The Kitab-i-aqdas

Categories: Kitab-i-Aqdas
Sources: The Kitab-i-aqdas

1 The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of

Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws,

Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the

world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good;

and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of

every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most su lime

station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of

Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable.

Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him

Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.



2 They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the

precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance

of order in the world and the security of its peoples. He that turneth

away from them is accounted among the abject and foolish. We, verily, have

commanded you to refuse the dictates of your evil passions and corrupt

desires, and not to transgress the bounds which the Pen of the Most High

hath fixed, for these are the breath of life unto all created things. The

seas of Divine wisdom and Divine utterance have risen under the breath of

the breeze of the All-Merciful. Hasten to drink your fill, O men of

understanding! They that have violated the Covenant of God by breaking His

commandments, and have turned back on their heels, these have erred

grievously in the sight of God, the All-Possessing, the Most High.



3 O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that My commandments are the

lamps of My loving providence among My servants, and the keys of My mercy

for My creatures. Thus hath it been sent down from the heaven of the Will

of your Lord, the Lord of Revelation. Were any man to taste the sweetness

of the words which the lips of the All-Merciful have willed to utter, he

would, though the treasures of the earth be in his possession, renounce

them one and all, that he might vindicate the truth of even one of His

commandments, shining above the Dayspring of His bountiful care and

loving-kindness.



4 Say: From My laws the sweet-smelling savour of My garment can be

smelled, and by their aid the standards of Victory will be planted upon

the highest peaks. The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My

omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: Observe My

commandments, for the love of My beauty. Happy is the lover that hath

inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved from these words, laden

with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe. By My life! He

who hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the hands of My bountiful

favour will circle around My commandments that shine above the Dayspring

of My creation.



5 Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay,

rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and

power. To this beareth witness that which the Pen of Revelation hath

revealed. Meditate upon this, O men of insight!



6 We have enjoined obligatory prayer upon you, with nine rak'ahs, to be

offered at noon and in the morning and the evening unto God, the Revealer

of Verses. We have relieved you of a greater number, as a command in the

Book of God. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Omnipotent, the

Unrestrained. When ye desire to perform this prayer, turn ye towards the

Court of My Most Holy Presence, this Hallowed Spot that God hath made the

Centre round which circle the Concourse on High, and which He hath decreed

to be the Point of Adoration for the denizens of the Cities of Eternity,

and the Source of Command unto all that are in heaven and on earth; and

when the Sun of Truth and Utterance shall set, turn your faces towards the

Spot that We have ordained for you. He, verily, is Almighty and

Omniscient.



7 Everything that is hath come to be through His irresistible decree.

Whenever My laws appear like the sun in the heaven of Mine utterance, they

must be faithfully obeyed by all, though My decree be such as to cause the

heaven of every religion to be cleft asunder. He doeth what He pleaseth.

He chooseth, and none may question His choice. Whatsoever He, the

Well-Beloved, ordaineth, the same is, verily, beloved. To this He Who is

the Lord of all creation beareth Me witness. Whoso hath inhaled the sweet

fragrance of the All-Merciful, and recognized the Source of this

utterance, will welcome with his own eyes the shafts of the enemy, that he

may establish the truth of the laws of God amongst men. Well is it with

him that hath turned thereunto, and apprehended the meaning of His

decisive decree.



8 We have set forth the details of obligatory prayer in another Tablet.

Blessed is he who observeth that whereunto he hath been bidden by Him Who

ruleth over all mankind. In the Prayer for the Dead six specific passages

have been sent down by God, the Revealer of Verses. Let one who is able to

read recite that which hath been revealed to precede these passages; and

as for him who is unable, God hath relieved him of this requirement. He,

of a truth, is the Mighty, the Pardoner.



9 Hair doth not invalidate your prayer, nor aught from which the spirit

hath departed, such as bones and the like. Ye are free to wear the fur of

the sable as ye would that of the beaver, the squirrel, and other animals;

the prohibition of its use hath stemmed, not from the Qur'an, but from the

misconceptions of the divines. He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the

All-Knowing.



10 We have commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of maturity;

this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. He

hath exempted from this those who are weak from illness or age, as a

bounty from His Presence, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. God hath

granted you leave to prostrate yourselves on any surface that is clean,

for We have removed in this regard the limitation that had been laid down

in the Book; God, indeed, hath knowledge of that whereof ye know naught.

Let him that findeth no water for ablution repeat five times the words In

the Name of God, the Most Pure, the Most Pure, and then proceed to his

devotions. Such is the command of the Lord of all worlds. In regions where

the days and nights grow long, let times of prayer be gauged by clocks and

other instruments that mark the passage of the hours. He, verily, is the

Expounder, the Wise.



11 We have absolved you from the requirement of performing the Prayer of

the Signs. On the appearance of fearful natural events call ye to mind the

might and majesty of your Lord, He Who heareth and seeth all, and say

Dominion is God's, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of

creation.



12 It hath been ordained that obligatory prayer is to be performed by each

of you individually. Save in the Prayer for the Dead, the practice of

congregational prayer hath been annulled. He, of a truth, is the Ordainer,

the All-Wise.



13 God hath exempted women who are in their courses from obligatory prayer

and fasting. Let them, instead, after performance of their ablutions, give

praise unto God, repeating ninety-five times between the noon of one day

and the next Glorified be God, the Lord of Splendour and Beauty. Thus

hath it been decreed in the Book, if ye be of them that comprehend.



14 When travelling, if ye should stop and rest in some safe spot, perform

ye--men and women alike--a single prostration in place of each unsaid

Obligatory Prayer, and while prostrating say Glorified be God, the Lord

of Might and Majesty, of Grace and Bounty. Whoso is unable to do this,

let him say only Glorified be God; this shall assuredly suffice him. He

is, of a truth, the all-sufficing, the ever-abiding, the forgiving,

compassionate God. Upon completing your prostrations, seat yourselves

cross-legged--men and women alike--and eighteen times repeat Glorified be

God, the Lord of the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Thus doth the Lord

make plain the ways of truth and guidance, ways that lead to one way,

which is this Straight Path. Render thanks unto God for this most gracious

favour; offer praise unto Him for this bounty that hath encompassed the

heavens and the earth; extol Him for this mercy that hath pervaded all

creation.



15 Say: God hath made My hidden love the key to the Treasure; would that

ye might perceive it! But for the key, the Treasure would to all eternity

have remained concealed; would that ye might believe it! Say: This is the

Source of Revelation, the Dawning-place of Splendour, Whose brightness

hath illumined the horizons of the world. Would that ye might understand!

This is, verily, that fixed Decree through which every irrevocable decree

hath been established.



16 O Pen of the Most High! Say: O people of the world! We have enjoined

upon you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated

for you Naw-Ruz as a feast. Thus hath the Day-Star of Utterance shone

forth above the horizon of the Book as decreed by Him Who is the Lord of

the beginning and the end. Let the days in excess of the months be placed

before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights

and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Ha, and thus they have

not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behoveth the

people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for

themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with

joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and

magnify His Name; and when they end--these days of giving that precede the

season of restraint--let them enter upon the Fast. Thus hath it been

ordained by Him Who is the Lord of all mankind. The traveller, the ailing,

those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the Fast; they

have been exempted by God as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the

Almighty, the Most Generous.



17 These are the ordinances of God that have been set down in the Books

and Tablets by His Most Exalted Pen. Hold ye fast unto His statutes and

commandments, and be not of those who, following their idle fancies and

vain imaginings, have clung to the standards fixed by their own selves,

and cast behind their backs the standards laid down by God. Abstain from

food and drink from sunrise to sundown, and beware lest desire deprive you

of this grace that is appointed in the Book.



18 It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of

Judgement, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face,

seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat Allah-u-Abha ninety-five

times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty

and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names. Perform

ye, likewise, ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer; this is the command of

God, the Incomparable, the Unrestrained.



19 Ye have been forbidden to commit murder or adultery, or to engage in

backbiting or calumny; shun ye, then, what hath been prohibited in the

holy Books and Tablets.



20 We have divided inheritance into seven categories: to the children, We

have allotted nine parts comprising five hundred and forty shares; to the

wife, eight parts comprising four hundred and eighty shares; to the

father, seven parts comprising four hundred and twenty shares; to the

mother, six parts comprising three hundred and sixty shares; to the

brothers, five parts or three hundred shares; to the sisters, four parts

or two hundred and forty shares; and to the teachers, three parts or one

hundred and eighty shares. Such was the ordinance of My Forerunner, He Who

extolleth My Name in the night season and at the break of day. When We

heard the clamour of the children as yet unborn, We doubled their share

and decreased those of the rest. He, of a truth, hath power to ordain

whatsoever He desireth, and He doeth as He pleaseth by virtue of His

sovereign might.



21 Should the deceased leave no offspring, their share shall revert to the

House of Justice, to be expended by the Trustees of the All-Merciful on

the orphaned and widowed, and on whatsoever will bring benefit to the

generality of the people, that all may give thanks unto their Lord, the

All-Gracious, the Pardoner.



22 Should the deceased leave offspring, but none of the other categories

of heirs that have been specified in the Book, they shall receive two

thirds of the inheritance and the remaining third shall revert to the

House of Justice. Such is the command which hath been given, in majesty

and glory, by Him Who is the All-Possessing, the Most High.



23 If the deceased should leave none of the specified heirs, but have

among his relatives nephews and nieces, whether on his brother's or his

sister's side, two thirds of the inheritance shall pass to them; or,

lacking these, to his uncles and aunts on both his father's and his

mother's side, and after them to their sons and daughters. The remaining

third of the inheritance shall, in any case, revert to the Seat of

Justice. Thus hath it been laid down in the Book by Him Who ruleth over

all men.



24 Should the deceased be survived by none of those whose names have been

recorded by the Pen of the Most High, his estate shall, in its entirety,

revert to the aforementioned Seat that it may be expended on that which is

prescribed by God. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Omnipotent.



25 We have assigned the residence and personal clothing of the deceased to

the male, not female, offspring, nor to the other heirs. He, verily, is

the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.



26 Should the son of the deceased have passed away in the days of his

father and have left children, they will inherit their father's share, as

prescribed in the Book of God. Divide ye their share amongst them with

perfect justice. Thus have the billows of the Ocean of Utterance surged,

casting forth the pearls of the laws decreed by the Lord of all mankind.



27 If the deceased should leave children who are under age, their share of

the inheritance must be entrusted to a reliable individual, or to a

company, that it may be invested on their behalf in trade and business

until they come of age. The trustee should be assigned a due share of the

profit that hath accrued to it from being thus employed.



28 Division of the estate should take place only after the Huququ'llah

hath been paid, any debts have been settled, the expenses of the funeral

and burial defrayed, and such provision made that the deceased may be

carried to his resting-place with dignity and honour. Thus hath it been

ordained by Him Who is Lord of the beginning and the end.



29 Say: This is that hidden knowledge which shall never change, since its

beginning is with nine, the symbol that betokeneth the concealed and

manifest, the inviolable and unapproachably exalted Name. As for what We

have appropriated to the children, this is a bounty conferred on them by

God, that they may render thanks unto their Lord, the Compassionate, the

Merciful. These, verily, are the Laws of God; transgress them not at the

prompting of your base and selfish desires. Observe ye the injunctions

laid upon you by Him Who is the Dawning-place of Utterance. The sincere

among His servants will regard the precepts set forth by God as the Water

of Life to the followers of every faith, and the Lamp of wisdom and loving

providence to all the denizens of earth and heaven.



30 The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be

established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Baha, and

should it exceed this number it doth not matter. They should consider

themselves as entering the Court of the presence of God, the Exalted, the

Most High, and as beholding Him Who is the Unseen. It behoveth them to be

the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the

guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent

upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of

the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own

interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly. Thus hath the Lord

your God commanded you. Beware lest ye put away that which is clearly

revealed in His Tablet. Fear God, O ye that perceive.



31 O people of the world! Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands

in the name of Him Who is the Lord of all religions. Make them as perfect

as is possible in the world of being, and adorn them with that which

befitteth them, not with images and effigies. Then, with radiance and joy,

celebrate therein the praise of your Lord, the Most Compassionate. Verily,

by His remembrance the eye is cheered and the heart is filled with light.



32 The Lord hath ordained that those of you who are able shall make

pilgrimage to the sacred House, and from this He hath exempted women as a

mercy on His part. He, of a truth, is the All-Bountiful, the Most

Generous.



33 O people of Baha! It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in

some occupation--such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your

engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God.

Reflect, O people, on the grace and blessings of your Lord, and yield Him

thanks at eventide and dawn. Waste not your hours in idleness and sloth,

but occupy yourselves with what will profit you and others. Thus hath it

been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the day-star of

wisdom and utterance. The most despised of men in the sight of God are

they who sit and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and place your

trust in God, the Provider of all means.



34 The kissing of hands hath been forbidden in the Book. This practice is

prohibited by God, the Lord of glory and command. To none is it permitted

to seek absolution from another soul; let repentance be between yourselves

and God. He, verily, is the Pardoner, the Bounteous, the Gracious, the One

Who absolveth the repentant.



35 O ye servants of the Merciful One! Arise to serve the Cause of God, in

such wise that the cares and sorrows caused by them that have disbelieved

in the Dayspring of the Signs of God may not afflict you. At the time when

the Promise was fulfilled and the Promised One made manifest, differences

have appeared amongst the kindreds of the earth and each people hath

followed its own fancy and idle imaginings.



36 Amongst the people is he who seateth himself amid the sandals by the

door whilst coveting in his heart the seat of honour. Say: What manner of

man art thou, O vain and heedless one, who wouldst appear as other than

thou art? And among the people is he who layeth claim to inner knowledge,

and still deeper knowledge concealed within this knowledge. Say: Thou

speakest false! By God! What thou dost possess is naught but husks which

We have left to thee as bones are left to dogs. By the righteousness of

the one true God! Were anyone to wash the feet of all mankind, and were he

to worship God in the forests, valleys, and mountains, upon high hills and

lofty peaks, to leave no rock or tree, no clod of earth, but was a witness

to his worship--yet, should the fragrance of My good pleasure not be

inhaled from him, his works would never be acceptable unto God. Thus hath

it been decreed by Him Who is the Lord of all. How many a man hath

secluded himself in the climes of India, denied himself the things that

God hath decreed as lawful, imposed upon himself austerities and

mortifications, and hath not been remembered by God, the Revealer of

Verses. Make not your deeds as snares wherewith to entrap the object of

your aspiration, and deprive not yourselves of this Ultimate Objective for

which have ever yearned all such as have drawn nigh unto God. Say: The

very life of all deeds is My good pleasure, and all things depend upon

Mine acceptance. Read ye the Tablets that ye may know what hath been

purposed in the Books of God, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Bounteous. He who

attaineth to My love hath title to a throne of gold, to sit thereon in

honour over all the world; he who is deprived thereof, though he sit upon

the dust, that dust would seek refuge with God, the Lord of all Religions.



37 Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration

of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We

pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such

claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he

persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal

mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever

interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of

the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things.

Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather, follow the

bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Erelong shall clamorous

voices be raised in most lands. Shun them, O My people, and follow not the

iniquitous and evil-hearted. This is that of which We gave you forewarning

when We were dwelling in 'Iraq, then later while in the Land of Mystery,

and now from this Resplendent Spot.



38 Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star of My beauty

is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise

to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at

all times, and shall strengthen you through the power of truth. We are

truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such

determination that the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to

defeat his purpose.



39 The peoples of the world are fast asleep. Were they to wake from their

slumber, they would hasten with eagerness unto God, the All-Knowing, the

All-Wise. They would cast away everything they possess, be it all the

treasures of the earth, that their Lord may remember them to the extent of

addressing to them but one word. Such is the instruction given you by Him

Who holdeth the knowledge of things hidden, in a Tablet which the eye of

creation hath not seen, and which is revealed to none except His own Self,

the omnipotent Protector of all worlds. So bewildered are they in the

drunkenness of their evil desires, that they are powerless to recognize

the Lord of all being, Whose voice calleth aloud from every direction:

There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Wise.



40 Say: Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight they are yours,

tomorrow others will possess them. Thus warneth you He Who is the

All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: Can ye claim that what ye own is

lasting or secure? Nay! By Myself, the All-Merciful, ye cannot, if ye be

of them who judge fairly. The days of your life flee away as a breath of

wind, and all your pomp and glory shall be folded up as were the pomp and

glory of those gone before you. Reflect, O people! What hath become of

your bygone days, your lost centuries? Happy the days that have been

consecrated to the remembrance of God, and blessed the hours which have

been spent in praise of Him Who is the All-Wise. By My life! Neither the

pomp of the mighty, nor the wealth of the rich, nor even the ascendancy of

the ungodly will endure. All will perish, at a word from Him. He, verily,

is the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. What advantage is

there in the earthly things which men possess? That which shall profit

them, they have utterly neglected. Erelong, they will awake from their

slumber, and find themselves unable to obtain that which hath escaped them

in the days of their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Did they but

know it, they would renounce their all, that their names may be mentioned

before His throne. They, verily, are accounted among the dead.



41 Amongst the people is he whose learning hath made him proud, and who

hath been debarred thereby from recognizing My Name, the Self-Subsisting;

who, when he heareth the tread of sandals following behind him, waxeth

greater in his own esteem than Nimrod. Say: O rejected one! Where now is

his abode? By God, it is the nethermost fire. Say: O concourse of divines!

Hear ye not the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen? See ye not this Sun

that shineth in refulgent splendour above the All-Glorious Horizon? For

how long will ye worship the idols of your evil passions? Forsake your

vain imaginings, and turn yourselves unto God, your Everlasting Lord.



42 Endowments dedicated to charity revert to God, the Revealer of Signs.

None hath the right to dispose of them without leave from Him Who is the

Dawning-place of Revelation. After Him, this authority shall pass to the

Aghsan, and after them to the House of Justice--should it be established

in the world by then--that they may use these endowments for the benefit of

the Places which have been exalted in this Cause, and for whatsoever hath

been enjoined upon them by Him Who is the God of might and power.

Otherwise, the endowments shall revert to the people of Baha who speak not

except by His leave and judge not save in accordance with what God hath

decreed in this Tablet--lo, they are the champions of victory betwixt

heaven and earth--that they may use them in the manner that hath been laid

down in the Book by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.



43 Lament not in your hours of trial, neither rejoice therein; seek ye the

Middle Way which is the remembrance of Me in your afflictions and

reflection over that which may befall you in future. Thus informeth you He

Who is the Omniscient, He Who is aware.



44 Shave not your heads; God hath adorned them with hair, and in this

there are signs from the Lord of creation to those who reflect upon the

requirements of nature. He, verily, is the God of strength and wisdom.

Notwithstanding, it is not seemly to let the hair pass beyond the limit of

the ears. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Lord of all worlds.



45 Exile and imprisonment are decreed for the thief, and, on the third

offence, place ye a mark upon his brow so that, thus identified, he may

not be accepted in the cities of God and His countries. Beware lest,

through compassion, ye neglect to carry out the statutes of the religion

of God; do that which hath been bidden you by Him Who is compassionate and

merciful. We school you with the rod of wisdom and laws, like unto the

father who educateth his son, and this for naught but the protection of

your own selves and the elevation of your stations. By My life, were ye to

discover what We have desired for you in revealing Our holy laws, ye would

offer up your very souls for this sacred, this mighty, and most exalted

Faith.



46 Whoso wisheth to make use of vessels of silver and gold is at liberty

to do so. Take heed lest, when partaking of food, ye plunge your hands

into the contents of bowls and platters. Adopt ye such usages as are most

in keeping with refinement. He, verily, desireth to see in you the manners

of the inmates of Paradise in His mighty and most sublime Kingdom. Hold ye

fast unto refinement under all conditions, that your eyes may be preserved

from beholding what is repugnant both to your own selves and to the

dwellers of Paradise. Should anyone depart therefrom, his deed shall at

that moment be rendered vain; yet should he have good reason, God will

excuse him. He, in truth, is the Gracious, the Most Bountiful.



47 He Who is the Dawning-place of God's Cause hath no partner in the Most

Great Infallibility. He it is Who, in the kingdom of creation, is the

Manifestation of He doeth whatsoever He willeth. God hath reserved this

distinction unto His own Self, and ordained for none a share in so sublime

and transcendent a station. This is the Decree of God, concealed ere now

within the veil of impenetrable mystery. We have disclosed it in this

Revelation, and have thereby rent asunder the veils of such as have failed

to recognize that which the Book of God set forth and who were numbered

with the heedless.



48 Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and

daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid

down in the Holy Tablet. He that putteth away that which is commanded unto

him, the Trustees are then to take from him that which is required for

their instruction if he be wealthy and, if not, the matter devolveth upon

the House of Justice. Verily have We made it a shelter for the poor and

needy. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though

he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My glory, My

loving-kindness, My mercy, that have compassed the world.



49 God hath imposed a fine on every adulterer and adulteress, to be paid

to the House of Justice: nine mithqals of gold, to be doubled if they

should repeat the offence. Such is the penalty which He Who is the Lord of

Names hath assigned them in this world; and in the world to come He hath

ordained for them a humiliating torment. Should anyone be afflicted by a

sin, it behoveth him to repent thereof and return unto his Lord. He,

verily, granteth forgiveness unto whomsoever He willeth, and none may

question that which it pleaseth Him to ordain. He is, in truth, the

Ever-Forgiving, the Almighty, the All-Praised.



50 Beware lest ye be hindered by the veils of glory from partaking of the

crystal waters of this living Fountain. Seize ye the chalice of salvation

at this dawntide in the name of Him Who causeth the day to break, and

drink your fill in praise of Him Who is the All-Glorious, the

Incomparable.



51 We have made it lawful for you to listen to music and singing. Take

heed, however, lest listening thereto should cause you to overstep the

bounds of propriety and dignity. Let your joy be the joy born of My Most

Great Name, a Name that bringeth rapture to the heart, and filleth with

ecstasy the minds of all who have drawn nigh unto God. We, verily, have

made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted

up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and

passion. Truly, We are loath to see you numbered with the foolish.



52 We have decreed that a third part of all fines shall go to the Seat of

Justice, and We admonish its men to observe pure justice, that they may

expend what is thus accumulated for such purposes as have been enjoined

upon them by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O ye Men of

Justice! Be ye, in the realm of God, shepherds unto His sheep and guard

them from the ravening wolves that have appeared in disguise, even as ye

would guard your own sons. Thus exhorteth you the Counsellor, the

Faithful.



53 Should differences arise amongst you over any matter, refer it to God

while the Sun still shineth above the horizon of this Heaven and, when it

hath set, refer ye to whatsoever hath been sent down by Him. This, verily,

is sufficient unto the peoples of the world. Say: Let not your hearts be

perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the

ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a

wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but

God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our

realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our

Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our

favoured angels.



54 O peoples of the earth! God, the Eternal Truth, is My witness that

streams of fresh and soft-flowing waters have gushed from the rocks

through the sweetness of the words uttered by your Lord, the

Unconstrained; and still ye slumber. Cast away that which ye possess, and,

on the wings of detachment, soar beyond all created things. Thus biddeth

you the Lord of creation, the movement of Whose Pen hath revolutionized

the soul of mankind.



55 Know ye from what heights your Lord, the All-Glorious, is calling?

Think ye that ye have recognized the Pen wherewith your Lord, the Lord of

all names, commandeth you? Nay, by My life! Did ye but know it, ye would

renounce the world, and would hasten with your whole hearts to the

presence of the Well-Beloved. Your spirits would be so transported by His

Word as to throw into commotion the Greater World--how much more this small

and petty one! Thus have the showers of My bounty been poured down from

the heaven of My loving-kindness, as a token of My grace, that ye may be

of the thankful.



56 The penalties for wounding or striking a person depend upon the

severity of the injury; for each degree the Lord of Judgement hath

prescribed a certain indemnity. He is, in truth, the Ordainer, the Mighty,

the Most Exalted. We shall, if it be Our Will, set forth these payments in

their just degrees--this is a promise on Our part, and He, verily, is the

Keeper of His pledge, the Knower of all things.



57 Verily, it is enjoined upon you to offer a feast, once in every month,

though only water be served; for God hath purposed to bind hearts

together, albeit through both earthly and heavenly means.



58 Beware lest the desires of the flesh and of a corrupt inclination

provoke divisions among you. Be ye as the fingers of one hand, the members

of one body. Thus counselleth you the Pen of Revelation, if ye be of them

that believe.



59 Consider the mercy of God and His gifts. He enjoineth upon you that

which shall profit you, though He Himself can well dispense with all

creatures. Your evil doings can never harm Us, neither can your good works

profit Us. We summon you wholly for the sake of God. To this every man of

understanding and insight will testify.



60 If ye should hunt with beasts or birds of prey, invoke ye the Name of

God when ye send them to pursue their quarry; for then whatever they catch

shall be lawful unto you, even should ye find it to have died. He, verily,

is the Omniscient, the All-Informed. Take heed, however, that ye hunt not

to excess. Tread ye the path of justice and equity in all things. Thus

biddeth you He Who is the Dawning-place of Revelation, would that ye might

comprehend.



61 God hath bidden you to show forth kindliness towards My kindred, but He

hath granted them no right to the property of others. He, verily, is

self-sufficient, above any need of His creatures.



62 Should anyone intentionally destroy a house by fire, him also shall ye

burn; should anyone deliberately take another's life, him also shall ye

put to death. Take ye hold of the precepts of God with all your strength

and power, and abandon the ways of the ignorant. Should ye condemn the

arsonist and the murderer to life imprisonment, it would be permissible

according to the provisions of the Book. He, verily, hath power to ordain

whatsoever He pleaseth.



63 God hath prescribed matrimony unto you. Beware that ye take not unto

yourselves more wives than two. Whoso contenteth himself with a single

partner from among the maidservants of God, both he and she shall live in

tranquillity. And he who would take into his service a maid may do so with

propriety. Such is the ordinance which, in truth and justice, hath been

recorded by the Pen of Revelation. Enter into wedlock, O people, that ye

may bring forth one who will make mention of Me amid My servants. This is

My bidding unto you; hold fast to it as an assistance to yourselves.



64 O people of the world! Follow not the promptings of the self, for it

summoneth insistently to wickedness and lust; follow, rather, Him Who is

the Possessor of all created things, Who biddeth you to show forth piety,

and manifest the fear of God. He, verily, is independent of all His

creatures. Take heed not to stir up mischief in the land after it hath

been set in order. Whoso acteth in this way is not of Us, and We are quit

of him. Such is the command which hath, through the power of truth, been

made manifest from the heaven of Revelation.



65 It hath been laid down in the Bayan that marriage is dependent upon the

consent of both parties. Desiring to establish love, unity and harmony

amidst Our servants, We have conditioned it, once the couple's wish is

known, upon the permission of their parents, lest enmity and rancour

should arise amongst them. And in this We have yet other purposes. Thus

hath Our commandment been ordained.



66 No marriage may be contracted without payment of a dowry, which hath

been fixed for city-dwellers at nineteen mithqals of pure gold, and for

village-dwellers at the same amount in silver. Whoso wisheth to increase

this sum, it is forbidden him to exceed the limit of ninety-five

mithqals. Thus hath the command been writ in majesty and power. If he

content himself, however, with a payment of the lowest level, it shall be

better for him according to the Book. God, verily, enricheth whomsoever He

willeth through both heavenly and earthly means, and He, in truth, hath

power over all things.



67 It hath been decreed by God that, should any one of His servants intend

to travel, he must fix for his wife a time when he will return home. If he

return by the promised time, he will have obeyed the bidding of his Lord

and shall be numbered by the Pen of His behest among the righteous;

otherwise, if there be good reason for delay, he must inform his wife and

make the utmost endeavour to return to her. Should neither of these

eventualities occur, it behoveth her to wait for a period of nine months,

after which there is no impediment to her taking another husband; but

should she wait longer, God, verily, loveth those women and men who show

forth patience. Obey ye My commandments, and follow not the ungodly, they

who have been reckoned as sinners in God's Holy Tablet. If, during the

period of her waiting, word should reach her from her husband, she should

choose the course that is praiseworthy. He, of a truth, desireth that His

servants and His handmaids should be at peace with one another; take heed

lest ye do aught that may provoke intransigence amongst you. Thus hath the

decree been fixed and the promise come to pass. If, however, news should

reach her of her husband's death or murder, and be confirmed by general

report, or by the testimony of two just witnesses, it behoveth her to

remain single; then, upon completion of the fixed number of months, she is

free to adopt the course of her choosing. Such is the bidding of Him Who

is mighty and powerful in His command.



68 Should resentment or antipathy arise between husband and wife, he is

not to divorce her but to bide in patience throughout the course of one

whole year, that perchance the fragrance of affection may be renewed

between them. If, upon the completion of this period, their love hath not

returned, it is permissible for divorce to take place. God's wisdom,

verily, hath encompassed all things. The Lord hath prohibited, in a Tablet

inscribed by the Pen of His command, the practice to which ye formerly had

recourse when thrice ye had divorced a woman. This He hath done as a

favour on His part, that ye may be accounted among the thankful. He who

hath divorced his wife may choose, upon the passing of each month, to

remarry her when there is mutual affection and consent, so long as she

hath not taken another husband. Should she have wed again, then, by this

other union, the separation is confirmed and the matter is concluded

unless, clearly, her circumstances change. Thus hath the decree been

inscribed with majesty in this glorious Tablet by Him Who is the

Dawning-place of Beauty.



69 If the wife accompany her husband on a journey, and differences arise

between them on the way, he is required to provide her with her expenses

for one whole year, and either to return her whence she came or to entrust

her, together with the necessaries for her journey, to a dependable person

who is to escort her home. Thy Lord, verily, ordaineth as He pleaseth, by

virtue of a sovereignty that overshadoweth the peoples of the earth.



70 Should a woman be divorced in consequence of a proven act of

infidelity, she shall receive no maintenance during her period of waiting.

Thus hath the day-star of Our commandment shone forth resplendent from the

firmament of justice. Truly, the Lord loveth union and harmony and

abhorreth separation and divorce. Live ye one with another, O people, in

radiance and joy. By My life! All that are on earth shall pass away, while

good deeds alone shall endure; to the truth of My words God doth Himself

bear witness. Compose your differences, O My servants; then heed ye the

admonition of Our Pen of Glory and follow not the arrogant and wayward.



71 Take heed lest the world beguile you as it beguiled the people who went

before you! Observe ye the statutes and precepts of your Lord, and walk ye

in this Way which hath been laid out before you in righteousness and

truth. They who eschew iniquity and error, who adhere to virtue, are, in

the sight of the one true God, among the choicest of His creatures; their

names are extolled by the Concourse of the realms above, and by those who

dwell in this Tabernacle which hath been raised in the name of God.



72 It is forbidden you to trade in slaves, be they men or women. It is not

for him who is himself a servant to buy another of God's servants, and

this hath been prohibited in His Holy Tablet. Thus, by His mercy, hath the

commandment been recorded by the Pen of justice. Let no man exalt himself

above another; all are but bondslaves before the Lord, and all exemplify

the truth that there is none other God but Him. He, verily, is the

All-Wise, Whose wisdom encompasseth all things.



73 Adorn yourselves with the raiment of goodly deeds. He whose deeds

attain unto God's good pleasure is assuredly of the people of Baha and is

remembered before His throne. Assist ye the Lord of all creation with

works of righteousness, and also through wisdom and utterance. Thus,

indeed, have ye been commanded in most of the Tablets by Him Who is the

All-Merciful. He, truly, is cognizant of what I say. Let none contend with

another, and let no soul slay another; this, verily, is that which was

forbidden you in a Book that hath lain concealed within the Tabernacle of

glory. What! Would ye kill him whom God hath quickened, whom He hath

endowed with spirit through a breath from Him? Grievous then would be your

trespass before His throne! Fear God, and lift not the hand of injustice

and oppression to destroy what He hath Himself raised up; nay, walk ye in

the way of God, the True One. No sooner did the hosts of true knowledge

appear, bearing the standards of Divine utterance, than the tribes of the

religions were put to flight, save only those who willed to drink from the

stream of everlasting life in a Paradise created by the breath of the

All-Glorious.



74 God hath decreed, in token of His mercy unto His creatures, that semen

is not unclean. Yield thanks unto Him with joy and radiance, and follow

not such as are remote from the Dawning-place of His nearness. Arise ye,

under all conditions, to render service to the Cause, for God will

assuredly assist you through the power of His sovereignty which

overshadoweth the worlds. Cleave ye unto the cord of refinement with such

tenacity as to allow no trace of dirt to be seen upon your garments. Such

is the injunction of One Who is sanctified above all refinement. Whoso

falleth short of this standard with good reason shall incur no blame. God,

verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Wash ye every soiled thing with

water that hath undergone no alteration in any one of the three respects;

take heed not to use water that hath been altered through exposure to the

air or to some other agent. Be ye the very essence of cleanliness amongst

mankind. This, truly, is what your Lord, the Incomparable, the All-Wise,

desireth for you.



75 God hath, likewise, as a bounty from His presence, abolished the

concept of uncleanness, whereby divers things and peoples have been held

to be impure. He, of a certainty, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most

Generous. Verily, all created things were immersed in the sea of

purification when, on that first day of Ridvan, We shed upon the whole of

creation the splendours of Our most excellent Names and Our most exalted

Attributes. This, verily, is a token of My loving providence, which hath

encompassed all the worlds. Consort ye then with the followers of all

religions, and proclaim ye the Cause of your Lord, the Most Compassionate;

this is the very crown of deeds, if ye be of them who understand.



76 God hath enjoined upon you to observe the utmost cleanliness, to the

extent of washing what is soiled with dust, let alone with hardened dirt

and similar defilement. Fear Him, and be of those who are pure. Should the

garb of anyone be visibly sullied, his prayers shall not ascend to God,

and the celestial Concourse will turn away from him. Make use of

rose-water, and of pure perfume; this, indeed, is that which God hath

loved from the beginning that hath no beginning, in order that there may

be diffused from you what your Lord, the Incomparable, the All-Wise,

desireth.



77 God hath relieved you of the ordinance laid down in the Bayan

concerning the destruction of books. We have permitted you to read such

sciences as are profitable unto you, not such as end in idle disputation;

better is this for you, if ye be of them that comprehend.



78 O kings of the earth! He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is come. The

Kingdom is God's, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Worship

none but God, and, with radiant hearts, lift up your faces unto your Lord,

the Lord of all names. This is a Revelation to which whatever ye possess

can never be compared, could ye but know it.



79 We see you rejoicing in that which ye have amassed for others and

shutting out yourselves from the worlds which naught except My guarded

Tablet can reckon. The treasures ye have laid up have drawn you far away

from your ultimate objective. This ill beseemeth you, could ye but

understand it. Wash from your hearts all earthly defilements, and hasten

to enter the Kingdom of your Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven, Who

caused the world to tremble and all its peoples to wail, except them that

have renounced all things and clung to that which the Hidden Tablet hath

ordained.



80 This is the Day in which He Who held converse with God hath attained

the light of the Ancient of Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion

from this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By the one true

God! Sinai is circling round the Dayspring of Revelation, while from the

heights of the Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard

proclaiming: Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of the earth, and hasten ye

unto Him. Carmel hath, in this Day, hastened in longing adoration to

attain His court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh the cry: The

promise is fulfilled. That which had been announced in the holy Writ of

God, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made manifest.



81 O kings of the earth! The Most Great Law hath been revealed in this

Spot, this scene of transcendent splendour. Every hidden thing hath been

brought to light by virtue of the Will of the Supreme Ordainer, He Who

hath ushered in the Last Hour, through Whom the Moon hath been cleft, and

every irrevocable decree expounded.



82 Ye are but vassals, O kings of the earth! He Who is the King of Kings

hath appeared, arrayed in His most wondrous glory, and is summoning you

unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Take heed lest pride

deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation, lest the things of

this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of

heaven. Arise, and serve Him Who is the Desire of all nations, Who hath

created you through a word from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time,

the emblems of His sovereignty.



83 By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish to lay hands on your

kingdoms. Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men. Upon them

the eyes of Baha are fastened. To this testifieth the Kingdom of Names,

could ye but comprehend it. Whoso followeth his Lord will renounce the

world and all that is therein; how much greater, then, must be the

detachment of Him Who holdeth so august a station! Forsake your palaces,

and haste ye to gain admittance into His Kingdom. This, indeed, will

profit you both in this world and in the next. To this testifieth the Lord

of the realm on high, did ye but know it.



84 How great the blessedness that awaiteth the king who will arise to aid

My Cause in My kingdom, who will detach himself from all else but Me! Such

a king is numbered with the companions of the Crimson Ark--the Ark which

God hath prepared for the people of Baha. All must glorify his name, must

reverence his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of

My Name, the omnipotent Protector of all that inhabit the visible and

invisible kingdoms. Such a king is the very eye of mankind, the luminous

ornament on the brow of creation, the fountainhead of blessings unto the

whole world. Offer up, O people of Baha, your substance, nay your very

lives, for his assistance.



85 O Emperor of Austria! He Who is the Dayspring of God's Light dwelt in

the prison of Akka at the time when thou didst set forth to visit the Aqsa

Mosque. Thou passed Him by, and inquired not about Him by Whom every house

is exalted and every lofty gate unlocked. We, verily, made it a place

whereunto the world should turn, that they might remember Me, and yet thou

hast rejected Him Who is the Object of this remembrance, when He appeared

with the Kingdom of God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds. We have been

with thee at all times, and found thee clinging unto the Branch and

heedless of the Root. Thy Lord, verily, is a witness unto what I say. We

grieved to see thee circle round Our Name, whilst unaware of Us, though We

were before thy face. Open thine eyes, that thou mayest behold this

glorious Vision, and recognize Him Whom thou invokest in the daytime and

in the night season, and gaze on the Light that shineth above this

luminous Horizon.



86 Say: O King of Berlin! Give ear unto the Voice calling from this

manifest Temple: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Everlasting,

the Peerless, the Ancient of Days. Take heed lest pride debar thee from

recognizing the Dayspring of Divine Revelation, lest earthly desires shut

thee out, as by a veil, from the Lord of the Throne above and of the earth

below. Thus counselleth thee the Pen of the Most High. He, verily, is the

Most Gracious, the All-Bountiful. Do thou remember the one(1) whose power

transcended thy power, and whose station excelled thy station. Where is

he? Whither are gone the things he possessed? Take warning, and be not of

them that are fast asleep. He it was who cast the Tablet of God behind him

when We made known unto him what the hosts of tyranny had caused Us to

suffer. Wherefore, disgrace assailed him from all sides, and he went down

to dust in great loss. Think deeply, O King, concerning him, and

concerning them who, like unto thee, have conquered cities and ruled over

men. The All-Merciful brought them down from their palaces to their

graves. Be warned, be of them who reflect.



87 We have asked nothing from you. For the sake of God We, verily, exhort

you, and will be patient as We have been patient in that which hath

befallen Us at your hands, O concourse of kings!



88 Hearken ye, O Rulers of America and the Presidents of the Republics

therein, unto that which the Dove is warbling on the Branch of Eternity:

There is none other God but Me, the Ever-Abiding, the Forgiving, the

All-Bountiful. Adorn ye the temple of dominion with the ornament of

justice and of the fear of God, and its head with the crown of the

remembrance of your Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Thus counselleth you

He Who is the Dayspring of Names, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing,

the All-Wise. The Promised One hatthe Tablet ofh appeared in this

glorified Station, whereat all beings, both seen and unseen, have

rejoiced. Take ye advantage of the Day of God. Verily, to meet Him is

better for you than all that whereon the sun shineth, could ye but know

it. O concourse of rulers! Give ear unto that which hath been raised from

the Dayspring of Grandeur: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the

Lord of Utterance, the All-Knowing. Bind ye the broken with the hands of

justice, and crush the oppressor who flourisheth with the rod of the

commandments of your Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.



89 O people of Constantinople! Lo, from your midst We hear the baleful

hooting of the owl. Hath the drunkenness of passion laid hold upon you, or

is it that ye are sunk in heedlessness? O Spot that art situate on the

shores of the two seas! The throne of tyranny hath, verily, been

established upon thee, and the flame of hatred hath been kindled within

thy bosom, in such wise that the Concourse on high and they who circle

around the Exalted Throne have wailed and lamented. We behold in thee the

foolish ruling over the wise, and darkness vaunting itself against the

light. Thou art indeed filled with manifest pride. Hath thine outward

splendour made thee vainglorious? By Him Who is the Lord of mankind! It

shall soon perish, and thy daughters and thy widows and all the kindreds

that dwell within thee shall lament. Thus informeth thee the All-Knowing,

the All-Wise.



90 O banks of the Rhine! We have seen you covered with gore, inasmuch as

the swords of retribution were drawn against you; and you shall have

another turn. And We hear the lamentations of Berlin, though she be today

in conspicuous glory.



91 Let nothing grieve thee, O Land of Ta,(2) for God hath chosen thee to

be the source of the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His Will,

bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice, who will gather

together the flock of God which the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler

will, with joy and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his favours

unto, the people of Baha. He indeed is accounted in the sight of God as a

jewel among men. Upon him rest forever the glory of God and the glory of

all that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation.



92 Rejoice with great joy, for God hath made thee the Dayspring of His

light, inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of His Glory.

Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee--a name

through which the Day-Star of grace hath shed its splendour, through which

both earth and heaven have been illumined.



93 Erelong will the state of affairs within thee be changed, and the reins

of power fall into the hands of the people. Verily, thy Lord is the

All-Knowing. His authority embraceth all things. Rest thou assured in the

gracious favour of thy Lord. The eye of His loving-kindness shall

everlastingly be directed towards thee. The day is approaching when thy

agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm. Thus hath

it been decreed in the wondrous Book.



94 O Land of Kha!(3) We hear from thee the voice of heroes, raised in

glorification of thy Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted. Blessed

the day on which the banners of the divine Names shall be upraised in the

kingdom of creation in My Name, the All-Glorious. On that day the faithful

shall rejoice in the victory of God, and the disbelievers shall lament.



95 None must contend with those who wield authority over the people; leave

unto them that which is theirs, and direct your attention to men's hearts.



96 O Most Mighty Ocean! Sprinkle upon the nations that with which Thou

hast been charged by Him Who is the Sovereign of Eternity, and adorn the

temples of all the dwellers of the earth with the vesture of His laws

through which all hearts will rejoice and all eyes be brightened.



97 Should anyone acquire one hundred mithqals of gold, nineteen

mithqals thereof are God's and to be rendered unto Him, the Fashioner of

earth and heaven. Take heed, O people, lest ye deprive yourselves of so

great a bounty. This We have commanded you, though We are well able to

dispense with you and with all who are in the heavens and on earth; in it

there are benefits and wisdoms beyond the ken of anyone but God, the

Omniscient, the All-Informed. Say: By this means He hath desired to purify

what ye possess and to enable you to draw nigh unto such stations as none

can comprehend save those whom God hath willed. He, in truth, is the

Beneficent, the Gracious, the Bountiful. O people! Deal not faithlessly

with the Right of God, nor, without His leave, make free with its

disposal. Thus hath His commandment been established in the holy Tablets,

and in this exalted Book. He who dealeth faithlessly with God shall in

justice meet with faithlessness himself; he, however, who acteth in

accordance with God's bidding shall receive a blessing from the heaven of

the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bestower, the Generous, the

Ancient of Days. He, verily, hath willed for you that which is yet beyond

your knowledge, but which shall be known to you when, after this fleeting

life, your souls soar heavenwards and the trappings of your earthly joys

are folded up. Thus admonisheth you He in Whose possession is the Guarded

Tablet.



98 Various petitions have come before Our throne from the believers,

concerning laws from God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of

all worlds. We have, in consequence, revealed this Holy Tablet and arrayed

it with the mantle of His Law that haply the people may keep the

commandments of their Lord. Similar requests had been made of Us over

several previous years but We had, in Our wisdom, withheld Our Pen until,

in recent days, letters arrived from a number of the friends, and We have

therefore responded, through the power of truth, with that which shall

quicken the hearts of men.



99 Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such

standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is

the unerring Balance established amongst men. In this most perfect Balance

whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be weighed,

while the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own

standard, did ye but know it.



100 The eye of My loving-kindness weepeth sore over you, inasmuch as ye

have failed to recognize the One upon Whom ye have been calling in the

daytime and in the night season, at even and at morn. Advance, O people,

with snow-white faces and radiant hearts, unto the blest and crimson Spot,

wherein the Sadratu'l-Muntaha is calling: Verily, there is none other God

beside Me, the Omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting!



101 O ye leaders of religion! Who is the man amongst you that can rival Me

in vision or insight? Where is he to be found that dareth to claim to be

My equal in utterance or wisdom? No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful! All on

the earth shall pass away; and this is the face of your Lord, the

Almighty, the Well-Beloved.



102 We have decreed, O people, that the highest and last end of all

learning be the recognition of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge; and

yet, behold how ye have allowed your learning to shut you out, as by a

veil, from Him Who is the Dayspring of this Light, through Whom every

hidden thing hath been revealed. Could ye but discover the source whence

the splendour of this utterance is diffused, ye would cast away the

peoples of the world and all that they possess, and would draw nigh unto

this most blessed Seat of glory.



103 Say: This, verily, is the heaven in which the Mother Book is

treasured, could ye but comprehend it. He it is Who hath caused the Rock

to shout, and the Burning Bush to lift up its voice, upon the Mount rising

above the Holy Land, and proclaim: The Kingdom is God's, the sovereign

Lord of all, the All-Powerful, the Loving!



104 We have not entered any school, nor read any of your dissertations.

Incline your ears to the words of this unlettered One, wherewith He

summoneth you unto God, the Ever-Abiding. Better is this for you than all

the treasures of the earth, could ye but comprehend it.



105 Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of

Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that

have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the

Lucid Book.



106 It hath been enjoined upon you to pare your nails, to bathe yourselves

each week in water that covereth your bodies, and to clean yourselves with

whatsoever ye have formerly employed. Take heed lest through negligence ye

fail to observe that which hath been prescribed unto you by Him Who is the

Incomparable, the Gracious. Immerse yourselves in clean water; it is not

permissible to bathe yourselves in water that hath already been used. See

that ye approach not the public pools of Persian baths; whoso maketh his

way toward such baths will smell their fetid odour ere he entereth

therein. Shun them, O people, and be not of those who ignominiously accept

such vileness. In truth, they are as sinks of foulness and contamination,

if ye be of them that apprehend. Avoid ye likewise the malodorous pools in

the courtyards of Persian homes, and be ye of the pure and sanctified.

Truly, We desire to behold you as manifestations of paradise on earth,

that there may be diffused from you such fragrance as shall rejoice the

hearts of the favoured of God. If the bather, instead of entering the

water, wash himself by pouring it upon his body, it shall be better for

him and shall absolve him of the need for bodily immersion. The Lord,

verily, hath willed, as a bounty from His presence, to make life easier

for you that ye may be of those who are truly thankful.



107 It is forbidden you to wed your fathers' wives. We shrink, for very

shame, from treating of the subject of boys. Fear ye the Merciful, O

peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in Our Holy

Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of

their desires.



108 To none is it permitted to mutter sacred verses before the public gaze

as he walketh in the street or marketplace; nay rather, if he wish to

magnify the Lord, it behoveth him to do so in such places as have been

erected for this purpose, or in his own home. This is more in keeping with

sincerity and godliness. Thus hath the sun of Our commandment shone forth

above the horizon of Our utterance. Blessed, then, be those who do Our

bidding.



109 Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a will. The testator

should head this document with the adornment of the Most Great Name, bear

witness therein unto the oneness of God in the Dayspring of His

Revelation, and make mention, as he may wish, of that which is

praiseworthy, so that it may be a testimony for him in the kingdoms of

Revelation and Creation and a treasure with his Lord, the Supreme

Protector, the Faithful.



110 All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great

Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days--the

first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the

All-Merciful shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His

most excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes, and the second being

that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto mankind the glad

tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected and all

who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered together. Thus hath

it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omniscient.



111 Happy the one who entereth upon the first day of the month of Baha,

the day which God hath consecrated to this Great Name. And blessed be he

who evidenceth on this day the bounties that God hath bestowed upon him;

he, verily, is of those who show forth thanks to God through actions

betokening the Lord's munificence which hath encompassed all the worlds.

Say: This day, verily, is the crown of all the months and the source

thereof, the day on which the breath of life is wafted over all created

things. Great is the blessedness of him who greeteth it with radiance and

joy. We testify that he is, in truth, among those who are blissful.



112 Say: The Most Great Festival is, indeed, the King of Festivals. Call

ye to mind, O people, the bounty which God hath conferred upon you. Ye

were sunk in slumber, and lo! He aroused you by the reviving breezes of

His Revelation, and made known unto you His manifest and undeviating Path.



113 Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians; We have not

set aside the use of material means, rather have We confirmed it through

this Pen, which God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His shining and