# Tablet of Joseph (Lawh-i Yusuf)

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.*

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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, Tablet of Joseph (Lawh-i Yusuf), bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Tablet of Joseph (Lawh-i Yusuf)
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh
> 
> Anton Haddad, translator
> published in Untitled 1904 compilationVolume 1, pp. 1-8
> 
> New York: Bahá'í Board of Counsel, 1904-02-19
> 
> Cover Letter
> 
> New York Feb. 19, 1904.
> 
> NOTICE
> 
> We send you herewith the first instalment of matter about which we
> wrote you a week or two ago. It is intended to divide this in five parts, as
> follows:
> 
> Vol. 1 Long Tablets by the Manifestation.
> 
> Vol. 2 Tablets to the Kings and short Tablets by the Manifestation.
> 
> Vol. 3 Tablets from the Master, Abdul Baha.
> 
> Vol. 4 Writings, lectures, etc., by Believers.
> 
> Vol. 5. News letters and information regarding the Cause.
> 
> Covers will be sent you for each volume, so they can be kept separately and
> can be easily referred to.
> 
> If you know of any one who desires the matter sent to them kindly send their
> name and address, or have them write to C. E. Sprague, Pub. Agt., 191 William
> St., New York, and the name will be placed on the list.
> 
> Yours in God's Cause,
> 
> The New York Bahai Board of Counsel.
> 
> [Page 1]
> 
> THE TABLET OF JOSEPH
> 
> Revealed by Baha'Ullah.
> 
> The Tongue of God utters (this) in Persian words:
> 
> O Joseph! My Demonstration was brought to Its fullness and completion for all
> who are in heaven and on earth before I made Myself known, because It appeared
> with such wonderful condition that no one could find a way to delay or
> oppose.
> 
> Meditate upon the nations of former ages and why they were excluded from
> approaching the Shore of God and prevented from the Beauty of His Eternal
> Majesty. If thou lookest with clear insight (iron sight), thou wilt perceive
> that all are deprived of the of the Bounty of God on account of the veils of
> words, imaginations, and invented proofs. In the Day of God, though the Beauty
> of God was like the sun in heaven, shining and radiating, still they were
> veiled on account of their superstitions and imaginations. Notwithstanding
> that they had been commanded in all the Tablets not to cling to anything
> created between earth and Heaven in the time of the Manifestation, but to
> adhere only to the Root of the Cause and that which is manifested through Him,
> yet they deviated from the Right Path and adhered to the idea that the way to
> know God (Who is exalted and holy above all) depends upon believing or
> disbelieving the people. Woe upon them, being remote from God because of their
> willingness to know God through that which is beside Him! This is impossible,
> because the Ancient
> 
> 2
> 
> Essence is known (only) by Himself, and all things which are known are made
> possible (only) through that which flows from the Pen of His Command. Exalted
> is He, that He should be known through that which is beside Him because,
> verily, all else but Him was created as thou art.
> 
> In this day all those on earth and in heaven are viewed (by God) as being in
> one region. Every soul which is wholly cut from all else save God and is
> soaring to the Heaven of the knowledge of God, is and will be of those who are
> faithful to God and of His saints, even though they should not be known by
> others; and the soul which rejects will be considered as one of the lowest of
> the creatures in the sight of God, even though he should be of the chiefs among
> the people, because God (exalted is His mention) hath never been and never will
> be related or attributed to any one of the creatures. All people were created
> alike by the Breath of His order, and loftiness, exaltation and debasement
> appeared among the people after they had been created. Every soul who accepts
> the Word of God while hearing It, verily, is of the inhabitants of the Supreme
> Kingdom and of the confirmed ones in the Paradise of ABHA, and those who do not
> (accept) are mentioned as the people of Hades.
> 
> In this day he who desires to be in relationship with the Tree of the Cause,
> must withdraw himself from all that is in heaven and upon earth and advance
> toward the Great Aspect with a pure and shining heart and a sanctified soul.
> If any soul desires to know God (exalted
> 
> 3
> 
> is His Majesty) through other means, he will never succeed, and will never
> understand, because all beside Him are limited with (evident) limitations of
> possibilities and are brought into existence by (His) power of creation.
> Through that which is created and limited the Essence of the Ancient was not
> and never will be known.
> 
> Hear the Lordly commandments and the tones of the Eternal Holiness, and turn
> from the left hand of uncertainty and superstition to the Right Hand of
> Assurance. Ponder carefully with thine insight upon the Godly Manifestations
> and the conditions of Eternal Holiness. Cleanse the eye from unsatisfying
> views that thou mayest see the Manifestations of the Majestic Oneness in
> everything. Purify thine ear from the saying of all the people, that thou
> mayest hear the Holy and Godly tones from all directions, and sanctify thy
> heart from the confused, wordy allusions of the past that thou mayest perceive
> the plain, direct, wonderful words revealed, and victoriously succeed to the
> Stream of Eternal Holiness and the Pure Wine which has no lineness [sic,
> likeness?]. This is the command of JAMAL EL QUEDAM (The Beauty of the Ancient)
> to thee.
> 
> Concerning what thou hast asked as to the beginning of the Creation, its end,
> assembling, resurrection, path, paradise and fire, know verily that all are
> true and there is no doubt about them, and he who is faithful and has clear
> insight can see with his inward and outward eyes all these ranks and stations
> in every time, because such an one will not be, in any time, prevented
> 
> 4
> 
> from the Bounty, neither excluded from what he wishes.
> 
> If thou soarest unto the Heaven of Godly Bounty, thou shalt see the Sign of
> God manifested in all manners of things brought into existence in every time,
> whether of the past or the future; because, verily, the Bounty of God hath
> never been nor ever will be specialized in any one thing.
> 
> The explanation of what God intended by the (words) Assembling, Resurrection,
> Paradise, Fire, etc., which are mentioned in the Godly Tablets, is found only
> and especially at the time of the Manifestation; for example, at the time of
> the Manifestation the Toungue [sic] of God utters the Word, and through the
> Word which comes forth from his mouth, the Paradise, Fire, Assembling,
> Resurrection, Oath and all that thou hast asked, and that which thou hast not,
> will be disclosed and manifested.
> 
> Every soul who sincerely accepts the Word (of God) hath verily passed through
> the (Right Path) and succeeded in approaching the Paradise of (God's Pleasure),
> and hath assembled with those who are near to God --- the chosen ones.
> 
> He, in the Presence of God, will be considered as one of the inhabitants of
> the Paradise and of the confirmed ones of the Supreme Kingdom; and every soul
> that rejects is in fire and considered as one of those who are in relationship
> with denial and Sejjin (Hades) and assembled in the shadow of the
> polytheists.
> 
> 5
> 
> That which has (just) been mentioned, represents all these stations, which in
> the time of the Manifestation appear through the Word.
> 
> But the souls who succeed in attaining the Pleasure of God and believing in
> His Cause, will gain the reward of their deeds in the world to come, after
> their spirits leave their bodies. Because all seen things in this world are
> not ready (nor able) to bear more than that (which has been given to them).
> 
> Though the worlds of God are circulating around this world, yet for each soul
> in any of these worlds (there is) a fixed and preordained command.
> 
> Do not think (or imagine) that anything mentioned in the Books of God is false
> or foolish; (Verily), God is exalted above all that.
> 
> I swear by the Sun of the Horizon of the Meanings, that there are for ever and
> ever many Godly Paradises which have no equal nor comparison.
> 
> In (this) the first life the meaning of Paradise is pleasing God and
> (believing) entering His Cause!
> 
> But after departing from this world the faithful ones will enter into
> paradises which have no likeness and will enjoy winning graces which are beyond
> comprehension; verily those paradises are the fruits of their deeds which they
> have accomplished in this world.
> 
> Dost thou not see that if any one of God's creatures serves another, or
> performs work for him, he receives his reward and compensation for it? Then
> how can it be said that the All-Generous commandeth his creatures (to do
> according to) His Ordinances and after that
> 
> 6
> 
> excluded them from His Mercy?
> 
> Praised is He, and Praised is He about that; Exalted is He and Exalted is He
> above what the creatures imagine about Him!
> 
> In this day, all these ranks (asked about) are witnessed; therefore is the
> soul blessed who victoriously succeedeth in attaining the Paradise of ABHA,
> which is was and ever will be the Supreme of all Paradises.
> 
> If purified ears and matured souls shall be found, then, continually will be
> mentioned that which is from the Wonderful Bounty of God, that all may be
> purified and emptied of all that they perceived, understood or witnessed; and
> advanced toward the highest Aspect.
> 
> But of what benefit is this! Since through all the training of the Point of
> Bian, (the souls of all beside Him be a sacrifice for Him!) these creatures
> have not progressed from the seed to the first station of the embryo,
> therefore, when will they reach the condition of the body? And beside all
> these there are several stations which have not been mentioned. Woe upon those
> who changed the Grace of God that was bestowed upon them so that by their being
> in existence, the Heaven of Meanings was prevented from mentioning them, (the
> stations) and their conditions!
> 
> Thus ponder carefully upon the condition of these creatures and be one of the
> 
> witnesses.
> 
> The Paradise and the Fire in the apparent life, were and will ever be the
> acceptance and the rejection; and
> 
> 7
> 
> after the ascension of the spirit, there are Paradises which have no equal --
> and also Fire which has no likeness, which are the fruits of the deeds of the
> advancer and the opposer, who will be in such condition; but no soul understood
> or ever will understand these stations save God.
> 
> And for the faithful one (the believer) many stations were created above what
> was heard; this is from the wonderful gifts of God, which are prepared in the
> Paradise of Everlasting Majesty. In the same way stations were created for the
> denier of eternal and everlasting torment beyond what was heard.
> 
> Heareby We bear witness that the Path is lifted up in Truth, the Balance is
> laid in Justice, the Manifestations assembled, the Hidden issies [sic, issues?]
> disclosed, the Clarion pealed, the Trumpet sounded, the Fire burst forth, the
> Paradise approached nearer, the Proclaimer announced, the Heavens roller [sic]
> together as a scroll, the Ground leveled, the Breeze of God wafted, the Spirit
> of God sent, the Beauteous damsels adorned, the Youths beautified, the Mansions
> assured, the securities of the upper apartments (of Paradise) inlaid with
> precious stones, the Waters overflowed, the Fruits hung low (so as to be easily
> gathered), the Fruits plucked, the Texts revealed, the Deeds of the deniers
> effaced, the Deeds of the Advancers confirmed, the Tablet which was kept in
> Heaven manifested in Truth, the Written Tablet pronounced with Authority, and
> the Desired One of all existence, The Beloved of all creatures, the
> worshipped
> 
> 8
> 
> of those on earth and in Heaven, hath been manifested in the Temple of a Youth,
> while the tongue of everything declares, "Verily, blessed is God, the Creator
> of the Creators."
> 
> O My servant! O Joseph! hear the Tones of God, and do not compare this Day
> with any other day, neither the Wonderful Sweet Words of God with any other
> words; look to the apparent matters with thine own eye, and do not follow
> anyone in knowing the Greatest and Brilliant ORB.
> 
> In this Day, the beloved of God must not hesitate or delay an instant in
> teaching the Cause of the Manifestation; and must summon the people
> continually, with good admonitions and conciliating words, to the Religion of
> Majestic Oneness; because verily, in this Day, to the soul who is the cause of
> guidance to another soul, the recompense of a Martyr in the way of God will be
> assuredly recorded by the Pen of the Cause for his deed.
> 
> This is from the Bounty of God unto the (servants) teachers. Do according to
> what thou has been commanded and do not be of those who tarry.
> 
> And EL-BAHA is upon thee and upon those who are with thee, if thou art
> steadfast in this Sublime and Most Exalted Cause.
> 
> (Translation by Anton Haddad).
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views16559 views since posted 2000; last edit 2025-01-20 16:21 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../bahaullah_lawh_yusuf;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
> Inventory #
> BH00258
> Language
> English
> Permission
> public domain
> History
> Typed 2000 by Sen McGlinn; Proofread 2000 by Thellie Lovejoy.
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> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/862
> Citation: ris/862
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> — *Tablet of Joseph (Lawh-i Yusuf) (Used by permission of the curator)*