Reflecting on Baha'i Writings: The Summons of the Lord of Hosts

Paragraph 1.51

2011-12-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

Say: We have revealed Our verses in nine different modes. Each one of them bespeaketh the sovereignty of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. A single one of them sufficeth for a proof unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth; yet the people, for the most part, persist in their heedlessness. Should it be Our wish, We would reveal them in countless other modes.

Comments

• It’s so remarkable that in this paragraph Baha’u’llah brings to our attention the fact that the “verses” of God could be “revealed” in a variety of “modes”. Ordinarily one wouldn’t even think of this attribute of Divine Revelation.

• Having gained this insight, we become further aware that each of these “modes” is indicative of, and points to, the “sovereignty of God”.

• In the ‘The Revelation of Baha'u'llah vol. 1’ by Adib Taherzadeh, we find the following useful information concerning these “nine different modes”:

In the Suriy-i-Haykal (Surih of the Temple) revealed in 'Akká, Bahá'u'lláh states that in this Dispensation the verses of God have been revealed in nine different styles or categories. A well-known Bahá'í scholar, Jinab-i-Fadil-i-Mazindarani, after careful study of the Writings, has enumerated these styles as follows:

1. Tablets with the tone of command and authority.
2. Those with the tone of servitude, meekness and supplication.
3. Writings dealing with interpretation of the old Scriptures, religious beliefs and doctrines of the past.
4. Writings in which laws and ordinances have been enjoined for this age and laws of the past abrogated.
5. Mystical Writings.
6. Tablets concerning matters of government and world order, and those addressed to the kings.
7. Tablets dealing with subjects of learning and knowledge, divine philosophy, mysteries of creation, medicine, alchemy, etc.
8. Tablets exhorting men to education, goodly character and divine virtues.
9. Tablets dealing with social teachings. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 42)

• Further background information concerning the “modes” of Revelation is provided by Nader Saiedi in two of his books, ‘Logos and Civilization’, and ‘Gate of the Heart’. These books help us understand how the “modes” were represented in the two religions preceding Baha’u’llah’s – four “modes” in the Islamic Dispensation and five in the Dispensation of the Báb. These provide fascinating insights concerning some of the subtleties of the Kingdom of Revelation.

• From ‘Logos and Civilization’:

According to the Qur'án, heaven has four "rivers" -- of pure water, milk, honey, and wine. [Qur'án 47:15] In His analysis of this Qur'ánic statement The Báb makes it clear that "heaven" is nothing less than the new dispensation of revelation and the "rivers" are different modes of revelation. In the "heaven" or revelation of Islam, the words of God were revealed in four modes, each representing one of the heavenly rivers. The mode of verses ({ayat}) is the mode of direct revelation, when God speaks directly as God. This is the most important mode of revelation and corresponds to the immediate nature of the Primal Will, in which none is seen save God. For that reason "verses" is used both as a description of this specific mode as well as a description of the totality of the modes of revelation. [The Báb, Persian Bayan 2.14.] The Qur'án is revealed in the mode of verses. Another mode is that of prayer ({munajat}). In this mode, the Word is revealed in the form of supplication. As this mode addresses God, it is spoken in the voice of a human being, and the Word of God is revealed indirectly. The mode of commentaries ({tafasir}), including sermons, emphasizes the interpretation of other words of God. Finally, the mode of rational and educational discourse ({suvar-i-'ilmiyyih}) offers scientific, philosophical, and rational arguments in support of divine truth. In the Paradise of the Bayan, we find five modes of revelation. In addition to the previous four, there is a "Persian" mode, unique to the Bábí dispensation, in which the Word is revealed in Persian, rather than in Arabic. (Nader Saiedi, Logos and Civilization, pp. 297-298)

• From ‘Gate of the Heart’:

Kitáb-i-Panj Sha'n (Book of the Five Modes of Revelation). One of the last major works of the Báb, this book was written within the first days of the spring of 1850, the final year of the Báb's life, three or four months before His martyrdom. Panj Sha'n consists of nineteen chapters, each dealing with one of the names of God, corresponding to the first nineteen days of the year, that is, the days of the month of Baha (Glory). These names also correspond to the nineteen figures of the Bábí Primal Unity. Panj Sha'n explains many fundamental spiritual concepts such as nearness to God, light, beauty, and unity. Each chapter was written in honour of one of the Bábís, and the chapters can all be considered as independent tablets as well.

The Báb's interpretation is {interpretive revelation}. In interpretive revelation, the relation of the interpreted text and the interpreting text is qualitatively different from the relation between those two texts in a scholarly interpretation. Understanding this fact is a key to comprehending some of the enigmatic aspects of the early writings of the Báb. Yet, even before discussing the hermeneutical principles operating in the Báb's interpretive works, we must locate interpretation, as a mode of writing, within the overall typology of the modes of revelation found in the Báb's writings and examine how these different modes are related to those of the Islamic Dispensation.

A significant portion of the writings of the Báb is devoted to discussion of the typology of the modes of revelation ({shu'un-i-ayat}) in which His works are written. This emphasis on the modes themselves is not a mere exercise in classification; it plays an important role in the structure of meaning that defines the writings of the Báb. The Báb connects the typology itself to many other metaphysical and theological matters and derives far-reaching conclusions from His analysis. Aside from the fact that understanding the typology, as we shall see, resolves any doubt about the Báb's real claim and station as those are expressed in His earlier writings, it must be noted that, as the typology of the Logos -- the creative divine Word through which all things are called into being -- these various modes of revelation are the constitutive principles of reality. Thus the modes themselves are keys for understanding the metaphysics, theology, and indeed the entire world view of the Báb.

The Islamic Revelation, as the Báb explains, was characterized by four modes of revelation: divine verses ({ayat}), prayers and supplications ({munajat, ad'iyih}), commentaries and sermons ({tafasir, khutab}), and rational, educational, and philosophical discourse ({shu'un-i-'ilmiyyih va hikamiyyah}), while the Báb's revelation consisted of five modes, four of which parallel the four Islamic modes.[ In various expressions of the typology of the modes of revelation, the Báb uses "sermon" and "interpretation" interchangeably. "Sermon" ({khutbih}) is repeatedly distinguished from prayer, divine verses, rational discourse, and Persian mode. In Panj Sha'n, the word "commentary" ({tafsir}) is distinguished from "sermon." However, in that instance commentaries are actually rational discourses. The reason, as we will see shortly, is that rational discourses are themselves actually commentaries on prayers.] In linguistic terms, the modes of revelation can be understood, in part, as different {registers}, as they are defined by the relationship, relative station, and attitude of the speaker with respect to the addressee. The mode of divine verses is the direct revelation of God, uttered in the voice of God as the speaker addressing His creation (an affirmation of "I am God"). This mode employs the language of divinity, ascendancy, and lordship. In this mode God declares, for example: "Verily, I am God and there is none other God but Me, the Lord of all things. Verily, all else other than Me is My creation. Therefore, O My creation, adore Me alone!" [The Báb, Persian Bayan 13] The word "Say!" -- often encountered in the Qur'án -- distinctively precedes the utterance of revelation in the mode of divine verses, as the voice of God tells the Prophet to speak, as in this example: "Say! The verses of God are like unto life-giving water sent down out of the heaven of His Primal Will upon the earth of your nearness to Him...." [The Báb, {Kitábu'l-Asma'}, INBA 29:384-85]

The mode of prayers and supplications is the reverse of the mode of divine verses. Here the language of revelation is uttered in the voice of the Prophet, but now speaking in the station of the creation, addressing the Creator with an attitude of servitude and effacement (an affirmation of "Thou art God"). This mode emphasizes the poverty and powerlessness of the creatures before their Creator; for example: "I bear witness by Thee, O My God, even as Thou didst bear witness unto Thyself, before the creation of Thy Primal Will, that verily Thou art God, the Peerless, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal, the Everlasting. Thou has ever been independent of any description by anyone beside Thee, and Thou wilt remain forever without the praise of anyone other than Thyself." [The Báb, {Ad'iyi-i-Haftigi}, INBA 58:92]

The discourse of prayer is fundamentally an expression of servitude and love -- the love of the created being for God, as exemplified in this passage:

.......... Glorified be Thou, O my God! How sweet, therefore, is Thy praise in my inner and outer being; and how abounding are Thy favours in my hidden and manifest states. Thou art He Who hath taught Me Thy Self through Thy Self, inspired me with Thy Remembrance through thy Remembrance, and called me to Thyself through Thy Holy Countenance. Were it not for Thee, I would cease to exist; and were it not for Thy confirmations, I would not have attained any glory. [The Báb, {Ad'iyi-i-Haftigi}, INBA 58:89-90]

The mode of commentaries and sermons primarily expresses affirmation of the words of God. Commentaries and sermons are uttered in the voice of the Revelator speaking to human beings about God and His words (an affirmation of "He is God"). The commentaries are interpretative works that aim to explain, in expository form, the true meanings of the divine verses, as in this example: "Know thou that verily every 'food' is a reminder of something delightful. But when it is joined with the true meaning of 'all' it referreth to the reality which containeth and embraceth everything. That, however, can only be realized in the Point of the Primal Will, inasmuch as verily all the created manifestations are indeed hidden within It." [The Báb, "Tafsir-i-Kullu't-Ta'am," Collection, pp. 220-21]

The sermons praise and describe transcendental spiritual realities that are the cosmic manifestations of the Word. Often the Báb begins a work with a brief or lengthy sermon that endeavours to connect the reader's heart and consciousness to the divine verities. For example:

.......... Praised be God, Who hath caused, through the pattern of His Signs of Power, all that is vibrant to vibrate in the branches of the concourse of the Heaven of Divinity. And praise be to God, Who hath caused, through the evidences of His Will, the beingness of all beings to be revealed within the branches of the concourse of the Heaven of the Manifestations. And praise be to God, Who hath, through the revelation of the mysterious depths of His earthly and heavenly Signs, caused all that is radiant to radiate in the Station of His Determination. [The Báb, "Fi's-Suluk II," Collection p. 452]

The fourth mode of revelation -- rational, educational, and philosophical discourse -- is again spoken in the voice of the Redeemer addressing human beings, but this time using rational arguments to demonstrate the truth of the Word of God and explain the message expressed in the prayers (an affirmation of "He is God Who is"). The fundamental function of this mode is to analyze the phenomenal world and to link it to the transcendental realm, as in this passage:

.......... Verily hath God created within thyself the similitude of all that He hath fashioned in creation, that thou mayest not be veiled from any effulgence. Verily God hath generated within thy being the entirety of His manifestations. He hath ordained that His home be the heart of His servant; by it the reality of existence shall be recognized, and the Fashioner of men be praised, and the bounty of existence pour forth through His ever-flowing Pen. [The Báb, "Fi's-Sulki II, " Collection p. 461.]

The purpose of this mode is to show the signs of the unseen within the visible realm, and to prove the world of divinity and dominion through its manifestations in the earthly world, as in this example:

.......... For verily the soul, while bound by the ephemeral and transitory things of this world, is confined, in its understanding, to limited phenomena only. However, once the soul hath soared beyond the realm of nature and becometh submerged in the ocean of absolute unity, then can it acquire the capacity to discern the reality of all sciences and knowledge in their full plenitude. Thus 'Ali said: "O Lord! Submerge me in the reviving ocean of Thy unity and the fathomless depths of the sea of Thy oneness." [The Báb, {Tablet to Mirza Sa'id}, INBA 14:428]

This mode frequently employs logical argumentation and analysis:

Verily, that which hath forced some philosophers to conceive of the presence of the eternal intelligible forms ({a'yani'th-thabitah}) in the Essence of God, and the doctrine of the True Indivisible Being, was their desire to validate the concept of the knowledge of God, magnified be His station! For they stated that knowledge must needs have an object of knowledge, and hence the affirmation of divine knowledge indicateth the existence of pluralities within the Essence of God. [The Báb, {Tablet to Mirza Sa'id}, INBA 14:430.]

To these four modes of revelation, which were present in the Islamic Dispensation, the Báb adds a fifth, which He designates the "Persian mode." In the Islamic Dispensation the Arabic language was the sole language of revelation, but the Báb employs both Arabic and Persian as vehicles of revelation. The Báb distinguishes His Persian writings as a distinct mode of revelation although the content of these works may be any of the four modes: divine verses, prayers, commentaries/sermons, or rational discourse. The Persian mode of revelation thus represents the integrative form of the other four modes.

In His writings, the Báb often discusses the typology of the modes of revelation as a vehicle that in itself is richly symbolic. For example, in the Persian Bayan we read:

.......... Whatever is revealed by the Point hath been designated as the "Bayan." However, this name referreth in its primary reality to the divine verses, and in its secondary reality to prayers, third to commentaries, fourth to educational forms, and fifth to the Persian words. Yet, this exalted appellation, on the basis of its intrinsic worth, solely denoteth the divine verses to the exclusion of all others. [The Báb, Persian Bayan 3:17.]

.......... As such, the merging of the five rivers should not be permitted: thus, divine verses should remain within their own sublimity, prayers in their own loftiness, commentaries in their own seat of glory, words [of knowledge] in their own sacred horizon, and the Persian words in their own inaccessible and exalted heights. [The Báb, Persian Bayan 3:16.]

.......... [I]n this Dispensation, the writings of the Letters of the Living all proceed directly from the Sun of Truth Himself. Divine verses especially pertain to the Point of the Bayan, prayers pertain to the Messenger of God [Muhammad], commentaries to the Imams of guidance, and educational discourse ({suvar-i-'ilmiyyih}) to the Gates. However, all of these proceed from this Ocean so that all people can behold the exalted sublimity of these Writings of the Primal Truth. [The Báb, Persian Bayan 3:16.]

This classification of the divine writings into either four or five modes of revelation is the basis on which many of the later works of the Báb are organized. Two major examples of such works are the Kitábu'l-Asma' (Book of Divine Names), and Panj Sha'n (Five Modes of Revelation). The Kitábu'l-Asma' discusses the meanings and implications of various names of God. Generally each name is discussed in four different chapters, and each chapter is written in a different mode of revelation. The title of the other work, Panj Sha'n (Five Modes), indicates its organizational structure: it discusses nineteen names of God, each of which is explained through five modes of revelation.[According to the Báb's own dating, at least seventeen of the nineteen parts definitely were revealed. In the published version of the book, twelve parts are present. The rest are yet to be located.] (Nader Saiedi-1, Gate of the Heart, pp. 36, and 40-43)

• Perhaps once all of the Writings of Baha’u’llah have been collated, translated into English and published worldwide, Baha’i scholars will undertake humble attempts to correlate them to these “nine different modes” – possibly as identified by Jinab-i-Fadil-i-Mazindarani. Hopefully our reflections on these “modes” will further increase our love and appreciation for God’s latest Manifestation for our age!

• It’s also noteworthy that Baha’u’llah indicates that if it was His “wish” He could have revealed His Writings in “countless other modes”! An amazing statement, especially when one recognizes the number of “modes” already associated with the Islamic, Babi, and Baha’i Dispensations! Another indication of the incredible greatness of God’s Universal Manifestation - Baha’u’llah!

Paragraph 1.50

2011-02-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

"Say: The Holy Spirit Itself hath been generated through the agency of a single letter revealed by this Most Great Spirit, if ye be of them that comprehend. And that innate and untaught nature in its essence is called into being by the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Say: This nature prideth itself in its relation to Our transcendent Truth, whilst We, for Our part, glory neither in it nor in aught else, for all beside Myself hath been created through the potency of My word, could ye but understand."

Comments:

• In this powerful paragraph, the Manifestation of God brings our attention to the Entities of the “Holy Spirit” and the “Most Great Spirit”, Their interaction, and the relation between the “nature” of the Person in Whom the Most Great Spirit has appeared, the “verses of God”, and the Most Great Spirit Itself. Incredible subjects, way beyond us mortal “confined” beings to understand! In attempting to gain some insights (partial and imperfect, however) from this powerful paragraph, let’s first start by briefly reviewing the overall concept of “Holy Spirit” as it is referred to in the previous Dispensations, and then turn to the Baha’i Writings for updated illumination, and then explore references containing the Entity of the “Most Great Spirit”. This is indeed a very humbling undertaking! We’ll begin by examining the use of the phrase “Holy Spirit” in the New Testament and the Qur’an – the two latest Dispensations before the coming of the Bab and Baha’u’llah.

• A search for the word “Holy Spirit” in the New Testament shows that it is used in four locations: Luke 11: 11-13; 1 Thessalonians 4: 7-8; Ephesians 1:13-14; and Ephesians 4: 30-32. They are summarized below:

o The one in the Gospel of Luke puts it in the context of a son asking his father for various things: “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” -- [so one could ask to receive the Holy Spirit.]

o In St. Paul’s letter to Thessalonians, he refers to Holy Spirit in terms of the relation of man to God, where it states that: “He therefore that despiseth [holiness], despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

o And, in a letter to the Ephesians (its authorship traditionally accredited to Paul but more recently Christian scholars question whether it was actually written by him), the “Holy Spirit” is linked to one’s belief: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”; and to God Himself: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

• Our investigation further reveals that the word “Holy Spirit” is synonymous with “Holy Ghost”. In Old English the word “gast”, means “spirit”. A search on the words Holy Ghost results in significantly more occurrences. For the sake of brevity only those found in the Gospel of Luke will be summarized here:

o Concerning the relationship between the Manifestation of God and His Source of inspiration: “For he[Jesus] shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.” (Luke 1:15) And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. (Luke 4:1-2)

o The circumstance pertaining to the conception and birth of Jesus: “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1: 34-35)

o Incidents in which the Holy Ghost guides various individuals: “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. (King James Bible, Luke) And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord Christ.” (Luke 2:25-26) And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. (Luke 12:11-12)

o The difference in baptism performed by Christ compared to that performed by John the Baptist: “And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Luke 3:15-16)

o The moment when Jesus received His Divine Mission from God: “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

o Concerning those who may show extreme disrespect towards the Divine Authority of the Manifestation of God: “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.” (Luke 12:8-10)

• Now, let’s explore the occurrences of the phrase “Holy Spirit” in the Qur’an. We discover three references. Searching for the phrase “Holy Ghost” does not provide any additional references:

o “Moreover, to Moses gave we ‘the Book,’ and we raised up apostles after him; and to Jesus, son of Mary, gave we clear proofs of his mission, and strengthened him by the Holy Spirit. So oft then as an apostle cometh to you with that which your souls desire not, swell ye with pride, and treat some as impostors, and slay others? (Sura 2 - The Cow, translated by Rodwell)

o Some of the apostles we have endowed more highly than others: Those to whom God hath spoken, He hath raised to the loftiest grade, and to Jesus the Son of Mary we gave manifest signs, and we strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. And if God had pleased, they who came after them would not have wrangled, after the clear signs had reached them. But into disputes they fell: some of them believed, and some were infidels; yet if God had pleased, they would not have thus wrangled: but God doth what he will. (Sura 2 - The Cow, translated by Rodwell)

o When He [God] shall say: O Jesus! Son of Mary! call to mind my favour upon thee and upon thy mother, when I strengthened thee with the Holy Spirit, that thou shouldest speak to men alike in the cradle, and when grown up; - (Sura 5 - The Table, translated by Rodwell)

• In reviewing the different contexts in which the entity of “Holy Spirit” (or Holy Ghost) is used in the above references, from both the New Testament and the Qur’an, helps one get a “feel” for its role on this plane of existence. Here is an attempt to summarize them – once again keeping in mind our inability as human being to properly appreciate the subject matter:

o The source of the Holy Spirit is linked to the “Heavenly Father”.
o The Holy Spirit imbues, inspires and strengthens the Manifestation of God – even while still a child.
o The Holy Spirit interacts with this physical world in ways that we, human beings, at times ascribe to miracles –- for example, Mary, a virgin, giving birth to Jesus.
o The Holy Spirit facilitates and guides people to the recognition of a new Manifestation of God and assists them with their faith and steadfastness in His love.

• Next, let’s search for the phrase “Holy Spirit” in the Baha’i Writings. We discover that there are numerous references to it in the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá. There are also a handful of references in the Writings of Baha’u’llah and in the letters of the beloved Guardian. We also notice that in addition to the entity of the “Holy Spirit”, there are some references to the “Most Holy Spirit” as well as to the “Most Great Spirit” – the latter we came across in the current paragraph we are reflecting on.

• The reference to the “Most Holy Spirit” is found in a letter from the beloved Guardian to the Baha’is of the United States and Canada, dated April 11, 1949. It’s in reference to the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar in Chicago:

“Then and only then will this holy edifice, symbol and harbinger of a world civilization as yet unborn, and the embodiment of the sacrifice of a multitude of the upholders of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, release the full measure of the regenerative power with which it has been endowed, shed in all its plenitude the glory of the Most Holy Spirit dwelling within it, and vindicate, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the truth of every single promise recorded by the pen of 'Abdu'l-Bahá pertaining to its destiny. “ (Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 68)

Astonishing! Isn’t it?

• Baha’u’llah’s references to the “Holy Spirit” – only those translated into English -- are included in books such as: ‘Epistle to the Son of the Wolf ‘, ‘Gems of Divine Mysteries’, ‘Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah’; ‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’, ‘The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah’, ‘The Seven Valleys’, ‘The Persian Hidden Words’, and ‘The Summons of the Lord of Hosts’. Let’s make an attempt, albeit “partial and imperfect”, to summarize them. Below is a humble attempt at grouping various contexts in which the Entity of Holy Spirit is used in some of the Writings of Baha’u’llah:

o Concerning the Mission of Jesus Christ, His station & the subsequent treatment He received
o Announcing the Appearance and the Mission of Baha’u’llah
o The relationship between Baha’u’llah and Jesus
o With respect to the magnitude and extent of Baha’u’llah’s suffering
o The Source of inspiration and Guidance for the Manifestation of God
o The immensity of the Revelations of the Bab and Baha’u’llah
o With respect to the inspiration and assistance that people receive to recognize the latest Manifestation of God, to follow steadfastly His Teachings and help others to recognize Him
o Concerning the effect and impact of a disbeliever’s behavior

The various paragraphs from which the above points and groupings were made are included at the end of the general comments associated with Paragraph 1.50.

• Below is another inadequate attempt to articulate various contexts in which the phrase “Holy Spirit” is used in the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá – those in the ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’. The various paragraphs from which the quotes are extracted are included below under References.

o We are called upon to “revive and renew” ourselves “from moment to moment” “with the breaths of the Holy Spirit”.(1)

o The “breathings of the Holy Spirit and the mighty inflow of the Word of God” is the “power” that will spiritually transform “the peoples of the earth”. (2)

o The Master call on us to “become a physician of the spirit who, with the breaths of the Holy Spirit, healeth all manner of sickness in this famed and glorious age.” (3)

o We each need to become spiritually transformed to a point that we will “hear the cry of the Lord of the Kingdom, and behold the confirmations of the Holy Spirit coming to him.” (4)

o Through His latest Manifestation, God “hast breathed over the friends in the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit.” (5)

o Our “elected representatives” need to be “well supported by the Holy Spirit” (6)

o We are assured by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that “the consummate power of the Divine Reality” will “breathe into” us “the bounties of the Holy Spirit” in this New Age. (7)

o Referring to certain spiritual conditions that Spiritual Assembly members need to “endeavour to fulfil” individually and collectively, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá promises that “Should they endeavour to fulfil these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly shall become the centre of the Divine blessings, the hosts of Divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of Spirit” (8)

o The “breathings of the Holy Spirit” could “be wafted” over those believers participating in a 19-day Feast. (9)

o In encouraging the believers to hold special gatherings, “with the utmost purity and consecration”, where they would “read and recite the Holy Writings of the Blessed Beauty”, they “will inhale the fragrant breathings of the Holy Spirit.” (10)

o We each will “receive a share” of the “breathings of the Holy Spirit” that will “blow gently over” us when we “engage” in gatherings “in glorifying God, and … speak with one another of the mysteries of God”. (11)

o New believers are “baptized with the Water of Life, with the fire of the love of God and with the Holy Spirit.” (12)

o We are called upon by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to “fix … [our] gaze on the consummate bounty, the divine bestowal and the power of the Holy Spirit -- the power that converteth the drop into a sea and the star into a sun.” (13)

o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asks God in a prayer to “resuscitate” us “through the breath of Thy Holy Spirit.” (14)

o Parents are called upon to participate in the process of “quickening … [their children] with the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, so that they will attain the age of maturity as true servants of the world of humanity and as bright candles in the assemblage of mankind.” (15)

o Any activity such as a “Sunday school for the children in which the Tablets and Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are read, and the Word of God is recited for the children” “may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit”, with perseverance by the friends. (16)

o The human spirit, though it “possesseth wondrous powers” “should be reinforced by the Holy Spirit.” (17)

o Concerning any “spiritual influence on this world of dust”: “Outside the bounty of the Holy Spirit, whatsoever thou hearest as to the effect of trances, or the mediums' trumpets, conveying the singing voices of the dead, is imagination pure and simple. As to the bounty of the Holy Spirit, however, relate whatsoever thou wilt -- it cannot be overstated” (18)

o The power of the Holy Spirit healeth both physical and spiritual ailments.” (19)

o Abdu’l-Bahá refers to a future time when the Cause is fully established in the world and “the Holy Spirit” will be “breathing upon all those regions” (20)

o The “power of heaven” is the “the dominion of the Holy Spirit” (21)

o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that once the Baha’i teacher is “enabled” by the Lord to “attain” a certain “condition”, -- as delineated by the Master – the Lord will “inspire” him “with words of truth, and will cause … [him] to speak through the breathings of the Holy Spirit.” (22)

o The “breaths of the Holy Spirit have blown upon” those who recognize the Manifestation of God for their time. (23)

o When teaching the “inner meanings of the Torah”, we are called upon to “turn …[our] face toward the Kingdom of God, ask for the bestowals of the Holy Spirit”, and then speak, as we receive “the confirmations of the Spirit”. (24)

o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá advises a doctor that when he attends to a patient to “turn thy face toward the Lord of the heavenly Kingdom, ask the Holy Spirit to come to thine aid, then heal thou the sickness.” (25)

o The “bounties” that a believer could receive from Baha’u’llah would help her/him to “daily advance in the Kingdom”, “become a heavenly angel”, and be “confirmed by the breaths of the Holy Spirit”. (26)

o A Spiritual Assembly could become “favoured and invigorated by the breathings of the Holy Spirit”. (27)

o In our process of growth and development we should reach a point where we see ourselves being “sustained by the Holy Spirit” (28)

o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has assured us that “the breathings of the Holy Spirit” will assist us when attempting to speak about the Faith, provided we “turn first to Bahá'u'lláh, and ask for the confirmations of the Holy Spirit”. (29)

o We are assured by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that if ”the breaths of the Holy Spirit” are “breathed into ..[our] .. hearts”, we will become so spiritually transformed that:

 our “tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth and expound the inner meanings of the Holy Books”;
 we “will become physicians, and will, through the potent medicine of the heavenly Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body of this world”;
 we “will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to come alive”; and that
 we “will awaken those who are sound asleep”. (30)

o Referring to various previous Manifestations of God and Their impact on humanity, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that “the rise of Jesus breathed the breaths of the Holy Spirit into the world.” (31)

o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that just as “the body gets its life from the spirit …. the world of mankind is in need of the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit the world of mankind is lifeless, and without this light the world of mankind is in utter darkness.” (32)

• Having read and reflected on the various contexts in which the exalted theme of “Holy Spirit” is used in some of the Writings of the Faith and in certain passages of the New Testament and the Qur’an, let’s now do some exploration and contemplation on the exalted theme of the “Most Great Spirit”.

• As you recall in comments associated with Paragraph 1.6, we shared some insights concerning Baha’u’llah’s amazing experience with the “Maiden” – the personification of the “Most Great Spirit”. This is how the Guardian describes and links it to such experiences by previous Manifestations of God:

Wrapped in its stygian gloom, breathing its fetid air, numbed by its humid and icy atmosphere, His feet in stocks, His neck weighed down by a mighty chain, surrounded by criminals and miscreants of the worst order, oppressed by the consciousness of the terrible blot that had stained the fair name of His beloved Faith, painfully aware of the dire distress that had overtaken its champions, and of the grave dangers that faced the remnant of its followers -- at so critical an hour and under such appalling circumstances the "Most Great Spirit," as designated by Himself, and symbolized in the Zoroastrian, the Mosaic, the Christian, and Muhammadan Dispensations by the Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel respectively, descended upon, and revealed itself, personated by a "Maiden," to the agonized soul of Bahá'u'lláh. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 100)

In this remarkable passage from the Guardian we learn that the “Most Great Spirit” had “personated by a "Maiden," to the agonized soul of Bahá'u'lláh”, and had in previous Dispensation taken the appearance of “the Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel”. This means that the Source that conveyed the Call of God to His Chosen Manifestation has all along been the “Most Great Spirit”. Perhaps the fact that this Source is now proclaimed by Baha’u’llah as the “Most Great Spirit”, compared to Its former Name, namely the “Holy Spirit”, is one more indication of the tremendously powerful Message that Baha’u’llah has been entrusted to bring to humanity. Amazing, isn’t it!

• A review of those passages from the Writings of the Faith that contain references to the Most Great Spirit will help us get a better understanding for It -- albeit “partial and imperfect”. Please consult the respective passages below under References. From them we can identify the following broad themes:

o The Most Great Spirit is the Source of inspiration to the believers;
o The Manifestation of God voices the utterances of the Most Great Spirit;
o It is referred to as the Promised One of Hindus
o It appeared to Baha’u’llah as a “Maiden”
o The amazing gathering of the Most Great Spirit, the Holy Spirit, Gabriel, and the Spirit of Glory

• In his book, ‘The Covenant of Baha'u'llah’, Adib Taherzadeh shares some insights about the themes that we’ve been exploring:

Although God in His Essence is inaccessible to His Prophets, He reveals Himself to Them through the instrumentality of His Kingdom of Revelation, or His Most Great Spirit. It is this 'Most Great Spirit of God' which is referred to by the Prophets of Israel as the Heavenly Father Whom Christ described as the Source of His Revelation. Bahá'u'lláh states in the Suriy-i-Haykal:

“The Holy Spirit Itself hath been generated through the agency of a single letter revealed by this Most Great Spirit, if ye be of them that comprehend."

The Holy Spirit is usually associated with the Manifestations of God. It is the Holy Spirit which has animated them all, and the Holy Spirit itself has been generated through the instrumentality of the 'Most Great Spirit', also referred to as the 'Primal Will'. Through it all creation has come into being and all Revelations have been sent down. This 'Most Great Spirit', which has existed from eternity and will continue to exist till eternity, had never been manifested to man directly. It had been the 'Hidden Mystery' and the 'Treasured Symbol' until the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. For the first time on this planet, this 'Most Great Spirit of God', which was the revealer of all past Dispensations, manifested itself directly through Bahá'u'lláh. Therefore, every word that He uttered and every action He took originated not from His human personality, but were all manifestations of that Great Spirit. It is for this reason that any reference to Bahá'u'lláh is not a reference to a human being, but rather to the 'Most Great Spirit of God' which was manifested through Him. On the other hand, His human temple was so integrated with the forces of His Revelation that one cannot discard His human side altogether. The human and the spiritual were so thoroughly interwoven as to enable Him to communicate His great Revelation to mankind. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 38)

As we explored earlier the contents of Paragraph 1.7, we became aware that all Manifestations of God are representations of one Entity -- the Primal Will of God. In Paragraph 1.50 we received further insights concerning this Entity and Its interaction with humanity through the Manifestation of God. By reflecting on those passages from the Writings that we reviewed together (please see them listed below under References) we became more appreciative of our incredible privilege to hear directly from the Primal Will of God, also referred to as the Most Great Spirit, through Baha’u’llah! This is something that has never happened before, reflecting the amazing stage that humanity has reached in its ongoing process of growth and development. What a privilege to be a Baha’i!

• One last insight that we gain from Paragraph 1.50 is the remarkable way in which Baha’u’llah refers to His own human temple as “that innate and untaught nature” which in “its essence” was “called into being by the verses of God” through the medium of the Primal Will of God. As was explained in comments associated with earlier paragraphs when we remind ourselves that it is the Primal Will of God, the Most Great Spirit, that is speaking throughout this Tablet, it makes it very touching to hear how Baha’u’llah acknowledges the fact that His human temple (this “nature”) “prideth itself” in the way in which it has become intimately related to “Our transcendent Truth” – the Most Great Spirit of God, which has now manifested Itself directly through Bahá'u'lláh.

• The Paragraph ends with yet another amazing realization on our part that everything that has been called into being, at least on this domain of existence, has come into being through the “potency of My word” – the word of the Most Great Spirit, the Primal Will of God, the Source of all His Manifestations! A lot to reflect on! A lot to be grateful for!

References

I. Paragraphs from the Writings of Baha’u’llah containing the phrase “Holy Spirit”

o With respect to the Mission of Jesus Christ, His station & the subsequent treatment He received:
o “We, in truth, have sent Him Whom We aided with the Holy Spirit (Jesus Christ) that He may announce unto you this Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the will of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious …” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 47)

o And yet, when I came unto them [“the stars of the heaven of knowledge”] in My glory, they turned aside. They, indeed, are of the fallen. This is, truly, that which the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ) hath announced, when He came with truth unto you, He with Whom the Jewish doctors disputed, till at last they perpetrated what hath made the Holy Spirit to lament, and the tears of them that have near access to God to flow. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 48)

o O King! The stars of the heaven of knowledge have fallen, they who seek to establish the truth of My Cause through the things they possess, and who make mention of God in My Name. And yet, when I came unto them in My glory, they turned aside. They, indeed, are of the fallen. This is, truly, that which the Spirit of God hath announced, when He came with truth unto you, He with Whom the Jewish doctors disputed, till at last they perpetrated what hath made the Holy Spirit to lament, and the tears of them that have near access to God to flow. Consider how a Pharisee who had worshipped God for seventy years repudiated the Son when He appeared, whereas one who had committed adultery gained admittance into the Kingdom. Thus doth the Pen admonish thee as bidden by the Eternal King, that thou mayest be apprised of what came to pass aforetime and be reckoned in this day among them that truly believe. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 69)

o “The other station is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation, and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith: "Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 52)

o With respect to announcing the Appearance and the Mission of Baha’u’llah:
o “The voice of the Burning Bush is raised in the midmost heart of the world, and the Holy Spirit calleth aloud among the nations: 'Lo, the Desired One is come with manifest dominion!'” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 48)

o The breezes of the Most Merciful have passed over all created things; happy the man that hath discovered their fragrance, and set himself towards them with a sound heart. Attire thy temple with the ornament of My Name, and thy tongue with remembrance of Me, and thine heart with love for Me, the Almighty, the Most High. We have desired for thee naught except that which is better for thee than what thou dost possess and all the treasures of the earth. Thy Lord, verily, is knowing, informed of all. Arise, in My Name, amongst My servants, and say: "O ye peoples of the earth! Turn yourselves towards Him Who hath turned towards you. He, verily, is the Face of God amongst you, and His Testimony and His Guide unto you. He hath come to you with signs which none can produce." The voice of the Burning Bush is raised in the midmost heart of the world, and the Holy Spirit calleth aloud among the nations: "Lo, the Desired One is come with manifest dominion!" (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 69)

o With respect to the relationship between Baha’u’llah and Jesus:
o “Give ear, O King, unto the Voice that calleth from the Fire which burneth in this verdant Tree, on this Sinai which hath been raised above the hallowed and snow-white Spot, beyond the Everlasting City; "Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful!" We, in truth, have sent Him Whom We aided with the Holy Spirit that He may announce unto you this Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and Whose signs have been revealed in the West. Set your faces towards Him on this Day which God hath exalted above all other days, and whereon the All-Merciful hath shed the splendour of His effulgent glory upon all who are in heaven and all who are on earth. Arise thou to serve God and help His Cause. He, verily, will assist thee with the hosts of the seen and unseen, and will set thee king over all that whereon the sun riseth. Thy Lord, in truth, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 68)

o With respect to the magnitude and extent of Baha’u’llah’s suffering:
o “Alas, alas, for the things which have befallen Me! By God! There befell Me at the hands of him whom I have nurtured (Mirza Yahya), by day and by night, what hath caused the Holy Spirit, and the dwellers of the Tabernacle of the Grandeur of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, to lament.” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 156)

o Alas, alas, for that which befell Him Who was the Manifestation of the Self of God, and for that which He and His loved ones were made to suffer! The people inflicted upon them what no soul hath ever inflicted upon another, and what no infidel hath wrought against a believer or suffered at his hand. Alas, alas! That immortal Being sat upon the darksome dust, the Holy Spirit lamented in the retreats of glory, the pillars of the Throne crumbled in the exalted dominion, the joy of the world was changed into sorrow in the crimson land, and the voice of the Nightingale was silenced in the golden realm. Woe betide them for what their hands have wrought and for what they have committed! (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 21)

o O Concourse of bishops! Ye are the stars of the heaven of My knowledge. My mercy desireth not that ye should fall upon the earth. My justice, however, declareth: 'This is that which the Son (Jesus) hath decreed.' And whatsoever hath proceeded out of His blameless, His truth-speaking, trustworthy mouth, can never be altered. The bells, verily, peal out My Name, and lament over Me, but My spirit rejoiceth with evident gladness. The body of the Loved One yearneth for the cross, and His head is eager for the spear, in the path of the All-Merciful. The ascendancy of the oppressor can in no wise deter Him from His purpose... The stars of the heaven of knowledge have fallen, they that adduce the proofs they possess in order to demonstrate the truth of My Cause, and who make mention of God in My name. When I came unto them, in My majesty, however, they turned aside from Me. They, verily, are of the fallen. This is what the Spirit (Jesus) prophesied when He came with the truth, and the Jewish doctors cavilled at Him, until they committed what made the Holy Spirit to lament, and the eyes of such as enjoy near access to God to weep. (Baha'u'llah, The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 93)

o And if a nightingale [refering to Bahá'u'lláh's own Manifestation] soar upward from the clay of self and dwell in the rose bower of the heart, and in Arabian melodies and sweet Iranian songs recount the mysteries of God -- a single word of which quickeneth to fresh, new life the bodies of the dead, and bestoweth the Holy Spirit upon the moldering bones of this existence -- thou wilt behold a thousand claws of envy, a myriad beaks of rancor hunting after Him and with all their power intent upon His death. (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 19)

o The people of the Qur'án have risen against Us, and tormented Us with such a torment that the Holy Spirit lamented, and the thunder roared out, and the clouds wept over Us. Among the faithless is he who hath imagined that calamities can deter Baha from fulfilling that which God, the Creator of all things, hath purposed. Say: Nay, by Him Who causeth the rain to fall! Nothing whatsoever can withhold Him from the remembrance of His Lord. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 59)

o With respect to the Source of inspiration and Guidance for the Manifestation of God:
o “Methinks that I hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit calling from behind Me saying: Vary Thou Thy theme, and alter Thy tone, lest the heart of him who hath fixed his gaze upon Thy face be saddened. Say: I have through the grace of God and His might besought the help of no one in the past, neither will I seek the help of any one in the future. He it is Who aided Me, through the power of truth, during the days of My banishment in Iraq. He it is Who overshadowed Me with His protection at a time when the kindreds of the earth were contending with Me. He it is Who enabled Me to depart out of the city, clothed with such majesty as none, except the denier and the malicious, can fail to admit. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 37)

o “Thus Jesus, Son of Mary, whilst seated one day and speaking in the strain of the Holy Spirit, uttered words such as these: "O people! My food is the grass of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the dust, my lamp in the night the light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold, who on earth is richer than I?" By the righteousness of God! Thousands of treasures circle round this poverty, and a myriad kingdoms of glory yearn for such abasement! Shouldst thou attain to a drop of the ocean of the inner meaning of these words, thou wouldst surely forsake the world and all that is therein, and, as the Phoenix wouldst consume thyself in the flames of the undying Fire. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 130)

o With respect to the immensity of the Revelations of the Bab and Baha’u’llah:
o “At this hour, so liberal is the outpouring of Its [“the sweet savours of God”] grace that the holy Spirit itself is envious! It hath imparted to the drop the waves of the sea, and endowed the mote with the splendour of the sun. So great are the overflowings of Its bounty that the foulest beetle hath sought the perfume of the musk, and the bat the light of the sun. It hath quickened the dead with the breath of life, and caused them to speed out of the sepulchres of their mortal bodies. It hath established the ignorant upon the seats of learning, and elevated the oppressor to the throne of justice.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 59)

o With respect to the inspiration and assistance that people receive in order to recognize the latest Manifestation of God, to follow steadfastly His Teachings and to help others to recognize Him:
o “Such things have come to pass in the days of every Manifestation of God. Even as Jesus said: "Ye must be born again."[ John 3:7] Again He saith: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."[ John 3:5-6] The purport of these words is that whosoever in every dispensation is born of the Spirit and is quickened by the breath of the Manifestation of Holiness, he verily is of those that have attained unto "life" and "resurrection" and have entered into the "paradise" of the love of God. And whosoever is not of them, is condemned to "death" and "deprivation," to the "fire" of unbelief, and to the "wrath" of God. In all the scriptures, the books and chronicles, the sentence of death, of fire, of blindness, of want of understanding and hearing, hath been pronounced against those whose lips have tasted not the ethereal cup of true knowledge, and whose hearts have been deprived of the grace of the holy Spirit in their day. . Even as it hath been previously recorded: "Hearts have they with which they understand not."[ Qur'án 7:178] (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 118)

o O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Wouldst thou seek the grace of the Holy Spirit, enter into fellowship with the righteous, for he hath drunk the cup of eternal life at the hands of the immortal Cup-bearer and even as the true morn doth quicken and illumine the hearts of the dead. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
o Say: We have ordained that our Cause be taught through the power of utterance. Beware lest ye dispute idly with anyone. Whoso ariseth wholly for the sake of his Lord to teach His Cause, the Holy Spirit shall strengthen him and inspire him with that which will illumine the heart of the world, how much more the hearts of those who seek Him. O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer then with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 78)

o With respect to the effect and impact of a disbeliever’s behavior:
o “A voice exclaimed: "Woe betide thee, O disbeliever in the Day of Resurrection! This is the nethermost fire, and its flames have been made to blaze for thee. Thou didst forsake all righteous deeds in thy vain and futile life, and now thou hast none to shield thee from God. Thou art indeed he who caused all hearts to be consumed and the Holy Spirit to lament." (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 180)

II. Paragraphs from the 'Selections of the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha' containing the phrase “Holy Spirit”

(1) The beloved of the Lord must stand fixed as the mountains, firm as impregnable walls. Unmoved must they remain by even the direst adversities, ungrieved by the worst of disasters. Let them cling to the hem of Almighty God, and put their faith in the Beauty of the Most High; let them lean on the unfailing help that cometh from the Ancient Kingdom, and depend on the care and protection of the generous Lord. Let them at all times refresh and restore themselves with the dews of heavenly grace, and with the breaths of the Holy Spirit revive and renew themselves from moment to moment. Let them rise up to serve their Lord, and do all in their power to scatter His breathings of holiness far and wide.(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 9)

(2) And this is clear: a power above and beyond the powers of nature must needs be brought to bear, to change this black darkness into light, and these hatreds and resentments, grudges and spites, these endless wrangles and wars, into fellowship and love amongst all the peoples of the earth. This power is none other than the breathings of the Holy Spirit and the mighty inflow of the Word of God. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 53)

(3) In cycles gone by, each one of the Manifestations of God hath had His own rank in the world of existence, and each hath represented a stage in the development of humanity. But the Manifestation of the Most Great Name -- may my life be a sacrifice for His loved ones -- was an expression of the coming of age, the maturing of man's inmost reality in this world of being. For the sun is the source and well-spring of light and heat, the focal point of splendours, and it compriseth all the perfections that are made manifest by the other stars which have dawned upon the world. Make thou an effort that thou mayest take thy place under the sun and receive an abundant share of its dazzling light. In truth do I tell thee, once thou hast attained this station, thou shalt behold the saints bowing down their heads in all humility before Him. Haste thou to life before death cometh; haste thou to the spring season before autumn draweth in; and before illness striketh, haste thou to healing -- that thou mayest become a physician of the spirit who, with the breaths of the Holy Spirit, healeth all manner of sickness in this famed and glorious age. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 56)

(4) Thou hast described thyself as a student in the school of spiritual progress. Fortunate art thou! If these schools of progress lead to the university of heaven, then branches of knowledge will be developed whereby humanity will look upon the tablet of existence as a scroll endlessly unfolding; and all created things will be seen upon that scroll as letters and words. Then will the different planes of meaning be learned, and then within every atom of the universe will be witnessed the signs of the oneness of God. Then will man hear the cry of the Lord of the Kingdom, and behold the confirmations of the Holy Spirit coming to succour him. Then will he feel such bliss, such ecstasy, that the wide world with its vastness will no longer contain him, and he will set out for the Kingdom of God, and hurry along to the realm of the spirit. For once a bird hath grown its wings, it remaineth on the ground no more, but soareth upward into high heaven -- except for those birds that are tied by the leg, or those whose wings are broken, or mired down. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 57)

(5) O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the friends in the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit, and with the light of divine guidance Thou hast lit up the western sky. Thou hast made those who were once remote to draw near unto Thyself; Thou hast turned strangers into loving friends; Thou hast awakened those who slept; Thou hast made the heedless mindful. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 74)

(6) Now must those elected representatives arise to serve with spirituality and joy, with purity of intent, with strong attraction to the fragrances of the Almighty, and well supported by the Holy Spirit. Let them raise up the banner of guidance, and as soldiers of the Company on high, let them exalt God's Word, spread abroad His sweet savours, educate the souls of men, and promote the Most Great Peace. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 77)

(7) By the life of Baha! Verily will the consummate power of the Divine Reality breathe into you the bounties of the Holy Spirit, and aid you to perform an exploit whose like the eye of creation hath never looked upon. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 85)

(8) In short, whatsoever thing is arranged in harmony and with love and purity of motive, its result is light, and should the least trace of estrangement prevail the result shall be darkness upon darkness.... If this be so regarded, that assembly shall be of God, but otherwise it shall lead to coolness and alienation that proceed from the Evil One.... Should they endeavour to fulfil these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly shall become the centre of the Divine blessings, the hosts of Divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of Spirit. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 88)

(9) Thy letter hath been received. Thou didst write of the Nineteen Day festivity, and this rejoiced my heart. These gatherings cause the divine table to descend from heaven, and draw down the confirmations of the All-Merciful. My hope is that the breathings of the Holy Spirit will be wafted over them, and that each one present shall, in great assemblies, with an eloquent tongue and a heart flooded with the love of God, set himself to acclaiming the rise of the Sun of Truth, the dawn of the Day-Star that lighteth all the world. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 91)

(10) It befitteth the friends to hold a gathering, a meeting, where they shall glorify God and fix their hearts upon Him, and read and recite the Holy Writings of the Blessed Beauty -- may my soul be the ransom of His lovers! The lights of the All-Glorious Realm, the rays of the Supreme Horizon, will be cast upon such bright assemblages, for these are none other than the Mashriqu'l-Adhkars, the Dawning-Points of God's Remembrance, which must, at the direction of the Most Exalted Pen, be established in every hamlet and city... These spiritual gatherings must be held with the utmost purity and consecration, so that from the site itself, and its earth and the air about it, one will inhale the fragrant breathings of the Holy Spirit. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 93)

(11) Whensoever a company of people shall gather in a meeting place, shall engage in glorifying God, and shall speak with one another of the mysteries of God, beyond any doubt the breathings of the Holy Spirit will blow gently over them, and each shall receive a share thereof. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 94)

(12) Today, all the peoples of the world are indulging in self-interest and exert the utmost effort and endeavour to promote their own material interests. They are worshipping themselves and not the divine reality, nor the world of mankind. They seek diligently their own benefit and not the common weal. This is because they are captives of the world of nature and unaware of the divine teachings, of the bounty of the Kingdom and of the Sun of Truth. But ye, praise be to God, are at present especially favoured with this bounty, have become of the chosen, have been informed of the heavenly instructions, have gained admittance into the Kingdom of God, have become the recipients of unbounded blessings and have been baptized with the Water of Life, with the fire of the love of God and with the Holy Spirit. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 103)

(13) Day and night I entreat and supplicate to the Kingdom of God and beg for you infinite assistance and confirmation. Do not take into consideration your own aptitudes and capacities, but fix your gaze on the consummate bounty, the divine bestowal and the power of the Holy Spirit -- the power that converteth the drop into a sea and the star into a sun. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 104)

(14) O Divine Providence! This assemblage is composed of Thy friends who are attracted to Thy beauty and are set ablaze by the fire of Thy love. Turn these souls into heavenly angels, resuscitate them through the breath of Thy Holy Spirit, grant them eloquent tongues and resolute hearts, bestow upon them heavenly power and merciful susceptibilities, cause them to become the promulgators of the oneness of mankind and the cause of love and concord in the world of humanity, so that the perilous darkness of ignorant prejudice may vanish through the light of the Sun of Truth, this dreary world may become illumined, this material realm may absorb the rays of the world of spirit, these different colours may merge into one colour and the melody of praise may rise to the kingdom of Thy sanctity. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 105)

(15) I supplicate God that thou mayest become a kind parent to orphaned children, quickening them with the fragrances of the Holy Spirit, so that they will attain the age of maturity as true servants of the world of humanity and as bright candles in the assemblage of mankind. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 138)

(16) The Sunday school for the children in which the Tablets and Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are read, and the Word of God is recited for the children is indeed a blessed thing. Thou must certainly continue this organized activity without cessation, and attach importance to it, so that day by day it may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. If this activity is well organized, rest thou assured that it will yield great results. Firmness and steadfastness, however, are necessary, otherwise it will continue for some time, but later be gradually forgotten. Perseverance is an essential condition. In every project firmness and steadfastness will undoubtedly lead to good results; otherwise it will exist for some days, and then be discontinued. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 143)

(17) O bondswoman of God! The human spirit possesseth wondrous powers, but it should be reinforced by the Holy Spirit. What thou hearest other than this is pure imagination. If, however, it be assisted by the bounty of the Holy Spirit, then will its strength be a thing to marvel at. Then will that human spirit uncover realities, and unravel mysteries. Turn thy heart fully to the Holy Spirit, and invite others to do the same; then shall ye witness wonderful results. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 160)

(18) O handmaid of God! The stars in the sky do not exert any spiritual influence on this world of dust; but all the members and parts of the universe are very strongly linked together in that limitless space, and this connection produceth a reciprocity of material effects. Outside the bounty of the Holy Spirit, whatsoever thou hearest as to the effect of trances, or the mediums' trumpets, conveying the singing voices of the dead, is imagination pure and simple. As to the bounty of the Holy Spirit, however, relate whatsoever thou wilt -- it cannot be overstated; believe, therefore, whatsoever thou hearest of this. But the persons referred to, the trumpet-people, are entirely shut out from this bounty and receive no portion thereof; their way is an illusion. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 160)

(19) O handmaid of God! The power of the Holy Spirit healeth both physical and spiritual ailments. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 162)

(20) Convey thou unto the handmaids of the Merciful the message that when a test turneth violent they must stand unmoved, and faithful to their love for Baha. In winter come the storms, and the great winds blow, but then will follow spring in all its beauty, adorning hill and plain with perfumed plants and red anemones, fair to see. Then will the birds trill out upon the branches their songs of joy, and sermonize in lilting tones from the pulpits of the trees. Erelong shall ye bear witness that the lights are streaming forth, the banners of the realm above are waving, the sweet scents of the All-Merciful are wafted abroad, the hosts of the Kingdom are marching down, the angels of heaven are rushing forward, and the Holy Spirit is breathing upon all those regions. On that day thou shalt behold the waverers, men and women alike, frustrated of their hopes and in manifest loss. This is decreed by the Lord, the Revealer of Verses. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 163)

(21) Know thou that all the powers combined have not the power to establish universal peace, nor to withstand the overmastering dominion, at every time and season, of these endless wars. Erelong, however, shall the power of heaven, the dominion of the Holy Spirit, hoist on the high summits the banners of love and peace, and there above the castles of majesty and might shall those banners wave in the rushing winds that blow out of the tender mercy of God. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 174)

(22) As to the fundamentals of teaching the Faith: know thou that delivering the Message can be accomplished only through goodly deeds and spiritual attributes, an utterance that is crystal clear and the happiness reflected from the face of that one who is expounding the Teachings. It is essential that the deeds of the teacher should attest the truth of his words. Such is the state of whoso doth spread abroad the sweet savours of God and the quality of him who is sincere in his faith.

Once the Lord hath enabled thee to attain this condition, be thou assured that He will inspire thee with words of truth, and will cause thee to speak through the breathings of the Holy Spirit (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 174)

(23) Then let you engage in the praise of Bahá'u'lláh, for it is through His grace and succour that ye have become sons and daughters of the Kingdom; it is thanks to Him that ye are now songsters in the meadows of truth, and have soared upward to the heights of the glory that abideth forever. Ye have found your place in the world that dieth not; the breaths of the Holy Spirit have blown upon you; ye have taken on another life, ye have gained access to the Threshold of God. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 176)

(24) I ask of God that with His assistance and strong support thou mayest teach the inner meanings of the Torah with eloquence, understanding, vigour and skill. Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of God, ask for the bestowals of the Holy Spirit, speak, and the confirmations of the Spirit will come. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 179)

(25) O thou loyal servant of God and thou spiritual healer of man! Whensoever thou dost attend a patient, turn thy face toward the Lord of the heavenly Kingdom, ask the Holy Spirit to come to thine aid, then heal thou the sickness. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 181)

(26) In brief, my hope is that from the bounties of Bahá'u'lláh, thou mayest daily advance in the Kingdom, that thou mayest become a heavenly angel, confirmed by the breaths of the Holy Spirit, and mayest erect a structure that shall eternally remain firm and unshakeable.... (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 198)

(27) That Assembly resteth in the sheltering shade of the Lord of all bounties, and it is my hope that, as beseemeth that body, it will be favoured and invigorated by the breathings of the Holy Spirit, and that day by day ye will love God in ever greater measure, and become more tightly bound to the Beauty that abideth forever, to Him Who is the Light of the world. For love of God and spiritual attraction do cleanse and purify the human heart and dress and adorn it with the spotless garment of holiness; and once the heart is entirely attached to the Lord, and bound over to the Blessed Perfection, then will the grace of God be revealed. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 202)

(28) As for you, O ye lovers of God, make firm your steps in His Cause, with such resolve that ye shall not be shaken though the direst of calamities assail the world. By nothing, under no conditions, be ye perturbed. Be ye anchored fast as the high mountains, be stars that dawn over the horizon of life, be bright lamps in the gatherings of unity, be souls humble and lowly in the presence of the friends, be innocent in heart. Be ye symbols of guidance and lights of godliness, severed from the world, clinging to the handhold that is sure and strong, spreading abroad the spirit of life, riding the Ark of salvation. Be ye daysprings of generosity, dawning-points of the mysteries of existence, sites where inspiration alighteth, rising-places of splendours, souls that are sustained by the Holy Spirit, enamoured of the Lord, detached from all save Him, holy above the characteristics of humankind, clothed in the attributes of the angels of heaven, that ye may win for yourselves the highest bestowal of all, in this new time, this wondrous age. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 242)

(29) Rest assured that the breathings of the Holy Spirit will loosen thy tongue. Speak, therefore; speak out with great courage at every meeting. When thou art about to begin thine address, turn first to Bahá'u'lláh, and ask for the confirmations of the Holy Spirit, then open thy lips and say whatever is suggested to thy heart; this, however, with the utmost courage, dignity and conviction. It is my hope that from day to day your gatherings will grow and flourish, and that those who are seeking after truth will hearken therein to reasoned arguments and conclusive proofs. I am with you heart and soul at every meeting; be sure of this. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 269)

(30) It is my hope that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will so be breathed into your hearts that your tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth and expound the inner meanings of the Holy Books; that the friends will become physicians, and will, through the potent medicine of the heavenly Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body of this world; that they will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to come alive; that they will awaken those who are sound asleep.

(31) Abraham's migration from His native land caused the bountiful gifts of the All-Glorious to be made manifest, and the setting of Canaan's brightest star unfolded to the eyes the radiance of Joseph. The flight of Moses, the Prophet of Sinai, revealed the Flame of the Lord's burning Fire, and the rise of Jesus breathed the breaths of the Holy Spirit into the world. The departure of Muhammad, the Beloved of God, from the city of His birth was the cause of the exaltation of God's Holy Word, and the banishment of the Sacred Beauty led to the diffusion of the light of His divine Revelation throughout all regions. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 280)

(32) And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is that although material civilization is one of the means for the progress of the world of mankind, yet until it becomes combined with Divine civilization, the desired result, which is the felicity of mankind, will not be attained. Consider! These battleships that reduce a city to ruins within the space of an hour are the result of material civilization; likewise the Krupp guns, the Mauser rifles, dynamite, submarines, torpedo boats, armed aircraft and bombers -- all these weapons of war are the malignant fruits of material civilization. Had material civilization been combined with Divine civilization, these fiery weapons would never have been invented. Nay, rather, human energy would have been wholly devoted to useful inventions and would have been concentrated on praiseworthy discoveries. Material civilization is like a lamp-glass. Divine civilization is the lamp itself and the glass without the light is dark. Material civilization is like the body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it may be, it is dead. Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets its life from the spirit, otherwise it becomes a corpse. It has thus been made evident that the world of mankind is in need of the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit the world of mankind is lifeless, and without this light the world of mankind is in utter darkness. For the world of nature is an animal world. Until man is born again from the world of nature, that is to say, becomes detached from the world of nature, he is essentially an animal, and it is the teachings of God which convert this animal into a human soul. (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 302)

III. Paragraphs from the Baha'i Writings containing the phrase "Most Great Spirit"

• Source of Inspiration to the believers:
o “Let thine ear be attentive, O Nabil-i-A'zam ….Wherefore, be thankful to God, for having strengthened thee to aid His Cause, for having made the flowers of knowledge and understanding to spring forth in the garden of thine heart. Thus hath His grace encompassed thee, and encompassed the whole of creation. Beware, lest thou allow anything whatsoever to grieve thee. Rid thyself of all attachment to the vain allusions of men, and cast behind thy back the idle and subtle disputations of them that are veiled from God. Proclaim, then, that which the Most Great Spirit will inspire thee to utter in the service of the Cause of thy Lord, that thou mayest stir up the souls of all men and incline their hearts unto this most blessed and all-glorious Court.... “(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 303)
o Let them [believers] "proclaim that which the Most Great Spirit will inspire them to utter in the service of the Cause of their Lord." Let them "beware lest they contend with anyone, nay strive to make him aware of the truth with kindly manner and most convincing exhortation." Let them "wholly for the sake of God proclaim His Message, and with that same spirit accept whatever response their words may evoke in their hearers." Let them not, for one moment, forget that the "Faithful Spirit shall strengthen them through its power," and that "a company of His chosen angels shall go forth with them, as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise." Let them ever bear in mind "how great is the blessedness that awaiteth them that have attained the honor of serving the Almighty," and remember that "such a service is indeed the prince of all goodly deeds, and the ornament of every goodly act." (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 59)

• The Manifestation of God voices the utterances of the Most Great Spirit:
o “I have no will but Thy will, O my Lord, and cherish no desire except Thy desire. From my pen floweth only the summons which Thine own exalted pen hath voiced, and my tongue uttereth naught save what the Most Great Spirit hath itself proclaimed in the kingdom of Thine eternity. I am stirred by nothing else except the winds of Thy will, and breathe no word except the words which, by Thy leave and Thine inspiration, I am led to pronounce.” (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 108)

• It is referred to as the Promised One of Hindus:
o “To Him [Baha’u’llah] the Bhagavad-Gita of the Hindus had referred as the "Most Great Spirit," the "Tenth Avatar," the "Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna." (Shoghi Effendi, ‘God Passes By’, pp. 94-95)

• It appeared to Baha’u’llah as a “Maiden”:
o “In His Suratu'l-Haykal (the Surih of the Temple) He thus describes those breathless moments when the Maiden, symbolizing the "Most Great Spirit" proclaimed His mission to the entire creation ...” (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 101)

• The amazing gathering of the Most Great Spirit, the Holy Spirit, Gabriel, and the Spirit of Glory:
o “In His Epistle to Násiri'd-Dín Sháh, His royal adversary, revealed at the height of the proclamation of His Message, occur these passages which shed further light on the Divine origin of His mission: "O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And he bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow.... This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred.... His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of Thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me." "By My Life!" He asserts in another Tablet, "Not of Mine own volition have I revealed Myself, but God, of His own choosing, hath manifested Me." And again: "Whenever I chose to hold My peace and be still, lo, the Voice of the Holy Spirit, standing on My right hand, aroused Me, and the Most Great Spirit appeared before My face, and Gabriel overshadowed Me, and the Spirit of Glory stirred within My bosom, bidding Me arise and break My silence." (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 102)

Paragraph 1.49

2010-11-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

"O Temple of God! No sooner had the hosts of Divine Revelation been sent down by the Lord of all names and attributes bearing the banners of His signs, than the exponents of doubt and fancy were put to flight. They disbelieved in the clear tokens of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and rose up against Him in enmity and opposition. Amongst them were those who claimed: "These are not clear verses from God, nor do they proceed from an innate and untaught nature." Thus do the unbelievers seek to remedy the sickness of their hearts, utterly heedless that they thus render themselves accursed of all who dwell in heaven and on earth."

Comments:

• To begin with, let’s make a humble attempt and try to identify some of the spiritual entries/concepts that this paragraph brings to our attention. We can then strive, in light of the Writings, to gain some inkling of insights about some of them:

   o “Temple of God”
   o “the hosts of Divine Revelation”
   o “the Lord of all names and attributes”
   o “banners of His signs”
   o “the exponents of doubt and fancy”
   o the interaction between the “the hosts of Divine Revelation” and “the exponents of doubt and fancy”
   o how those who “disbelieved in the clear tokens of God” are viewed as those who “rose up against” God
   o the unbelievers accused Baha’u’llah that His Writings "are not clear verses from God” and that “they proceed from an innate and untaught nature."
   o the concept of the “the sickness of …[the] hearts” of the “unbelievers”
   o how the unbelievers “seek to remedy” this “sickness of their hearts”, however “utterly heedless that they thus render themselves accursed of all who dwell in heaven and on earth.”
   o to be “accursed of all who dwell in heaven and on earth” – what does it mean?

• As we explored in previous paragraphs, the Manifestation of God, for us mortal beings, is the “Temple of God”. There is a beautiful explanation about this by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Some Answered Questions, where the Master is elucidating the meaning of a passage from the Bible:

“In the beginning of the eleventh chapter of the Revelation of St. John it is said: ‘And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God ….’

"This reed is a Perfect Man Who is likened to a reed, and the manner of its likeness is this: when the interior of a reed is empty and free from all matter, it will produce beautiful melodies; and as the sound and melodies do not come from the reed, but from the flute player who blows upon it, so the sanctified heart of that blessed Being is free and emptied from all save God, pure and exempt from the attachments of all human conditions, and is the companion of the Divine Spirit. Whatever He utters is not from Himself, but from the real flute player, and it is a divine inspiration. That is why He is likened to a reed; and that reed is like a rod -- that is to say, it is the helper of every impotent one, and the support of human beings. It is the rod of the Divine Shepherd by which He guards His flock and leads them about the pastures of the Kingdom.” (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 45)

• Next, we come across this powerful allegorical picture in which “the hosts of Divine Revelation” which were “sent down by the Lord of all names and attributes” and “bearing the banners of His [‘Lord of all names and attributes’] signs..” encountered “the exponents of doubt and fancy”, who “disbelieved in the clear tokens of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting” and as a result were “put to flight.” These “exponents of doubt and fancy” subsequently “rose up” against “the Lord of all names and attributes” in “enmity and opposition.” Indeed a frightening, high-level summary of what Baha’u’llah went through! These allegories seem reminiscent of the “clash between the forces of darkness and the army of light ...” that the Guardian alludes to in one of his messages included in Citadel of Faith, p. 26.

• Let’s reflect a little bit on such metaphors so we can inspire our own souls to maintain feelings of gratefulness for having recognized Baha’u’llah. To begin with, let’s explore the Writings with respect to this metaphor of the “hosts of Divine Revelation”. In one of His Tablets, known as “Tafsír-i-Áyát-i-Yuhanná”(Commentary on Verses of John) [a provisional translation is available at . http://bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_tafsir_ayat_yuhanna] the Master, referring to the following passage from the Gospel of St. John, indicates that “Thirdly He [Christ] said: That Comforter will not speak from Himself. That means He shall be aided by the hosts of divine Revelation. He shall declare and expound all that reaches His Blessed Hearing from the Kingdom of Glory.”:

‘Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.’

So, in light of the above explanation, the reference to “the hosts of Divine Revelation” is a confirmation that the Manifestation of God “will not speak from Himself”, and that as the passage in the Bible says, “whatsoever he shall hear, shall he speak …”. We also know from our earlier reflections that the Entity of the Primal Will of God speaks through His Manifestations and that we now have the incredible privilege of hearing It directly through Baha’u’llah!

• Next, we notice that “the hosts of Divine Revelation” are sent by the “Lord of all names and attributes bearing the banners of His signs.” It makes you wonder as to Whom does this refer to? Once again we need to consult the Writings to see in what contexts such references are used by Baha’u’llah and if there are any specific explanations by ‘Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi.

In the passage where Baha’u’llah explains to the King of Persia how He became a Manifestation of God we find a reference to this phrase where Baha’u’llah says:

“The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me." (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p.11)

Notice how in this passage, which was translated by the beloved Guardian, “Names” and “Attributes” are both in capital letters! Next, we find a reference in one of Baha’u’llah’s prayers (again, translated by the beloved Guardian) -- this time however, lower cases are used for “names” and “attributes”:

“Have mercy, then, O my God, upon Thy servants who are drowned in the midst of the ocean of evil suggestions, and deliver them by the power of Thy sovereignty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and attributes! Thou art He Who from everlasting hath ordained what hath pleased Thee, and will unto everlasting abide the same. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 257)

And then, this earlier paragraph from the earlier portions of the Surih of Temple -- Paragraph 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.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 12)

Keeping in mind, as were expressed in comments associated with a few preceding paragraphs, that it’s the Voice of the Primal Will of God, “the First Remembrance of God”, that we hear directly through Baha’u’llah in this Tablet, we get the understanding (albeit partial and imperfect) that “the Lord of all names and attributes” – with small letters – is the Entity that manifests Itself through the Manifestations of God – namely the Primal Will of God. Our understanding in this regard appears to be further substantiated by the following two quotes from Baha’u’llah – both from the Surih of Temple:

"Say: O people! Can ye ever hope to escape the sovereign power of your Lord? By the righteousness of God! No refuge will ye find in this day, and no one to protect you, save those upon whom God hath bestowed the favour of His mercy. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. Say: O people! Forsake all that ye possess, and enter beneath the shadow of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Better is this for you than all your works of the past and of the future. Fear ye God, and deprive not yourselves of the sweet savours of the days of the Lord of all names and attributes. Take heed lest ye alter or pervert the text of the Word of God. Walk ye in the fear of God, and be numbered with the righteous." (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, paragraph 1.32)

"O proud ones of the earth! Do ye believe yourselves to be abiding in palaces whilst He Who is the King of Revelation resideth in the most desolate of abodes? Nay, by My life! In tombs do ye dwell, could ye but perceive it. Verily, he who faileth, in these days, to be stirred by the breeze of God is accounted among the dead in the sight of Him Who is the Lord of all names and attributes. Arise, then, from the tombs of self and desire and turn unto the Kingdom of God, the Possessor of the Throne on high and of earth below, that ye may behold that which ye were promised aforetime by your Lord, the All-Knowing." (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, paragraph 1.167)

And below is another very interesting and insightful Tablet from Baha’u’llah in which He explains further this concept of the “attributes and names of God” – notice they are in lower cases – and how they “bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of that Most Great Light.”:

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes and names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of that Most Great Light. Methinks, but for the potency of that revelation, no being could ever exist. How resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an atom, and how vast the oceans of wisdom that surge within a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of man, who, among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of such gifts, and hath been singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in him are potentially revealed all the attributes and names of God to a degree that no other created being hath excelled or surpassed. All these names and attributes are applicable to him. Even as He hath said: "Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery." Manifold are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed in all the Heavenly Books and the Holy Scriptures, expressive of this most subtle and lofty theme. Even as He hath revealed: "We will surely show them Our signs in the world and within themselves." Again He saith: "And also in your own selves: will ye not, then, behold the signs of God?" And yet again He revealeth: "And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath therefore caused to forget their own selves." In this connection, He Who is the eternal King -- may the souls of all that dwell within the mystic Tabernacle be a sacrifice unto Him -- hath spoken: "He hath known God who hath known himself." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 177)

In the book called ‘Selections from the Writings of the Bab’, we find a beautiful explanation concerning the Names, and names (small “n”), of God in mediums such as “the sea of God’s Names” versus “the sea of creation”, their links with the “the First Remembrance, which is the Primal Will” of God, and Its appearance in successive Manifestations of God. This reference is included below for those friends who would like to explore this subject further:

"Thy letter hath been perused. Were the truth of this Revelation to be fully demonstrated with elaborate proofs, all the scrolls that exist in the heaven and on the earth would be insufficient to contain them.

However, the substance and essence of the subject is this, that there can be no doubt that from everlasting God hath been invested with the independent sovereignty of His exalted Being, and unto everlasting He will remain inaccessible in the transcendent majesty of His holy Essence. No creature hath ever recognized Him as befitteth His recognition, nor hath any created being ever praised Him as is worthy of His praise. He is exalted above every name, and is sanctified from every comparison. Through Him all things are made known, while too lofty is His reality to be known through anyone but Him. The process of His creation hath had no beginning and can have no end, otherwise it would necessitate the cessation of His celestial grace. God hath raised up Prophets and revealed Books as numerous as the creatures of the world, and will continue to do so to everlasting.

If thou art sailing upon the sea of God's Names, which are reflected in all things, know thou that He is exalted and sanctified from being known through His creatures, or being described by His servants. Everything thou beholdest hath been called into being through the operation of His Will. How can such a created thing, therefore, be indicative of His essential oneness? God's existence in itself testifieth to His Own oneness, while every created thing, by its very nature, beareth evidence that it hath been fashioned by God. Such is the proof of consummate wisdom in the estimation of those who sail the ocean of divine Truth.

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, pp. 124-126)

Please see Baha'i Points of Interest for a summary of what Baha'u'llah called God's "most beauteous names," and "most noble and sublime attributes."

Paragraph 1.48

2010-09-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

"O Temple of the Cause! Grieve not if Thou findest none ready to receive Thy gifts. Thou wast created for My sake; occupy Thyself therefore with My praise amidst My servants. This is that which hath been ordained for Thee in the Preserved Tablet. Having found upon the earth many a soiled hand, We sanctified the hem of Thy garment from the profanity of their touch and placed it beyond the reach of the ungodly. Be patient in the Cause of Thy Lord, for erelong shall He raise up souls endowed with sanctified hearts and illumined eyes who shall flee from every quarter unto Thine all-encompassing and boundless grace."

Comments:

• The first thing we notice in this paragraph is the reference to the Manifestation of God, Baha’u’llah, as the “Temple of the Cause.” We have seen in previous paragraphs that Baha’u’llah was addressed a number of times as the “Living Temple” and in Paragraph 1.44 He was equated with the “Temple of God”. We will see in succeeding paragraphs other such powerful references to Baha’u’llah, such as:

o “O Temple of God”
o “O Temple of Holiness”
o “O Temple of My Cause”
o “O Temple of Divine Revelation”
o “O Temple of Divine mysteries”

Each one of these lofty references to the Manifestation of God will require some reflection on our part. For now, let’s explore the one used in this paragraph, namely the “Temple of the Cause”

• It’s interesting to remind ourselves periodically that: the Manifestation of God is in reality the “Temple of the Cause” of God! It puts things in a more balanced perspective, doesn’t it? Let’s explore this a bit. We often encounter exhortations in the Writings about teaching and serving the Cause of God but we may not at the time equate such references concerning the Cause of God with Baha’u’llah Himself – we may mistakenly see them as just some Baha’i activities. For example, we read in this reference from the beloved Guardian that: “They must place their lives in the Hand of God, and, confident of His mercy and protection, go on teaching the Cause and serving it, no matter what happens. (Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day, p. 191). While we are busy sharing the beautiful Teachings of the Faith with others, or attempting to provide a token of service for the Cause of God, it may be helpful, in light of this paragraph, to center our thoughts on Baha’u’llah, so that with time, we become more aware that we are really teaching “Baha’u’llah” to others, or that we are indeed attempting to serve “Baha’u’llah” in various service-related circumstances. This process of centering of our hearts, and minds on Baha’u’llah is bound to create a more intimate relationship with the Manifestation of God – an inestimable bounty and privilege that we have as His followers!

• Another insight we could glean from this paragraph concerns the advice that Baha’u’llah receives to not “Grieve” if He “findest none ready to receive” His “gifts”. Baha’u’llah is then reassured that He was “created” basically for the sake of God, and that He should “occupy” Himself with God’s “praise amidst” His “servants”. In our review of the many Prayers and Writings of the Bab and Baha’u’llah we see that They both followed this advice of the Primal Will of God – each Prayer or Tablet contains words of praise and gratitude to God.

• As we explored previously, the fact that Baha’u’llah is the “Voice” that is directing Him throughout this Tablet makes it exceptionally challenging to appreciate the ramifications of such powerful exhortations by God to His Manifestation through the Primal Will of God – the Entity that according to the Bab is the source of each Manifestation 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.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 125)

• As we see in this paragraph the Manifestation of God is being counseled not to grieve over the fact that no one on Earth was found “ready” to “receive” His “gifts” when He appeared. This is really sad! What were those “gifts” that He could have given us if we had been “ready”? When we compare the Baha’i Faith with previous Dispensations we can’t help but notice the amazing gifts Baha’u’llah was able to give us. – so it’s mindboggling to think how much more we could have received if only people of His generation had been ready to receive them. This also presents another point to reflect on: The state of being “ready,” does it only relate to the time in which Baha’u’llah was physically in our midst, or does it apply to the whole period of His Dispensation? Another question that comes to mind is this: To what degree did those who became His followers during His lifetime actually received the “gifts” that He was allowed to bring to humanity? And, how does it apply to us, His humble followers who are currently striving to get a “partial and imperfect” understanding of such “gifts”?

• These “gifts” that the Manifestation of God is allowed by the Creator to bring to humanity and our ability to actually receive them, could also be understood in the context of the progressive nature of divine revelation. The Guardian quotes one of the Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah to demonstrate this point in the passage below:

“A reference to some of the already quoted utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá will surely suffice to establish, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the truth of this cardinal principle [“that Divine Revelation is orderly, continuous and progressive and not spasmodic or final.”] Might not the following passage of the Hidden Words be, likewise, construed as an allegorical allusion to the progressiveness of Divine Revelation and an admission by its Author that the Message with which He has been entrusted is not the final and ultimate expression of the will and guidance of the Almighty? "O Son of Justice! In the night-season the beauty of the immortal Being hath repaired from the emerald height of fidelity unto the Sadratu'l-Muntaha, and wept with such a weeping that the concourse on high and the dwellers of the realms above wailed at His lamenting. Whereupon there was asked, Why the wailing and weeping? He made reply: As bidden I waited expectant upon the hill of faithfulness, yet inhaled not from them that dwell on earth the fragrance of fidelity. Then summoned to return I beheld, and lo! certain doves of holiness were sore tried within the claws of the dogs of earth. Thereupon the Maid of heaven hastened forth unveiled and resplendent from Her mystic mansion, and asked of their names, and all were told but one. And when urged, the first letter thereof was uttered, whereupon the dwellers of the celestial chambers rushed forth out of their habitation of glory. And whilst the second letter was pronounced they fell down, one and all, upon the dust. At that moment a voice was heard from the inmost shrine: 'Thus far and no farther.' Verily We bear witness to that which they have done and now are doing." (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 116)

• It is also interesting to learn that the Manifestation of God weighs the relative capacity of the people of His age to determine the extent to which the Divine Message with which He has been entrusted can be revealed to mortal eyes. Take for example this amazing passage from Baha’u’llah:

“Know verily that the veil hiding Our countenance hath not been completely lifted. We have revealed Our Self to a degree corresponding to the capacity of the people of Our age. Should the Ancient Beauty be unveiled in the fullness of His glory mortal eyes would be blinded by the dazzling intensity of His revelation.” (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The World Order of Baha’u’llah’, p. 116)

• In commenting about the above-quoted Hidden Word and the two letters of the name of that “one” Whom when the “Maid of heaven” was told “the dwellers of the celestial chambers rushed forth “out of their habitation of glory” and “fell down, one and all, upon the dust” causing a “voice” being heard from the “the inmost shrine: 'Thus far and no farther.' ” – Adib Taherzadeh indicates that:

“The two letters mentioned in the above passage, according to 'Abdu'l-Bahá's interpretation, are B and H of the word 'Baha'. This means that only two letters out of three (B, H and A) have been revealed in this Dispensation, that the full significance and potency of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh which have been symbolically contained within the three letters of His name, have not been disclosed to mankind and that only a limited measure of His light and glory has been shed upon humanity in this age. [please note that the word 'Baha' in Arabic is composed of three letters.] (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 83)

• Another insight that we could gain from this conversation between the Primal Will of God and Baha’u’llah relates to the action that we should take, as His followers, when we find ourselves in situations where it appears as if no one is interested to hear about the Faith. In such moments we are called upon to “occupy .. [ourselves] …with My [Baha’u’llah’s] praise amidst My [His] servants.” What a comforting thought! This experience will help us feel, to an infinitesimal degree, what Baha’u’llah Himself went through, and at the same time our prayers and supplications, will hopefully, attract His grace so teaching opportunities will become available again.

• This paragraph also helps us to get an inkling of understanding concerning the intimate interaction between the Primal Will of God and the Manifestation of God, as well as between the Manifestation of God and humanity. We notice that this aspect of the loneliness and isolation of the Manifestation of God has been “ordained … in the Preserved Tablet.” We also learn that a Manifestation of God is really “created” for the sake of God. What does that mean, and furthermore how does the process of “creation” relate to the reality of the Manifestation of God and their appearance in both this world and the next?

• One other point that this paragraph brings to our attention is the incredible sanctity of the Manifestation of God where we read: “Having found upon the earth many a soiled hand, We sanctified the hem of Thy garment from the profanity of their touch and placed it beyond the reach of the ungodly.” It will be helpful in this regard to remind ourselves of the titles associated with Baha’u’llah in this Tablet as God’s latest Manifestation:

o “Temple of God”
o “Temple of Holiness”
o “Temple of My Cause”
o “Temple of Divine Revelation”
o “Temple of Divine mysteries

• The paragraph ends with a promise that “erelong” God shall “raise up souls endowed with sanctified hearts and illumined eyes who shall flee from every quarter unto Thine [Baha’u’llah’s] all-encompassing and boundless grace.” What an amazing scene that would be to see such souls entering Baha’u’llah’s “all-encompassing and boundless grace”! Who would these special souls be –those “with sanctified hearts and illumined eyes”!? The history of our Faith contains many heroes and heroines from different parts of the planet. We could speculate that perhaps some of them did fall in this category. Reading about their lives will surely inspire us to do our humble portion for this precious Faith! (If you feel inspired please visit Baha’i Heroes and Heroines)

Paragraph 1.47

2010-08-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

"Say: In this day, the fertilizing winds of the grace of God have passed over all things. Every creature hath been endowed with all the potentialities it can carry. And yet the peoples of the world have denied this grace! Every tree hath been endowed with the choicest fruits, every ocean enriched with the most luminous gems. Man, himself, hath been invested with the gifts of understanding and knowledge. The whole creation hath been made the recipient of the revelation of the All-Merciful, and the earth the repository of things inscrutable to all except God, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The time is approaching when every created thing will have cast its burden. Glorified be God Who hath vouchsafed this grace that encompasseth all things, whether seen or unseen! Thus have We created the whole earth anew in this day, yet most of the people have failed to perceive it. Say: The grace of God can never be adequately understood; how much less can His own Self, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, be comprehended!"

Comments:

• In this amazing paragraph Baha’u’llah helps us better understand and appreciate God’s attribute of Grace that has encompassed His creation through His Manifestation – in this Day, through Baha’u’llah! As was explained in comments associated with some earlier paragraphs, this attribute is symbolically represented by the fourth letter of the Arabic word Haykal (Temple) -- referring to one of Baha’u’llah’s Tablets known as the Surih of Haykal.

• We notice that the metaphor “fertilizing winds” is used in this paragraph in connection with “the grace of God”. To “fertilize” is defined in the dictionary as, to make fertile, make fruitful or productive, to enrich.

• In the first line of this paragraph we further notice that the past tense of the verb “pass” is used in describing the “fertilizing winds” that have passed over “all things”.

• The effects that these “fertilizing winds” have had by passing “over all things”, Baha’u’llah tells us, are that:

   o “Every creature hath been endowed with all the potentialities it can carry”;
   o “Every tree hath been endowed with the choicest fruits”;
   o “every ocean enriched with the most luminous gems”; and that
   o “Man, himself, hath been invested with the gifts of understanding and knowledge.”

As one can imagine, the ramifications of these are overwhelming!

• Among the many illuminating points that this paragraph bring to our attention one is the realization that our “understanding and knowledge” as human beings, are in reality “gifts” that the Creator through His Manifestations has bestowed upon us.

• Reflecting on the stupendous station of God’s latest Manifestation, Whose Advent, with respect to the Message that He has brought to humanity, is referred to as the “Day of God”, makes one wonder, as to the incredible transformations that will take place on earth as a result of the effect of these “fertilizing winds of the grace of God”!

• Next we notice these fascinating points:

1. “The whole creation hath been made the recipient of the revelation of the All-Merciful …”., and

2. “the earth the repository of things inscrutable to all except God, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen”; and

3. “ The time is approaching when every created thing will have cast its burden.”

Each one of these amazing verses requires some reflection and pondering in light of the Writings and the interpretations of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the beloved Guardian.

• Adib Taherzadeh provides some helpful insights with respect to the process of divine revelation by the Manifestation of God and the fact that It requires the existence of a human being to be able to receive It :

“The Báb states that the advent of a Manifestation of God depends upon the existence of a person -- the first believer -- who has the capacity to understand and embrace His Cause. Should such an individual be found among mankind God will immediately reveal Himself and will not postpone His Revelation, even for a fraction of a minute. The Báb gives the example of His own Revelation and states that since the appearance of Muhammad, God had been watching for a person to appear and become the recipient of His Message and that it took 1260 lunar years until Mulla Husayn acquired the capacity to know Him. The Báb further asserts that, had Mulla Husayn been ready to acknowledge the truth of His Cause one moment earlier than he did, He would have correspondingly revealed Himself to him that much sooner.

"The birth of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation occurred at a time when 'Abdu'l-Bahá, though a mere child, was able to perceive intuitively the glorious Mission with which His Father was invested. It seems also providential that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was born on the same day that the Báb declared His Mission to Mulla Husayn. It is significant indeed that as the Declaration of the Báb, the Herald of Bahá'u'lláh, took place on that memorable evening, so did the birth of the Person who was destined to become the recipient of His great Revelation. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 110)

“The person upon whom God had conferred the greatest capacity to understand the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh was His eldest son 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Who at the age of nine instinctively knew the station of His Father. Soon after His arrival in Iraq, Bahá'u'lláh unfolded the Mission with which God had entrusted Him to 'Abdu'l-Bahá Who immediately acknowledged the truth of His Cause, prostrated Himself at His feet, and with great humility and earnestness begged the privilege of laying down His life in His Father's path.

"Such momentous events do not come about casually. The hand of God was at work creating the means of manifesting His own Self to mankind. Not only was the Báb sent to pave the way for the coming of Bahá'u'lláh, but also 'Abdu'l-Bahá was created especially for the purpose of receiving the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh on behalf of mankind. How significant it is that 'Abdu'l-Bahá, who was to become the instrument of such a sublime Revelation, was born the same night that the Báb communicated His Mission to Mulla Husayn and set in motion the process of preparing His followers for the appearance of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'”. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 14)

• With this very helpful explanation by Adib Taherzadeh, we could ponder, in light of our knowledge of the Advent of the “Day of God” that has been brought to humanity by Baha’u’llah, how this incredible attribute of God, namely His grace, has surrounded “The whole creation” to make it “the recipient of the revelation of the All-Merciful …”.

• There is also another reference from Baha’u’llah in which He makes us aware of the interaction between the Mouthpiece of God and our planet:

“This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out: 'Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the footstool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne.'” (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 154)

What an incredible privilege to be a Baha’i!

• Gaining an infinitesimal glimmer of insight into the operation of this amazing and awe-inspiring attribute of God -- His grace – and how it has “encompasseth all things, whether seen or unseen”, not only makes one very grateful to Baha’u’llah for helping us to understand these aspects of our reality, but also, as He indicates in this verse, makes us aware that we can never adequately understand it – how much less to understand the reality of God and His Manifestation:

“Say: The grace of God can never be adequately understood; how much less can His own Self, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, be comprehended!”

• Lastly, let’s remind ourselves about this passage in the Tablet of Ahmad in which we become aware that reaching this attitude of gratefulness in appreciating all the gifts and grace that we continue to receive from God is so important that He even rewards us for it:

"Learn well this Tablet, O Ahmad. Chant it during thy days and withhold not thyself therefrom. For verily, God hath ordained for the one who chants it, the reward of a hundred martyrs and a service in both worlds. These favors have We bestowed upon thee as a bounty on Our part and a mercy from Our presence, that thou mayest be of those who are grateful." (Baha’u’llah, Tablet of Ahmad, Baha'i Prayers, p. 211)

Paragraph 1.46

2010-08-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

"O Fourth Letter of this Temple, betokening the attribute of Grace! We have made thee the manifestation of grace betwixt earth and heaven. From thee have We generated all grace in the contingent world, and unto thee shall We cause it to return. And from thee shall We manifest it again, through a word of Our command. Potent am I to accomplish whatsoever I desire through My word "Be", and it is! Every grace that appeareth in the world of being hath originated from thee, and unto thee shall it return. This, verily, is what hath been ordained in a Tablet which We have preserved behind the veil of glory and concealed from mortal eyes. Well is it with them that deprive themselves not of this manifest and unfailing grace."

Comments:

• The last Arabic letter of the word Haykal (Temple) is Lám. As was mentioned in comments associated with Paragraph 1.37: The word Haykal (Temple) is composed in Arabic of the four letters Ha', Ya', Káf and Lám (HYKL). Its first letter is taken to symbolize the word Huviyyah (Essence of Divinity); its second letter the word Qadir (Almighty), of which Ya' is the third letter; its third letter the word Karim (All-Bountiful); and its fourth letter the word Fadl (Grace), of which Lám is the third letter.

• We recall that earlier in comments associated with Paragraph 1.17 it was indicated that according to Adib Taherzadeh in volume 3 (p. 133) of his book ‘The Revelation of Baha’u’llah’: “In answer to a question, Bahá'u'lláh has stated that the Haykal [Temple] which is addressed in this Surih is the Person of Bahá'u'lláh, and so is the voice which addresses the Haykal.”

• In Paragrpah 1.46 we become aware that the Entity that appears to us as the Manifestation of God is the source of “all grace in the contingent world”. Furthermore, we become aware that this same Entity will “cause” all grace to be “return(ed)" back to the Manifestation of God! And that “through a Word” of “command” Baha’u’llah (representing this Entity for our time) “shall manifest” this grace “again”. Difficult concepts to fully understand – unless we could find specific explanations by the Master or the beloved Guardian. For now, we could postulate some imperfect possibilities. Could one meaning of the appearance and the return of this entity of “grace” be the very soul of each human being that comes from God (through His Manifestation) and then returns back to Him? Could it be the process of progressive Revelation through which each Manifestation of God comes to earth as a sign of God’s grace and then retreats back to His “true habitation”? Could it be each official successor(s) of every Manifestation of God whom through His grace are created and sent to us for our guidance after His passing – like ‘Abdu’l-Baha?

• We also know from Paragraph 1.2 that there is in existence a “heaven of grace”: “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.” In the comments section it was indicated that: 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!

• Baha’u’llah further elaborates on this theme of mercy in Paragraph 1.47 which we will explore later.

• The phrase “betwixt earth and heaven” is another mindboggling concept that one encounters in Baha’u’llah’s and the Bab’s Writings. For instance reflecting on the following passages makes one wonder what that dimension is – and how we typically don’t think of it, and yet it appears that it has its own existence:

Happy are ye, O ye the learned ones in Baha. By the Lord! Ye are the billows of the Most Mighty Ocean, the stars of the firmament of Glory, the standards of triumph waving betwixt earth and heaven. (Baha'u'llah, Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 27)

Lo, the Most Sublime Pen speaketh betwixt earth and heaven. (Baha'u'llah, The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 75)

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. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 5)

O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. (Baha'u'llah, The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 57)

And this reference from the Bab:

He is God, no God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Best Beloved. All that are in the heavens and on the earth and whatever lieth between them are His. Verily He is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 6)

Paragraph 1.45

2010-07-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

"Beware lest ye speak of duality in regard to My Self, for all the atoms of the earth proclaim that there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Loving. From the beginning that hath no beginning I have proclaimed, from the realm of eternity, that I am God, none other God is there save Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting; and unto the end that hath no end I shall proclaim, amidst the kingdom of names, that I am God, none other God is there beside Me, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Say: Lordship is My Name, whereof I have created manifestations in the world of being, while We Ourself remain sanctified above them, would ye but ponder this truth. And Godhead is My Name, whereof We have created exponents whose power shall encompass the people of the earth and make them true worshippers of God, could ye but recognize it. Thus should ye regard all Our Names, if ye be endued with insight."

Comments:

• In this paragraph, Baha’u’llah further educates us concerning Divinity and Its Manifestations in this physical world. Acknowledging the fact that, “the Essence of God”, as explained by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, “is incomprehensible to the human mind, for the finite understanding cannot be applied to this infinite Mystery”, and that since “God contains all, He [therefore] cannot be contained,” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 23) and furthermore, reminding ourselves that “That which contains is superior to that which is contained,” we find ourselves in need of receiving divine explanations by His Manifestation – such as this Paragraph—to get some insights into such very lofty themes.

• Another point that we need to be humbly cognizant of is the principle that “in Divinity there is no duality. All adjectives, nouns and pronouns in that court of sanctity are one; there is neither multiplicity nor division.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 155)

• With these backgrounds, let’s explore Paragraph 1.45. But before we do that, let’s remind ourselves that, as was explained in the Comments portions associated with a number of previous Paragraphs (such as Paragraph 1.17), that the “the One Who speaks with the voice of God in this Tablet is identical with the One spoken to” -- both being Baha’u’llah. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 3, p. 133).

• We become aware in this Paragraph that we should guard ourselves against any tendency to imply the notion of “duality” with respect to the Entity of the Manifestation of God and Its relationship to God. To further explore and understand this very important point let’s turn to the Writings. Below are two references, from Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha:

1. From Baha’u’llah:

“Regard thou the one true God as One Who is apart from, and immeasurably exalted above, all created things. The whole universe reflecteth His glory, while He is Himself independent of, and transcendeth His creatures. This is the true meaning of Divine unity. He Who is the Eternal Truth is the one Power Who exerciseth undisputed sovereignty over the world of being, Whose image is reflected in the mirror of the entire creation. All existence is dependent upon Him, and from Him is derived the source of the sustenance of all things. This is what is meant by Divine unity; this is its fundamental principle.

Some, deluded by their idle fancies, have conceived all created things as associates and partners of God, and imagined themselves to be the exponents of His unity. By Him Who is the one true God! Such men have been, and will continue to remain, the victims of blind imitation, and are to be numbered with them that have restricted and limited the conception of God.

He is a true believer in Divine unity who, far from confusing duality with oneness, refuseth to allow any notion of multiplicity to becloud his conception of the singleness of God, who will regard the Divine Being as One Who, by His very nature, transcendeth the limitations of numbers.

The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same. By this is meant that whatever pertaineth to the former, all His acts and doings, whatever He ordaineth or forbiddeth, should be considered, in all their aspects, and under all circumstances, and without any reservation, as identical with the Will of God Himself. This is the loftiest station to which a true believer in the unity of God can ever hope to attain. Blessed is the man that reacheth this station, and is of them that are steadfast in their belief.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 165)

2. From ‘Abdu’l-Baha:

“Consider the statement recorded in the first chapter of the book of John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This statement is brief but replete with the greatest meanings. Its applications are illimitable and beyond the power of books or words to contain and express. Heretofore the doctors of theology have not expounded it but have restricted it to Jesus as "the Word made flesh," the separation of Jesus from God, the Father, and His descent upon the earth. In this way the individualized separation of the godhead came to be taught.

The essential oneness of Father, Son and Spirit has many meanings and constitutes the foundation of Christianity. Today we will merely give a synopsis of explanation. Why was Jesus the Word?

In the universe of creation all phenomenal beings are as letters. Letters in themselves are meaningless and express nothing of thought or ideal -- as, for instance, a, b, etc. Likewise, all phenomenal beings are without independent meaning. But a word is composed of letters and has independent sense and meaning. Therefore, as Christ conveyed the perfect meaning of divine reality and embodied independent significance, He was the Word. He was as the station of reality compared to the station of metaphor. There is no intrinsic meaning in the leaves of a book, but the thought they convey leads you to reflect upon reality. The reality of Jesus was the perfect meaning, the Christhood in Him which in the Holy Books is symbolized as the Word.

"The Word was with God." The Christhood means not the body of Jesus but the perfection of divine virtues manifest in Him. Therefore, it is written, "He is God." This does not imply separation from God, even as it is not possible to separate the rays of the sun from the sun. The reality of Christ was the embodiment of divine virtues and attributes of God. For in Divinity there is no duality. All adjectives, nouns and pronouns in that court of sanctity are one; there is neither multiplicity nor division. The intention of this explanation is to show that the Words of God have innumerable significances and mysteries of meanings -- each one a thousand and more.” (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 154)

• Another fascinating gem that one could gleam from this Paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s reference to “manifestations in the world of being” that He has “created”. We understand that such creations are expressions of Baha’u’llah’s Name “Lordship”. One very powerful example of such creation is the person of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, as attested by Baha’u’llah in the Suriy-i-Ghusn (Surih of the Branch):

“There hath branched from the Sadratu'l-Muntaha this sacred and glorious Being, this Branch of Holiness; well is it with him that hath sought His shelter and abideth beneath His shadow. Verily the Limb of the Law of God hath sprung forth from this Root which God hath firmly implanted in the Ground of His Will, and Whose Branch hath been so uplifted as to encompass the whole of creation. Magnified be He, therefore, for this sublime, this blessed, this mighty, this exalted Handiwork I . . . A Word hath, as a token of Our grace, gone forth from the Most Great Tablet -- a Word which God hath adorned with the ornament of His own Self, and made it sovereign over the earth and all that is therein, and a sign of His greatness and power among its people . . . Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is the most great Favour unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you; and through Him every mouldering bone is quickened. Whoso turneth towards Him hath turned towards God, and whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from My Beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and transgressed against Me. He is the Trust of God amongst you, His charge within you, His manifestation unto you and His appearance among His favoured servants . . . We have sent Him down in the form of a human temple. Blest and sanctified be God Who createth whatsoever He willeth through His inviolable His infallible decree. They who deprive themselves of the shadow of the Branch, are lost in the wilderness of error are consumed by the heat of worldly desires, and are of those who will assuredly perish.” (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah, pp. 45-46)

• Baha’u’llah further indicates that through His Name “Godhead”, He has “created exponents whose power shall encompass the people of the earth and make them true worshippers of God …” Since “exponent” is defined in the dictionary as “a person who sets forth, expounds, or promotes principles, methods, etc, a person or thing that is an example or symbol (of something), representative”, next time we receive His grace to be able to offer some service to the Cause we should keep this in mind and give any credits to Baha’u’llah Himself!

• The Paragraph ends by Baha’u’llah’s reminder that just as such creations are due to His Names: “Lordship” and “Godhead”, that are also His other creations through “all Our Names”.

• A lot to reflect on and appreciate the incredible privilege of being His followers!

Paragraph 1.44

2010-06-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

"Say: Naught is seen in My temple but the Temple of God, and in My beauty but His Beauty, and in My being but His Being, and in My self but His Self, and in My movement but His Movement, and in My acquiescence but His Acquiescence, and in My pen but His Pen, the Mighty, the All-Praised. There hath not been in My soul but the Truth, and in Myself naught could be seen but God."

Comments:

• Baha’u’llah makes very powerful pronouncements in this paragraph concerning His relation, as a Manifestation God, to God. This is in conformity with other pronouncements in His Writings concerning the incredible greatness of His Dispensation. For example:

"Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 11)

"In the Book of Isaiah it is written: "Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty." No man that meditateth upon this verse can fail to recognize the greatness of this Cause, or doubt the exalted character of this Day -- the Day of God Himself. This same verse is followed by these words: "And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 13)

"Say: This is the Day of God Himself; fear ye God and be not of them that have disbelieved in Him. Cast the idle tales behind your backs and behold My Revelation through Mine eyes. Unto this have ye been exhorted in heavenly Books and Scriptures, in the Scrolls and Tablets." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 241)

• We also need to balance our understanding (however “partial and imperfect”, it may be, in the words of the House of Justice) against other references from Baha’u’llah such as:

"When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am God"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!" (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 234)

• Adib Taherzadeh provides some very helpful and insightful explanation concerning these issues. In his ‘The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1’ he explains that:

“One of the traditions of Shí'ah Islam states that when the Promised One appears He will utter one word which will cause people to flee Him. Bahá'u'lláh has explained in a Tablet that this word is the changing of 'He' into 'I'; instead of saying 'He is God', the Manifestation of God in this day will say 'I am God', and people bereft of understanding and insight will turn away from Him.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 44)

• There are also many explanations provided by ‘Abdu’l-Baha concerning Divinity and the manifestations of Its attributes in Prophets and Manifestations of God. For example in a talk given on Reality of Divinity in London on September 17th, 1911, He explain that “Lastly the perfect man, the Prophet, is one who is transfigured, one who has the purity and clearness of a perfect mirror -- one who reflects the Sun of Truth. Of such a one -- of such a Prophet and Messenger -- we can say that the Light of Divinity with the heavenly Perfections dwells in him.” To read the entire talk please visit http://centerofcovenanttalks.blogspot.com/2010/01/reality-of-divinity.html

Paragraph 1.43

2010-05-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

"Say: The measure of all created things hath been appointed in this concealed and manifest Temple, wherein lie enshrined the knowledge of the heavens and the earth, and of all things past and future. The finger of God's handiwork hath inscribed upon this Tablet that which the wisest and most learned of men are powerless to fathom, and hath created therein temples inscrutable to all save His own Self, could ye but apprehend this truth. Blessed be the one who readeth it, who pondereth its contents, and who is numbered with them that comprehend!"

Comments:

• Reflecting on our understanding that one of the references to “Temple” is with respect to the Manifestation of God, for example in Paragraph 1.17 where we read: “O Living Temple! Arise by the power of Thy Self in such wise that all created things will be moved to arise with Thee,” in this paragraph we become further educated by Baha’u’llah that:
   o The Manifestation of God is both “concealed and manifest”;
   o “The measure of all created things hath been appointed” in the Manifestation of God; and that
   o In the Manifestation of God “lie enshrined the knowledge of the heavens and the earth, and of all things past and future.”

• Furthermore, we are reminded in this paragraph, once again, by our Lord that the contents of this Tablet are far far beyond our limited ability to fully understand as human beings:
“The finger of God's handiwork hath inscribed upon this Tablet that which the wisest and most learned of men are powerless to fathom, and hath created therein temples inscrutable to all save His own Self…”
We need to humbly bow down (mentally, emotionally and of course, spiritually) with respect to this realization!

• It appears that a heart-felt acknowledgement of one’s powerlessness “to fathom” the “handiwork” that the “finger of God” has “inscribed upon this Tablet”, while he/she is reading and reflecting upon its contents, will attract His blessings and grace:
“Blessed be the one who readeth it, who pondereth its contents, and who is numbered with them that comprehend!”

• How much more to be thankful for!?

Paragraph 1.42

2010-05-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

"Beware lest ye shed the blood of anyone. Unsheathe the sword of your tongue from the scabbard of utterance, for therewith ye can conquer the citadels of men's hearts. We have abolished the law to wage holy war against each other. God's mercy, hath, verily, encompassed all created things, if ye do but understand. Aid ye your Lord, the God of Mercy, with the sword of understanding. Keener indeed is it, and more finely tempered, than the sword of utterance, were ye but to reflect upon the words of your Lord. Thus have the hosts of Divine Revelation been sent down by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and thus have the armies of divine inspiration been made manifest from the Source of command, as bidden by God, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved."

Comments:

• As can be seen in this paragraph, Baha’u’llah abolishes the law of “holy war”. He explains in another passage that “In former religions such ordinances as holy war, destruction of books, the ban on association and companionship with other peoples or on reading certain books had been laid down and affirmed according to the exigencies of the time …” (Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 28). However, He indicates that in “this Most Great Revelation”, “this momentous Announcement”, where “God's mercy hath, verily, encompassed all created things”, and His “manifold bestowals and favours … have overshadowed all men ..” this “law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 21)

• Reminding ourselves about the first line of Paragraph 1.39, namely “O Third Letter of this Temple, betokening My name, the All-Bountiful!”, we see how in the quote below God’s attribute of “bounty”, manifested through His Manifestation, appears to have been instrumental in the abolishment of this law in this Dispensation”

“O people of the earth! The first Glad-Tidings which the Mother Book hath, in this Most Great Revelation, imparted unto all the peoples of the world is that the law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Lord of grace abounding, through Whom the door of heavenly bounty hath been flung open in the face of all that are in heaven and on earth.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 21)

• Helping us better understand the background and context with respect to such previous ordinances and practices, the Guardian explains that:

We should also bear in mind that the distinguishing character of the Bahá'í Revelation does not solely consist in the completeness and unquestionable validity of the Dispensation which the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá have established. Its excellence lies also in the fact that those elements which in past Dispensations have, without the least authority from their Founders, been a source of corruption and of incalculable harm to the Faith of God, have been strictly excluded by the clear text of Bahá'u'lláh's writings. Those unwarranted practices, in connection with the sacrament of baptism, of communion, of confession of sins, of asceticism, of priestly domination, of elaborate ceremonials, of holy war and of polygamy, have one and all been rigidly suppressed by the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh; whilst the rigidity and rigor of certain observances, such as fasting, which are necessary to the devotional life of the individual, have been considerably abated. (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 22)

• Elaborating further on related themes the Universal House of Justice has explained that:

Bahá'u'lláh confirms an injunction contained in the Bayan which makes it unlawful to carry arms, unless it is necessary to do so. With regard to circumstances under which the bearing of arms might be "essential" for an individual, Abdu'l-Bahá gives permission to a believer for self-protection in a dangerous environment. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf has also indicated that, in an emergency, when there is no legal force at hand to appeal to, a Bahá'í is justified in defending his life. There are a number of other situations in which weapons are needed and can be legitimately used; for instance, in countries where people hunt for their food and clothing, and in such sports as archery, marksmanship, and fencing. On the societal level, the principle of collective security enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh (see Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXVII) and elaborated by Shoghi Effendi (see the Guardian's letters in The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh) does not presuppose the abolition of the use of force, but prescribes "a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice", and which provides for the existence of an international peace-keeping force that "will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth". In the Tablet of Bisharat, Bahá'u'lláh expresses the hope that "weapons of war throughout the world may be converted into instruments of reconstruction and that strife and conflict may be removed from the midst of men". In another Tablet Bahá'u'lláh stresses the importance of fellowship with the followers of all religions; He also states that "the law of holy war hath been blotted out from the Book". (Universal House of Justice, Notes section of Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 240)

• Baha’u’llah brings our attention to a fascinating comparison between the attributes of “understanding” and “utterance” – both represented by the metaphor of “sword”. He points out that the “sword of understanding” is “keener” and “more finely tempered” than the “sword of utterance.” Let’s explore these attributes a little bit in light of the Writings.

• The word “understanding” is defined in the dictionary as: The power to understand, the act of comprehending, the power or ability to think, learn, judge, the mental quality, act, or state of a person who understands; comprehension, knowledge, discernment, sympathetic awareness. Let’s put our learning hats on and see what other complimentary meanings we will find in the Writings:

o Understanding is “a great gift of God” by which one can “see with the eyes of the spirit, hear with spiritual ears and also comprehend with a Divinely enlightened heart” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 94)
o We need to pray to God that He may grant us “spiritual understanding” so that we “may be endued with the gift of the spirit.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 116)
o Understanding is the “First and foremost” of God’s “favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind”. God’s “purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God”. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 194)
o “This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 194)
o As a result of Baha’u’llah’s Declaration, all of us have been “invested” by God “with the gifts of understanding and knowledge.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 25)
o “The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation.” (Bahá'u'lláh, in Consultation: A Compilation, p. 3)
o The vastness of the attribute of understanding is metaphorically represented in the Writings as “the heaven of understanding”. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 59)
o The Manifestation of God is “the Best-Beloved of every understanding heart”. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 104)
o “true understanding” is compared to and “ocean” in the Writings. (Baha'u'llah, the Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 6; Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 166)
o In order to “attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding” one must “be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth” and “Sanctify” his/her soul. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 3)
o One needs to develop a “thirst for understanding” if he/she wants to “partake” of the soft flowing waters of “divine wisdom”. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 63)
o God’s Name has “adorned” “the heaven of understanding” (Baha’u’llah, compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 172)
o Baha’u’llah explains that “the first bestowal of the Almighty is the Word” and that the “receiver and acceptor of It is the understanding.” (Baha'i Scriptures, p. 130)
o Understanding, together with knowledge, is referred to as the “sun”, it’s “rays”, the Manifestation of God hopes, will illumine the world of being so that we may all “attain to the good pleasure of the Beloved and drink from the ocean of divine recognition.”(Baha’u’llah, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 130 )

• We should also heed this advise from Baha’u’llah when we try to understand such concepts in His Writings:

“The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 210)

• With respect to human utterance we find it defined in the dictionary as: the act of uttering, or expressing by voice; the power or style of speaking; and that which is uttered; esp., a word or words uttered, whether written or spoken. Once again, let’s look at some of the phrases in the Writings containing this word to get a richer understanding of it:
o Baha’u’llah instructs us to open “the city of the human heart with the key” of our “utterance” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 304)
o We are reminded by Baha’u’llah that when teaching the Cause of God we should strive to refine our utterance to such a degree that it “will cause the bushes to be enkindled ..” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 143)
o Baha’u’llah defines the factors influencing the “Human utterance” as: “Say: Human utterance is an essence which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets. Meditate upon that which hath streamed forth from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, He Who is the Source of all grace, that thou mayest grasp the intended meaning which is enshrined in the sacred depths of the Holy Writings.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 143)

Paragraph 1.41

2010-04-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

"Erelong shall God raise up, through Thee, those with hands of indomitable strength and arms of invincible might, who will come forth from behind the veils, will render the All-Merciful victorious amongst the peoples of the world, and will raise so mighty a cry as to cause all hearts to tremble with fear. Thus hath it been decreed in a Written Tablet. Such shall be the ascendancy which these souls will evince that consternation and dismay will seize all the dwellers of the earth."

Comments:

• As we attempt to gain an inkling of understanding with respect to these powerful pronouncements made by our Lord in this paragraph, we should remind ourselves that they follow the last two earlier paragraphs dealing with the “Third Letter” of the “Temple” of the Manifestation of God, which Baha’u’llah explains is synonoumous with the Creator’s attribute of “the All-Bountiful”.

• As noted in other paragraphs that we have reviewed, Baha’u’llah, through His grace, makes known to us the many entities associated with the operation of God’s Will on earth, through His Manifestations. As we try to reflect and ponder on His weighty Words – as an example in this paragraph -- let’s take a moment and remind ourselves that we are dealing with concepts so lofty, so powerful and containing that it’s almost impossible for us human beings (who are contained in them) to get a proper understanding of their scope and workings. In our attempts to strive to get some partial understanding, we need to search for any related interpretations, explanations, elucidations by the beloved Master and the Guardian, as well as any additional clarifications and explanations by the Universal House of Justice.

• Realizing our human limitations in understanding the physical realities that are all around as well as within us is very humbling – how much more we need to bow our heads concerning our inability to understand the very lofty and abstract spiritual realities that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention! To cite an example with respect to our physical limitations, let’s explore our ability to “see” light. We know scientifically that the “visible light” is a small portion of light waves. The light waves, themselves are a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum: – that broad range of electro-magnetic radiation wavelengths that travel in straight lines and are characterized by a wave motion. This spectrum contains cosmic rays, gamma rays, x-rays, light waves, radar waves, microwaves and radio and TV waves. The form of electromagnetic radiation that our eyes can detect is called ``visible'' or ``optical''. Visible light, being just one of many types of electro-magnetic radiation, occupies a very small range of the overall electromagnetic spectrum. Just immediately above and below our ‘visible’ range are the Ultraviolet and Infrared light waves that we can’t see with naked eyes. Other forms of electromagnetic radiation or light such as x-rays, gamma rays, cosmic rays – on the higher frequencies – and radar and radio/TV waves on the lower frequencies, are there too but once again our naked eyes can’t see them. So the phrase “I see”, logically and scientifically needs to be qualified and at times we need to remind ourselves that there are many physical entities right near us that we couldn’t see them.

• Let’s now go back to our Paragraph and attempt to see with our “inner” eyes: The metaphor of “those with hands of indomitable strength and arms of invincible might” brings to one’s attention the existence of a lot of power. It makes one wonder who “those” are? What about the word “Erelong” -- before long, soon? It gives one a sense that there is an order in place, a plan. Equally intriguing is the metaphor with respect to “the veils” behind which those souls with “hands of indomitable strength and arms of invincible might” are to be found. What are these “veils”?

• A search of the Writings shows that the metaphor of “veils” is used in a variety of contexts. Below is a sample:

In a more explicit language Bahá'u'lláh testifies to this truth in one of His Tablets revealed in Adrianople: "Know verily that the veil hiding Our countenance hath not been completely lifted. We have revealed Our Self to a degree corresponding to the capacity of the people of Our age. Should the Ancient Beauty be unveiled in the fullness of His glory mortal eyes would be blinded by the dazzling intensity of His revelation." (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 116)

Therefore, O ye beloved of God, be not grieved when people stand against you, persecute you, afflict and trouble you and say all manner of evil against you. The darkness will pass away and the light of the manifest signs will appear, the veil will be withdrawn and the Light of Reality will shine forth from the unseen [Kingdom] of El-ABHA. This we inform you before it occurs, so that when the hosts of people arise against you for my love, be not disturbed or troubled; nay, rather, be firm as a mountain, for this persecution and reviling of the people upon you is a pre-ordained matter. Blessed is the soul who is firm in the path! (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 14)

I ask God to strengthen thee in comprehending the mysteries deposited in the reality of existence, to lift up the veil from before thee and thy sister, so that the concealed mystery and the hidden reality become manifest as the sun at noon, and to confirm thy sister and thy husband in entering the Kingdom of God, and heal thee from all physical and spiritual disease in the world of creation. (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 56)

This is an Epistle from Our presence unto him whom the veils of names have failed to keep back from God, the Creator of earth and heaven, that his eyes may be cheered in the days of his Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 9)

Happy art thou who hast turned thy face towards My countenance, inasmuch as thou hast rent the veils asunder, hast shattered the idols and recognized thine eternal Lord. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 15)

• We also notice in Paragraph 1.41 Baha’u’llah’s reference to “all hearts to tremble with fear” as a result of the “mighty” “cry” raised by those souls “who will come forth from behind the veils ..”. Furthermore, our Lord tells us that the “ascendancy” that “these souls will evince” will be such that “consternation and dismay will seize all the dwellers of the earth.”

• ‘Consternation’ is defined in the dictionary as: ‘great fear or shock that makes one feel helpless or bewildered’. ‘Dismay’, on the other hand, is defined in the dictionary as: ‘to make afraid or discouraged at the prospect of trouble or danger; fill with apprehension or alarm; daunt; a loss of courage or confidence at the prospect of trouble or danger; consternation.’ We also need to search the Writings to get a feel for the various contexts in which such metaphors are used. Below is a sample:

O Temple of Holiness! We, verily, have made Thine inmost heart the treasury of all the knowledge of past and future ages, and the dawning-place of Our own knowledge which We have ordained for the dwellers of earth and heaven, that all creation may partake of the outpourings of Thy grace and may attain, through the wonders of Thy knowledge, unto the recognition of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great. In truth, that knowledge which belongeth unto Mine own Essence is such as none hath ever attained or will ever grasp, nor shall any heart be capable of bearing its weight. Were We to disclose but a single word of this knowledge, the hearts of all men would be filled with consternation, the foundations of all things would crumble into ruin, and the feet of even the wisest among men would be made to slip. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 34)

It hath been decreed by Us that the Word of God and all the potentialities thereof shall be manifested unto men in strict conformity with such conditions as have been foreordained by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have, moreover, ordained that its veil of concealment be none other except its own Self. Such indeed is Our Power to achieve Our Purpose. Should the Word be allowed to release suddenly all the energies latent within it, no man could sustain the weight of so mighty a Revelation. Nay, all that is in heaven and on earth would flee in consternation before it. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 76)

Exert thyself, O Shaykh, and arise to serve this Cause. The Sealed Wine is disclosed in this day before the faces of men. Seize it in the name of thy Lord, and quaff thy fill in remembrance of Him Who is the Mighty, the Incomparable. Night and day hath this Wronged One been occupied in that which would unite the hearts, and edify the souls of men. The events that have happened in Persia during the early years have truly saddened the well-favored and sincere ones. Each year witnessed a fresh massacre, pillage, plunder, and shedding of blood. At one time there appeared in Zanjan that which caused the greatest consternation; at another in Nayriz, and at yet another in Tabarsi, and finally there occurred the episode of the Land of Ta (Tihran). (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 88)

Wherever this Wronged One went Mirza Yahya followed Him. Thou art thyself a witness and well knowest that whatever hath been said is the truth. The Siyyid of Isfahan, however, surreptitiously duped him. They committed that which caused the greatest consternation. Would that thou wouldst inquire from the officials of the government concerning the conduct of Mirza Yahya in that land. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 168)

It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and realize all that their hands have wrought. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of Divine power! They that are the followers of the one true God shall, the moment they depart out of this life, experience such joy and gladness as would be impossible to describe, while they that live in error shall be seized with such fear and trembling, and shall be filled with such consternation, as nothing can exceed. Well is it with him that hath quaffed the choice and incorruptible wine of faith through the gracious favor and the manifold bounties of Him Who is the Lord of all Faiths.... (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 170)

None of the many Prophets sent down, since Moses was made manifest, as Messengers of the Word of God, such as David, Jesus, and others among the more exalted Manifestations who have appeared during the intervening period between the Revelations of Moses and Muhammad, ever altered the law of the Qiblih. These Messengers of the Lord of creation have, one and all, directed their peoples to turn unto the same direction. In the eyes of God, the ideal King, all the places of the earth are one and the same, excepting that place which, in the days of His Manifestations, He doth appoint for a particular purpose. Even as He hath revealed: "The East and West are God's: therefore whichever way ye turn, there is the face of God."[Qur'án 2:115] Notwithstanding the truth of these facts, why should the Qiblih have been changed, thus casting such dismay amongst the people, causing the companions of the Prophet to waver, and throwing so great a confusion into their midst? Yea, such things as throw consternation into the hearts of all men come to pass only that each soul may be tested by the touchstone of God, that the true may be known and distinguished from the false. Thus hath He revealed after the breach amongst the people: "We did not appoint that which Thou wouldst have to be the Qiblih, but that We might know him who followeth the Apostle from him who turneth on his heels."[Qur'án 2:143] "Affrighted asses fleeing from a lion."[Qur'án 74:50] (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 51)

Announce on my behalf longing greeting to Mr. . . . . . . . . and say, "The melody of the Kingdom is that which hath caused the motion of the universe; the musk-diffusing fragrance of the rose-garden of God is that which hath perfumed the nostrils; and the reflection of the Sun of Truth is that which hath illumined the whole earth. Now is the beginning of illumination! Therefore, the people of darkness imagine that they can oppose (this Revelation); yet, ere long they shall find themselves in loss and consternation! They shall observe that the power of the Word of God hath subdued East and West. Be thou not sad and dispirited on account of the opposition of the heedless ones. Soon they shall regret sorely. Reflect thou how the Pharisees persecuted and looked down in contempt upon His Holiness the Christ. The result was that His lamp became ignited, His light began to shine and His followers sparkled like unto the stars from the horizon of existence; and the consequence to the Pharisees was the pangs of remorse and regrets." (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 221)

• Also below is a sample of some references from the Writings to help us appreciate the contexts in which the metaphor pertaining to “hearts to tremble with fear” has been used:

Set before thine eyes God's unerring Balance and, as one standing in His Presence, weigh in that Balance thine actions every day, every moment of thy life. Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 213)

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee by Thy Name through which the Hour hath struck, and the Resurrection came to pass, and fear and trembling seized all that are in heaven and all that are on earth, to rain down, out of the heaven of Thy mercy and the clouds of Thy tender compassion, what will gladden the hearts of Thy servants, who have turned towards Thee and helped Thy Cause.

Keep safe Thy servants and Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, from the darts of idle fancy and vain imaginings, and give them from the hands of Thy grace a draught of the soft-flowing waters of Thy knowledge.

Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 72)

I render Thee thanks that Thou hast made known unto me such servants as have utterly abolished, by the power of Thy might and of Thy sovereignty, the idols of their corrupt desires, and were not kept back by the things which are possessed by Thy creatures from turning in the direction of Thy grace. These have so vehemently rent the veils asunder that the dwellers of the cities of self have wept, and fear and trembling seized the people of envy and wickedness who, adorning their heads and their bodies with the emblems of knowledge, have proudly rejected Thee and turned away from Thy beauty. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 77)

The races of the world, Nordic, Slavonic, Mongolian, Arab and African, are alike subjected to its consuming violence. The world's religious systems are no less affected by the universal paralysis which is creeping over the minds and souls of men. The persecution of world Jewry, the rapid deterioration of Christian institutions, the intestine division and disorders of Islam, are but manifestations of the fear and trembling that has seized humanity in its hour of unprecedented turmoil and peril. On the high seas, in the air, on land, in the forefront of battle, in the palaces of kings and the cottages of peasants, in the most hallowed sanctuaries, whether secular or religious, the evidences of God's retributive act and mysterious discipline are manifest. Its heavy toll is steadily mounting -- a holocaust sparing neither prince nor peasant, neither man nor woman, neither young nor old. (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 46)

• Lastly, we need to keep in mind that the things Baha’u’llah alludes to in Paragraph 1.41 all have “been decreed in a Written Tablet.”

Paragraph 1.40

2010-04-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

"O Pen! Send down out of the clouds of Thy generosity that which shall enrich all created things, and withhold not Thy favours from the world of being. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful in the heaven of Thine eternity, and the Lord of infinite grace unto all who inhabit the kingdom of names. Look not upon the people and the things they possess; look rather upon the wonders of Thy gifts and favours. Gather then Thy servants beneath Thy shade that shadoweth all mankind. Stretch forth the hand of bounty over all creation, and the fingers of bestowal over all existence. This, verily, is that which beseemeth Thee, though the people understand it not. Whosoever turneth his face towards Thee doeth so by Thy grace, and as to him who turneth away, Thy Lord, in truth, is independent of all created things. Unto this bear witness His true and devoted servants."

Comments:

• From the comments associated with Paragraph 1.12 we understand that the House of Justice has explained that such references to the “Pen” in Baha’u’llah’s Writings are mainly with respect to Bahá'u'lláh Himself, “illustrating His function as Revealer of the Word of God.” With this background let’s attempt to highlight what Baha’u’llah, as the Manifestation of God, is being directed to do by God:

o To “Send down out of the clouds of Thy generosity that which shall enrich all created things”;
o To “withhold not Thy favours from the world of being;
o To “… not [look] upon the people and the things they possess;”, but to “look rather upon the wonders of Thy gifts and favours”;
o To “Gather then Thy servants beneath Thy shade that shadoweth all mankind”; and
o To “Stretch forth the hand of bounty over all creation, and the fingers of bestowal over all existence.”

• Each one of these points, we surmise, require further reflection and study so we become more spiritually aware of the incredible station of the Manifestation of God and the privilege of recognizing Him through our own volition and being willing to implement His Teachings in our lives.

• Another insight we glean from this paragraph is with respect to this line: “Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful in the heaven of Thine eternity, and the Lord of infinite grace unto all who inhabit the kingdom of names.” Here we notice that the Manifestation of God, for our Age, Baha’u’llah, is:

o “the All-Bountiful in the heaven of Thine eternity”; and
o “the Lord of infinite grace unto all who inhabit the kingdom of names.”

Let’s explore these points slightly. In the first reference we become aware that, Baha’u’llah, as the Manifestation of God, reflects the attribute of “the All-Bountiful” in “the heaven of Thine [Baha’u’llah’s] eternity”. What is this heaven of eternity that belongs to the Manifestation of God? Maybe the following reference from the Prayers and Meditations will help us to get a feel for it:

“Thy glory is my witness! At each daybreak they who love Thee wake to find the cup of woe set before their faces, because they have believed in Thee and acknowledged Thy signs. Though I firmly believe that Thou hast a greater compassion on them than they have on their own selves, though I recognize that Thou hast afflicted them for no other purpose except to proclaim Thy Cause, and to enable them to ascend into the heaven of Thine eternity and the precincts of Thy court, yet Thou knowest full well the frailty of some of them, and art aware of their impatience in their sufferings.” (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 158)

• The other point that we need to reflect on is with respect to Baha’u’llah’s reference to being the “Lord of infinite grace unto all who inhabit the kingdom of names.” What is the “kingdom of names”? Adib Taherzadeh explains it very beautifully in one of his books, ‘The Covenant of Baha'u'llah’:

“There are many references in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh to the 'Kingdom of Names'. God, in His own essence, is exalted above attributes. However, in all His dominions and within each of His worlds, both spiritual and physical, He reveals the kingdom of His attributes. Every created thing manifests the names and attributes of God. In the spiritual world, these attributes are manifest with such intensity that man will never be able to comprehend them in this life. In the human world, however, these attributes appear within the 'Kingdom of Names' and man often becomes attached to these names."

"In many of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh exhorts His followers not to become the bond-slaves of the Kingdom of Names. The well-known Islamic saying, 'The Names come down from heaven', has many meanings. In this world every one of God's attributes is clad with a name, and every such name reveals the characteristics of that attribute. For instance, generosity is an attribute of God, and it manifests itself in human beings. However, a person who has this attribute often becomes proud of it and loves to be referred to as generous. When his generosity is acknowledged by other people, he becomes happy, and when it is ignored, he is unhappy. This is one form of attachment to the Kingdom of Names. Although this example concerns the name 'generosity', the same is true of all the names and attributes of God manifested within the individual. Usually man ascribes these attributes to his own person rather than to God and employs them to boost his own ego. For instance, a learned man uses the attribute of knowledge to become famous and feels gratified and uplifted when his name is publicized far and wide. Or there is the individual whose heart leaps with feelings of pride and satisfaction when he hears his name mentioned and finds himself admired. These are examples of attachment to the Kingdom of Names."

"Human society at present exerts a pernicious influence upon the soul of man. Instead of allowing him to live a life of service and sacrifice, it is highly competitive and teaches him to pride himself on his accomplishments. From early childhood he is trained to develop his ego and to seek to exalt himself above others, in the ultimate aim of achieving self-importance, success and power."

"The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh aims to reverse this process. The soul of man needs to be adorned with the virtues of humility and self-effacement so that it may become detached from the Kingdom of Names."

"'Abdu'l-Bahá, the true Exemplar of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, demonstrated this form of detachment by His actions. He never in the course of His life wished to exalt His name, nor did He seek publicity for Himself. For instance, He had an immense dislike of being photographed. He said, '...to have a picture of oneself is to emphasize the personality...'. During the first few days of His visit to London, He refused to be photographed. However, as a result of much pressure by the newspaper reporters, and persistent pleas by the friends to be allowed to take His photograph, 'Abdu'l-Bahá acquiesced in order to make them happy."

"The exalted titles conferred upon Him by Bahá'u'lláh are indicative of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's lofty station. Yet 'Abdu'l-Bahá never applied them to Himself. Instead, after the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, He took the title of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Baha) and urged the believers to call Him only by this name. True servitude at the threshold of Bahá'u'lláh was all He prized. …"

"One of the distinguishing features of Bahá'u'lláh's embryonic world order is that it does not harbour egotistical personalities. Bahá'u'lláh has conferred authority on its institutions, whether local, national or international, but the individuals who are privileged to serve on them are devoid of any authority. Unlike men who wield power in the world today and seek to acquire fame and popularity, members of Bahá'í institutions cannot but manifest humility and self-effacement if they are to remain faithful to Bahá'u'lláh. Those who do not succeed, through immaturity or lack of faith, in living up to these standards are indeed attached to the Kingdom of Names and become deprived of the bounties of God in this age."

"To sever oneself from the Kingdom of Names may prove to be the most difficult task for a Bahá'í, and the struggle may indeed last a lifetime. If a man can only realize that his virtues are not intrinsically his own, but rather are manifestations of the attributes of God, then he is freed from the Kingdom of Names and becomes truly humble. Such a man will bestow divine perfections upon the world of humanity. This is the loftiest station that God has destined for man. To the extent that a believer succeeds in severing himself from these three forms of attachment, will he be fulfilling his part in the Covenant of God."

"To achieve this exalted goal man needs to recognize the station of Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation of God for this age and then observe His commandments with clear vision, mature reflection and a prayerful attitude. This can be achieved through deepening one's knowledge of the Faith and in serving His Cause. It is then that the heart will become the recipient of the knowledge of God, and will attain certitude in its faith. It is then that obedience to the teachings of the Faith becomes wholehearted, as the individual grasps the significance of God's commandments, and comes to understand their wisdom, their excellence and their necessity. It is then that his thoughts, his vision, his aspirations, his words, and his deeds will all be in harmony with the Covenant of God. And it is then that his soul will acquire spiritual qualities and virtues. This is the ultimate outcome of obedience to the Covenant, which will enable the soul to progress in the spiritual worlds of God.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 24)

• Lastly, there are two other points that we could derive from this paragraph: (1) a confirmation by Baha’u’llah that majority of people do not “understand” the spiritual realities that He has brought to humanity’s attention; and (2) that “Whosoever turneth his face towards Thee [Baha’u’llah] doeth so by Thy [Baha’u’llah’s] grace …”, a very important principle to keep in mind when we encounter seekers and those who have aspirations in line with the Teachings of Baha’u’llah.

Paragraph 1.39

2010-03-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

"O Third Letter of this Temple, betokening My name, the All-Bountiful! We have made thee the dawning-place of Our bounty amidst Our creatures and the fountainhead of Our generosity amidst Our people. Powerful am I in My dominion. Nothing whatsoever of all that hath been created in the heavens or on the earth can escape My knowledge, and I am the True One, the Knower of things unseen."

Comments:

• As was explained in the comments associated with Paragraph 1.37, the third Arabic letter of the word Haykal (Temple) is the letter ‘Kaf’ which according to Baha’u’llah is representative of the attribute of ‘ the All-Bountiful’ with respect to the Manifestation of God.

• It is such a comforting thought to know that one of the names of the Manifestation of God is ‘the All-Bountiful’! Judging by the meaning of the word ‘bountiful’ in the dictionary as ‘giving freely and graciously; generous’, one becomes aware that when this quality is attributed to the Manifestation of God it takes on many meanings. We will explore these later in the context of the themes elaborated by Baha’u’llah in the next six Paragraphs of this powerful Tablet.

• The phrase the “dawning-place” normally reminds one of the daily cycles of the earth orbiting the sun resulting in sunrise and sunset. So, just like the physical sun that keeps our solar system together and is the very source of life on our planet, we should remind ourselves that, metaphorically speaking, the third Letter of the word Haykal (namely the letter ‘k’) is a spiritual Sun that the Manifestation of God has created as a symbol of His “bounty amidst … [His] creatures and the fountainhead of …[His] generosity] amidst .. [His] people.” Mind boggling, isn’t it!? It really makes us feel small and dependent!

• The phrase “Powerful am I in My dominion”, is, once again, a reminder of the incredible power that God has bestowed upon His Manifestation. It is after all His “domain”, anyway! In the words of the beloved Master:

"O thou who art turning thy face towards God! Close thine eyes to all things else, and open them to the realm of the All-Glorious. Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone. With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief. He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 51)

• Another point to keep in mind is Baha’u’llah’s injunction that “Nothing whatsoever of all that hath been created in the heavens or on the earth can escape My knowledge, and I am the True One, the Knower of things unseen.” This is another mind boggling concept that is almost impossible for us human beings to fully comprehend, especially when we think of the existence of many billions of people on our planet alone. But, once again, we should help our souls to intelligently and whole-heartedly embrace this principle. Sometimes such awareness of Baha’u’llah’s all-embracing knowledge brings also the fear of God to one’s heart especially when one thinks of their shortcomings and inadequacies. But aside from the fact we often find ourselves inadequately informed of the pertinent Teachings about the fear of God, we should also remind ourselves that, as we explored earlier, He also has the attribute of “the All-Bountiful” and that we are told that “His mercy exceeds His justice!” (From a letter dated 26 July 1946 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 306)

Paragraph 1.38

2010-03-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

"O Second Letter of this Temple, betokening My name, the Almighty! We have made thee the manifestation of Our sovereignty and the dayspring of Our Names. Potent am I to fulfil that which My tongue speaketh."

Comments:

• As was explained in the comments associated with Paragraph 1.37, the second Arabic letter of the word Haykal (Temple) is the letter Ya', symbolizing the word Qadir (Almighty), of which Ya' is the third letter.

• In this paragraph we become aware that the attribute of “Almighty” is one of the characteristics of the Primal Will of God, as manifested by Baha’u’llah. He refers to it as “the manifestation” of His “sovereignty” and the “dayspring” of His “Names.” So, once again, as a token of His abiding grace, Baha’u’llah is making us gently aware of the potentialities, qualities and attributes of the Entity called the Primal Will of God, an Entity that throughout the recorded and unrecorded history of man’s existence on this planet has presented Itself as Manifestations of God in our midst.

• The word ‘dayspring’ is defined in the dictionary as ‘dawn’ and the word ‘Almighty’ as ‘having unlimited power and all-powerful.’ So, our “partial and imperfect” understanding will lead us to postulate that just like our physical sun that when it rises at dawn it provides us with a smaller measure of its greater potency that we could experience at noon, similarly, we should perhaps view the attribute of “Almighty” with respect to the spiritual Sun. In other words, although “Almighty” is one of the “names” of the Manifestation of God and that it implies ‘having unlimited power, and the all-powerful’, it does not mean that it represents the full potency of the powers with which God has endowed His Primal Will with His “Names” and Their progressive appearances through His Manifestations.

• Becoming aware that the attribute of “Almighty” is one of the characteristics of the Manifestation of God and then to whole-heartedly accept and embrace it, must be an aspect of our spiritual transformation – a transformation that, with time, will help us to increase our heartfelt posture of humility when interacting with the Word of God. Some of Baha’u’llah’s Writings will naturally evoke such responses. For example the following passage:

“It is in Our power, should We wish it, to enable a speck of floating dust to generate, in less than the twinkling of an eye, suns of infinite, of unimaginable splendour, to cause a dewdrop to develop into vast and numberless oceans, to infuse into every letter such a force as to empower it to unfold all the knowledge of past and future ages. This, in truth, is a matter simple of accomplishment. Such have been the evidences of My power from the beginning that hath no beginning until the end that hath no end. My creatures, however, have been oblivious of My power, have repudiated My sovereignty, and contended with Mine own Self, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 39)

• The last line of Paragraph 1.38 is a further confirmation of the power that the Creator has endowed His Manifestations. We should have full faith and confidence in Baha’u’llah’s Words when He says “Potent am I to fulfil that which My tongue speaketh.” As we study and ponder on the Word of God revealed through Baha’u’llah, we should remind ourselves of this fact and be certain that His Words are laden with incredible powers that will impact every aspect of our individual and collective lives on our planet. Here is an example:

“Of old it hath been revealed: "Love of one's country is an element of the Faith of God." The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 95)

Paragraph 1.37

2010-03-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

"O First Letter of this Temple, betokening the Essence of Divinity! We have made thee the treasury of My Will and the repository of My Purpose unto all who are in the kingdoms of revelation and creation. This is but a token of the grace of Him Who is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

Comments:

• In the Endnotes section of the Summons of the Lord of Hosts book we read an explanation concerning the first line of this paragraph:

"The word Haykal (Temple) is composed in Arabic of the four letters Ha', Ya', Kaf and Lam (HYKL). Its first letter is taken to symbolize the word Huviyyah (Essence of Divinity); its second letter the word Qadir (Almighty), of which Ya' is the third letter; its third letter the word Karim (All-Bountiful); and its fourth letter the word Fadl (Grace), of which Lam is the third letter."

• Scholars of the Faith have indicated that the word "Haykal" (Temple) is generally used in both Arabic and Persian languages. Its root is traced back to the Sumerian language where it referred to a physical temple, a place of worship or a castle -- a concept used in the Judo-Christian religions to mainly refer to the Jerusalem temple. In Arabic and Persian it has many meanings and connotations among them is the body or temple of a human being.

• In the Baha’i context, we will see later in Paragraph 1.44 that Baha’u’llah addresses His human temple as the Haykal (Temple):
“Say: Naught is seen in My temple but the Temple of God and in My beauty but His Beauty, and in My being but His Being, and in My self but His Self, and in My movement but His Movement and in My acquiescence but His Acquiescence, and in My pen but His Pen, the Mighty, the All-Praised. There hath not been in My soul but the Truth, and in Myself naught could be seen but God.” (Baha’u’llah, Summons of the Lord of Host, p. 23)

• The concept of the Haykal (Temple), in the form of the human temple and representing the Person of Bahá'u'lláh, in itself invokes many thoughts and opens many doors to a deeper understanding of His Revelation. Whereas the human temple is made of flesh and bone, the Haykal is constituted of the Word of God. It is portrayed vividly by Bahá'u'lláh in this celebrated Surih, and He adds more mystery and realism to it when He addresses some limbs and organs of that Temple as well as the letters (H, Y, K, and L) which constitute the word. Every word and letter uttered by the Manifestation of God assumes meaning and significance beyond the understanding of man. For example, there are lengthy Tablets revealed by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh explaining the meaning of only one letter mentioned in the Holy Books of older religions. … In the Suriy-i-Haykal, Bahá'u'lláh reveals the significance of the letters which form the word 'Haykal', and the potentialities with which each one has been invested by God. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 3, p. 134)

• With this background, let’s explore the contents of Paragraph 1. 37. First we read: “O First Letter of this Temple, betokening the Essence of Divinity! We have made thee the treasury of My Will and the repository of My Purpose unto all who are in the kingdoms of revelation and creation.” This is the letter Ha, which Baha’u’llah explains it represents the “the Essence of Divinity”, in other words, God – but keeping in mind that, in lieu of Baha’u’llah’s other explanations, this is mainly with respect to the kingdoms of revelation and creation, which, we understand, the latter also includes life beyond.

• Another thing to keep in mind is that although the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is immeasurably great and His station infinitely glorious, we should keep in mind that He is a “Manifestation” of God and the “Perfect Mirror” reflecting all the attributes of God and not God, the Invisible and the Inaccessible. The following explanation by Shoghi Effendi is very helpful in this regard:

"The divinity attributed to so great a Being [Bahá'u'lláh] and the complete incarnation of the names and attributes of God in so exalted a Person should, under no circumstances, be misconceived or misinterpreted. The human temple that has been made the vehicle of so overpowering a Revelation must, if we be faithful to the tenets of our Faith, ever remain entirely distinguished from that 'innermost Spirit of Spirits' and 'eternal Essence of Essences' -- that invisible yet rational God Who, however much we extol the divinity of His Manifestations on earth, can in no wise incarnate His infinite, His unknowable, His incorruptible and all-embracing Reality in the concrete and limited frame of a mortal being. Indeed, the God Who could so incarnate His own reality would, in the light of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, cease immediately to be God. So crude and fantastic a theory of Divine incarnation is as removed from, and incompatible with, the essentials of Bahá'í belief as are the no less inadmissible pantheistic and anthropomorphic conceptions of God -- both of which the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh emphatically repudiate and the fallacy of which they expose."

"He Who in unnumbered passages claimed His utterance to be the 'Voice of Divinity, the Call of God Himself' thus solemnly affirms in the Kitáb-i-Íqán: 'To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immeasurably exalted beyond every human attribute such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress... He is, and hath ever been, veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men... He standeth exalted beyond and above all separation and union, all proximity and remoteness... 'God was alone; there was none else beside Him' is a sure testimony of this truth.'"

"'From time immemorial,' Bahá'u'lláh, speaking of God, explains, 'He, the Divine Being, hath been veiled in the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery of His unknowable Essence... Ten thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck upon the Sinai of their search at God's forbidding voice, "Thou shalt never behold Me!"; whilst a myriad Messengers, each as great as Jesus, stand dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction "Mine Essence thou shalt never apprehend!"' 'How bewildering to me, insignificant as I am,' Bahá'u'lláh in His communion with God affirms, 'is the attempt to fathom the sacred depths of Thy knowledge! How futile my efforts to visualize the magnitude of the power inherent in Thine handiwork -- the revelation of Thy creative power!' 'When I contemplate, O My God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee,' He, in yet another prayer revealed in His own handwriting, testifies, 'I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am God!"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!'" (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 112)

• Furthermore, we learn from Paragraph 1.37 that as far as the “the kingdoms of revelation and creation” are concerned, the letter Ha is “the treasury” [a place where treasure is kept] of the “Will” and “Purpose” of the Entity that manifests Itself through all the Manifestations of God, namely the Primal Will of God. Again, an awesome reminder of the incredibly high and exalted station of the Manifestations of God!

• Maybe the insights that we are gaining by studying this magnificent Tablet will help us appreciate further those 4 or 5 days in the Baha’i calendar that are called the Ayyam-i-Ha, Days of “Ha”!

Paragraph 1.36

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"O Living Temple! We have, in very truth, appointed Thee to be the sign of My majesty amidst all that hath been and all that shall be, and have ordained Thee to be the emblem of My Cause betwixt the heavens and the earth, through My word "Be", and it is!"

Comments:

• In this and the succeeding three paragraphs, we get further glimpses of that incredible realm associated with the Manifestation of God – its majesty, power and grandeur -- as well as its numerous mysteries. It is as if, Baha’u’llah, in His loving grace, is helping us, the humanity, based on our current state of comprehension, to become more aware of our very dependence on the Manifestation of God, a dependence the acknowledgment of which will impact our process of spiritual growth and maturation.

• There are many references in the Writings of Baha’u’llah concerning the station of the Manifestation of God and our inability, as human beings, to fully understand it. For example:

I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being and the Possessor of all things visible and invisible! Every man of understanding hath been so bewildered at Thy knowledge, and every man endued with insight been so perplexed in his attempt to fathom the signs of Thy great glory, that all have recognized their powerlessness to visualize, and their impotence to soar into, the heaven wherefrom one of the Luminaries of the Manifestations of Thy knowledge and of the Day-Springs of Thy wisdom hath shone forth. Who is he that shall befittingly describe this most sublime station and this most august seat -- the seat which, as decreed by Thee, transcendeth the comprehension of Thy creatures and the testimonies of Thy servants, and which hath everlastingly been hid from the understanding and the knowledge of men, and been closed with the seal of Thy name, the Self-Subsisting. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 279).

• Another way to remind ourselves about the exalted station of the Manifestation of God and our inability as human beings to enter that domain and understand it is by reflecting on passages in the Writings containing the phrase ‘Sadratu'l Muntaha’ –literally meaning 'the tree beyond which there is no passing'. Arabs in ancient times used to plant it at the end of a road, to serve as a guide. Adib Taherzadeh explains it this way: “The Manifestations of God, by virtue of the Holy Spirit which animates Them, dwell in a kingdom of Their own far above the world of humanity and dominate the destiny of mankind. Though basically human, They abide in the realms of the Spirit beyond the reach of man. Bahá'u'lláh has described this station as that of the Sadratu'l-Muntaha, which can be translated as 'the tree beyond which there is no passing.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 2)

• With this brief background, let’s review the contents of Paragraph 1.36. Reminding ourselves, as it was explained in the comments associated with Paragraph 1.17, that it is the voice of Baha’u’llah [representing the Primal Will of God] that is addressing Baha’u’llah throughout this Tablet, we learn that:

     o the “Living Temple” of Baha’u’llah is “in very truth” “The sign” of the “majesty” of that Entity which represents all the Manifestations of God – namely the Primal Will of God;
     o that this representation is “amidst all that hath been and all that shall be”; and
     o that the “Living Temple” of Baha’u’llah is “ordained” to be the “emblem” of the Cause of God between “the heavens and the earth”!

The last reference brings to one’s attention the subject of life on other planets and their relation with this “emblem” of the Cause of God.

• We can’t help but to acknowledge the fact that such very powerful references about the stupendous station of Baha’u’llah and its exposure to humanity make us feel awe struck at the incredible privilege of being allowed, through His grace, to be His followers. We also know, based on Baha’u’llah’s explanations, that all the Manifestations of God “have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity … The other is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined Revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfills a definite Mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 174-76)

• Our sense of gratefulness for being followers of Baha’u’llah increases as we reflect on Baha’u’llah’s relation with future Manifestations of God and their role in “the later ages-after the unification of the whole human race is achieved …”. The foloowing two quotes from the Guardian are very helpful in this regard:

…. a Dispensation [Baha’u’llah’s] which, as the Author of the Faith has Himself categorically asserted, must extend over a period of no less than one thousand years, and which will constitute the first stage in a series of Dispensations, to be established by future Manifestations, all deriving their inspiration from the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation, and destined to last, in their aggregate, no less than five thousand centuries.... (Shoghi Effendi, the Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 290)

After Bahá'u'lláh many Prophets will, no doubt, appear, but they will be all under His shadow. Although they may abrogate the laws of the Dispensation, in accordance with the needs and requirements of the age in which they appear, they nevertheless draw their spiritual force from this mighty Revelation. The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh constitutes, indeed, the stage of maturity in the development of mankind. His appearance has released such spiritual forces which will continue to animate, for many long years to come, the world in its development. Whatever progress may be achieved in the later ages-after the unification of the whole human race is achieved -- will be but improvements in the machinery of the world. For the machinery itself has already been created by Bahá'u'lláh. The task of continually improving and perfecting this machinery is one which later Prophets will be called upon to achieve. They will move and work within the orbit of Bahá'í cycle. (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, November 14, 1935; Lights of Guidance, p. 473)

Paragraph 1.35

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"Should any one of them be called upon to confront all the hosts of creation, he would assuredly prevail through the ascendancy of My Will. This, verily, is a proof of My power, though My creatures comprehend it not. This, verily, is a sign of My sovereignty, though My subjects understand it not. This, verily, is a token of My command, though My servants perceive it not. This, verily, is an evidence of Mine ascendancy, though none amongst the people is truly thankful for it, save those whose eyes God hath illumined with the light of His knowledge, whose hearts He hath made the repository of His Revelation, and upon whose shoulders He hath placed the weight of His Cause. These shall inhale the fragrances of the All-Merciful from the garment of His Name, and shall rejoice at all times in the signs and verses of their Lord. As for those who disbelieve in God, and join partners with Him, they shall indeed incur His wrath, shall be cast into the Fire, and shall be made to dwell, fearful and dismayed, in its depths. Thus do We expound Our verses, and make plain the truth with clear proofs, that perchance the people may reflect upon the signs of their Lord."

Comments:

• Speaking of those “people” whom Baha’u’llah indicated in Paragraph 1.34 He would “raise up”, “who will arise to win victory for” Him and “will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly”, Baha’u’llah further explains in this Paragraph that each one of these “people” “would assuredly prevail” “through the ascendancy” of His “Will”.

• The creation of such “people” and their triumph in fulfilling their mission, Baha’u’llah confirms, is:

o “a sign of My sovereignty, though My subjects understand it not”;
o “a token of My command, though My servants perceive it not”;
o “an evidence of Mine ascendancy, though none amongst the people is truly thankful for it, save those whose eyes God hath illumined with the light of His knowledge, whose hearts He hath made the repository of His Revelation, and upon whose shoulders He hath placed the weight of His Cause.”

• Reflecting on such phrases should help us further appreciate the majesty and the power of the Manifestation of God. We also become aware that to “understand”, to “perceive” and to become “truly thankful” of these powers of the Manifestation of God, are all conditional on the Will of the Manifestation of God Himself.

• Another insight we gain from this paragraph is that those believers whom Baha’u’llah’s grace has allowed their “eyes” to be “illumined with the light of His knowledge” and their “hearts” to become “the repository of His Revelation”, they also have the privilege of carrying “the weight of the Cause” that He has “placed” on their “shoulders”! Among the many spiritual rewards that these believers will receive from our Lord is their ability to “inhale the fragrances of the All-Merciful from the garment of His Name” and to “rejoice at all times in the signs and verses of their Lord.”

• We know that the history of the Faith provides us with many heroes and heroines who did exceptional services for the Cause. Studying their lives will be very inspirational in motivating and sustaining us in our humble attempts. Please visit Baha’i Heroes and Heroines

• Another spiritual point that Baha’u’llah brings to our attention in this Paragraph concerns God’s “wrath” with respect to those who “disbelieve in God, and join partners with Him …” Let’s do a light exploration of these themes in light of the Writings, starting with those who “disbelieve in God.” In the following passage from the Writings of the Bab we become aware that a main criteria for believing in God is the recognition of His Manifestation:

O peoples of the world! Whatsoever ye have offered up in the way of the One True God, ye shall indeed find preserved by God, the Preserver, intact at God's Holy Gate. O peoples of the earth! Bear ye allegiance unto this resplendent light wherewith God hath graciously invested Me through the power of infallible Truth, and walk not in the footsteps of the Evil One, inasmuch as he prompteth you to disbelieve in God, your Lord, and verily God will not forgive disbelief in Himself, though He will forgive other sins to whomsoever He pleaseth. Indeed His knowledge embraceth all things...
(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 48)

• Concerning those who “join partners” with God: In unequivocal language Bahá'u'lláh acknowledges that the essence of the Manifestation of God is exalted above all humanity and that He cannot join partners with anyone. The following reference from Baha’u’llah is very educational in this regard:

And now concerning thy reference to the existence of two Gods. Beware, beware, lest thou be led to join partners with the Lord, thy God. He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting. He hath assigned no associate unto Himself in His Kingdom, no counsellor to counsel Him, none to compare unto Him, none to rival His glory. To this every atom of the universe beareth witness, and beyond it the inmates of the realms on high, they that occupy the most exalted seats, and whose names are remembered before the Throne of Glory.

Bear thou witness in thine inmost heart unto this testimony which God hath Himself and for Himself pronounced, that there is none other God but Him, that all else besides Him have been created by His behest, have been fashioned by His leave, are subject 193 to His law, are as a thing forgotten when compared to the glorious evidences of His oneness, and are as nothing when brought face to face with the mighty revelations of His unity.

He, in truth, hath, throughout eternity, been one in His Essence, one in His attributes, one in His works. Any and every comparison is applicable only to His creatures, and all conceptions of association are conceptions that belong solely to those that serve Him. Immeasurably exalted is His Essence above the descriptions of His creatures. He, alone, occupieth the Seat of transcendent majesty, of supreme and inaccessible glory. The birds of men's hearts, however high they soar, can never hope to attain the heights of His unknowable Essence. It is He Who hath called into being the whole of creation, Who hath caused every created thing to spring forth at His behest. Shall, then, the thing that was born by virtue of the word which His Pen hath revealed, and which the finger of His Will hath directed, be regarded as partner with Him, or an embodiment of His Self? Far be it from His glory that human pen or tongue should hint at His mystery, or that human heart conceive His Essence. All else besides Him stand poor and desolate at His door, all are powerless before the greatness of His might, all are but slaves in His Kingdom. He is rich enough to dispense with all creatures.

The tie of servitude established between the worshiper and the adored One, between the creature and the Creator, should in itself be regarded as a token of His gracious favor unto men, and not as an indication of any merit they may possess. To this testifieth every true and discerning believer. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 192)

• And, concerning “His [God’s] wrath”, the following excerpt from a letter written on behalf of the Guardian provides helpful insights:

As regards the passages in the sacred writings indicating the wrath of God; Shoghi Effendi says that the Divinity has many attributes: He is loving and merciful but also just. Just as reward and punishment, according to Bahá'u'lláh, are the pillars upon which society rests, so mercy and justice may be considered as their counterpart in the world to come. Should we disobey God and work against His commands He will view our acts in the light of justice and punish us for it. That punishment may not be in the form of fire, as some believe, but in the form of spiritual deprivation and degradation. This is why we read so often in the prayers statements such as "God do not deal with us with justice, but rather through thy infinite mercy." The wrath of God is in the administration of His justice, both in this world and in the world to come. A God that is only loving or only just is not a perfect God. The divinity has to possess both of these aspects as every father ought to express both in his attitude towards his children. If we ponder a while, we will see that our welfare can be insured only when both of these divine attributes are equally emphasised and practiced. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in Arohanui - Letters to New Zealand, p. 32)

Paragraph 1.34

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"Erelong shall God draw forth, out of the bosom of power, the hands of ascendancy and might, and shall raise up a people who will arise to win victory for this Youth and who will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly. These hands will gird up their loins to champion the Faith of God, and will, in My name the Self-Subsistent, the Mighty, subdue the peoples and kindreds of the earth. They will enter the cities and will inspire with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants. Such are the evidences of the might of God; how fearful, how vehement is His might, and how justly doth He wield it! He, verily, ruleth and transcendeth all who are in the heavens and on the earth, and revealeth what He desireth according to a prescribed measure."

Comments:

• We explored the historical background associated with the metaphor of drawing forth “out of the bosom” in the comments portion associated with Paragraph 1.23.

• In this paragraph Baha’u’llah makes a reference to the appearance of “a people”, raised by God, who “will arise to win victory” for Baha’u’llah and who “will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly.” Let’s consult the Writings to see how we could enrich our understanding about these two groups of people, the ungodly and the outcasts. Before we do it, let’s remind ourselves that all we could do is to “strive” to gain a better perspective on such issues in light of the explanations provided in the Writings and that this “learning” process has no end, as Baha’u’llah has stated: “Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth for ever, thou must, likewise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted. They who are its appointed interpreters, they whose hearts are the repositories of its secrets, are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom.” (Baha'u’llah, Gleanings LXXXIX) And, that furthermore, Baha’u’llah has said: “"Verily I say! No one hath apprehended the root of this Cause. It is incumbent upon everyone, in this day, to perceive with the eye of God, and to hearken with His ear. Whoso beholdeth Me with an eye besides Mine own will never be able to know Me. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi inThe Advent of Divine Justice, p. 77)

• Responding to a question raised by one of the believers about a passage in the Tablet of Ahmad concerning the phrase to 'eschew all fellowship with the ungodly”, the Guardian explained that: "In the passage 'eschew all fellowship with the ungodly’, Bahá'u'lláh means that we should shun the company of those who disbelieve in God and are wayward. The word 'ungodly' is a reference to such perverse people. (Shoghi Effendi: Dawn of a New Day, p. 200; Lights of Guidance, p. 483)

• A review of some passages from the Writings will further help us appreciate the context in which the word “ungodly” is used. It appears that the phrase “ungodly” could be a reference to individuals, things, or vices. These passages are summarized below:

    Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 28)

    Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 325)

    Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants have left their homes in their longing to meet Thee, and how they have been hindered by the ungodly from looking upon Thy face, and from circumambulating the sanctuary of Thy grandeur. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 18)

    Thou seest, therefore, O Thou Beloved of the world, Him Who is dear to Thee in the clutches of such as have denied Thee, and beholdest Thy heart's desire under the swords of the ungodly (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 40)

    The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his Lord and set his heart on things ungodly.(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 156)

    O would that that which interveneth between the children of men and their Creator were dispelled that they might be enabled to behold God's invincible sovereignty and dominion, quaff from the wellspring of His heavenly streams, be sprinkled with the outpourings of the ocean of true understanding and be purged from the defilements of the ungodly and the suspicious. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 186)

    At this moment We call to remembrance Our loved ones and bring them the joyous tidings of God's unfailing grace and of the things that have been provided for them in My lucid Book. Ye have tolerated the censure of the enemies for the sake of My love and have steadfastly endured in My Path the grievous cruelties which the ungodly have inflicted upon you. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 246)

    Obey ye My commandments, and follow not the ungodly, they who have been reckoned as sinners in God's Holy Tablet. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 43)

    Hast thou not heard how with one single verse He hath sundered light from darkness, the righteous from the ungodly, and the believing from the infidel? (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 111)

    Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

    O YE SONS OF SPIRIT!
    Ye are My treasury, for in you I have treasured the pearls of My mysteries and the gems of My knowledge. Guard them from the strangers amidst My servants and from the ungodly amongst My people. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

    The company of the ungodly increaseth sorrow, whilst fellowship with the righteous cleanseth the rust from off the heart. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

    O SON OF DUST!
    Beware! Walk not with the ungodly and seek not fellowship with him, for such companionship turneth the radiance of the heart into infernal fire (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

    Say: O people! Is it your wish to conceal the beauty of the Sun behind the veils of your own selfish desires, or to prevent the Spirit from raising its melodies within this sanctified and luminous breast? Fear ye God, and contend not with Him Who representeth the Godhead. Dispute not with the One at Whose bidding the letter "B" was created and joined with its mighty foundation. Believe in the Messengers of God and His sovereign might, and in the Self of God and His majesty. Follow not those who have repudiated what they had once believed, and who have sought for themselves a station after their own fancy; these, truly, are of the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 31)

    Follow the Lord of glory and dominion, and not every ungodly oppressor. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 60)

    The pure in heart behold the Kingdom of God manifest before His Face. Make haste thereunto and follow not the infidel and the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 64)

• We are further told in this Paragraph that those people that Baha’u’llah’s “hands of ascendancy and might” “shall raise up” will:
o “arise to win victory” for Him;
o “purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly”;
o “champion the Faith of God”;
o “subdue the peoples and kindreds of the earth” in Baha’u’llah’s Name, “the Self-Subsistent, the Mighty”; and
o “will enter the cities and will inspire with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants.”

• It’s a thought provoking concept: to “inspire with fear the hearts of” people! Baha’u’llah reminds us that the “might” of the Manifestation of God is “vehement”, and “fearful”, and that He would use it “justly”. Furthermore, that the Manifestation of God “ruleth and transcendeth all who are in the heavens and on the earth” and that He “revealeth what He desireth according to a prescribed measure.”

Paragraph 1.33

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"Say: O people! This is the Hand of God, which hath ever been above your own hands, could ye but understand. Within its grasp We have ordained all the good of the heavens and the earth, such that no good shall be made manifest but that it proceedeth therefrom. Thus have We made it the source and treasury of all good both aforetime and hereafter. Say: The rivers of divine wisdom and utterance which flowed through the Tablets of God are joined to this Most Great Ocean, could ye but perceive it, and whatever hath been set forth in His Books hath attained its final consummation in this most exalted Word -- a Word shining above the horizon of the Will of the All-Glorious in this Revelation which hath filled with delight all things seen and unseen."

Comments:

• A reminder that the “Hand of God”, as represented by His Manifestation, is “above” the “hands” of people. This is very comforting and reassuring!

• Furthermore, we are being educated in this paragraph that Baha’u’llah has “ordained” within the grasp of the Manifestation of God “all the good of the heavens and the earth”, and that the Manifestation of God is “the source and treasury of all good” for present, past and future. Also, knowing that “no good shall be made manifest” unless it “proceedeth” from the Manifestation of God. These are all very interesting concepts and realities to reflect on. They will enrich our overall attitude towards life and people.

• Let’s do some reflection on the phrase: “The rivers of divine wisdom and utterance which flowed through the Tablets of God are joined to this Most Great Ocean ..”. In one of His Tablets Baha’u’llah explains that:

The river Jordan is joined to the Most Great Ocean, and the Son, in the holy vale, crieth out: 'Here am I, here am I, O Lord, my God!', whilst Sinai circleth round the House, and the Burning Bush calleth aloud: 'He Who is the Desired One is come in His transcendent majesty.' Say, Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled! This is the Word which the Son concealed, when to those around Him He said: ' Ye cannot bear it now. ' And when the appointed time was fulfilled and the Hour had struck, the Word shone forth above the horizon of the Will of God. Beware, O followers of the Son, that ye cast it not behind your backs. Take ye fast hold of it. Better is this for you than all that ye possess. (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 11)

The Guardian elaborates: “And finally, in several passages addressed to the entire body of the followers of Jesus Christ He identifies Himself with the ‘Father’ spoken of by Isaiah, with the ‘Comforter’ Whose Covenant He Who is the Spirit (Jesus) had Himself established, and with the ‘Spirit of Truth’ Who will guide them ‘into all truth’; proclaims His Day to be the Day of God; announces the conjunction of the river Jordan with the ‘Most Great Ocean’; asserts their heedlessness as well as His own claim to have opened unto them ‘the gates of the kingdom’; affirms that the promised ‘Temple’ has been built ‘with the hands of the will’ of their Lord, the Mighty, the Bounteous; bids them ‘rend the veils asunder,’ and enter in His name His Kingdom; recalls the saying of Jesus to Peter; and assures them that, if they choose to follow Him, He will make them to become ‘quickeners of mankind.’” (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 210)

"Regarding your questions: There is no record in history, or in the teachings, of a Prophet similar in Station to Bahá'u'lláh, having lived 500,000 years ago. There will, however, be one similar to Him in greatness after the lapse of 500,000 years, but we cannot say definitely that His Revelation will be inter-planetary in scope. We can only say that such a thing may be possible. What Bahá'u'lláh means by His appearance in 'other worlds' He has not defined, as we could not visualize them in our present state, hence He was indefinite, and we cannot say whether He meant other planets or not..." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 24, 1941; Lights of Guidance, p. 471)

"Bahá'u'lláh is not the Intermediary between other Manifestations and God. Each has His own relation to the Primal Source. But in the sense that Bahá'u'lláh is the greatest Manifestation to yet appear, the One Who consummates the Revelation of Moses. He was the One Moses conversed with in the Burning Bush. In other words Bahá'u'lláh identifies the Glory of God-Head on that occasion with Himself. No distinction can be made amongst the Prophets in the sense that They all proceed from One Source, and are of One Essence. But their stations and function in this world are different." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, October 19, 1947; Lights of Guidance, p. 471)

We also come across this explanation from Adib Taherzadeh: “It is important to note that the mission of all the Manifestations of God in the prophetic cycle, up to and including Muhammad, was to prophesy the advent of the Day of God. Hence they are included in the 'Prophetic Cycle'. Muhammad was the last one among them and is therefore designated 'Seal of the Prophets'. Bahá'u'lláh's claim, on the other hand, makes it clear that He is not a Prophet in the category of those who prophesy, but His station is that of the Supreme Manifestation of God who inaugurates the 'Cycle of Fulfilment' and ushers in the Day of God whose advent had been so clearly foretold by all the Prophets gone before Him. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 32)

The following reference from the Bab puts things in an interesting context:

“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)

• In light of the above explanations, in particular, the Guardian’s point that the only difference among the Manifestations and Prophets of God is with respect to “their stations and function in this world” and that according to the Bab They are all the appearances of the “Primal Will of God”, let’s read that phrase from Baha’u’llah again and see what new insights we gain from the metaphor of “rivers” (representing previous religions) joining with the “Most Great Ocean”.

• And, just like the way we see in nature that various rivers eventually, one way or the other, join the ocean, all previous religions, according to Baha’u’llah, attain their “final consummation” with this “Most Great Ocean” which He equates with the Word of God in this Dispensation, “a Word shining above the horizon of the Will of the All-Glorious in this Revelation which hath filled with delight all things seen and unseen.”

• Lastly, notice the effect of the Word of God that Baha’u’llah has brought into being. It has “filled with delight all things seen and unseen.” Amazing, isn’t it!? Makes one feel very grateful for having recognized Baha’u’llah!? Let’s remember in our prayers those souls (both this world and the next) who have been instrumental in our journey of recognition and perseverance.

Paragraph 1.32

2010-02-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

"Say: O people! Can ye ever hope to escape the sovereign power of your Lord? By the righteousness of God! No refuge will ye find in this day, and no one to protect you, save those upon whom God hath bestowed the favour of His mercy. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. Say: O people! Forsake all that ye possess, and enter beneath the shadow of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Better is this for you than all your works of the past and of the future. Fear ye God, and deprive not yourselves of the sweet savours of the days of the Lord of all names and attributes. Take heed lest ye alter or pervert the text of the Word of God. Walk ye in the fear of God, and be numbered with the righteous."

Comments:

• Let’s remind ourselves about this phrase in Paragraph 1.31:

“O Living Temple! Stretch forth Thy hand over all who are in heaven and on earth, and seize within the grasp of Thy Will the reins of command. We have, verily, placed in Thy right hand the empire of all things. Do as Thou willest, and fear not the ignorant.”

In Paragraph 1.32 we are being educated that indeed there is no way that one could “escape the sovereign power” of the Manifestation of God – whether a person accepts this fact or not is a different story. Having acknowledged this fact, one can then humbly bow down to the realization that unless he becomes the recipient of God’s “mercy”, through His Manifestation, he could find no “refuge …in this day, and no one to protect …[him] ..” See how much we need to crave for God’ mercy and how Baha’u’llah assures us that “He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.”

• The phrase: “Forsake all that ye possess, and enter beneath the shadow of your Lord, the All-Merciful.” brings to one’s attention the principle of detachment. Detachment from all that one “possess” is not an easy task, but we are called upon to work on it, so with Baha’u’llah’s help we gradually become more detached from what we possess and more attached to what Baha’u’llah wants for us. This reference from the beloved Guardian puts it in an interesting context:

"The great thing is to 'live the life' - to have our lives so saturated with the Divine teachings and the Baha'i Spirit that people cannot fail to see a joy, a power, a love, a purity, a radiance, an efficiency in our character and work that will distinguish us from worldly-minded people and make people wonder what is the secret of this new life in us.” (From a letter dated February 14, 1925 written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer; printed in The Baha'i Life p.2)

• This paragraph also brings to our attention the whole concept of the “fear of God”, our own need to become more educated and familiar with it, and its inclusion in our daily lives to a point where we could begin to “walk .. in the fear of God”. Just like the process through which babies learns how to walk, we too need to use the gift of our own volition and gradually train our spirit with the skills needed for this metaphoric walk. Perhaps a good starting point would be to improve our own understanding of how the “fear of God” is explained in the Baha’i Writings.

Paragraph 1.31

2010-01-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

"O Living Temple! Stretch forth Thy hand over all who are in heaven and on earth, and seize within the grasp of Thy Will the reins of command. We have, verily, placed in Thy right hand the empire of all things. Do as Thou willest, and fear not the ignorant. Reach out to the Tablet that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of Thy Lord, and take hold of it with such strength that, through Thee, the hands of all who inhabit the earth may be enabled to lay fast hold upon it. This, in truth, is that which becometh Thee, if Thou be of those who understand. Through the upraising of Thy hand to the heaven of My grace, the hands of all created things shall be lifted up to their Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious. Erelong shall We raise up, through the aid of Thy hand, other hands endued with power, with strength and might, and shall establish through them Our dominion over all that dwell in the realms of revelation and creation. Thus will the servants of God recognize the truth that there is none other God beside Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. With these hands, moreover, We shall both bestow and withhold, though none can understand this save those who see with the eye of the spirit."

Comments:

• It will be helpful if we took a minute and reminded ourselves about the Entity that speaks with the voice of God in this paragraph. It was explained with respect to Paragraph 1.17 that 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!

• Paragraph 1.31 educates us about the power and authority of the Manifestation of God.:
o Their “hand” is “over all who are in heaven and on earth”;
o “the reins of command” is seize[d] within the grasp of .. [Their] Will”;
o “in .. [Their] right hand” is “placed … the empire of all things”; and
o They can “Do” as they “will”!
It’s amazing, isn’t it!

• We also notice that Baha’u’llah is being advised not to “fear … the ignorant”. Let’s explore this point a bit by first posing a question: who is defined as being “ignorant” and then why should the Manifestation of God be told not to fear him. Knowing the fact that all we could do, in the words of the Universal House of Justice, is to arrive at a “partial and imperfect understanding” (The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986, p. 389), of the issues involved, let’s consult the Writings on these two points.

• Who in the Writings is defined as being “ignorant”? A cursory examination of some references from the Writings show that there are two broad categories related to “ignorant”. One, referred below as Positive, are those individuals and conditions where one becomes aware of his own ignorance in relation to the majestic Teachings of the Manifestation of God. The other category, referred to as Negative below, pertain to those individuals who follow their own “idle imaginings”, are bereft of spiritual understanding, exalting themselves above the Manifestation of God, and some of whom even rise in vehement opposition to Him.

o Positive Aspects/Conditions:

    The one who is “seeking the ocean of Thy [God’s] knowledge” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 3)
    Each human being, constitutionally is ignorant since he “is prone to err, and is ignorant of the mysteries that lie enfolded within him.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 186)
    The one who is “ignorant of all things except what God hath, through His bountiful favor, been pleased to teach” him through His Manifestation. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 122)
    The one who allowed to become “enlightened” through God’s “names” (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 236)
    Those who set their “faces toward the ocean of Thy [God’s] wisdom. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 245)
    Baha’u’llah tells us to “strive … to attain that which ye have been promised in the Books of God, and walk not in the way of the ignorant.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 11).
    That “blessed” soul who “seeketh the fountain of My [Baha’u’llah’s] knowledge..” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 16)
    When training “the children in the principles of religion” we should do it “in such a measure that it may not injure the children by resulting in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 68)
    “The people are ignorant, and they stand in need of those who will expound the truth.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 170)
    “Take ye hold of the precepts of God with all your strength and power, and abandon the ways of the ignorant. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 41)
    In a prayer we say: “We are ignorant; make us wise. We are dead; make us alive. We are material; endow us with spirit.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i Prayers, p. 110)
    “Fear God, and be not of those who are ignorant.” (Baha’u’llah, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 107)
    “While the human world is helping the animal and developing the vegetable kingdoms, these kingdoms are unconscious of it. Similarly, the human world cannot comprehend the world of the Kingdom; it is absolutely ignorant of the Kingdom, while the heavenly spirits have influence in the human world.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 442)
    “No doubt we will find in the human world souls who are ignorant; we must make them knowing.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 348)

o Negative Aspects:

    Those individuals “who gave full rein to their personal desires”. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 62)
    The one “that hath been shut out as by a veil from God” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 102)
    Those who would “fail to attain unto even a sprinkling of the oceans of divine knowledge or the crystal streams of divine power” (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 16)
    “Those who are ignorant or heedless of the motivating purpose of the Cause of God have rebelled against Him. Such men are the foreboders of evil, whom God hath mentioned in His Book and Tablets and against whose influence, clamour and deception He hath warned His people.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 123)
    Those “who fondly imagine that Wisdom is to give vent to one's idle imaginings and to repudiate God, the Lord of all men”. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 150)
    Those who in “these days … have debarred themselves from the effusions of divine grace by following in the footsteps of every ignorant one that hath gone astray. They have cast the Ocean of divine knowledge behind their backs and fixed their eyes upon such foolish men as claim to be well versed in learning without being supported by any evidence from God, the Lord of mankind.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 251)
    Those people who though “have no portion of the radiance of Divine Beauty, make certain claims, and in every age and cycle inflict on the people of the sea of oneness what they themselves deserve.” (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 21)
    "Knowledge is a single point, but the ignorant have multiplied it." (An Islamic Hadith quoted by Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 24)
    “The actions and deeds will be accepted after coming (to the truth), and the one who turneth away from it, is indeed of those who are the most ignorant; thus hath it been decreed on the part of the powerful, the able.” (Baha’u’llah, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 112)

• There also appears to be those ignorant individuals who were not only “heedless” towards the Message that was brought forth by Baha’u’llah but were “rebellious” and not “content with opposition” only. Speaking of them Baha’u’llah says that “all times they are plotting to cut down the sacred Lote-Tree. Since the dawn of this Revelation the embodiments of selfishness have, by resorting to cruelty and oppression, striven to extinguish the Light of divine manifestation. But God, having stayed their hands, revealed this Light through His sovereign authority and protected it through the power of His might until earth and heaven were illumined by its radiance and brightness.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 33). Speaking of those ignorant individuals who while “heedless of the motivating purpose of the Cause of God” nevertheless they “rebelled against Him”, Baha’u’llah compares them to “the foreboders of evil, whom God hath mentioned in His Book and Tablets and against whose influence, clamour and deception He hath warned His people.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 123)

• The history of the Faith provides ample examples of how the early believers were not afraid of those who were vehemently opposing the Faith -- they learned how to teach the Faith with wisdom so they would not excite or antagonize the ignorant religious authorities.

• “Throughout His ministry Bahá'u'lláh exhorted His followers to teach the Cause of God with great wisdom. He did not approve of teaching the public indiscriminately. He repeatedly advised the believers in Persia, especially after the martyrdom of Badi', that for their own safety and the protection of the Cause they should exercise care and prudence in their approach to people and not excite or antagonize them. In one of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh counsels His followers:

“In this Day, We can neither approve the conduct of the fearful that seeketh to dissemble his faith, nor sanction the behaviour of the avowed believer that clamorously asserteth his allegiance to this Cause. Both should observe the dictates of wisdom, and strive diligently to serve the best interests of the Faith.” (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, p. 343)

“The great majority of Bahá'í teachers in Persia followed this advice. They taught the Faith to those who were earnest seekers, not to fanatics and trouble-makers. A few, who were unable to withhold themselves from mentioning the Faith in public, often brought untold suffering and even martyrdom upon themselves and the rest of the community. A notable example is Mulla Muhammad-Rida of Muhammad-Abad, who spoke in public openly and with unbounded enthusiasm about the Faith. By so doing, however, he antagonized the fanatical populace who as a result created great trouble for the friends and inflicted many persecutions upon them. Bahá'u'lláh, in one of His Tablets, affirms that Mulla Muhammad-Rida had acted unwisely, but forgives him through His loving-kindness and mercy.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 97)

“To cite an example of wisdom in teaching, there is a Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh in which Faris (the Christian Syrian who embraced the Faith in Alexandria)is exhorted to teach with wisdom. Bahá'u'lláh counsels him not to disclose to people everything about the Cause at first but rather to teach them little by little until they are ready to absorb more. He likens this process to feeding infants who need to be given a little milk at a time until they grow in strength and are able to digest other food. This exhortation of Bahá'u'lláh is the basis of teaching the Cause of God. The principles involved are very similar to those employed by a schoolteacher in teaching his pupils. Before teaching the Cause to any person, it is important to know his background and capacity. The most successful teachers are those who, after familiarizing themselves with the beliefs and ideas of an individual, reveal the truths of the Faith gradually to him. What little they impart is the correct remedy and is so potent as to influence and stimulate the soul and enable it to take a step forward and become ready to absorb more.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, p. 250)

• This paragraph also contains many amazing and powerful metaphors and imageries:

   o Baha’u’llah reaching “ out to the Tablet that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of Thy Lord”;

   o Baha’u’llah holding unto this Tablet “with such strength that, through Thee, the hands of all who inhabit the earth may be enabled to lay fast hold upon it”; and that

   o By Baha’u’llah “upraising .. [His] hand to the heaven of My grace, the hands of all created things shall be lifted up to their Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious.”

• We read the promise that the Primal Will of God Entity speaking through Baha’u’llah promises Him that “Erelong shall We raise up, through the aid of Thy hand, other hands endued with power, with strength and might, and shall establish through them Our dominion over all that dwell in the realms of revelation and creation.” Isn’t that amazing!? So, these “hands” that are going to be raised up “through the aid of .. [Baha’u’llah’s] hand are “endued with power, with strength and might” and “through them” God’s “dominion over all that dwell in the realms of revelation and creation” shall be established! Incredible! As we know the realm of revelation belongs to the Manifestation of God and His Prophets. This gives us a glimpse of Baha’u’llah’s stupendous station!

• Another amazing point about these “hands” is that with them the Manifestation of God “shall both bestow and withhold”. Something that requires further reflection to understand provided we “see with the eye of the spirit”.

Paragraph 1.30

2010-01-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

O Pen of Eternity! Grieve not at the things that have befallen Thee, for erelong shall God raise up a people who will see with their own eyes and will recall Thy tribulations. Withhold Thy pen from the mention of Thine enemies, and bestir it in the praise of the Eternal King. Renounce all created things, and quaff the sealed wine of My remembrance. Beware lest Thou become occupied with the mention of those from whom naught save the noisome savours of enmity can be perceived, those who are so enslaved by their lust for leadership that they would not hesitate to destroy themselves in their desire to emblazon their fame and perpetuate their names. God hath recorded such souls in the Preserved Tablet as mere worshippers of names. Recount then that which Thou hast purposed for this Temple, that its signs and tokens may be made manifest upon earth, and that the brightness of this Light may illumine the horizons of the world and cleanse the earth from the defilement of those who have disbelieved in God. Thus have We set down the verses of God and made plain the matter unto those who understand.

Comments:
• It is such a refreshing concept to view the Entity that is being progressively manifested to humanity through various Manifestations of God as the “Pen of Eternity”. It reinforces the ongoing process of the revelation of the Word of God as being eternal -- time without end.

• Baha’u’llah foresees a time when God would have raised up “a people who will see with their own eyes and will recall Thy tribulations.” To “see” with one’s “own eyes” and to “recall” the “tribulations” of the Manifestation of God are two very interesting points to reflect on.

• We know that the Baha’i Faith upholds the principle of independent investigation of truth and that one needs to go through this process to become a Baha’i. For example:

"Among these teachings was the independent investigation of reality so that the world of humanity may be saved from the darkness of imitation and attain to the truth; may tear off and cast away this ragged and outgrown garment of 1,000 years ago and may put on the robe woven in the utmost purity and holiness in the loom of reality." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 285)

"The first is the independent investigation of truth; for blind imitation of the past will stunt the mind. But once every soul inquireth into truth, society will be freed from the darkness of continually repeating the past." (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 248)

"The first principle of Bahá'u'lláh is independent investigation of truth, that is, all the nations of the world have to investigate after truth independently and turn their eyes from the moribund blind imitations of the past ages entirely. Truth is one when it is independently investigated, it does not accept division. Therefore the independent investigation of truth will lead to the oneness of the world of humanity." (Shoghi Effendi, Japan Will Turn Ablaze, p. 35)

The Teachings also encourage us to continue with this process after we’ve become Baha’is to further free ourselves from “idle fancy and imitation” and to “look into all things with a searching eye.”:

"The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye." (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 156)

• The other important point that Baha’u’llah brings to our attention in this paragraph as the characteristic of these special “people” is their ability to “recall Thy [Baha’u’llah’s] tribulations”. Again a reminder for all of us that this is an important aspect of being a Baha’i. We briefly touched on this theme in the comments associated with Paragraph 5. It’s an important aspect of our individual process of spiritual growth and development, as Baha’u’llah reminds us in the Tablet of Ahmad.

• One of Baha’u’llah’s admonishment in this paragraph concerns those individuals who are “enslaved by their lust for leadership” and who “would not hesitate to destroy themselves in their desire to emblazon their fame and perpetuate their names.” He further mentions that the Manifestation of God can perceive “naught save the noisome savours of enmity” from such people. These are very powerful points to ponder as we remind ourselves that a believer’s goal in life is to “become as a reed, through which the spirit may descend” and to constantly guard oneself against the “the assaults of the selfish desires that whisper in men's breasts.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 245). The following quotes should be helpful in this regard:

"One should remember it is not the individual who confirms another, but the Holy Spirit which confirms. Thus the individual must become as a reed, through which the spirit may descend, and quicken souls. Thus the best way to develop capacity in teaching the Faith, is to teach. As one teaches, he gains more knowledge himself, he relies more on the guidance of the spirit, and expands his own character. This is why Bahá'u'lláh made it incumbent on all to teach the Faith." (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, November 24, 1956; Lights of Guidance, p. 599)

"Consecration, devotion, dedication, humility are essential, that the Holy Spirit may use you as a reed for the diffusion of Its creative rays." (From a letter dated 15 July 1956 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; Compilation, The Individual and Teaching - Raising the Divine Call, p. 36)

• Another point to keep in mind is that those people who are “enslaved by their lust for leadership”, and who “would not hesitate to destroy themselves in their desire to emblazon their fame and perpetuate their names”, are being “recorded” in God’s “Preserved Tablet” as “mere worshippers of names.”
• It is also very encouraging to take note of Baha’u’llah's explanation regarding what God has “purposed” to happen during Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation:

o To “manifest upon the earth” “its signs and tokens”;
o To “illumine the horizons of the world” with the “brightness of this Light”; and
o To “cleanse the earth from the defilement of those who have disbelieved in God.”

Paragraph 1.29

2010-01-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

"By the One in Whose hand is My soul! We were dismayed by his deceitfulness -- nay, bewildered were all things visible and invisible. Nor did he find respite from what he harboured in his bosom until he had committed that which no pen dare describe, and by which he disgraced the dignity of My station and profaned the sanctity of God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised. Were God to turn all the oceans of the earth into ink and all created things into pens, they would not suffice Me to exhaust the record of his wrongdoings. Thus do We recount that which befell Us, that haply ye may be of them that understand."

Comments:

• One of the qualities of Mirza Yahya that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention in this paragraph is “his deceitfulness”. The dictionary defines “deceit” as “the act of representing as true what is known to be false; a dishonest action or trick; fraud or lie”. Baha’u’llah reminds us that:

“This Day the deceitful of eye, and all that men's breasts conceal, are made known and laid bare before the throne of His Revelation. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 107).

Adib Taherzadeh indicates that Baha’u’llah in one of His Tablets “explains that through His attribute 'The Concealer' He has concealed the faults and shortcomings of many deceitful men, who, as a result, have thought that the Manifestation of God was ignorant of their evil deeds. These men did not realize that through the knowledge of God Bahá'u'lláh was fully aware of their wrong-doings, but the sin-covering eye of God had not disclosed their iniquities. Only when they were about to harm the Cause of God did He expel them from His presence and cast them out from among the 'people of Baha'.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 2, p. 117)

• It will also be very educational to reflect on the beloved Guardian’s analysis and recommendations concerning the factors associated with the regeneration of our “inward life” and the assailing of “the long-standing evils” that have entrenched us:

“Dearly beloved friends! A rectitude of conduct which, in all its manifestations, offers a striking contrast to the deceitfulness and corruption that characterize the political life of the nation and of the parties and factions that compose it; a holiness and chastity that are diametrically opposed to the moral laxity and licentiousness which defile the character of a not inconsiderable proportion of its citizens; an interracial fellowship completely purged from the curse of racial prejudice which stigmatizes the vast majority of its people -- these are the weapons which the American believers can and must wield in their double crusade, first to regenerate the inward life of their own community, and next to assail the long-standing evils that have entrenched themselves in the life of their nation. The perfection of such weapons, the wise and effective utilization of every one of them, more than the furtherance of any particular plan, or the devising of any special scheme, or the accumulation of any amount of material resources, can prepare them for the time when the Hand of Destiny will have directed them to assist in creating and in bringing into operation that World Order which is now incubating within the worldwide administrative institutions of their Faith.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 41)

• This paragraph makes us further aware about the extent and gravity of Yahya’s behavior and how they “dismayed” his Brother, about their “damaging effect” on “the Cause of God” and how he “disgraced” the “station” of the Manifestation of God, and “profaned the sanctity of God”. It would be tremendously difficult, nay impossible for us to fully understand and appreciate these points. We could ponder on the lessons that each one of us need to gain from this in our own process of certitude in the Cause of God.

• The metaphors of “all the oceans of the earth” were to turn into “ink” and “all created things into pens” and yet not being sufficient “to exhaust the record of his [Yahya’s] wrongdoings” should alert us to the incredible depth of the issues involved with respect to Yahya’s behavior.

• Finally, we become aware from the last line of this paragraph Baha’u’llah’s reason for telling us about the behavior of His half-brother and its damaging impact on the Cause of God: “Thus do We recount that which befell Us, that haply ye may be of them that understand.” Generally speaking, it’s amazing how in this dispensation it is so important to “understand” many things. On the one hand we know from Baha’u’llah that “understanding” is a “gift” from God and is “first and foremost” among His “favors”, and on the other hand, that it has a “purpose”:

“First and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God -- exalted be His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 194)

• The sacred Writings also remind us that this gift of understanding, especially in relation to the Word of God, does not depend upon “human learning”. It depends “solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit.”:

The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 210)

Paragraph 1.28

2010-01-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

"By God, besides Whom is none other God! We withstood all these trials with forbearance, and enjoined upon God's servants to show forth patience and fortitude. Removing Ourself from their midst, We took up residence in another house, that perchance the flame of envy might be quenched in Our brother's breast, and that he might be guided aright. We neither opposed him, nor saw him again thereafter, but remained in Our home, placing Our hopes in the bounty of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. When, however, he realized that his deed had been exposed, he seized the pen of calumny and wrote unto the servants of God, attributing what he had himself committed unto Mine own peerless and wronged Beauty. His purpose was none other than to inspire mischief amongst God's servants, and to instil hatred into the hearts of those who had believed in God, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving."

Comments:

• In this paragraph Baha’u’llah further explains the circumstance following Yahya’s heinous attempt to kill the Manifestation of God and the resulting commotion that it caused when the news reached the community of the believers in Adrianople – even though Baha’u’llah had advised Salmani to keep the details of the incident to himself.

• One of the Attributes of God that Baha’u’llah brings to our attention in this paragraph is the virtue of “forbearance”. Typically we may not think of God as being forbearing. When we become familiar with the circumstances of Baha’u’llah’s life and the incredible degree of immaturity that some believers exhibited, we gain some insights about this divine virtue. A virtue that we need to embrace as part of our own process of growth and maturation, patience with our own selves, as well as with respect to our expectations of and attitudes towards our fellow believers.

• As was mentioned in the comments pertaining to Paragraph 1.27, Bahá'u'lláh formally declared to Mirza Yahya as the nominee of the Báb, His claim to be 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', as foretold by the Báb. This was done by first revealing, in His own handwriting, a Tablet, called the Suriy-i-Amr (Tablet of Command) and having it delivered to Mirza Yahya by His amanuensis, Mirza Aqa jan, who was instructed by Baha’u’llah to read it aloud to Mirza Yahya and demand a conclusive reply. Here is how the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi describes this event:

"The moment had now arrived for Him Who had so recently, both verbally and in numerous Tablets, revealed the implications of the claims He had advanced, to acquaint formally the one who was the nominee of the Báb with the character of His Mission. Mirza Aqa Jan was accordingly commissioned to bear to Mirza Yahya the newly revealed Suriy-i-Amr, which unmistakably affirmed those claims, to read aloud to him its contents, and demand an unequivocal and conclusive reply. Mirza Yahya's request for a one day respite, during which he could meditate his answer, was granted. The only reply, however, that was forthcoming was a counter-declaration, specifying the hour and the minute in which he had been made the recipient of an independent Revelation, necessitating the unqualified submission to him of the peoples of the earth in both the East and the West.

So presumptuous an assertion, made by so perfidious an adversary to the envoy of the Bearer of so momentous a Revelation was the signal for the open and final rupture between Bahá'u'lláh and Mirza Yahya -- a rupture that marks one of the darkest dates in Bahá'í history. Wishing to allay the fierce animosity that blazed in the bosom of His enemies, and to assure to each one of the exiles a complete freedom to choose between Him and them, Bahá'u'lláh withdrew with His family to the house of Rida Big (Shavval 22, 1282 A.H.), which was rented by His order, and refused, for two months, to associate with either friend or stranger, including His own companions. He instructed Aqay-i-Kalim [Baha’u’llah’s faithful brother] to divide all the furniture, bedding, clothing and utensils that were to be found in His home, and send half to the house of Mirza Yahya; to deliver to him certain relics he had long coveted, such as the seals, rings, and manuscripts in the handwriting of the Bab; and to insure that he received his full share of the allowance fixed by the government for the maintenance of the exiles and their families. He, moreover, directed Aqay-i-Kalim to order to attend to Mirza Yahya's shopping, for several hours a day, any one of the companions whom he himself might select, and to assure him that whatever would henceforth be received in his name from Persia would be delivered into his own hands." (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 166)

• During the two months of Bahá'u'lláh’s withdrawal “Mirza Yahya and Siyyid Muhammad [“the Antichrist of the Baha’i Revelation”] started a vigorous letter-writing campaign to discredit Bahá'u'lláh in the eyes of the believers and the authorities. They loaded their letters with lies and disgraceful calumnies, accusing Bahá'u'lláh of the very crimes they themselves had committed, and disseminated them far and wide among the believers in Persia and Iraq. These slanderous letters disturbed the Bábí community and confused many. Some weaker believers lost their faith altogether; a small number were inclined towards Mirza Yahya. A few wrote to Bahá'u'lláh for clarification. As a result several Tablets were revealed in this period describing the true state of affairs. However, the majority of the believers remained faithful to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. These souls arose with determination and dedication to vindicate the truth of the Cause of God. Many of them, such as Nabil-A'zam, Munib and Ahmad-i-Yazdi,who travelled throughout Persia, championed the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh and defended it valiantly against the onslaught of the unfaithful.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, p. 122)

• It is fairly educational to note that Baha’u’llah removed Himself from the believers so that the “flame of envy might be quenched in Our brother's breast”, hoping that as a result Mirza Yahya “might be guided aright.” This is after experiencing two attempts on His life by this half-brother!

• It is also educational to reflect on the actions of Mirza Yahya once “his deed had been exposed” and his final attempts to “inspire mischief amongst God's servants, and to instil hatred into the hearts of those who had believed in God ..”

Paragraph 1.27

2009-12-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

"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)

• In the book called, The Child of the Covenant, Adib Taherzadeh explain that: “Despite this heinous crime, Bahá'u'lláh advised His followers not to spread the news of the poisoning. But Mirza Yahya lost his nerve and shamefully accused Bahá'u'lláh of trying to poison him, and as a result, the story had to be told. The believers and those who were in close contact with them then became aware that the poison administered by Mirza Yahya had been the cause of Bahá'u'lláh's serious illness. The contrast between light and darkness, between truth and falsehood, Bahá'u'lláh's sin-covering eye and Mirza Yahya's corruption and wickedness, was evident to all.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, p. 117)

• This was the background against which Mirza Yahya attempted his second sinister design to kill Baha’u’llah – this time trying to do it in the public bath through Ustad Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Salmani, a barber who served in the household of Bahá'u'lláh and was His bath attendant. It should be mentioned that “ Public baths, known in the West as Turkish baths, were the only type available to people in those days because houses had no baths built in them. These baths, with their warm and steamy atmosphere, were used by people as a place to wash and relax for hours. This meant that a public bath was a place for social occasions where people gathered, exchanged news and discussed many topics. In these baths people were not fully naked and wore loin-cloths. Often, friends used to go to the bath on the same day in order to spend time together. The baths provided customers with attendants who washed them and performed other services such as the applying of henna, shaving and massaging. Important people usually had their own bath attendants.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, p. 118)

• Adib Taherzadeh has provided a summary translation of the memoirs of Ustad Muhammad-‘Aliy-i-Salmani in which he describes this shameful incident:
One day I went to the bath and awaited the arrival of the Blessed Beauty. Azal [Mirza Yahya] arrived first. I attended to him and applied henna. He began to talk to me. For some time he had been trying hard to make me his follower but he was doing this in a secret way. He said to me: 'Last night I dreamt that someone had a sweeping brush in his hand and was sweeping the area around me.' [The connotation of these words in Persian is that Bahá'u'lláh was a humble servant of Mirza Yahya] He gave me to understand that this person was the Blessed Beauty. From the tone of his conversation, I knew that he wanted me to do something for him but he did not tell me anything ...

I was deep in my thoughts concerning the words of Azal. I did not understand his purpose in implying that the Blessed Beauty was sweeping the floor around him. However, it was quite clear that he wanted me to carry out a special task for him. At the same time I noted that Haji Mirza Ahmad was trying to convert me to follow Azal. During the course of several days he persisted in trying to win me over.

He said, 'A certain Mirza Na'im, the former Governor of Nayriz, killed many believers and perpetrated many crimes against the Cause.' He then praised courage and bravery in glowing terrns. He said that some were brave by nature and at the right time they would manifest that quality in their actions. He then continued the story of Mirza Na'im. 'From the persecuted family of the believers there remained a young boy aged ten or eleven. One day, when Mirza Na'im went into the bath, this boy went in with a knife. As he was coming out of the water, the boy stabbed him and ripped his belly open. Mirza Na'im screamed and his servants who were in the ante-room rushed in. They went for the boy, attacked and beat him. Then they went to see how their master was. The boy, although wounded, rose up and stabbed him again.' Azal praised courage again and said, 'How wonderful it is for a man to be brave. Now, see what they are doing to the Cause of God. Everybody harms it, everyone has arisen against me, even my brother. I have no comfort whatsoever and am in a wretched state.' His tone implied that he, the nominee of the Báb, was the wronged one, and his Brother (I take refuge in God!) was the usurper and aggressor. Then he once more praised courage and said that the Cause of God needed help. In all this talk, the tone of his remarks, the story of Mirza Na'im, the praise of courage and his encouragement to me, he was in fact telling me to kill Bahá'u'lláh.

The effect of all this upon me was so disturbing that in all my life I had never felt so shattered. It was as if the whole building was falling upon my head. I was frightened; without uttering a word I went out to the ante-room: My mind was in a state of the utmost agitation. I thought to myself that I would go inside and cut Azal's head off regardless of consequences. Then I thought, to kill him is easy but perhaps I would offend the Blessed Beauty. One thing which prevented me from carrying out my intention was the thought that if I killed him and then went into the presence of the Blessed Beauty, and He asked me why I had killed him, what answer could I give?

I returned to the bath and being extremely angry, I shouted at him, 'Go and get lost, clear of!' He whimpered and trembled and asked me to pour water over him. I complied. Washed or unwashed he went out in a state of great trepidation and I have never seen him since.

My state of mind, however, was such that nothing could calm me. As it happened, that day the Blessed Beauty did not come to the bath, but Aqa Mirza Musay-i-Kalim [Bahá'u'lláh's faithful brother] came. I told him that Azal had set me on fire with his sinister suggestion. Aqa Mirza Musa said: 'He has been thinking of this for years, this man has always been thinking in this way. Do not pay any attention to him.' He counselled me to disregard the whole thing and went inside the bath.

However, when my work was finished in the bath, I went to the Master ['Abdu'l-Bahá] and reported to Him what Mirza Yahya had told me, and how I was filled with rage and wanted to kill him ... the Master said, 'This is something that you alone know. Do not mention it to anyone, it is better that it remain hidden.' I then went to Mirza Aqa Jan, reported the details of the incident, and asked him to tell Bahá'u'lláh. He returned and said, 'Bahá'u'lláh says to tell Ustad Muhammad-'Ali not to mention this to anyone.'

That night I collected all the writings of Azal and went to the tea-room [Reception room of Bahá'u'lláh where the believers usually gathered] of Bahá'u'lláh's house and burnt them all in the brazier. Before doing so, I showed them to seven or eight of the believers who were present. They all saw that they were the writings of Azal. They all protested to me and asked me the reason for doing this. I said, 'Until today I esteemed Azal highly, but now he is less than a dog in my sight.'[In Persian, this designation is much more insulting than it sounds in English]

Because of Bahá'u'lláh's sin-covering eye and His loving kindness towards Mirza Yahya and because Yahya was Bahá'u'lláh's half-brother, the faithful believers treated him with respect and consideration. But after these vicious attacks on Bahá'u'lláh, it was natural for them to turn their backs on him. After Salmani failed to keep the details of the incident to himself, the news spread and created a great upheaval in the community.

At this point Bahá'u'lláh decided to formally declare to Mirza Yahya as the nominee of the Báb, His claim to be the Author of a new Revelation, 'Him Whom God shall make manifest', as foretold by the Báb. Of course, Mirza Yahya was well aware of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration in the Garden of Ridvan and the Tablets subsequently revealed by Him. But now the time had come for the Supreme Manifestation of God to formally announce His station to the one who was nominated y the Báb to be the leader of His followers until the advent of 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Child of the Covenant, pp. 118-120)

• The exceptionally ungrateful and hostile behavior of Mirza Yahya is beyond comprehension. It’s amazing how his “arrogance and pride” drove him to such extreme measures!

• It is also noteworthy that there is this reference in the Bible, apparently about Mirza Yahya:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God¨ (King James Bible, 2 Thessalonians)

Paragraph 1.26

2009-12-25T19:50:00.000-08:00

"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!

• It is also noteworthy to ponder over the phrase “the peoples of earth and heaven”. What does it mean? The word “heaven”, doesn’t appear to be a reference to the next world – since both those “peoples” of earth and heaven are determined to slay the Manifestation of God. Also, we could wonder whether this is a reference to Baha’u’llah’s period only or it is with reference to the Reality of the Manifestation of God – the Primal Will of God – that appears periodically?

• Here is another reference from Baha’u’llah containing a similar phrase – “the denizens of heaven”:

Say: Step out of Thy holy chamber, O Maid of Heaven, inmate of the Exalted Paradise! Drape thyself in whatever manner pleaseth Thee in the silken Vesture of Immortality, and put on, in the name of the All-Glorious, the broidered Robe of Light. Hear, then, the sweet, the wondrous accent of the Voice that cometh from the Throne of Thy Lord, the Inaccessible, the Most High. Unveil Thy face, and manifest the beauty of the black-eyed Damsel, and suffer not the servants of God to be deprived of the light of Thy shining countenance. Grieve not if Thou hearest the sighs of the dwellers of the earth, or the voice of the lamentation of the denizens of heaven. Leave them to perish on the dust of extinction. Let them be reduced to nothingness, inasmuch as the flame of hatred hath been kindled within their breasts. Intone, then, before the face of the peoples of earth and heaven, and in a most melodious voice, the anthem of praise, for a remembrance of Him Who is the King of the names and attributes of God. Thus have We decreed Thy destiny. Well able are We to achieve Our purpose. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 282)

• It is also educational to notice how Baha’u’llah summarizes the process that He went through to accomplish His Mission:

Process:
    o “continually made mention of the Lord”,
    o “celebrated His praise”, and
    o “stood firm in His Cause”

Mission:
    o “until at last the Word of God was vindicated amongst His creatures”,
    o Until God’s/Manifestation’s “signs were spread abroad”
    o Until God’/Manifestation’s “power exalted”, and
    o Until God’/Manifestation’s “sovereignty revealed in its full splendour.”

Maybe we, as His followers, should reflect over these and allow them to inspire us to do more noble deeds in our humble attempts to follow His example.

• This paragraph also brings to our attention what “arrogance and pride” could do to a human being, like Mirza Yahya – Baha’u’llah’s half-brother – when he saw “the rising fame of the Cause” of God:

    o “he emerged from behind the veil of concealment”
    o “rose up against Me” [Baha’u’llah],
    o “disputed My [Baha’u’llah’s] verses”,
    o “denied My[Baha’u’llah’s] testimony”, and
    o “repudiated My[Baha’u’llah’s] signs.”

• Furthermore, we become aware concerning the depth of Mirza Yahya’s animosity towards Baha’u’llah when we read: “Nor would his hunger be appeased unless he were to devour My flesh and drink My blood.” It’s frightening what a human being who is filled with “arrogance and pride” could potentially do. In the case of Mirza Yahya we know that he actually made a number of attempt to kill Baha’u’llah.

Paragraph 1.25

2009-12-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

"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.

• In this paragraph we also come across the phrase: ‘the Preserved Tablet’. The fact that the Manifestation of God is being directed to let those special “people” know about “what hath been inscribed upon the Preserved Tablet” makes one wonder what this Preserved Tablet is, what information is being kept in it and what is its impact on each of us in this life and the life after? Let’s explore the Writings a bit to see in what context this phrase is used:

o From the Bab:
O Thou Mother of the Remembrance! May the peace and salutation of God rest upon thee. Indeed thou hast endured patiently in Him Who is the sublime Self of God. Recognize then the station of thy Son Who is none other than the mighty Word of God. He hath verily pledged Himself to be answerable for thee both in thy grave and on the Judgement Day, while thou hast, in the Preserved Tablet of God, been immortalized as the ‘Mother of the Faithful’ by the Pen of His Remembrance. (The Bab, Selections of the Writings of the Bab, p. 52)

o From Baha’u’llah:
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. (Baha’u’llah, Summons of the Lord of Hosts, paragraph 1.10)

Blessed are the poor that are steadfast in patience, and woe betide the rich that hold back Huququ’llah and fail to observe that which is enjoined upon them in His Preserved Tablet. (Baha’u’llah, compilation on Huququllah, p.25)

Whoso dealeth dishonestly with God will in justice be exposed, and whoso fulfilleth the things he hath been commanded, divine blessings will descend upon him from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Bestower, the Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Ancient of Days. Verily He desireth for you the things that are inscrutable to you at present, though the people themselves will readily discover them when their souls take their flight and the trappings of their earthly gaieties are rolled up. Thus warneth you the Author of the Preserved tablet. (Baha’u’llah, compilation on Huququllah, p.7)

For your glory consisteth not in your sovereignty, but rather in your nearness unto God and your observance of His command as sent down in His holy and preserved Tablets. (Baha'u'llah, Summons of the Lord of Hosts, paragraph 5.4)

Great is thy blessedness inasmuch as thou hast been faithful to the Covenant of God and His Testament and for thy being honoured with this Tablet through which thy name is recorded in My Preserved Tablet. Dedicate thyself to the service of the Cause of thy Lord, cherish His remembrance in thy heart and celebrate His praise in such wise that every wayward and heedless soul may thereby be roused from slumber. (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 262)

o From Abdu’l-Baha:
When, however, thou dost contemplate the innermost essence of all things, and the individuality of each, thou wilt behold the signs of thy Lord’s mercy in every created thing, and see the spreading rays of His Names and Attributes throughout all the realm of being, with evidences which none will deny save the froward and the unaware. Then wilt thou observe that the universe is a scroll that discloseth His hidden secrets, which are preserved in the well-guarded Tablet. And not an atom of all the atoms in existence, not a creature from amongst the creatures but speaketh His praise and telleth of His attributes and names, revealeth the glory of His might and guideth to His oneness and His mercy: and none will gainsay this who hath ears to hear, eyes to see, and a mind that is sound. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, p. 41)

o From Shoghi Effendi
The last, but in rank the first, of these Letters to be inscribed on the Preserved Tablet was the erudite, the twenty-two year old Quddus, a direct descendant of the Imam Hasan and the most esteemed disciple of Siyyid Kazim. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 7)

• So, with reference to the above quotes it appears that the Preserved Table:
o Contains the names of the believers in each Dispensation;
o Contains the “destinies of all things” “fixed” by the “Pen” of the Manifestation of God;
o Contains the Laws of God;
o It’s Author is the Manifestation of God;
o That, there are “preserved Tablets” – so there is more than one!
o That, when a believer was honored by becoming a recipient of a Tablet from the Manifestation of God, their name became “recorded” in the Preserved Tablet; and
o That metaphorically speaking, the “universe” is like a “scroll” disclosing God’s “hidden secrets, which are preserved in the well-guarded Tablet.”
o It should also be mentioned that in the book entitled the Revelation of Baha’u’llah Volume 2, Adib Taherzadeh defines the Preserved Tablet as “a symbol for the knowledge of God Who 'knoweth all things and is known of none’”

• It’s also very educational to note how in this paragraph Baha’u’llah describes the care, attention, and protection that He provided for His younger half-brother in the years prior to his final open rebellion.

Paragraph 1.24

2009-12-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

"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:

Sura 2: the Cow 30-34:

When thy Lord said to the angels, "Verily, I am about to place one in my
stead on earth," they said, "Wilt thou place there one who will do ill therein and shed blood, when we celebrate thy praise and extol thy holiness?" God said, "Verily, I know what ye know not."
And he taught Adam the names of all things, and then set them before the
angels, and said, "Tell me the names of these, if ye are endued with wisdom."
2:30 They said, "Praise be to Thee! We have no knowledge but what Thou hast given us to know. Thou! Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.!
He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not say to you that I know the hidden things of the Heavens and of the Earth, and that I know what ye bring to light, and what ye hide?"
And when we said to the angels, "Bow down and worship Adam," then
worshipped they all, save Eblis. He refused and swelled with pride, and became one of the unbelievers.

Sura 38: Sad 71-75:

When thy Lord said to the angels, "I am about to make man of clay,
And when I have formed him and breathed my spirit into him, then
worshipping fall down before him."
And the angels prostrated themselves, all of them with one accord,
Save Eblis. He swelled with pride, and became an unbeliever.

• So those very special “people” that Baha’u’llah referred to in Paragraph 1.23, who “were not enjoined [by God] to prostrate themselves before Adam” must be angels of higher station, or some other angles that as Baha’u’llah said their very “existence … hath remained concealed from the eyes of all who, from everlasting, have been created through the Word of God.” Incredible!

• And here comes Baha’u’llah’s amazing promise: “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.”

Paragraph 1.23

2009-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

"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!

From the Qur’an
“Then after them we sent Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles,
who acted unjustly in their regard. But see what was the end of the corrupt
doers! And Moses said, "O Pharaoh! verily I am an apostle from the Lord of the
Worlds. Nothing but truth is it right for me to speak of God. Now am I come to
you from your Lord with a proof of my mission; send away, therefore, the
children of Israel with me." He said, "If thou comest with a sign, shew it if
thou art a man of truth." So he threw down his rod, and lo! it distinctly became a serpent. Then drew he forth his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders.”
(The Qur’an, Surih of AL ARAF, Rodwell’s translation)

• It is very touching how Baha’u’llah is being consoled in this paragraph not to “Grieve” if “none” to” be found to accept” His Teachings – Teachings that are beautifully represented as “the crimson wine”. Instead, Baha’u’llah is being encouraged to “Leave this people unto themselves” and to “repair unto the Tabernacle of majesty and glory”. This also provides us, individually and collectively, with some insights in how to handle situations where we don’t find people interested in receiving the Baha’i Teachings. We should also keep in mind that God wouldn’t leave us in a vacuum in such circumstances. He encourages us instead to “repair unto the Tabernacle of majesty and glory” – maybe one implication of this would be for us to take refuge in the Writings and read more about Baha’u’llah – as He says in the Tablet of Ahmad “Remember My days during thy days …”

• This paragraph also brings to our attention the “existence” of certain “people” whose “faces shine as brightly as the sun in its noontide splendour” and “who praise and extol their Lord”, Baha’u’llah, because He “hath arisen, in the plenitude of might and power, to assume the throne of independent sovereignty.” Baha’u’llah tells us that from the lips of these “people” naught can be heard nothing other than “the strains of My glorification and praise..” Furthermore, we are being told in this paragraph that 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.” What an amazing thing to know! Makes you wonder who these special people are and to what degree they are assisting us in this life, whether we know it or not, in our efforts to serve our Lord.

Paragraph 1.22

2009-12-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

"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:

“O My servants! Through the might of God and His power, and out of the treasury of His knowledge and wisdom, I have brought forth and revealed unto you the pearls that lay concealed in the depths of His everlasting ocean. I have summoned the Maids of Heaven to emerge from behind the veil of concealment, and have clothed them with these words of Mine -- words of consummate power and wisdom. I have, moreover, with the hand of divine power, unsealed the choice wine of My Revelation, and have wafted its holy, its hidden, and musk-laden fragrance upon all created things. Who else but yourselves is to be blamed if ye choose to remain unendowed with so great an outpouring of God's transcendent and all-encompassing grace, with so bright a revelation of His resplendent mercy?...” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 327)

• The terms Maid and Maiden are also used in the Islamic Holy Scriptures -- the background of the Baha’i Faith (just like Judaism being the background of Christianity). For example in the Surih of Sad we read: “This is a reminder! verily, for the pious is there an excellent resort,-gardens of Eden with the doors open to them;-reclining therein; calling therein for much fruit and drink; and beside them maids of modest glance, of their own age …” (The Qur'an, Sura 38 – Sad, translated by E.H. Palmer).

• In Volume 1 of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah, Adib Taherzadeh explains that: “In the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, He has used the 'Maid of Heaven' to refer to Himself or to one of the attributes of God, and sometimes as the personification of the 'Most Great Spirit'.” (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 242).

• Furthermore, we come across passages in the Writings of the Bab where for example He says: “O People of the earth! By the righteousness of the One true God, I am the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Baha, abiding within the Mansion hewn out of a mass of ruby, tender and vibrant …” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 54).

• In one of His Tablets, ‘Abdu’l-Baha refers to the “new Jerusalem” that has “come down from on high in the form of a maid of heaven”: “Verily, verily the new heaven and the new earth are come. The holy City, new Jerusalem, hath come down from on high in the form of a maid of heaven, veiled, beauteous, and unique, and prepared for reunion with her lovers on earth.” (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 350)

• It is very intriguing how Baha’u’llah links the concept of “inner meanings” with a symbolic and allegorical imagery of a “Maid” – a feminine representation. Baha’u’llah instructs this “Maid” to “Step out of the chamber of utterance” and to “Reveal” herself to “the denizens of this world”! Baha’u’llah hopes that this act, combined with the injunction for the Maid” to “proffer” (offer) “the wine of the heavenly Dominion” will help “the denizens of this world” to “perceive” (recognize) the latest Manifestation of God. How tremendously inspiring, touching and caring!

• This beautiful paragraph also brings to our attention the concept of “inner meanings” with respect to our interaction with the sacred Word of God and our feeble attempts to “understand” them – whether intuitively, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, etc.

• One last comment about this paragraph: the magnificent picture in which Baha’u’llah is portrayed as:
   “the Daystar of eternity” that “appeared above the horizon of glory”;
   The “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”;
   He “from Whose gaze appear the glances of the All-Glorious”; and
   He “in Whose ways are revealed the tokens and evidences of God, the omnipotent Protector, the Almighty, the All-Loving.”

• Ya-Baha'ul-Abha!

Paragraph 1.21

2009-12-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

"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 …”

* We become aware that Baha’u’llah is called upon to:
    “make mention of Mine exalted Self amidst My creatures.”; and to
    “Proclaim … this wondrous and mighty Remembrance ..”; and not to
    “fear … the manifestations of the Evil One.”
As His humble followers, these are our marching orders too!

* Let’s consult the Writings a bit to get a richer understanding of the Entity of the “Remembrance of God”, which is a reference to His Manifestation. It’s such a beautiful way to think of these precious Divine Educators who are sent by God for our continuing education, as the “Remembrance of God” – we are being reminded about God through Them, by turning to Them! We read, for example in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, how Baha’u’llah addressed the Emperor of Austria in this regard:
“O Emperor of Austria! He Who is the Dayspring of God's Light dwelt in the prison of 'Akká 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. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 50)

Referring to the Advent of the Bab, Baha’u’llah says:
“Would ye ask the Jews whether Jesus was the True One from God, or the idols if Muhammad was an Apostle of His Lord, or inquire from the people of the Qur'án as to Him Who was the Remembrance of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great? (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 42)

Warning the divines of His age, Baha’u’llah indicates:
“Beware lest any name debar you from Him Who is the Possessor of all names, or any word shut you out from this Remembrance of God, this Source of Wisdom amongst you.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 79)

Providing some spiritual insight to the believers, Baha’u’llah explaines that:
“Thou hast gained admittance into the Paradise of God’s Remembrance, through thy recognition of Him Who is the Embodiment of that Remembrance amongst men. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p303)

It is also awe-inspiring to note that both the Bab and Baha’u’llah were designated as the “Most Great Remembrance of God”:
“O King of Islam! Aid thou, with the truth, after having aided the Book, Him Who is Our Most Great Remembrance, for God hath, in very truth, destined for thee, and for such as circle round thee, on the Day of Judgement, a responsible position in His Path. I swear by God, O Shah! If thou showest enmity unto Him Who is His Remembrance, God will, on the Day of Resurrection, condemn thee, before the kings, unto hell-fire, and thou shalt not, in very truth, find on that Day any helper except God, the Exalted. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp 41-42)

“O VAFA! Render thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to embrace His Cause, enabled thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Own Self and raised thee up to magnify Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance in this glorious Announcement. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah p181)

* What about the phrase: “… and fear not the manifestations of the Evil One.” What or who is the “Evil One” and what are its “manifestations”? In the Lawh-i-Dunya (Tablet of the World) Baha’u’llah explains that:
“Watch over yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual progress of the children of men. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 86)

* One insight that we could glean from this passage is to strive to have a “world-embracing” “vision” instead of one “confined” to our “own self”. It is remarkable how in light of Baha’u’llah’s Teachings – designed to bring about the spiritual and material unity of all the inhabitants of the planet earth – how Evil and its manifestations are defined in the Baha’i Writings.

* Some other parts of Paragraph 1.21 that we could highlight are:
    o Through Baha’u’llah “the Tongue of Utterance” has been “unloosed … to expound all that hath been, and …that which is yet to come.”
    o Through Baha’u’llah “eloquent tongues” will be brought into being that will “praise and extol” the Manifestation of God “amongst the Concourse on high and amidst the peoples of the world.”
    o “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.”
    o That we have confidence that when we are called upon to “make mention” of our Lord, Baha’u’llah will come to our assistance and will inspire us to speak.

Paragraph 1.20

2009-11-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

"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)

“Know thou that in the Bayan purification is regarded as the most acceptable means for attaining nearness unto God and as the most meritorious of all deeds. Thus purge thou thine ear that thou mayest hear no mention besides God, and purge thine eye that it behold naught except God, and thy conscience that it perceive naught other than God, and thy tongue that it proclaim nothing but God, and thy hand to write naught but the words of God, and thy knowledge that it comprehend naught except God, and thy heart that it entertain no wish save God, and in like manner purge all thine acts and thy pursuits that thou mayest be nurtured in the paradise of pure love, and perchance mayest attain the presence of Him Whom God shall make manifest, adorned with a purity which He highly cherisheth, and be sanctified from whosoever hath turned away from Him and doth not support Him.”(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 98)

• These must be aspects of our spiritual transformation that we each need to go through … a never ending process in which all we could do, in light the following reference from the beloved Guardian, is to “constantly mount higher” knowing that we, as human beings, will “never going to become perfect”:

“The only people who are truly free of the "dross of self" are the Prophets, for to be free of one's ego is a hall-mark of perfection. We humans are never going to become perfect, for perfection belongs to a realm we are not destined to enter. However, we must constantly mount higher, seek to be more perfect.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 453)

• It’s a very humbling process, isn't it?!

Paragraph 1.19

2009-11-24T20:22:00.000-08:00

"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).

• We are also being instructed by Baha’u’llah to “purge and sanctify” our breasts, hearts, ears and eyes through our interaction with the sacred Word of God and to “set” our “faces towards Him” so we could hear how “all things proclaim: 'Verily, He the True One is come. Blessed are they that judge with fairness, and blessed they that turn towards Him!'" (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 65).

• Metaphorically speaking, we should pay attention to what Baha’u’llah instructs His own Eyes not to see and what to see instead: The “Beauty” of the Manifestation of God!

• Through the “eyes” of the Manifestation of God the following were brought “into being”:

• “.. 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.”; and
• “the power of vision upon whomsoever We desire ..”

• It’s a humbling realization that our “power of vision” which should allow us to “contemplate the manifold signs” of our Creator, is really a gift from God and His Manifestation. We should remind ourselves of this gift periodically and be thankful and humble in putting it to work to help us gradually “turn away from all that is perceived by the people of the world” and instead become more attracted to the Reality that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention.

• It’s also fairly educational to know that, perhaps as an aspect of our free will, the good Lord allows people to “deprive” themselves of this “gracious bounty” -- so it’s not being forced on them. This is something that we should remember in our teaching efforts. From God’s point of view, however, Baha’u’llah explains that such folks “have drunk from the cup of delusion, though they perceive it not.” We should remember them in our healing prayers!

Paragraph 1.18

2009-11-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

"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”:

“The Greater Covenant into which, as affirmed in His writings, God had, from time immemorial, entered, through the Prophets of all ages, with the whole of mankind, regarding the newborn Revelation, had already been fulfilled.” (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 27)

• It looks like going back in time when God made this Greater Covenant concerning Baha’u’llah’s Revelation with the whole of mankind, only “a few” individuals with “radiant faces and eloquent tongues” acknowledged His Revelation. It should be fairly educational if we could name a few such individuals in each of the past Dispensations.

• Baha’u’llah further explains who these people are; “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 tranquility, and whom He hath strengthened and assisted through the hosts of the seen and the unseen.”

• And here comes an incredible glimpse of certain spiritual realities when we read that from these believers the Manifestation of God has “brought forth the creation of all that hath been and all that shall be.” Imagine to what degree we owe our existence to these precious beings!

Paragraph 1.17

2009-11-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

"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.

• Baha’u’llah is called upon to be “the revealer of” God’s attributes of “the Help in Peril” and “the Self-Subsisting” on “that Day when all created things are filled with dismay ..” Is that when Baha’u’llah declared His Mission? Or, is this a reference to sometime in future? Notice the reference to “all created things” – it seems nothing and no one is excluded!

• We should take a moment and reflect on the metaphors used in this paragraph with respect to the responses from the “peoples of the world” and the mandate of the Manifestation of God to “Assist Thy Lord to the utmost of Thine ability”. It reminds one, among other things, about the virtue of detachment that we, as His followers, need to further practice when we try to assist Him by serving His Cause.

• The paragraph ends with a tender note, encouraging Baha’u’llah to nurture “the near ones amongst the inmates of this lofty station” by offering them “the water of life” in God’s name, the All-Merciful, so that they “become detached from all names and enter beneath this blessed and all-encompassing shadow” of the latest Manifestation of God. Once again a reminder for us as His followers to strive to practice detachment – detachment from “all names”!

Paragraph 1.16

2009-11-13T04:53:00.000-08:00

"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.

• In the Kitab-i-Aqdas Baha’u’llah reminds us that the “Book of God” is "the unerring Balance established amongst men.” He further says that “In this most perfect Balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be weighed ..” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 56) We are also told by the Universal House of Justice that the “interpretations of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Guardian are divinely-guided statements of what the Word of God means and as such these interpretations are binding on the friends.” (The Universal House of Justice, 1995 Jan 31, Questions on Scholarship). So, we need to progressively clarify our own individual and collective understandings of the “Reality” that Baha’u’llah has brought into our midst through His Writings (the Word of God) and use the interpreted guidance provided by the Master and the beloved Guardian along with the pronouncements of the Universal House of Justice to enhance our understanding of what is real and what is vain imaginations. This is a life-long process that will never end. All one can do is to constantly “strive to obtain a more adequate understanding of the significance of Bahá'u'lláh's stupendous Revelation..” (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters", p. 100) and to “reflect the virtues of that knowledge in his daily life” (Letter from the Universal House of Justice, dated Ridvan, 1984, to a National Spiritual Assembly).

Paragraph 1.15

2009-11-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

"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”;
   • “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

2009-11-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

“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

2009-11-05T03:27:00.000-08:00

"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!

• We also see in this paragraph Baha’u’llah’s reference to “the new creation”. If we search the Writings for “new creation” we come across reference like:

From Baha’u’llah:
“This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendors of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful. Verily, We have caused every soul to expire by virtue of Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty. We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 29)

From ‘Abu’l-Baha:
“Bahá'u'lláh has rent the veil of prejudice and superstition which was stifling the souls of men. Let us pray to God that the breath of the Holy Spirit may again give hope and refreshment to the people, awakening in them a desire to do the Will of God. May heart and soul be vivified in every man: so will they all rejoice in a new birth. Then shall humanity put on a new garment in the radiance of the love of God, and it shall be the dawn of a new creation! Then will the Mercy of the Most Merciful be showered upon all mankind and they will arise to a new life.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 34);

From the Guardian:
“The eyes of the people of the world are beginning to be focussed on us; and, as humanity's plight goes from bad to worse, we will be watched ever more intently by non-Bahá'ís, to see whether we do uphold our own institutions whole-heartedly; whether we are the people of the new creation or not; whether we live up to our beliefs, principles and laws in deed as well as word. We cannot be too careful. We cannot be too exemplary.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 350)

Furthermore, as the rest of the paragraph shows, it appears that this “new creation” concerns “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.” Baha’u’llah refers to such individuals as “These, truly, are of the blissful”

Question:
Looking at the history of the Faith, could you name a few individuals who fit Baha’u’llah’s definition of “new creation”.

Paragraph 1.12

2009-11-01T20:43:00.000-08:00

"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

2009-10-31T15:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

"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!

· One such reference is the first line of Paragraph 1.10, where Baha’u’llah provides us with a very interesting insight that He was “fashioned .. from the light of His [God’s] own Beauty.” What a remarkable concept! When we say something is beautiful we generally refer to its physical appearances. Is that the same with the phrase “God’s Beauty” in this paragraph or is there much more to it?

· There is an interesting explanation from the Universal House of Justice concerning the nature of the Manifestation of God. It is in the Notes section of the book containing the English translation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas:

“The Bahá'í Writings contain many passages that elucidate the nature of the Manifestation and His relationship to God. Bahá'u'lláh underlines the unique and transcendent nature of the Godhead. He explains that "since there can be no tie of direct intercourse to bind the one true God with His creation" God ordains that "in every age and dispensation a pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms of earth and heaven". This "mysterious and ethereal Being", the Manifestation of God, has a human nature which pertains to "the world of matter" and a spiritual nature "born of the substance of God Himself". He is also endowed with a "double station."” The first station, which is related to His innermost reality, representeth Him as One Whose voice is the voice of God Himself... The second station is the human station, exemplified by the following verses: "I am but a man like you." "Say, praise be to my Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?" Bahá'u'lláh also affirms that, in the spiritual realm, there is an "essential unity" between all the Manifestations of God. They all reveal the "Beauty of God", manifest His
names and attributes, and give utterance to His Revelation.” (UHJ, Notes section of The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 233)

· We read in Paragraph 1.4 that: “Blessed is He Who, in a well-guarded Tablet, hath prescribed a fixed measure unto all things.” Now in Paragraph 1.10 we see the verse: “ …Him Whose very Pen hath fixed the destinies of all things in the Preserved Tablet.” If we assume that these two references pertain to the same phenomenon, it appears that the Source of “Whose very Pen hath fixed the destinies of all things in the Preserved Tablet” is Baha’u’llah for our age – as it was previously the Bab, Muhammad, Jesus, Moses and other Manifestations of God.

· In this paragraph we also see how Baha’u’llah addresses those Babis that had doubts about His claim as the Promised One of the Bab. He reminds them that the Reality that has manifested through Him is the “Source and Revealer” of those “verses of God” that they transcribe by day and night. It’s an amazing concept that although majority of the Babis did recognize Baha’u’llah, for those that didn’t the Manifestation of God, out of mercy and compassion, tries to awaken them to the Realities involved.

Paragraph 1.9

2009-10-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

"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

2009-10-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

"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?

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2009-10-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

"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?

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2009-10-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

"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.

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2009-10-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

"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?!

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2009-10-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

“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.”

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2009-10-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

“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.

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2009-10-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

“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!

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2009-10-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

“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 ...

2009-10-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

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.”

The House of Justice further indicate that “It was this composite work which, shortly after its completion, Bahá'u'lláh instructed be written in the form of a pentacle, symbolizing the human temple. To it He added, as a conclusion, what Shoghi Effendi has described as "words which reveal the importance He attached to those Messages, and indicate their direct association with the prophecies of the Old Testament":

“Thus have We built the Temple with the hands of power and might, could ye but know it. This is the Temple promised unto you in the Book. Draw ye nigh unto it. This is that which profiteth you, could ye but comprehend it. Be fair, O peoples of the earth! Which is preferable, this, or a temple which is built of clay? Set your faces towards it. Thus have ye been commanded by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”
In the book called “Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time” John Walbridge explains that: “The 'Tablet of the Temple' is a major Arabic Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh containing a mystical interpretation of the body (haykal) of the Manifestation of God…. Haykal is a loan word in Arabic. Its Hebrew cognate hek'l means 'temple', particularly the Jerusalem temple. In Arabic, in addition to meaning a Jewish or Christian temple, it means the body or form of something, particularly the human body or something large. In the Báb's usage, a haykal is a talisman, particularly one in the form of a five-pointed star, which traditions represents the human body. In the Súratu'l-Haykal the primary sense of haykal is the human body, particularly the body of the Manifestation of God, but the meaning 'temple' is also present.”

Baha'u'llah's Surih of the Temple

2009-10-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

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.