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KALÍMÁT-I-FIRDAWSÍYYIH (Words of Paradise)
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1 |
He is the One Who speaketh through the power of Truth in the
Kingdom of Utterance
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2 |
O YE the embodiments of justice and equity and
the manifestations of uprightness and of heavenly
bounties! In tears and lamenting, this Wronged
One calleth aloud and saith: O God, my God!
Adorn the heads of Thy loved ones with the crown of
detachment and attire their temples with the raiment of
righteousness.
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It behoveth the people of Bahá to render the Lord
victorious through the power of their utterance and to
admonish the people by their goodly deeds and character,
inasmuch as deeds exert greater influence than words.
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O Haydar-`Alí!
[Hájí Mírzá Haydar-`Alí, outstanding Persian Bahá'í teacher and author. He spent nine years in prison and exile in Khártúm, travelled extensively in Írán, and passed away in 1920 in the Holy Land. Western pilgrims knew him as the Angel of Mount Carmel.]
Upon thee be the praise of God and
His glory. Say: Honesty, virtue, wisdom and a saintly
character redound to the exaltation of man, while dishonesty,
imposture, ignorance and hypocrisy lead to his
abasement. By My life! Man's distinction lieth not in
ornaments or wealth, but rather in virtuous behaviour and
true understanding. Most of the people in Persia are
steeped in deception and idle fancy. How great the difference
between the condition of these people and the station
of such valiant souls as have passed beyond the sea of names
and pitched their tents upon the shores of the ocean of
detachment. Indeed none but a few of the existing generation
hath yet earned the merit of hearkening unto the
warblings of the doves of the all-highest Paradise. `Few of
My servants are truly thankful.'
[Qur'án 34:12]
People for the most part
delight in superstitions. They regard a single drop of the
sea of delusion as preferable to an ocean of certitude. By
holding fast unto names they deprive themselves of the
inner reality and by clinging to vain imaginings they are
kept back from the Dayspring of heavenly signs. God grant
you may be graciously aided under all conditions to shatter
the idols of superstition and to tear away the veils of the
imaginations of men. Authority lieth in the grasp of God,
the Fountainhead of revelation and inspiration and the
Lord of the Day of Resurrection.
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We heard that which the person in question hath mentioned
regarding certain teachers of the Faith. Indeed he
hath spoken truly. Some heedless souls roam the lands in
the name of God, actively engaged in ruining His Cause,
and call it promoting and teaching the Word of God; and
this notwithstanding that the qualifications of the teachers
of the Faith, like unto stars, shine resplendent throughout
the heavens of the divine Tablets. Every fair-minded person
testifieth and every man of insight is well aware that the
One true God--exalted be His glory--hath unceasingly set
forth and expounded that which will elevate the station
and will exalt the rank of the children of men.
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The people of Bahá burn brightly amidst the gatherings
even as a candle and hold fast unto that which God hath
purposed. This station standeth supreme above all stations.
Well is it with him who hath cast away the things that the
people of the world possess, yearning for that which
pertaineth unto God, the Sovereign Lord of eternity.
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Say: O God, my God! Thou beholdest me circling
round Thy Will with mine eyes turned towards the horizon
of Thy bounty, eagerly awaiting the revelation of the
effulgent splendours of the sun of Thy favours. I beg of
Thee, O Beloved of every understanding heart and the
Desire of such as have near access unto Thee, to grant that
Thy loved ones may become wholly detached from their
own inclinations, holding fast unto that which pleaseth
Thee. Attire them, O Lord, with the robe of righteousness
and illumine them with the splendours of the light of
detachment. Summon then to their assistance the hosts of
wisdom and utterance that they may exalt Thy Word
amongst Thy creatures and proclaim Thy Cause amidst
Thy servants. Verily, potent art Thou to do what Thou
willest, and within Thy grasp lie the reins of all affairs. No
God is there but Thee, the Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving.
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O thou who hast turned thy gaze towards My face! In
these days there occurred that which hath plunged Me into
dire sadness. Certain wrong-doers who profess allegiance to
the Cause of God committed such deeds as have caused the
limbs of sincerity, of honesty, of justice, of equity to quake.
One known individual to whom the utmost kindness and
favour had been extended perpetrated such acts as have
brought tears to the eye of God. Formerly We uttered
words of warning and premonition, then for a number of
years We kept the matter secret that haply he might take
heed and repent. But all to no purpose. In the end he bent
his energies upon vilifying the Cause of God before the
eyes of all men. He tore the veil of fairness asunder and felt
sympathy neither for himself nor for the Cause of God.
Now, however, the deeds of certain individuals have
brought sorrows far more grievous than those which the
deeds of the former had caused. Beseech thou God, the
True One, that He may graciously enable the heedless to
retract and repent. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful,
the Most Generous.
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In these days it is incumbent upon everyone to adhere
tenaciously unto unity and concord and to labour diligently
in promoting the Cause of God, that perchance the wayward
souls may attain that which will lead unto abiding
prosperity.
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In brief, dissensions among various sects have opened the
way to weakness. Each sect hath picked out a way for itself
and is clinging to a certain cord. Despite manifest blindness
and ignorance they pride themselves on their insight and
knowledge. Among them are mystics who bear allegiance
to the Faith of Islám, some of whom indulge in that which
leadeth to idleness and seclusion. I swear by God! It
lowereth man's station and maketh him swell with pride.
Man must bring forth fruit. One who yieldeth no fruit is,
in the words of the Spirit,
[Jesus.]
like unto a fruitless tree, and a
fruitless tree is fit but for the fire.
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That which the aforesaid persons have mentioned concerning
the stations of Divine Unity will conduce in no
small measure to idleness and vain imaginings. These
mortal men have evidently set aside the differences of
station and have come to regard themselves as God, while
God is immeasurably exalted above all things. Every
created being however revealeth His signs which are but
emanations from Him and not His Own Self. All these
signs are reflected and can be seen in the book of existence,
and the scrolls that depict the shape and pattern of the
universe are indeed a most great book. Therein every man
of insight can perceive that which would lead to the
Straight Path and would enable him to attain the Great
Announcement. Consider the rays of the sun whose light
hath encompassed the world. The rays emanate from the
sun and reveal its nature, but are not the sun itself. Whatsoever
can be discerned on earth amply demonstrateth the
power of God, His knowledge and the outpourings of His
bounty, while He Himself is immeasurably exalted above
all creatures.
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Christ saith: `Thou hast granted to children that whereof
the learned and the wise are deprived.' The sage of Sabzívar
[Hájí Mullá Hádí Sabzívarí, a renowned philosopher and poet of Írán contemporary with Bahá'u'lláh. He passed away in 1873.]
hath said: `Alas! Attentive ears are lacking, otherwise the
whisperings of the Sinaic Bush could be heard from every
tree.' In a Tablet to a man of wisdom who had made
enquiry as to the meaning of Elementary Reality, We
addressed this famous sage in these words: `If this saying is
truly thine, how is it that thou hast failed to hearken unto
the Call which the Tree of Man hath raised from the
loftiest heights of the world? If thou didst hear the Call yet
fear and the desire to preserve thy life prompted thee to
remain heedless to it, thou art such a person as hath never
been nor is worthy of mention; if thou hast not heard it,
then thou art bereft of the sense of hearing.' In brief, such
men are they whose words are the pride of the world, and
whose deeds are the shame of the nations.
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Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none
other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath
swooned away before it, save them whom God pleaseth
to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty,
the Ancient of Days.
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Say: O concourse of divines! Pronounce ye censure
against this Pen unto which, as soon as it raised its shrill
voice, the kingdom of utterance prepared itself to hearken,
and before whose mighty and glorious theme every other
theme hath paled into insignificance? Fear ye God and
follow not your idle fancies and corrupt imaginings, but
rather follow Him Who is come unto you invested with
undeniable knowledge and unshakeable certitude.
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Glorified be God! Man's treasure is his utterance, yet this
Wronged One hath withheld His Tongue, for the disbelievers
are lying in ambush; however, protection is
afforded by God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily, in Him
have We placed Our trust and unto Him have We committed
all affairs. All-Sufficient is He for Us and for all
created things. He is the One by Whose leave, and through
the potency of Whose command, the Day-Star of sovereign
might hath shone resplendent above the horizon of the
world. Well is it with him who perceiveth and recognizeth
the Truth and woe betide the froward and the faithless.
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This Wronged One hath invariably treated the wise
with affection. By the wise is meant men whose knowledge
is not confined to mere words and whose lives have been
fruitful and have produced enduring results. It is incumbent
upon everyone to honour these blessed souls. Happy are
they that observe God's precepts; happy are they that have
recognized the Truth; happy are they that judge with fairness
in all matters and hold fast to the Cord of My inviolable
Justice.
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The people of Persia have turned away from Him Who
is the Protector and the Helper. They are clinging to and
have enmeshed themselves in the vain imaginings of the
foolish. So firmly do they adhere to superstitions that
naught can sever them therefrom save the potent arm of
God--exalted is His glory. Beseech thou the Almighty that
He may remove with the fingers of divine power the veils
which have shut out the divers peoples and kindreds, that
they may attain the things that are conducive to security,
progress and advancement and may hasten forth towards
the incomparable Friend.
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The word of God which the Abhá Pen hath revealed and
inscribed on the
first leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Verily I say: The fear
of God hath ever been a sure defence and a safe stronghold
for all the peoples of the world. It is the chief cause of the
protection of mankind, and the supreme instrument for its
preservation. Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which
deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is
unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense
of shame. This, however, is confined to but a few; all have
not possessed and do not possess it.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
second leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The Pen of
the Most High exhorteth, at this moment, the manifestations
of authority and the sources of power, namely the
kings, the sovereigns, the presidents, the rulers, the divines
and the wise, and enjoineth them to uphold the cause of
religion, and to cleave unto it. Religion is verily the chief
instrument for the establishment of order in the world and
of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the
pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish and emboldened
them and made them more arrogant. Verily I
say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous
the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in
the end to chaos and confusion. Hear Me, O men of
insight, and be warned, ye who are endued with discernment!
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
third leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O son of man! If thine
eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit
thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And
if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy
neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself. Humility
exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst
pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.
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O people of God! Great is the Day and mighty the Call!
In one of Our Tablets We have revealed these exalted
words: `Were the world of the spirit to be wholly converted
into the sense of hearing, it could then claim to be
worthy to hearken unto the Voice that calleth from the
Supreme Horizon; for otherwise, these ears that are defiled
with lying tales have never been, nor are they now, fit to
hear it.' Well is it with them that hearken; and woe betide
the wayward.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
fourth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of
God! Beseech ye the True One--glorified be His Name--
that He may graciously shield the manifestations of
dominion and power from the suggestions of self and
desire and shed the radiance of justice and guidance upon
them.
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His Majesty Muhammad Sháh, despite the excellence of
his rank, committed two heinous deeds. One was the order
to banish the Lord of the Realms of Grace and Bounty, the
Primal Point; and the other, the murder of the Prince of the
City of Statesmanship and Literary Accomplishment.
[Mírzá Abu'l-Qásim Faráhání, the Qá'im Maqám, a distinguished poet and scholar during the reign of Fath `Alí Sháh. He was a friend of Mírzá Buzurg, father of Bahá'u'lláh. Qá'im Maqám became Prime Minister of Persia in 1821, but in 1835 he was put to death by order of Muhammad Sháh, at the instigation of Hájí Mírzá Aqásí.]
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The faults of kings, like their favours, can be great. A
king who is not deterred by the vainglory of power and
authority from observing justice, nor is deprived of the
splendours of the day-star of equity by luxury, riches, glory
or the marshalling of hosts and legions shall occupy a high
rank and a sublime station amongst the Concourse on high.
It is incumbent upon everyone to extend aid and to manifest
kindness to so noble a soul. Well is it with the king who
keepeth a tight hold on the reins of his passion, restraineth
his anger and preferreth justice and fairness to injustice and
tyranny.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
fifth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Above all else, the
greatest gift and the most wondrous blessing hath ever been
and will continue to be Wisdom. It is man's unfailing
Protector. It aideth him and strengtheneth him. Wisdom is
God's Emissary and the Revealer of His Name the Omniscient.
Through it the loftiness of man's station is made
manifest and evident. It is all-knowing and the foremost
Teacher in the school of existence. It is the Guide and is
invested with high distinction. Thanks to its educating
influence earthly beings have become imbued with a gem-like
spirit which outshineth the heavens. In the city of
justice it is the unrivalled Speaker Who, in the year nine,
illumined the world with the joyful tidings of this Revelation.
And it was this peerless Source of wisdom that at the
beginning of the foundation of the world ascended the stair
of inner meaning and when enthroned upon the pulpit of
utterance, through the operation of the divine Will, proclaimed
two words. The first heralded the promise of
reward, while the second voiced the ominous warning of
punishment. The promise gave rise to hope and the warning
begat fear. Thus the basis of world order hath been
firmly established upon these twin principles. Exalted is the
Lord of Wisdom, the Possessor of Great Bounty.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
sixth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of
men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of
oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the
appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine
wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books
of the world cannot contain its inner significance. Were
mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would
behold the day-star of the utterance, `On that day God will
satisfy everyone out of His abundance,'
[cf. Qur'án 4:129]
shining resplendent
above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of
this utterance; it is a noble fruit that the Tree of the Pen of
Glory hath yielded. Happy is the man that giveth ear unto
it and observeth its precepts. Verily I say, whatever is sent
down from the heaven of the Will of God is the means for
the establishment of order in the world and the instrument
for promoting unity and fellowship among its peoples.
Thus hath the Tongue of this Wronged One spoken from
His Most Great Prison.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
seventh leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O ye men of wisdom
among nations! Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix
your gaze upon unity. Cleave tenaciously unto that which
will lead to the well-being and tranquillity of all mankind.
This span of earth is but one homeland and one habitation.
It behoveth you to abandon vainglory which causeth
alienation and to set your hearts on whatever will ensure
harmony. In the estimation of the people of Bahá man's
glory lieth in his knowledge, his upright conduct, his
praiseworthy character, his wisdom, and not in his
nationality or rank. O people of the earth! Appreciate the
value of this heavenly word. Indeed it may be likened unto
a ship for the ocean of knowledge and a shining luminary
for the realm of perception.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
eighth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: Schools must
first train the children in the principles of religion, so that
the Promise and the Threat recorded in the Books of God
may prevent them from the things forbidden and adorn
them with the mantle of the commandments; but this in
such a measure that it may not injure the children by
resulting in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry.
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It is incumbent upon the Trustees of the House of Justice
to take counsel together regarding those things which have
not outwardly been revealed in the Book, and to enforce
that which is agreeable to them. God will verily inspire
them with whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, is the
Provider, the Omniscient.
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We have formerly ordained that people should converse
in two languages, yet efforts must be made to reduce them
to one, likewise the scripts of the world, that men's lives
may not be dissipated and wasted in learning divers
languages. Thus the whole earth would come to be
regarded as one city and one land.
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The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
ninth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: In all matters moderation
is desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove
a source of evil. Consider the civilization of the West, how
it hath agitated and alarmed the peoples of the world. An
infernal engine hath been devised, and hath proved so cruel
a weapon of destruction that its like none hath ever witnessed
or heard. The purging of such deeply-rooted and
overwhelming corruptions cannot be effected unless the
peoples of the world unite in pursuit of one common aim
and embrace one universal faith. Incline your ears unto the
Call of this Wronged One and adhere firmly to the Lesser
Peace.
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Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they
are hidden from the minds and the understanding of men.
These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere
of the earth and their contamination would prove lethal.
Great God! We have observed an amazing thing. Lightning
or a force similar to it is controlled by an operator and
moveth at his command. Immeasurably exalted is the Lord
of Power Who hath laid bare that which He purposed
through the potency of His weighty and invincible command.
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O people of Bahá! Each one of the ordinances We have
revealed is a mighty stronghold for the preservation of the
world of being. Verily, this Wronged One desireth naught
but your security and elevation.
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We exhort the men of the House of Justice and command
them to ensure the protection and safeguarding of
men, women and children. It is incumbent upon them to
have the utmost regard for the interests of the people at all
times and under all conditions. Blessed is the ruler who
succoureth the captive, and the rich one who careth for the
poor, and the just one who secureth from the wrong doer
the rights of the downtrodden, and happy the trustee who
observeth that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days
hath prescribed unto him.
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O Haydar-`Alí! Upon thee be My glory and My praise.
My counsels and admonitions have compassed the world.
Yet, instead of imparting joy and gladness they have caused
grief, because some of those who claim to love Me have
waxed haughty and have inflicted upon Me such tribulations
as neither the followers of former religions nor the
divines of Persia did ever inflict.
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We have said: `My imprisonment doeth Me no harm,
nor do the things that have befallen Me at the hands of My
enemies. That which harmeth Me is the conduct of my
loved ones who, though they bear My name, yet commit
that which maketh My heart and My pen to lament.' Such
utterances as these have again and again been revealed, yet
the heedless have failed to profit thereby, since they are
captive to their own evil passions and corrupt desires.
Beseech thou the One true God that He may enable everyone
to repent and return unto Him. So long as one's nature
yieldeth unto evil passions, crime and transgression will
prevail. We cherish the hope that the hand of divine power
and the outpouring of heavenly blessings may sustain all
men, may attire them with the vesture of forgiveness and
bounty and guard them against that which would harm
His Cause among His servants. He is, in truth, the Potent,
the All-Powerful, and He is the Ever-Forgiving, the
Merciful.
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37 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
tenth leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: O people of
the earth! Living in seclusion or practising asceticism is not
acceptable in the presence of God. It behoveth them that
are endued with insight and understanding to observe that
which will cause joy and radiance. Such practices as are
sprung from the loins of idle fancy or are begotten of the
womb of superstition ill beseem men of knowledge. In
former times and more recently some people have been
taking up their abodes in the caves of the mountains while
others have repaired to graveyards at night. Say, give ear
unto the counsels of this Wronged One. Abandon the
things current amongst you and adopt that which the
faithful Counsellor biddeth you. Deprive not yourselves of
the bounties which have been created for your sake.
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Charity is pleasing and praiseworthy in the sight of God
and is regarded as a prince among goodly deeds. Consider
ye and call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath
revealed in the Qur'án: `They prefer them before themselves,
though poverty be their own lot. And with such as
are preserved from their own covetousness shall it be well.'
[Qur'án 59:9]
Viewed in this light, the blessed utterance above is, in
truth, the day-star of utterances. Blessed is he who preferreth
his brother before himself. Verily, such a man is reckoned,
by virtue of the Will of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise,
with the people of Bahá who dwell in the Crimson
Ark.
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39 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded
on the
eleventh leaf
of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: We enjoin upon them
that are the emblems of His names and attributes to firmly
adhere henceforth unto that which hath been set forth in
this Most Great Revelation, not to allow themselves to
become the cause of strife, and, until the end that knoweth
no end, to keep their eyes directed towards the dayspring of
these resplendent words which have been recorded in this
Tablet. Strife leads to bloodshed and provokes commotion
amongst people. Hearken ye unto the Voice of this
Wronged One and deviate not therefrom.
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40 |
Were anyone to ponder in his heart that which hath, in
this Revelation, streamed forth from the Pen of Glory, he
would be assured that whatever this Wronged One hath
affirmed He hath had no intention of establishing any
position or distinction for Himself. The purpose hath
rather been to attract the souls, through the sublimity of
His words, unto the summit of transcendent glory and to
endow them with the capacity of perceiving that which
will purge and purify the peoples of the world from the
strife and dissension which religious differences provoke.
Unto this bear witness My heart, My Pen, My inner and
My outer Being. God grant that all men may turn unto the
treasuries latent within their own beings.
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41 |
O people of Bahá! The source of crafts, sciences and arts
is the power of reflection. Make ye every effort that out of
this ideal mine there may gleam forth such pearls of
wisdom and utterance as will promote the well-being and
harmony of all the kindreds of the earth.
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42 |
Under all conditions, whether in adversity or at ease,
whether honoured or afflicted, this Wronged One hath
directed all men to show forth love, affection, compassion
and harmony. And yet whenever there was any slight
evidence of progress and advancement, those concealed
behind the veils would sally forth and utter calumnies more
wounding than the sword. They cling unto misleading and
reprehensible words and suffer themselves to be deprived of
the ocean of verses revealed by God.
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43 |
If these obstructing veils had not intervened Persia
would, in some two years, have been subdued through the
power of utterance, the position of both the government
and the people would have been raised and the Supreme
Goal, unveiled and unconcealed, would have appeared in
the plenitude of glory. In short, sometimes in explicit
language, at other times by allusion, We said whatever had
to be said. Thus, once Persia had been rehabilitated, the
sweet savours of the Word of God would have wafted over
all countries, inasmuch as that which hath streamed forth
from the Most Exalted Pen is conducive to the glory, the
advancement and education of all the peoples and kindreds
of the earth. Indeed it is the sovereign remedy for every
disease, could they but comprehend and perceive it.
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44 |
Recently the Afnáns and Amín--upon them be My
glory and loving-kindness--attained Our presence and
beheld Our countenance; likewise Nabíl, the son of Nabíl
and the son of Samandar--upon them rest the glory of
God and His loving-kindness--are present and have drunk
the cup of reunion. We entreat God that He may graciously
ordain for them the good of this world and of the next and
that the outpouring of His blessings and grace may descend
upon them from the heaven of His generosity and the
clouds of His tender compassion. Verily of those who show
mercy He is the Most Merciful, and He is the Gracious, the
Beneficent.
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45 |
O Haydar-`Alí! Thine other letter which thou hadst
forwarded through him who beareth the title of Júd
[Muhammad Javád-i-Qazvíní, upon whom Bahá'u'lláh bestowed the title Ismu'lláhi'l-Júd (The Name of God, Bounty). He transcribed numerous Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh during His Ministry, but subsequently broke the Covenant. (See God Passes By pages 247 and 319.)]
(Bounty) hath reached Our holy court. Praised be God! It
was adorned with the light of divine unity and of detachment
and was ablaze with the fire of love and affection.
Pray thou unto God that He may grant keenness to the eyes
and illumine them with a new light, perchance they may
perceive that which hath no parallel nor peer.
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46 |
In this day the verses of the Mother Book are resplendent
and unmistakable even as the sun. They can in no wise be
mistaken for any of the past or more recent utterances.
Truly this Wronged One desireth not to demonstrate His
Own Cause with proofs produced by others. He is the One
Who embraceth all things, while all else besides Him is
circumscribed. Say, O people, peruse that which is current
amongst you and We will peruse what pertaineth unto Us.
I swear by God! Neither the praise of the peoples of the
world, nor the things that the kindreds of the earth possess
are worthy of mention before the remembrance of His
Name. Unto this beareth witness He Who under all conditions
proclaimeth, `Verily He is God, the sovereign Ruler of
the Day of Reckoning and the Lord of the mighty Throne.'
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47 |
Glorified be God! One wondereth by what proof or
reason the disbelievers among the people of the Bayán have
turned away from the Lord of being. In truth the station of
this Revelation transcendeth the station of whatever hath
been manifested in the past or will be made manifest in the
future.
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48 |
Were the Point of the Bayán present in this day and
should He, God forbid, hesitate to acknowledge this Cause,
then the very blessed words which have streamed forth
from the wellspring of His Own Bayán would apply to
Him. He saith, and His word is the truth, `Lawful is it for
Him Whom God will make manifest to reject him who is
the greatest on earth.' Say, O ye that are bereft of understanding!
Today that Most Exalted Being is proclaiming:
`Verily, verily, I am the first to adore Him.' How shallow
is the fund of men's knowledge and how feeble their power
of perception. Our Pen of Glory beareth witness to their
abject poverty and to the wealth of God, the Lord of all
worlds.
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Lauded and glorified is He Who hath called the creation
into being. He is the sovereign Truth, the Knower of things
unseen. The Mother Book is revealed and the Lord of
Bounty is established upon the most blessed seat of glory.
The Dawn hath broken, yet the people understand not.
The signs have been ushered in, while He Who hath
revealed them is overwhelmed with manifest sorrow.
Indeed I have endured that which hath caused the world of
existence to lament.
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50 |
Say: O Yahyá (Azal), produce a single verse, if thou dost
possess divinely-inspired knowledge. These words were
formerly spoken by My Herald Who at this hour proclaimeth:
`Verily, verily, I am the first to adore Him.' Be
fair, O My brother. Art thou able to express thyself when
brought face to face with the billowing ocean of Mine
utterance? Canst thou unloose thy tongue when confronted
with the shrill voice of My Pen? Hast thou any power
before the revelations of Mine omnipotence? Judge thou
fairly, I adjure thee by God, and call to mind when thou
didst stand in the presence of this Wronged One and We
dictated to thee the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting. Beware lest the source of falsehood withhold
thee from the manifest Truth.
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51 |
O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon My countenance!
Say: O ye heedless ones! By reason of a droplet ye have
deprived yourselves of the ocean of heavenly verses and for
the sake of an insignificant atom ye have shut yourselves
out from the splendours of the Day-Star of Truth. Who
else but Bahá hath the power to speak forth before the face
of mankind? Judge ye fairly and be not of the unjust.
Through Him the oceans have surged, the mysteries have
been divulged and the trees have lifted up their voices
exclaiming: The kingdoms of earth and heaven are God's,
the Revealer of signs, the Fountainhead of clear tokens.
Peruse ye the Persian Bayán revealed by Him Who
heralded this Revelation and look at it with the eye of
fairness. Verily He will guide you aright to His Path. At
this moment He proclaimeth that which His tongue had
formerly uttered when He was seated upon the throne of
His most exalted Name.
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52 |
Thou hast made mention of the loved ones in those
regions. Praised be God, each one of them attained the
honour of being remembered by the True One--exalted is
His glory--and the names of them, one and all, flowed
from the Tongue of Grandeur in the kingdom of utterance.
Great indeed is their blessedness and happiness, inasmuch as
they have drunk the choice wine of revelation and inspiration
from the hand of their Lord, the Compassionate, the
Merciful. We beseech God to strengthen them to manifest
inflexible constancy and to summon to their aid the hosts of
wisdom and utterance. He is in truth the Mighty, the
Omnipotent. Convey my greetings to them and give them
the joyful tidings that the Day-Star of remembrance hath
dawned and shed its radiance from above the horizon of the
bountiful favours of their Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the
All-Merciful.
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53 |
Thou hast mentioned Husayn. We have attired his
temple with the robe of forgiveness and adorned his head
with the crown of pardon. It beseemeth him to pride himself
among all men upon this resplendent, this radiant and
manifest bounty. Say: Be not despondent. After the revelation
of this blessed verse it is as though thou hast been born
anew from thy mother's womb. Say: Thou art free from
sin and error. Truly God hath purged thee with the living
waters of His utterance in His Most Great Prison. We
entreat Him--blessed and exalted is He--to graciously
confirm thee in extolling Him and in magnifying His glory
and to strengthen thee through the power of His invisible
hosts. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent.
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54 |
Thou hast made mention of the people of Tár.
[A village near Isfahán.]
We have
set Our face toward the servants of God therein and advise
them first to consider that which the Point of the Bayán
hath revealed concerning this Revelation whereby all names
and titles have been shaken, the idols of vain imaginings
have crumbled and the Tongue of Grandeur hath, from the
realm of glory, proclaimed: By the righteousness of God!
The Hidden Treasure, the Impenetrable Mystery, hath been
uncovered to men's eyes, causing all things, whether of the
past or of the future, to rejoice. He hath said, and His word
is the truth: `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
Bayán, do justice to His Cause.'
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55 |
Moreover We counsel them to observe justice, equity,
honesty, piety and that whereby both the Word of God
and their own station will be exalted amongst men. Verily
I am the One Who exhorteth with justice. Unto this
beareth witness He from Whose Pen rivers of mercy have
flowed and from Whose utterance fountains of living
waters have streamed forth unto all created things. Immeasurably
exalted is this boundless grace; immensely
blessed is this resplendent favour.
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56 |
O people of Tár! Give ear unto the Call of Him Who
doeth whatsoever He willeth. In truth He remindeth you
of that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of
the worlds. He hath turned His face towards you from the
Prison of Akká and hath revealed for your sakes what will
immortalize your memory and your names in the Book
which cannot be effaced and remaineth unaffected by the
doubts of the froward. Cast away the things current
amongst men and take fast hold on that whereunto ye are
bidden by virtue of the Will of the Ordainer, the Ancient
of Days. This is the Day wherein the divine Lote-Tree
calleth aloud, saying: O people! Behold ye My fruits and
My leaves, incline then your ears unto My rustling. Beware
lest the doubts of men debar you from the light of certitude.
The Ocean of utterance exclaimeth and saith: `O ye
dwellers on the earth! Behold My billowing waters and the
pearls of wisdom and utterance which I have poured forth.
Fear ye God and be not of the heedless.'
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57 |
In this Day a great festival is taking place in the Realm
above; for whatsoever was promised in the sacred Scriptures
hath been fulfilled. This is the Day of great rejoicing.
It behoveth everyone to hasten towards the court of His
nearness with exceeding joy, gladness, exultation and
delight and to deliver himself from the fire of remoteness.
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58 |
O people of Tár! Through the strengthening power of
My Name seize ye the chalice of knowledge, drink then
your fill in defiance of the people of the world who have
broken the Covenant of God and His Testament, rejected
His proofs and clear tokens, and cavilled at His signs which
have pervaded all that are in heaven and on earth.
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59 |
The disbelievers among the people of the Bayán are like
the followers of the Shí'ih sect and walk in their footsteps.
Leave them to their idle fancies and vain imaginings.
They are in truth accounted with the lost in the Book of
God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Shí'ih divines,
one and all, are now engaged in reviling and denouncing
the True One from their pulpits. Gracious God! Dawlat-Ábádí
[Mírzá Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí, one of the divines of Isfahán, who became a follower of the Báb, later supported Mírzá Yahyá, and was appointed his representative in Írán and his successor. During the persecutions against the Bábís he recanted his faith.]
too hath followed suit. He ascended the pulpit and
gave voice to that which hath caused the Tablet to cry out
in anguish and the Pen to wail. Meditate upon his conduct
and the conduct of Ashraf
[Mírzá Ashraf, who was martyred in the city of Isfahán. (See God Passes By p. 201.)]
--upon him be My glory and
My tender mercy--and likewise consider those loved ones
who hastened to the place of martyrdom in My Name, and
offered up their lives in the path of Him Who is the Desire
of the world.
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60 |
The Cause is manifest, it shineth resplendent as the sun,
but the people have become veils unto themselves. We
entreat God that He may graciously assist them to return
unto Him. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
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61 |
O people of Tár! We send you greetings from this Spot
and beseech God--blessed and exalted is He--to give you
to drink the choice wine of constancy from the hand of
His favour. Verily, He is the Lord of Bounty, the Gracious,
the All-Praised. Leave ye unto themselves the immature
ones of the world--they that are moved by selfish desire
and cling to the exponents of idle fancy. Verily He is your
Helper and Succourer. He is, in truth, potent to do whatsoever
He willeth. No God is there but Him, the One, the
Peerless, the Mighty, the Most Great.
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62 |
May glory from Our presence rest upon those who have
set their faces toward the Dayspring of His Revelation and
have acknowledged and recognized that which the Tongue
of utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of knowledge in
this blessed, this glorious and incomparable Day.
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