# The Pen of Glory: Selected Works of Baha'u'llah

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Bahá'u'lláh, The Pen of Glory: Selected Works of Baha'u'llah, Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 2008, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> THE PEN OF GLORY
> SELECTED WORKS OF BAHA’U’LLAH
> 
> Wilmette, Illinois
> The Pen of Glory
> 
> Baha’í Publishing
> 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091-2844
> 
> Copyright © 2008 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’ís of
> the United States
> All rights reserved. Published 2008
> Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
> 
> 11 10 09         432
> 
> Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
> 
> Baha’u’llah, 1817–1892.
> [Selections. English. 2008]
> The pen of glory : selected works of Baha ’u’llah.
> p. cm.
> Includes index.
> ISBN 978-1-931847-55-1 (alk. paper)
> 1. Baha’í Faith—Doctrines. I. Title.
> BP362.A3 2008b
> 297.9’3822---ac22
> 2008023621
> 
> Cover design by Robert A. Reddy
> Book design by Suni D. Hannan
> Contents
> Introduction.. ..................................................................................... . vii
> 
> 1. Gems of Divine Mysteries.. ................................................... .                            5
> 
> 2. Tablet to Manikchí Sahib
> (Lawh-i-Manikchí-Sahib).. .................................................... . 93
> 
> 3. Responses to questions of Manikchí Sahib from
> a Tablet to Mírza Abu’l-Fadl.. .............................................. . 105
> 
> 4. Tablet of the Seven Questions
> (Lawh-i-Haft Pursish)............................................................. . 153
> 
> 5. Two other Tablets (1)............................................................. . 165
> 
> 6. Two other Tablets (2)............................................................. . 171
> 
> Notes.. .................................................................................................... . 177
> 
> Glossary.. .............................................................................................. . 181
> 
> Key to passages translated by Shoghi Effendi.. ................. . 189
> 
> Index.. .................................................................................................... . 191
> 
> v
> Introduction
> The ministry of Baha’u’llah, the Prophet-Founder of the
> Baha’í Faith, began during His imprisonment, in 1852, in a
> notorious dungeon known as the “Black Pit” and finally ended
> forty years later, after a series of successive banishments, with
> His passing in a remote outpost of the Ottoman empire.
> Despite the sufferings He endured and despite vehement
> opposition to His teachings on the part of governments and
> clergy, the attempts to silence Baha ’u’llah or prevent the
> spread of His teachings were entirely unsuccessful. Over the
> course of His life He revealed a body of writings,
> unprecedented in religious history in both its scope and
> magnitude, that offers stunning articulations of God’s will for
> humanity in this day.
> 
> vii
> viii                    The Pen of Glory
> Throughout His life Baha ’u’llah was renowned for His
> divine wisdom and was sought out by many who desired
> access to His matchless insight. Indeed, many of Baha’u’llah’s
> best-known works were originally written as epistles in which
> He embedded timeless lessons and unraveled questions that
> had perplexed generations. Among these effusions from
> Baha’u’llah’s mighty pen are the several Tablets brought
> together in this volume, which includes a lengthy Arabic
> treatise known as the Javahiru’l-Asrar (meaning literally the
> “gems” or “essences” of mysteries) as well as a number of
> Tablets addressed to individuals of Zoroastrian background,
> who were among the first outside the Islamic community to be
> attracted to His teachings.
> In a prefatory note written above the opening lines of the
> original manuscript of the Javahiru’l-Asrar, Baha’u’llah states,
> This treatise was written in reply to a seeker who had asked how
> the promised Mihdí could have become transformed into ‘Alí-
> Muḥammad
> Introduction                           ix
> (the Bab). The opportunity provided by this question was seized
> to elaborate on a number of subjects, all of which are of use and
> benefit both to them that seek and to those who have attained,
> could ye perceive with the eye of divine virtue.
> The “seeker” to whom Baha’u’llah alludes was Siyyid Yusufi-Sihdihí Iṣfahaní,* an Islamic notable, who at the time was
> residing in Karbila.       His questions were presented to
> Baha’u’llah through an intermediary, and this Tablet was
> revealed in response on the same day.
> One of its central themes, Baha ’u’llah indicates, is that of
> “transformation,” meaning here the return of the Promised
> One of Islam in a different human guise. A number of other
> important themes are addressed in this work as well: the
> cause of the rejection of the Prophets of the past; the danger of
> a literal reading of scripture; the meaning of the signs and
> portents of the Bible concerning the advent of the new
> Manifestation of God; the continuity of divine revelation;
> intimations of Baha’u’llah’s own
> 
> *
> ‫( يوسف السّدهي اإلصفهاني‬Yusuf as-Sidihí al-Isfahaní).—M.W.T.
> x                     The Pen of Glory
> approaching declaration; the significance of such symbolic
> terms as “the Day of Judgment,” “the Resurrection, attainment
> to the Divine Presence,” and “life and death”; and the stages of
> the spiritual quest through “the Garden of Search,” “the City of
> Love and Rapture,” “the City of Divine Unity,” “the Garden of
> Wonderment,” “the City of Absolute Nothingness,” “the City of
> Immortality,” and “the City that hath no name or description.”
> Also presented here is Baha’u’llah’s Tablet to Manichí Limjí
> Hataria (1813–1890), also known as Manikchí (Manekji) Sahib.
> Born in India of Zoroastrian parents, he was an able diplomat
> and devoted adherent of his ancestral religion. In 1854 he was
> appointed as an emissary on behalf of the Parsees of India to
> assist their coreligionists in Iran, who were suffering under the
> repressive policies of the Qajar monarchs. Some time after this
> he attained the presence of Baha ’u’llah in Baghdad. Although
> maintaining to the end of his life allegiance to his Zoroastrian
> faith, he was attracted to the teachings of the new religion and,
> moved by the sacrifice of its early martyrs, became a lifelong
> admirer. Years
> Introduction                               xi
> after their meeting, he posed a series of questions to
> Baha’u’llah that led to the revelation of two Tablets of farreaching significance, the first of which was sent to him in 1878.
> The first Tablet, known as the Lawh-i-Manikchí Sahib, is
> celebrated for its striking and well-known passages
> epitomizing the universality of Baha ’u’llah’s prophetic claim.
> Revealed in pure Persian at Manikchí Sahib’s bold request, the
> Tablet responds to the questions he had raised and proclaims
> some of the central tenets of the Faith of Baha ’u’llah: “Be
> anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and
> center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.”*
> “Turn your faces from the darkness of estrangement to the
> effulgent light of the daystar of unity.”† “Ye are the fruits of one
> tree, and the leaves of one branch.”‡ “Whatsoever leadeth to the
> decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath been,
> and will ever remain, approved in the sight of the Lord of
> creation.Ӥ
> As inferred from the contents of a second Tablet, Manikchí
> Sahib was not entirely satisfied with this reply, having
> anticipated a more expansive dis-
> 
> *
> ¶ 3.5, p. 109; Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 213.
> †
> ¶ 2.10, p. 98.
> ‡
> ¶ 2.15, p. 100; Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 218.
> §
> ¶ 2.15, p. 100.
> xii                    The Pen of Glory
> cussion of his specific questions. Baha’u’llah’s further reply is
> contained in a lengthy Tablet, revealed on July 1, 1882, in the
> voice of His amanuensis Mírza Aqa Jan. The Tablet is
> addressed to the eminent Baha’í scholar Mírza Abu’l-Fadl, who
> at the time was employed as the personal secretary of
> Manikchí Sahib, but a lengthy portion of it addresses the
> latter’s questions. Baha’u’llah states at the outset that
> Manikchí Sahib had “failed to consider the matter closely, for
> otherwise he would have readily admitted that not a single point
> was omitted,”* and explains that out of wisdom his questions
> had not been directly answered, but that even so, “the answers
> were provided in a language of marvelous concision and
> clarity.Ӡ Throughout the remainder of the Tablet, the text of
> each of Manikchí Sahib’s questions is successively quoted, and
> detailed replies are given to each, in some cases connecting the
> questions to the universal principles enunciated in the
> previous Tablet.
> The Tablet is noteworthy for its discussion of a range of
> questions regarding the tenets of both
> 
> *
> ¶ 3.1, p. 105.
> †
> ibid.
> Introduction                     xiii
> Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic religions, as understood by
> Manikchí Sahib, including the nature of creation, the
> connection between faith and reason, the reconciliation of the
> differences that exist among the laws and ordinances of
> various religions, their respective claims to exclusivity, and
> their differing degrees of eagerness to welcome others into
> their fold. Baha’u’llah’s responses emphasize that which is
> right and true in the various doctrines and beliefs under
> examination, rather than discarding them outright for
> inaccuracy or insufficiency.
> Also included here are the Lawh-i-Haft Pursish (Tablet of
> the Seven Questions), which was addressed to Ustad Javan-
> Mard, a prominent early Baha’í of Zoroastrian background and
> former student of Manikchí Sahib, and two other Tablets also
> revealed to believers of the same origin. Together, the five
> Tablets to individuals of Zoroastrian background offer a
> glimpse of Baha’u’llah’s love for, and special relationship with,
> the followers of a religion that had arisen many centuries
> earlier in the same land that witnessed the birth of His own
> Faith.
> xiv                       The Pen of Glory
> A word should perhaps be said about the literary style of
> English translations included herein. Baha’u’llah possessed a
> superlative command of classical Persian and Arabic, which He
> used as an instrument of transformative effect. His translators
> faced a daunting challenge,* for their rendering had not only to
> convey precisely the Author’s intent but also to capture for the
> English reader the exalted and emotive spirit in which this
> intent was communicated. The form of expression settled
> upon—faithful in both respects to the original—is reminiscent
> of that used by seventeenth-century translators of the Bible,
> unique in its perennial power to touch the soul.
> Just as the body of adherents to Baha ’u’llah’s Cause has
> grown in the past century and a half, so too has a worldwide
> appreciation of the depth and import of His teachings. Though
> only a small por-
> 
> *
> A portion of the Lawh-i-Manikchí Sahib and several excerpts from
> the other Tablets were previously translated by Shoghi Effendi;
> these have been incorporated into the text of the translations and
> listed in the appendix.
> Introduction                      xv
> tion of Baha’u’llah’s writings has thus far been translated into
> English, the compiled works in this volume further contribute
> to Western readers’ access to and appreciation of Baha’u’llah’s
> magnificent outpouring of guidance for the collective comingof-age of humankind.
> THE PEN OF GLORY
> Gems of Divine Mysteries
> The essence of the divine mysteries in the journeys of ascent set
> forth for those who long to draw nigh unto God, the Almighty,
> the Ever-Forgiving—blessed be the righteous that quaff from
> these crystal streams!
> HE IS THE EXALTED,
> THE MOST HIGH!
> 1.1   O thou who treadest the path of justice and beboldest the
> countenance of mercy! Thine epistle was received, thy
> question was noted, and the sweet accents of thy soul were
> heard from the inmost chambers of thy heart. Whereupon the
> clouds of the Divine Will were raised to rain upon thee the
> outpourings of heavenly wisdom, to divest thee of all that thou
> hadst acquired aforetime, to draw thee from the realms of
> contradiction unto the retreats of oneness, and to lead thee to
> the sacred streams of His Law. Perchance thou mayest quaff
> therefrom, repose therein, quench thy thirst, refresh thy soul,
> and be numbered with those whom the light of God hath
> guided aright in this day.
> 1.2   Encompassed as I am at this time by the dogs of the earth and
> the beasts of every land, concealed as I remain in the hidden
> habitation of Mine inner Being, forbidden as I may be from
> 
> 6                     The Pen of Glory
> divulging that which God hath bestowed upon Me of the
> wonders of His knowledge, the gems of His wisdom, and the
> tokens of His power, yet am I loath to frustrate the hopes of one
> who hath approached the sanctuary of grandeur, sought to
> enter within the precincts of eternity, and aspired to soar in the
> immensity of this creation at the dawning of the divine decree.
> I shall therefore relate unto thee certain truths from among
> those which God hath vouchsafed unto Me, this only to the
> extent that souls can bear and minds endure, lest the malicious
> raise a clamor or the dissemblers hoist their banners. I
> implore God to graciously aid Me in this, for unto such as
> beseech Him, He is the All-Bounteous, and of those who show
> mercy, He is the Most Merciful.
> 1.3   Know then that it behooveth thine eminence to ponder from
> the outset these questions in thy heart: What hath prompted
> the divers peoples and kindreds of the earth to reject the
> Apostles whom God hath sent unto them in His might
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                7
> and power, whom He hath raised up to exalt His Cause and
> ordained to be the Lamps of eternity within the Niche of His
> oneness? For what reason have the people turned aside from
> them, disputed about them, risen against and contended with
> them? On what grounds have they refused to acknowledge
> their apostleship and authority, nay, denied their truth and
> reviled their persons, even slaying or banishing them?
> 1.4   O thou who hast set foot in the wilderness of knowledge and
> taken abode within the ark of wisdom! Not until thou hast
> grasped the mysteries concealed in that which We shall relate
> unto thee canst thou hope to attain to the stations of faith and
> certitude in the Cause of God and in those who are the
> Manifestations of His Cause, the Daysprings of His Command,
> the Treasuries of His revelation, and the Repositories of His
> knowledge. Shouldst thou fail in this, thou wouldst be
> numbered with them that have not striven for the Cause of
> God, nor inhaled the fragrance of faith from the raiment of
> certitude, nor
> 8                     The Pen of Glory
> scaled the heights of the divine unity, nor yet recognized the
> stations of divine singleness within the Embodiments of praise
> and the Essences of sanctity..
> 1.5   Strive then, O My brother, to apprehend this matter, that the
> veils may be lifted from the face of thy heart and that thou
> mayest be reckoned among them whom God hath graced with
> such penetrating vision as to behold the most subtle realities of
> His dominion, to fathom the mysteries of His kingdom, to
> perceive the signs of His transcendent Essence in this mortal
> world, and to attain a station wherein one seeth no distinction
> amongst His creatures and findeth no flaw in the creation of
> the heavens and the earth.1
> 1.6   Now that the discourse hath reached this exalted and
> intractable theme and touched upon this sublime and
> impenetrable mystery, know that the Christian and Jewish
> peoples have not grasped the intent of the words of God and
> the promises He hath made to them in His Book, and have
> therefore denied His Cause, turned aside from His Prophets,
> and rejected His proofs. Had they but fixed
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 9
> their gaze upon the testimony of God itself, had they refused to
> follow in the footsteps of the abject and foolish among their
> leaders and divines, they would doubtless have attained to the
> repository of guidance and the treasury of virtue, and quaffed
> from the crystal waters of life eternal in the city of the All-
> Merciful, in the garden of the All-Glorious, and within the inner
> reality of His paradise. But as they have refused to see with the
> eyes wherewith God hath endowed them, and desired things
> other than that which He in His mercy had desired for them,
> they have strayed far from the retreats of nearness, have been
> deprived of the living waters of reunion and the wellspring of
> His grace, and have lain as dead within the shrouds of their
> own selves.
> 1.7   Through the power of God and His might, I shall now relate
> certain passages revealed in the Books of old, and mention
> some of the signs heralding the appearance of the
> Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen
> Ones, that thou mayest recognize the Dayspring of this
> everlasting morn and behold this Fire that
> 10                    The Pen of Glory
> blazeth in the Tree which is neither of the East nor of the
> West.2 Perchance thine eyes may be opened upon attaining the
> presence of thy Lord and thy heart partake of the blessings
> concealed within these hidden treasuries. Render thanks then
> unto God, Who hath singled thee out for this grace and Who
> hath numbered thee with them that are assured of meeting
> their Lord.
> 1.8   This is the text of that which was revealed aforetime in the first
> Gospel, according to Matthew, regarding the signs that must
> needs herald the advent of the One Who shall come after Him.
> He saith: ‘And woe unto them that are with child, and to them
> that give suck in those days …”3 until the mystic Dove, singing
> in the midmost heart of eternity, and the celestial Bird,
> warbling upon the Divine Lote-Tree, saith: “Immediately after
> the oppression of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the
> moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
> heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and
> then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and
> then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 11
> they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
> with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a
> great sound of a trumpet.”4
> 1.9    In the second Gospel, according to Mark, the Dove of holiness
> speaketh in such terms: “For in those days shall be affliction,
> such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God
> created unto this time, neither shall be.”5 And it singeth later
> with the same melodies as before, without change or
> alteration. God, verily, is a witness unto the truth of My words.
> 1.10   And in the third Gospel, according to Luke, it is recorded:
> “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
> stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
> the sea and the waves roaring; and the powers of heaven shall
> be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a
> cloud with power and great glory. And when these things
> begin to come to pass, know that the kingdom of God hath
> drawn nigh.”6
> 1.11   And in the fourth Gospel, according to John, it is recorded:
> “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you
> from the Father, even
> 12                    The Pen of Glory
> the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall
> testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness.”7 And elsewhere
> He saith: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the
> Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
> bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
> unto you.”8 And: “But now I go my way to him that sent me;
> and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I
> have said these things unto you …”9              And yet again:
> “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I
> go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto
> you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”10 And: “Howbeit
> when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all
> truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
> shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to
> come.”11
> 1.12   Such is the text of the verses revealed in the past. By Him
> besides Whom there is none other God, I have chosen to be
> brief, for were I to recount all the words that have been sent
> down unto
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               13
> the Prophets of God from the realm of His supernal glory and
> the kingdom of His sovereign might, all the pages and tablets of
> the world would not suffice to exhaust My theme. References
> similar to those mentioned, nay even more sublime and
> exalted, have been made in all the Books and Scriptures of old.
> Should it be My wish to recount all that hath been revealed in
> the past, I would most certainly be able to do so by virtue of
> that which God hath bestowed upon Me of the wonders of His
> knowledge and power. I have, however, contented Myself with
> that which was mentioned, lest thou become wearied in thy
> journey or feel inclined to turn back, or lest thou be overtaken
> by sadness and sorrow and overcome with despondency,
> trouble and fatigue.
> 1.13   Be fair in thy judgment and reflect upon these exalted
> utterances. Inquire, then, of those who lay claim to knowledge
> without a proof or testimony from God, and who remain
> heedless of these days wherein the Orb of knowledge and
> wisdom hath dawned above the horizon of Divinity, render-
> 14                    The Pen of Glory
> ing unto each his due and assigning unto all their rank and
> measure, as to what they can say concerning these allusions.
> Verily, their meaning hath bewildered the minds of men, and
> that which they conceal of the consummate wisdom and latent
> knowledge of God even the most sanctified souls have been
> powerless to uncover.
> 1.14   Should they say: “These words are indeed from God, and have
> no interpretation other than their outward meaning,” then
> what objection can they raise against the unbelievers among
> the people of the Book? For when the latter saw the
> aforementioned passages in their Scriptures and heard the
> literal interpretations of their divines, they refused to
> recognize God in those who are the Manifestations of His unity,
> the Exponents of His singleness, and the Embodiments of His
> sanctity, and failed to believe in them and submit to their
> authority. The reason was that they did not see the sun
> darken, or the stars of heaven fall to the ground, or the angels
> visibly descend upon the earth, and hence they contended with
> the
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               15
> Prophets and Messengers of God. Nay, inasmuch as they found
> them at variance with their own faith and creed, they hurled
> against them such accusations of imposture, folly,
> waywardness, and misbelief as I am ashamed to recount. Refer
> to the Qur’an, that thou mayest find mention of all this and be
> of them that understand its meaning. Even to this day do these
> people await the appearance of that which they have learned
> from their doctors and imbibed from their divines. Thus do
> they say: “When shall these signs be made manifest, that we
> may believe?” But if this be the case, how could ye refute their
> arguments, invalidate their proofs, and challenge them
> concerning their faith and their understanding of their Books
> and the sayings of their leaders?
> 1.15   And should they reply: “The Books that are in the hands of this
> people, which they call the Gospel and attribute to Jesus, the
> Son of Mary, have not been revealed by God and proceed not
> from the Manifestations of His Self,” then this would imply a
> cessation in the abounding grace of Him
> 16                   The Pen of Glory
> Who is the Source of all grace. If so, God’s testimony to His
> servants would have remained incomplete and His favor
> proven imperfect.       His mercy would not have shone
> resplendent, nor would His grace have overshadowed all. For if
> at the ascension of Jesus His Book had likewise ascended unto
> heaven, then how could God reprove and chastise the people
> on the Day of Resurrection, as hath been written by the Imams
> of the Faith and affirmed by its illustrious divines?
> 1.16   Ponder then in thine heart: Matters being such as thou dost
> witness, and as We also witness, where canst thou flee, and
> with whom shalt thou take refuge? Unto whom wilt thou turn
> thy gaze? In what land shalt thou dwell and upon what seat
> shalt thou abide? In what path shalt thou tread and at what
> hour wilt thou find repose? What shall become of thee in the
> end? Where shalt thou secure the cord of thy faith and fasten
> the tie of thine obedience? By Him Who revealeth Himself in
> His oneness and Whose own Self beareth witness to His unity!
> Should there be ignited in
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                17
> thy heart the burning brand of the love of God, thou wouldst
> seek neither rest nor composure, neither laughter nor repose,
> but wouldst hasten to scale the highest summits in the realms
> of divine nearness, sanctity, and beauty. Thou wouldst lament
> as a soul bereaved and weep as a heart filled with longing. Nor
> wouldst thou repair to thy home and abode unless God would
> lay bare before thee His Cause.
> 1.17   O thou who hast soared to the realm of guidance and ascended
> to the kingdom of virtue! Shouldst thou desire to apprehend
> these celestial allusions, to witness the mysteries of divine
> knowledge, and to become acquainted with His allencompassing Word, then it behooveth thine eminence to
> inquire into these and other questions pertaining to thine
> origin and ultimate goal from those whom God hath made to
> be the Wellspring of His knowledge, the Heaven of His wisdom,
> and the Ark of His mysteries. For were it not for those
> effulgent Lights that shine above the horizon of His Essence,
> the people would know not
> 18                    The Pen of Glory
> their left hand from their right, how much less could they scale
> the heights of the inner realities or probe the depths of their
> subtleties! We beseech God therefore to immerse us in these
> surging seas, to grace us with the presence of these life-bearing
> breezes, and to cause us to abide in these divine and lofty
> precincts. Perchance we may divest ourselves of all that we
> have taken from each other and strip ourselves of such
> borrowed garments as we have stolen from our fellow men,
> that He may attire us instead with the robe of His mercy and
> the raiment of His guidance, and admit us into the city of
> knowledge.
> 1.18   Whosoever entereth this city will comprehend every science
> before probing into its mysteries and will acquire from the
> leaves of its trees a knowledge and wisdom encompassing such
> mysteries of divine lordship as are enshrined within the
> treasuries of creation. Glorified be God, its Creator and
> Fashioner, above all that He hath brought forth and ordained
> therein! By God, the Sovereign Protector, the Self-Subsisting,
> the Almighty!
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                19
> Were I to unveil to thine eyes the gates of this city, which have
> been fashioned by the right hand of might and power, thou
> wouldst behold that which none before thee hath ever beheld,
> and wouldst witness that which no other soul hath ever
> witnessed. Thou wouldst apprehend the most obscure signs
> and the most abstruse allusions, and wouldst clearly behold
> the mysteries of the beginning in the point of the end. All
> matters would be made easy unto thee, fire would be turned
> into light, knowledge and blessings, and thou wouldst abide in
> safety within the court of holiness.
> 1.19   Bereft, however, of the essence of the mysteries of His wisdom,
> which We have imparted unto thee beneath the veils of these
> blessed and soul-stirring words, thou wouldst fail to attain
> unto even a sprinkling of the oceans of divine knowledge or the
> crystal streams of divine power, and wouldst be recorded in
> the Mother Book, through the Pen of oneness and by the Finger
> of God, amongst the ignorant. Nor wouldst thou be able to
> grasp a single word of the Book or a single ut-
> 20                    The Pen of Glory
> terance of the Kindred of God 12 concerning the mysteries of the
> beginning and the end.
> 1.20   O thou whom We have outwardly never met, yet whom We
> inwardly cherish in Our heart! Be fair in thy judgment and
> present thyself before Him Who seeth and knoweth thee, even
> if thou seest and knowest Him not: Can any soul be found to
> elucidate these words with such convincing arguments, clear
> testimonies, and unmistakable allusions as to appease the
> heart of the seeker and relieve the soul of the listener? Nay, by
> the One in Whose hand is My soul! Unto none is given to quaff
> even a dewdrop thereof unless he entereth within this city, a
> city whose foundations rest upon mountains of crimsoncolored ruby, whose walls are hewn of the chrysolite of divine
> unity, whose gates are made of the diamonds of immortality,
> and whose earth sheddeth the fragrance of divine bounty.
> 1.21   Having imparted unto thee, beneath countless veils of
> concealment, certain hidden mysteries, We now return to Our
> elucidation of the Books of
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                21
> old, that perchance thy feet may not slip and thou mayest
> receive with complete certitude the portion which We shall
> bestow upon thee of the billowing oceans of life in the realm of
> the names and attributes of God.
> 1.22   It is recorded in all the Books of the Gospel that He Who is the
> Spirit* spoke in words of pure light unto His disciples, saying:
> “Know that heaven and earth may pass away, but my words
> shall never pass away.”13 As is clear and evident to thine
> eminence, these words outwardly mean that the Books of the
> Gospel will remain in the hands of people till the end of the
> world, that their laws shall not be abrogated, that their
> testimony shall not be abolished, and that all that hath been
> enjoined, prescribed, or ordained therein shall endure forever.
> 1.23   O My brother! Sanctify thy heart, illumine thy soul, and
> sharpen thy sight, that thou mayest perceive the sweet accents
> of the Birds of Heaven and the melodies of the Doves of
> Holiness war-
> 
> *
> Jesus.
> 22                    The Pen of Glory
> bling in the Kingdom of eternity, and perchance apprehend the
> inner meaning of these utterances and their hidden mysteries.
> For otherwise, wert thou to interpret these words according to
> their outward meaning, thou couldst never prove the truth of
> the Cause of Him Who came after Jesus, nor silence the
> opponents, nor prevail over the contending disbelievers. For
> the Christian divines use this verse to prove that the Gospel
> shall never be abrogated and that, even if all the signs recorded
> in their Books were fulfilled and the Promised One appeared,
> He would have no recourse but to rule the people according to
> the ordinances of the Gospel. They contend that if He were to
> manifest all the signs indicated in the Books, but decree aught
> besides that which Jesus had decreed, they would neither
> acknowledge nor follow Him, so clear and self-evident is this
> matter in their sight.
> 1.24   Thou canst indeed hear the learned and the foolish amongst
> the people voice the same objections in this day, saying: “The
> sun hath not risen from the West, nor hath the Crier cried out
> betwixt earth
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 23
> and heaven. Water hath not inundated certain lands; the
> Dajjal14 hath not appeared; Sufyaní15 hath not arisen; nor hath
> the Temple been witnessed in the sun.” I heard, with Mine own
> ears, one of their divines proclaim: “Should all these signs
> come to pass and the long-awaited Qa’im appear, and should
> He ordain, with respect to even our secondary laws, aught
> beyond that which hath been revealed in the Qur’an, we would
> assuredly charge Him with imposture, put Him to death, and
> refuse forever to acknowledge Him,” and other statements such
> as these deniers make. And all this, when the Day of
> Resurrection hath been ushered in, and the Trumpet hath been
> sounded, and all the denizens of earth and heaven have been
> gathered together, and the Balance hath been appointed, and
> the Bridge hath been laid, and the Verses have been sent down,
> and the Sun hath shone forth, and the stars have been blotted
> out, and the souls have been raised to life, and the breath of the
> Spirit hath blown, and the angels have been arrayed in ranks,
> and Paradise hath been brought
> 24                    The Pen of Glory
> nigh, and Hell made to blaze! These things have all come to
> pass, and yet to this day not a single one of these people hath
> recognized them! They all lie as dead within their own
> shrouds, save those who have believed and repaired unto God,
> who rejoice in this day in His celestial paradise, and who tread
> the path of His good-pleasure.
> 1.25   Veiled as they remain within their own selves, the generality of
> the people have failed to perceive the sweet accents of
> holiness, inhale the fragrance of mercy, or seek guidance, as
> bidden by God, from those who are the custodians of the
> Scriptures. He proclaimeth, and His word, verily, is the truth:
> “Ask ye, therefore, of them that have the custody of the
> Scriptures, if ye know it not.”16 Nay rather, they have turned
> aside from them and followed instead the Samirí17 of their own
> idle fancies. Thus have they strayed far from the mercy of their
> Lord and failed to attain unto His Beauty in the day of His
> presence. For no sooner had He come unto them with a sign
> and a testimony from God than the same people who had
> eagerly awaited
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                25
> the day of His Revelation, who had called upon Him in the
> daytime and in the night season, who had implored Him to
> gather them together in His presence and to grant that they
> may lay down their lives in His path, be led aright by His
> guidance and illumined by His light—this very people
> condemned and reviled Him, and inflicted upon Him such
> cruelties as transcend both My capacity to tell and thine ability
> to hear them. My very pen crieth out at this moment and the
> ink weepeth sore and groaneth. By God! Wert thou to hearken
> with thine inner ear, thou wouldst in truth hear the
> lamentations of the denizens of heaven; and wert thou to
> remove the veil from before thine eyes, thou wouldst behold
> the Maids of Heaven overcome and the holy souls
> overwhelmed, beating upon their faces and fallen upon the
> dust.
> 1.26   Alas, alas, for that which befell Him Who was the Manifestation
> of the Self of God, and for that which He and His loved ones
> were made to suffer! The people inflicted upon them what no
> soul hath ever inflicted upon another, and what no infidel
> 26                    The Pen of Glory
> hath wrought against a believer or suffered at his hand. Alas,
> alas! That immortal Being sat upon the darksome dust, the
> Holy Spirit lamented in the retreats of glory, the pillars of the
> Throne crumbled in the exalted dominion, the joy of the world
> was changed into sorrow in the crimson land, and the voice of
> the Nightingale was silenced in the golden realm. Woe betide
> them for what their hands have wrought and for what they
> have committed!
> 1.27   Hearken then unto that which the Bird of Heaven uttered, in
> the sweetest and most wondrous accents, and in the most
> perfect and exalted melodies, concerning them—an utterance
> that shall fill them with remorse from now unto “the day when
> mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds”: ‘Although
> they had before prayed for victory over those who believed
> not, yet when there came unto them He of Whom they had
> knowledge, they disbelieved in Him. The curse of God on the
> infidels!”18 Such indeed are their condition and attainments in
> their vain and empty life.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               27
> Erelong shall they be cast into the fire of affliction and find
> none to help or succor them.
> 1.28   Be not veiled by aught that hath been revealed in the Qur’an, or
> by what thou hast learned from the works of those Suns of
> immaculacy and Moons of majesty,19 regarding the perversion
> of the Texts by the fanatical or their alteration by their
> corruptors. By these statements only certain specific and
> clearly indicated passages are intended. In spite of My
> weakness and poverty, I would assuredly be able, should I so
> desire, to expound these passages unto thine eminence. But
> this would divert us from our purpose and lead us astray from
> the outstretched path. It would immerse us in limited
> allusions and distract us from that which is beloved in the
> court of the All-Praised.
> 1.29   O thou who art mentioned in this outspread roll and who,
> amidst the gloomy darkness that now prevaileth, hast been
> illumined by the splendors of the sacred Mount in the Sinai of
> divine Revelation! Cleanse thy heart from every blasphemous
> whispering and evil allusion thou hast heard
> 28                    The Pen of Glory
> in the past, that thou mayest inhale the sweet savors of eternity
> from the Joseph of faithfulness, gain admittance into the
> celestial Egypt, and perceive the fragrances of enlightenment
> from this resplendent and luminous Tablet, a Tablet wherein
> the Pen hath inscribed the ancient mysteries of the names of
> His Lord, the Exalted, the Most High. Perchance thou mayest
> be recorded in the holy Tablets among them that are well
> assured.
> 1.30   O thou who art standing before My Throne and yet remain
> unaware thereof! Know thou that whoso seeketh to scale the
> summits of the divine mysteries must needs strive to the
> utmost of his power and capacity for his Faith, that the
> pathway of guidance may be made clear unto him. And should
> he encounter One Who layeth claim to a Cause from God, and
> Who holdeth from His Lord a testimony beyond the power of
> men to produce, he must needs follow Him in all that He
> pleaseth to proclaim, command and ordain, even were He to
> decree the sea to be land, or to pronounce earth to be heaven,
> or that the former
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               29
> lieth above the latter or below it, or to ordain any change or
> transformation, for He, verily, is aware of the celestial
> mysteries, the unseen subtleties, and the ordinances of God.
> 1.31   Were the peoples of every nation to observe that which hath
> been mentioned, the matter would be made simple unto them,
> and such words and allusions would not withhold them from
> the Ocean of the names and attributes of God. And had the
> people known this truth, they would not have denied God’s
> favors, nor would they have risen against, contended with, and
> rejected His Prophets. Similar passages are also to be found in
> the Qur’an, should the matter be carefully examined.
> 1.32   Know, moreover, that it is through such words that God
> proveth His servants and sifteth them, separating the believer
> from the infidel, the detached from the worldly, the pious from
> the profligate, the doer of good from the worker of iniquity,
> and so forth. Thus hath the Dove of holiness proclaimed: “Do
> men think when they say ‘We believe’ they shall be let alone
> and not be put to proof?”20
> 30                   The Pen of Glory
> 1.33   It behooveth him who is a wayfarer in the path of God and a
> wanderer in His way to detach himself from all who are in the
> heavens and on the earth. He must renounce all save God, that
> perchance the portals of mercy may be unlocked before his
> face and the breezes of providence may waft over him. And
> when he hath inscribed upon his soul that which We have
> vouchsafed unto him of the quintessence of inner meaning and
> explanation, he will fathom all the secrets of these allusions,
> and God shall bestow upon his heart a divine tranquility and
> cause him to be of them that are at peace with themselves. In
> like manner wilt thou comprehend the meaning of all the
> ambiguous verses that have been sent down concerning the
> question thou didst ask of this Servant Who abideth upon the
> seat of abasement, Who walketh upon the earth as an exile
> with none to befriend, comfort, aid, or assist Him, Who hath
> placed His whole trust in God, and Who proclaimeth at all
> times: “Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”21
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               31
> 1.34   Know thou that the passages that We have called “ambiguous”
> appear as such only in the eyes of them that have failed to soar
> above the horizon of guidance and to reach the heights of
> knowledge in the retreats of grace. For otherwise, unto them
> that have recognized the Repositories of divine Revelation and
> beheld through His inspiration the mysteries of divine
> authority, all the verses of God are perspicuous and all His
> allusions are clear. Such men discern the inner mysteries that
> have been clothed in the garment of words as clearly as ye
> perceive the heat of the sun or the wetness of water, nay even
> more distinctly. Immeasurably exalted is God above our praise
> of His loved ones, and beyond their praise of Him!
> 1.35   Now that We have reached this most excellent theme and
> attained such lofty heights by virtue of that which hath flowed
> from this Pen through the incomparable favors of God, the
> Exalted, the Most High, it is Our wish to disclose unto thee
> certain stations in the wayfarer’s journey towards his Creator.
> Perchance all that thine eminence hath
> 32                    The Pen of Glory
> desired may be revealed unto thee, that the proof may be made
> complete and the blessing abundant.
> 1.36   Know thou of a truth that the seeker must, at the beginning of
> his quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In this journey it
> behooveth the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God
> and to close his eyes to all that is in the heavens and on the
> earth. There must not linger in his heart either the hate or the
> love of any soul, to the extent that they would hinder him from
> attaining the habitation of the celestial Beauty. He must
> sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain from
> boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other
> gifts as God may have bestowed upon him. He must search
> after the truth to the utmost of his ability and exertion, that
> God may guide him in the paths of His favor and the ways of
> His mercy. For He, verily, is the best of helpers unto His
> servants. He saith, and He verily speaketh the truth: “Whoso
> maketh efforts for Us, in Our ways shall We assuredly guide
> him.”22 And furthermore: “Fear God and God will give you
> knowledge.”23
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               33
> 1.37   In this journey the seeker becometh witness to a myriad
> changes and transformations, confluences and divergences. He
> beholdeth the wonders of Divinity in the mysteries of creation
> and discovereth the paths of guidance and the ways of His
> Lord. Such is the station reached by them that search after
> God, and such are the heights attained by those who hasten
> unto Him.
> 1.38   When once the seeker hath ascended unto this station, he will
> enter the City of Love and Rapture, whereupon the winds of
> love will blow and the breezes of the spirit will waft. In this
> station the seeker is so overcome by the ecstasies of yearning
> and the fragrances of longing that he discerneth not his left
> from his right, nor doth he distinguish land from sea or desert
> from mountain. At every moment he burneth with the fire of
> longing and is consumed by the onslaught of separation in this
> world. He speedeth through the Paran of love and traverseth
> the Horeb of rapture. Now he laugheth, now he weepeth sore;
> now he reposeth in peace, now he trembleth in fear. Nothing
> can alarm
> 34                    The Pen of Glory
> him, naught can thwart his purpose, and no law can restrain
> him. He standeth ready to obey whatsoever His Lord should
> please to decree as to his beginning and his end. With every
> breath he layeth down his life and offereth up his soul. He
> bareth his breast to meet the darts of the enemy and raiseth his
> head to greet the sword of destiny; nay rather, he kisseth the
> hand of his would-be murderer and surrendereth his all. He
> yieldeth up spirit, soul, and body in the path of his Lord, and
> yet he doeth so by the leave of his Beloved and not of his own
> whim and desire. Thou findest him chill in the fire and dry in
> the sea, abiding in every land and treading every path.
> Whosoever toucheth him in this state will perceive the heat of
> his love. He walketh the heights of detachment and traverseth
> the vale of renunciation. His eyes are ever expectant to witness
> the wonders of God’s mercy and eager to behold the splendors
> of His beauty. Blessed indeed are they that have attained unto
> such a station, for this is the station of the ardent lovers and
> the enraptured souls.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               35
> 1.39   And when this stage of the journey is completed and the
> wayfarer hath soared beyond this lofty station, he entereth the
> City of Divine Unity, and the garden of oneness, and the court
> of detachment. In this plane the seeker casteth away all signs,
> allusions, veils, and words, and beholdeth all things with an
> eye illumined by the effulgent lights which God Himself hath
> shed upon him. In his journey he seeth all differences return to
> a single word and all allusions culminate in a single point.
> Unto this beareth witness he who sailed upon the ark of fire
> and followed the inmost path to the pinnacle of glory in the
> realm of immortality: “Knowledge is one point, which the
> foolish have multiplied.”24 This is the station that hath been
> alluded to in the tradition: “I am He, Himself, and He is I,
> Myself, except that I am that I am, and He is that He is.”25
> 1.40 In this station, were He Who is the Embodiment of the End to
> say: “Verily, I am the Point of the Beginning,” He would indeed
> be speaking the truth. And were He to say: “I am other than
> Him,”
> 36                    The Pen of Glory
> this would be equally true. Likewise, were He to proclaim:
> “Verily, I am the Lord of heaven and earth,” or “the King of
> kings,” or “the Lord of the realm above,” or Muhammad, or ‘Alí,
> or their descendants, or aught else, He would indeed be
> proclaiming the truth of God. He, verily, ruleth over all created
> things and standeth supreme above all besides Him. Hast thou
> not heard what hath been said aforetime: “Muhammad is our
> first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all”?                 And
> elsewhere: “They all proceed from the same Light”?
> 1.41   In this station the truth of the unity of God and of the signs of
> His sanctity is established. Thou shalt indeed see them all
> rising above the bosom of God’s might and embraced in the
> arms of His mercy; nor can any distinction be made between
> His bosom and His arms.               To speak of change or
> transformation in this plane would be sheer blasphemy and
> utter impiety, for this is the station wherein the light of divine
> unity shineth forth, and the truth of His oneness is expressed,
> and the splendors of the everlasting Morn are reflected in lofty
> and faithful mirrors. By God! Were I to re-
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               37
> veal the full measure of that which He hath ordained for this
> station, the souls of men would depart from their bodies, the
> inner realities of all things would be shaken in their
> foundations, they that dwell within the realms of creation
> would be dumbfounded, and those who move in the lands of
> allusion would fade into utter nothingness.
> 1.42   Hast thou not heard: “No change is there in God’s creation”?26
> Hast thou not read: “No change canst thou find in God’s mode
> of dealing”?27 Hast thou not borne witness to the truth: “No
> difference wilt thou see in the creation of the God of Mercy”?28
> Yea, by My Lord! They that dwell within this Ocean, they that
> ride upon this Ark, witness no change in the creation of God
> and behold no differences upon His earth. And if God’s
> creation be not prone to change and alteration, how then could
> they who are the Manifestations of His own Being be subject to
> it? Immeasurably exalted is God above all that we may
> conceive of the Revealers of His Cause, and immensely
> glorified is He beyond all that they may mention in His regard!
> 38                    The Pen of Glory
> 1.43   Great God! This sea had laid up lustrous pearls in store;
> The wind hath raised a wave that casteth them ashore.
> So put away thy robe and drown thyself therein,
> And cease to boast of skill: it serveth thee no more!
> 1.44 If thou be of the inmates of this city within the ocean of divine
> unity, thou wilt view all the Prophets and Messengers of God as
> one soul and one body, as one light and one spirit, in such wise
> that the first among them would be last and the last would be
> first. For they have all arisen to proclaim His Cause and have
> established the laws of divine wisdom. They are, one and all,
> the Manifestations of His Self, the Repositories of His might,
> the Treasuries of His Revelation, the Dawning-Places of His
> splendor, and the Daysprings of His light. Through them are
> manifested the signs of sanctity in the realities of all things and
> the tokens of oneness in the essences of all
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               39
> beings.     Through them are revealed the elements of
> glorification in the heavenly realities and the exponents of
> praise in the eternal essences. From them hath all creation
> proceeded and unto them shall return all that hath been
> mentioned. And since in their inmost Beings they are the same
> Luminaries and the self-same Mysteries, thou shouldst view
> their outward conditions in the same light, that thou mayest
> recognize them all as one Being, nay, find them united in their
> words, speech, and utterance.
> 1.45   Wert thou to consider in this station the last of them to be the
> first, or conversely, thou wouldst indeed be speaking the truth,
> as hath been ordained by Him Who is the Wellspring of
> Divinity and the Source of Lordship: “Say: Call upon God or
> call upon the All-Merciful: by whichsoever name ye will,
> invoke him, for He hath most excellent names.”29 For they are
> all the Manifestations of the name of God, the Dawning-Places
> of His attributes, the Repositories of His might, and the Focal
> Points of His
> 40                    The Pen of Glory
> sovereignty, whilst God—magnified be His might and glory—is
> in His Essence sanctified above all names and exalted beyond
> even the loftiest attributes. Consider likewise the evidences of
> divine omnipotence both in their Souls and in their human
> Temples, that thine heart may be assured and that thou mayest
> be of them that speed through the realms of His nearness.
> 1.46 I shall restate here My theme, that perchance this may assist
> thee in recognizing thy Creator. Know thou that God—exalted
> and glorified be He—doth in no wise manifest His inmost
> Essence and Reality. From time immemorial He hath been
> veiled in the eternity of His Essence and concealed in the
> infinitude of His own Being. And when He purposed to
> manifest His beauty in the kingdom of names and to reveal His
> glory in the realm of attributes, He brought forth His Prophets
> from the invisible plane to the visible, that His name “the
> Manifest” might be distinguished from “the Hidden” and His
> name “the Last” might be discerned from “the
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                  41
> First,” and that there may be fulfilled the words: “He is the
> First and the Last; the Seen and the Hidden; and He knoweth
> all things!”30 Thus hath He revealed these most excellent
> names and most exalted words in the Manifestations of His Self
> and the Mirrors of His Being.
> 1.47   It is therefore established that all names and attributes return
> unto these sublime and sanctified Luminaries. Indeed, all
> names are to be found in their names, and all attributes can be
> seen in their attributes. Viewed in this light, if thou wert to call
> them by all the names of God, this would be true, as all these
> names are one and the same as their own Being. Comprehend
> then the intent of these words, and guard it within the
> tabernacle of thy heart, that thou mayest recognize the
> implications of thine inquiry, fulfill them according to that
> which God hath ordained for thee, and thus be numbered with
> those who have attained unto His purpose.
> 1.48 All that thou hast heard regarding Muhammad the son of
> Hasan31—may the souls of all that
> 42                    The Pen of Glory
> are immersed in the oceans of the spirit be offered up for His
> sake—is true beyond the shadow of a doubt, and we all verily
> bear allegiance unto Him. But the imams of the Faith have
> fixed His abode in the city of Jabulqa,32 which they have
> depicted in strange and marvelous signs. To interpret this city
> according to the literal meaning of the tradition would indeed
> prove impossible, nor can such a city ever be found. Wert thou
> to search the uttermost corners of the earth, nay probe its
> length and breadth for as long as God’s eternity hath lasted and
> His sovereignty will endure, thou wouldst never find a city
> such as they have described, for the entirety of the earth could
> neither contain nor encompass it. If thou wouldst lead Me unto
> this city, I could assuredly lead thee unto this holy Being,
> Whom the people have conceived according to what they
> possess and not to that which pertaineth unto Him! Since this
> is not in thy power, thou hast no recourse but to interpret
> symbolically the accounts and traditions that have been
> reported from these luminous souls. And, as such an inter-
> Gems of Divine Mysteries              43
> pretation is needed for the traditions pertaining to the
> aforementioned city, so too is it required for this holy Being.
> When thou hast understood this interpretation, thou shalt no
> longer stand in need of “transformation” or aught else.
> 1.49 Know then that, inasmuch as all the Prophets are but one and
> the same soul, spirit, name, and attribute, thou must likewise
> see them all as bearing the name Muhammad and as being the
> son of Hasan, as having appeared from the Jabulqa of God’s
> power and from the Jabulsa of His mercy. For by Jabulqa is
> meant none other than the treasure-houses of eternity in the
> all-highest heaven and the cities of the unseen in the supernal
> realm. We bear witness that Muhammad, the son of Hasan,
> was indeed in Jabulqa and appeared therefrom. Likewise, He
> Whom God shall make manifest abideth in that city until such
> time as God will have established Him upon the seat of His
> sovereignty. We, verily, acknowledge this truth and bear
> allegiance unto each and every one of them. We have chosen
> here to be brief in our
> 44                    The Pen of Glory
> elucidation of the meanings of Jabulqa, but if thou be of them
> that truly believe, thou shalt indeed comprehend all the true
> meanings of the mysteries enshrined within these Tablets.
> 1.50   But as to Him Who appeared in the year sixty, He standeth in
> need of neither transformation nor interpretation, for His
> name was Muhammad, and He was a descendent of the Imams
> of the Faith. Thus it can be truly said of Him that He was the
> son of Hasan, as is undoubtedly clear and evident unto thine
> eminence. Nay, He it is Who fashioned that name and created
> it for Himself, were ye to observe with the eye of God.
> 1.51   It is Our wish at this juncture to digress from Our theme to
> recount that which befell the Point of the Qur’an,* and to extol
> His remembrance, that perchance thou mayest gain into all
> things an insight born of Him Who is the Almighty, the
> Incomparable.
> 1.52   Consider and reflect upon His days, when God raised Him up to
> promote His Cause and to stand
> 
> *
> Muhammad.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               45
> as the representative of His own Self. Witness how He was
> assailed, denied, and denounced by all; how, when He set foot
> in the streets and marketplaces, the people derided Him,
> wagged their heads at Him, and laughed Him to scorn; how at
> every moment they sought to slay Him. Such were their doings
> that the earth in all its vastness was straitened for Him, the
> Concourse on High bewailed His plight, the foundations of
> existence were reduced to nothingness, and the eyes of the
> well-favored denizens of His Kingdom wept sore over Him.
> Indeed, so grievous were the afflictions which the infidels and
> the wicked showered upon Him that no faithful soul can bear
> to hear them.
> 1.53   If these wayward souls had indeed paused to reflect upon their
> conduct, recognized the sweet melodies of that Mystic Dove
> singing upon the twigs of this snow-white Tree, embraced that
> which God had revealed unto and bestowed upon them, and
> discovered the fruits of the Tree of God upon its branches,
> wherefore then did they reject and denounce Him? Had they
> not lifted
> 46                   The Pen of Glory
> their heads to the heavens to implore His appearance? Had
> they not besought God at every moment to honor them with
> His Beauty and sustain them through His presence?
> 1.54   But as they failed to recognize the accents of God and the
> divine mysteries and holy allusions enshrined in that which
> flowed from the tongue of Muhammad, and as they neglected
> to examine the matter in their own hearts, and followed
> instead those priests of error who have hindered the progress
> of the people in past dispensations and who will continue to do
> so in future cycles, they were thus veiled from the divine
> purpose, failed to quaff from the celestial streams, and
> deprived themselves of the presence of God, the Manifestation
> of His Essence, and the Dayspring of His eternity. Thus did
> they wander in the paths of delusion and the ways of
> heedlessness, and return to their abode in that fire which
> feedeth on their own souls. These, verily, are numbered with
> the infidels whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of
> God in His holy Book. Nor have they ever found, or will ever
> find, a friend or helper.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 47
> 1.55   Had these souls but clung steadfastly to the Handle of God
> manifested in the Person of Muhammad, had they turned
> wholly unto God and cast aside all that they had learned from
> their divines, He would assuredly have guided them through
> His grace and acquainted them with the sacred truths that are
> enshrined within His imperishable utterances. For far be it
> from His greatness and His glory that He should turn away a
> seeker at His door, cast aside from His Threshold one who hath
> set his hopes on Him, reject one who hath sought the shelter of
> His shade, deprive one who hath held fast to the hem of His
> mercy, or condemn to remoteness the poor one who hath
> found the river of His riches.. But as these people failed to turn
> wholly unto God, and to hold fast to the hem of His allpervading mercy at the appearance of the Daystar of Truth,
> they passed out from under the shadow of guidance and
> entered the city of error. Thus did they become corrupt and
> corrupt the people. Thus did they err and lead the people into
> error. And thus were they recorded among the oppressors in
> the books of heaven.
> 48                    The Pen of Glory
> 1.56   Now that this evanescent One hath reached this exalted point
> in the exposition of the inner mysteries, the reason for the
> denial of these uncouth souls will be described briefly, that it
> may serve as a testimony unto them that are endued with
> understanding and insight, and be a token of My favor unto the
> concourse of the faithful.
> 1.57   Know then that when Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’an and
> the Light of the All-Glorious, came with perspicuous verses and
> luminous proofs manifested in such signs as are beyond the
> power of all existence to produce, He bade all men follow this
> lofty and outstretched Path in accordance with the precepts
> that He had brought from God. Whoso acknowledged Him,
> recognized the signs of God in His inmost Being, and saw in His
> beauty the changeless beauty of God, the decree of
> “resurrection,” “ingathering,” “life,” and “paradise” was passed
> upon him. For he who had believed in God and in the
> Manifestation of His beauty was raised from the grave of
> heedlessness, gathered together in the sacred
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 49
> ground of the heart, quickened to the life of faith and certitude,
> and admitted into the paradise of the divine presence. What
> paradise can be loftier than this, what ingathering mightier,
> and what resurrection greater? Indeed, should a soul be
> acquainted with these mysteries, he would grasp that which
> none other hath fathomed.
> 1.58   Know then that the paradise that appeareth in the day of God
> surpasseth every other paradise and excelleth the realities of
> Heaven. For when God—blessed and glorified is He—sealed
> the station of prophethood in the person of Him Who was His
> Friend, His Chosen One, and His Treasure amongst His
> creatures, as hath been revealed from the Kingdom of glory:
> “but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets,”33
> He promised all men that they shall attain unto His own
> presence in the Day of Resurrection. In this He meant to
> emphasize the greatness of the Revelation to come, as it hath
> indeed been manifested through the power of truth. And there
> is of a certainty no paradise greater than
> 50                    The Pen of Glory
> this, nor station higher, should ye reflect upon the verses of the
> Qur’an. Blessed be he who knoweth of a certainty that he shall
> attain unto the presence of God on that day when His Beauty
> shall be made manifest.
> 1.59   Were I to recount all the verses that have been revealed in
> connection with this exalted theme, it would weary the reader
> and divert Us from Our purpose. The following verse shall
> therefore suffice Us; may thine eyes be solaced therewith, and
> mayest thou attain unto that which hath been treasured and
> concealed therein: “It is God who hath reared the heavens
> without pillars thou canst behold; then mounted His throne,
> and imposed laws on the sun and moon: each traveleth to its
> appointed goal. He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs
> clear, that ye may have firm faith in the presence of your
> Lord.”34
> 1.60 Ponder then, O My friend, the words “firm faith” that have been
> mentioned in this verse. It saith that the heavens and the
> earth, the throne, the sun and the moon, all have been created
> to
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 51
> the end that His servants may have unswerving faith in His
> presence in His days.         By the righteousness of God!
> Contemplate, O My brother, the greatness of this station, and
> behold the condition of the people in these days, fleeing from
> the Countenance of God and His Beauty “as though they were
> affrighted asses.”35 Wert thou to reflect upon that which We
> have revealed unto thee, thou wouldst undoubtedly grasp Our
> purpose in this utterance and discover that which We have
> desired to impart unto thee within this paradise. Perchance
> thine eyes may rejoice in beholding it, thine ears take delight in
> hearing that which is recited therein, thy soul be enthralled by
> recognizing it, thy heart illumined by comprehending it, and
> thy spirit gladdened by the fragrant breezes that waft
> therefrom. Haply thou mayest attain unto the pinnacle of
> divine grace and abide within the Ridvan of transcendent
> holiness.
> 1.61   He, however, who denied God in His Truth, who turned his
> back upon Him and rebelled, who disbelieved and made
> mischief, the verdict
> 52                   The Pen of Glory
> of “impiety,” “blasphemy,” “death,” and “fire” was passed upon
> him. For, what blasphemy is greater than to turn unto the
> manifestations of Satan, to follow the doctors of oblivion and
> the people of rebellion? What impiety is more grievous than to
> deny the Lord on the day when faith itself is renewed and
> regenerated by God, the Almighty, the Beneficent? What death
> is more wretched than to flee from the Source of everlasting
> life? What fire is fiercer on the Day of Reckoning than that of
> remoteness from the divine Beauty and the celestial Glory?
> 1.62   These were the very words and utterances used by the pagan
> Arabs living in the days of Muhammad to dispute with and
> pronounce judgment against Him. They said: “Those who
> believed in Muhammad dwelt in our midst and associated with
> us day and night. When did they die and when were they
> raised again to life?” Hearken unto that which was revealed in
> reply: “If ever thou dost marvel, marvelous surely is their
> saying, ‘What! When we have become dust and molder-
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                  53
> ing bones, shall we be restored in a new creation?’”36      And in
> another passage: “And if thou shouldst say, ‘After death ye shall
> surely be raised again,’ the infidels will certainly exclaim, ‘This
> is naught but palpable sorcery.’”37 Thus did they mock and
> deride Him, for they had read in their Books and heard from
> their divines the terms “life” and “death,” and understood them
> as this elemental life and physical death, and hence when they
> found not that which their vain imaginings and their false and
> wicked minds had conceived, they hoisted the banners of
> discord and the standards of sedition and kindled the flame of
> war. God, however, quenched it through the power of His
> might, as thou seest again in this day with these infidels and
> evil-doers.
> 1.63   At this hour, when the sweet savors of attraction have wafted
> over Me from the everlasting city, when transports of yearning
> have seized Me from the land of splendors at the dawning of
> the Daystar of the worlds above the horizon of ‘Iraq, and the
> sweet melodies of Hijaz have brought to
> 54                    The Pen of Glory
> Mine ears the mysteries of separation, I have purposed to
> relate unto thine eminence a portion of that which the Mystic
> Dove hath warbled in the midmost heart of Paradise as to the
> true meaning of life and death, though the task be impossible.
> For were I to interpret these words for thee as it hath been
> inscribed in the Guarded Tablets, all the books and pages of the
> world could not contain it, nor could the souls of men bear its
> weight. I shall nonetheless mention that which beseemeth this
> day and age, that it might serve as a guidance unto whosoever
> desireth to gain admittance into the retreats of glory in the
> realms above, to hearken unto the melodies of the spirit
> intoned by this divine and mystic bird, and to be numbered
> with those who have severed themselves from all save God and
> who in this day rejoice in the presence of their Lord.
> 1.64 Know then that “life” hath a twofold meaning. The first
> pertaineth to the appearance of man in an elemental body, and
> is as manifest to thine eminence and to others as the midday
> sun. This
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                55
> life cometh to an end with physical death, which is a Godordained and inescapable reality. That life, however, which is
> mentioned in the Books of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones
> of God is the life of knowledge; that is to say, the servant’s
> recognition of the sign of the splendors wherewith He Who is
> the Source of all splendor hath Himself invested him, and his
> certitude of attaining unto the presence of God through the
> Manifestations of His Cause. This is that blessed and
> everlasting life that perisheth not: whosoever is quickened
> thereby shall never die, but will endure as long as His Lord and
> Creator will endure.
> 1.65   The first life, which pertaineth to the elemental body, will come
> to an end, as hath been revealed by God: “Every soul shall
> taste of death.”38 But the second life, which ariseth from the
> knowledge of God, knoweth no death, as hath been revealed
> aforetime: “Him will We surely quicken to a blessed life.”39
> And in another passage concerning the martyrs: “Nay, they are
> alive and sustained by their Lord.”40 And from the
> 56                    The Pen of Glory
> Traditions: “He who is a true believer liveth both in this world
> and in the world to come.”41 Numerous examples of similar
> words are to be found in the Books of God and of the
> Embodiments of His justice. For the sake of brevity, however,
> We have contented Ourself with the above passages.
> 1.66 O My brother! Forsake thine own desires, turn thy face unto
> thy Lord, and walk not in the footsteps of those who have
> taken their corrupt inclinations for their god, that perchance
> thou mayest find shelter in the heart of existence, beneath the
> redeeming shadow of Him Who traineth all names and
> attributes. For they who turn away from their Lord in this day
> are in truth accounted amongst the dead, though to outward
> seeming they may walk upon the earth, amongst the deaf,
> though they may hear, and amongst the blind, though they may
> see, as hath been clearly stated by Him Who is the Lord of the
> Day of Reckoning: “Hearts have they with which they
> understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not.
> …”42 They walk the edge of a treacherous bank
> Gems of Divine Mysteries             57
> and tread the brink of a fiery abyss.43They partake not of the
> billows of this surging and treasure-laden Ocean, but disport
> themselves with their own idle words.
> 1.67   In this connection We will relate unto thee that which was
> revealed of old concerning “life,” that perchance it may turn
> thee away from the promptings of self, deliver thee from the
> narrow confines of thy prison in this gloomy plane, and aid
> thee to become of them that are guided aright in the darkness
> of this world.
> 1.68 He saith, and He, verily, speaketh the truth: “Shall the dead
> whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained a
> light whereby he may walk amongst men, be like him whose
> likeness is in the darkness, whence he will not come forth?”44
> This verse was revealed with respect to Hamzih and Abu-Jahl,
> the former of whom was a believer whilst the latter
> disbelieved. Most of the pagan leaders mocked and derided it,
> were agitated, and clamored: “How did Hamzih die? And how
> was he restored to his former life?” Were ye
> 58                  The Pen of Glory
> to examine carefully the verses of God, ye would find many
> such statements recorded in the Book.
> 1.69 Would that pure and stainless hearts could be found, that I
> might impart unto them a sprinkling from the oceans of
> knowledge which My Lord hath bestowed upon Me, so that
> they may soar in the heavens even as they walk upon the earth
> and speed over the waters even as they course the land, and
> that they may take up their souls in their hands and lay them
> down in the path of their Creator. Howbeit, leave hath not
> been granted to divulge this mighty secret. Indeed, it hath
> been from everlasting a mystery enshrined within the
> treasuries of His power and a secret concealed within the
> repositories of His might, lest His faithful servants forsake
> their own lives in the hope of attaining this most great station
> in the realms of eternity. Nor shall they who wander in this
> oppressive darkness ever attain unto it.
> 1.70   O My brother! At every juncture We have restated Our theme,
> that all that hath been recorded in these verses may, by the
> leave of God, be made clear unto thee, and that thou mayest
> become
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 59
> independent of those who are plunged in the darkness of self
> and who tread the valley of arrogance and pride, and be of
> them that move within the paradise of everlasting life.
> 1.71   Say: O people! The Tree of Life hath verily been planted in the
> heart of the heavenly paradise and bestoweth life in every
> direction. How can ye fail to perceive and recognize it? It will
> in truth aid thee to grasp all that this well-assured Soul hath
> disclosed unto thee of the essence of the divine mysteries. The
> Dove of holiness warbleth in the heaven of immortality and
> admonisheth thee to array thyself with a new vesture, wrought
> of steel to shield thee from the shafts of doubt concealed in the
> allusions of men, saying: “Except a man be born of water and
> of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
> which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
> Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be
> born again.”45
> 1.72   Wing then thy flight unto this divine Tree and partake of its
> fruits. Gather up that which hath fallen therefrom and guard it
> faithfully. Medi-
> 60                   The Pen of Glory
> tate then upon the utterance of one of the Prophets as He
> intimated to the souls of men, through veiled allusions and
> hidden symbols, the glad-tidings of the One Who was to come
> after Him, that thou mayest know of a certainty that their
> words are inscrutable to all save those who are endued with an
> understanding heart. He saith: “His eyes were as a flame of
> fire,” and “brass-like were His feet,” and “out of His mouth
> goeth a two-edged sword.”46 How could these words be
> literally interpreted? Were anyone to appear with all these
> signs, he would assuredly not be human. And how could any
> soul seek his company? Nay, should he appear in one city, even
> the inhabitants of the next would flee from him, nor would any
> soul dare approach him! Yet, shouldst thou reflect upon these
> statements, thou wouldst find them to be of such surpassing
> eloquence and clarity as to mark the loftiest heights of
> utterance and the epitome of wisdom. Methinks it is from
> them that the suns of eloquence have appeared and the stars of
> clarity have dawned forth and shone resplendent.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               61
> 1.73   Behold, then, the foolish ones of bygone times and those who,
> in this day, await the advent of such a being! Nor would they
> ever bear allegiance unto him except that he appear in the
> aforementioned form. And as such a being will never appear,
> so too will they never believe. Such indeed is the measure of
> the understanding of these perverse and ungodly souls! How
> could those who fail to understand the most evident of the
> evident and the most manifest of the manifest ever apprehend
> the abstruse realities of the divine precepts and the essence of
> the mysteries of His everlasting wisdom?
> 1.74   I shall now briefly explain the true meaning of this utterance,
> that thou mayest discover its hidden mysteries and be of them
> that perceive. Examine then and judge aright that which We
> shall reveal unto thee, that haply thou mayest be accounted in
> the sight of God amongst those who are fair-minded in these
> matters.
> 1.75   Know then that He who uttered these words in the realms of
> glory meant to describe the attributes of the One Who is to
> come in such veiled
> 62                    The Pen of Glory
> and enigmatic terms as to elude the understanding of the
> people of error. Now, when He saith: “His eyes were as a flame
> of fire,” He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness
> of vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away
> every veil and covering, maketh known the eternal mysteries in
> the contingent world, and distinguisheth the faces that are
> obscured with the dust of hell from those that shine with the
> light of paradise.47 Were His eyes not made of the blazing fire
> of God, how could He consume every veil and burn away all
> that the people possess? How could He behold the signs of God
> in the Kingdom of His names and in the world of creation?
> How could He see all things with the all-perceiving eye of God?
> Thus have we conferred upon Him a penetrating vision in this
> day. Would that ye believe in the verses of God! For, indeed,
> what fire is fiercer than this flame that shineth in the Sinai of
> His eyes, whereby He consumeth all that hath veiled the
> peoples of the world? Immeasurably exalted shall God remain
> above all that hath been revealed in His unerring
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               63
> Tablets concerning the mysteries of the beginning and the end
> until that day when the Crier will cry out, the day whereon we
> shall all return unto Him.
> 1.76   As to the words “brass-like were His feet,” by this is meant His
> constancy upon hearing the call of God that commandeth Him:
> “Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden.”48 He shall so
> persevere in the Cause of God, and evince such firmness in the
> path of His might, that even if all the powers of earth and
> heaven were to deny Him, He would not waver in the
> proclamation of His Cause, nor flee from His command in the
> promulgation of His Laws. Nay rather, He will stand as firm as
> the highest mountains and the loftiest peaks. He will remain
> immovable in His obedience to God and steadfast in revealing
> His Cause and proclaiming His Word. No obstacle will hinder
> Him, nor will the censure of the froward deter Him or the
> repudiation of the infidels cause Him to waver. All the hatred,
> the rejection, the iniquity, and the unbelief that He witnesseth
> serve but to strengthen His love for God, to augment the
> yearning of His heart, to
> 64                    The Pen of Glory
> heighten the exultation of His soul, and to fill His breast with
> passionate devotion. Hast thou ever seen in this world brass
> stronger, or blade sharper, or mountain more unyielding than
> this? He shall verily stand upon His feet to confront all the
> inhabitants of the earth, and will fear no one, notwithstanding
> that which, as thou well knowest, the people are wont to
> commit. Glory be to God, Who hath established Him and called
> Him forth! Potent is God to do what He pleaseth. He, in truth,
> is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
> 1.77   And further He saith: “Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged
> sword.” Know thou that since the sword is an instrument that
> divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since there proceedeth
> from the mouth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God
> that which separateth the believer from the infidel and the
> lover from the beloved, this term hath been so employed, and
> apart from this dividing and separating no other meaning is
> intended. Thus, when He Who is the Primal Point*
> 
> *
> The Bab.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                65
> and the eternal Sun desireth, by the leave of God, to gather
> together all creation, to raise them up from the graves of their
> own selves, and to divide them one from another, He shall
> pronounce but one verse from Him, and this verse will
> distinguish truth from error from this day unto the Day of
> Resurrection. What sword is sharper than this heavenly sword,
> what blade more trenchant than this incorruptible steel that
> severeth every tie and separateth thereby the believer from the
> infidel, father from son, brother from sister, and lover from
> beloved?49 For whoso believeth in that which hath been
> revealed unto him is a true believer and whoso turneth away is
> an infidel, and such an irrevocable separation occurreth
> between them that they will cease to consort and associate
> with each other in this world. And so it is between father and
> son, for should the son believe and the father deny, they will be
> severed and forever dissociated from each other. Nay rather,
> thou witnesseth how the son slayeth the father and the father
> the son. Consider in the same light all that We have explained
> and related unto thee.
> 66                    The Pen of Glory
> 1.78   Wert thou to behold all things with the eye of discernment,
> thou wouldst indeed see that this divine sword doth cleave
> asunder generations. Would that ye could understand it! All
> this is by virtue of the word of separation that is manifested on
> the Day of Judgment and Separation, were the people to take
> heed in the days of their Lord. Nay, couldst thou but sharpen
> thy sight and refine thy heart, thou wouldst witness that all the
> material swords which in every day and age have slain the
> infidels and waged war against the impious proceed from this
> divine and invisible sword. Open then thine eyes, that thou
> mayest behold all that We have revealed to thee and attain
> unto that which none other hath attained. We verily exclaim:
> “Praise be to God, He Who is the Lord of the Day of
> Reckoning!”50
> 1.79   Yea, inasmuch as these people have failed to acquire true
> knowledge from its source and wellspring, and from the ocean
> of fresh and soft-flowing waters that stream, by the leave of
> God, through hearts that are pure and stainless, they have
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               67
> been veiled from that which God hath intended by those words
> and allusions and have remained confined within the prison of
> their own selves.
> 1.80 We render thanks unto God for that which He hath bestowed
> upon us of His grace. He it is Who hath caused us to be assured
> of the truth of His Faith—a Faith which the combined forces of
> earth and heaven are powerless to resist. He it is Who hath
> enabled us to acknowledge Him in the day of His presence, to
> testify unto Him Whom God shall make manifest in the latter
> Resurrection, and to be among them that have believed in Him
> ere His appearance, that His favor may be made complete unto
> us and unto all mankind.
> 1.81   But hear, O My brother, My plaint against them that claim to be
> associated with God and with the Manifestations of His
> knowledge, and yet follow their corrupt inclinations, consume
> the substance of their neighbor, are given to wine, commit
> murder, defraud and slander each other, hurl calumnies
> against God, and are wont to speak falsely. The people
> attribute all these deeds
> 68                    The Pen of Glory
> unto Us, whilst their perpetrators remain shameless before
> God. They cast aside that which He hath enjoined upon them
> and commit that which He hath forbidden. Yet it behooveth the
> people of truth that the signs of humility should shine upon
> their faces, that the light of sanctity should radiate from their
> countenances, that they should walk upon the earth as though
> they were in the presence of God and distinguish themselves in
> their deeds from all the dwellers of the earth. Such must be
> their state that their eyes should behold the evidences of His
> might, their tongues and hearts make mention of His name,
> their feet be set towards the lands of His nearness, and their
> hands take fast hold upon His precepts. And were they to pass
> through a valley of pure gold and mines of precious silver, they
> should regard them as wholly unworthy of their attention.
> 1.82   These people, however, have turned aside from all this and
> placed instead their affections upon that which accordeth with
> their own corrupt inclinations. Thus do they roam in the
> wilderness of arrogance and pride. I bear witness at this mo-
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                  69
> ment that God is wholly quit of them, and likewise are We. We
> beseech God to suffer Us not to associate with them either in
> this life or in the life to come. He, verily, is the Eternal Truth.
> No God is there but Him, and His might is equal to all things.
> 1.83   Quaff then, O My brother, from the living waters that We have
> caused to flow in the oceans of these words. Methinks the seas
> of grandeur are surging within them, and the gems of divine
> virtue are shining within and upon them. Divest then thyself
> of that which debarreth thee from this fathomless crimson sea,
> and to the cry of “In the name of God and by His grace!”
> immerse thyself therein. Let the fear of no one dismay thee.
> Trust in the Lord, thy God, for He is sufficient unto whosoever
> trusteth in Him. He, verily, shall protect thee, and in Him shalt
> thou abide in safety.
> 1.84 Know thou, moreover, that in this most hallowed and
> resplendent city thou shalt find the wayfarer to be lowly before
> all men and humble before all things. For naught doth he
> behold save that he perceiveth God therein. He beholdeth the
> 70                    The Pen of Glory
> effulgent glories of God in the lights of His Revelation that have
> encompassed the Sinai of creation. In this station the wayfarer
> must not claim the seat of honor in any gathering or walk
> before others in the desire to vaunt and exalt himself. Rather
> must he regard himself as standing at all times in the presence
> of his Lord. He must not wish for anyone that which he doth
> not wish for himself, nor speak that which he would not bear to
> hear spoken by another, nor yet desire for any soul that which
> he would not have desired for himself. It befitteth him, rather,
> to walk upon the earth with undeviating steps in the kingdom
> of His new creation.
> 1.85   Know, however, that the seeker, at the outset of his journey,
> witnesseth change and transformation, as hath already been
> mentioned. This is undoubtedly the truth, as hath been
> revealed concerning those days: “On the day when the earth
> shall be changed into another earth.”51 These are indeed days
> the like of which no mortal eye hath ever seen. Blessed is he
> that attaineth thereunto
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               71
> and realizeth their full worth. “We had sent Moses with Our
> signs, saying unto him: ‘Bring forth thy people from darkness
> into light and remind them of the days of God.’”52 And these
> are in truth the days of God, could ye but know it.
> 1.86 In this station, all changing and varying realities are manifest
> before thee. Whosoever denieth this truth hath verily turned
> aside from the Cause of God, rebelled against His rule, and
> gainsaid His sovereignty. For it is indeed within the power of
> Him Who changeth the earth into another earth to transform
> all that dwell and move thereon. Wherefore marvel not at how
> He turneth darkness into light, light into darkness, ignorance
> into knowledge, error into guidance, death into life, and life
> into death. It is in this station that the law of transformation
> taketh effect. Ponder thereon, if thou be of them that tread this
> path, that all thou didst ask of this lowly One may be made
> plain unto thee and that thou mayest abide within the
> tabernacle of this guidance. For He doeth whatsoever He
> willeth and ordaineth whatsoever
> 72                    The Pen of Glory
> He pleaseth. Nor shall He be asked of His doings, whilst all
> men will be asked of their every deed.53
> 1.87   O My brother! In this stage, which marketh the beginning of
> the journey, thou shalt behold divers stations and differing
> signs, even as was mentioned in connection with the City of
> Search. All these hold true in their respective planes. It
> behooveth thine eminence in this station to consider each
> created thing in its own place, neither abasing nor exalting its
> true rank. For instance, if thou wert to reduce the unseen
> world to the realm of creation, this would be an act of sheer
> blasphemy, and the converse would likewise be the essence of
> impiety. Wert thou, however, to describe the unseen world
> and the realm of creation within their own stations, this would
> be the undoubted truth. In other words, wert thou to witness
> any transformation in the realm of the divine unity, no greater
> sin could be conceived in all creation, but wert thou to
> consider transformation in its own place and understand it
> accordingly, no harm could befall thee.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                73
> 1.88 By My Lord! Notwithstanding all that We have revealed unto
> thee of the mysteries of utterance and the degrees of
> exposition, methinks I have spoken not a single letter of the
> ocean of God’s hidden knowledge and the essence of His
> inscrutable wisdom. God willing, this We shall erelong
> accomplish in its appointed time. He verily, remembereth all
> things in their own place, and we, in truth, all yield praise unto
> Him.
> 1.89 Know thou, moreover, that the bird that taketh flight in the
> atmosphere of the realm on high will never be able to soar
> unto the heaven of transcendent holiness, nor taste of the
> fruits which God hath brought forth therein, nor quaff from the
> streams which He hath caused to flow in its midst. And were it
> to partake but a drop thereof, it would perish forthwith. Even
> as thou dost witness in these days with regard to those who
> profess allegiance unto Us, and yet perform such deeds, utter
> such words, and advance such claims as they have. Methinks
> they lie as dead within their own veils.
> 74                    The Pen of Glory
> 1.90 Comprehend, in like manner, every station, sign, and allusion,
> that thou mayest perceive all things in their own place and
> consider all matters in their proper light. For in this station,
> the City of Divine Unity, are to be found those who have
> entered within the ark of divine guidance and journeyed
> through the heights of divine unity. Thou shalt behold the
> lights of beauty upon their faces and the mysteries of glory in
> their human temples. Thou shalt perceive the musk-laden
> fragrance of their words and behold the signs of His
> sovereignty in all their ways and doings. Nor wilt thou be
> veiled by the deeds of them that have failed to quaff from the
> crystal springs or to attain unto the cities of holiness, and who
> follow their selfish desires and spread disorder in the land, all
> the while believing themselves to be guided aright. It is indeed
> of them that it hath been said: “These are the abject and
> foolish, who follow every clamorous impostor and who bend
> with every changing wind.”54 The stages of this journey,
> station, and
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                75
> abode are clear and manifest to thee and require no further
> explanation.
> 1.91   Know then that all thou hast heard and witnessed that Daystar
> of Truth, the Primal Point, ascribe to Himself from the
> designations of former times is only on account of the
> weakness of men and the scheme of the world of creation.
> Otherwise, all names and attributes revolve round His Essence
> and circle about the threshold of His sanctuary. For He it is
> Who traineth all names, revealeth all attributes, conferreth life
> upon all beings, proclaimeth the divine verses, and arrayeth
> the heavenly signs. Nay, shouldst thou gaze with thine inner
> eye, thou wouldst find that all save Him fade into utter
> nothingness and are as a thing forgotten in His holy presence.
> “God was alone; there was none else besides Him. He
> remaineth now what He hath ever been.” Since it hath been
> established that God—hallowed and glorified be He!—was
> alone and there was none besides Him, how can the law of
> change and transformation ap-
> 76                    The Pen of Glory
> ply here? Shouldst thou reflect upon that which We have
> disclosed unto thee, the daystar of guidance would shine
> resplendent before thee in this everlasting morn, and thou
> wouldst be numbered therein with the pious.
> 1.92   Know, moreover, that all that We have mentioned concerning
> these journeys is intended for none but the elect amongst the
> righteous. And shouldst thou spur on the charger of the spirit
> and traverse the meads of heaven, thou wouldst complete all
> these journeys and discover every mystery in less than the
> twinkling of an eye.
> 1.93   O My brother! If thou be a champion of this arena, speed
> within the lands of certitude, that thy soul may be delivered in
> this day from the bondage of misbelief, and that thou mayest
> perceive the sweet savors that waft from this garden. Verily,
> the perfume-laden breezes that carry the fragrance of this city
> blow over all regions. Forfeit not thy portion thereof and be
> not of the heedless. How well hath it been said:
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                 77
> 1.94      His fragrant breaths diffused in Eastern lands could
> well
> To sick ones in the West restore their sense of
> smell!55
> 1.95   After this heavenly journey and mystical as cent the wayfarer
> will enter within the Garden of Wonderment. Were I to
> disclose unto thee the reality of this station, thou wouldst
> lament and bewail the plight of this Servant Who remaineth in
> the hands of these infidels, Who hath grown perplexed at His
> plight, and is lost in bewilderment in this fathomless ocean.
> They conspire each day to put Me to death, and seek at every
> hour to banish Me from this land, even as they banished Me
> from another land. Yet this Servant standeth ready before
> them, awaiting whatsoever the Almighty hath ordained and
> decreed for Us. Nor do I fear any soul, encompassed as We
> may be by such trials and tribulations as are inflicted by the
> wicked and the malicious and
> 78                    The Pen of Glory
> surrounded at this hour by a myriad woes and sorrows.
> “Noah’s flood is but the measure of the tears I have shed, and
> Abraham’s fire an ebullition of My soul. Jacob’s grief is but a
> reflection of My sorrows, and Job’s afflictions a fraction of My
> calamity.”56
> 1.96 Were I to recount unto thine eminence the dire adversities that
> have befallen Me, thou wouldst be so grieved as to forsake the
> mention of all things and to forget thyself and all that the Lord
> hath created on earth. But as this is not Our wish, I have
> concealed the revelation of the divine decree in the heart of
> Baha and veiled it from the eyes of all that move in the realm of
> creation, that it may lie hid within the tabernacle of the Unseen
> until such time as God will have revealed its secret. “Naught in
> the heavens or on the earth can escape His knowledge, and He,
> verily, perceiveth all things.”57
> 1.97   As We have digressed from Our theme, let Us leave aside these
> allusions and return to Our discussion of this city. Verily,
> whoso entereth therein
> Gems of Divine Mysteries              79
> shall be saved, and whoso turneth aside therefrom will
> assuredly perish.
> 1.98 O thou who art mentioned in these Tablets! Know thou that he
> who embarketh upon this journey will marvel at the signs of
> the power of God and the wondrous evidences of His
> handiwork. Bewilderment will seize him from every side, even
> as hath been attested by that Essence of immortality from the
> Concourse on high: “Increase My wonder and amazement at
> Thee, O God!”58 Well hath it been said:
> 1.99     I knew not what amazement was
> Until I made Thy love my cause.
> O how amazing would it be
> If I were not amazed by Thee!59
> 1.100 In this valley the wayfarers stray and perish ere they attain
> their final abode. Gracious God! So immense is this valley, so
> vast this city in the kingdom of creation, that it seemeth to
> have neither beginning nor end. How great the blessedness of
> 80                    The Pen of Glory
> him who completeth his journey therein and who traverseth,
> through the assistance of God, the hallowed soil of this
> heavenly city, a city in which the favored ones of God and the
> pure in heart are overcome with wonder and awe. And We say:
> “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”
> 1.101 And should the servant ascend to even loftier heights, quit this
> mortal world of dust, and seek to ascend unto the celestial
> abode, he will then pass from this city into the City of Absolute
> Nothingness, that is, of dying to self and living in God. In this
> station, this most exalted habitation, this journey of utter selfeffacement, the wayfarer forgetteth his soul, spirit, body, and
> very being, immerseth himself in the sea of nothingness, and
> liveth on earth as one unworthy of mention. Nor will one find
> any sign of his existence, for he hath vanished from the realm
> of the visible and attained unto the heights of self-abnegation.
> 1.102 Were We to recount the mysteries of this city, the dominions of
> the hearts of men would be laid to waste in the intensity of
> their longing for
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                81
> this mighty station. For this is the station wherein the
> effulgent glories of the Beloved are revealed to the sincere
> lover and the resplendent lights of the Friend are cast upon the
> severed heart that is devoted to Him.
> 1.103 How can a true lover continue to exist when once the effulgent
> glories of the Beloved are revealed? How can the shadow
> endure when once the sun hath shone forth? How can a
> devoted heart have any being before the existence of the
> Object of its devotion? Nay, by the One in Whose hand is my
> soul! In this station, the seeker’s complete surrender and utter
> effacement before his Creator will be such that, were he to
> search the East and the West, and traverse land, sea, mountain
> and plain, he would find no trace of his own self or of any other
> soul.
> 1.104 Gracious God! But for fear of the Nimrod of tyranny and for
> the protection of the Abraham of justice, I would reveal unto
> thee that which, wert thou to abandon self and desire, would
> enable thee to dispense with aught else and to draw
> 82                    The Pen of Glory
> nigh unto this city. Be patient, however, until such time as God
> will have proclaimed His Cause. He, verily, rewardeth beyond
> measure them that endure with patience.60 Inhale then the
> sweet savors of the spirit from the garment of hidden
> meanings, and say: “O ye that are immersed in the ocean of
> selflessness! Hasten to enter the City of Immortality, if ye seek
> to ascend its heights.” And We exclaim: “Verily we are God’s,
> and to Him shall we return.”61
> 1.105 From this most august and exalted station, and from this most
> sublime and glorious plane, the seeker entereth the City of
> Immortality, therein to abide forever. In this station he
> beholdeth himself established upon the throne of
> independence and the seat of exaltation. Then will he
> comprehend the meaning of that which hath been revealed of
> old concerning the day ‘whereon God shall enrich all through
> His abundance.”62 Well is it with them that have attained unto
> this station and drunk their fill from this snow-white chalice
> before this Crimson Pillar.
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                  83
> 1.106 Having, in this journey, immersed himself in the ocean of
> immortality, rid his heart from attachment to aught save Him,
> and attained unto the loftiest heights of everlasting life, the
> seeker will see no annihilation either for himself or for any
> other soul. He will quaff from the cup of immortality, tread in
> its land, soar in its atmosphere, consort with them that are its
> embodiments, partake of the imperishable and incorruptible
> fruits of the tree of eternity, and be forever accounted, in the
> lofty heights of immortality, amongst the denizens of the
> everlasting realm.
> 1.107 All that existeth in this city shall indeed endure and will never
> perish. Shouldst thou, by the leave of God, enter this sublime
> and exalted garden, thou wouldst find its sun in its noontide
> glory, never to set, never to be eclipsed. The same holdeth true
> of its moon, its firmament, its stars, trees, and oceans, and of all
> that pertaineth thereunto or existeth therein. By Him besides
> Whom there is none other God! Were I to recount, from this
> day unto the end that hath no end, its won-
> 84                    The Pen of Glory
> drous attributes, the love that My heart cherisheth for this
> hallowed and everlasting city would never be exhausted. I
> shall, however, bring My theme to a close, since time is short
> and the inquirer impatient, and since these secrets are not to
> be openly divulged save by the leave of God, the Almighty, the
> All-Compelling.
> 1.108 Erelong shall the faithful behold, in the day of the latter
> Resurrection, Him Whom God shall make manifest descending
> with this city from the heaven of the Unseen, together with a
> company of His exalted and favored angels. Great, therefore, is
> the blessedness of him that attaineth unto His presence and
> beholdeth His countenance. We all, verily, cherish this hope,
> and exclaim: “Praise be unto Him, for verily He is the Eternal
> Truth, and unto Him do we return!”
> 1.109 Know, moreover, that should one who hath attained unto these
> stations and embarked upon these journeys fall prey to pride
> and vainglory, he would at that very moment come to naught
> and return to the first step without realizing it. In-
> Gems of Divine Mysteries                85
> deed, they that seek and yearn after Him in these journeys are
> known by this sign, that they humbly defer to those who have
> believed in God and in His verses, that they are lowly before
> those who have drawn nigh unto Him and unto the
> Manifestations of His Beauty, and that they bow in submission
> to them that are firmly established upon the lofty heights of the
> Cause of God and before its majesty.
> 1.110 For were they to reach the ultimate object of their quest for
> God and their attainment unto Him, they would have but
> reached that abode which hath been raised up within their
> own hearts. How then could they ever hope to ascend unto
> such realms as have not been ordained for them or created for
> their station? Nay, though they journey from everlasting to
> everlasting, they will never attain unto Him Who is the
> midmost Heart of existence and the Axis of the entire creation,
> He on Whose right hand flow the seas of grandeur, on Whose
> left stream the rivers of might, and Whose court none can ever
> hope to reach,
> 86                    The Pen of Glory
> how much less His very abode! For He dwelleth in the ark of
> fire, speedeth, in the sphere of fire, through the ocean of fire,
> and moveth within the atmosphere of fire. How can he who
> hath been fashioned of contrary elements ever enter or even
> approach this fire? Were he to do so, he would be instantly
> consumed.
> 1.111 Know, moreover, that should the cord of assistance binding
> this mighty Pivot to the dwellers of earth and heaven be
> severed, they would all assuredly perish. Great God! How can
> the lowly dust ever reach unto Him Who is the Lord of lords?
> Immeasurably exalted is God above that which they conceive
> in their hearts, and immensely glorified is He beyond that
> which they attribute to Him.
> 1.112 Yea, the seeker reacheth a station wherein that which hath
> been ordained for him knoweth no bounds. The fire of love so
> blazeth in his heart that it seizeth the reins of constraint from
> his grasp. At every moment his love for his Lord increaseth
> and draweth him nearer unto his Creator, in such wise that if
> his Lord be in the east
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               87
> of nearness, and he dwell in the west of remoteness and
> possess all that earth and heaven contain of rubies and gold, he
> would forsake it all and rush forth to the land of the Desired
> One. And shouldst thou find him to be otherwise, know
> assuredly that such a man is a lying impostor. We, verily, all
> belong unto Him Whom God shall make manifest in the latter
> Resurrection, and through Him shall we be raised again to life.
> 1.113 In these days, inasmuch as We have lifted not the veils that
> conceal the countenance of the Cause of God, nor disclosed
> unto men the fruits of these stations which We have been
> forbidden to describe, thou beholdest them drunk with
> heedlessness. Otherwise, were the glory of this station to be
> revealed unto men to an extent smaller than a needle’s eye,
> thou wouldst witness them gathering before the threshold of
> divine mercy and hastening from all sides to the court of
> nearness in the realms of divine glory. We have concealed it,
> however, as mentioned before, that those who believe may be
> distinguished from them that deny, and that those who turn
> unto God may
> 88                    The Pen of Glory
> be discerned from them that turn aside. I verily proclaim:
> “There is no power nor strength except in God, the Help in
> Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”
> 1.114 From this station the wayfarer ascendeth unto a City that hath
> no name or description, and whereof one heareth neither
> sound nor mention. Therein flow the oceans of eternity, whilst
> this city itself revolveth round the seat of eternity. Therein the
> sun of the Unseen shineth resplendent above the horizon of the
> Unseen, a sun that hath its own heavens and its own moons,
> which partake of its light and which rise from and set upon the
> ocean of the Unseen. Nor can I ever hope to impart even a
> dewdrop of that which hath been decreed therein, as none is
> acquainted with its mysteries save God, its Creator and
> Fashioner, and His Manifestations.
> 1.115 Know, moreover, that when We undertook to reveal these
> words and committed some of them to writing, it was Our
> intention to elucidate for thine eminence, in the sweet accents
> of the blessed and the well-favored of God, all that
> Gems of Divine Mysteries               89
> We had previously mentioned of the words of the Prophets and
> the sayings of the Messengers. Time, however, was lacking, and
> the traveler who came from thy presence was in great haste
> and eager to return. Thus have We cut short Our discourse and
> contented Ourself with this much, without completing the
> description of these stages in a seemly and befitting manner.
> Indeed, We have omitted the description of major cities and
> mighty journeys. Such was the haste of the courier that We
> even forsook the mention of the two exalted journeys of
> Resignation and Contentment.
> 1.116 Yet, should thine eminence reflect upon these brief statements,
> thou wouldst assuredly acquire every knowledge, attain unto
> the Object of all learning, and exclaim: “Sufficient are these
> words unto all creation both visible and invisible!”
> 1.117 Even so, should the fire of love burn within thy soul, thou
> wouldst ask: “Is there yet any more?”63 And We say: “Praise
> be to God, the Lord of the worlds!”
> Tablet to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib
> (Lawḥ-i-Mánikchí-Ṣáḥib)
> .
> 
> IN THE NAME OF
> THE ONE TRUE GOD
> 2.1   Praise be to the all-perceiving, the ever-abiding Lord Who,
> from a dewdrop out of the ocean of His grace, hath reared the
> firmament of existence, adorned it with the stars of knowledge,
> and admitted man into the lofty court of insight and
> understanding. This dewdrop, which is the Primal Word of
> God, is at times called the Water of Life, inasmuch as it
> quickeneth with the waters of knowledge them that have
> perished in the wilderness of ignorance. Again it is called the
> Primal Light, a light born of the Sun of divine knowledge,
> through whose effulgence the first stirrings of existence were
> made plain and manifest. Such manifestations are the
> expressions of the grace of Him Who is the Peerless, the All
> Wise. He it is who knoweth and bestoweth all. He it is who
> transcendeth all that hath been said or heard. His knowledge
> will remain forever above the grasp of human vision and
> understanding and beyond the
> 
> 94                     The Pen of Glory
> reach of human words and deeds. To the truth of this
> utterance existence itself and all that hath appeared therefrom
> bear eloquent testimony.
> 2.2   It is clear and evident, therefore, that the first bestowal of God
> is the Word, and its discoverer and recipient is the power of
> understanding. This Word is the foremost instructor in the
> school of existence and the revealer of Him Who is the
> Almighty. All that is seen is visible only through the light of its
> wisdom. All that is manifest is but a token of its knowledge.
> All names are but its name, and the beginning and end of all
> matters must needs depend upon it.
> 2.3   Thy letter hath reached this captive of the world in His prison. 1
> It brought joy, strengthened the ties of friendship, and
> renewed the memory of bygone days. Praise be to the Lord of
> creation Who granted us the favor of meeting in the Arabian
> land,* wherein we visited and held converse. It is Our hope
> that our encounter may never be forgotten nor effaced from
> the heart by the pas-
> 
> *
> ‘Iraq.
> Tablet to Ma nikchí Sahib (Lawh-i-Ma nikchí-Sah ib)   95
> sage of time, but rather that, out of the seeds thus sown, the
> sweet herbs of friendship may spring forth and remain forever
> fresh and verdant for all to behold.
> 2.4   As to thy question concerning the heavenly Scriptures: The
> All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind.
> He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring
> wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and
> every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world
> needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as
> that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously
> concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your
> deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.
> 2.5   We can well perceive how the whole human race is
> encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see
> it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and
> disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have
> interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible
> Physician.    Witness how they have entangled all men,
> themselves included, in the mesh of their
> 96                    The Pen of Glory
> devices. They can neither discover the cause of the disease,
> nor have they any knowledge of the remedy. They have
> conceived the straight to be crooked, and have imagined their
> friend an enemy.
> 2.6   Incline your ears to the sweet melody of this Prisoner. Arise,
> and lift up your voices, that haply they that are fast asleep may
> be awakened. Say: O ye who are as dead! The Hand of Divine
> bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and
> drink your fill. Whoso hath been reborn in this Day, shall
> never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live.
> 2.7   Thou hast written concerning languages. Both Arabic and
> Persian are laudable. That which is desired of a language is
> that it convey the intent of the speaker, and either language
> can serve this purpose. And since in this Day the Orb of divine
> knowledge hath risen in the firmament of Persia, that tongue
> deserveth every praise.
> 2.8   O friend! When the Primal Word appeared amongst men in
> these latter days, a number of heavenly souls recognized the
> voice of the Be-
> Tablet to Ma nikchí Sahib (Lawh-i-Ma nikchí-Sah ib)   97
> loved and bore allegiance unto it, whilst others, finding the
> deeds of some to be at variance with their words, remained far
> removed from the spreading rays of the Sun of divine
> knowledge.
> 2.9   Say: O children of dust! He Who is the Spirit of Purity saith: In
> this glorious Day whatsoever can purge you from defilement
> and ensure your peace and tranquility, that indeed is the
> Straight Path,2 the path that leadeth unto Me. To be purged
> from defilement is to be cleansed of that which is injurious to
> man and detracteth from his high station—among which is to
> take undue pleasure in one’s own words and deeds,
> notwithstanding their unworthiness.          True peace and
> tranquility will only be realized when every soul will have
> become the well-wisher of all mankind. He Who is the All-
> Knowing beareth Me witness: were the peoples of the world to
> grasp the true significance of the words of God, they would
> never be deprived of their portion of the ocean of His bounty.
> In the firmament of truth there hath never been, nor will there
> ever be, a brighter star than this.
> 98                     The Pen of Glory
> 2.10   The first utterance of Him Who is the All-Wise is this: O
> children of dust! Turn your faces from the darkness of
> estrangement to the effulgent light of the daystar of unity. This
> is that which above all else will benefit the peoples of the earth.
> O friend! Upon the tree of utterance there hath never been,
> nor shall there ever be, a fairer leaf, and beneath the ocean of
> knowledge no pearl more wondrous can ever be found.
> 2.11   O children of understanding! If the eyelid, however delicate,
> can deprive man’s outer eye from beholding the world and all
> that is therein, consider then what would be wrought if the veil
> of covetousness were to descend upon his inner eye. Say: O
> people! The darkness of greed and envy becloudeth the
> radiance of the soul even as the clouds obstruct the light of the
> sun. Should anyone hearken unto this utterance with a
> discerning ear, he will unfurl the wings of detachment and soar
> effortlessly in the atmosphere of true understanding.
> 2.12   At a time when darkness had encompassed the world, the
> ocean of divine favor surged and His
> Tablet to Ma nikchí Sahib (Lawh-i-Ma nikchí-Sah ib)   99
> Light was made manifest, that the doings of men might be laid
> bare. This, verily, is that Light which hath been foretold in the
> heavenly scriptures. Should the Almighty so please, the hearts
> of all men will be purged and purified through His goodly
> utterance, and the light of unity will shed its radiance upon
> every soul and revive the whole earth.
> 2.13   O people! Words must be supported by deeds, for deeds are
> the true test of words. Without the former, the latter can never
> quench the thirst of the yearning soul, nor unlock the portals of
> vision before the eyes of the blind. The Lord of celestial
> wisdom saith: A harsh word is even as a sword thrust; a gentle
> word as milk. The latter leadeth the children of men unto
> knowledge and conferreth upon them true distinction.
> 2.14   The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is
> bereft of all things. Turn ye away from all that is on earth and
> seek none else but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean
> of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the
> guiding Light that illumineth the way. I
> 100                   The Pen of Glory
> am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the
> drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight.3
> 2.15   The incomparable Friend saith: The path to freedom hath
> been outstretched; hasten ye thereunto. The wellspring of
> wisdom is overflowing; quaff ye therefrom. Say: O wellbeloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard
> ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree,
> and the leaves of one branch. Verily I say, whatsoever leadeth
> to the decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath
> been, and will ever remain, approved in the sight of the Lord of
> creation. Say: O people! Walk ye ’neath the shadow of justice
> and truthfulness and seek ye shelter within the tabernacle of
> unity.
> 2.16   Say: O ye that have eyes to see! The past is the mirror of the
> future. Gaze ye therein and be apprised thereof; perchance ye
> may be aided thereby to recognize the Friend and may be not
> the cause of His displeasure. In this Day the choicest fruit of
> the tree of knowledge is that which serveth the welfare of
> humanity and safeguardeth its interests.
> Tablet to Ma nikchí Sahib (Lawh-i-Ma nikchí-Sah ib)   101
> 2.17   Say: The tongue hath been created to bear witness to My
> truth; defile it not with falsehood. The heart is the treasury of
> My mystery; surrender it not into the hand of covetous desires.
> We fain would hope that in this resplendent morn, when the
> effulgent rays of the Sun of divine knowledge have enveloped
> the whole earth, we may all attain unto the good pleasure of
> the Friend and drink our fill from the ocean of His recognition.
> 2.18   O friend! As hearing ears are scarce to find, the pen hath for
> some time remained silent in its quarters. In truth, matters
> have come to such a pass that silence hath taken precedence
> over utterance and hath come to be regarded as preferable.
> Say: O people! These words are being uttered in due measure,
> that the newly born may thrive and the tender shoot flourish.
> Milk should be given in suitable proportion, that the children
> of the world may attain to the station of maturity and abide in
> the court of oneness.
> 2.19   O friend! We came upon a pure soil and sowed therein the
> seeds of true understanding. Let it
> 102                   The Pen of Glory
> now be seen what the rays of the sun will do—whether they
> will cause these seeds to wither or to grow. Say: Through the
> ascendancy of God, the All-Knowing, the Incomparable, the
> Luminary of divine understanding hath, in this Day, risen from
> behind the veil of the spirit, and the birds of every meadow are
> intoxicated with the wine of knowledge and exhilarated with
> the remembrance of the Friend. Well is it with them that
> discover and hasten unto Him!
> Responses to questions of
> Mánikchí Ṣáḥib from a Tablet
> to Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl
> 3.1   In regard to what thou hast written concerning his honor the
> learned Sahib, upon him be the grace of God, his state of mind
> and disposition are clear and evident, as is further attested by
> that which he hath sent. Now, as to his questions, it was not
> deemed advisable to refer and reply to each one individually,
> for the response would have run counter to wisdom and been
> incompatible with that which is current amongst men. Even
> so, in that which was revealed in his honor from the heaven of
> divine favor, answers were provided in a language of
> marvelous concision and clarity. But it appeareth that he hath
> failed to consider the matter closely, for otherwise he would
> have readily admitted that not a single point was omitted, and
> would have exclaimed: “This is naught but a clear and
> conclusive utterance!” His questions were the following.
> 3.2   First: “The Prophets of Mahabad, together with Zoroaster,
> were twenty-eight in number.
> 
> 106                   The Pen of Glory
> Each one of them sought to exalt, rather than abrogate, the
> faith and religion of the others. Each one that appeared bore
> witness to the truth and veracity of the former law and religion
> and breathed no word about abolishing them. Each declared:
> ‘We are the bearers of a revelation from God, which We deliver
> unto His servants.’ Some of the Hindu Prophets, however, have
> declared: ‘We are God Himself, and it is incumbent upon the
> entire creation to bear allegiance unto Us. Whensoever conflict
> and dissension appear amongst men, We arise to quench it.’
> Each one that appeared announced: ‘I am the same One that
> appeared in the beginning.’ The latter Prophets such as David,
> Abraham, Moses and Jesus confirmed the truth of the Prophets
> gone before them, but said: ‘Such was the law in the past, but
> in this day the law is that which I proclaim.’ The Arabian
> Prophet,* however, hath said: ‘Through My appearance every
> law hath proven to be unsound and no law holdeth but Mine.’
> 
> *
> Muhammad.
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    107
> Which of these creeds is acceptable and which of these leaders
> is to be preferred?”
> 3.3   It should first be noted that in one sense the stations of the
> Prophets of God differ one from another. For instance,
> consider Moses. He brought forth a Book and established
> ordinances, whilst a number of the Prophets and Messengers
> who arose after Him were charged with the promulgation of
> His laws, insofar as they remained consonant with the needs of
> the age. The books and chronicles annexed to the Torah bear
> eloquent testimony to this truth.
> 3.4   Regarding the statement ascribed to the Author of the Qur’an:
> “Through My appearance every law and religion hath proven
> to be unsound and no law holdeth but Mine,” no such words
> were ever uttered by that Source and Fount of divine wisdom.
> Nay rather, He confirmed that which had been sent down
> before from the empyrean of the Divine Will unto the Prophets
> and Messengers of God. He saith, exalted be His utterance:
> “Alif. Lam. Mím. God! There is no God but Him, the Living, the
> Ever-Abiding. He it is
> 108                  The Pen of Glory
> Who hath sent down to Thee the Book through the power of
> truth, confirming those which preceded it. He revealed
> aforetime the Torah and the Evangel as a guidance unto men,
> and He hath now revealed the Qur’an ….”1 He, moreover, hath
> asserted that all the Prophets have proceeded from God and
> have returned unto Him. Viewed in this light, they are all as
> one and the same Being, inasmuch as they have not uttered a
> word, brought a message, or revealed a cause, of their own
> accord. Nay, all that they have said hath proceeded from the
> one true God, exalted be His glory. They have all summoned
> men unto the Supreme Horizon and imparted the tidings of
> eternal life. Thus the diverse statements recounted by his
> honor the Sahib are to be seen as concordant letters, that is,
> letters that form a single word.
> 3.5   Concerning the question: “Which of these creeds is acceptable
> and which of these leaders is to be preferred?” this is the
> station wherein the following blessed words shine resplendent
> as the sun: “No distinction do We make between any
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    109
> of the Messengers,”2 while the verse “Some of the Apostles We
> have caused to excel the others”3 pertaineth to the other
> station of which We have already made mention. Indeed, the
> answer to all that his honor the Sahib hath asked lieth
> enshrined within this all-embracing, this weighty and
> incomparable utterance, hallowed and exalted be His word:
> “As to thy question concerning the heavenly Scriptures: The
> All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind.
> He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring
> wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and
> every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world
> needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as
> that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously
> concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your
> deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.”4 Every fairminded soul will testify that these words are to be viewed as a
> mirror of the knowledge of God, wherein all that hath been
> inquired is clearly and con-
> 110                  The Pen of Glory
> spicuously reflected. Blessed is he who hath been endowed
> with seeing eyes by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
> 3.6   Another question raised by the distinguished Sahib is the
> following: “There are four schools of thought in the world.
> One school affirmeth that all the visible worlds, from atoms to
> suns, constitute God Himself and that naught can be seen but
> Him. Another school claimeth that God is that Essence that
> must of necessity exist, that His Messengers are the
> intermediaries between Him and His creatures, and that their
> mission is to lead humanity unto Him. Yet another school
> holdeth that the stars were created by the Necessary Being, 5
> whilst all other things are their effect and outcome. These
> things continually appear and disappear, even as the minute
> creatures that are generated in a pool of water. A further
> school maintaineth that the Necessary Being hath fashioned
> Nature through whose effect and agency all things, from atoms
> to suns, appear and disappear without beginning or end. What
> need then
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     111
> for an account or reckoning? As the grass groweth with the
> coming of the rain and vanisheth thereafter, so it is with all
> things. If the Prophets and the kings have instituted laws and
> ordinances, the proponents of this school argue, this hath
> merely been for the sake of preserving the civil order and
> regulating human society. The Prophets and the kings,
> however, have acted in different ways: the former have said
> ‘God hath spoken thus’ that the people might submit and obey,
> whilst the latter have resorted to the sword and the cannon.
> Which of these four schools is approved in the sight of God?”
> 3.7   Answer: The answer to all this falleth under the purview of the
> first utterance that hath streamed forth from the tongue of the
> All-Merciful. By God! It embraceth and comprehendeth all
> that hath been mentioned. He saith: “Be anxiously concerned
> with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your
> deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” For in this
> day He Who is the Lord of Revelation hath appeared and He
> Who spoke
> 112                   The Pen of Glory
> on Sinai is calling aloud. Whatsoever He may ordain is the
> surest foundation for the mansions reared in the cities of
> human knowledge and wisdom. Whoso holdeth fast unto it
> will be reckoned in the eyes of the Almighty among them that
> are endued with insight.
> 3.8   These sublime words have streamed forth from the Pen of the
> Most High. He saith, exalted be His glory: “This is the day of
> vision, for the countenance of God is shining resplendent above
> the horizon of Manifestation. This is the day of hearing, for the
> call of God hath been raised. It behooveth everyone in this day
> to uphold and proclaim that which hath been revealed by Him
> Who is the Author of all scripture, the Dayspring of revelation,
> the Fount of knowledge and the Source of divine wisdom.” It is
> thus clear and evident that the reply to his question hath been
> revealed in the kingdom of utterance by Him Who is the
> Exponent of the knowledge of the All-Merciful. Happy are they
> that understand!
> 3.9   As to the four schools mentioned above, it is clear and evident
> that the second standeth closer
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib         113
> to righteousness.6     For the Apostles and Messengers of God
> have ever been the channels of His abounding grace, and
> whatsoever man hath received from God hath been through the
> intermediary of those Embodiments of holiness and Essences
> of detachment, those Repositories of His knowledge and
> Exponents of His Cause. One can, however, provide a
> justification for the tenets of the other schools, for in a sense all
> things have ever been and shall ever remain the manifestations
> of the names and attributes of God.
> 3.10   As to the Sahib’s reference to the kings, they are indeed the
> manifestations of the name of God “the Almighty” and the
> revealers of His name “the All-Powerful.” The vesture that
> beseemeth their glorious temples is justice. Should they
> become adorned therewith, mankind will partake of perfect
> tranquility and infinite blessings.
> 3.11   Whoso hath quaffed of the wine of divine knowledge will
> indeed be able to answer such questions with clear and
> perspicuous proofs from the world without and with manifest
> and luminous evidences from the world within. A differ-
> 114                  The Pen of Glory
> ent Cause, however, hath appeared in this day and a different
> discourse is required. Indeed, with the inception of the year
> nine the time for questions and answers came to an end. Thus
> He, hallowed and magnified be His name, saith: “This is not the
> day for any man to question his Lord. When thou hearest the
> call of God voiced by Him Who is the Dayspring of grandeur,
> cry out: ‘Here am I, O Lord of all names! Here am I, O Maker of
> the heavens! I testify that Thou hast revealed Thyself and hast
> revealed whatsoever Thou didst desire at Thine Own behest.
> Thou, in truth, art the Lord of strength and might.’”
> 3.12   The answer to all that the distinguished Sahib hath asked is
> clear and evident. The intent of that which was sent down in
> his honor from the heaven of divine providence was that he
> might give ear to the wondrous melodies of the Dove of
> Eternity and the gentle murmuring of the inhabitants of the
> most exalted Paradise, and that he might perceive the
> sweetness of the call and set foot upon the path.
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib       115
> 3.13   One day the Tongue of Glory uttered a word in regard to the
> Sahib indicating that he may erelong be aided to perform a
> deed that would immortalize his name. When his letter was
> received in His holy and exalted Court, He said: “O Servant in
> attendance! Although his honor Manikchí hath written only to
> ask concerning the sayings of others, yet from His letter We
> inhale the sweet savors of affection. Beseech the one true God
> to graciously aid him to do His will and pleasure. His might, in
> truth, is equal to all things.” From this utterance of the All-
> Merciful there wafteth a fragrant breath. He, verily, is the All-
> Knowing, the All-Informed.
> 3.14   Another inquiry made by him is the following: “The laws of
> Islam are based on religious principles and jurisprudence,7 but
> in the Mahabad and Hindu religions there are only principles,
> and all laws, even those regarding the drinking of water or
> giving and taking in marriage, are considered a part of these
> principles, as are all other matters of human life. Kindly
> indicate which
> 116                   The Pen of Glory
> view is acceptable in the sight of God, exalted be His mention.”
> 3.15   Religious principles have various degrees and stations. The
> root of all principles and the cornerstone of all foundations
> hath ever been, and shall remain, the recognition of God. And
> these days are indeed the vernal season of the recognition of
> the All-Merciful. Whatsoever proceedeth in this day from the
> Repository of His Cause and the Manifestation of His Self is, in
> truth, the fundamental principle unto which all must bear
> allegiance.
> 3.16   The answer to this question is also embodied in these blessed,
> these weighty and exalted words: “Be anxiously concerned
> with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your
> deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” For this day
> is the Lord of all days, and whatsoever hath been revealed
> therein by the Source of divine Revelation is the truth and the
> essence of all principles. This day may be likened to a sea and
> all other days to gulfs and channels that have branched
> therefrom. That which is uttered and revealed in
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     117
> this day is the foundation, and is accounted as the Mother Book
> and the Source of all utterance. Although every day is
> associated with God, magnified be His glory, yet these days
> have been singled out and adorned with the ornament of
> intimate association with Him, for they have been extolled in
> the books of the Chosen Ones of God, as well as of some of His
> Prophets, as the “Day of God.” In a sense this day and that
> which appeareth therein are to be regarded as the primary
> principles, while all other days and whatsoever appeareth in
> them are to be viewed as the secondary ordinances deduced
> therefrom, and which as such are subordinate and relative. For
> instance, attending the mosque is secondary with respect to
> the recognition of God, for the former is dependent upon and
> conditioned by the latter. As to the principles current amongst
> the divines of this age, these are merely a set of rules which
> they have devised and from which they infer, each according to
> his own opinions and inclinations, the ordinances of God.
> 118                   The Pen of Glory
> 3.17   Consider for example the question of immediate compliance or
> postponement. God, exalted be His glory, saith: “Eat and drink
> ….”8 Now, it is not known whether this ordinance must be
> complied with immediately or if its execution may be
> justifiably postponed. Some believe that it may be decided by
> external circumstances. Once one of the distinguished divines
> of Najaf set out to visit the Shrine of Imam Husayn, peace be
> upon Him, accompanied by a number of his pupils. In the
> course of their journey they were waylaid by a group of
> Bedouin. The aforementioned divine immediately handed
> over all his possessions. Whereupon his pupils exclaimed:
> Your eminence hath always favored postponement in such
> matters. What prompteth you now to act with such haste?”
> Pointing to the spears of the Bedouin, he replied: “The force of
> external circumstances, my friends!”
> 3.18   The founder of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence was
> Abu-Hanífih, who was a prominent leader of the Sunnis. Such
> principles had
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib       119
> existed in former times as well, as hath already been
> mentioned. In this day, however, the approval or rejection of all
> things dependeth wholly upon the Word of God. These
> differences are not worthy of mention. The eye of divine mercy
> casteth its glance upon all that is past. It behooveth us to
> mention them only in favorable terms, for they do not
> contradict that which is essential. This servant testifieth to his
> ignorance and beareth witness that all knowledge is with God,
> the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
> 3.19   Whatsoever runneth counter to the Teachings in this day is
> condemned, for the Sun of Truth is shining resplendent above
> the horizon of knowledge. Happy are they who, with the
> waters of divine utterance, have cleansed their hearts from all
> allusions, whisperings and suggestions, and who have fixed
> their gaze upon the Dayspring of Glory. This, indeed, is the
> most gracious favor and the purest bounty. Whosoever hath
> attained thereunto hath attained unto all good, for otherwise
> the knowledge of aught else but God hath
> 120                   The Pen of Glory
> never proven, nor shall it ever prove, profitable unto men.
> 3.20 That which was mentioned in connection with religious
> principles and secondary ordinances referreth to the
> pronouncements which the divines of various religions have
> made, each according to his own capacity. At present,
> however, it behooveth us to follow His injunction to “leave
> them to their vain disputes.”9 He, verily, speaketh the truth
> and leadeth the way. The decree is God’s, the Almighty, the All-
> Bounteous.
> 3.21   Another of his questions: “Some maintain that whatsoever is
> in accordance with the dictates of nature and of the intellect
> must needs be both permissible and compulsory in the divine
> law, and conversely that one should refrain from observing
> that which is incompatible with these standards. Others
> believe that whatsoever hath been enjoined by the divine law
> and its blessed Author should be accepted without rational
> proof or natural evidence and obeyed without question or
> reservation, such as the march between Safa
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     121
> and Marwah, the stoning of the pillar of Jamrah, 10 the washing
> of one’s feet during ablutions, and so on. Kindly indicate which
> of these positions is acceptable.”
> 3.22 Intellect hath various degrees. As a discussion of the
> pronouncements made by the philosophers in this connection
> would pass beyond the scope of our discourse, we have
> refrained from mentioning them.             It is nonetheless
> indisputably clear and evident that the minds of men have
> never been, nor shall they ever be, of equal capacity. The
> Perfect Intellect alone can provide true guidance and direction.
> Thus were these sublime words revealed by the Pen of the
> Most High, exalted be His glory, in response to this question:
> “The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is
> bereft of all things. Turn ye away from all that is on earth and
> seek none else but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean
> of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the
> guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the royal Falcon on
> the arm of the
> 122                   The Pen of Glory
> Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and
> start it on its flight.”11
> 3.23 Consider how clearly the answer hath been revealed from the
> heaven of divine knowledge. Blessed are those who ponder it,
> who reflect upon it, and who apprehend its meaning! By the
> Intellect mentioned above is meant the universal divine Mind.
> How often hath it been observed that certain human minds, far
> from being a source of guidance, have become as fetters upon
> the feet of the wayfarers and prevented them from treading
> the straight path!         The lesser intellect being thus
> circumscribed, one must search after Him Who is the ultimate
> Source of knowledge and strive to recognize Him. And should
> one come to acknowledge that Source round Whom every
> mind doth revolve, then whatsoever He should ordain is the
> expression of the dictates of a consummate wisdom. His very
> Being, even as the sun, is distinct from all else beside Him. The
> whole duty of man is to recognize Him; once this hath been
> achieved, then whatsoever He may please to ordain is binding
> and in full accordance
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    123
> with the requirements of divine wisdom.              Thus have
> ordinances and prohibitions of every kind been laid down by
> the Prophets of the past, even unto the earliest times.
> 3.24 Certain deeds that are undertaken in this day are intended to
> emblazon the name of God, and the Pen of the Most High hath
> fixed a recompense for those who perform them. Indeed,
> should any soul breathe but a fleeting breath for the sake of
> God, his recompense will become manifest, as attested by this
> mighty verse which was sent down from the empyrean of the
> divine Will to the Lord of Mecca,* blessed and glorified be He:
> “We did not appoint that which Thou wouldst have to be the
> Qiblih, but that We might know him who followeth the Apostle
> from him who turneth on his heels.”12
> 3.25 Were anyone to meditate upon this blessed and transcendent
> Revelation and to ponder the verses that have been sent down,
> he would readily
> 
> *
> Muhammad
> 124                   The Pen of Glory
> bear witness that the one true God is immeasurably exalted
> above His creatures, and that the knowledge of all things hath
> ever been and shall ever remain with Him. Every fair-minded
> soul, moreover, will testify that whosoever faileth to embrace
> the truth of this most great Revelation will find himself
> powerless and incapable of establishing the validity of any
> other cause or creed. And as to those who have deprived
> themselves of the robe of justice and arisen to promote the
> cause of iniquity, they shall give voice to that which the
> exponents of hatred and fanaticism have uttered from time
> immemorial. The knowledge of all things is with God, the All-
> Knowing, the All-Informed.
> 3.26 One day when this servant was in His presence, I was asked:
> “O servant in attendance! Wherewith art thou engaged?” “I am
> penning a reply,” I answered, “to his honor Mírza Abu’l-Fadl.” I
> was bidden: “Write to Mírza Abu’l-Fadl, may My glory be upon
> him, and say: ‘Matters have come to such a pass that the
> people of the world have grown
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    125
> accustomed to iniquity and flee from fairmindedness. A divine
> Manifestation Who hath extolled and magnified the one true
> God, exalted be His glory, Who hath borne witness to His
> knowledge and confessed that His Essence is sanctified above
> all things and exalted beyond every comparison—such a
> Manifestation hath been called at various times a worshipper
> of the sun or a fire-worshipper. How numerous are those
> sublime Manifestations and Revealers of the Divine of Whose
> stations the people remain wholly unaware, of Whose grace
> they are utterly deprived, nay, God forbid, Whom they curse
> and revile!
> 3.27 One of the great Prophets Whom the foolish ones of Persia in
> this day reject uttered these sublime words: “The sun is but a
> dense and spherical mass. It deserveth not to be called God or
> the Almighty. For the almighty Lord is He Whom no human
> comprehension can ever conceive, Whom no earthly
> knowledge can circumscribe, and Whose Essence none hath
> ever been or shall ever be able to fathom.” Consider how
> eloquently,
> 126                   The Pen of Glory
> how solemnly He hath affirmed the very truth that God is
> proclaiming in this day. And yet He is not even deemed a
> believer by these abject and foolish ones, let alone seen as
> possessed of a sublime station! In another connection He said:
> “All existence hath appeared from His existence, and were it
> not for God, no creature would have ever existed and been
> attired with the raiment of being.” May the Lord shield us all
> from the wickedness of such as have disputed the truth of God
> and of His loved ones and turned away from that Dayspring
> whereunto all the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-
> Subsisting, have testified.
> 3.28 From that which hath been mentioned, it is clear that not every
> intellect can be the criterion of truth. The truly wise are, in the
> first place, the Chosen Ones of God, magnified be His glory—
> they Whom He hath singled out to be the Treasuries of His
> knowledge, the Repositories of His Revelation, the Daysprings
> of His authority and the Dawning-places of His wisdom, they
> Whom He hath made His representatives on earth and
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     127
> through Whom He revealeth that which He hath purposed.
> Whoso turneth unto them hath turned unto God, and whoso
> turneth away shall not be remembered in the presence of God,
> the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
> 3.29 The universal criterion is that which hath just been mentioned.
> Whosoever attaineth thereunto, that is, who recognizeth and
> acknowledgeth the Dawning-place of God’s Revelation, will be
> recorded in the Book of God among them that are endued with
> understanding. Otherwise he is naught but an ignorant soul,
> though he believe himself to be possessed of every wisdom.
> Now, were a person to see himself standing in the presence of
> God, were he to sanctify his soul from earthly attachments and
> evil intentions, and reflect upon that which hath been revealed
> in this most great Revelation from its inception to this day, he
> would readily testify that every detached soul, every perfect
> mind, sanctified being, attentive ear, penetrating eye, eloquent
> tongue, and joyous and radiant heart circleth round and
> 128                  The Pen of Glory
> boweth down, nay prostrateth itself in submission, before the
> mighty throne of God.
> 3.30 Another of his questions is this: “Among the Manifestations of
> the past one hath, in His time, allowed the eating of beef while
> another hath forbidden it; one hath permitted the eating of
> pork whereas another hath proscribed it. Thus do their
> ordinances differ. I entreat the True One, exalted be His name,
> to graciously specify the appropriate religious prohibitions.”
> 3.31   A direct reply and detailed explanation of this matter would
> have overstepped the bounds of wisdom, inasmuch as people
> of diverse faiths associate with the distinguished Sahib and a
> direct reply would have contravened the laws of Islam. The
> answer was therefore sent down from the heaven of the Divine
> Will in an implicit manner. Indeed the statement in the first
> passage where He saith: “The All-Knowing Physician hath His
> finger on the pulse of mankind” was, and remaineth, the
> answer to his question. He further saith: “Be anxiously
> concerned with the needs of the age ye
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     129
> live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and
> requirements.” That is, fix your gaze upon the commandments
> of God, for whatsoever He should ordain in this day and
> pronounce as lawful is indeed lawful and representeth the very
> truth. It is incumbent upon all to turn their gaze towards the
> Cause of God and to observe that which hath dawned above the
> horizon of His Will, since it is through the potency of His name
> that the banner of “He doeth what He willeth” hath been
> unfurled and the standard of “He ordaineth what He pleaseth”
> hath been raised aloft. For instance, were He to pronounce
> water itself to be unlawful, it would indeed become unlawful,
> and the converse holdeth equally true. For upon no thing hath
> it been inscribed “this is lawful” or “this is unlawful”; nay
> rather, whatsoever hath been or will be revealed is by virtue of
> the Word of God, exalted be His glory.
> 3.32 These matters are sufficiently clear and require no further
> elaboration. Even so, certain groups believe that all the
> ordinances current amongst
> 130                   The Pen of Glory
> them are unalterable, that they have ever been valid, and that
> they will forever remain so. Consider a further passage,
> glorified and exalted be He: “These words are being uttered in
> due measure, that the newly born may thrive and the tender
> shoot flourish. Milk must be given in suitable proportion, that
> the children of the world may attain to the station of maturity
> and abide in the court of oneness.”13 For instance, some
> believe that wine hath ever been and shall remain forbidden.
> Now, were one to inform them that it might one day be made
> lawful, they would arise in protest and opposition. In truth, the
> people of the world have yet not grasped the meaning of “He
> doeth whatsoever He willeth,” nor have they comprehended
> the significance of Supreme Infallibility. The suckling child
> must be nourished with milk. If it be given meat it will
> assuredly perish, and this would be naught but sheer injustice
> and unwisdom. Blessed are they that understand. Supreme
> Infallibility, as I once heard from His blessed lips, is reserved
> ex-
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib       131
> clusively to the Manifestations of the Cause of God and the
> Exponents of His Revelation. This matter is mentioned but
> briefly, for time is short and as scarce as the legendary phoenix.
> 3.33 Yet another question: “According to the teachings of the
> Mahabad and Hindu religions, should a person of whatever
> faith or nation, of whatever color, appearance, character or
> condition, be disposed to associate with you, ye should show
> forth kindness and treat him as a brother. But in other
> religions this is not so: their followers ill-treat and oppress the
> adherents of other faiths, consider their persecution as an act
> of worship, and regard their kindred and their possessions as
> lawful unto themselves. Which approach is acceptable in the
> sight of God?”
> 3.34 The former statement hath ever been and will continue to be
> true. It is not permissible to contend with anyone, nor is it
> acceptable in the sight of God to ill-treat or oppress any soul.
> Time and again have these sublime words streamed from the
> Pen of the Most High, blessed and exalted be He:
> 132                  The Pen of Glory
> “O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating
> the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests
> and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the
> spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to
> become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity.”
> This subject hath already been set forth and explained in
> various Tablets.
> 3.35 It behooveth him who expoundeth the Word of God to deliver
> it with the utmost good-will, kindness, and compassion. As to
> him that embraceth the truth and is honored with recognizing
> Him, his name shall be recorded in the Crimson Book among
> the inmates of the all-highest Paradise. Should a soul fail,
> however, to accept the truth, it is in no wise permissible to
> contend with him. In another connection He saith: “Blessed
> and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of
> the peoples and kindreds of the earth.” Likewise He saith:
> “The people of Baha should soar high above the peoples of the
> world.” In matters of religion ev-
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib      133
> ery form of fanaticism, hatred, dissension and strife is strictly
> forbidden.
> 3.36 In this day a Luminary hath dawned above the horizon of
> divine providence, upon whose brow the Pen of Glory hath
> inscribed these exalted words: “We have called you into being
> to show forth love and fidelity, not animosity and hatred.”
> Likewise, on another occasion, He exalted and glorified be His
> name hath revealed the following words in the Persian tongue,
> words through which the hearts of the well-favored and the
> sincere amongst His servants are consumed, the manifold
> pursuits of men are harmonized, and mankind is illumined by
> the light of divine unity and enabled to turn towards the
> Dayspring of divine knowledge: “The incomparable Friend
> saith: The path to freedom hath been outstretched; hasten ye
> thereunto. The wellspring of wisdom is overflowing; quaff ye
> therefrom. Say: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity
> hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye
> are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.”14
> 134                   The Pen of Glory
> 3.37 Justice, which consisteth in rendering each his due, dependeth
> upon and is conditioned by two words:             reward and
> punishment. From the standpoint of justice, every soul should
> receive the reward of his actions, inasmuch as the peace and
> prosperity of the world depend thereon, even as He saith,
> exalted be His glory: “The structure of world stability and
> order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be sustained
> by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment.” In brief, every
> circumstance requireth a different utterance and every
> occasion calleth for a different course of action. Blessed are
> they that have arisen to serve God, who speak forth wholly for
> His sake, and who return unto Him.
> 3.38 Another of his questions: “Hindus and Zoroastrians do not
> admit or welcome outsiders who wish to join their ranks.
> Christians welcome those who decide of their own accord to
> embrace their religion, but make no effort and exert no
> pressure to this end. Muslims and Jews, however, insist upon
> it, enjoin it upon others, and, should
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib      135
> anyone refuse, grow hostile and regard it as lawful to seize his
> kindred and possessions. Which approach is acceptable in the
> sight of God?”
> 3.39 The children of men are all brothers, and the prerequisites of
> brotherhood are manifold. Among them is that one should
> wish for one’s brother that which one wisheth for oneself.
> Therefore, it behooveth him who is the recipient of an inward
> or outward gift or who partaketh of the bread of heaven to
> inform and invite his friends with the utmost love and
> kindness. If they respond favorably, his object is attained;
> otherwise he should leave them to themselves without
> contending with them or uttering a word that would cause the
> least sadness. This is the undoubted truth, and aught else is
> unworthy and unbecoming.
> 3.40 The distinguished Sahib, may God graciously aid him, hath
> written that the Hindus and Zoroastrians do not permit or
> welcome outsiders who wish to join their ranks. This runneth
> counter to the purpose underlying the advent of the
> Messengers of God and to that which hath been revealed
> 136                   The Pen of Glory
> in their Books. For those Who have appeared at God’s behest
> have been entrusted with the guidance and education of all
> people. How could they debar a seeker from the object of his
> quest, or forbid a wayfarer from the desire of his heart? The
> fire-temples of the world stand as eloquent testimony to this
> truth. In their time they summoned, with burning zeal, all the
> inhabitants of the earth to Him Who is the Spirit of purity.
> 3.41   He hath moreover written that Christians welcome those who
> decide of their own accord to embrace their religion, but make
> no effort and exert no pressure to this end. This, however, is a
> misconception. For the Christians have exerted and continue
> to exert the utmost effort in teaching their faith. Their church
> organizations have an expenditure of about thirty million.
> Their missionaries have scattered far and wide throughout the
> globe and are assiduously engaged in teaching Christianity.
> Thus have they compassed the world. How numerous the
> schools and churches they have founded to instruct children,
> yet their
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     137
> unavowed aim is that these children, as they acquire an
> education, may also become acquainted in their early years
> with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the unsullied mirrors
> of their hearts may thus reflect that which their teachers have
> purposed. Indeed the followers of no other religion are as
> intent upon the propagation of their faith as the Christians.
> 3.42 In brief, what is right and true in this day and acceptable
> before His Throne is that which was mentioned at the outset.
> All men have been called into being for the betterment of the
> world. It behooveth every soul to arise and serve his brethren
> for the sake of God. Should a brother of his embrace the truth,
> he should rejoice that the latter hath attained unto everlasting
> favor. Otherwise he should implore God to guide him without
> manifesting the least trace of animosity or ill-feeling towards
> him. The reins of command are in the grasp of God. He doeth
> what He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. He, verily, is the
> Almighty, the All-Praised.
> 138                   The Pen of Glory
> 3.43 We beseech the one true God, magnified be His glory, to enable
> us to recognize Him Whose unerring wisdom pervadeth all
> things and that we may acknowledge His truth. For once one
> hath recognized Him and borne witness to His Reality, one will
> no longer be troubled by the idle fancies and vain imaginings
> of men. The divine Physician hath the pulse of mankind within
> His almighty grasp. At one time He may well deem fit to sever
> certain infected limbs, that the disease may not spread to other
> parts of the body. This would be the very essence of mercy and
> compassion, and to none is given the right to object, for He is
> indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.
> 3.44 Another of his questions: “In the Mahabad and Zoroastrian
> religions it is said: ‘Our faith and religion is superior to every
> other. The other Prophets and the religions they have
> instituted are true, but they occupy different stations before
> God, even as, in the court of a king, there is a gradation of ranks
> from the prime minister to the common soldier. Whosoever
> wisheth, let him keep the precepts of his religion.’ Nor do they
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    139
> impose upon any soul. The Hindus claim that whosoever
> partaketh of meat, for whatever reason or under whatever
> circumstances, shall never catch a glimpse of Paradise. The
> followers of Muhammad, Jesus and Moses maintain that a
> similar fate awaiteth those who fail to bear allegiance to their
> religions. Which belief is favored by God, glorified be His
> mention?”
> 3.45 Regarding their statement that “our faith and religion is
> superior to every other,” by this is meant such Prophets as
> have appeared before them. Viewed from one perspective
> these holy Souls are one: the first among them is the same as
> the last, and the last is the same as the first. All have
> proceeded from God, unto Him have they summoned all men,
> and unto Him have they returned. This theme hath been set
> forth in the Book of Certitude, which is indeed the cynosure of
> all books, and which streamed from the Pen of Glory in the
> early years of this Most Great Revelation. Blessed is he that
> hath beheld it and pondered its contents for the love of God,
> the Lord of creation.
> 140                   The Pen of Glory
> 3.46 Concerning the remark attributed to the Hindus that
> whosoever partaketh of meat shall never catch a glimpse of
> Paradise, this runneth counter to their other assertion that all
> the Prophets are true. For if their truth be established, then it
> is absurd to claim that their followers will not ascend unto
> Paradise. One fain would ask what they intend by Paradise
> and what they have grasped thereof. In this day whosoever
> attaineth the good pleasure of the one true God, magnified be
> His glory, shall be remembered and accounted among the
> inmates of the all-highest Heaven and the most exalted
> Paradise, and shall partake of its benefits in all the worlds of
> God. By Him Who is the Desire of all men! The pen is
> powerless to portray this station or to expound this theme.
> How great the blessedness of him who hath attained unto the
> good-pleasure of God, and woe betide the heedless! Once the
> validity of a divinely appointed Prophet hath been established,
> to none is given the right to ask why or wherefore. Rather is it
> incumbent upon all to
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     141
> accept and obey whatsoever He saith. This is that which God
> hath decreed in all His Books, Scriptures and Tablets.
> 3.47 A further question that he hath asked: “The Hindus assert that
> God fashioned the Intellect in the form of a man named
> Brahma, Who came into this world and was the cause of its
> progress and development, and that all Hindus are His
> descendants. The followers of Zoroaster say: ‘God, through
> the agency of the Primal Intellect, created a man whose name
> is Mahabad and who is our ancestor.’ They believe the modes
> of creation to be six in number. Two were mentioned above;
> the others are creation from water, earth, fire, and from bears
> and monkeys. The Hindus and Zoroastrians both say that they
> are begotten of the Intellect, and thus do not admit others into
> their folds. Are these assertions true or not? That wise Master
> is requested to indicate that which he deemeth appropriate.”
> 3.48 The entire creation hath been called into being through the
> Will of God, magnified be His
> 142                   The Pen of Glory
> glory, and peerless Adam hath been fashioned through the
> agency of His all-compelling Word, a Word which is the source,
> the wellspring, the repository, and the dawning-place of the
> intellect. From it all creation hath proceeded, and it is the
> channel of God’s primal grace. None can grasp the reality of
> the origin of creation save God, exalted be His glory, Whose
> knowledge embraceth all things both before and after they
> come into being. Creation hath neither beginning nor end, and
> none hath ever unraveled its mystery. Its knowledge hath ever
> been, and shall remain, hidden and preserved with those Who
> are the Repositories of divine knowledge.
> 3.49 The world of existence is contingent, inasmuch as it is
> preceded by a cause, while essential preexistence hath ever
> been, and shall remain, confined to God, magnified be His
> glory. This statement is being made lest one be inclined to
> conclude from the earlier assertion, namely that creation hath
> no beginning and no end, that it is preexistent. True and
> essential preexistence is exclusively reserved to God, while the
> preexistence of the world is sec-
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib     143
> ondary and relative. All that hath been inferred about
> firstness, lastness and such hath in truth been derived from the
> sayings of the Prophets, Apostles, and chosen Ones of God.
> 3.50 As to the “realm of subtle entities”15 which is often referred to,
> it pertaineth to the Revelation of the Prophets, and aught else
> is mere superstition and idle fancy. At the time of the
> Revelation all men are equal in rank. By reason, however, of
> their acceptance or rejection, rise or fall, motion or stillness,
> recognition or denial, they come to differ thereafter. For
> instance, the one true God, magnified be His glory, speaking
> through the intermediary of His Manifestation, doth ask: “Am I
> not your Lord?” Every soul that answereth “Yea, verily!” is
> accounted among the most distinguished of all men in the sight
> of God. Our meaning is that ere the Word of God is delivered,
> all men are deemed equal in rank and their station is one and
> the same. It is only thereafter that differences appear, as thou
> hast no doubt observed.
> 3.51   It is clearly established from that which hath been mentioned
> that none may ever justifiably
> 144                   The Pen of Glory
> claim: “We are begotten of the Intellect, while all others stem
> from another origin.” The truth that shineth bright and
> resplendent as the sun is this, that all have been created
> through the operation of the Divine Will and have proceeded
> from the same source, that all are from Him and that unto Him
> they shall all return. This is the meaning of that blessed verse
> in the Qur’an which hath issued from the Pen of the All-
> Merciful: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”16
> 3.52 As is clear and evident to thee, the answer to all of the
> questions mentioned above was embodied in but one of the
> passages revealed by the Pen of the Most High. Blessed are
> they who, freed from worldly matters and sanctified from idle
> fancies and vain imaginings, traverse the meads of divine
> knowledge and discern in all things the tokens of His glory.
> 3.53 Numerous passages have been revealed in the name of his
> honor the Sahib. Were he to appreciate their value and avail
> himself of their fruits, he would experience such joy that all the
> sorrows
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    145
> of the world would be powerless to afflict him. God grant that
> he may be enabled to sincerely voice, and to act in accordance
> with, the following words: “Say: It is God; then leave them to
> entertain themselves with their cavilings.”17 May he endeavor
> to guide those deprived souls who remain secluded in
> darkness and obscurity towards the light of the Sun. May he
> seize, through the potency of the Most Great Name, the banner
> that speaketh of naught save His Revelation and march at the
> forefront of the people of the former religions, that perchance
> the darkness of the world may be dispelled and the effulgent
> rays of the Sun of Truth may shine upon all mankind. This, in
> truth, is the most perfect bounty and the highest calling.
> Should man fail to attain unto this sublime station, where then
> can he find comfort and joy? What will sustain and animate
> him? With whom will he commune at the hour of repose, and
> whose name will he invoke when he riseth from slumber?
> Again: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”
> 146                   The Pen of Glory
> 3.54 His last question. “Most of the Tablets that we have seen are in
> Arabic. However, since the Beloved in this age is of Persian
> descent, the Arabic tongue should be abandoned and
> discarded. For to this day the Arabs themselves have not
> understood the meaning of the Qur’an, whereas the Persian
> language is highly prized, lauded and admired among the
> dwellers of the inhabited quarter of the globe. And just as the
> Persian of the present day is superior to Arabic, so too is Old
> Persian, which is greatly favored by the people of India and
> others. It would therefore be preferable if the words of God,
> magnified be His mention, were hereafter mainly delivered in
> pure Persian, since it attracteth the hearts to a greater degree.
> It is moreover requested that the reply to these questions be
> graciously written in pure Persian.”
> 3.55 The Persian tongue is in truth exceedingly sweet and pleasing,
> and ever since this request was submitted in His most blessed
> and exalted court, numerous Tablets have been revealed in
> that language. As to the statement concerning the Qur’an
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib    147
> implying that its outward meaning hath not been understood,
> in reality it hath been interpreted in numerous ways and
> translated into countless languages. That which men have
> been unable to grasp are its hidden mysteries and inner
> meanings. And all that they have said or will say is limited in
> scope and should be seen as commensurate with their rank
> and station. For none can fathom its true meaning save God,
> the One, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.
> 3.56 In this day He Who is the Lord, the Ruler, the Fashioner, and
> the Refuge of the world hath appeared. Let every ear be eager
> to hearken unto that which will be revealed from the kingdom
> of His will; let every eye be expectant to gaze upon that which
> will shine forth from the Daystar of knowledge and wisdom.
> By Him Who is the Desire of the world! This is the day for eyes
> to see and for ears to hear, for hearts to perceive and for
> tongues to speak forth. Blessed are they that have attained
> thereunto; blessed are they that have sought after and
> recognized it! This is the day whereon every
> 148                   The Pen of Glory
> man may accede unto everlasting honor, for whatsoever hath
> streamed forth from the Pen of Glory in regard to any soul is
> adorned with the ornament of immortality. Again, blessed are
> they that have attained thereunto!
> 3.57 The distinguished Sahib hath written: “Since the Beloved in
> this age is of Persian descent, the Arabic tongue should be
> abandoned and discarded.” In this connection these sublime
> words issued from the Pen of the Most High, magnified and
> exalted be His glory: “Both Arabic and Persian are laudable.
> That which is desired of a language is that it convey the intent
> of the speaker, and either language can serve this purpose.
> And since in this day the Orb of knowledge hath risen in the
> firmament of Persia, this tongue deserveth every praise.”
> 3.58 The light of truth is indeed shining resplendent above the
> horizon of divine utterance, and hence no further elaboration
> is required from this evanescent soul or from others like unto
> him. Although there can be no question or doubt as to the
> sweetness of the Persian tongue, yet it hath not the scope of
> the Arabic. There are many things
> Responses to questions of Manikchí Sa hib      149
> which have not been expressed in Persian, that is to say, words
> referring to such things have not been devised, whilst in Arabic
> there are several words describing the same thing. Indeed
> there existeth no language in the world as vast and
> comprehensive as Arabic. This statement is prompted by truth
> and fairness; otherwise it is clear that in this day the world is
> being illumined by the splendors of that Sun which hath
> dawned above the horizon of Persia, and that the merits of this
> sweet language can scarcely be overestimated.
> 3.59 All the questions of his honor the Sahib have herewith been
> mentioned and duly answered. If it be deemed appropriate
> and advisable, there would be no harm in his perusing these
> answers himself, and likewise they may be read by the beloved
> friends in that land, such as Jinab-i-‘Alí-Akbar, upon him be the
> glory of God, the Supreme Ordainer, and Jinab-i-Aqa Mírza
> Asadu’llah, upon him be the Glory of Glories.
> 3.60 This servant beseecheth the one True God—exalted be His
> glory—to graciously adorn the world of humanity with justice
> and fair-mindedness,
> 150                   The Pen of Glory
> although in truth the latter is but one of the expressions of the
> former. Verily, justice is a lamp that guideth man aright amidst
> the darkness of the world and shieldeth him from every
> danger. It is indeed a shining lamp. God grant that the rulers of
> the earth may be illumined by its light. This servant further
> imploreth God to graciously aid all men to do His will and
> pleasure. He, in truth, is the Lord of this world and of the
> world to come. No God is there but Him, the Almighty, the
> Most-Powerful.
> Tablet of the Seven Questions
> (Lawḥ-i-Haft Pursish)
> IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF
> UTTERANCE, THE ALL-WISE
> 4.1   All praise be to the sanctified Lord Who hath illumined the
> world through the splendors of the Daystar of His grace. From
> the letter “B” He hath made the Most Great Ocean to appear,
> and from the letter “H” He hath caused His inmost Essence to
> be made manifest. He is that Almighty One Whose purpose the
> might of men can never hope to frustrate and the flow of
> Whose utterance the hosts of kings are powerless to halt.
> 4.2   Thy letter was received, and We perused it and heard thy call.
> Within it were enshrined the precious pearls of love and the
> hidden mysteries of affection. We beseech the peerless Lord to
> enable thee to assist His Cause and to lead those who are sore
> athirst in the wilderness of ignorance to the water of life. His
> might, in truth, is equal to all things. That which thou didst ask
> of the Ocean of Knowledge and the Orb of Insight hath met
> with His acceptance.
> 
> 154                   The Pen of Glory
> 4.3   The first question: “In what tongue and towards what
> direction doth it behoove us to worship the one true God?”
> 4.4   The beginning of all utterance is the worship of God, and this
> followeth upon His recognition. Sanctified must be the eye if it
> is to truly recognize Him, and sanctified must be the tongue if it
> is to befittingly utter His praise. In this Day the faces of the
> people of insight and understanding are turned in His
> direction; nay every direction inclineth itself towards Him. O
> lion-hearted one! We beseech God that thou mayest become a
> champion in this arena, arise with heavenly power and say: “O
> high priests! Ears have been given you that they may hearken
> unto the mystery of Him Who is the Self-Dependent, and eyes
> that they may behold Him. Wherefore flee ye? The
> Incomparable Friend is manifest. He speaketh that wherein
> lieth salvation. Were ye, O high priests, to discover the
> perfume of the rose garden of understanding, ye would seek
> none other but Him, and would recognize, in His new
> Tablet of the Seven Questions (Lawh -i-Haft Pursish)   155
> vesture, the All-Wise and Peerless One, and would turn your
> eyes from the world and all who seek it, and would arise to
> help Him.”
> 4.5   The second question concerneth faith and religion. The Faith
> of God hath in this Day been made manifest. He Who is the
> Lord of the world is come and hath shown the way. His faith is
> the faith of benevolence and His religion is the religion of
> forbearance. This faith bestoweth eternal life and this religion
> enableth mankind to dispense with all else. It verily
> embraceth all faiths and all religions. Take hold thereof and
> guard it well.
> 4.6   The third question: “In what manner shall we deal with the
> people of this age, who have each chosen to follow a different
> religion and who each regard their own faith and religion as
> excelling and surpassing all the others, that we may be
> shielded from the onslaught of their words and deeds?”
> 4.7   O lion-hearted one amongst men! Regard the afflictions
> endured in the path of God as comfort itself. Every affliction
> suffered for His sake is a potent remedy, every bitterness is
> naught but
> 156                   The Pen of Glory
> sweetness and every abasement an exaltation. Were men to
> apprehend and acknowledge this truth, they would readily lay
> down their lives for such affliction. For it is the key to
> inestimable treasures, and no matter how outwardly
> abhorrent, it hath ever been and will continue to be inwardly
> prized. We accept and affirm what thou hast said, for the
> people of the world are indeed bereft of the light of the Orb of
> justice and regard it as their enemy.
> 4.8   If thou desirest to be freed from affliction, recite thou this
> prayer which hath been revealed by the Pen of the All-
> Merciful: “O God, my God! I testify to Thy unity and to Thy
> oneness. I beseech Thee, O Thou Possessor of names and
> Fashioner of the heavens, by the pervasive influence of Thine
> exalted Word and the potency of Thy supreme Pen, to aid me
> with the ensigns of Thy power and might, and to protect me
> from the mischief of Thine enemies who have violated Thy
> Covenant and Thy Testament. Thou art, verily, the Almighty,
> the Most Powerful.”
> Tablet of the Seven Questions (Lawh -i-Haft Pursish)   157
> This invocation is an impregnable stronghold and an
> indomitable army. It conferreth protection and ensureth
> deliverance.
> 4.9   The fourth question: “Our Books have announced that Shah
> Bahram will come, invested with manifold signs, to guide the
> people aright ….”
> 4.10 O friend! Whatsoever hath been announced in the Books hath
> been revealed and made clear. From every side the signs have
> been manifested. The Omnipotent One is calling, in this Day,
> and announcing the appearance of the Supreme Heaven. The
> world hath been illumined with the splendors of His
> revelation, yet how few are the eyes that can behold it!
> Beseech the peerless and incomparable Lord to bestow a
> penetrating insight upon His servants, for insight leadeth to
> true knowledge and is conducive to salvation. Indeed, the
> attainments of man’s understanding are dependent upon his
> keenness of sight. Were the children of men to gaze with the
> eye of understanding, they would see the world illumined with
> a new light in this Day. Say: The Daystar
> 158                   The Pen of Glory
> of knowledge is manifest and the Luminary of insight hath
> appeared. Fortunate indeed is the one who hath attained, who
> hath witnessed, and who hath recognized.
> 4.11   The fifth question concerneth the bridge of Sirat, Paradise, and
> Hell. The Prophets of God have come in truth and have spoken
> the truth. Whatsoever the Messenger of God hath announced
> hath been and will be made manifest. The world is established
> upon the foundations of reward and punishment. Knowledge
> and understanding have ever affirmed and will continue to
> affirm the reality of Paradise and Hell, for reward and
> punishment require their existence. Paradise signifieth first
> and foremost the good-pleasure of God. Whosoever attaineth
> His good-pleasure is reckoned and recorded among the
> inhabitants of the most exalted paradise and will attain, after
> the ascension of his soul, that which pen and ink are powerless
> to describe. For them that are endued with insight and have
> fixed their gaze upon the Most Sublime Vision, the Bridge,
> Tablet of the Seven Questions (Lawh -i-Haft Pursish)   159
> the Balance, Paradise, Hellfire, and all that hath been
> mentioned and recorded in the Sacred Scriptures are clear and
> manifest. At the time of the appearance and manifestation of
> the rays of the Daystar of Truth, all occupy the same station.
> God then proclaimeth that which He willeth, and whoso
> heareth His call and acknowledgeth His truth is accounted
> among the inhabitants of Paradise. Such a soul hath traversed
> the Bridge, the Balance, and all that hath been recorded
> regarding the Day of Resurrection, and hath reached his
> destination. The Day of God’s Revelation is the Day of the most
> great Resurrection. We cherish the hope that, quaffing from
> the choice wine of divine inspiration and the pure waters of
> heavenly grace, thou mayest attain the station of discovery and
> witnessing, and behold, both outwardly and inwardly, all that
> which thou hast mentioned.
> 4.12   The sixth question: “After relinquishing the body, that is to
> say, after the soul hath been separated from the body, it
> hasteneth to the abode hereafter ….”
> 160                  The Pen of Glory
> 4.13   In reference to this theme there appeared some time past from
> the Pen of divine knowledge that which sufficeth the men of
> insight and imparteth the greatest joy to the people of
> understanding. Verily, We say: The soul is gladdened by
> goodly deeds and profiteth from the contributions made in the
> path of God.
> 4.14 The seventh question regardeth the name, lineage, and
> ancestry of the Holy One.* Abu’l-Fadl-i-Gulpayganí, upon him
> be My glory, hath written in this regard, based on the Sacred
> Scriptures, that which bestoweth knowledge and increaseth
> understanding.
> 4.15   The Faith of God is endowed with penetrating might and
> power. Erelong that which hath flowed from Our tongue will
> outwardly come to pass. We beseech God to bestow upon thee
> the strength to assist Him. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the
> All-Powerful. Wert thou to obtain and peruse the Suriy-i-Ra’ís
> and the Suriy-i-
> 
> *
> Baha’u’llah
> Tablet of the Seven Questions (Lawh -i-Haft Pursish)   161
> Muluk, thou wouldst find thyself able to dispense with thy
> questions and wouldst arise to serve the Cause of God in such
> wise that the oppression of the world and the onslaught of its
> peoples would fail to deter thee from aiding Him Who is the
> ancient and sovereign Lord of all.
> 4.16 We implore God to confirm thee in that which will exalt and
> immortalize thy name. Make thou an effort, that haply thou
> mayest obtain the aforementioned Tablets and acquire
> therefrom a share of the pearls of wisdom and utterance that
> have issued from the treasury of the Pen of the All-Merciful.
> The glory of God rest upon thee, upon every steadfast and
> unwavering heart and upon every constant and faithful soul.
> Two other Tablets
> THE BEGINNING OF ALL UTTERANCE
> IS THE PRAISE OF GOD
> 5.1   O servants! The wellsprings of divine bestowal are streaming
> forth. Quaff ye therefrom, that by the aid of the incomparable
> Friend ye may be sanctified from this darksome world of dust
> and enter His abode. Renounce the world and direct your
> steps toward the city of the Beloved.
> 5.2   O servants! The fire that consumeth all veils hath been kindled
> by My hand; quench it not with the waters of ignorance. The
> heavens are the token of My greatness; look upon them with a
> pure eye. The stars bear witness to My truth; bear ye likewise
> witness thereto.
> 5.3   O servants! Eyes are needed if one is to see, and ears, if one is
> to hear. Whoso in this blessed Day hath not heard the divine
> call hath indeed no ear. By this is not meant that bodily ear
> that is perceived by the eye. Open your inner eye, that ye may
> behold the celestial Fire, and listen with
> 
> 166                   The Pen of Glory
> the ear of inner understanding, that ye may hear the
> delightsome words of the Beloved.
> 5.4   O servants! If your heart acheth for the Beloved, lo, the remedy
> is come! If ye have eyes to see, behold, the shining
> countenance of the Friend hath appeared! Kindle ye the fire of
> knowledge and flee from the ignorant. Such are the words of
> the Lord of the world.
> 5.5   O servants! Lifeless is the body that is bereft of a soul, and
> withered the heart that is devoid of the remembrance of its
> Lord. Commune with the remembrance of the Friend and shun
> the enemy. Your enemy is such things as ye have acquired of
> your own inclination, to which ye have firmly clung, and
> whereby ye have sullied your souls. The soul hath been
> created for the remembrance of the Friend; safeguard its
> purity. The tongue hath been created to bear witness to God;
> pollute it not with the mention of the wayward.
> 5.60 O servants! Verily I say, he is to be accounted as truthful who
> hath beheld the straight Path. That Path is one, and God hath
> chosen and pre-
> Two other Tablets (1)                167
> pared it. It shineth as resplendent amongst all paths as the sun
> amongst the stars. Whosoever hath not attained it hath failed
> to apprehend the truth and hath gone astray. Such are the
> counsels of the incomparable, the peerless Lord.
> 5.7   O servants! This nether world is the abode of demons: Guard
> yourselves from approaching them. By demons is meant those
> wayward souls who, with the burden of their evil deeds,
> slumber in the chambers of oblivion. Their sleep is preferable
> to their wakefulness, and their death is better than their life.
> 5.8   O servants! Not every mortal frame hath a spirit or is imbued
> with life. In this day he is endowed with spirit who with all his
> heart seeketh the abode of the Beloved. The end of all
> beginnings is to be found in this Day: Turn ye not a blind eye
> unto it. The matchless Friend is nigh: Stray not far from Him.
> 5.9   O servants! Ye are even as saplings in a garden, which are near
> to perishing for want of water. Wherefore, revive your souls
> with the heavenly
> 168                   The Pen of Glory
> water that is raining down from the clouds of divine bounty.
> Words must be followed by deeds. Whoso accepteth the words
> of the Friend is in truth a man of deeds; otherwise a dead
> carcass is verily of greater worth.
> 5.10   O servants! Pleasant is the utterance of the Friend: Where is
> the soul who will taste its sweetness, and where is the ear that
> will hearken unto it? Well is it with him who, in this Day,
> communeth with the Friend and in His path renounceth and
> forsaketh all save Him, that he may behold a new world and
> gain admittance to the everlasting paradise.
> 5.11   The Lord of the world saith: O servants! Forsake your own
> desires and seek that which I have desired for you. Walk ye
> not without one to guide you on the way, and accept ye not the
> words of every guide. How numerous the guides who have
> gone astray and failed to discover the straight path! He alone
> is a guide who is free from the bondage of this world and
> whom nothing whatsoever can deter from speaking the truth.
> Two other Tablets (1)               169
> 5.12   O servants! Follow the path of truthfulness and turn not away
> from the needy. Make mention of Me before the great ones of
> the earth and fear not.
> 5.13   O servants! Be pure in your deeds, and conduct yourselves in
> accordance with the words of God. Such are the counsels of
> the incomparable Lord.
> 6. Two other Tablets (2)
> 
> The beginning of every account
> is the name of God
> 6.1   O friends of God! Incline your inner ears to the voice of the
> peerless and self-subsisting Lord, that He may deliver you from
> the bonds of entanglement and the depths of darkness and
> enable you to attain the eternal light. Ascent and descent,
> stillness and motion, have come into being through the will of
> the Lord of all that hath been and shall be. The cause of ascent
> is lightness, and the cause of lightness is heat. Thus hath it
> been decreed by God. The cause of stillness is weight and
> density, which in turn are caused by cold. Thus hath it been
> decreed by God.
> 6.2   And since He hath ordained heat to be the source of motion
> and ascent and the cause of attainment to the desired goal, He
> hath therefore kindled with the mystic hand that Fire that
> dieth not and sent it forth into the world, that this divine Fire
> might, by the heat the love of God, guide and attract all
> mankind to the abode
> 
> 172                   The Pen of Glory
> of the incomparable Friend. This is the mystery enshrined in
> your Book that was sent down aforetime, a mystery which hath
> until now remained concealed from the eyes and hearts of
> men. That primal Fire hath in this Day appeared with a new
> radiance and with immeasurable heat. This divine Fire
> burneth of itself, with neither fuel nor fume, that it might draw
> away such excess moisture and cold as are the cause of torpor
> and weariness, of lethargy and despondency, and lead the
> entire creation to the court of the presence of the All-Merciful.
> Whoso hath approached this Fire hath been set aflame and
> attained the desired goal, and whoso hath removed himself
> therefrom hath remained deprived.
> 6.3   O servant of God! Turn thou away from the stranger, that thou
> mayest recognize the Friend. He indeed is a stranger who
> leadeth you away from the Friend. This is not the day whereon
> the high priests can command and exercise their authority. In
> your Book it is stated that the high priests will, on that Day,
> lead men far astray, and
> Two other Tablets (2)                173
> will prevent them from drawing nigh unto Him. He indeed is a
> high priest who hath seen the light and hastened unto the way
> leading to the Beloved. Such a man is a benevolent priest and a
> source of illumination to the whole world.
> 6.4   O servant of God! Any priest who leadeth thee away from this
> Fire, which is the reality of the Light and the mystery of divine
> Revelation, is indeed thine enemy. Suffer not the words of the
> foe to hold thee back from the Friend or the insinuations of the
> enemy to cause thee to forsake the Beloved.
> 6.5   O servant of God! The day of deeds hath come: Now is not the
> time for words. The Messenger of God hath appeared: Now is
> not the hour for hesitation. Open thine inner eye that thou
> mayest behold the face of the Beloved, and hearken with thine
> inner ear that thou mayest hear the sweet murmur of His
> celestial voice.
> 6.6   O servant of God! The robe of divine bestowal hath been sewn
> and readied. Take hold of it and attire thyself therewith.
> Renounce and for-
> 174                  The Pen of Glory
> sake the people of the world. O wise one! Shouldst thou heed
> the counsel of thy Lord, thou wouldst be released from the
> bondage of His servants and behold thyself exalted above all
> men.
> 6.7   O servant of God! We have bestowed a dewdrop from the
> ocean of divine grace; would that men might drink therefrom!
> We have brought a trace of the sweet melodies of the Beloved;
> would that men might hearken with their inner ear! Soar upon
> the wings of joy in the atmosphere of the love of God. Regard
> the people of the world as dead and seek the fellowship of the
> living. Whoso hath not breathed the sweet fragrance of the
> Beloved at this dawntide is indeed accounted among the dead.
> He Who is the All-Sufficing proclaimeth aloud: The realm of
> joy hath been ushered in; be not sorrowful! The hidden
> mystery hath been made manifest; be not disheartened!” Wert
> thou to apprehend the surpassing greatness of this Day, thou
> wouldst renounce the world and all that dwell therein and
> hasten unto the way that leadeth to the Lord.
> Two other Tablets (2)                175
> 6.8    O servants of God! Deprived souls are heedless of this
> triumphant Day, and chilled hearts have no share of the heat of
> this blazing Fire.
> 6.9    O servant of God! The Tree which We had planted with the
> Hand of Providence hath borne its destined fruit, and the gladtidings We had imparted in the Book have appeared in full
> effect.
> 6.10 O servant of God! We revealed Ourself to thee once in thy
> sleep, but thou didst remain unaware. Remember now, that
> thou mayest perceive and hasten with heart and soul to the
> placeless Friend.
> 6.11   O servant of God! Say: O high priests! The Hand of
> Omnipotence is stretched forth from behind the clouds; behold
> ye it with new eyes. The tokens of His majesty and greatness
> are unveiled; gaze ye on them with pure eyes.
> 6.12   O servant of God! The Daystar of the everlasting realm is
> shining resplendent above the horizon of His will and the
> Oceans of divine bounty are surging. Bereft indeed is the one
> who hath failed to behold them, and lifeless the one who hath
> not attained thereunto. Close thine eyes
> 176                  The Pen of Glory
> to this nether world, open them to the countenance of the
> incomparable Friend, and commune intimately with His Spirit.
> 6.13   O servant of God! With a pure heart unloose thy tongue in the
> praise of thy Lord for having made mention of thee through His
> gem-scattering pen. Couldst thou but realize the greatness of
> this bestowal, thou wouldst find thyself invested with
> everlasting life.
> Notes
> 
> Glossary
> Abraham. Considered by Baha’ís to be a Manifestation of God, He is
> also recognized as the founder of monotheism and the father of the
> Jewish and Arab peoples. Muḥammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh are
> among His descendants.
> Abu’l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání. See Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl.
> Abú-Ḥanífih (Abu Hanifa). An eighth-century Islamic scholar who
> founded the Hanafí school of Islamic jurisprudence.
> Abú-Jahl. (Lit., “Father of Folly.”) The title given to an implacable
> enemy of the Prophet Muḥammad.
> Adam. Considered by Baha’ís to be the first Manifestation of God to
> have appeared in recorded religious history.
> Alif. Lám. Mím. Arabic letters that appear at the head of twentynine surihs (chapters) of the Qur’an.
> Báb, the. (Lit., “Gate.”) The title assumed by Mírza ‘Alí-Muhammad of
> Shíraz (b. October 20, 1819; d. July 9, 1850)
> 
> 180                      The Pen of Glory
> after the declaration of His mission on May 23, 1844. He is the Qá’im
> and Mihdí of Islám and the Forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh.
> Bahá, people of. Followers of Bahá’u’lláh; Baha’ís.
> Bahá’u’lláh (Lit., “Glory of God”). Title of Mírza Husayn-‘Alí (b.
> November 12, 1817; d. May 29, 1892), the Founder of the Baha’í Faith.
> Bedouin. Tribes of nomadic Arabs who live in the deserts of North
> Africa, Syria, and Arabia.
> Brahma. The creator aspect of the Hindu sacred triad of gods.
> Brahma is portrayed as the creator of both the universe and
> humankind.
> Chosen Ones (of God). See Manifestations of God.
> Day of Judgment. See Day of Resurrection.
> Day of Reckoning. See Day of Resurrection.
> Day of Resurrection. The time of the appearance of the
> Manifestation of God, when the true character of souls is judged
> according to their response to His Revelation. (Also known as the
> Day of Judgment or the Day of Reckoning).
> Dove of Holiness. A term referring to the Spirit of God that
> animates His Manifestations.
> Two other Tablets (2)                       181
> Evangel. Refers to the Gospel, the first four books of the New
> Testament.
> Ḥajj. Pilgrimage taken by Muslims to Mecca at least once in a
> lifetime, as instituted in the Qur’an.
> Ḥamzih. “The Prince of Martyrs,” the title given to Muḥammad’s
> uncle, ‘Abdu’l-Muttalib.
> Ḥijáz (Hejaz). A region in northwest present-day Saudi Arabia that is
> known for the Islamic holy city of Mecca, which lies within it.
> Him Whom God shall make manifest. The messianic figure
> anticipated in the Bib’s writings as the one Who would come after
> Him and complete His mission. In 1863, Bahá’u’lláh declared that He
> was the one who had been foretold by the Bab.
> Horeb. Another name for Mount Sinai.
> Imám. Designates in its most general sense an Islamic religious
> leader who leads the prayers in the mosque and, more particularly in
> Shí‘ih Islám, the twelve hereditary successors of the Prophet
> Muḥammad.
> Imám ‘Alí. The first Imam, son-in-law of Muḥammad.
> Imám Ḥusayn. Son of ‘Alí and Fatimih, grandson of the Prophet
> Muḥammad, and, in Shí‘ih Islám, the third Imam.
> 182                      The Pen of Glory
> Islám. (Lit., “Submission to the Will of God”) The religion of
> Muḥammad, upheld by Baha’ís as divine in origin.
> Jesus. The founder of Christianity, recognized by Baha ’ís as a
> Manifestation of God. The Baha’í writings often refer to Him as “the
> Spirit of God” and “the Son.”
> Joseph. The son of Jacob, who is mentioned in the Qur’an as an
> inspired prophet.
> Mahábád. The first of a succession of prophets recognized in the
> Zoroastrian faith.
> Manifestation of God. Designation of one Who is the Founder of a
> religious Dispensation, inasmuch as in His words, His person, and His
> actions He manifests the nature and purpose of God in accordance
> with the capacity and needs of the people to whom He comes.
> Manifestation(s). See Manifestation of God.
> Mecca. A city in Saudi Arabia that is the holy city of Islám and the
> birthplace of Muḥammad. It is the principal place of pilgrimage for
> Muslims.
> Mírzá Abu’l-Faḍl. An eminent early Baha’í, who was renowned as a
> scholar of both Islám and the Baha’í teachings.
> Moses. Founder of Judaism, regarded by Baha ’ís as a Manifestation
> of God.
> Two other Tablets (2)                      183
> Muḥammad. Prophet and Founder of Islám. Baha’ís regard
> Muḥammad as a Manifestation of God, and His book, the Qur’an, as
> holy scripture.
> Najaf. A city in south central Iraq considered holy by Shí‘ih Muslims.
> It was the site of the martyrdom of the Imám ‘Alí, the cousin of
> Muḥammad, whose shrine is a place of pilgrimage for Shí‘ih Muslims.
> Nimrod. A descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty
> hunter and a king of Shinar. According to Jewish and Islamic
> traditions, he persecuted Abraham, and his name became symbolic of
> great pride.
> Párán. A mountain range north of Sinai and south of Seir; all are
> sacred as places of revelation.
> People of Bahá. See Bahá, people of.
> Qá’im. (Lit. “He Who Arises”) In Shí‘ih Islám, a reference to the
> Twelfth Imám, the Mihdí, who was to return in the fullness of time
> and bring a reign of righteousness to the world. The Báb declared
> Himself to be the Qa’im and the Gate to a greater messenger, “Him
> Whom God shall make manifest.”
> Qiblih. (Lit., “Point of Adoration”) The focus to which the faithful turn
> in prayer. The Qur’an establishes the Ka‘bih in Mecca as the Qiblih for
> Muslims. For Baha’ís, the Qiblih is Bahá’u’lláh’s Shrine in Bahjí,
> Israel.
> 184                     The Pen of Glory
> Riḍván. The name of the custodian of Paradise. Bahá’u’lláh uses it
> to denote Paradise itself.
> Seal of the Prophets. A title of Muḥammad referring to the close of
> the Prophetic Cycle.
> Sháh Bahrám. The world-redeeming figure prophesied in the
> Zoroastrian faith, Whose appearance would create an era of world
> peace. Baha’ís believe this prophecy was fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh.
> Shí‘ih Islám. One of the two major branches of Islám (the other
> being Sunní). Its followers view the descendants of ‘Alí, son-in-law of
> the Prophet Muḥammad, as the only rightful successors to
> Muḥammad.
> Sinai. The mountain where God gave the tables of the Law to Moses
> (Qur’an 7:139 and Exod. 19); sometimes an emblem of the human
> heart, which is the place of God’s descent.
> Ṣiráṭ. (Lit., “path,” “way”) In Islám, the bridge leading to Paradise.
> According to Muslim tradition, a bridge will be extended over Hell in
> the Last Days, and men will have to cross over it to reach Paradise.
> Supreme Infallibility. This is the infallibility of which only
> Manifestations of God are possessed. It is the station in which
> whatever emanates from the Manifestation of God is the
> unquestioned truth. Also called the Most Great Infallibility.
> Two other Tablets (2)                      185
> Súriy-i-Mulúk. Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in Adrianople to the
> kings of the world collectively. In it He boldly proclaims His station as
> Manifestation of God. [The text of this Tablet can be found in
> Bahá’u’lláh, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts (Wilmette, Ill: Baha’í
> Publishing, 2006), pp. 269–345.]
> Súriy-i-Ra’ís. Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh and addressed to ‘Alí
> Pasha, the Ottoman prime minister during the time of Bahá’u’lláh.
> [The text of this Tablet can be found in Bahá’u’lláh, The Summons of
> the Lord of Hosts (Wilmette, Ill: Baha’í Publishing, 2006), pp. 211–35.]
> Tablet. A term for a sacred epistle containing a revelation from God.
> The giving of the Law to Moses on tables, or tablets, is mentioned in
> Qur’an 7:142: “We wrote for him (Moses) upon tables (alwah, pl. of
> lauh) a monition concerning every matter.” In Baha’í scripture the
> term refers to letters revealed by Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb.
> Torah. The Pentateuch of Moses.
> Traditions. The authoritative record of inspired sayings and acts of
> Muḥammad, in addition to the revelation contained in the Qur’an.
> Often referred to individually and collectively as ḥadíth.
> Zoroaster. Regarded by Baha’ís as a Manifestation of God and
> founder of the Zoroastrian religion. He predicted the coming of a
> world redeemer called Sháh-Bahrám, Who would
> 186                      The Pen of Glory
> create an era of world peace. Baha’ís believe the figure referred to in
> this prophecy is Bahá’u’lláh, Who is also a descendant of Zoroaster.
> Key to passages
> translated by Shoghi Effendi
> Abbreviation of sources
> GWB          Baha’u’llah. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
> Wilmette: Baha’í Publishing 2005.
> KI           Baha’u’llah. The Kitáb-i-Íqán. Wilmette: Baha’í
> Publishing Trust, 2003.
> PDC          Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come. Wilmette: Baha’í
> Publishing Trust, 1996.
> 
> Paragraph    Passage                                    Source
> 2.4–2.6      “The All-Knowing Physician … whoso
> remaineth dead, shall never live.”         GWB 106
> 2.15         “O well-beloved ones! … and
> the leaves of one branch.”                 GWB 112
> 3.5          “No distinction do We make
> between any of the Messengers.”            KI ¶161
> 3.5          “Some of the Apostles We have
> caused to excel the others.”               KI ¶110
> 3.5          “The All-Knowing Physician … on
> its exigencies and requirements.”          GWB 106
> 3.24         “We did not appoint … from
> him who turneth on his heels.”             KI ¶55
> 
> 188                   The Pen of Glory
> Paragraph   Passage                               Source
> 3.34        “O ye children of men! … and
> discord, of hate and enmity.”         GWB 110
> 3.35        “Blessed and happy … of the peoples
> and kindreds of the earth.”           GWB 117
> 3.36        “O well-beloved ones! … and
> the leaves of one branch.”            GWB 112
> 3.37        “The structure of world stability
> … reward and punishment.”             GWB 112
> 3.51        “Verily, we are God’s, and to
> Him shall we return.”                 GWB 165
> 3.53        “Say: It is God … with
> their cavilings.”                     KI ¶43
> 4.4         “O high priests! … and would
> arise to help Him.”                   PDC ¶193
> 4.10        “Whatsoever hath been announced …
> the Supreme Heaven.”                  PDC ¶193
> 6.3         “This is not the day … the way
> leading to the Beloved.”              PDC ¶193
> 6.11        “O high priests! … gaze ye on them
> with pure eyes.”                      PDC ¶193
> Index
> 
> A                                  D
> Abraham, 1.104, 3.2               Dajjal, 1.24
> Abu-Hanífih, 3.18                 David, 3.2
> Abu-Jahl, 1.68                    Day of God, 3.16, 5.8,
> afflictions, 4.6–4.7                          6.9
> freedom from, 4.8           deeds, 2.13, 4.12–13,
> Arabic language, 3.54–58                      5.9, 5.13
> demons, 5.7
> B
> Baha’u’llah                                          E
> suffering of, 1.2,           elect, the, 1.92
> 1.95–96
> blasphemy, 1.61, 1.87                                F
> Fire
> C                        divine, 6.2
> certitude, 1.93
> City of Absolute Nothing-                          G
> ness, 1.101–2                Garden of Wonderment,
> City of Divine Unity,                        1.95
> 1.90                   God, 1.114
> City of Immortality,                   All-Knowing
> 1.105–7                           Physician, 2.4–5,
> creation                                     3.31, 3.43
> origin of,                        announcement of
> 3.47–49, 6.1                      Revelation, 4.9–10
> 
> 192                      The Pen of Glory
> God (continued)                     high priests
> assistance of                       call to, 4.4, 6.11
> needed, 1.111                 lack of authority,
> attainment of                             6.3–4
> impossible,              Hindu Prophets, 3.2
> 1.110                    humanity
> deeds performed                     children of, 2.18
> for, 3.24                     creation of, 3.51
> Faith of, 1.80                      equality of, 3.50
> greatness of, 3.25,                 iniquity of, 3.26–27
> 5.2                           present-day
> Necessary Being,                          afflictions of,
> 2.6                                 2.4, 3.7, 3.16
> ordinances of, 3.32                 unity of, 2.15,
> praise of, 5.1                            3.34, 3.36
> presence of, 1.91
> recognition of,                                 I
> 3.15, 3.29, 5.3,         Imam Husayn, 3.17
> 6.1, 6.6, 6.12–13        Imams, 1.15, 1.22–23,
> utterance of, 5.10,                        1.48
> 5.13                     infidels, 1.95
> Word of, 2.1–2,                intellect, 3.21–23
> 2.8, 3.18, 3.35
> worship of, 4.4                                 J
> Gospels, 1.8–11                     Jabulqa, 1.48–49
> Jacob, 1.95
> H                   Jesus Christ, 1.15, 1.22,
> Hamzih, 1.68                                   3.2
> Hell, 4.11                          Job, 1.95
> Two other Tablets (2)                  193
> justice, 3.60                               signs heralding
> twin pillars of, 3.37                       appearance of,
> 1.7–11, 1.22
> K                           unity of, 3.4–5
> kings, 3.10                             Mírza Abu l-Fadl, 3.26
> knowledge                               Moses, 1.85, 3.2
> divine, 1.18–19                    Muhammad, 1.40, 1.51–52,
> 1.54–58, 1.62,
> L                                3.2
> life, 1.64–65, 1.67                         unity of Prophets
> and, 3.4
> M                        Muhammad al-Mahdí,
> Manifestations of God,                            1.48–50
> 1.109, 1.114–15
> channels of God’s                                   N
> grace, 3.9                     Nimrod, 1.104
> denial by Jews and                  Noah, 1.95
> Christians of,
> 1.6                                             P
> description of, 1.72,               paradise, 1.57–58, 4.11
> 1.74–78                        Path, the, 2.9, 5.6, 5.11
> means of recognition                people of corrupt
> of, 1.30–34,                        inclinations,
> 1.36–48                                   1.81–82
> people’s rejection of,              Persian language, 3.54–58
> 1.3, 1.23–27                   present day, 3.8, 3.11
> proofs of, 1.14–15
> representatives of                                  Q
> God, 2.28                      Qa’im, 1.24
> 
> 194                      The Pen of Glory
> Qur’an                              Sufyaní, 1.24
> numerous
> interpretations                            T
> of, 3.55                    tongue
> purpose of, 5.5
> R                  transformation, 1.86
> religion                            truthfulness, 5.12
> fanaticism forbidden in, 3.35                               V
> forbearance and               veils
> benevolence, 4.5                 covetousness, 2.11,
> unity of, 3.44–46                         2.17
> welcoming others,
> 3.40–42                              W
> words, 2.13
> S                      deeds and, 5.9, 6.5
> seeker, 1.84–85, 1.98–              world
> 103, 1.105–6,               people of, 6.7
> 1.109–12, 1.114             renunciation of, 6.7
> soul
> purpose of, 5.5                                 Z
> spirit, 5.8                         Zoroaster, 3.2
> 
> .Gems of Divine Mysteries
> 1    cf. Qur’an 67:3.
> 2    cf. Qur’an 24:35.
> 3    Matt. 24:19.
> 4    cf. Matt. 24:29–31.
> 5    Mark 13:19.
> 6    cf. Luke 21:25–28.
> 7    John 15:26–27.
> 8    John 14:26.
> 9    John 16:5–6.
> 10   John 16:7.
> 11   John 16:13.
> Two other Tablets (2)                          195
> 12   The Imams of Shí‘ih Islam.             32   According to Shí‘ih
> [Imam, pl. A’imma.]                         traditions, the twin cities of
> 13   cf. Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31;                Jabulqa and Jabulsa are the
> Luke 21:33.                                 dwelling place of the Hidden
> 14   The Antichrist, who it was                  Imam (the Promised One),
> believed would appear at the                whence He will appear on
> advent of the Promised One, to              the Day of Resurrection.
> contend with and be ultimately         33   Qur’an 33:40.
> defeated by Him.                       34   Qur’an 13:2.
> 15   Another figure who it was              35   Qur’an 74:50.
> believed would raise the               36   cf. Qur’an 13:5.
> banner of rebellion between            37   Qur’an 11:7.
> Mecca and Damascus at the              38   Qur’an 3:185.
> appearance of the Promised             39   Qur’an 16:97.
> One.                                   40   Qur’an 3:169.
> 16   Qur’an 16:43.                          41   From a hadíth.
> 17   A magician in the court of             42   Qur’an 7:179.
> Pharaoh during the time of             43   cf. Qur’an 9:109; 3:103.
> Moses.                                 44   Qur’an 6:122.
> 18   Qur’an 83:6; 2:89.                     45   John 3:5.
> 19   The Imams of Shí‘ih Islam.             46   cf. Rev. 1:14–16; 2:18; 19:15.
> [Imam, pl. A’imma]                     47   cf. Qur’an 80:41; 83:24.
> 20   Qur’an 29:2.                           48   Qur’an 11:112.
> 21   Qur’an 2:156.                          49   cf. Luke 12:53.
> 22   Qur’an 29:69.                          50   cf. Qur’an 1:4.
> 23   Qur’an 2:282.                          51   Qur’an 14:48.
> 24   From a hadíth.                         52   Qur’an 14:5.
> 25   ibid.                                  53   cf. Qur’an 21:23.
> 26   Qur’an 30:30.                          54   From a saying of Imam ‘Alí.
> 27   Qur’an 48:23.                          55   From the Díván of Ibn-i-
> 28   Qur’an 67:3.
> Farid.
> 29   Qur’an 17:110.                         56   ibid.
> 30   Qur’an 57:3.                           57   cf. Qur’an 10:61; 34:3.
> 31   The twelfth Imam,                      58   From a hadíth.
> Muhammad al-Mahdí, the                 59   From the Díván of Ibn-ison of Hasan al-‘Askarí.
> Farid.
> 60   cf. Qur’an 39:10.
> 196                         The Pen of Glory
> 61    Qur’an 2:156.                           concern the sources of the
> 62    Qur’an 4:130.                           law that can be explicitly
> 63    cf. Qur’an 50:30.                       derived from the Qur’an and
> .Tablet to Mánikchí Ṣáḥib                     the hadíth, whereas
> 1     For forty years, Baha’u’llah            secondary laws and
> suffered a series of                    ordinances (furú‘, lit.
> imprisonments and exiles                “branches”) are deduced
> that lasted until His passing           from the former through the
> in 1892. At the time this               discipline of jurisprudence
> Tablet was written, He was              (fiqh).
> confined in the prison-city of
> 8    Possible reference to Qur’an
> ‘Akka, in what is now                   2:187, which contains
> northern Israel. He often               instructions regarding the
> referred to it in His writings          Fast: “Eat and drink until ye
> as “The Most Great Prison.”             can discern a white thread
> 2     From the Lawh-i-Maqsud; cf.             from a black thread by the
> Baha’u’llah, Tablets of                 daybreak.” (Rodwell trans.)
> Bahá’u’lláh, p. 171.
> 9    Qur’an 6:91.
> 3     ibid., p. 169.
> 10   Among the rites performed
> 1     Qur’an 3:1.                             by Muslim pilgrims during
> 2     Qur’an 2:285.                           the hajj.
> 3     Qur’an 2:253.
> 11   See 1.14.
> 4     See 2.4.
> 12   Qur’an 2:143.
> 5     The “Necessary Being”
> 13   See 1.18.
> (vájibu’l-vujúd) refers to God;
> 14   See 1.15.
> this term was used by
> 15   The “realm of subtle entities”
> Muslim philosophers such as             (‘álam-i-dharr) is an allusion
> al-Farabi and can be traced             to the Covenant between God
> to Aristotle.                           and Adam mentioned in
> 6     Taqvá, translated here as               Qur’an 7:172. In a Tablet,
> “righteousness,” has further            ‘Abdu’l-Baha has written,
> connotations of piety, fear of          “The realm of subtle entities
> God, and right conduct that             that is alluded to referreth to
> cannot all be conveyed with a           the realities, specifications,
> single word in English.                 individuations, capacities
> 7     In Islamic law, religious               and potentialities of man in
> principles (uṣúl; lit. “roots”),        the mirror of the divine
> knowledge. As these
> Two other Tablets (2)   197
> potentialities and capacities
> differ, they each have their
> own particular exigency.
> That exigency consisteth in
> acquiescence and
> supplication.” (Má’idiy-i
> Ásmání, vol. 2, p. 30)
> 16   Qur’an 2:156.
> 17   Qur’an 6:91.
>
> — *The Pen of Glory: Selected Works of Baha'u'llah (Used by permission of the curator)*