Paragraph 1.27

"To this end he conferred with one of My servants and sought to win him over to his own designs; whereupon the Lord despatched unto Mine assistance the hosts of the seen and the unseen, protected Me by the power of truth, and sent down upon Me that which thwarted his purpose. Thus were foiled the plots of those who disbelieve in the verses of the All-Merciful. They, truly, are a rejected people. When news spread of that which the promptings of self had impelled My brother to attempt, and Our companions in exile learned of his nefarious design, the voice of their indignation and grief was lifted up and threatened to spread throughout the city. We forbade, however, such recriminations, and enjoined upon them patience, that they might be of those that endure steadfastly."

Comments:

• From the Endnotes section of the book we understand that this is a reference to the shocking plot that Mirza Yahya attempted to perform involving one of the believers by the name of Ustad Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Salmani, the barber. The incident took place in Adrianople sometime after Yahya’s first attempt to kill Baha’u’llah with his own hands by poisoning Him with a deadly substance.

• Here is how the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, describes the poisoning incident:
“Desperate designs to poison Bahá'u'lláh and His companions, and thereby reanimate his own defunct leadership, began, approximately a year after their arrival in Adrianople, to agitate his mind. Well aware of the erudition of his half-brother, Aqay-i-Kalim, in matters pertaining to medicine, he, under various pretexts, sought enlightenment from him regarding the effects of certain herbs and poisons, and then began, contrary to his wont, to invite Bahá'u'lláh to his home, where, one day, having smeared His tea-cup with a substance he had concocted, he succeeded in poisoning Him sufficiently to produce a serious illness which lasted no less than a month, and which was accompanied by severe pains and high fever, the aftermath of which left Bahá'u'lláh with a shaking hand till the end of His life. So grave was His condition that a foreign doctor, named Shishman, was called in to attend Him. The doctor was so appalled by His livid hue that he deemed His case hopeless, and, after having fallen at His feet, retired from His presence without prescribing a remedy. A few days later that doctor fell ill and died. Prior to his death Bahá'u'lláh had intimated that doctor Shishman had sacrificed his life for Him. To Mirza Aqa Jan, sent by Bahá'u'lláh to visit him, the doctor had stated that God had answered his prayers, and that after his death a certain Dr Chupan, whom he knew to be reliable, should, whenever necessary, be called in his stead.”(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, pp. 165-6)

Paragraph 1.26

"We arose before the peoples of earth and heaven at a time when all had determined to slay us. While dwelling in their midst, We continually made mention of the Lord, celebrated His praise, and stood firm in His Cause, until at last the Word of God was vindicated amongst His creatures, His signs were spread abroad, His power exalted, and His sovereignty revealed in its full splendour. To this bear witness all His honoured servants. Yet when My brother beheld the rising fame of the Cause, he became filled with arrogance and pride. Thereupon he emerged from behind the veil of concealment, rose up against Me, disputed My verses, denied My testimony, and repudiated My signs. Nor would his hunger be appeased unless he were to devour My flesh and drink My blood. To this testify such of God's servants as have accompanied Him in His exile, and they that enjoy near access unto Him."

Comments:

• Just like other paragraphs, this paragraph requires some reflection. As we reflect, let’s also remind ourselves about this reference from the Universal House of Justice:

“The Bahá'í Faith is the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: His Own Words as interpreted by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian. It is a revelation of such staggering magnitude that no Bahá'í at this early stage in Bahá'í history can rightly claim to have more than a partial and imperfect understanding of it. (The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 389)

This quote has such liberating and humbling effects on every Baha’i who is attempting to gain some “partial and imperfect” understanding of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation reflected in the passages of this mighty Tablet. So with that background, let’s explore the spiritual points and metaphors in Paragraph 1.26.

• The very first line brings to our attention the extent of danger and difficulties that Baha’u’llah had to face as God’s representative for “the peoples of earth and heaven.” According to Baha’u’llah, “all” were “determined to slay” Him! This is indeed shocking! The dictionary defines the word “slay” as “to kill or destroy in a violent way”. Here we get a glimpse of that reality that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention!

Paragraph 1.25

"O Beauty of the All-Glorious! Shouldst Thou chance upon this people and enter their presence, recount unto them that which this Youth hath related unto Thee concerning Himself and the things that have befallen Him, that they may come to know what hath been inscribed upon the Preserved Tablet. Acquaint them with the tidings of this Youth, and with the trials and tribulations He hath suffered, that they may become mindful of Mine afflictions, and be of them that understand. Recount, then, unto them how We singled out for Our favour one of Our brothers, [Mirza Yahya] how We imparted unto him a dewdrop from the fathomless ocean of knowledge, clothed him with the garment of one of Our Names, and exalted him to such a station that all were moved to extol him, and how We so protected him from the harm of the malevolent as to disarm even the mightiest amongst them."

Comments:

• Paragraphs 1.25 to 1.30 appear to be about the difficulties that Baha’u’llah’s ungrateful half-brother Mirza Yaha caused Him.

• Recalling Paragraphs 1.23 – 1.25 about the existence of certain “people” whose “faces shine as brightly as the sun in its noontide splendour”, “who praise and extol their Lord”, who “were not enjoined [by God] to prostrate themselves before Adam”, whose very “existence … hath remained concealed from the eyes of all who, from everlasting, have been created through the Word of God”, and who Baha’u’llah promises “Erelong shall God make manifest … upon the earth”, and “through them shall exalt His name, diffuse His signs, uphold His words, and proclaim His verses …” -- to these people Baha’u’llah is being directed to do the following , should He happen to see them and to “enter their presence”:

o to “recount unto them …. concerning Himself and the things that have befallen Him”;
o to “Acquaint them with the tidings of this Youth”; and
o to Acquaint them “with the trials and tribulations He hath suffered.”

Since Baha’u’llah mentions earlier that God will soon “make manifest” these special “people” “upon the earth”, it makes one wonder in what dimensions of reality was Baha’u’llah referring to when He mentions His chances of meeting these special souls.

Paragraph 1.24

"These are they who, in truth, were not enjoined to prostrate themselves before Adam.1 They have never turned away from the countenance of Thy Lord, and partake at every moment of the gifts and delights of holiness. Thus hath the Pen of the All-Merciful set forth the secrets of all things, be they of the past or of the future. Would that the world might understand! Erelong shall God make manifest this people upon the earth, and through them shall exalt His name, diffuse His signs, uphold His words, and proclaim His verses, in spite of those that have repudiated His truth, gainsaid His sovereignty, and cavilled at His signs."

Comments:

• It appears that Baha’u’llah further elaborate in this paragraph about those very special “people” that He mentioned earlier in Paragraph 1.23. Those “whose faces shine as brightly as the sun in its noontide splendour..” Those whose very “existence … hath remained concealed from the eyes of all ..” until now!

• One indication of these special people is that they were not “enjoyned” by God “to prostrate themselves before Adam.” From the Endnotes section of the book we understand that this is a reference to two passages in the Qur’an: [1] cf. Qur'án 2:30-34; 38:71-75. Using Rodwell’s translated version, here are the two sections cited:

Paragraph 1.23

"Grieve not if none be found to accept the crimson wine proffered by Thy snow-white hand and to seize it in the name of Thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High -- He Who hath appeared again in His name, the Most Glorious. Leave this people unto themselves, and repair unto the Tabernacle of majesty and glory, wherein Thou shalt encounter a people whose faces shine as brightly as the sun in its noontide splendour, and who praise and extol their Lord in this Name that hath arisen, in the plenitude of might and power, to assume the throne of independent sovereignty. From their lips Thou shalt hear naught but the strains of My glorification and praise; unto this Thy Lord beareth Me witness. The existence of these people, however, hath remained concealed from the eyes of all who, from everlasting, have been created through the Word of God. Thus have We made plain Our meaning and set forth Our verses, that perchance men may reflect upon the signs and tokens of their Lord."

Comments:

• The metaphor of the “snow-white hand”, we understand is a reference to the Advent of Moses, the instructions He received from God and His subsequent meeting with the Pharaoh demanding the release of the Israelites who were being kept as slaves. Below are some passages from the Torah (the Old Testament) and the Qur’an. Such references by Baha’u’llah towards previous incidents associated with various Manifestations of God remind us of the continuity of the Divine Revelation and our need to ponder and reflect over them so that our faith and certitude will increase with time.

From Exodus 4, King James Bible:
“And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice: for they will say, The LORD has not appeared to you. 2 And the LORD said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you. 6 And the LORD said furthermore to him, Put now your hand into your bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put your hand into your bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe you, neither listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.”
Since it is reported that Moses had darker complexions, this story brings to one’s attention the power of the Manifestation of God to change His dark hand into snow-white!

Paragraph 1.22

"O Maid of inner meanings! Step out of the chamber of utterance by the leave of God, the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Reveal, then, thyself adorned with the raiment of the celestial Realm, and proffer with thy ruby fingers the wine of the heavenly Dominion, that haply the denizens of this world may perceive the light that shone forth from the Kingdom of God when the Daystar of eternity appeared above the horizon of glory. Perchance they may arise before the dwellers of earth and heaven to extol and magnify this Youth Who hath established Himself in the midmost heart of Paradise upon the throne of His name, the All-Sufficing Helper -- He from Whose countenance shineth the brightness of the All-Merciful, from Whose gaze appear the glances of the All-Glorious, and in Whose ways are revealed the tokens and evidences of God, the omnipotent Protector, the Almighty, the All-Loving."

Comments:

• Let’s attempt to gain some insights with respect to the symbolic representation of the “Maid of inner meanings”. But before we do that, we need to recall our previous exploration of the term Maiden in Paragraph 1.6 where Baha’u’llah refers to a “Maiden … suspended in the air” before Him as “the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord”. We also reviewed the Guardian’s explanation in God Passes By that this “Maiden” is a representation of the “Most Great Spirit” in Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation and that It was represented as the “Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel” in “the Zoroastrian, the Mosaic, the Christian, and Muhammadan Dispensations.”

• We also come across some further representations in the Writings with respect to this metaphor of Maids. For example in the following quote Baha’u’llah links them to the Word of God and the process of unsealing “the choice wine” of His Revelation:

Paragraph 1.21

"O Tongue of this Temple! We, verily, have created thee through Our name, the All-Merciful, have taught thee whatsoever had remained concealed in the Bayan, and have bestowed upon thee the power of utterance, that thou mayest make mention of Mine exalted Self amidst My creatures. Proclaim, then, this wondrous and mighty Remembrance, and fear not the manifestations of the Evil One. Thou wert called into being for this very purpose by virtue of My transcendent and all-compelling command. Through thee have We unloosed the Tongue of Utterance to expound all that hath been, and We shall again, by My sovereign power, unloose it to speak of that which is yet to come. Erelong shall We bring into being through thee eloquent tongues that will praise and extol Me amongst the Concourse on high and amidst the peoples of the world. Thus have the verses of God been revealed, and thus hath it been decreed by the Lord of all names and attributes. Thy Lord, verily, is the True One, the Knower of things unseen. Nothing whatsoever shall prevent these tongues from magnifying their Creator. Through them, all created things shall arise to glorify the Lord of names and to bear witness that there is none other God save Me, the All-Powerful, the Most-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Nor shall those who make mention of Me speak aught unless they be inspired by this Tongue from its lofty station. Few, however, are they who understand! No tongue is there that speaketh not the praises of its Lord and maketh not mention of His Name. Amongst the people, however, are those who understand and utter praises, and those who utter praises, yet understand not."

Comments:

* As we read and reflect on the verses of God in this paragraph let’s remember what we explored in Paragraph 1.17: Adib Taherzadeh made a reference to a Tablet from Baha’u’llah in which He explains that “Haykal [Temple] which is addressed in this Surih is the Person of Bahá'u'lláh, and so is the voice which addresses the Haykal.”

* Baha’u’llah reminds us in this paragraph about the Mission that He has been entrusted with and Its link with That of the Bab’s. This is where we read “We, verily, have created thee through Our name, the All-Merciful, have taught thee whatsoever had remained concealed in the Bayan …”

Paragraph 1.20

"O Ears of this Temple! Purge yourselves from all idle clamour and hearken unto the voice of your Lord. He, verily, revealeth unto you, from the Throne of glory, that there is none other God save Me, the All-Glorious, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall We bring into being through you pure and undefiled ears which will heed the Word of God and that which hath appeared from the Dayspring of the Utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful. They shall assuredly perceive the sweet accents of Divine Revelation that proceed from these most blessed and hallowed precincts."

Comments:

• The metaphor of purging one’s ears so one could hearken (listen to, hear) the “voice of” his/her Lord appears to be one of those spiritual principles that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention. In this paragraph Baha’u’llah reminds us specifically to free ourselves from the influence of any “idle clamour” (baseless, vain, lacking substance, loud outcry or any vehement expression of discontent or protest).

• Consulting further with the Writings concerning this metaphor of “purging” we see, for example, Baha’u’llah’s reference to the purging influence of the, Word of God, “the living waters of divine utterance”, and the Bab’s explanation of the “purification” process that a believer needs to go through to attain “nearness unto God”:

“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 waters 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.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 21)

Paragraph 1.19

"O Eyes of this Temple! Look not upon the heavens and that which they contain, nor upon the earth and them that dwell thereon, for We have created you to behold Our own Beauty: See it now before you! Withhold not your gaze therefrom, and deprive not yourselves of the Beauty of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Erelong shall We bring into being through you keen and penetrating eyes that will contemplate the manifold signs of their Creator and turn away from all that is perceived by the people of the world. Through you shall We bestow the power of vision upon whomsoever We desire, and lay hold upon those who have deprived themselves of this gracious bounty. These, verily, have drunk from the cup of delusion, though they perceive it not."

Comments:

• In this and the two following paragraphs we see Baha’u’llah addressing the “eyes”, “ears” and “tongue” of His Temple – the organs associated with one’s ability to see, hear and speak. Since every aspect of our physical reality has a spiritual counterpart, let’s reflect a bit on the significances of these metaphors.

• In one of His Tablets Baha’u’llah explains that God has given us eyes so that we could see His “signs”, “behold” His “verses” and “to contemplate the revelations of .. [His] handiwork” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 6). In another reference He equates “Trustworthiness” “as eyes to the human temple”. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations vol. II, p. 329).

Paragraph 1.18

"O Living Temple! Through Thee have We gathered together all created things, whether in the heavens or on the earth, and called them to account for that which We had covenanted with them before the foundation of the world. And lo, but for a few radiant faces and eloquent tongues, We found most of the people dumbfounded, their eyes staring up in fear. From the former We brought forth the creation of all that hath been and all that shall be. These are they whose countenances God hath graciously turned away from the face of the unbelievers, and whom He hath sheltered beneath the shadow of the Tree of His own Being; they upon whose hearts He hath bestowed the gift of peace and tranquillity, and whom He hath strengthened and assisted through the hosts of the seen and the unseen."

Comments:

• Again a reminder about the stupendous station of the Manifestation of God. In this paragraph we become aware that “all created things” “on the earth” as well as “in the heavens” (all other stars and planets?) were “gathered together” through the Manifestation of God and were “called .. to account” for that which He had “covenanted with them before the foundation of the world”. It leaves one with the thought that God, through His Manifestation, made a covenant with “all created things” (human beings and others) concerning His Manifestation. This covenant appears to have taken place “before” the foundation of the world” was established. Does this mean in the spiritual realm?

• Another understanding that we could gain from this paragraph is a reference from Baha’u’llah in which He shows His disappointment towards the treatment that He received from His “oppressors among Thy [God’s] creatures and the infidels among .. (God’s) enemies” Baha’u’llah further explains that He “never thought that they would show forth such deeds” since God has “announced this Revelation unto them in the Scrolls of .. (His) commandment and the Tablets of … (His) decree”, and that God “hast covenanted with them concerning this youth in every word sent down by … (Him) unto … (His) creatures and … (His) people.” (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 306). The Guardian refers to this covenant as the “Greater Covenant”:

Paragraph 1.17

"O Living Temple! Arise by the power of Thy Self in such wise that all created things will be moved to arise with Thee. Aid, then, Thy Lord through such ascendancy and might as We have bestowed upon Thee. Take heed lest Thou falter on that Day when all created things are filled with dismay; rather be Thou the revealer of My name, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Assist Thy Lord to the utmost of Thine ability, and pay no heed to the peoples of the world, for that which their mouths utter is like unto the droning of a gnat in an endless valley. Quaff the water of life in My name, the All-Merciful, and proffer unto the near ones amongst the inmates of this lofty station that which shall cause them to become detached from all names and enter beneath this blessed and all-encompassing shadow."

Comments:

• Let’s attempt to clarify, to the extent possible, our understanding about the Entity that addresses the “Living Temple” (meaning Baha’u’llah) in this paragraph. There is a very interesting explanation about this in volume 3 of Adib Taherzadeh’s Revelation of Baha’u’llah: “Throughout the Tablet, the Pen of the Most High addresses the Haykal (Temple) and reveals the glory and majesty with which it is invested. In answer to a question, Bahá'u'lláh has stated that the Haykal which is addressed in this Surih is the Person of Bahá'u'lláh, and so is the voice which addresses the Haykal. It is fascinating to know that the One Who speaks with the voice of God in this Tablet is identical with the One spoken to. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 3, p. 133). In other words, as we explored in relation to Paragraph 1.7, it is the Primal Will of God that is speaking to Baha’u’llah through Baha’u’llah!

• In this paragraph we become further educated about the incredible “power” of the Manifestations of God and Their “ascendancy and might". For example, the fact that the Manifestation of God, could, if He wished, use His “power” to cause “all created things” (not just humans) to be “moved to arise with” Him. For example, with respect to human beings, this action of being “moved to arise” could mean something like them acknowledging spontaneity the Message that is brought to them by Baha’u’llah.

Paragraph 1.16

"These souls are the protectors of the Cause of God on earth, who shall preserve its beauty from the obscuring dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings. In the path of their Lord they shall not fear for their lives; rather will they sacrifice their all in their eagerness to behold the face of their Well-Beloved when once He hath appeared in this Name, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the Most Holy."
Comments:

• Baha’u’llah provides further explanations in this paragraph concerning those very special believers that He mentions in Paragraph 1.13.

• It’s very interesting to note how Baha’u’llah refers to them as “the protectors of the Cause of God on earth”! When it comes to protecting the Cause we typically think of the enemies of the Cause. But here Baha’u’llah provides us with a deeper insight: To “preserve” the “beauty” of the Cause of God “from the obscuring dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings.” How often have we thought of “idle fancies and vain imaginings” as things that we need to protect the Cause from?

• We should do some reflection on the subject of “idle fancies and vain imaginings” in light of the explanations provided in the Writings of the Faith. Otherwise we would be following our own “idle fancies and vain imaginings” in attempting to understand what they are.

Paragraph 1.15

"These are they who circle round the Cause of God even as the shadow doth revolve around the sun. Open, then, your eyes, O people of the Bayan, that haply ye may behold them! It is by virtue of their movement that all things are set in motion, and by reason of their stillness all things are brought to rest, would that ye might be assured thereof! Through them the believers in the Divine Unity have turned towards Him Who is the Object of the adoration of the entire creation, and by them the hearts of the righteous have found rest and composure, could ye but know it! Through them the earth hath been established, the clouds have rained down their bounty, and the bread of knowledge hath descended from the heaven of grace, could ye but perceive it!"

Comments:

• We can glean very interesting insights from this paragraph concerning those “blissful” souls that Baha’u’llah refers to in Paragraph 1.13 and their effect on many things. Bliss is defined as “extreme happiness, ecstasy, the ecstasy of salvation, spiritual joy.”

• We notice that Baha’u’llah is telling the “people of Bayan”, meaning those Babis that didn’t accept Him as the Promised One of the Bab, to open their eyes and “behold” these “blissful” souls. This leads one to understand that such “blissful” souls were in their midst at the time!

• It’s also fascinating to know that such souls can affect a number of things, such as:
   • “It is by virtue of their movement that all things are set in motion”;
   • It is “by reason of their stillness all things are brought to rest”;
   • “Through them the believers in the Divine Unity have turned towards Him Who is the Object of the adoration of the entire creation”;
   • “by them the hearts of the righteous have found rest and composure”;
   • “Through them the earth hath been established”;
   • “Through them … the clouds have rained down their bounty”; and
   • “Through them … the bread of knowledge hath descended from the heaven of grace”.

It’s amazing to what degree we owe our very existence and the Faith to these very special believers!

Paragraph 1.14

“These are servants who abide beneath the shelter of the tender mercy of their Lord, and who remain undeterred by those who seek to obstruct their path. Upon their faces may be seen the brightness of the light of the All-Merciful, and from their hearts may be heard the remembrance of Mine all-glorious and inaccessible Name. Were they to unloose their tongues to extol their Lord, the denizens of earth and heaven would join in their anthems of praise -- yet how few are they who hear! And were they to glorify their Lord, all created things would join in their hymns of glory. Thus hath God exalted them above the rest of His creation, and yet the people remain unaware!”

Comments:

• In this paragraph we find further explanation from Baha’u’llah concerning those believers whom He refers to, in the previous paragraph, as part of His “new creation”:

     • Those who “abide beneath the shelter of the tender mercy of their Lord”;
     • Those who “remain undeterred by those who seek to obstruct their path”;
     • Those who “Upon their faces may be seen the brightness of the light of the All-Merciful”;
     • Those who “from their hearts may be heard the remembrance of Mine all-glorious and inaccessible Name”;
     • Those who if they were “to unloose their tongues to extol their Lord, the denizens of earth and heaven would join in their anthems of praise”; and
     • Those who if they were “to glorify their Lord, all created things would join in their hymns of glory.”

• Reflecting over these spiritual qualities that we are being called upon by the Manifestation of God to strive for, will help us realize our humble journey to our own individual spiritual transformation. A transformation that, in the words of Baha’u’llah is “the object of every Revelation”:

"Is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions? For if the character of mankind be not changed, the futility of God's universal Manifestation would be apparent." (Baha’u’llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 241)

Paragraph 1.13

"We, verily, have ordained this Temple to be the source of all existence in the new creation, that all may know of a certainty My power to accomplish that which I have purposed through My word "Be", and it is! Beneath the shadow of every letter of this Temple We shall raise up a people whose number none can reckon save God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall God bring forth from His Temple such souls as will remain unswayed by the insinuations of the rebellious, and who will quaff at all times of the cup that is life indeed. These, truly, are of the blissful."

Comments:

• As we explored earlier, the “Temple” is a reference to the Manifestation of God who for our time is Baha’u’llah. In this paragraph we become aware that the entity of the Manifestation of God is “the source of all existence” in “the new creation …” Let’s explore this a bit deeper. When we think of “all existence” we become easily overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the visible universe. Science is gradually discovering and postulating many components of our physical environment – things that we even didn’t know they existed before. For example the many living creatures in the very depths of oceans, even in the midst of volcanic eruptions at sea floors and the invisible black entities in between far away galaxies. So when we read that the Manifestation of God is the “source” of “all existence” we become aware that such Beings are more than just a Messenger from God, that They have indeed the power over the entire universe!

Paragraph 1.12

"O Pen of the Most High! Hearken unto the Call of Thy Lord, raised from the Divine Lote-Tree in the holy and luminous Spot, that the sweet accents of Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, may fill Thy soul with joy and fervour, and that the breezes that waft from My name, the Ever-Forgiving, may dispel Thy cares and sorrows. Raise up, then, from this Temple, the temples of the Oneness of God, that they may tell out, in the kingdom of creation, the tidings of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and be of them that are illumined by His light."


Comments:

• We find in the Notes section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas that the "Pen of the Most High", "the Supreme Pen" and "the Most Exalted Pen" are references to Bahá'u'lláh, illustrating His function as Revealer of the Word of God. (The Universal House of Justice, Notes section of The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 176).

• We also understand that the “Divine Lote-Tree” is a reference to “the Tree beyond which there is no passing” – this being a symbol of the Manifestation of God. In the Notes section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas we read that “This is used as a symbol in Islam, for example in the accounts of Muhammad's Night Journey, to mark the point in the heavens beyond which neither men nor angels can pass in their approach to God, and thus to delimit the bounds of divine knowledge as revealed to mankind. Hence it is often used in the Bahá'í Writings to designate the Manifestation of God Himself.” (UHJ, Notes section of The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 220)

• The beautiful way in which Baha’u’llah weaves together in this paragraph a number of references to the station of the Manifestation of God is both educational and awe-inspiring!

• Notice the part that Baha’u’llah instructs the “Pen” to pay attention to the “Call” of His “Lord” so that the “sweet accents” of His Lord may fill His soul “with joy and fervour” and that the “breezes” that blow from Baha’u’llah’s “name, the Ever-Forgiving, may dispel” His “cares and sorrows.” Since the Pen recorded the Word of God, should we infer from this paragraph that our on-going interaction with the Word of God will also fill our souls with “joy and fervour” and dispel our “cares and sorrows”? Food for thought!

• Another insight we get from this paragraph is the injunction from the Manifestation of God for the “Pen” to “Raise up” “in the kingdom of creation” “from this Temple” [meaning Baha’u’llah] “the temples of the Oneness of God “so that these temples “may tell out, in the kingdom of creation, the tidings of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and be of them that are illumined by His light.” What an amazing description to remember next time we see a picture of one of the existing Baha’i temples in the world!

Paragraph 1.11

In this Day the Concourse on high beholdeth you in your evil doings and shunneth your company, and yet ye perceive it not. They ask of one another: "What words do these fools utter, and in what valley are they wont to graze? Do they deny that whereunto their very souls testify, and shut their eyes to that which they plainly behold?" I swear by God, O people! They that inhabit the Cities of the Names of God are bewildered at your actions, while ye roam, aimless and unconscious, in a parched and barren land.

Comments:

From Paragraph 1.9 we understand that the recipients of this paragraph are the “people of the Bayan” – those Babis who didn’t acknowledge Baha’u’llah as the Promised One of the Bab after His public proclamation.

Some of the insights that one could gain from this paragraph are:

• The spiritual fact that “the Concourse on high” are aware of all the “evil doings” done by people against the Cause of God and that They would “shun” the company of such people.

• We may ask what is (or Who are) the “Concourse on high” and what is It’s significance? One reference to the meaning of the “Concourse on High” is found in the book called the Covenant of Baha’u’llah by Adib Taherzadeh. It is defined as “the gathering of the Prophets and God's holy and chosen souls.” This must be a very powerful Gathering in the next world!

• Another fascinating point in this paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s reference to those who “inhabit the Cities of the Names of God.” What are those “Cities” in the next world and who lives in them? Just like Baha’i months, it looks like those Cities are named after “the Names of God”! Fascinating!

Paragraph 1.10

"I swear by Him Who hath fashioned Me from the light of His own Beauty! None have I ever seen that surpasseth you in heedlessness or exceedeth you in ignorance. Ye seek to prove your faith in God through such holy Tablets as ye possess, yet when the verses of God were revealed and His Lamp was lighted, ye disbelieved in Him Whose very Pen hath fixed the destinies of all things in the Preserved Tablet. Ye recite the sacred verses and yet repudiate Him Who is their Source and Revealer. Thus hath God blinded your eyes in requital for your deeds, would ye but understand. Day and night ye transcribe the verses of God, and yet ye remain shut out, as by a veil, from Him Who hath revealed them."


Comments:
· We are told in the Writings that it’s almost impossible for us human beings, to really understand the reality of the Manifestations of God – They belong to the Kingdom of Revelation, and we to the Kingdom of Creation. We saw earlier in paragraph 1.7 that one of the references to the Manifestations of God is that They are “the Mystery of God”. So, how can we ever truly understand Their essence or It’s relation to God? We could ponder over the explanations provided by Baha’u’llah Himself in His Writings as well as the subsequent interpretations and explanations of the beloved Master and the Guardian to get a glimpse of Their awe-inspiring Station!

Paragraph 1.9

"O people of the Bayan! Would ye deny Him Whose presence is the very object of your creation, while ye rejoice idly upon your couches? Would ye laugh to scorn and contend with Him, a single hair of Whose head excelleth, in the sight of God, all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth? O people of the Bayan! Produce, then, that which ye possess, that I may know by what proof ye believed aforetime in the Manifestations of His Cause, and by what reason ye now wax so disdainful!"


Comments:
· A reminder of how our attitude should be towards the Manifestations of God since They are:
   · “the very object” of our creation;
   · “in the sight of God” so exalted, compared to us mortal beings, that, for example, Their “single hair … excelleth … all that are in the heavens and all that are on the earth.”

· The “presence” of Baha’u’llah in the midst of the Babis understandably created a major spiritual test for each one of them to search their own souls with genuine humility so they could see with their inner eyes the Signs of God manifested in Him.

· Another interesting point in this paragraph is that the Manifestation of God poses a challenge, as a sign of His mercy, to those Babis that didn’t recognize Him. He asks them to “Produce” a document that would show by “what proof” they “believed” in the previous Manifestations of God and by “what proof” they now refuse His claims. This shows the spiritual principle that the proofs concerning the validity of a Manifestation of God remain the same every time These precious Beings appear in our midst. Our recognition of Them and the Message They bring depends, among other factors, on our “purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 211)

Paragraph 1.8

"O people of the Bayan! If ye aid Him not, God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen through His command "Be", and it is! The day is approaching when God will have, by an act of His Will, raised up a race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. He shall purify them from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires, shall lift them up to the heights of holiness, and shall cause them to manifest the signs of His sovereignty and might upon earth. Thus hath it been ordained by God, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving."


Comments:

· As we know, the “people of Bayan” is a reference to the followers of the Bab. It’s very sad that most of Baha’u’llah’s sufferings were caused by those followers of the Bab, albeit a very small group, that didn’t recognize Him as the Promised One of the Bab and did their best to discredit and harm Him. For example this reference from the beloved Master:

“…the people of Bayan who broke the Covenant of His Holiness, the Báb, and from six directions shot arrows of reproach and calumny at Thy Blessed Body.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 433)

· This paragraph also reminds us that the Manifestation of God has the full support of God and that God will “assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen …” We may wonder, isn’t this obvious, since after all He is trying to do God’s Will. Maybe part of the wisdom of us being reminded of this point is to have absolute faith and confidence in the ability of the Manifestation of God to “assist” and “sustain” us when we are in need, since He has the full support of God.

· The reference to the “the powers of earth and heaven” is also one that would require some reflection. How many times have we watched a documentary show about various powers of nature and felt astonished at their magnitude. Or, have seen pictures of “heaven” taken by Hubble telescope and amazed at the sheer size and extent of various galaxies. Or, just becoming aware of the tremendous explosions that constantly take place within our own sun allowing it to be a source of life and order for our entire solar system. Now, with that feeling of awe and amazement in the background, let’s read again Baha’u’llah’s assurance that “God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven”!

· Another reminder in this paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s assurance concerning the assistance from “the hosts of the unseen”. Again, a reminder to us that those folks on the other side do come to our assistance and do sustain us in our efforts when we are doing God’s work. We often forget though to thank them!

· There is an amazing reference in this paragraph to a time when God will raise up a “race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God..” This race of men will be purified by God “from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires” and that God will “lift them up to the heights of holiness..”. Baha’u’llah further assures us that God will then “cause” this “race of men” to manifest the signs of His sovereignty and might upon earth.” What an amazing promise! It says so much about the potentialities latent in Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation. Baha’u’llah mentioned this in about 1868. Do you think this has already been fulfilled with the appointments of the Hands of the Cause and the election of the Universal House of Justice?

Paragraph 1.7

"Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside."


Comments:
Let’s repeat the incredible pronouncements that the Maid of Heaven (representing the Most Great Spirit) makes concerning Baha’u’llah:
   · “the Best-Beloved of the worlds”;
   · “the Beauty of God amongst” us;
   · “the power of His[God’s] sovereignty within” us;
   · “the Mystery of God and His[God’s] Treasure;
   · “the Cause of God and His[God’s] glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation”;
   · “He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity..”;
   · “He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of … them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory…”

These are awe-inspiring references!

As we know the Bab explains that all Manifestations of God are representations of one Entity -- the Primal Will of God. The attributes of the Primal Will that these Manifestations of God were allowed by God to gradually and progressively reveal to mankind, however, were in accordance to our evolving capacity. Baha’u’llah’s mission was to bring the attributes of “Glory” and “Splendor” to our midst – in both this life and the life after!

Here is the reference from the Bab about the Primal Will of God:

“If, however, thou art sailing upon the sea of creation, know thou that the First Remembrance, which is the Primal Will of God, may be likened unto the sun. God hath created Him through the potency of His might, and He hath, from the beginning that hath no beginning, caused Him to be manifested in every Dispensation through the compelling power of His behest, and God will, to the end that knoweth no end, continue to manifest Him according to the good-pleasure of His invincible Purpose.
And know thou that He indeed resembleth the sun. Were the risings of the sun to continue till the end that hath no end, yet there hath not been nor ever will be more than one sun; and were its settings to endure for evermore, still there hath not been nor ever will be more than one sun. It is this Primal Will which appeareth resplendent in every Prophet and speaketh forth in every revealed Book. It knoweth no beginning, inasmuch as the First deriveth its firstness from It; and knoweth no end, for the Last oweth its lastness unto It.
In the time of the First Manifestation the Primal Will appeared in Adam; in the day of Noah It became known in Noah; in the day of Abraham in Him; and so in the day of Moses; the day of Jesus; the day of Muhammad, the Apostle of God; the day of the 'Point of the Bayan'; the day of Him Whom God shall make manifest; and the day of the One Who will appear after Him Whom God shall make manifest. Hence the inner meaning of the words uttered by the Apostle of God, 'I am all the Prophets', inasmuch as what shineth resplendent in each one of Them hath been and will ever remain the one and the same sun.”
(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 125)

Baha’u’llah also explains that the capacity of humanity has now reached a level that the Manifestation of God could directly convey the directives of the Primal Will of God to us. Those who received the inestimable grace of being allowed to be in the presence of Baha’u’llah while He was revealing the Word of God have left us amazing testimonies regarding the overwhelming power and majesty that they witnessed. In previous Dispensations, for example Judaism, this process was symbolized by the “Burning Bush” speaking to Moses and then Moses telling the followers what the Burning Bush (a representation of the Primal Will of God) had told Him. Now, it is as if Moses (reincarnated in Baha’u’llah) is conveying the Words of the Burning Bush directly to mankind!

Another insight that we can gain from this paragraph is the fact that the Reality that manifests Itself in the Manifestations of God, namely, the Primal Will of God, is also known as “the Cause of God.” For example the following statement from Baha’u’llah addressed to an individual who caused tremendous suffering to many Baha’is:

"Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high, and those of such as have circled round the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 80)

Questions:
· Who are the “the denizens of the Realm of eternity”?
· Who are “them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory…”
· Now that we know the Manifestations of God are His “Mystery” and “Treasure”, can we moral beings ever fully understand Their Reality?

Paragraph 1.6

"While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden -- the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord -- suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honoured servants."


Comments:
The Guardian explains in God Passes By that in some other Tablets the reference to “Maiden” is a representation of the “Most Great Spirit” in Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation and that It was represented as the “Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel” in “the Zoroastrian, the Mosaic, the Christian, and Muhammadan Dispensations.”

It’s very heartwarming how Baha’u’llah familiarizes us with the intimate level of communication that took place between the Manifestation of God and the Most Great Spirit which in this paragraph is referred to as “the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord.” Baha’u’llah also lets us know that this communication with the Most Great Spirit had a powerful effect on His “inward and outer” being and that it “rejoiced” His soul. He helps us understand that such interactions with the Most Great Spirit by the Manifestations of God have effects also on other holy beings, namely the “souls of God’s honoured servants.”

Also fascinating is the fact that the “call” that this Most Great Spirit raised has “captivated the hearts and minds” of all people – whether or not we are cognizant of that influence.

Paragraph 1.5

"Blessed is He Who hath caused to rain down upon His Servant from the clouds of enmity, and at the hands of the people of denial, the shafts of tribulation and trial; and yet seeth Our heart filled with gratitude. Blessed is He Who hath laid upon the shoulders of His Servant the burden of the heavens and of the earth -- a burden for which We yield Him every praise, though none may grasp this save them that are endued with understanding. Glorified is He Who hath surrendered the embodiment of His Beauty to the clutches of the envious and the wicked -- a fate unto which We are fully resigned, though none may perceive this save those who are endued with insight. Glorified is He Who hath left Husayn to make His dwelling amidst the hosts of His enemies, and exposed His body with every breath to the spears of hatred and anger; yet do We yield Him thanks for all that He hath destined to befall His Servant Who repaireth unto Him in His affliction and grief."


Comments:
This paragraph makes one reflect about the extreme difficulties that Baha’u’llah and His companions experienced from the established religious clerics. Baha’u’llah compares these difficulties to:
   · “rain” coming down from the “clouds of enmity”; and
   · “shafts of tribulation and trial” from the “hands of the people of denial.”

Notwithstanding all that, Baha’u’llah, in His Station of Servitude, expresses gratitude to God for causing these things to happen. This is rather hard to understand – why would God “cause” these things to happen? Maybe it goes back to the concept of free will and the fact that God allows this entity of free will on the part of man to play its part – maybe this is one explanation of God “causing” these things to happen?

Another insight we get from this paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s acknowledgement that God has placed on the shoulders of His Manifestation “the burden of heaven and the earth”, a burden that Baha’u’llah praises God for it. We could surmise from this that we as His followers also need to accept and welcome more opportunities to shoulder responsibility for assisting Him with the affairs of His Cause and the promotion of His Teachings.

To view the Manifestation of God as the “embodiment of His [God’s] Beauty” is an attractive concept! And yet we become reminded that this “Beauty” “surrendered” and “resigned” Itself to the “clutches of the envious and the wicked”, lived among the “hosts of His enemies” and with “every breadth” allowed His body to be exposed to “the spears of hatred and anger.” How sad! How very sad! We need to be cognizant of these things and welcome more our interactions with the very rich history of our Faith so that we will have a better feel for Baha’u’llah’s sufferings. After all, in the Tablet of Ahmad, Baha’u’llah Himself reminds us to “remember My Days during thy days”! There must be a wisdom in this, don’t you think?!

Paragraph 1.4

“Blessed is He Who, in a well-guarded Tablet, hath prescribed a fixed measure unto all things. Blessed is He Who hath revealed unto His Servant that which shall illumine the hearts and minds of men. Blessed is He Who hath sent down upon His Servant such tribulations as have melted the hearts of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of eternity and the souls of those who have drawn nigh unto their Lord. Blessed is He Who hath showered upon His Servant, from the clouds of His decree, the darts of affliction, and Who beholdeth Me enduring them with patience and fortitude. Blessed is He Who hath ordained for His Servant that which He hath destined for no other soul. He, verily, is the One, the Incomparable, the Self-Subsisting.”


Comments:
· The concept that there is in existence a “well-guarded” Tablet and the fact that God/His Manifestation has, in this Tablet, “prescribed a fixed measure unto all things”, puts things in an interesting perspective, doesn’t it. We become aware of our own limitations and how our inner capacity is really controlled by God/His Manifestation.

· We also become aware that, the Manifestation of God, in His State of Servitude to God, has received a Revelation which will “illumine the hearts and minds of men.” Notice the word “shall” in the above paragraph. It gives assurance to what Baha’u’llah’s Revelation is capable of doing to our “hearts and mind” – whether one allows oneself to be the recipient of Its influence is another factor.

· In the above paragraph we become further aware of the extent and gravity of the “tribulations” and the “darts of affliction” that had been “sent down” and “showered” upon Baha’u’llah “from the clouds of His [God’s] decree.” The impact of these extreme sufferings, Baha’u’llah confirms, was so severe that they had “melted the hearts of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of eternity and the souls of those who have drawn nigh unto their Lord.” And yet, Baha’u’llah doesn’t complain about these. Instead He praises God for allowing these to happen and acknowledges the fact that He endured them with “patience and fortitude”. Is there a lesson for us, His followers, in this?

· And lastly, we become aware of the unique station of Baha’u’llah in His State of Servitude to God when we read what God has “ordained” and “destined” for Him what He “hath destined for no other soul.”

Paragraph 1.3

“Blessed is He Who doeth as He willeth by a word of His command. He, verily, is the True One, the Knower of things unseen. Blessed is He Who inspireth whomsoever He willeth with whatsoever He desireth, through His irresistible and inscrutable command. Blessed is He Who aideth whomsoever He desireth with the hosts of the unseen. His might is, in truth, equal to His purpose, and He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is He Who exalteth whomsoever He willeth by the power of His sovereign might, and confirmeth whomsoever He chooseth in accordance with His good pleasure; well is it with them that understand!”


Comments:
It’s very interesting that Baha’u’llah ends this paragraph by saying “well is it with them that understand!” Let’s summarize what our finite minds could partially understand from this paragraph concerning the realm of God and His Manifestation:

   · “He … doeth as He willeth by a word of His command”;
   · “He .. is .. the Knower of things unseen”;
   · “He … inspireth whomsoever He willeth with whatsoever He desireth..”;
   · “ He .. aideth whomsoever He desireth with the hosts of the unseen”;
   · “He exalteth whomsoever He willeth by the power of His sovereign might”;
   · “He … confirmeth whomsoever He chooseth in accordance with His good pleasure.”

These potent announcements have a powerful impact on us mortal beings. They demand humility and submission towards God and His Manifestation. By acknowledging that the Manifestation of God is “the True One”, we become more inclined to weigh all our thoughts, feelings and aspirations in harmony with that Reality that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention.

Paragraph 1.2

“Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who comprehend. Glorified is He Who speaketh forth from the Kingdom of His Revelation, and Who remaineth unknown to all save His honoured servants. Glorified is He Who quickeneth whomsoever He willeth by virtue of His word "Be", and it is! Glorified is He Who causeth whomsoever He willeth to ascend unto the heaven of grace, and sendeth down therefrom whatsoever He desireth according to a prescribed measure.”

Comments:

There are a number of very interesting points in this paragraph to explore:

· Who is “He” “Who sendeth down His verses to those who comprehend”? Our first inclination might be that it’s God. Could it be instead His Manifestation? To some of us it may not matter whether it’s God or His Manifestation, but a closer interaction with the Writings may inspire us to delve a bit deeper.

· The fact that Baha’u’llah says that the divine verses are “sent to those who comprehend” is a reminder to us on many levels. We need to remind ourselves that this comprehension could take place at different spiritual, intuitive, and mental levels. At times, it is also time-dependent – what we didn’t understand for example some ten years ago, becomes easier to understand now because of our own on-going maturation process. We also need to be sensitive about the ability of our seekers to comprehend the divine verses/concepts, when we try to teach them the Faith.


· Baha’u’llah’s reference to the “Kingdom of His [God’s] Revelation” merits some reflection – where is this Kingdom and who has access to it? Assuming that the “He” “Who speaketh forth from the Kingdom of His Revelation” is a reference to the Manifestation of God, it leads us to realize that He remains “unknown to all save His honoured servants.” Then the question becomes who would these “honoured servants” be and how can one become one of them? This must be an aspect of our spiritual transformation.

· Notice Baha’u’llah’s reference to the process of quickening. Here we are being educated that it is really God/His Manifestation that does the job of quickening our contacts – hopefully we won’t become an impediment in this process.

· The reference to the “heaven of grace” is very awe-inspiring! Grace is such a comforting word! It’s synonymous with mercy, beauty, favor, a period of time granted beyond the date set for the performance of an act, the unmerited love and favor, and a special virtue, gift, or help given to a person by God. It’s amazing that in this passage Baha’u’llah confirms the existence of a “heaven of grace” and that God would cause “whomsoever He willeth” to “ascend” to this heaven and to send down from this heaven “whatsoever He desireth according to a prescribed measure.” One reference to this heaven is made by Baha’u’llah in a protection prayer in which He teaches a servant to supplicate God and ask Him to “Send down, then, upon me, out of the heaven of Thy mercy, a blessing from Thy side …” What a nice thought to reflect on: To receive “a blessing” from that vast heaven of God’s mercy!

Paragraph 1.1

“Glorified is He Who hath revealed His verses to those who understand. Glorified is He Who sendeth down His verses to those who perceive. Glorified is He Who guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His path. Say: I, verily, am the Path of God unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth; well is it with them that hasten thereunto!”


Comments:

This paragraph reminds us of some fundamental spiritual principles:

• It’s God/His Manifestation Who “sendeth” “His verses” – the Word of God – to “those” who can “perceive” – to see and apprehend spiritually, intuitively, mentally.
• It’s God/His Manifestation Who “guideth” to “His path” those whom He is pleased to guide.
• Manifestation of God is truly the “Path of God” for all of us who are “on earth” – that includes all of us – and all “who are in the heavens”!

So, with reference to this paragraph, we should pray to God to “guide” us to those that He wants us to teach – who at times might be different than the ones we may have in mind!

Question:


What do you think is intended by the word “heavens” in the above paragraph? Is it a reference to all the celestial planets in the universe or is it a reference to the next world?

The opening verses ...

Let’s read and ponder on the opening verses of the Surih of Temple:

"This is the Surih of the Temple which God hath ordained to be the Mirror of His Names between the heavens and the earth, and the Sign of His Remembrance amidst the peoples of the world."


Comments:

The Reality that is represented for our age through Baha’u’llah is compared to a human “Temple”. This “Temple” is like a “Mirror” that reflects God’s “Names” “between the heavens and the earth”. This “Temple” is also “the Sign of His (God’s) Remembrance amidst the peoples of the world." What a beautiful way to remind ourselves of these points with respect to the Reality which manifests Itself in the form of all the Manifestations of God!

Question:
What does the phrase “His [God’s] Names” mean? Are they the same as His attributes?

Introductory Notes

Let’s get an overall understanding of the first Tablet, namely the Suriy-i-Haykal, or the Surih of the Temple. The word Súrah, is Arabic. It means chapter. It is used for chapters of the Qur'an. Baha’u’llah also employed this term for many of His Arabic Writings, especially those written in the style of the Qur'an.

In the introductory section of the book “The Summons of the Lord of Hosts”, the Universal House of Justice explains that this Tablet is “one of Bahá'u'lláh's most challenging works.” They further indicate that this Tablet “ .. was originally revealed during His banishment to Adrianople and later recast after His arrival in 'Akká.” In the version included in “The Summons of the Lord of Hosts” they explain that Baha’u’llah “ .. incorporated His messages addressed to individual potentates -- Pope Pius IX, Napoleon III, Czar Alexander II, Queen Victoria, and Násiri'd-Dín Sháh.”

Baha'u'llah's Surih of the Temple

The book called The Summons of the Lord of Hosts contains many authorized English translations of some powerful Tablets revealed by Baha’u’llah. They are:

Suriy-i-Haykal / Surih of the Temple
Pope Pius IX
Napoleon III
Czar Alexander II
Queen Victoria
Násiri'd-Dín Sháh / Lawh-i-Sultán
Suriy-i-Ra'is
Lawh-i-Ra'ís
Lawh-i-Fu'ád
Suriy-i-Mulúk / Surih of the Kings

All of these Tablets were sent to the kings and rulers of the world at the time of Baha’u’llah – some individually and some collectively. All were revealed during Baha’u’llah’s five years in Adrianople which ended in 1868 with His further banishment to the fortress town of ‘Akka.

We are going to explore these Tablets together, one at a time, hoping that in that process our hearts and minds become more enchanted by the beauty, richness, and depth of their contents, inspiring us to higher levels of certitude.