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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 |
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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3 |
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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4 |
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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5 |
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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6 |
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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7 |
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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8 |
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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9 |
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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10 |
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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11 |
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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12 |
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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13 |
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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14 |
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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15 |
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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16 |
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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17 |
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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18 |
The word of God which the Abhá Pen hath revealed and inscribed
on the first leafof 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. |
19 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the second
leafof 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! |
20 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the third
leafof 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. |
21 |
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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22 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the fourth
leafof 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. |
23 |
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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24 |
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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25 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the fifth
leafof 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. |
26 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the sixth
leafof 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. |
27 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the seventh
leafof 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. |
28 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the eighth
leafof 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. |
29 |
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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30 |
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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31 |
The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the ninth
leafof 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. |
32 |
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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33 |
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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34 |
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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35 |
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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36 |
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
leafof 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. |
38 |
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
leafof 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. |
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.
|
49 |
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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