(Commentary on the Isolated Letters)
Lawḥ-i āyah-yi nūr
the Light Verse)
of Mīrzā Ḥusayn `Alī Nūrī Bahā'-Allāh
Being revised 2007-8
brief introduction and provisional translation.
Stephen N. Lambden
Now being further revised
A more detailed introduction and partially
annotated translation and reproduction of a good [Haifa supplied] Arabic mss
will erelong appear in the [new] periodical, Syzygy: A Journal of Bābī-Bahā'ī
Studies 2/1. The forthcoming translation corrects and
supersedes two earlier (partial) postings on H-Bahā'ī (from Wed, 10 Sep 1997
12:37; April 1998) of about one third of the translation. These earlier versions
should be consigned to the Bābī-Bahā'ī geniza (`sacred repository'). The version
posted here is also still in progress and will doubtless contains errors in need
of correction. It was last slightly revised early 2004.
Incorporated below are a few (rather
speedily pasted together) details from my paper `Light, Letters and Alchemy:
Dimensions of the Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt
("Tablet of the Isolated [Isolated] Letters") of Mīrzā Ḥusayn `Alī
Bahā'-Allāh (1817-1892 CE).' first
(partially) presented at the last Californian Bosch Bahā'ī Mysticism Conference
(1998) and from my Traces from the Musk Scented
Pen.. In making the translation I
have consulted three further mss. along with the (only) printed text (it is
riddled with errors) found in vol. 4 of `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāvarī's
compilation Mā'idih-yi āsmānī 4: 49-88.
The forty or more page wholly Arabic mid-Iraq period (? c. 1857-8?) scriptural tablet of Mīrzā Ḥusayn `Alī Bahā'-Allāh
(1917-1892 CE) known as the Lawḥ-i āyah-yi nūr ("Tablet about the Light
Verse [Q. 24:35]") in various sources is also entitled Tafsīr [Lawḥ-i] ḥurūfāt
al-muqaṭṭa`āt ("Commentary [Tablet] on the Isolated Letters"). This since it
(among other things) contains a detailed non-literal exegesis of both the
well-known and much commented upon qur'ānic Light Verse (Q. 24:35) and select
al-ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt (loosely, `isolated letters'). It was written in reply
to questions posed by the early Bābī-believer and Bahā'ī martyr [Ḥajjī] Āqā
Mīrzā [Āqā] Rikab-Sāz Shīrāzī, about whom relatively little seems to be
Rikab-Sāz Shīrāzī was presumably a trader in saddles / riding equipment.
known to have been much occupied with copying and studying Bābī-Bahā'ī scripture
despite illness in his later years. It was in the context of clerical and
local governmental anti-Bahā'ī activity that a fatwa for his death was issued by
the Shīrāzī mujtahid Shaykh Ḥusayn-i Nazim, stigmatized as al-Ẓālim (`The
Tryant') by Bahā'-Allāh. He was put to death in Shiraz in 1288/1871 along with
Mashadī Muhammad Nabīl and Mashadī [Rafi`] Ja`far-i Khayyāt (Mazandarani, ZH
VI:857-9; Ishrāq Khāvarī, Ganj, 21-2; GPB:200).
To date the text of the Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt.. has neither been befittingly published (no critical edition
exists) nor authoritatively translated by Bahā'ī agencies. A complete though
wholly inadequate printing of the Arabic exists in volume 4 pages 49-86 of Ishrāq
Khavrari's compilation of Bahā'ī scripture entitled Mā'idih-yi
āsmanī -- the mss
source on which this printing is based is not indicated (cf. also the partial
printing in Ganj, 46-49). Three futher mss. texts are known to the present
writer including (at least) one (Haifa supplied) in the hand of Bahā'-Allāh's
important amanuensis Zayn al-Muqarrabīn This is not to say that the following
prov. trans' is based upon a critical edition; there being probable errors in
all mss seen.
In various of his writings Bahā'-Allāh
himself has made occasional reference to the Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt. In, for example,
the Arabic 1868 Lawḥ-i Ra'is ("Tablet of the Leader", namely Mehmed Emin `Alī
Pāshā [1815-1871]) it is written:
"We, verily, have clarified all that We
have mentioned in the Tablets which We revealed when we made reply to the one
who asked about the isolated letters (al-ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt) of the Furqan (= Qur`ān). Refer ye thereto that ye may be illumined in the light of
what hath been sent down from the heavenly realm of God (jabarūt Allāh), the
Mighty, the Praised One" (MAM: [87-102]100).
And in another Persian Tablet we read,
Very brief notices have been given the
Tablet by Shoghi Effendi (GPB: 140) and a few other Bahā'ī writers,
including Fāḍil-i Māzandarānī (Asrar.. 3:90-9X), Ishrāq Khāvarī, Ganj: 21-2,
45-49 trans. Habīb Taherzadeh The Bahā'ī World XIV [1963-8] 627) and Adib
Taherzadeh RB I:125-128). Details of the Sitz im Leben (`setting in life';
circumstances of composition) are not supplied in the texts of any manuscripts
known to the present writer. Some details can be gleaned from an examination of
the text itself.
additionally thou hast enquired about the isolated letters (ḥurūfāt-i muqaṭṭa`āt). During the day of the sojurn
in `Iraq unnumbered [scriptural] traces respecting these matters (maqāmat) were
sent down a few of which have been sent.." (Mazandarni, Asrar 3:90)
Āqā Mīrzā Āqā is the main addressee ("O my brother" LII:6 etc).
Other pericopes [paragraphs] are also addressed to:
The "concourse of
lovers" = Bābī believers + mystics..
"O concourse of the
several times addressed.
"O concourse of the Criterion" (=
"O Assemblage occupied with
the Alchemical Task
[Divine Artistry] (malā' al-san`a)!
Within the Lawḥ-i hurufāt Bahā'-Allāh
refers to this Tablet as divine revelation:
"Hearken then unto what is revealed
(w-ḥ-y) unto thee in this blessed [Sinaitic] Spot (buq`a[t] al-mubārkah)
from this all-eternal [Sinatic] Tree [Bush] (al-shajarat al-sarmadiyya) which is
not consumed by Fire (ma qabasa `anhā al-nār) [cf. Exodus 3:2b?]. Unto this
do none draw nigh except such as circumambulate about its domain and, with His
consent, sacrifice themselves in His path thereafter rendering thanks."
Following a 4-5 page cosmologically and mystico-alphabetically oriented prolegomenon, the person who communicated Aqā
Mīrzā Aqā (= Rikab-Saz]'s letter to Bahā'-Allāh (possibly Aqā Mirzā
is mentioned allusively by means of the phrase letter
("The [Arabic letter] "q"). [fn.2]
 We received a communication [kitāb
letter] from [through?] the letter "Q" (min ḥarf al-qāf) who had journeyed from
his self and emigrated unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.  He
attained unto the regions of holiness and entered the Egypt of certitude (miṣr
al-īqān) in a region [`locale' maqām ) wherein the Fire of God (nār
Allāh) blazed up beyond the veils of Light and in which the Luminary of Singleness (sirāj
al-aḥadiyya) was ignited in a mighty, concealed Lāmp [cf. Q. 24:35].  Thus
are those to be preferred who have left their homes for the love of God above
those who failed to turn towards the precincts of holiness in the City which
those who are nigh unto God have circumambulated.  In his letter there was
enquiry about mysteries (asrār) which none among the creatures hath anticipated;
the veil on the face of which none among humankind hath drawn aside and which
hath not been comprehended by the mystic knowers..." (Mā'idih, 4:52 etc).
here seems to be that someone had travelled to Iraq
(Baghdad?), the "Egypt of certitude" (miṣr al- īqān), the abode of the "True
Joseph" (= Bahā'-Allāh) and attained the presence of Bahā'-Allāh, "a mighty,
concealed Lamp (miṣbāḥ)." A "letter" (kitāb) was delivered enquiring
about various arcane mysteries which had long remained undivulged. The Lawḥ-i
ḥurūfāt is, in the light of human capacity and the dictates of wisdom, a
disclosure or resolution of these long-secreted "mysteries" (asrār), mysteries
pertaining that is, to
1) the Qur'ānic `Light
verse' (Q. 24:35):
نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ
is the Light of the heavens and of the earth
نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ
likeness of His Light is even as [the light streaming from]
(mishkat) containing a lamp (al-miṣbāḥ);
(al-miṣbāḥ) is in a glass (zujājat),
كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ
glass even as a resplendent Star (kawkāb durriya)
مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونِةٍ
enkindled from the oil
(zaytūn), of a blessed Tree (shajarat mubāraka)
olive] neither of the East nor of the West.
زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ
(zaytuhā) well nigh radiates forth even though it [Fire] hardly touches
نُورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ
Light upon Light [and]
اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ
guideth unto His Light whomsoever He willeth.
اللَّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
[does indeed] strike similitudes (al-amthāl) for the people for God is
aware of it all things.
2) the al-ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt (`isolated
letters') A.L.M. (Alif.
Lām, Mīm) in the Sūrat al-Baqāra ("The Surah of
the Cow" 2:1) and
alchemical processes such as the secret of the production of gold.
The major and
minor themes of the Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt are all the central concerns of theoretical and
practical mysticism. The Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt .. begins with a qabbalistic-cosmological exposition of the creation of the letters of the
alphabet (ḥurūfāt) in pre-eternity; the coming to be of the archetypes of the
letters of the Arabic alphabet in terms of the emergence of the "Primordial
Point" (al-nuqṭa al-awwaliyya) and the first letter "A" (al-alif).
Then, following a
few paragraphs on the purpose of creation and the exalted status of the Bāb and
leading Bābīs, Bahā'-Allāh dwells on the theme of continuing divine guidance.
The rest of the Lawḥ-i ḥurūfāt ..., though there are a number of significant
digressions, largely consists of replies to (Rikab Saz's) two (or three?)
1) The mysteries of a "Light verse" (ayah-yi nūr);
"Then know thou that that which thou
hast asked concerning the "Light Verse" [Qur'ān 24:35] which was sent down upon
This section is basically an esoteric
exegesis of Qur'ān 24:35 (cf. 14:5) which is partly rewritten or paraphrased by
Bahā'-Allāh. The mention in Qur'ān 14:5 of "the light" (al-nūr) and the "days
of God" (ayyām Allāh) doubtless led Bahā'-Allāh to take this verse as a prophecy
of the future advent of Muhammad (4-5 pages; Ma'idih 4:53-57) around whom the
non-literal exegesis revolves.
2) On the isolated, detached or
disconneted letters Alif. Lām. Mīm (Qur'ān 2:1), etc; their qabbalistic-cosmological,
chronological, eschatological and other significances.
3) The secrets of the alchemical
production of "gold" along with notice that concern with "gold" and "silver"
only increases poverty!
Among the important though minor secondary
themes of the Tablet one may note:
a) the state of the Bābis and the
condition of Bahā'-Allāh.
b) The mi`rāj of the believer.
c) The secret of
`ilm al-jafr (loosely, "letter mysticism"; "qabbalistic divination"; "occult prognostication",
d) The Jabirean theory of the
e) Eschatology and the issue of
the khātam al-nabiyyīn ("Seal of the Prophets").
The Arabic is a little ambiguous
and could be translated in more than= one way. I have translated it as if
(Hajji) Āqā Mīrzā Āqā [Rikab-Saz] took his letter to Bahā'-Allāh himself though
it may well be, as Mazandarani suggests, that it was delivered by a certain
Hajji Muhammad Bāqir Nabil Musaffir-i Hamadāni (Asrār, IV:462; cf. ibid III:90).
Aqā Mirzā Aqā may be the one referred to as the
( "the letter Qāf
in view of an allusion to his (double)
designation Āqā (= Per. `elder [brother]' , `master') the central letter of
which is "q" (qāf). Worth noting is the fact that there is reference in a Tablet
of Bahā '-Allāh to Hajji Dhabih in the following manner: "And it hath dawned
forth to he who hath believed in God and His verses with the name of "Q" after
"A" (fi ism al-qāf ba`d al-alif) = Āqā (cited Māzandarāni Athar, 4:462). Another
Tablet of Bahā '-Allāh begins,
In my Name, the One given
to Remembrance and the One Remembered! (bism al-dhakir al-madhkur)
O letter "Q" between two
letter "A"s! (ḥarf al-qāf bayn al-alfayn)
Hearken unto the Call of the Confluence of the Two Seas
to aḥrayn) from these two elevated Names
(min hadhayn al-ismayn =
al-a`liyyayn) [= Ḥusayn+`Alī ?]..."
(Tablet cited Mazandarani , Asrar, IV:230f).
ḥarf al-qāf (="The [Arabic letter] qāf ) could be understood in
several different ways. The Arabic letter "Q" has quite a range of senses. In
various Tablets of Bahā'-Allāh the isolated letter qāf ("Q") refers to such
places as Qazvin (in Iran) or Qumm (in Iraq) from which a number of Bābīs and
Bahā'īs originated or resided. IsLāmic esoteric and other Bābī and Bahā'ī
literatures extend further the multifarious senses of the Arabic[-Persian]
letter qāf, "Q". Full details cannot be set down here. In his Commentary on the
"Light Verse" (Q. 24:35 ) for example, the Bāb at one point says, "Know that I,
verily, am the [letter] "Q" (qāf) of the Glorious Qur'ān through this Five [=
his being the Bāb = abjad 5 [x20]=3D 100 = abjad qāf) (fi hadha al-khamsa).."
(Browne Coll,= Ms f.21 (9), 000). See also Aḥmad ibn `Alī al-Būnī,
al-ma`arif al-kubra wa lata'if al-ma`arif (4 vols in 1) Beirut: al-Maktaba al-Thāqāfiyya.
np.nd. [Cairo, 19XX] [Vol 4:504-5]...
Tafsīr [al-] ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt
(Commentary on the Isolated Letters)
Stephen N. Lambden (April 1998 -> 2004).
This translation to some extent corrects and supersedes
my earlier posting on H-Bahā'ī (from Wed, 10 Sep 1997 12:37) of about one third
of the translation. The earlier version should be binned or consigned to the
Bābī-Bahā'ī geniza (`sacred repository'). The version posted here is also
still in progress and will doubtless contains errors in need of correction. At
this stage I shall gradually type out the Zayn mss. and only indicate
alternative readings with an asterisk (*).
This in preparation for a semi-critical edition based on four printed and
mss. versions to appear in Syzygy 2:1 (forthcoming) . It will be obvious that
the occasional transliteration will be inadequate and highly selective. In
making the translation I have consulted three further mss along with the (only)
printed text (it is riddled with errors) found in vol. 4 of `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq
Khāvarī's compilation Ma'idih-yi āsmanī.., 49-88.
(Commentary on the Isolated Letters)
Arabic text according to a
mss. in the hand of Zayn al-Muqarrabīn in a BWC, Haifa supplied photocopy.
لأ اله الا هوالعلىالاعلى*
There is no God except Him, the Elevated, the
[or Ma'idih 4:XX =]
بسم اللّه البهیّ الابهی
[In the Name of God,
the Splendid, the All-Glorious]
للّه الّذی خلق الحروفات فی عوالم العَمَاء
خلف سُرادقات القدس
ثم ّ اسقاهن ّ من كأوس البقآء
قدر فی الواح القضآء* .
Praise be to God
who created the letters
(al-ḥurūfāt) in the worlds
of the divine Cloud (`awālim al-`amā') beyond the pavilions of holiness
(surādiqāt al-qūds) in the lofty heights of the most resplendent
sphere (rafā'rif al-asnā)
then gave them to drink from the
Goblet of eternal subsistence as
ordained in the Tablets of the divine Decree (alwāḥ al-qiḍā').
ليحيی بهن افئدة المقرّبين فی جبروت القضإء
This that He might bring life to the
inmost hearts of those who are nigh unto God
in the Omnipotent
Divine realization (jabarūt al-qiḍā').
اقمصهن قميص السوداء
قدر بتقديره الازلية
مكمن القدَر علی قباب الحمراء
فيما سب العلم
الحيوان فی ظلمات عوالم الاسماء
عند سدرة المنتهی
He then clothed the letters in a
black robe in accordance with what was decreed
through the measure of His eternality respecting the
possibilities of divine foreordination (qadar). This relative to the
[fate regulating] crimson domes (qibāb al-ḥamrā')
and to the status of [explicit] knowledge for He has concealed the
Water of Life in the shadows of the
worlds of Names nigh unto the Lote-Tree of the Extremity (sidrat al-muntahā').  He then caused them
[the letters] to descend into the Kingdom of the Divine Will
al-inshā') in the atmosphere of the Divine Decree
(hawa' al-qiḍa') whereupon a great Cry was heard
from the Most-Exalted Realm thus addressing the
(al-qalam al-awwalī),  `O Pen! Set down the mysteries of
pre-existence (asrār al-qidam) upon the Perspicuous, Snow-White Tablet (al-lawḥ
 On account of this Cry
(al-nidā') was the Pen stupefied with
intense yearning for 70,000 years according to the computations of such as calculate
these things.  When it recovered from its having swooned away according to the further operations of the Divine Decree, it wept crimson tears
for 70,000 years.  Then it stood up erect between the hands of God at a time
which was neither preceded by the decree of firstness in the beginning nor by
the decree of lastness in the end.  While it was burning in the fire of
separation on account of the cessation of the most-sweet Cry, there appeared
within its tears a black hue (lawn al-sawda') in the heavenly sphere of fidelity
(jabarūt al-wafā').  A black teardrop sprinkled down upon the Tablet whereupon the Point
(al-nuqṭa) was made manifest in the world of
origination (`ālam al-badā').  This Point assumed the primordial shape
the mirrors of the letters in the beings of the Names.  The [Arabic letter]
(al-alif) received it [within itself] before all the other letters, in the [pre-eternal] elemental particles of things (fi dharr al-ashyā') for thus did
this Divine Point take on the form of this Eternal [Arabic letter]
(alif).  This inasmuch as the merciful breezes blew upon it from the Source of Singleness
whereupon the Countenance of the Divine Singularity
(wajh al-wahidiyya) was disclosed from behind the Green Veils.  The substance (body, temple,
form.. haykal) of the Point was made manifest in the shape of the letter
أ "A" (al-alif) "A" and rose up from the Tablet for the promotion of the Most-Exalted,
Most-Great Cause of God in the world of Names and Attributes.
 This is a
station (maqām) [by virtue of] which the reality of the Divine Will
(al-mashiyya) was clothed in the nominal robe and invested in the garment of qualificative
attributes in the City of Grandeur.
When this upright letter
(al-alif) was established
upon the Luminous Tablet it was again transfigured
with renewed splendor
whereupon the isolated letters (al-ḥurūfāt al-muqaṭṭa`āt) shone forth in the primordial theophanies (awwal al-ẓuhūrāt) in order that they might be an evidence of
the worlds of incomparability and command in the Citadels of origination.  Then there appeared from these
which shone forth from
the Primordial [letter]
al-awwliyya) in the first of the theophanies,
the worlds of
delineation and multiplicity.  They were differentiated, separated and
then gathered together, reconciled, united and linked together.
Then assembled words and compounded letters
appeared in the worlds of creation in
the forms of Names and Attributes (hayākil al-asmā' wa'l-ṣifāt).
Wherefore was the
completion of the creation of
the worlds of dominion and the Predestined
Ornament (ṭarāz al-qadariyya) among the manifestations of existing beings, to the end that all things
might demonstrate, through the tongue of their inmost realities, that He, verily, is
the Eternal, the Enduring, the Creator, the Powerful, the Mighty, the
Sovereign.  And [they might testify to the fact]
that `Alī before Muhammad [the Bāb] is the Manifestation of the Divine Essence
Manifestation of the Divine Attributes
(maẓhar al-ṣifāt) from whom existence
derives and unto whom beings
return.  And that he [the Bāb]
is the one from whose
beneficent Logos-Self (nafsihi al-mannn) is the Breath of the All-Merciful
al-rahman) for thereby were
created the realities of the essences and the
receptive dispositions (ḥaqā'iq al-jawhariyyāt al-qābiliyyāt) in the world of
being as well as the
manifestations of existing beings in the worlds
of existence.  The Mirrors [of the Bayān] that speak of Him and the Letters
[of the Living] that cry out about Him are foremost in the creation of God;
the source of
outward things and the refuge [point of return] for the servants [of
God] in the
[eschatological] Day of Dispersion.  In this way God hath
distinguished them above the rest of
the creatures in the worlds of
preexistence (`awālim al-qidam).  Through them it was that the Lights shone
forth, the moons gleamed,
the suns shed splendor
and the stars were
 They all testify of Him and demonstrate Him such that there is
no distinction between Him and
between them except that they were created by His
Command, were raised up in accordance with His Intention,
and were assembled
through His Power.  They are those through whom is the cyclic scheme
al-adwār); the revolving of the spheres of existence (takūr al-akwār)
and [the ones]
through whom the Trees of the Divine
Unity sprung up and the incomparable
fruits were made manifest.
 Through them are the rains of
detachment sent down until the Point returns to its original station after revolving
around itself and arriving at its
place whereupon the end returns unto
the beginning.  Then the Primal Call
was raised up
from the Furthermost
with the splendor of the Sun once again.
 And this is that
which the Dove hath sung in the midst
of Eternity in this singular Night in which
 the Fire of the
Divine Oneness hath been ignited from the Tree of
Sinai in the shade of the
most-ancient Name  and the Eternal Secret which [or who] was named the Living
(al-ḥayy), the Pre-existent (al-qadim) in the Qayyūm al-asmā'  in order that every
manifestation may bear witness in the secret
recesses of their hearts unto the secret
things, that He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Protector, the Bestower.
This is a book from the "B"
before the "H"
al-hā') [= Bahā'-Allāh] unto
those who have believed in God and have attained unto the lights of guidance for the purpose of
bringing them unto the Pavilion of
(surādiq al-quds) and
drawing them nigh unto a Seat (maq`ād) to which none who disbelieve in God have
attained.  And to this testify the Embodiments of Names
al-asmā') in the Cities of Attributes
(madā'in al-ṣifāt) and beyond them also
the angels of holiness.  Say:
`In the cooing of
the Dove upon the branches,
the soaring of the
Doves of Holiness,
the surging of the
Sea of Singleness,
the uplifting of the
Clouds of Wisdom, the descent of the
the gushing of the
Rivers from the rocks
and in the
establishment of the Temple of Eternity upon the
Throne of Lights
are signs unto those
who gaze upon
the realities of
things with the eye of God.'
O concourse of
upon the creation of
the heavens and of the earth,
yourselves that you might be guided by the
Manifestations of Power
unto the Lights of
Guidance in the Days of
the Divine Countenance.
We received a communication
[letter] (kitāb) from the letter
القاف ( ḥarf al-qāf
) who had journeyed from his self
and emigrated unto God,
the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
 He attained unto the regions of holiness
and entered the Egypt of certitude
(miṣr al-īqān) in a place wherein the Fire of
God (nār Allāh) blazed up beyond the veils of Light and in which the Luminary of
Singleness (sirāj al-aḥadiyya ) was ignited in a mighty, concealed Lamp.  Thus are those to be preferred who have left their homes
for the love of God above those who failed to turn towards the precincts of holiness in the City which those who are nigh unto God have circumambulated.
 In his letter there was
enquiry about mysteries (asrār) which none
among the creatures hath anticipated; the veil on the face of which none among humankind hath drawn aside
hath not been comprehended by the mystic knowers.
 Then know thou that
that which thou hast asked concerning the
"Light Verse" [Qur'ān 24:35] which was sent down
upon Muhammad, the Messenger
of God aforetime, concerns a verse the
comprehension of which the worlds
cannot sustain.  Even if
whatever lieth within God's knowledge became "Pens" and all that has been decreed became oceans of "Ink"
and the Fingers of
Might wrote [its mysteries] for all time,
this would not
suffice to exhaust even a single letter of the meaning of
this honorable and blessed verse which hath been revealed by the Tongue of
Grandeur.  Nevertheless, I shall cause to be
sprinkled down upon thee a dewdrop from the
fathomless ocean of the sea of
knowledge and wisdom in order that thou
might be amongst those who have hastened to the plains of knowledge
and who have drunk deep of the goblet of Divine Favour from the hand of the
Youth seated upon
the Throne of Paradise.
 When, for Moses, the appointed term
in the Midian of the
Divine Will was completed he returned to his people
and entered the environs of Sinai
in the Holy Vale at the right-hand side
of the region of Paradise
by the precincts of
the Eternal Realm.
 He heard the Call from the Most-Exalted Realm,
retreat of the Divinity Ipseity (shaṭr al-huwiyya ),  O
Moses! Behold! What do You see? I verily, am God! your Lord and the Lord
of your fathers, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob.`  Then Moses veiled his
face out of the fear of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the
Again was Moses summoned before the shores of
the Ocean of Grandeur in the Crimson Dome: "Lift up. O
Moses, Your head!".  When he lifted it up he saw a Light,
blazing and luminous
from the Furthermost Tree in the Verdant [Green] Vale.
was he guided by the Most-Great Guidance from the Fire kindled from the Eternal Lote-Tree.  Then did he doff the sandals of desire
and detached himself from the dominion
of this [primary] world and the hereafter.  All this was what
God had decreed for him even as thou hath been informed in the scriptural Tablets. 
Wherefore was his Cause raised up
and his remembrance exalted.  He was among those who turned their faces
by the lights of the Fire
towards the paths of
Justice.  And this is what was ordained for
Moses son of `Imran
in the Dome
of Time (qubbat al-zamān) [as thou would know] if thou are of
such as are informed.  Thus hath borne witness the Paran of Love nigh the Paran of Fire in the Horeb of Holiness
and the Sinai of Nearness if thou should scan the Pages of Justice
al-`adl) with the eye of God.
veils of Singleness were uncovered and the lights of the Divine Unity shone
forth in the Muhammedan
countenance [= Muhammad] the Fire of the Divine Ipseity (nār al-huwiyya) was ignited for His
Logos-Self, in His Logos-Self,
through His Logos-Self and the
Fire of the [Divine] Lote-Tree blazed up in
his breast.  He was seized by
the pangs of love and the yearnings of
desire on all sides and he heard the
Call of God from the Tree of
[the Perfect] Man (shajarat al-insān) in his inmost Being, `He, verily is Thou
[Who] art God, the King, the
Protector, the Mighty, the Holy'.  This is what was
ordained for Muhammad in the realm
of the Spirit
in a realm [station]
the hearts of those
of old did not draw nigh.
 Thus do we mention unto thee
something of the mysteries of knowledge and
the jewels of wisdom perchance the people might be enkindled and illumined by
the Fire of God in the Lote-Tree of the Remembrance (sidrat al-dhikr).
 When Muhammad the
Messenger of God desired to make mention of this most-exalted
station in order that he might inform them [his people, the Jews]
mysteries of the Divine Unity (asrār al-aḥadiyya) in the Tree of his
nafsihi) and might enable them to be independent of the Fire
which shone forth
in the Sinai of the Decree (sina' al-ḥukm) upon the Moses of the Cause
(mūsā al-amr), God inspired unto
him this luminous verse [Q. 24:35] that it might be a
proof unto those who were given the Torah
and a guidance unto those who were guided
the lights of guidance in the Muhammedan Lote-Tree.  And God commanded
Moses to announce unto the
people this [Muhammadan] Sinai in this Aḥmadian spot (al-buq`a
al-aḥmadiyya).  Unto this beareth witness
that which was revealed in the Book:
verily sent Moses with Our signs [and the command to] `Bring out the [thy]
people from the darkness into the light and announce unto them the Days of God" (cf. Qur'ān
 This is that which
was inscribed in the Tablets if you are of
those who are informed.  He indeed is the one
who gave tidings unto the people concerning His
[eschatological] Days; how attainment unto
his station might be realized [as would be clear] should thou be
numbered among such as comprehend.
 Know thou that when
Moses became aware of the Fire of the
Tree (nār al-shajara) about the shore of
the right-hand side of the [sacred] Vale he was guided by it
and was among those who, with the permission
of God, have entered the Blessed Spot (buq`at
al-mubāraka).  Aforetime it was the case that if Muhammad
became familiar with some reality or something interacted
[touched] with him
as Fire (min nar) he made it Light (nūr) unto whomsoever are in the heavens and upon the
earth.  And he guideth unto this Light (al-nūr) whomsoever he willeth among
His creatures.  Such is what was
inscribed in the [Archetypal] Book
(al-kitab) and which thou recite through the Criterion (al-furqan = the Qur'ān).  Then know thou that the locus (maqām) of the "Niche" (mishkat) in this [Light] verse (Q.
24:35) is His Logos-Self
(nafs; = Muhammad) and that the "Lamp" (miṣbāḥ) is his resplendent heart
(qalbihi al-munīr).  The "Glass" (zijaj)
is his sanctified Person [Temple, Body] (haykalihi al-qudsiyya) in which the Lamp of the
Divine Singularity (siraj al-aḥadiyya) shines forth.  The "Light"
(al-nūr) is ignited and radiates splendor from Muhammad,
for from him derives the splendor of all who are in the heavens and on the earth.  Wherefore do We
mention this unto thee that thou might be illuminated by means of this "Light"
(al-nūr) in the [eschatological] Days of the Spirit
After this "Light" (al-nūr) had shone forth in the
Muhammedan "Lamp" (miṣbāḥ
al-muhammadiyya), was ignited in the Aḥmadian "Niche"
(mishkat al-aḥmadiyya) and
the creation of the Unique One
(al-aḥadiyya : the Bāb) was completed throughthe
creation of the pre-existent Temple (haykal al-qadmiyya), God hath decreed that he might remind the people about the Encounter with Him
the time of the latter resurrection
(qiyāmat al-ukhra) and give them tidings of a
Holy, Laudable Reality in a locale in which the concourse of
the Elevated Ones
and the Spirits of the cherubic Beings (`those who are nigh unto God')(arwāḥ al-muqarribīn)shall be gathered together. 
Therein shall be uplifted the clouds of Divine Bounty
and through the rejoicing of God
the believers shall be made to greatly rejoice. 
This is what was promised in mighty, Preserved Tablets
(alwāḥ `izz maḥfūẓ) in
which He says, exalted be His sovereignty,
"The Day when your Lord shall come
or certain of the signs of your Lord"
(cf. Q. 6:156).
 And this is what all
who are in the heavens and on the earth were promised about him [= the Bāb] to
the end that all might bear witness within themselves that this One is certainly
the True One (al-ḥaqq); no God is there except Him.  He undoubtedly is the
Ultimately Real (al-ḥaqq), the One Aware of things Unseen (`allām al-ghuyūb).
Then know [thou of] the station of he who came in the garment of
`Alī [= the Bāb or `a sublime robe'; bi-qamīṣ `alīyy] upon clouds of Light
min al-nūr) and that Muhammad, the Messenger of God
was an announcer of the
glad-tidings of the Encounter [Meeting]
with Him on a Day in which the righteous
shallgreatly rejoice on his account.
 Know also that after he came
unto them with manifest signs
the slanderers spoke against
him and treated him in such wise
that the Pen is loathe to dwell upon it.
And God beareth witness unto
this even if thou do not so
testify.  They disbelieved in him and
denied him and among them was one who
slandered God accusing him of enchanting
the people.  Thus were they veiled from
the Encounter with God; did not assist him in his
Cause and failed to turn in the
direction of the Countenance unto which those who are nigh
unto God have turned.
And thou, O Concourse of the Bayān! Render thanks unto God
in that he hath bestowed his
bounty upon thee in such wise that thou hast
been enabled to known His Logos-Self
(nafs = the Bāb) and were ennobled through attaining
the Encounter with God (liqā'-Allāh).  He, in very truth, raised
thee up and sent down unto thee that which enabled thee to be free of those who
disbelieved and inclined to associate
gods with God even though all expected the advent
of His Days and all were heirs to the promise of His coming.
 Wherefore know that We have, in very truth, awakened
thee, raised thee up and ennobled thee
through the divine Grace inasmuch as We gave thee a refuge in the precincts of
knowledge (shāṭī al-`ilm), instructed thee in the paths of gnosis
al-`irfān) and drew thee nigh unto a Fire
(nār) through which the hearts of
those who have believed in God,
their Lord and trusted in Him were at every moment made to
Then know that the
significance of the [Light] verse (Q. 24:35) cannot be [understood] except
that We should instruct thee
through the Truth [through the
True One?] since none shall comprehend it
save those who were patient
and inasmuch as
none shall understand it
except those who were
from the [divine] Bounty which hath neither beginning nor end.
thou, O thou hopeful petitioner, during these days in which the Sun of Bounty
hath shone forth from
the Dawning-Place of
Singularity (mashriq al-aḥadiyya )
and the Lamp of the Divine Ipseity
hath shed splendor in the Niche of Holiness
witness [the significance of] this [Light] verse
save in a Temple (haykal)
which God has secreted beyond
the Pavilion of Might
beloved heights of divine nearness.
Do thou not
witness how God hath caused His Logos-Self
to radiate through the Fire of His
Own Logos-Self (nafs),
in the Eternal "Niche"
(mishkat al-baqā') and preserved it in
the "Lamp" of Power
between the earth and the heavens;
the breezes of ungodliness should blow upon it and there be manifest therefrom
the Light (al-nūr)
from behind the 70, 000 veils
[of light and darkness]
according to a
prescribed measure [to the extent of the eye of-the needle]
and [how] He caused to radiate from
the Glasses the possibilities of existence
(zujajat wujud al-mumkinat).
This in such wise that they
may all give account about God,
in view of the theophany (tajallī) upon them
of this Divine Light
This is what We bring to thine
attention of the wonders of hidden
in order that at every moment
thou might render thanks unto
God thy Lord as also
all the believers.
This to the end that thou
might be contented within thyself in that thou be oriented
towards a region upon which not a single
of the creatures hath
attained; save those, that is,
those who are at every moment
consumed by the fire of love
and unto which none have drawn nigh
except such as are detached from all that is within the
mighty domain of the
Divine command (jabarut al-amr)
and in the world of creation
with the permission of God, tread the paths of
Thus have We
given thee sufficient through that which We have expounded
for thee relative to this
We have abridged the elucidation of its
significances in that We have previously
commented upon it in diverse ways and modes
which have astonished the intellects of mystic knowers.
Be satisfied with what hath
been sent down for thee in this blessed Night (cf. laylat al-qadr)
which God hath set aside among nights as one in which He hath decreed every
affair as something ordained
One Mighty, Self-Subsisting.
If this be deemed that which
the Pen of Might hath written down
then return unto what was
previously inscribed by a mighty, evident Finger, since in the Lote-Tree of
the Words (sidrat al-kalimat)
Fire of Singleness (nūr al-aḥadiyya ) hath blazed forth,
and none shall grasp it save
such as profess the unity of
On its branches are
Doves all of which were created from the Fire of the Divine Ipseity
and none doth hear their
cooing save those who are detached.
If thou should make careful
observation thou would assuredly become
informed of all branches of knowledge
according to what hath been
inscribed in these Tablets and be free from all except
Him. This, verily, is the certain
Now regarding that which thou enquired
of the isolated letters
in the writings and the scriptures
Know thou that every single one of these letters
are assuredly signs
(ayat) unto such as are informed.
In them are ciphers (rumuzat), allusions (isharat),
deep significances (ma`ānī) and testimonies (dalalat)
not a letter of which can be grasped
save by those who tread
the path of God's
and delight in the Riḍwān of knowledge
all eternity hath their mysteries been hidden
in the Storehouses of
sealed with the Seal of Power
(bi-khitm al-qudrat) and veiled in the Veil of Might
though at this moment
hath their Seal been broken
in view thy capacity, and thy desire
and in accordance with what
the people are capable of understanding.
This such that those to whom hath been given the guidance
which cometh from God,
might assuredly testify that everything created
exists by virtue of an
[theophany] ( fi
haykal) who, in very truth,
crieth out [Divine guidance], for around Him do circumambulate
all the Elevated Letters (al-hurufat al-`a[i]liyya) and the
as thou would realize if thou should [truly] comprehend.
Then know thou that those
letters in the station of the Names give testimony unto eternal
levels of Being without beginning (al-kaynunat
al-azaliyyat), the realities of the Divine Oneness
(al-haqā'iq al-aḥadiyyat) and the pristine sublimities of the Divine Ipseity (sawazij al-huwiyya) the like
of which thou dost recite in the Criterion (al-furqān= the Qur'ān).  He
[God] saith -- magnified be His Light -- at the commencement of the
Book [= the Qur'an]:
Mīm. ["A"- "L"- "M"].
This is a
Book about which there is no doubt. It is a
guidance unto the pious" (Q. 2:1-2).
In this place
God hath designated His Beloved One [= Muhammad]
by these extended,
isolated letters (al-hurūfat al-munbasit al-muqaṭṭa`āt)
as a means of confirming such
as hath soared upon the wings of
detachment in the atmosphere of the Spirit.
(hadha kitāb) is indicative of the Book of thine own Logos-Self
(kitāb nafsika) which deriveth from a Hidden, Preserved Book
(kitāb ghayb maḥfūẓ)
which hath not been understood by anyone save God.
Books (kutub) derive therefrom if thou art of such as are confirmed.
this is from a[n Archetypal] Book in which is distinguished
the knowledge of all that hath been and will be
and by means of which the rightly-guided ones are guided.
All that which was revealed
from the beginning which hath no
of the various Books and the Scriptures
(al-kutub wa'l-zubur) are but
a letter of "that Book"
And none are informed of this
save such as have [mi`rāj-like] ascended on the Buraq
[celestial Steed] of Might
(buraq al-`izz) unto the atmosphere of divine
Everything is capable of
being registered on the level of description
except this Hidden Book
al-maknūn) which is abstracted beyond
all that can be characterized
and all that those who
describe things can depict.
And He creates from it all
that hath been and will be through His saying
"Be! And it is!"
Then know that ["that] "Book"
signifies the Logos-Self (nafs) of
in which all mysteries (asrār)
hath been inscribed
by the Pen of God
the Protector, the Mighty,
This to the end
that thou should testify to the fact that
there is no God except Him,
the King, the
Protector, the Beloved One.
Thus has it been sent down aforetime,
"Read! the Book of thine
(cf. Q. 17:15).
This is a "Book" which
suffices those who have believed
and which enables them to attain unto
precincts of a Treasured Name
And on another level
reference is made to a Book
which was, in very truth,
sent down upon him
God made to be a Distinguisher
between such as have believed
and such as have disbelieved
in their Lord,
as accords with [divine]
 And on another level
know thou that God named His
Beloved One [Muhammad] by means of the composite
letters (al-hurūfāt al-murakkabat) and the compounded words (al-kalimat al-jami`at) the like of which thou do
utter through his Names, Muhammad, Aḥmad and Maḥmud in the Kingdom of Names
al-asmā').  Thus He named him by means of extended letters (al-hurūfāt al-munbasīṭa) and Isolated characters
(al-ruqūmāt al-muqaṭṭa`ah[āt]) in order that all
possessed of some knowledge of God might acknowledge that all the Most-Beautiful
Letters (al-hurufat al-abha') and the Most Beautiful Names (al-asma al-husnā') were created for him such that nothing appears from the Beloved One [=
Muhammad] except that He hath thereby intended His Beloved
[Muhammad / Baha'-Allah].  And this indeed is His Beloved One
as thou would realize if thou should observe
with the eye of the spirit.  The utterance is confirmed
in the light of that which
the Dove of Timeless Eternality (warqa' al-azaliyya) daily crieth out, `Supplicate ye!
for his are
the Most Beautiful Names (al-asmā' al-husna').'  This indeed is what was sent
down aforetime and which thou dost recite
during his days; the same also do most of the
people recite (see Q. 7:179).
Then know thou that God is the One Who created
by means of these extended,
(al-hurufat al-munbasitah al-muqatta`ah)
aspects of a Name
of His Beloved One
(fi ism habibihi)
which is an expression of the
of the extendedness
and of the subtle,
elevated, pristine characteristics
(al-sadhijat al-rafi`ah` al-latifah)
of which thou do witness in the Mirrors
which reflect the Muhammadan Sun
[= the Twelver Imams]
Wherefore did He create in
through the Sacred Words
the Blessed Definitive
from the elements of the
wholly in accordance with
their respective degrees
of reflecting this Sun
Then ponder upon the creation
of the heavens
and of the earth
in order that thou might be
every [Divine] Name
is in the shadow of his [Muhammad's
and every [Divine] Attribute
is but a shadow of his Attribute.
Be assured that everything
lies within the grasp of his power
created from the Letters of his Name
and be thou reckoned among
such as have
discerned with the eye of God
the manifestations of
And on another level
the [isolated letter]
represents the Absolute
The [isolated letter]
represents the Absolute
which is realized through His
through His saying,
"Thy waliyy ("Patron") is [only]
God" (Q. 5:55a).
This is by virtue of the
(wilāya al-`aziz al-maḥmūd).
The [isolated, Isolated
is expressive of the
Muhammandan Actuality [Beingness]
and the Aḥmadī Modality
And God addressed him
[Muhammad] by means of these [isolated] letters
to the end that all
might attain certitude for everything that He
expounds is of importance,
is communicated through created languages
or made meaningful relative
the earthly originated
domain (arḍ al-inshā'iyya).
All of this appears in the Muhammadan garment
thus doth the Dove (al-warqā') warble forth
on every level the melodies of the Spirit
perchance thou might
comprehend something of what is
communicated unto thee.
If I desired to expound these three
relative to these three [isolated] letters [A-L-M]
scriptural Tablets (al-alwah) would in no wise suffice
[to register their sigificances];
ink would be available
such that it would prove necessary to select on every
something of what thou art capable of apprehending.
This inasmuch as
the moment for the Pen
to write even a [single] letter is
beyond my grasp
in the light of [the actions of] such as have disbelieved
added gods to God.
And this since the shackling of this Youth
seems something conspired within their breasts;
the Youth who reposes in the
region of Iraq
summons all unto progress
and orients himself towards
the horizon of
the Divine Singularity
(afaq al-aḥadiyya )
by virtue of the splendours
of the radiance of the [mystic] Horizons
These matters do We mention
relating to the
mysteries of the Cause (asrar al-amr)
might be attentive.
By he in whose hand is the
Logos-Self of Ḥusayn!
If it were not for the fact that the dangerous ways
of the practitioners of dissimulation
(ahl al-nifaq = [proto-] Azali
had inhibited me
mention would have been made in
scriptural Tablet (al-lawh)
that which would enable thee to be detached from
all that is in the heavens and
on the earth
and enable thee to attain unto a station which no ear
heard and no eye hath ever perceived.
Such an ever-flowing bounty
can never by surpassed! even if it should flow out
beginning which hath no beginning
unto the end for which no end can be
This in that the Fountainhead of this Divine Watercourse
this Ocean of the Divine
is none other than the Reality of the Lordly Bounty
the very Beingness of the knowledge of Perpetuity
In view of this how could it ever be that this delicious,
ever-flowing Reality could be exhausted?
Nay rather! By my
it shall never cease; neither shall it pass away
for there shall be made
manifest through it
what shall give testimony unto Us
and in addition also the
the denizens of the
(sukkan mala' al-a`la).
How can the Bounty of God ever be terminated?
Or the Divine Grace be cut off on His part?
Nay! By the very Lord of the
of the heavens
and of the earth!
His Mercy hath ever preceded all things
and His Bounty hath forever circumambulated all existence!
Say: O People!
This is an expression of His
Bounty which He sends down unto thee,
the rains of divine Wisdom
clouds of knowledge.
It's effect wafts over all realms of
possible being to the end that they might be enabled
to enter the Riḍwān of Holiness (riḍwān al-quds) and be clothed in garment of Eternal
Ponder ye, therefore,
upon the mysteries of this
Say: `O people!
You were asleep upon the bedclothes
to rise up from the couches of heedlessness
(maqā'id al-ghaflat) when there
dawned forth the Sun of the Divine Love (shams al-ḥubb).
When, that is, all mouldering bodies (al-ajsad al-ramīmah)
were resuscitated through its energizing
effect you were as a frozen ice-mountain
failing to melt down with the
beaming radiance of this celestial [Sinaitic] Fire (al-nar)
who dwelt within the lofty heights of Paradise (rafārif al-khuld) were set ablaze thereby.
Say: O People!
Thou failed to hearken unto this servant
of certitude in God
through this Luminary
didst thou become aware of
the gradations of mystical love
How magnificently is he enkindled
with the Fire of Love
how fiercely does he at every moment burn up
through the fire of His [Own] Logos-Self
Wherefore, should thou be set ablaze
through the wonders
of the Remembrance
So hearken thou [within thine
and supplicate God within [regarding His mystery] (fi sirrihi)
a tongue dedicated unto Him
`O my God and my Master (sayyid)!
I supplicate Thee through Thy Luminary (siraj)
whom Thou didst make to be
sanctified above the Lamp
in that Thou raised me up
in the assemblage of
in a locale wherein
mention is made
of the Name of God,
the Mighty, Help in Peril, the One Promised.'
The One that is, Who, in very
shall come upon a
cloud-canopy of fire
(`ala zill min al-nar)
and about whom circumambulate
the angels of the sacred
At this will the cloud[s]
of holiness be upraised
and the Dove (al-warqa')
warble out accents the like which
of shall enrapture
the inmost hearts of the
who are nigh unto God (af'idat al-muqarribīn).
Say: O People!
Hearken unto My Speech!
Realize the importance (qadr) of
and hold ye firm unto the brilliant, hidden Thread
not entrapped by this mortal world
and its embellishments
and do not allow thyself to be saddened by adversity
on account of what may harm thee
through such as have disbelieved and turned
away from God,
the Mighty, the Beloved One.
Be among the choicest of
who would not be held back
by any hindrance of the
veiled by the baseness of the censurer
or witheld by antagonisms of an antagonist;
even though, as thou wouldst
all who dwell on earth should oppose them.
Such persons are among those who
do not orient themselves
in the direction of any single Countenance
and are unconcerned with anything
in the created domain
And were such persons to chance upon cities of gold
even as the lightening, flee therefrom.
They would in no
way be entangled therewith
but render glory in the exuberance of their
These are such that when the verses of thy Lord
are recited unto them,
the Fire of the Divine Singularity (nūr
is generated within their hearts
and their limbs are made to quake
with spiritual yearning
Their very countenances prostrate before God,
the King, the Help in Peril,
the Mighty, the Most Holy.
regarding such as is evidenced in
the inmost disposition
those who are truly detached, do We cast upon thee
perchance thou might
with thine own eyes speedily attain unto the shore of the
Then know thou that on another level
God intends by these [isolated]
the mysteries indicative of the[chronological] fulfillment [of prophecy]
(asrār ilā nihāyāt)
by means of which He alludes unto
the period of the
concealment of the [expected eschatological] Beauty
behind pavilions of Glory
(surādīqat al-jalāl) the like of which is
the recorded traces (āthār) of the [twelver] Imams of the Criterion
[Thus, for example, the words]
expiration of "Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād" through to "Alif-Lām-Mīm-Rā
'" the Mahdī shall rise up".
Wherefore should thou, in like manner,
observe and be informed of
[chronological] mysteries in all the [isolated] letters
(ḥīn, abjad = 68 = 1268?]
when there shall beam forth the
of a sacred, beloved Dawn
(fajr quds maḥbūb).
`Thou, O Concourse of the Bayān!
Behold all of this [latter
is relevant to the levels of the creatures
and of things
originated (maratib al-khalq wa'l-ibda`);
to manifestations of things computed
and brought into being
It is otherwise with respect
to those levels
(`modes of interpretation'; maqamat)
which God made to be a
for his sacred, theophanic self-manifestations
Such [levels of significance] are totally beyond the merest
account thereof can never be intimated nor evidenced
by means of any
They [the Letters] all lie within the Abode of
where they assuredly await Realization (fulfillment)
`O Concourse of the Criterion!
(al-furqan = the Qur'ān)
The [isolated] letters
unto their respective stations (mawaqif)
the Words (al-kalimat)
unto their seats of repose (maqa'id)
yet thou [Muslims],
up until this very moment,
have failed to perceive anything at all!
thou not heard of the [eschatological]
"Day when the Crier [Herald] (al-munad)
shall cry out"
(= Q. 50:41a)?
And hast thou not heard of the
[eschatological, devastating ]
with the very Truth (bi'l-ḥaqq)?
(see Q. 50:42 etc)
How is it that until this very moment
remained lifeless in the veils of thine own selves?
Rise up then! from the resting places of heedlessness
ignorance (al-jahl) and hostility (baghda')
then proceed unto the Remembrance of
for such is best for thee if thou desirest to return
precincts of the divine nearness
And dost thou not consider bygone centuries
with repect to what befell some
in view of the fact that they opposed the Messengers of God (rusul
and rejected their verses (or `signs'; ayat)?
Consequent upon this
God did not commission any Messenger (min rasul)
save He was sent down with a
[conclusive] Proof (hujjat)
before which [even] the mature (al-balighun) were
And He hath given tidings to every Messenger (rasul);
of the sent Messenger (rasul) who shall come after him.
And all were assuredly
promised about his [forthcoming] advent.
So observe such as were given the Torah aforetime!
Unto them was Moses
raised up and they were given good news from God,
the Help in Peril, the
[good news that is]
about a Prophet who would
come after him
(cf. Deut. 18:15,18).
But when Moses came unto them with the rod of the
(`aṣā al-amr) and the Paran of Love (fārān al-ḥubb)
they turned aside
from him [Moses] and they said,
"This is naught but a crazed magician
And they disavowed him and debated with him;
they disputed with
him until innumerable years passed by
and God lifted him up through His command
and enabled him to attain unto
a [place] station (maqam) which was ordained for
were matters implemented through His wisdom (hikmat)
and His Proof (burhan) was
those who had disbelieved, added gods to God
justification acted tyranically
and were [consequently] were cut off.
as thou, even today,
uttereth supplications for Moses and such as hath believed
and curse Pharoah and his hosts.
Thus do We narrate for thee
something of the narrative of establisghed Reality
perchance thou might be
mindful in the Days of God!
Then Moses gave the people
of he who would appear after
And when Jesus came unto them
(bayyināt quds mashhūd )
they waxed proud
against him and said,
"Thou art not that [expected]
but naught except a man
Jesus gave glad-tidings of a
who would come after him
by means of mighty, laudable allusions
(bi-ishārāt `izz maḥmūd).
Thus, when Muhammad, the Messenger of God
came unto them they rejected him and disavowed him.
`This is naught but a man
feeble against God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.'
And when he was lifted up unto God
they gathered together in support of his
Cause just as thou dost witness today.
they all in the light of what had befallen him [Muhammad]
were made to weep and evinced
then cursed such as wronged
And the moment he was raised up
unto Sublime Intimacy
(`Transcendent Partnership'; rafiq al-a`la)
ascended unto the furthermost Lofty Heights
he promised the
people the one who would come subsequently.
All of the people of the
Criterion (malā' al-furqān = Muslims) are affirmative of that.
And the Cause
(al-amr) was in motion
and the appointed
times (mudda) transpired
until there came about the advent
of `Alī before Muhammad
[= the Bāb]
with brilliant signs
([verses] āyāt wāḥidāt)
and dazzling proofs
with solid arguments
and resplendent testimonies
Yet did all wax proud before God
regarding his Cause [Bābism]
despite the fact that they
were all promised the Meeting with Him
Unto this testifieth all that was inscribed in Preserved
Tablets (alwāḥ al-maḥfūẓ)
just as thou dost recite in the Book
This in that when God sealed prophethood
through His Beloved One
(ḥabīb = Muhammad,
the khātam al-nabbiyīn "Seal of the prophets" in Q. 33:40b)
he gave the servants the
glad-tidings of the Encounter with Him [God]
and thus was the matter
definitively resolved (khatama al-makhtūm).
when God came [unto them] in the shadows of the clouds
(fi zulal al-ghamam,
breathed into the Trumpet of the Cause
(nafakha fi sur al-amr;
cf. Q.18:99; etc),
split the Heaven asunder
cf. Q.55:37 ; 69:16; 84:1)
and crushed the mountains to
dust (Q.56:5; 69:14, etc),
did all retreat back upon
(cf. Q.3:144; 6:71..)
continuing to await the
Encounter [Meeting] with Him [God].
This just as the Jews and the
Christians continue to await
that which they were promised
from that day until this very
all remain in a state of
How many Messengers (rusul)
hath God, in very truth,
sent unto them after Moses up until this moment?
The Jews failed to perceive this
and have for all these years stated that
[the Messiah] shall come in a subsequent year (fi sanat ukhra !'
therefore their measure (maqadir)
and the measure of such as are enshadowed
within their own their own shadow (fi zill anfusihim).
So observe those who join partners with God!
the nature of their past ways
and what they are still doing today.
In this way do We graciously aid thee
in distinguishing every particular [prophetic] announcement
before thee what hath befallen the Messengers of God.
This to the end that
thou be informed about the mysteries of the Cause
and be numbered
among such as are today reckoned
among those who have entered neath the shadow
of the Face
such as God hath
elevated to a station which is known
to His Own
Logos-Self after which all had calumniated against Him.
At this moment do We
return unto what We had
and establish anew the garment of
mystic meaning (qamīṣ al-ma`ānī)
repositories of the words (hayākil
which are pristine
(mujarrad), unprecedented (bad`)
This that thou might
become certain about the fact that the
timing of the Cause
is in the grasp of One
Powerful, Awesome (marhūb)
and One capable,
should He so will,
of initiating change [revolution]
Thus, when His Cause
came unto all who are in the
revolution for all were
Then know that were
I to make mention of the
which was revealed at the commencement of the Book
(al-kitab = the Qur'ān 2:1)
according to that
which was ordained therein
of the pearls of
(lū`lū` `ilm maknūn),
it would assuredly cause the
swooning away of
all who inhabit the heavens and the earth;
save, that is, such
as are immersed within the surging waves (ṭamṭām)
of the Ocean of the Divine
in the proximity of the divine Countenance
These are such
persons as are leagued
against the dogs of
which seize Us [me]
with the clutches of enmity
and reject the bounty which hath descended from
a cloud raised up in
the name of God
that quencheth the
thirst of those who are consumed
in the Paran of Separation
nigh the unto
the raging Fire
Some of them would assuredly expire
this to the extent that even if the spirit of life
into them they would not even come alive again
[lit. `be able to crawl..'].
But a very few of them would quaff from the Life-giving Spring
which floweth in the shadows of these words
and would glorify God their Creator
in that He hath caused to shine upon them
from the direction of `Iraq the
Luminosity of the Horizons
following the swooning away of the
and their subsequent recovery
Know therefore that the
people have been scattered
in view of the fact that they were given to
And thus was sent down aforetime unto Muhammad,
(rasul Allāh) that
["]And only a handful of My servants evinced
Yet, in spite of all this,
it is beloved to Us [me] that I should
give special attention to the one
who striveth in the way of God,
journeyeth towards Him, and migrateth unto Him.
In this light do I cast,
according to the capacity of such
among the servants [of God]
who can bear it,
of those souls who can sustain
and of such intellects as can fathom it,
what might serve as a memorial
and an expression of glad-tidings
bisharat) unto the servants and
[unto] those who desire to hasten
unto the Abode
of Peace (dār al-salām = Baghdad) and enter beneath
the shade of the Tree of
Hearken then unto what is revealed (w-ḥ-y) unto thee
in this blessed
from this all-eternal [Sinatic]
which is not consumed by Fire
(mā qabasa `anhā
(cf. Exod. 3:2b)
Unto this do none draw nigh
except such as circumambulate
about its domain
and, with His consent,
sacrifice themselves in His
thereafter rendering thanks.
Know thou then that the
is, on a certain level a herald
[indicative] (bashir) of His Greatest Name
(al-ism al-a`ẓam) which is Allāh
["God" 1st letter = "A"].
[isolated letter] "L" (lām)
is an aspect of His Hidden
(min `ilmihi al-maknūn).
م [isolated letter] "M" (mīm)
indicateth his Name
the Bestower (al-mu`ṭi).
That is to say [A-L-M]
`I am God,
(al-a`lām), the Bestower (al-mu`ṭi).
And these Names are what God hath singled out
for His own Logos-Self
at the commencement of the Book
(al-kitāb = Q. 2:1).
means doth He accomplish that which He desireth
and none can ever know the
nature of what He desireth nor outstrip Him in His
And We one and all are
and confident of this matter.
Now on another level God,
glorified be He,
intendeth by the
[letter] "A" (alif)
of the [isolated letters A-L-M]
the Oneness of
His Essence (aḥadiyya dhātihi).
[letter] "L" (lām) [is indicated] the wilāya
custodian, legatee, guardian, etc)
for the [letter] "L" (lām)
is the letter indicative of al-wilāya (one representative of
if thou art of such are
م [isolated letter] "M" (mīm)
is indicated the prophethood
of His Beloved (ḥabīb, = Muhammad]
for this letter ("M")
is the letter of
as is indicated by the fact
it appears at the beginning
name of His Messenger (=
just as thou dost witness.
And the letter of the
custodianship = "L")
precedence over the
letter of Prophethood
(ḥarf al-nubuwwa = M)
This so that those possessed
of heartfelt vision testify to the fact that
this is an expression of eschatological glad-tidings
(bishāra min ba`d)
who inhabit the heavens and the earth for he who succeeded Muhammad
(= the Bāb)
hath in his mighty name
(= `Alī Muhammad)
the name of wilāya (custodianship..) (ism al-wilāya) [=`Alī]
precede the name of
prophethood (ism al-nubuwwa) [= Muhammad]
thou art aware in [the Bāb's name] `Ali before Muhammad
(`Ali Muhammad = the Bāb).
of this is furnished by the second verse of the Criterion
(al-furqan = the
which, in very truth, was
revealed as follows,
is there about this Book
wherein there is guidance for the godfearing
believe in the Unseen (al-ghayb)" (Q. 2:2).
Now the "Unseen" (al-ghayb)
doth not relate to the era (`asr) of Muhammad
except through `Alī before Nabīl
[= Muhammad = the Bāb]
if thou be of those who
believe in this "Unseen"
Through this "Unseen" (al-ghayb) did
God take a covenant (al-`ahd),
by virtue of the very
[pre-eternal] constituent atoms of the Criterion
(the Qur'ān = Muslims; fi dharr al-furqan),
with all such as inhabit the
heavens and the earth; though most of the peoples
remain devoid of
Know therefore in what manner
the Bird of the Throne
extendeth its tongue and warbleth in the lofty heights of Eternal Subsistence
informing thee of that through which
thou shouldst find thy minds
thy souls refreshed
and thine hearts delighted.
Through this also should the
believers in the Divine Oneness
Know then! the greatness of this Cause (al-amr)
for God hath made mention of it
at the very beginning of
His Book [the Qur'ān, 2:1]
and at the very commencement of His address
Beloved One [Muhammad].
In spite of this these profligate souls
broke the covenant of God
(naqisu `ahd Allāh)
violated His testament
(mithāq) and repudiated His Proof (burhān).
Not satisfied with all this
unto him [the Bāb] what shattereth the very patience of
the truly patient.
Thus do We inform thee of the mysteries of the Cause
if thou dost hearken with the
ears of sanctity.
So by God!
Shouldst thou ponder upon the
which was sent down
between the two [isolated] letters
= "A" and
thou wouldst assuredly attain everything
that thou desirest
hath the form of three [letters]
(hai`atihi thalatha, =
[when spelled out in full],
as accords with the reckoning
the practitioners of
in their examination thereof.
The latter [persons] thus assign to its reality
three [letters]; that
 the [letter]
 the [letter]
ا "A" (al-alif) and
 the [letter]
It [the isolated letter "L"] thus combines within itself
everything about which we
might be questioned
[regarding the A-L-M].
The [letter] م
appeareth within its reality (nafs)
and this is an
evidence of its being self-contained
as thou wouldst realize if thou shouldst soar in the firmament of self-sufficiency
(hawā' al-tajrīd) and the
expanse of the Divine Oneness (fadā' al-tawhīd).
In view of this do the
proof seekers (al-mustadillun)
demonstrate the fact that
"He, verily, no God is
there save Him"
(innahu la ilaha ila huwa).
He, verily, hath ever been
(wāḥid) in His Essence (dhāt),
One in His Attributes (ṣifāt), One in His Name (ism),
One in His [cosmological-alchemical]
Could there possibly be any God other than He?
`Praised be God! There
is no God other than He'.
And we, one and all,
before Him and His handiwork
do stand in bewildered awe
Through this are the
veils of blasphemous idolatry
burned up, the intimations of
self-guidance dissipated and the banners of the
the Divine Oneness
Ponder now upon the
ا "a" (al-alif)
which God placed in an intermediary
"L" (al-lām) and the
[in the isolated letter
Such is what cannot be comprehended
nor fathomed by means of knowledge (al-`ilm)
even if all such as inhabit the
should consider this matter
for an eternity of eternities (fi azal al-azal).
[In the effort to comprehend]
The very doors of the mystical senses
of this all-perpetual letter
would be bolted and
the portals of explication
would be opened
that thou might
make due progress should thou hearken aright!
Know then that should thou make this divine "A"
revolve about its self (nafsihi) there would be manifest two upright "A"s
And then after that if thou
should raise them both up unto
[the value of] the tens
then there would be manifest the number of
`adad al-`asharayn; 1+1 = 2 X10 = 20).
would surely be made manifest
(al-kāf; abjad = 20)
of the [creative
kun = "Be!"]
by means of which the "Temples of the Divine
the Manifestations of Singleness
and the loci of abstracted reality
were called into being.
And this [creative "K"
as the imperative
[qur'ānic] "and it is"
"Be and it is!", Q. 2:115; 3:42; 6:72 etc
before it was associated with
the supportive letter
[as thou dost know]
if thou art of such as are
Following this conjoining
as the creative imperative
the modalities (al-ishārat) were
in the worlds of limitation
as well as the concrete
in the worlds of constructed reality
Unto this do testify such as are privy to
knowledge of the mysteries of wisdom
(ulu al-`ilm asrār al-ḥikmat)
the like of
which hath streamed forth
from a manifest and mighty Pen
(qalām `izz mashud).
Know then that all of
the [Isolated] Letters
(al-ḥurūfāt) and the Words (al-kalimāt)
this all-eternal [letter]
(al-alif al-samadani) and this Lordly Cipher
[as would be evident to thee]
if thou should observe with the
vision of the heart
assuredly is a manifestation of the Letters
without it being
[in the least] alluded to
(min ghayr al-ishara alayihi).
And thus was the knowledge which originateth with Him,
truth, sent down should thou estimate correctly
and be of such as comprehend.
Otherwise beseech God,
thy Lord that He instruct thee in His knowledge
and proffer unto thee what
shall enable thee to be
independent of such as
by the verses [signs] of God
(bi- āyat Allāh),
who do amble in the shadowy
of the abysmal deep
and are engulfed therein
all directions by waves of hellfire
causing them to sweat
though utterly failing to
realize [spiritual] intimacy.
the mysteries which are
this [letter] "A"
for in all the Letters
are theophanies (tajalliyyāt)
of this "A" (al-alif).
Then observe ye this!
Witness ye, for example,
in this [letter]
is the [letter]
in an humbled, innocent
condition (bi-khuḍū`a barā'a),
utterly prostrate upon the dust
its whole being manifesting fear before God
as thou mayest observe if thou beholds its shape
turned on its side).
Subsequently was it
[the locus of "A" / "B"]
manifested in the
Temple of [the letter]
exhibiting its prostration
before God, the Help in
Peril, the Beloved One
(note the bent, prostrate
of the Arabic letter "D",
when it has prostrated itself before God
the essence of the [letter]
was made manifest.
From this there floweth the
through which God reviveth
all who exist within the heavens
and on the
earth in the category of creatures
[as would be evident]
thou should scrutinize
the constituent nature of the
Wherefore be informed that all the
and all of the creatures
are in this
light subject to such theophany
on account of the theophanic
(tajalliyyāt hadhā al-alif)
which is manifested within diverse
evident unto thee if thou
examine the [diverse forms
the letters of the alphabet
And when it came about
desired to manifest the theophanic
(tajalliyyāt) of this [letter] "A"
there radiated forth upon these
[primordial] letters a theophanic disclosure of His likeness
(tajallī an min mithālihi).
As a result all
were effected by
the [creative imperative]
and their very garments
(qamā'id, `outer forms')
If they should sanctify their own selves
from these transient embodiments
they would one and all exist
in the [disembodied] form
of this [letter] "A"
and [when necessary] would arise
in accordance with their respective forms.
And should thou desire to
[letter] "A" (al-alif),
rising up (al-qā'ima)
in the [primordial
essence of the] letters
according to their [own] shape
its [own] subsistent being (qiyāmihi)
thou shouldst assuredly evince certitude
for it [the "A"] doth
assuredly arise up above all things
Then observe the devolved cryptic
(al-ruqūmāt) [of the letter[s]
just as thou dost witness
This [letter] "A"
(al-alif), for example,
submerge it in the oceans of the decads
the "A" would
[maintaining] its own shape
through the replication
of the [Primordial] "Point"
[as 2 dots]
and from it would
for its numerical value is ten
(yā' = abjad 10
= 1 & 0)
according to the manner of
in which thou dost calculate.
In like manner,
if thou shouldst cause the letter "A"
ascend unto the heaven of the hundreds
it would appear in its very
through the compounding
the dual "Points"
such that thou would, this moment
observe the letter
[again with 2 dots]
Wherefore is it that it the letter "A"
traverseth until it
terminateth at the end of
letter "A" (ḥarf al-alif) appeareth
on the fourth level [of the thousands]
[again] through the compounding of the
Wherefore is there manifest
the numerical reckoning of the thousands
In this respect thou shalt observe
(al-ghayn; abjad =
Then witness thou in what manner
the tokens of the
become evident in the Omnipotent
of the Letters (jabarūt
such that thou might
bear witness in
the horizons of the realms of possibility
and the selves possessed of intellectuality
(anfus al-ma`qulat) [cf. Q. XX :XX]
the fact that He is God
and that there is none other God save Him
and [that] all
return unto Him.
So when the locus ["Self"]
(nafs) of the [letter] "A"
became evident in the first of the letters
as well as the last of
there appeared in its essence (dhat),
the tongue of their inmost reality
(bi-lisān sirrihi), [the words]
the First and the Last,
the Seen and the Hidden"
(huwa al-awwā al- akhir
(= Q. 57:3.. ).
And all in this respect were one
as regards the
unity of their Creator [= the "A"]
for before Him were they prostrate.
He appropriated to this [letter] "A"
(al-alif) all the
[other emergent] Letters
and thus was the theophany
) of this [letter] "A"
(al-alīf) [ made manifest] through its own Self
upon [all] the [other] Letters [as thou would evident]
if thou were [of such as
in the Riḍwān of the Divine Unity
any given moment what applieth
to the [letter]
(alif an) is truly affirmed
of the letter
"B" (ḥarf al-ba');
and the reverse also may be
Then be aware of the "Points"
which are increased relative to it
on all of its levels and
This is that which establisheth the outward forms
which it [the "A"] assimilateth
in the expression
end that the people realize that
He alotteth them
[= the "Points" in "A" = the
in accordance with their varying capacity
(miqdār) and according to
what is ordained for them relative to it.
were in its [alphabetical] mode
and it [= the "Points" in the "A" =
failed to become clothed in the garment of [alphabetic]
limitation (qamīṣ al-ḥudūd)
it would prove incomprehensible unto the
hearts of such as are possessed of discernment
as well as unfathomable unto
possessors of intellect.
Then witness an
[alphabetical] self-manifestation (tajalli)
this [locus of the letter] "A" (al-alif) within thine own
for thou, verily, at the moment in
which thou hearken and envision [this "A"] thou shall cry out
inasmuch as no single affair hold thee back and no single action
just as thou witnesseth all that within thine own selves.
And in like
manner experience something
of the Divine Names (fāshida fi 'l-asmā')
moment when the Divine Name "the Hearing"
is confirmed for
In consequence there will [also] be confirmed for thee
Name the "Seer" (ism al-baṣīr)
and likewise further
if, that is, thou shouldst gaze within thy selves
with unblemished vision
And all of this [may
transpire] relative to Divine Attributes
which all the people up till this moment
return unto their Creator
(khāliq) for they lack
So testify [also] within thyself that all of these
been created within His dominion
and He casteth them out upon such of His
as He willeth for He, verily, no God is there save Him.
not be comprehended in any respect
through thine own comprehension
neither would He be understood in
after the manner in which thou doth understand.
He created these various
realities (anfus) of His servants
to the end that
thereby they all might become informed
of the fact that He, verily,
the Names (al-asmā')
but hath ever been sanctified therefrom;
and He fashioned
the Attributes (al-ṣifāt)
but hath ever
remained abstracted therefrom.
There indeed is no Originator
(mubdi`) other than Him
for His is the
Logos-Command (al-amr) and the Creation
(al-khalq) for were
not all created
through His Logos-Command
Wherefore shouldst [thou]
`So exalted be
God, the King, the Help in Peril,
So exalted be God,
the Omnipotent, the Creator,
the Powerful, the
Mighty, the Beloved One.'
O Concourse of the Bayān!
Strive thou in thy spirits and thy
souls in order that thou might attain this
and be not of such as have failed hold fast unto any
one of the Divine Names
(ism min al-asmā')
and among those who give no
attention unto these Divine Attributes
Be thou not of such as
have eyes but fail to perceive anything,
for whom a hearing ear is inoperative
and who have hearts that fail to comprehend.
So testify within thyselves
that thou art rising up, sleeping and walking yet retain but a single
for such is an established reality!
of this there riseth up from amongst thee the [expression of] the various Divine Names
just as thou dost witness and submit unto
all of them within thine own selves.
And these diverse [divine] names and numerous attributes were
in diverse ways the like of which was decreed for thy selves
and were created in thy bodies;
perchance thou might ascend within thyself through the [experience of]
celestial ascents of [mystical] gnosis
For example, thou dost take an
action which is but a single thing
even though thou
dost name or designate it with all the various names
In reality, in its very essence [the action]
is abstracted from everything that thou speak
or the like of which thou dost
[inwardly] make reference to.
In turning, however, unto
the locus of "hearing" and its root
there should be manifest a trace
an attribute (ṣifāt) or a[nother] name
it would in no wise appear
Likewise, in turning unto the locus of
and through such of the faculties
as are implicit therein,
there would be manifested another
[specific] attribute (ṣifāt).
Such is what thou wouldst find
relative to thine own selves.
It is [also] likewise with respect to
the tongue (al-lisān);
should the action be oriented towards the tongue
there would appear
[the power of] speech (al-nuṭq)
just [in fact] as thou dost articulate.
And this is the result of focusing upon the outer foundations
(aṣbāb al-ẓāhiriyya) [of the various divine Names]
condition of the human identity
And again it is likewise with respect to
the interior dimension
through the insigthtful vision
[as though would realise]
shouldst thou [befittingly] bear witness.
For example, in [the association
of the action]
with the heart, the liver,
the spleen, the head
and more besides,
it is manifested in
these diverse situations
the like of which
thou dost name [through]
the intellect (al-`aql), the
spirit [soul] (al-nafs)
and the inmost heart
informed of the [alphabetical]
(al-tajallī ) of [the letter] "A"
within thine own self (nafs)
in spite of the
fact that it is a but a single reality
(cf. "A" =
abjad 1, wāḥid);
God makes manifest
therefrom the [various]
Divine Names (al-asmā' al-mutaghāyira)
and the variegated
traces (al- athar al-mukhtalifa)
which result in the realization of
the station of mystical apprehension [gnosis]
And thou shalt
witness in this respect that diversity
which shall be
made manifest as a result of
the differentiation of the locus [cf. "A"=1]
Notwithstanding [this differentation]
(mujallī) is One (wāḥid)
and the thing
is [likewise] one (wāḥid)
All of this taketh
place within thy self
if thou would be insightful
and thus be assured that there
none other God save Him.
He it is Who fashioned the entirety of the
through all of the His
and His [Divine] Attributes
(bi-jami` asmā'ihi wa ṣifātihi)
thou wouldst realize if thou didst not blot out
within thyselves the wonders of
the Divine artistry
(badāī'i ` al-ṣan`a).
All of this He created in His
and made manifest on the level of the created realm
And ye, O Concourse of the Bayān!
Overstep ye not thy limitations!
Fear ye God! and appropriate not to thyselves
what hath not been ordained for thee.
Be ye not then [such as] elevate their station.
We, verily, have clarified for thee that whereby
the inmost hearts of the
mystic knowers (af'ida al-urafā'),
the sages (al-ḥukamā') and the divines (al-`ulāma')
were bewildered through the
subtle allusions of these words
This to the end that through them thou might
insight and cause all such as are
in the heavens and on the earth to drink deep
of this flowing spring
in accordance with their [varying]
and levels [of mystic progress] (maratib)
and in line with that which
they are capable of apprehending.
Know therefore how this
Spiritual [letter] "A"
this all-enduring Ornament
this Unitative, Upright Thread
(al-khayt al-mustaqīm al-aḥadāī ) [Bahā'-Allāh?]
hath risen up unto and through its own self
in the encouter [with] the denizens
of the heavens and of the earth.
And at one time it
["A"= Bahā'-Allāh] lifteth up it's head
unto heaven, whereupon the Supreme
(malā' al-a`lā) is enraptured thereby
and at another it inclineth it
towards the earth
whereupon the bodies of the cherubic beings
are raised up from
Wherefore do We deliver unto thee
something of that which is inscribed with
the fingers of Power upon sacred, Preserved Tablets
Then know furthermore that this upright,
[isolated letter] "A"
hath a similitude (mithāl) in all the worlds;
every thread [ray] of
(khayt min `inayatihi)
Everything that thou
in all that hath been created
will evermore be created,
is a [direct] result
of its uprightness
or its uprising or a result of its
being solidly established,
or indeed, of its power or might
(quwwat aw qudrat).
Know therefore that all of this hath been made manifest
of the [very] uprightness of
this Divine [letter] "A"
(istiqamat hadha al-alif
and everything is sheltered neath the shadow
of this divine "A"
al-ilahi) and becometh established
as a result of
So by God!
The discourse hath reached a level at
the allusive meanings of knowledge
and the testimonies
have been set forth.
This that thou might be
especially thankful unto God,
thy Lord during thy days
and be numbered among
such as turn aside from all
upon the earth then incline unto the
Beauty of the
in the Robe of Light
[= the Bāb / Yaḥya
beyond the [celestial] Veils [of
Those that is who drink deep of the
Wine of mystic Meaning and Spiritual Life
from the hands of the Spirit
and at every moment
do so quaff.
And if there should be displayed before them
[the spiritually pious]
manner of [erotic] visions (kull al-tala`āt)
and there be
manifested unto them females
[bedecked] with every adornment
and bejewelled trinket
(zīna wa ḥaly)
they would in no wise be distracted thereby.
And if, furthermore,
such damsels should enter unto them
adorned] with bracelets of gold
and mighty flowing robes
[adorned] in silken brocade (al-sundus),
in gilded silk
and desire to beguile [seduce, snatch] one of them
pious] or desire that they [damsels] should
command the affection (lit.
`enter the heart')
of anyone of them [the pious],
then by God!
they [the pious] would
and would evince no desire to [even] consider them.
would be the case with the pious)
even if these female beings should ornament
with all [such finery]
as is possible in [the spheres of]
existence and make use of eye-coloring,
[seductively] wholly black
[all manner of eye-makeup]
Should, in fact, any one of them [the pious]
be confronted with all that is
possible [of distractions]
on earth be it [even] of gold or of silver
or of all the
adornments of the earthly domain
they would in no wise take
note of such things
neither would they be inclined thereto.
are [indeed] the [chosen] saints of God
for whom there
is neither fear nor sorrow;
they stand in dread of no one
even if [it should be
the case that] all who
inhabit the heavens and the earth
should rise up against
They would not be discomforted
inasmuch as their hearts,
their very selves
and their [deep] inmost bosoms
have been filled with the wine of the Mercy of God
well as of His love.
There is no space within their hearts
such that there
a love for anything other than Him.
Thus do We inform thee
regarding the sincere ones
perchance thou wilt comprehend their
And thou shalt follow their mode of behavior
so as not to
be moved by the tempests of the worldly domain
nor have thy
in the violent winds of the course of time
Then be thou of such as are resolute
in the love of God (ḥubb Allāh).
Then know that this [letter] "A"
is expressive of mysteries relative to all sciences
inasmuch as God hath bestowed upon it
a portion of the wonders of His Bounty.
Within it is a
foreordainment [measure] of knowledge
relative to what hath
been and what will be.
If, for example, thou deduce
the [other] letters (al-ḥurufāt)
which are inner dimensions
of this [isolated letter] "A" in the light of
that which We have divulged unto thee
of the four levels [implicit] therein and
thou write down
[the secrets of] its power of articulation
and after that divide it according to its four divisions
and thou apply
this according to these [four] divisions
in line with its
requirement in terms of
augmentation and diminution
(aI-iqtidā' min al-taraqqī wa'l-tanazzul),
of ascent and equilibrium
there shall assuredly appear
something of such mysteries
as shall astonish
And thereby will be
evident that which thou hast heard
regarding the all-encompassing
[comprehensive science of]
(al- jafr al-jāmi`
and thou shalt
attain unto the genesis of the sciences
So Oh! would that We had found
some [receptive] soul meeting with Our
such that We might bestow upon him
what God hath taught Us of His
But inasmuch as We failed to find such an one
did We communicate
this unto thee to only to
a limited extent;
for We restrict the matter somewhat
there become privy thereto
every tyrannical apostate
Know then that these [qur'ānic]
are on one level an intimate link
(ramz) between the
enraptured soul and the Beloved One
the lover and the Loved One
none shall become privy thereto
except those whose hearts God hath made
repositories of His
knowledge and treasuries of His wisdom
For such is
what is hath been anticipated
in the knowledge of
the Help in Peril,
the Beloved One.
Then know [thou furthermore]
this [isolated letter] "A" (al-alif)
is on one level allusive of the
(al-arḍ al-bayḍā'), [which is]
the Brilliant, Most secreted
(al-nūr al-durri al-akhfa)
[if that ]
is thou should desire to be perceptive of
the mysteries of the [divine alchemical ] artistry
the sphere of nature
(asrār al-sanā` al-ṭabī`ah).
And this is the
[Snow-White] Earth (al-arḍ)
whose basis and being are derived
the [cosmic] Watery Expanse
(as would be evident
should thou apply
for it doth exhibit solidity [freeze] when placed
within the [cosmic]
Watery Expanse (al-ma').
Then praised be to God its Originator
and exalted be He above that which they assert.
And should thou solidify [freeze]
and coagulate [thicken]
this brilliant watery substance
in this Fiery Water
and extract the heat
from the [resultant] Golden Fiery Water
(al-mā' al-dhahabī al-nārī)
be united therein
the three [realities] which are
the Spirit (al-rūḥ ), the Soul
and the Body (al-jasad).
And this is what hath not been anticipated
by the knowledge of anyone among the people
for all are bewildered thereby.
It is thus the case that when thou hast
[Snow-White] Earth (al-arḍ)
engendered from the [cosmic] Water
there shall appear the Crimson [hue]
in the [cosmic] Water (al-mā')
[which] should then be extracted.
And when thou hast
[the Crimson Water]
thou should find on its surface the residue
of the Fire
That is to say, it should darken
which thou should not be sorrowful
for if it is darkened it is perfectly acceptable since
God hath transformed this darkness through the Light.
This inasmuch as it is ignited and given
with the permission of God,
the Help in Peril, the Praised One.
And this is the Fruit of Holiness
which hath been manifested from the [celestial]
planted in the Heaven
of the celestial spheres (samā' al-aflak)
and the Earth of the
[Intellects] (ard al-`uqul).
And this is
[also] the Philosopher's Stone
and their [alchemist's] Silver
and the Coveted Substance [?]
as well as their
and all which they do
[synonymously] so designate.
And if thou extract it from the
[Metal] (ma`din al-ilahi)
let something of the Spirit (al-rūḥ)
which deriveth therefrom empower [prevail upon]
it by virue of its
affinity, for the Body (al-jasad) doth not
receive the Spirit (al-rūḥ) which
is contrary to it
[as thou wouldst know]
if thou wert mindful of that which We
have bestowed upon thee.
And naught shall transpire of the days
successfully completing the alchemical task]
except thou shalt,
with the permission of God,
So strive thou to the utmost
with respect to its purification
such that nothing shall remain therein
of the darkness
which is the existing impurity (al-fasad).
Then thou shalt
dry it in the Fire of Virtue
and empower [prevail
upon] it with
this [same] Spirit (al-rūḥ) another time.
Then set it ablaze in the
Fire of Reeds
until there riseth up above this [cosmic] Water (al-mā')
what [deriveth] from a [greatly] treasured
(duhn aḥmar [an]
This is indeed a result
of the Gold of the Sages
[= Philosopher's Stone] (min dhahab al-ḥukamā')
which souls (al-nufus) hath been perplexed
and the intellects
of the wise (al-hukama') bewildered.
Up until this moment, however,
none hath attained
thereto save those servants
who hath not been distracted
by the trappings of the
from the [messianic] Remembrance of God
in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
This is indeed
[known as] the [transformative]
Logos-Soul (al-nafs), the Blood (al-damm)
and the Red Gum (al-samghat al-ḥamrā')
with which he [the divine alchemist]
enliveneth the mouldering bodies
if, that is, he bloweth thereon
with this [life-giving] Spirit
O Assemblage occupied with Alchemy!
[the work] (malā' al-san`a)
Seek ye fervently!
but be thou
conscious of the [dangers of the cosmic] Fire
(al-nār) such that thou shalt not bring it to
upon [the proto-"Gold"] to the extent which results in injury
[ethereal] Fire (al-nār)
decompose (yufsid) and restore (yuslih)
as thou wouldst know
if thou wert befittingly aware.
Such is that which
about the Fire (al-nar),
the Gold (al-dhahab), the Soul (al-nafs),
the sulphurous Water (mā' al-kibrit),
the Divine Water (mā' al-ilāhī)
And there applieth unto this [Elixir] all the divine Names and Attributes
in its various inner grades and levels
in the light of their appropriate
as indicated by the manifestation
[miscellaneous] hues [colours]
and modes of activity
Wherefore do We instruct thee to the end that
all may attain certitude through
this unlettered Iraqi Youth
[Bahā'-Allāh] (al-fata al-umm al-`iraq )
of such sciences (li-`ulum) as surpass those of the ancients (al-awwalin)
have never been comprehended by those of this latter period (al-ākhirūn).
This perchance their souls might thereby
and they desist from such idle speculationsas they indulge in this day.
Wherefore, O my Brother!
there be manifested for thee upon the surface of the [cosmic] Water (al-mā')
Luminous Child (al-walad al-nūrānī) and this Spiritual Infant (al-tufl al-ruḥānī)
then little by little remove it
until thy [alchemical] charge (amr) shall be
completed for thee.
If this [image on the surface of the water]
should be envisioned,
the [fervent] heat of the [cosmic] Fire
(humma al-nār) would bedazzle the sight.
Then exalted be
the [Divine] [Fashioner]
Alchemist (al-sani`), the Creator,the Omnipotent, the Ruler,
the Mighty, the Awesome.
This [visage] is indeed of the
[foundation] of the Spirit (al al-ruh)
as well as an established
And if it should be designated something else
[again] be [something] metaphorical
Through it the bodies of the dead (ajsād al-mayyita)
brought to life
and would rise up from their tombs
and be gathered in the domain of reconstitution
Then shall the resurrection of
bodies (qiyāmat al-ajsad) be manifest for thee
on the Day in which He shall
sound the Trumpet (yanfaha fi al-ṣūr),
on which the [bodily] garment of the
creatures (qamīṣ al-khalā'iq)
shall be renewed and all [present]
be confrontedby their [past] deeds in the Sanctified Presence
shall be punished for all that they have committed of falsehood
during their wayward lifetime;
they shall discover that they will in
every respect be fully recompensed.
Wherefore shall the melodies of the Dove
be renewed and He replace all [that exists] in the
and on the earth.
He shall spread out the earth of mystic knowledge
[gnosis] (arḍ al-ma`rifa),
the Bird of the Divine Oneness (dīk al-aḥadiyya)
shall loll [stick its tongue out]
and the [true] believers shall at this moment
ride upon the [Steed] Burāq of Light.
Should We divulge for thee
all that shall take place on this [eschatological] Day
the [Sacred] Tablets (al-alwāḥ)
would prove unable to bear it
and souls would be convulsed thereby.
 Thus do We refrain from mention
and return to Our previous theme
to the end that the [Divine] Bounty
which derives from God
might take precedence and surround
such as are clothed
in the garment of existence (qamīṣ al-wujūd).
Then know that thou,
combine this [alchemical] Oil
which We have, in truth disclosed for thee,
[Snow-White] Earth [of Gnosis?]
it would assuredly unite to
the extent that it
[the Elixir] would be produced;
it would indeed be most proximate,
closer than if it had been disclosed for thee
before thine own vision!
This, if, that
thou should befittingly carry out
this [alchemical] task
Wherefore know thou [appropriately the secrets of]
the "Gold" and the "Silver" (al-dhahāb wa'l-fiḍḍā),
then the "Sun" and the "Moon" (al-shams wa'l-qamr),
"White Gum" and the "Red [Gum]"
(al-samgat al-bayḍā' wa'l-ḥamrā')
perchance thou might be befittingly informed.
And regarding this they [alchemists] say,
`The alchemical work (al-`amal)
is naught save
the [mystery of] the two most great luminaries'
[= the Sun and the Moon];
just as thou art aware from the books of
And in this respect
know thou also that they say that our "Gold" is not the common gold
and likewise the
"Silver" (al-fiḍḍa) that thou do ordinarily know about.
Such "Gold" (dhahab) is indeed that which
We have named `Possessed of Dual
for it was a bird soaring in all of the bodies
fi'l-ajsad) and [something]
designated with all the [various alchemical] names
It [the Bird] so designates, for example,
the [element] Water (al-mā')
to the end that it might stream and flow
and it designates Fire (al-nār) so that it might, by its own nature, heat things up.
It likewise, [designates the element]
the Earth (al-arḍ) [such that it may might
prove inwardly solidified].
Similarly again, it [so designates]
the [element] Air (al-hawa') such that it might effect combination (li-ijtima');
a uniting of what is within it [?]
All such as are perceptive
of the mysteries of nature (asrār al-al-tabi`at) bear witness [unto] the
[truth of] this matter.
Such are among those
who have attained detachment from what is other than God
and have been enabled to orient
themselves towards Him; towards attaining unto a transcendent station (maqām
Then know furthermore that
this radiant [elixiroial], fiery Oil (al-duhn al-musha`sha`a al-nari)
assuredly the Crown of Crowns (iklil al-akalil), the Divine Crown
and the Crown of Victory
(iklil al-ghalbat) since, by virtue of it,all of the
bodies (al-ajsad) are
That is to say, through it are all
bodies (al-ajsād) made to recover from viscous,
decayed moistness [wetnesses] (al-rutbat al-lazija al-mufsida) and the abysmal, base drynesses
Through it also,
all that hath been created upon the
earth will be cured from all diseases.
It is assuredly the
[the divine, Cosmic] Activity (jawhar al-fa`il)
from which are
established the foundations of the world (qawwam al-`alām).
It is [also] the "Heat" without
which there would be no motion
is a result of the action which is
Wherefore know ye
that all science [knowledge] is by virtue of the heat (min al-harara)
[as thou would realise] if, that is, thou should ponder the
essences of the science
[knowledge] of reality
(jawahir `ilm al-haqiqa).
Assuredly is it the resting-place of the valiant
[as well as]
the Male Organ (al-dhakar), the Youth (al-shabāb), the Mercury (al-zaibaq), the Orient (al-mashriq),
and the Spirit [Soul] (al-rūḥ) which bloweth over the mouldering bones (al-`azam al-ramīma)
causing them (with the permission
of God, the King, the Powerful,
the Self-Subsisting) to rise up.
Then know thou that the Spirit
(al-rūḥ) is naught but the
[of the ethereal]
al-munjamid)upon the face of the
This results from a
directive [Cause-Logos] (amr) from which it
doth suddenly appear;
even as rapid divine
revelation (al-waḥy al-sari`).
And God made it [the Spirit] to be triumphant
over all things for this is
that which, from
time immemorial overshadoweth all things
through the shadow of the name of God,
the Triumphant (al-ghalib), the Powerful (al-qadir).
Manifest therefrom are the traces of power (āthār al-qudrat) [as thou wouldst observe]
if thou should attain unto this station (maqām).
And this snow-white Earth
(al-arḍal-bayḍā') is assuredly a [philosopher's] Stone
from which gusheth
forth streams (al-anhār) which are one in
(hiya waḥdat fi
jinsihā) and likewise one in their organized mode
if thou would multiply this oneness
(wāḥid) thou wouldst witness
It's similitude (mithāl)
is the [isolated
letter] "A" (al-alif)
the like of which We
have already made mention for this
[letter] "A" is one in its "Soul"
It is not
subject to enumeration though enumeration
does result from it.
Multiplicity emergeth therefrom though thou do yet observe
of the worlds of numbers
(kathirāt `awālim al-a`dād) through the Countenance of
the One (ṭal`at al-wāḥid).
This ["A"] is [indeed] the
[Philosopher's] Stone (al-hajar) in which the three species (ajnās al-thalālitha)
are combined as thou do assuredly testify
with thine own eyes, if, that is, thou
art experienced in the knowledge
[science] of God
It [the "A" =
Elixir= Stone =Spirit] is certainly evocative
of the "Night of Destiny"
(laylat al-qadr; Q. 97:1f)
for thereon is a thing determined
according to a hidden knowledge
God concealeth it from the inmost hearts of His servants
just as the "Night
is concealed from such as fail to
gaze with the vision of God
into the realities of things
And We compare it
[the hidden decree?]
"Night" (al-layla) because darkness and shadows
wa'l-ẓalima) become manifest therein
after the primordial structuring
[regulation of fate?]
This resulteth from
the shadows (al-ẓalimat) within which was determined the Water of
Such is of the Reality
(al-ḥaqq) about which thou
hast heard aforetime.
O concourse of the Bayān, then
ponder upon that which hath been sent down aforetime in the Criterion
(al-furqān = the Qur'ān) [regarding
determination of the threefold shadows;
this to the end
that thine eyes might be solaced thereby
attain unto the acme of that after which the
people hath striven in their search.
And thou, O thou servant!
Know thou that Bahā' [-Allāh] was
(khaḍara, `rendered verdent' as Khiḍr?)
when he attained unto the
Dawning-Place of Eternal Subsistence
nigh the Source of this
[though] he was not concerned therewith
did he drink therefrom
inasmuch as the Spirit [Soul] (al-ruh)
reoriented him (qallabahu) through his
Mighty, Beloved, Right-Hand direction
(cf. Q. 18:18).
This inasmuch as this
desireth not Eternal Subsistence
for his [own]
Self in this earthly domain
[nay, rather!] he extendeth his Logos-Spirit (rūḥ)
and all that is before him
for the sake of
all that inhabit
the heavens and the earth.
Such is what he hath chosen for
his own Self
in a state of love
the King, the Help
the Powerful, the
Say: O people! By God!
This servant desireth nothing
at all for himself and seeketh assistance from no one in the earthly domain
save God alone.
Unto the truth of this testifieth the Tongue of the Divine
Oneness (lisān al-aḥadiyya )
in a concealed,
Unseen Pavilion (surādiq ghayb
Say: This is the "Lamp"
which hath not sought the "Niche"
(al-mishkat) from anyone;
He doth not
take exclusive possession within his own
Logos-Self of the [theophanic] Fire (al-nār)
and hath not beamed forth by virtue of anything
than God, the Unique, the Mighty,
the Transcendent, the Self-Subsisting.
Then thank thou God, thy Creator!
in that he hath unveiled for thee
mysteries through this
resplendent, delimited Pen
(al-qalam al-durrī al-mahdud).
of the Pen]
was indeed a
thing delimited only by virtue of
its self-generated delimitation
though God maketh to flow
therefrom what is unlimited, what hath no extremity
for therein thou
should indeed witness the mysteries of the [transcendent divine] abstraction
in this delimited reality
(fi hadhā al-taḥdīd).
Such is of the
knowledge which God hath taught My Pen!
This to the end that all
might attain certitude since (with His permission)
are the heavens of knowledge
(samāwāt al-`ilm) folded up in His right-hand
(matwiyyati fi yaminihi) and the
earth of wisdom (ard al-ḥikma)
(again, with His permission)
Yet do all [still wonder
whether to] enquire [of
wonders of His knowledge!
know that the first thing that was originated from the genesis
of pre-existent Eternity
(hadatha min muhdath al-qadim)
in the worlds of
creation were the four Elements (al-`anasir al-arba`ah).
thy time-honoured and current designation they are
(1) Fire (al-nār), (2) Air (al-hawā'),
(3) Water (al-mā') and (4) Earth (al-arḍ).
Thereafter appeared the four Natures
(Gk stoicheia [elements] usuqusāt al-arba`ah)
which, as thou do enumerate and
know [them], are
(1) "Hotness" (al-harara), (2)
"Wetness" (al-rutūbah), (3)
"Coldness" (al-burūdah) and (4) "Dryness" (al-yubūsah).
Hence, when thou do mix and combine them
there is manifested for every
one of them two pillars (ruknayn);
thus, relative to the Fire (li'l-nār), it is
[the two `elements']
(1) Hotness (al-harara) and (4) Dryness (al-yubūsah).
And it is likewise for the three remaining
[Elements, al-`anasir) about which
thou shouldst acquaint thyself.
Through them did
God create all that does exist in the worlds of
transcendental realities or things mundane
wa'l-sufliyyat), which is all that maintains through time due [equilibrium]
[the] balance of their natures (taba'[y]i`uhu) just as thou witnesseth in the
sun and the moon.
And whatever fails to maintain [the] requisite
balance of their natures does
just as thou can observe
in the lower worlds of creation (`awālim al-suflā).
Strive thou then
to become aware of the diverse aspects of the harmonious
associated with the metals
[minerals] (al-mu`tadila min al-ma`ādin).
prove more straightforward of being regulated relative
to the [accomplishment of the alchemical] task
is, thou act appropriately for the [alchemical] process (al-amr) is
save through separation (tafsīl), purification
(tathīr) and [re-]
This is in conformity with the
all the Prophets (al-anbiyā') have spoken forth.
And thou, when
thou become aware of
the foundational reality of nature
pertaining to the divine metal
[mineral] (min ma`din al-ilāhiyya)
only according to thy requirement
then refine [distill] it
though the Water of Life
(qattirhā bi-mā' al-ḥayy)
which lieth within its nature and is the very closest of things
within and relative to it
bi-hā wa li-hā).
This such that
the foundational nature is
transmuted and becomes snow-white
of pristine purity
Then allow the
[internal] "water" to empower it [the transformed
(thumma sallit `alayha al-ma')
and produce [moisture] dew therefrom, (wa-dha`aha fi 'l-nada) until, to a limited extent, this [resultant]
foundational reality (al-uss) is subject to
And [thus will] this [interactive cosmic] Spirit
(al-rūḥ) [ = "Water"]
that place it [the reconfigured `Earth'] in darkness
until it is mixed and reconstituted
into a single reality
whereupon [thou should] coagulate [thicken] it
upon a gentle fire and repeat this [process]
twice or even more times;
of coagulation (al-`aqd) and differentiation (al-hall)
for such is especially in conformity with reality
if thou desire to
operate in this way.
If thou should prove incapable of this,
this [instrisic] "water" (al-mā')
to empower this "earth" substance (al-arḍ) then maintain it in the differentiated state
until this [internal] Water (al-mā') is reconstituted [as something] snow-white (bayda'),
of pristine purity
Thereafter wax this [new]
with this [instinsic]
such that thou shalt attain to the utmost degree
Then differentiate it after the waxing process
for the final stage of the waxing process
first state of differentiation
After the differentiation thou shalt coagulate it
and then shall the [alchemical] work
of the Moon
be completed and thou shalt
witness the power of God
(qudrat Allāh) with thine
if that is thou wouldst come
in accordance with that
We have stipulated in
In such manner shalt thou perform
the [alchemical] task for knowledge
the [alchemical] work
Heed ye! Heed ye! O Concourse
of the Bayān!
Before ye take [alchemical] action with respect to
all that We
have taught thee, do not carry out this matter.
Such is My [Our] advice unto
thee so hearken ye!
if that is, thou
desire to tread the paths of Reality.
Then know thou that foundational
[is a term which]
might designate the "water" (al-mā')
for the "water" (al-mā') is the basis
of the [alchemical]
operations (al-asl fi al-a`mal)
from which cometh the pure
whatsoever is oiled therewith
shall never be
[destructively] set ablaze.
This is indeed of the "Water" (al-mā')
which God giveth live unto the "earth" (al-ard)
after its death and from which the
[resurrection] (al-nushur) is realized
Some there are among
the Prophets (al-anbiya')
who are sages (al-hukama') [alchemical initiates]
as were wholly self-sufficient
through this "water" (al-mā') by virtue of
performance of] this [alchemical] work (`aml).
They extracted by means
of it whatsoever they desired according to the
and [the mysteries of] this [alchemy]
the real, the hidden science (`ilm ḥaqq maktūm).
Whoso acknowledgeth [the
truth of] this is numbered among such as hath had their
faith by God and been taught by God about the Mercury (al-zaibaq)
and its unique
This [alchemical secret] is a
hath assuredly been sealed with the Seal of God.
And if thou desire to [perform] the [alchemical] task
of the Sun (`aml
al-shams) relative to
the [production of] gold (al-dhahab) then return ye to
this body (al-jasad) which is of the Pure Oil
(min al-duhn al-safi).
[Oil] is that which We
hath mentioned aforetime and which We designated the "Gold of the people"
and the "Sulphur of the Ultimately Real" (kibrīt al-ḥaqq) for thou art
the performance of the [alchemical] task
By God! We mentioned for thee
all of the aspects of the [alchemical] work (kull al-a`mal)
and cast upon thee
science such as hath not been available
to any soul aforetime.
And thou shalt bear witness thereto in both thy spirits and thy souls if thou art truly
We have mentioned unto thee what is a clarification
miscellaneous allusions pertaining to
the [theory of the] balance of the
qualities [of the foundational nature of things]
for whosoever hath become privy thereto
hath assuredly become insightful
[successful] through the superlative Divine bounty
(bi'l-`inaya [ghayat] al-quswā)
through this Lordly Wisdom
and this Divine Bestowal
[as thou wouldst know] if
thou wert truly aware.
Thus at this moment have We cast upon thee
what will make thee independent
as have been devoted to the [alchemical] art (al-san`a).
that if thou should understand
that the [alchemical] matter (al-amr)
save what is accomplished through
"Mercury" and "Sulphur" (min al-zaibaq al-kibrīt)
then thou would realize also that these two
are [alchemically] represented
by the "Sun" and the "Moon"
(fi al-shams wa'l-qamar) which are
[in the symbolic language of certain alchemists] "Gold" and "Silver" (al-dhahab wa'l-fiḍḍah).
Know [thou] also that salt (milh) is saline (malīh) in the subsistent
constituency of bodies
since thou [pl.] shall in no wise find
better that it
for the sake of [obtaining] Gold
[as would be evident]
if, that is thou should [carefully] examine
all aspects of the[constituent alchemical realities of] things.
that within the spiritual essence of their nature is a universal
which is not fully explicable through the pen
even if thou should write for the duration of thy lifetime.
thou, if thou should produce this salt
from its source mine, then
distill [filter] it and disassociate the lime (kils) which is
produced and generated there from
until it become a single Reality [unique
(nafs an waḥdat) and a durable Oil
(duhn an thabit);
thou would attain unto the summit of knowledge
and the apex
of whatsoever is known.
This since within
the salts (al-amlah) are secreted the inmost mysteries
of concealed hidden
like unto the penultimate sciences
which thou might witness
treasured up within purified hearts.
[The realization of] Such [truth] is [indeed]
an aspect of the reality of
after which all the people, being destitute thereof, do assuredly wander aimlessly
in the vale of ignorance.
Thus doth the Dove of
Knowledge warble in beloved, ecstatic
accents upon the branches of wisdom
In this respect have
We communicated sufficiently; though We remain fearful of the
the alchemical] matter (al-amr) which We have unveiled for thee in sublime,
lucid allusions (even though none shall attain thereto
save through the love
of God and of his chosen ones).
This is what this Supreme Pen bestoweth upon thee in these specified
Tablets (al-alwāḥ al-ma`dud)
though thou, if thou should hearken unto My bounty, would seek from God what would render thee
self-sufficiently independent of gold
By God! Should thou befittingly hearken
[unto what hath just been
thou would realize that this is the very furthermost
degree of the [mysteries of the alchemical] matter (al-amr).
as gold and silver maketh none truly self-sufficient [wealthy].
rather! they increase [naught but] poverty (al-faqr) [as thou would realize] if
thou should befittingly observe!
Yet, relative to this matter,
do We make
supplication for thee to the end that thou be made self-sufficiently
of all such as inhabit the heavens and the earth.
This that is, if thou
should take firm hold of the thread of the [reality of the alchemical] matter
contained in this discourse.
Then know [thou] that this [letter] "A"
(al-alif) was revealed at
the beginning of the Criterion
(al-furqan) [= the Qur'ān] and We, verily, have expounded it for thee by
means of subtle allusions such as render
It, verily, hath been created by means of the
[letter] "A" (al-alif) which was revealed in the Bayān on the part
of God, the Help in Peril,
the Exalted, the Self-Subsisting.
Yet before Him
[the Ultimate God] is it [the letter "A"] something non-existent
as would be evident
if thou should ponder
over its mysteries.
[And if thou consider the matter]
on another level it [the "A"] represents His [God's]
Logos-Self and His Essence
(fi maqām kana nafsihi wa dhātihi)
[as would be evident]
if thou should enter into
the pavilion of the divine Unity
And relative to this matter know
thou the station of
this straight, upright [letter] "A"
(maqām al-alif al-qā'ima al-mustaqīma)
the Day on which God will commission [raise up] the gems of knowledge through a sanctified,
expected Point [=
[So too shall it be]
When man yuẓhiru-hu Allah
("Him Whom God shall make
manifest" = the Bābi messiah)
shall come upon the cloud of knowledge and power
(`ala sahab al-`ilm wa'l-qudrat)
with the angels of the Cause
at his right-hand and when all in the heavens
and on the earth shall swoon away
at the [judgemental] thunderbolt (sayqa) of that Day.
On that [eschatological] Day
shall the pillars of the
creatures be seized with trembling and all be overtaken with turmoil
at the Majesty of the
Cause of God (amr Allāh).
So shall there be joyous felicitation for such as have attained unto
[the presence of] His Beauty (jamāl);
his presence, enter into the Paradise of Holiness
they at that instant be commanded to do something they would neither say
In the light of what they had been
commanded they would assuredly speed on
and not be at all fearful regarding
the [inhibiting limitations of] the concourse of the Bayān;
they would be as a suckling infant
galloping forward at the bosom of the Mercy of
They would neither vacillate over anything nor be fearful of anyone.
And if all in the [concourse of the] Bayān or another religious community
should [attempt to] hinder them they would not be held back,
neither would they
be made to turn aside in consequence of any [single] thing.
They would not
even open their eyes towards anyone for they would [be forever] gazing
pristine [divine, messianic] Beauty (arf al-jamāl).
Now do We beseech God that He render Us successful and beware ye of the
which do circle around him; such as are present upon
his carpet and who give heroic
in his presence to the effect that He,
verily, is assuredly
the Powerful, the Giver, the Mighty, the
SELECT NOTES TO BE ADDED IN
The reading at xxx:xx is attested by a
majority of mss. Thus,  [Thus, for example, the words] "With the expiration
of "Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād" (= cf. Q . 2:1 [7:1]; abjad 71  ) through to "Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ra'"
[see Q.13; abjad 271] the [ 7 sets of Isolated letters [?] total = 1,267 =
1,260 AH = 1844 CE) the Mahdi [Bāb] shall rise up".  Wherefore shouldst
thou, in like manner, observe and be informed of such [chronological] mysteries
in all the [isolated] letters (al-hurufat) until the moment (hin) [cf. abjad =
68 = 1268?] when there shall beam forth the [messianic] Lights of a sacred,
beloved Dawn (fajr quds mahbub)" add Bāb refs...