the Heavenly Father Himself. In order to appreciate this truth one could turn to the many references in the Holy Writings stating that God in His Essence is unknowable and exalted above any relationship with His creation. Bahá'u'lláh states that even the Prophets of God have no knowledge of His inner reality, His Essence. Speaking of God, Bahá'u'lláh explains:
[1 For more information on this topic see The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 1, pp. 309-14.]
"From time immemorial, He, the Divine Being, hath been veiled in the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery of His unknowable Essence... Ten thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck upon the Sinai of their search at God's forbidding voice, 'Thou shalt never behold Me!'; whilst a myriad Messengers, each as great as Jesus, stand dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction 'Mine Essence thou shalt never apprehend!' [1-10]
And further, in His communion with God, Bahá'u'lláh proclaims:
"How bewildering to me, insignificant as I am, is the attempt to fathom the sacred depths of Thy knowledge! How futile my efforts to visualize the magnitude of the power inherent in Thine handiwork -- the revelation of Thy creative power! [1-11]
In another prayer Bahá'u'lláh clearly testifies to His inability to know the Essence of God or have any access to it.
"I swear by Thy Beauty, O King of eternity Who sittest on Thy most glorious Throne! He [Bahá'u'lláh] 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! [1-12]
Although God in His Essence is inaccessible to His Prophets, He reveals Himself to Them through the instrumentality of His Kingdom of Revelation, or His Most Great Spirit. It is this 'Most Great Spirit of God' which is referred to by the Prophets of Israel as the Heavenly Father Whom Christ described as the Source of His Revelation. Bahá'u'lláh states in the Suriy-i-Haykal:[1]
[1 See The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 3, ch. 7.]
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The Holy Spirit Itself hath been generated through the agency of a single letter revealed by this Most Great Spirit, if ye be of them that comprehend." [1-13]
The Holy Spirit is usually associated with the Manifestations of God. It is the Holy Spirit which has animated them all, and the Holy Spirit itself has been generated through the instrumentality of the 'Most Great Spirit', also referred to as the 'Primal Will'. Through it all creation has come into being and all Revelations have been sent down. This 'Most Great Spirit', which has existed from eternity and will continue to exist till eternity, had never been manifested to man directly. It had been the 'Hidden Mystery' and the 'Treasured Symbol' until the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. For the first time on this planet, this 'Most Great Spirit of God', which was the revealer of all past Dispensations, manifested itself directly Bahá'u'lláh. Therefore, every word that He uttered and every action He took originated not from His human personality, but were all manifestations of that Great Spirit. It is for this reason that any reference to Bahá'u'lláh is not a reference to a human being, but rather to the 'Most Great Spirit of God' which was manifested through Him. On the other hand, His human temple was so integrated with the forces of His Revelation that one cannot discard His human side altogether. The human and the spiritual were so thoroughly interwoven as to enable Him to communicate His great Revelation to mankind.
Whenever the individual comes to realize that in this day, and for the first time, the 'Most Great Spirit of God', the Revealer of all religious dispensations, has directly manifested Itself to man through Bahá'u'lláh, he may then be able to appreciate some of the significance of the following utterances revealed by Him extolling the greatness of His Revelation:
"The voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred vale: 'Here am I, here am I, O God my God!' ... whilst from the Burning Bush breaketh forth the cry: 'Lo, the Desire of the world is made manifest in His transcendent glory!' The Father hath come." [1-14]
"Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: 'He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendour is revealed'..." [1-15]
"Verily I say! No one hath apprehended the root of this Cause. It is incumbent upon every one, in this day, to perceive with the eye of God, and to hearken with His ear. Whoso beholdeth Me with an eye besides Mine own will never be able to know Me. None among the Manifestations of old, except to a prescribed degree, hath ever completely apprehended the nature of this Revelation." [1-16]
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"The purpose underlying all creation is the revelation of this most sublime, this most holy Day, the Day known as the Day of God, in His Books and Scriptures -- the Day which all the Prophets, and the Chosen Ones, and the holy ones, have wished to witness." [1-17]
"Every Prophet hath announced the coming of this Day, and every Messenger hath groaned in His yearning for this Revelation -- a revelation which, no sooner had it been revealed than all created things cried out saying, 'The earth is God's, the Most Exalted, the Most Great!'" [1-18]
"The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it." [1-19]
"Be fair, ye peoples of the world; is it meet and seemly for you to question the authority of one Whose presence 'He Who conversed with God' (Moses) hath longed to attain, the beauty of Whose countenance 'God's Well-beloved' (Muhammad) had yearned to behold, through the potency of Whose love the 'Spirit of God' (Jesus) ascended to heaven, for Whose sake the 'Primal Point' (the Bab) offered up His life?" [1-20]
"He it is Who in the Old Testament hath been named Jehovah, Who in the Gospel hath been designated as the Spirit of Truth, and in the Qur'an acclaimed as the Great Announcement... But for Him no Divine Messenger would have been invested with the robe of prophethood, nor would any of the sacred scriptures have been revealed."[1-21]
"Naught is seen in My temple but the Temple of God, and in My beauty but His Beauty, and in My being but His Being, and in My self but His Self, and in My movement but His Movement, and in My acquiescence but His Acquiescence, and in My pen but His Pen, the Mighty, the All-Praised. There hath not been in My soul but the Truth, and in Myself naught could be seen but God... The Holy Spirit Itself hath been generated through the agency of a single letter revealed by this Most Great Spirit, if ye be of them that comprehend." [1-22]
It is important to note that the Manifestations of God have two sides, the human and the divine. All these attributes and designations refer not to the human side of Bahá'u'lláh, but to His divine side, the Spirit of God which motivated Him and of which He was a Mouthpiece.
It is not possible for man with his limited capacity to fathom the mysteries of Divine Revelation. Even those who have embraced the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh are bewildered at the immensity of His Mission and the exalted nature of His Revelation. Only the Chosen Ones of God who are endowed with divine power can claim to understand the awe-inspiring station of Bahá'u'lláh. Let us, therefore, turn to the Writings of the Bab, Himself a Manifestation of God, to get a true glimpse of the greatness of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation:
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"Of all the tributes I have paid to Him Who is to come after Me, the greatest is this, My written confession, that no words of Mine can adequately describe Him, nor can any reference to Him in My Book, the Bayan, do justice to His Cause." [1-23]
The Bab has clearly stated to His followers that His Revelation was entirely dependent upon 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' and that He was only a servant at His threshold. In His Qayyumu'l-Asma, the first emanations of His Pen, the Bab communes with Bahá'u'lláh in these words:
"Out of utter nothingness, O great and omnipotent Master, Thou hast, through the celestial potency of Thy might, brought me forth and raised me up to proclaim this Revelation. I have made none other but Thee my trust; I have clung to no will but Thy will." [1-24]
And in the same Book, He craves for martyrdom in the path of Bahá'u'lláh, Whom He addresses as the 'Remnant of God'.
"...O Thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake, and have yearned for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient witness unto me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days." [1-25]
In a Tablet which the Bab addressed to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', He writes:
"This is an epistle from this lowly servant to the All-Glorious Lord -- He Who hath been aforetime and will be hereafter made manifest. Verily He is the Most Manifest, the Almighty." [1-26]
There are many passages in the Writings of the Bab in which He states that He will be the first to acknowledge the Cause of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' and bow before Him as a lowly servant. We cite a few examples:
"Were He to appear this very moment, I would be the first to adore Him, and the first to bow down before Him." [1-27]
'I, verily, am a believer in Him, and in His Faith, and in His Book, and in His Testimonies, and in His Ways, and in all that proceedeth from Him concerning them. I glory in My kinship with Him, and pride Myself on My belief in Him'. And likewise, He saith: 'O congregation of the Bayan and all who are therein! Recognize ye the limits imposed upon you, for such a One as the Point of the Bayan Himself hath believed in Him Whom God shall make manifest, before all things were created. Therein, verily, do I glory before all who are in the kingdom of heaven and earth.'" [1-28]
"'The whole of the Bayan is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise.' And likewise, He saith: 'I am the first to adore Him, and pride Myself on My kinship with Him.'" [1-29]
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As we survey the Writings of the Bab, we come across innumerable passages in which He glorifies the station of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' in such wise that one becomes awe-struck at the sublimity of His words when He identifies Him as God personified. Before proceeding to quote a few such passages, it is important to recall the explanations given in previous pages concerning the station of Bahá'u'lláh, lest one may be misled to identify Him as the Inner Reality, the Essence of God. To come to such a conclusion would amount to blasphemy. Shoghi Effendi has clarified this point when he writes:
"Let no one meditating, in the light of the afore-quoted passages, on the nature of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, mistake its character or misconstrue the intent of its Author. The divinity attributed to so great a Being and the complete incarnation of the names and attributes of God in so exalted a Person should, under no circumstances, be misconceived or misinterpreted. The human temple that has been made the vehicle of so overpowering a Revelation must, if we be faithful to the tenets of our Faith, ever remain entirely distinguished from that 'innermost Spirit of Spirits' and 'eternal Essence of Essences' -- that invisible yet rational God Who, however much we extol the divinity of His Manifestations on earth, can in no wise incarnate His infinite, His unknowable, His incorruptible and all-embracing Reality in the concrete and limited frame of a mortal being. Indeed, the God Who could so incarnate His own reality would, in the light of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, cease immediately to be God." [1-30]
The following are utterances of the Bab gleaned from His various Writings as He extols the person of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. In the Persian Bayan, the Bab states that 'He Whom God shall make manifest' as the Mouthpiece of God will proclaim:
"Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there but Me, in truth all others except Me are My creatures. Say, O My creatures! Me alone, therefore, should ye fear." [1-31]
And again:
"He, verily, is the One Who, under all conditions, proclaimeth: 'I, in very truth, am God.'" [1-32]
"The glory of Him Whom God shall make manifest is immeasurably above every other glory, and His majesty is far above every other majesty. His beauty excelleth every other embodiment of beauty, and His grandeur immensely exceedeth every other manifestation of grandeur. Every light paleth before the radiance of His light, and every other exponent of mercy falleth short before the tokens of His mercy. Every other perfection is as naught in face of His consummate perfection, and every other display of might is as nothing before His absolute might. His
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names are superior to all other names. His good-pleasure taketh precedence over any other expression of good-pleasure. His pre-eminent exaltation is far above the reach of every other symbol of exaltation. The splendour of His appearance far surpasseth that of any other appearance. His divine concealment is far more profound than any other concealment. His loftiness is immeasurably above every other loftiness. His gracious favour is unequalled by any other evidence of favour. His power transcendeth every power. His sovereignty is invincible in the face of every other sovereignty. His celestial dominion is exalted far above every other dominion. His knowledge pervadeth all created things, and His consummate power extendeth over all beings." [1-33]
The Bab further testifies:
"I swear by the sanctified Essence of God that every true praise and deed offered unto God is naught but praise and deed offered unto Him Whom God shall make manifest.
"Deceive not your own selves that you are being virtuous for the sake of God when you are not. For should ye truly do your works for God, ye would be performing them for Him Whom God shall make manifest and would be magnifying His Name." [1-34]
And again:
"'Were He to make of every one on earth a Prophet, all would, in very truth, be accounted as Prophets in the sight of God.' And likewise, He saith: 'In the day of the revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest all that dwell on earth will be equal in His estimation. Whomsoever He ordaineth as a Prophet, he, verily, hath been a Prophet from the beginning that hath no beginning, and will thus remain until the end that hath no end, inasmuch as this is an act of God. And whomsoever is made a Viceregent by Him, shall be a Viceregent in all the worlds, for this is an act of God. For the will of God can in no wise be revealed except through His will, nor His wish be manifested save through His wish.'" [1-35]
It has been stated in the above pages that man, and even the Prophets of God, have no access to the Inner Reality of God -- His Essence. From eternity all Revelations and His creation have come into being through the instrumentality of His 'Most Great Spirit' which was manifested on this planet for the first time through Bahá'u'lláh as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. The Bab, in the following pages, confirms that man in his effort to praise and adore God can only reach out to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', the embodiment of that 'Most Great Spirit'.
"Say, He Whom God shall make manifest is indeed the Primal Veil of God. Above this Veil ye can find nothing other than God, while beneath it ye can discern all things emanating from God. He is the Unseen, the Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Best Beloved.
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"If ye seek God, it behooveth you to seek Him Whom God shall make manifest..." [1-36]
And similarly He states:
"From the beginning that hath no beginning all men have bowed in adoration before Him Whom God shall make manifest and will continue to do so until the end that hath no end. How strange then that at the time of His appearance ye should pay homage by day and night unto that which the Point of the Bayan hath enjoined upon you and yet fail to worship Him Whom God shall make manifest." [1-37]
In the Persian Bayan the Bab states [1-38] that attaining unto the presence of God as promised in the Holy Books would be none other than attaining the presence of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest, for man has no access to the Essence of God.
In another passage [1-39] He mentions Bahá'u'lláh by name and categorically states that He is the 'Primal Will' of God. In several other instances the Bab refers to Bahá'u'lláh by name. In a celebrated passage in the Persian Bayan He states:
"Well is it with him who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Bahá'u'lláh and rendereth thanks unto his Lord. For He will assuredly be made manifest. God hath indeed irrevocably ordained it in the Bayan." [1-40]
In the Kitab-i-Panj-Sha'n the Bab dearly identifies Bahá'u'lláh as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. He enquires, 'Do ye know Bahá'u'lláh or not? For He is the glory of Him Whom God shall make manifest.' [1-41]
It is known that Bahá'u'lláh assumed this title of 'Baha' at the Conference of Badasht,[1] a title which was confirmed by the Bab later. This title was exclusive to Him and no one else among the followers of the Bab was known by it. It is highly significant that prior to this conference the Bab had already revealed the Persian Bayan and in it He had identified Bahá'u'lláh by name as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'.
[1 See The Dawn-Breakers.]
The Bab considered His own Revelation to be as a gift to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. These are some of His utterances concerning the Bayan, the Mother Book of the Babi Dispensation.
"Suffer not yourselves to be shut out as by a veil from God after He hath revealed Himself. For all that hath been exalted in the Bayan is but as a ring upon My hand, and I Myself am, verily, but a ring upon the hand of Him Whom God shall make manifest -- glorified be His mention! He turneth it as He pleaseth, for whatsoever He pleaseth, and through
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whatsoever He pleaseth. He, verily, is the Help in Peril, the Most High." [1-42]
"The whole of the Bayan is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise." [1-43]
"The Bayan is from beginning to end the repository of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His light." [1-44]
"I swear by the most holy Essence of God -- exalted and glorified be He -- that in the Day of the appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest a thousand perusals of the Bayan cannot equal the perusal of a single verse to be revealed by Him Whom God shall make manifest." [1-45]
"I swear by the most sacred Essence of God that but one line of the Words uttered by Him is more sublime than the words uttered by all that dwell on earth. Nay, I beg forgiveness for making this comparison. How could the reflections of the sun in the mirror compare with the wondrous rays of the sun in the visible heaven?" [1-46]
"The year-old germ that holdeth within itself the potentialities of the Revelation that is to come is endowed with a potency superior to the combined forces of the whole of the Bayan." [1-47]
The Bab has clearly stated that the Bayan revolves around the words of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. In another passage in the same chapter [1-48] He warns His followers that the Bayan will not be pleased with them unless they bear allegiance to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', Who is the Revealer of the Bayan and all the heavenly Books. The Bab also forbids the interpretation of the Bayan and states that only 'He Whom God shall make manifest' or those whom He endows with His knowledge can interpret the Words of God.
Knowing that the duration of His Dispensation was very short and the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh was at hand, the Bab did not fix the Qiblih (Point of Adoration). He instead ordained that the Qiblih is 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' and that the faithful should turn to Him wherever He might be.
There are innumerable passages in the Bab's Writings exhorting His followers to be watchful, and as soon as the Supreme Manifestation of God reveals Himself, to recognize and follow Him immediately. He counsels them to allow no doubt to enter their minds when informed of the appearance of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. He warns them repeatedly to beware lest anything in the world, including the Bayan or any other of the Bab's Writings, should become a barrier between them and 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. The following utterances of the Bab, urging and pleading with His followers to be faithful to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', are but a few quotations gleaned from among many.
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"At the time of the manifestation of Him Whom God shall make manifest everyone should be well trained in the teachings of the Bayan, so that none of the followers may outwardly cling to the Bayan and thus forfeit their allegiance unto Him. If anyone does so, the verdict of 'disbeliever in God' shall be passed upon him." [1-49]
The Bab enjoined on His followers to read once every nineteen days Chapter VI:8 of the Bayan so that they might prepare themselves for the Revelation of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'.
"Once every nineteen days this Chapter should be read, that haply they may not be veiled, in the time of the revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest...." [1-50]
"Beware, beware lest, in the days of His Revelation, the Vahid of the Bayan (eighteen Letters of the Living) shut thee not out as by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this Vahid is but a creature in His sight. And beware, beware that the words sent down in the Bayan shut thee not out as by a veil from Him." [1-51]
"O ye who are invested with the Bayan! Be ye watchful on the Day of Resurrection, for on that Day ye will firmly believe in the Vahid of the Bayan, though this, even as your past religion which proved of no avail, can in no wise benefit you, unless ye embrace the Cause of Him Whom God shall make manifest and believe in that which He ordaineth. Therefore take ye good heed lest ye shut yourselves out from Him Who is the Fountain-head of all Messengers and Scriptures, while ye hold fast to parts of the teachings which have emanated from these sources." [1-52]
"Whenever ye learn that a new Cause hath appeared, ye must seek the presence of its author and must delve into his writings that haply ye may not be debarred from attaining unto Him Whom God shall make manifest at the hour of His manifestation." [1-53]
"Recognize Him by His verses. The greater your neglect in seeking to know Him, the more grievously will ye be veiled in fire." [1-54]
"Let not names shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is their Lord, even the name of Prophet, for such a name is but a creation of His utterance." [1-55]
"Say, God shall of a truth cause your hearts to be given to perversity if ye fail to recognize Him Whom God shall make manifest; but if ye do recognize Him God shall banish perversity from your hearts..." [1-56]
The Bab repeatedly gave the year nine as the date of the appearance of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. The declaration of the Bab took place in the year 1260 AH (AD 1844). The year nine is 1269 AH, which began about the middle of October 1852 when Bahá'u'lláh had already been imprisoned for about two months in the Siyah-Chal of Tihran, the scene of the birth of His Revelation.
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The following are a few passages concerning the year nine.
"'In the year nine ye will attain unto all good.' On another occasion He saith: 'In the year nine ye will attain unto the Presence of God.'" [1-57]
"Ere nine will have elapsed from the inception of this Cause, the realities of the created things will not be made manifest. All that thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist germ until We clothed it with flesh. Be patient, until thou beholdest a new creation. Say: 'Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of Makers!'" [1-58]
To Azim, a noted disciple, the Bab states:
"Wait thou until nine will have elapsed from the time of the Bayan. Then exclaim: 'Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of Makers!'" [1-59]
In a Tablet to Mulla Baqir, a Letter of the Living, the Bab in the following passage intimates that he will attain the presence of God in eight years time. The Bab has stated categorically that by attaining the presence of God is meant attaining the presence of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. Mulla Baqir attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad.
"Haply thou mayest in eight years, in the day of His Revelation, attain unto His Presence." [1-60]
It is in this same letter that the Bab testifies, in these words, to the exalted character of the Revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest.
"I have written down in My mention of Him[1] these gem-like words: 'No allusion of Mine can allude unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the Bayan'... 'Exalted and glorified is He above the power of any one to reveal Him except Himself, or the description of any of His creatures. I Myself am but the first servant to believe in Him and in His signs, and to partake of the sweet savours of His words from the first-fruits of the Paradise of His knowledge. Yea, by His glory! He is the Truth. There is none other God but Him. All have risen at His bidding.'" [1-61]
[1 Him Whom God shall make manifest.]
The Bab has also referred to the year nineteen for the Revelation of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. This is a reference to the public declaration of Bahá'u'lláh in the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad which occurred nineteen years after the inception of the Bahá'à Era in 1844.
"The Lord of the Day of Reckoning will be manifested at the end of Vahid and the beginning of eighty." [1-62]
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Each vahid is nineteen, and eighty is a reference to 1280 AH (1863). There is a remarkable statement by the Bab in His second Tablet to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' in which He describes His utter submissiveness to Bahá'u'lláh and pleads with Him not to appear before nineteen years have elapsed from the inception of His Faith. These are His words:
"...the Bayan and such as bear allegiance to it are but a present from me unto Thee and to express my undoubting faith that there is no God but Thee, that the kingdoms of Creation and Revelation are Thine, that no one can attain anything save by Thy power and that He Whom Thou hast raised up is but Thy servant and Thy Testimony. I, indeed, beg to address Him Whom God shall make manifest, by Thy leave in these words: 'Shouldst Thou dismiss the entire company of the followers of the Bayan in the Day of the Latter Resurrection+F1 by a mere sign of Thy finger even while still a suckling babe, Thou wouldst indeed be praised in Thy indication. And though no doubt is there about it, do Thou grant a respite of nineteen years as a token of Thy favour so that those who have embraced this Cause may be graciously rewarded by Thee. Thou art verily the Lord of grace abounding." [1-63]
Although the Bab has made several references to the years nine and nineteen, nevertheless He makes it abundantly clear that the time of the advent of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' is entirely in His Own hands. Whenever He appears, all must follow Him. He warns His followers not to let any statement made in the Bayan or His other Writings become a cause of denying Him at the time of His Revelation.
"Were He to appear this very moment, I would be the first to adore Him, and the first to bow down before Him." [1-64]
The Bab exhorted His followers to adorn themselves with divine virtues and characters so as to be a cause of pleasure to 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. For example, He writes:
"O ye that are invested with the Bayan! Ye should perform such deeds as would please God, your Lord earning thereby the good-pleasure of Him Whom God shall make manifest. Turn not your religion into a means of material gain, spending your life on vanities, and inheriting thereby on the Day of Resurrection[1] that which would displease Him Whom God shall make manifest, while ye deem that what ye do is right. If, however, ye observe piety in your Faith, God will surely nourish you from the treasuries of His heavenly grace.
[1 In the Writings of the Bab, the 'Day of Resurrection' is a reference to the day of appearance of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'.]
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"Be ye sincere in your allegiance to Him Whom God shall make manifest, for the sake of God, your Lord, that perchance ye may, through devotion to His Faith, be redeemed on the Day of Resurrection." [1-65]
Anxious to ensure that none among His followers would act in such a way as to bring displeasure to Bahá'u'lláh, the Bab advised His followers not only to purify their hearts from attachment to the things of this world, but in addition, should be clean and tidy in their appearance and clothing so as not to offend Him in case they should meet Him in public. He also forbade the Babis to engage in heated arguments or disputes as practised in Islamic circles. The Muslim clergy in their seminars, while discussing religious subjects, would often enter into heated controversy which usually resulted in physical fighting. The Bab had warned His followers not to follow that example, because they might come in contact with 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' and their behaviour would displease Him. He exhorted them to be chaste in their writings and conversation, and always to be courteous in their manners. He admonishes them in the Bayan in these words:
"...ye have been forbidden in the Bayan to enter into idle disputation and controversy, that perchance on the Day of Resurrection ye may not engage in argumentation, and dispute with Him Whom God shall make manifest." [1-66]
"In the Bayan God hath forbidden everyone to pronounce judgement against any soul, lest he may pass sentence upon God, his Lord, while regarding himself to be of the righteous, inasmuch as no one knoweth how the Cause of God will begin or end." [1-67]
The Bab testifies in the Bayan that the greatest proof of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest' is the revelation of His Words. He further states that should anyone claim this station falsely, he will not be able to sustain it, as he will be powerless to adduce any proof. Nevertheless, for the sake of honouring the station of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', and in order to prevent anyone from mistakenly opposing His person the Bab warned His followers not to oppose anyone who might claim that station. He has clearly stated:
"Should any one make a statement, and fail to support it by any proof, reject him not." [1-68]
And again:
"O ye who are invested with the Bayan! Should ye be apprised of a person laying claim to a Cause and revealing verses which to outward seeming are unlikely to have been revealed by anyone else save God, the
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Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, do not pass sentence against him, lest ye may inadvertently pass sentence against Him Whom God shall make manifest. Say, He Whom God shall make manifest is but one of you; He will make Himself known unto you on the Day of Resurrection. Ye shall know God when the Manifestation of His Own Self is made known unto you, that perchance ye may not stray far from His Path." [1-69]
As a token of respect for 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', Whose station is regarded in the Bayan as being far exalted above the comprehension of the believers, the Bab has forbidden His followers to ask any questions of Bahá'u'lláh, except those which are worthy of His station. He reveals in the Bayan:
"It is not permissible to ask questions from Him Whom God will make manifest, except that which well beseemeth Him. For His station is that of the Essence of divine Revelation... Should anyone desire to ask questions, he is allowed to do so only in writing, that he may derive ample understanding from His written reply and that it may serve as a sign from his Beloved. However, let no one ask aught that may prove unworthy of His lofty station. For instance, were a person to inquire the price of straw from a merchant of rubies, how ignorant would he be and how unacceptable. Similarly unacceptable would be the questions of the highest-ranking people of the world in His presence, except such words as He Himself would utter about Himself in the Day of His manifestation." [1-70]
In another instance He writes:
"When the Day-Star of Baha will shine resplendent above the horizon of eternity it is incumbent upon you to present yourselves before His Throne. Beware lest ye be seated in His presence or ask questions without His leave. Fear ye God, O concourse of the Mirrors.
"Beg ye of Him the wondrous tokens of His favour that He may graciously reveal for you whatever He willeth and desireth, inasmuch as on that Day all the revelations of divine bounty shall circle around the Seat of His glory and emanate from His presence, could ye but understand it.
"It behooveth you to remain silent before His Throne, for indeed of all the things which have been created between heaven and earth nothing on that Day will be deemed more fitting than the observance of silence." [1-71]
However, Bahá'u'lláh annulled this prohibition of the Bab. In the Kitab-i-Aqdas He stated that the believers were free to ask any question from Him.
The station of Bahá'u'lláh is so exalted in the sight of the Bab that He has directed His followers, as a sign of respect, to arise from their places when they hear the words 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. He also ordains in the Persian Bayan that in every meeting the Babis should leave a seat of honour vacant for Him.
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In the same Book, the Bab makes a statement which reveals His sense of humour. He says that 'He Whom God shall make manifest' will also leave a seat of honour vacant in His own home, because the believers will not recognize Him! He will be inwardly amused by those who venerate His name while remaining veiled from Him at the time of His Revelation.
Innumerable are passages in the Writings of the Bab in which He extols the station of Him Whom God shall make manifest, portrays His person as majestic, awe-inspiring, incomparable and infinitely glorious, describes the inconceivable greatness of His Revelation, regards Himself as the lowliest servant at His threshold, recognizes Him as the Source of His own Revelation and the object of His adoration, and cherishes the desire to lay down His life in His path. Indeed, no Manifestation of God has ever made such a mighty Covenant with His followers regarding the Manifestation Who was to follow.
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