Bisharat (glad-tidings)

Sources: Tablets Of Baha'u'llah Revealed After The Kitab-i-aqdas

This is the Call of the All-Glorious which is proclaimed from the Supreme

Horizon in the Prison of Akka



He is the Expounder, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.



GOD, the True One, testifieth and the Revealers of His names and

attributes bear witness that Our sole purpose in raising the Call and in

proclaiming His sublime Word is that the ear of the entire creation may,

through the living wate s of divine utterance, be purged from lying tales

and become attuned to the holy, the glorious and exalted Word which hath

issued forth from the repository of the knowledge of the Maker of the

Heavens and the Creator of Names. Happy are they that judge with fairness.



O people of the earth!



The first Glad-Tidings which the Mother Book hath, in this Most Great

Revelation, imparted unto all the peoples of the world is that the law of

holy war hath been blotted out from the Book. Glorified be the

All-Merciful, the Lord of grace abounding, through Whom the door of

heavenly bounty hath been flung open in the face of all that are in heaven

and on earth.



The second Glad-Tidings



It is permitted that the peoples and kindreds of the world associate with

one another with joy and radiance. O people! Consort with the followers of

all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Thus hath the

day-star of His sanction and authority shone forth above the horizon of

the decree of God, the Lord of the worlds.



The third Glad-Tidings concerneth the study of divers languages. This

decree hath formerly streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High: It

behoveth the sovereigns of the world--may God assist them--or the ministers

of the earth to take counsel together and to adopt one of the existing

languages or a new one to be taught to children in schools throughout the

world, and likewise one script. Thus the whole earth will come to be

regarded as one country. Well is it with him who hearkeneth unto His Call

and observeth that whereunto he is bidden by God, the Lord of the Mighty

Throne.



The fourth Glad-Tidings



Should any of the kings--may God aid them--arise to protect and help this

oppressed people, all must vie with one another in loving and in serving

him. This matter is incumbent upon everyone. Well is it with them that act

accordingly.



The fifth Glad-Tidings



In every country where any of this people reside, they must behave towards

the government of that country with loyalty, honesty and truthfulness.

This is that which hath been revealed at the behest of Him Who is the

Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.



It is binding and incumbent upon the peoples of the world, one and all, to

extend aid unto this momentous Cause which is come from the heaven of the

Will of the ever-abiding God, that perchance the fire of animosity which

blazeth in the hearts of some of the peoples of the earth may, through the

living waters of divine wisdom and by virtue of heavenly counsels and

exhortations, be quenched, and the light of unity and concord may shine

forth and shed its radiance upon the world.



We cherish the hope that through the earnest endeavours of such as are the

exponents of the power of God--exalted be His glory--the weapons of war

throughout the world may be converted into instruments of reconstruction

and that strife and conflict may be removed from the midst of men.



The sixth Glad-Tidings is the establishment of the Lesser Peace, details

of which have formerly been revealed from Our Most Exalted Pen. Great is

the blessedness of him who upholdeth it and observeth whatsoever hath been

ordained by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.



The seventh Glad-Tidings



The choice of clothing and the cut of the beard and its dressing are left

to the discretion of men. But beware, O people, lest ye make yourselves

the playthings of the ignorant.



The eighth Glad-Tidings



The pious deeds of the monks and priests among the followers of the

Spirit(4)--upon Him be the peace of God--are remembered in His presence. In

this Day, however, let them give up the life of seclusion and direct their

steps towards the open world and busy themselves with that which will

profit themselves and others. We have granted them leave to enter into

wedlock that they may bring forth one who will make mention of God, the

Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.



The ninth Glad-Tidings



When the sinner findeth himself wholly detached and freed from all save

God, he should beg forgiveness and pardon from Him. Confession of sins and

transgressions before human beings is not permissible, as it hath never

been nor will ever be conducive to divine forgiveness. Moreover such

confession before people results in one's humiliation and abasement, and

God--exalted be His glory--wisheth not the humiliation of His servants.

Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. The sinner should, between

himself and God, implore mercy from the Ocean of mercy, beg forgiveness

from the Heaven of generosity and say:



O God, my God! I implore Thee by the blood of Thy true lovers who were so

enraptured by Thy sweet utterance that they hastened unto the Pinnacle of

Glory, the site of the most glorious martyrdom, and I beseech Thee by the

mysteries which lie enshrined in Thy knowledge and by the pearls that are

treasured in the ocean of Thy bounty to grant forgiveness unto me and unto

my father and my mother. Of those who show forth mercy, Thou art in truth

the Most Merciful. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the

All-Bountiful.



O Lord! Thou seest this essence of sinfulness turning unto the ocean of

Thy favour and this feeble one seeking the kingdom of Thy divine power and

this poor creature inclining himself towards the day-star of Thy wealth.

By Thy mercy and Thy grace, disappoint him not, O Lord, nor debar him from

the revelations of Thy bounty in Thy days, nor cast him away from Thy door

which Thou hast opened wide to all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thine

earth.



Alas! Alas! My sins have prevented me from approaching the Court of Thy

holiness and my trespasses have caused me to stray far from the Tabernacle

of Thy majesty. I have committed that which Thou didst forbid me to do and

have put away what Thou didst order me to observe.



I pray Thee by Him Who is the sovereign Lord of Names to write down for me

with the Pen of Thy bounty that which will enable me to draw nigh unto

Thee and will purge me from my trespasses which have intervened between me

and Thy forgiveness and Thy pardon.



Verily, Thou art the Potent, the Bountiful. No God is there but Thee, the

Mighty, the Gracious.



The tenth Glad-Tidings



As a token of grace from God, the Revealer of this Most Great

Announcement, We have removed from the Holy Scriptures and Tablets the law

prescribing the destruction of books.



The eleventh Glad-Tidings



It is permissible to study sciences and arts, but such sciences as are

useful and would redound to the progress and advancement of the people.

Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.



The twelfth Glad-Tidings



It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation,

such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your

engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One.

Ponder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of God and render

thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your time in idleness

and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and

others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon the

day-star of wisdom and utterance shineth resplendent.



The most despised of men in the sight of God are those who sit idly and

beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of material means, placing your whole

trust in God, the Provider of all means. When anyone occupieth himself in

a craft or trade, such occupation itself is regarded in the estimation of

God as an act of worship; and this is naught but a token of His infinite

and all-pervasive bounty.



The thirteenth Glad-Tidings



The men of God's House of Justice have been charged with the affairs of

the people. They, in truth, are the Trustees of God among His servants and

the daysprings of authority in His countries.



O people of God! That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is

upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the

sources of life to the world. Inasmuch as for each day there is a new

problem and for every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should

be referred to the Ministers of the House of Justice that they may act

according to the needs and requirements of the time. They that, for the

sake of God, arise to serve His Cause, are the recipients of divine

inspiration from the unseen Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be

obedient unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the House

of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed according to that which

God hath revealed in His Book.



O people of Baha! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and the

daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the

cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which

is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably

received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that

soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the

Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and

strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the

shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with that

which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one

ocean.



The fourteenth Glad-Tidings



It is not necessary to undertake special journeys to visit the

resting-places of the dead. If people of substance and affluence offer the

cost of such journeys to the House of Justice, it will be pleasing and

acceptable in the presence of God. Happy are they that observe His

precepts.



The fifteenth Glad-Tidings



Although a republican form of government profiteth all the peoples of the

world, yet the majesty of kingship is one of the signs of God. We do not

wish that the countries of the world should remain deprived thereof. If

the sagacious combine the two forms into one, great will be their reward

in the presence of God.



In former religions such ordinances as holy war, destruction of books, the

ban on association and companionship with other peoples or on reading

certain books had been laid down and affirmed according to the exigencies

of the time; however, in this mighty Revelation, in this momentous

Announcement, the manifold bestowals and favours of God have overshadowed

all men, and from the horizon of the Will of the Ever-Abiding Lord, His

infallible decree hath prescribed that which We have set forth above.



We yield praise unto God--hallowed and glorified be He--for whatsoever He

hath graciously revealed in this blessed, this glorious and incomparable

Day. Indeed if everyone on earth were endowed with a myriad tongues and

were to continually praise God and magnify His Name to the end that

knoweth no end, their thanksgiving would not prove adequate for even one

of the gracious favours We have mentioned in this Tablet. Unto this

beareth witness every man of wisdom and discernment, of understanding and

knowledge.



We earnestly beseech God--exalted be His glory--to aid the rulers and

sovereigns, who are the exponents of power and the daysprings of glory, to

enforce His laws and ordinances. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the

All-Powerful, He Who is wont to answer the call of men.