BB00026: Javab-i-Ahadin mina’s-sabirin

Part 1: “Praise be to God Who created all contingent…”

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Praise be to God Who created all contingent beings in such wise as to receive His bounties, and fashioned them in the form of obedience. Then did He establish them in stations of command and prohibition that He might requite them, and tested them that He might distinguish between them. Glory be unto Him! How wondrous is His trial and how great His tribulation!

He established creation in the atoms of bodies for His unity from the day of Adam, peace be upon him, the first innovation of His creation; then in the atoms of souls for the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, His beloved, from the day of his mission; then in the atoms of intellects for the guardianship of Muhammad’s successors, peace be upon them, from the Day of Ghadir, the first day of the succession of the first among them; then in the atoms of hearts for the manifestation of what He desired from the creation of origination from the first day that one spoke with every proof, that all things might know that Thy suffering is not known except by what is here.

Glory be unto Him, the Most High! His proof has been perfected and His beneficence completed. Were it not for God’s grace and mercy, none among the servants would ever be purified. But God purifies whom He willeth through His grace. Glorified and exalted is He above what they describe!

O thou who asketh! I have read thy letter, and since thou hast shown patience in God’s good-pleasure, I have read the reply. But fear God and write not unto me nor unto any of God’s servants the name of the Lord and His attributes, for these are forbidden to the servants and constitute polytheism according to the judgment of the Book. I am but a servant, constrained, fearful, powerless, poor, meek, possessing for myself neither benefit nor harm, neither death nor resurrection. Rather, the command hath ever been God’s in all things, and I am not of those who affect what they have not.

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate! O God! I bear witness before Thee that I am a servant who hath believed in Thee and Thy signs, and I seek Thy forgiveness for that which Thy knowledge hath encompassed concerning me. Thou knowest, O my God, that I have spoken to the people of Thy favor toward me such as none in the worlds among the common folk hath been given the like of what Thou hast honored me with of Thy praise and bounties. Thou hast perfected Thy proof concerning my servitude through decisive verses where nothing is hidden from Thee and from those who strive in Thy path. Thou hast manifested my certitude from Thy forbearance toward me in the Sacred Mosque through a man well-known among the people, with just witnesses from among Thy servants.

To Thee belongeth the Most Great Glory and the Supreme Praise for what Thou possesseth of might and grandeur. Unto Thee do I complain of my sorrow and grief for what hath befallen me and the chosen ones among Thy servants through the decree that hath been executed from Thy judgment. In Thee do I hope for my reward and for all who follow me seeking Thy good-pleasure. I bear witness that Thou dost not suffer to perish the reward of the doers of good.

To Thee belongeth all praise and grace for what Thou hast chosen in Thy good-pleasure and the Abode of Permanence. I have endured the harm of the people for Thy sake, and I am patient in Thy Cause, following Thy good-pleasure, and I fear not in Thy path the blame of any blamer. Thou knowest that before I spoke of Thy favor, none would belie me and I was among them possessed of truthfulness and trustworthiness. But now their souls have seduced them to belie me, and they reckon they are doing good in their religion.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Thou hast said, and Thy word is the truth:

“They bid thee hasten on the doom, and lo! hell verily encompasseth the disbelievers.”

O God! What an evil, ignorant people! To Thee belongeth praise for how they have wronged me concerning the truth, and to Thee belongeth praise for how they have denied me in Thy religion, and to Thee belongeth praise for how they have belied me to Thy face, and to Thee belongeth praise for how they have harmed me in Thy Cause. By Thy might and Thy majesty, and there is no power except through Thee, I have no doubt in Thy love and I fear none but Thee, nor do I place my hopes in any save Thee. I am certain of Thy grace, that the people shall not deny me, nor revile me, nor reject me—yet they are heedless of Thy forbearance, turn away from Thy countenance, and deny Thy signs. Through my love for Thee and my contentment with Thy face, it is as though I recline upon couches in Paradise, where in that station the denial of any soul grieves me not. Through Thy protection and guardianship I possess clear certainty.

O God! Thou knowest that today a noble book has descended from one of Thy chosen ones, after Thou hadst conquered most people through their denial of responding with truth and reward. I took my covenant as glory for myself from their necks by the decree of the Book, following the deed of Husayn, peace be upon him, after certainty of humiliation and isolation. But when the matter was veiled in discourse, he divided in his book by the right of the family of God for the sake of response, desiring naught but his duty after people’s differences regarding the word of return and the decree of the Book.

I call Thee to witness and I responded to him with what Thou didst inspire me of Thy wisdom. I bear witness that there is no God but God, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, is Thy servant and Thy Messenger. And I bear witness that the guardians of Thy Cause after him are Ali, Hassan, Husayn, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Musa, Ali, Muhammad and the Proof—Thy blessings be upon them all. They conveyed what they were charged with of Thy wisdom and they are truly the worshippers.

I bear witness that Fatima, Thy blessings be upon her, is a luminous leaf from the tree of Prophethood, pure and holy, exalted and glorified beyond the comprehension of all else. Through the excellence of her light they were mentioned in creation and shall continue to exist. I bear witness that whoever believes in them and loves their followers is of them, and whoever turns away from them is among the polytheists.

O God! This is my religion in which I believe, upon which I shall die and be resurrected, God willing, and I am not among the transgressors. There is no power nor might save in God, the Exalted, the Great.

Furthermore, whoever does not believe that the Imam, peace be upon him, is an appointed gate after the four gates has disbelieved, and whoever does not believe that in every succeeding generation there is a just one who stands with His knowledge among the people has associated partners with God, and whoever believes that I was not granted excellence from Him and that I am not His servant standing by His decree is among the oppressors.

Know that God, glorified and exalted be He, has completed His proof upon the lands and all therein, and upon all possibilities and their contents, through a single verse from His Book, which suffices as evidence according to the words of the Glorious One in the Qur’an relating the proof of Moses, peace be upon him, and his brother: “We have indeed brought thee a sign from thy Lord.” This itself is evidence for His words, glorified be He, when Pharaoh turned away: “And indeed he saw all Our signs, yet he denied and disobeyed.”

How could it not be so when God’s mystery is concealed in every verse, His Command therein is manifest, and His proof is conclusive where it is not hidden from one possessed of knowledge of God in any matter? How can people have any proof after the Book when He has said: “Is it not sufficient for them that We have sent down unto thee the Book which is recited to them? Verily herein is mercy and a reminder to people who believe.” He—exalted be He—hath said: “We have left out naught in the Book”; and verily it, in its apparent sense as it standeth, is a conclusive proof—admitting of no escape and requiring no further exposition. And mankind, in every matter, are at variance concerning the ordinance of God: among them are those fashioned of the ʿIlliyin—the Exalted Heights—those who, when God is mentioned, their hearts are filled with awe; and when His verses are rehearsed unto them, their faith is increased, and upon their Lord do they rely.

And among them are those fashioned of the Sijjin—the nethermost abyss—they who deny God’s signs after their souls have been convinced of them, and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it—these are the unbelievers. And among them are those created with a mixed nature—according to whichever element predominates in them does the decree apply to them—they are the people of the Heights, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, the hostile ones, and the weak ones. God has the choice regarding these servants—if He punishes them it is through His justice, and if He forgives them it is through His grace, and He is not unjust to His servants.

Be assured that God, glorified be He, has created the faith of believers in fifteen distinct ranks—eight of them were created from the eight Gardens and return to them by God’s command, and seven of them were created from the celestial precincts and return to them by God’s leave. Indeed if someone from the third Garden were to discover the state of someone from the highest Garden in this world, he would declare him an unbeliever and say “God have mercy on whoever kills him”—as was indicated when it was said “If Abu Dharr knew what was in Salman’s heart, he would kill him.” The same applies to the people of the precincts. Thus it was said: “If people knew how God, blessed and exalted be He, created this creation, no one would blame another.” But God, through His grace and mercy, moves between their stations so that none of them might grieve in Paradise—verily He is possessed of great bounty.

They worship God according to their different ranks, and if someone from the precincts were to witness the manner of worship of the people [of the higher stations] he would say about them what was said about Ali ibn al-Husayn: “You! Who do you worship besides the idol?” But God has not revealed to anyone his station—verily He is Self-Sufficient, Mighty. Similarly with the people of Sijjin—seven groups are from the people of Hell and seven from the people of the precincts. If one were to look with God’s light, he would recognize the degree of unbelief and distinguish between them.

In like manner God created the letters in fifteen ranks—among them are the stations of the believers, which is the path of Ali, truth we hold fast to, and the letter “La”, and fourteen of them are the ranks of the polytheists. If anyone were to discover this through the secret knowledge of letters, he would derive from each letter the knowledge of all things and judge everything according to what God has written for it in this world and the next. Today I do not think anyone is capable of this except as God wills, and He has power over all things.

When you understand this introduction, know that the proof from Me, as I have detailed from the proof of the Book, is complete and sufficient. No one has any proof against Me after the Book. The proof of My servitude consists of four signs:

The first is a practice from God my Lord, which is the matter of verses, and it alone would suffice without anything else and has no end. Whoever sees Me while writing bears witness concerning Me that without thought or pause of the pen I write whatever I wish of God’s decree as I wish, and this is not possible for any servant except one whose heart and nature God has opened. So glory be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

Indeed if the learned ones wanted to compose a sermon, they would gather all books then think, then copy in rough and write it out, and after that I see their discourse as nothing but like a child saying in Persian “bah bah!” For God’s sake, what blindness of hearts! What proof could be greater than this power, and what blessing mightier than this gift? From its outward sublimity, none can distinguish between it and the verses of the Qur’an, as they suppose all to be from whence they know not; and from its inward majesty, none can approach it.

So glory be to God, the Most High, the Great! How mighty is this proof and how great this blessing! Yet most people are averse to the truth, and whenever a new Reminder comes to them from their Lord, they but treat it as a jest. God, glorified be He, has said: “Say: This is my way; I call unto God with clear vision, both I and those who follow me. Glory be to God! And I am not of the idolaters.” Say: “O people! If I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has bestowed upon me mercy from His presence, yet it has been obscured from your sight, shall you force it upon you while you are averse to it?”

Say: “I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord, yet you deny it. I possess not that which you would hasten. The judgment rests with God alone. He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.” Say: “If I possessed that which you would hasten, the matter would have been decided between me and you. And God knows best the wrongdoers.” Or do they say: “He has forged it?” Say: “If I have forged it, then upon me be my crimes, but I am innocent of your criminality.” And His word, glorified be His praise: “Or do they say: He has fabricated it against Us?’ Nay, but they believe not. Let them produce a discourse like it, if they speak the truth!

And when Our verses are recited to him, he says: Tales of the ancients!’ Nay, but what they were earning has rusted upon their hearts. Nay, but surely they shall be veiled from their Lord that Day!”

By God, in Whose hand is my soul, I have not seen to this day anyone produce such discourse, and I know with certainty that none can produce the like of what God has bestowed upon me of His grace. O God! I bear You witness that when I saw that power within myself, I called the people to You in accordance with the decree of the Qur’an and the tradition of Your chosen ones, and I am not of the sinners. And verily Satan’s word—that this blessing might be like the Greatest Name which Satan possessed—is refuted by God’s Speaking Book. God knows best how He exalts His Call. Satan calls to unbelief, but I seek refuge in God from him and his works.

I call only to God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. This is not far from man, as God, glorified be He, has said: “The Most Merciful has taught the Qur’an, created man, taught him clear expression.” And His exalted word: “We have indeed made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, but is there any who will remember?” And His word, glorified be He: “Fear God, and God will teach you.” And His word, exalted be His glory, addressing the believers: “If you fear God, He will grant you a criterion.” Whoever looks with the eye of the heart will testify that everything in the souls and horizons is evidence of this Cause, yet most people are not grateful.

Part 2: “And the second is the tradition of my…”

And the second is the tradition of my Prophet (peace be upon him). God, glorified be He, has said:

“Say: Had God willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you. I dwelt among you a lifetime before it. Will you not then understand?”

And all who know me know that I am Persian and unlettered regarding such verses, and God suffices as witness.

And the third is the tradition of my Imams, which is the nature of the prayers, where none before me has produced their like, and none can distinguish between them and the intimate prayers of my Imams, to the extent that the enemies say that the scroll was hidden in a treasury and fell into our hands. Glorified be God, the One! It is as though they behold not what was expounded thereafter—the fourfold “Justice”—a statute which naught can withstand. And if God did will and desire, He verily could empower me to manifest a thousand upon a thousand such invocations of “Justice”; for these supplications, uttered by the tongue of My servitude, appear at God’s behest and flow from the treasuries of the pure, primordial nature—an ocean inexhaustible.

By Him to Whom is my return, I speak among people with the tongue of verses and write what I will with the tongue of prayers more easily and readily than speaking in foreign tongues or writing commercial correspondence as was my custom. But time with its habits has turned against those who draw nigh, and grace therein is abandoned—to God do we belong and to Him do we return.

As for one who asks how verses can be attributed to God and prayers to the Imam (peace be upon him) when the manifestation is from me—God has already answered this in His Book:

“Whatever good befalleth thee is from God, and whatever evil befalleth thee is from thyself.”

There is no doubt that all good emerges from the house of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and is attributed to them, and that their followers were created from their light. What is attributed to them is indeed ascribed to them. But let not the matter confuse you—the writings of the Shi’a are such that none can distinguish between them and the words of the Imam (peace be upon him). If you see any difference therein, there is mixture. The writings of no scholar should be attributed to them, for the difference is evident. Had this grace been found with any scholar, surely from the time of the Imams until now there would remain from one of them an established scripture. But the matter is evident from my works through what I manifested after my return from pilgrimage, though most people know not.

He said: “Our traces indicate us, so look after us to the traces.” Read this tradition with your heart that you may be certain of the ruling of attribution. God is witness over you. From Muhammad ibn Muslim who said: I heard Abu Ja’far (peace be upon him) say: “No one among people has right or correctness, and none judges with true judgment except what comes from us, the People of the House. When matters branched out from us, error was from them and correctness was from Ali (peace be upon him).”

Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa and Abu Ali al-Ash’ari from Muhammad ibn Abdul-Jabbar, all from Ibn Faddal from Ali ibn Uqba from Hammad ibn Bashir who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) say: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: “God, Mighty and Glorious, says: ʿWhoever humiliates a friend of Mine has prepared for war with Me. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. And he continues drawing near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing by which he hears, his sight by which he sees, his tongue by which he speaks, and his hand by which he grasps. If he calls upon Me, I answer him, and if he asks Me, I give him. I hesitate in nothing I do as I hesitate in taking the soul of the believer—he dislikes death and I dislike disappointing him.”’

And the fourth is the practice of the scholars. He (peace be upon him and his family) said: “Knowledge is three: a decisive verse, a just ordinance, and an established practice.” As for the decisive verse, it is the knowledge of divine unity and the affairs of its lights. Whoever reads the commentary on the Chapter of the Cow knows my excellence therein, where all the books of scholars do not equal what I have manifested in one line of it, and from my answers to questioners concerning some sciences gathered from the Shaykhi sect, both those who love it and those who oppose it, acknowledge that no one has expressed Divine Unity as I have, though they perceive only what serves their own interests. Glory be to God above what they describe! According to the explicit text of the Qur’an, there are three forms of proof, as God instructed His Prophet (peace be upon Him and His family): “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and reason with them in the most kindly manner.”

There is no doubt that the most noble and perfect of these, by consensus, is wisdom alone. Through it, proof is established upon the innate nature of perfection, and this is particularly the station of the people of the Bayan. Whoever does not establish his decree through such proof, I see no merit in his way. And whoever does not bring its two sisters, whether due to the loftiness of his station or his inability, loses nothing of merit, for his excellence through that wise proof is manifest and his argument conclusive and overwhelming. None deny it after such proof except the obstinate opponent, for all proofs beside wisdom are pure nothingness. What lies beyond it belongs to the people of disputation and is the station of children in the eyes of the people of the Bayan. Whoever has seen the proofs responding to every soul testifies that in my right is the proof of wisdom and none other. God suffices as a witness.

As for my decree regarding an established duty, the Book has detailed the decree of all things: “We have neglected nothing in the Book.” Yet most people do not understand. As for the established tradition, it is the attributes of Lordship in the temple of servitude. Whoever wishes to witness my conditions and become acquainted with my attributes, let him look to my prayers, but it is incumbent upon him to conceal my sins and my many transgressions, for I have done evil and wronged myself, and I say: “There is no God but Thee, glory be unto Thee! Verily I have been of the wrongdoers!”

O questioner! I counsel you to justice, that you pronounce no decree in knowledge or deed, for the Cause of God is greater than what people know. Do not interpret any verse of the Book except through pure servitude, for all mysteries return to that Point. God does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. Marvel not at its verses, for the believer is more exalted in God’s estimation than what people’s knowledge determines of his station. Even if the entire Book were about my description, this tradition would be greater than it: “The believer cannot be described.” Have you not read God’s words: “When His Lord revealed Himself to the mountain”? Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) indicated in its interpretation that the one who revealed himself to the mountain was an angelic man from among our followers, and the Master (God’s mercy be upon him) referred to him as “the angelic one” in his book written in his own hand.

Diminish not the greatness of God, nor construe from Our verses aught save the ordinance of servitude. And behold the judgment of ʿAli—upon him be peace—addressed unto his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah: that from the very atoms of the mountain God hath ordained the life of the denizens of earth, of sea, and of air. Unveil not the mystery of the Family of God—upon them be peace—for if thou comprehendest not His power even in a single grain, then whoso uttereth concerning their mystery but a single letter before those unworthy thereof shall be crushed, by the judgment of God, beneath His chastisement, and shall be accounted an unbeliever.

By the explicit text of this tradition, transmitted in the Kitab al-Kafi—from him, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Īsa, from Ibn Mahbub, from Hisham ibn Salim, from Habib al-Sijistani, from Abu Ja’far—who said: In the Torah it is written, in that which God, exalted and glorified be He, confided in Moses, son of Imran:

“O Moses! Conceal the hidden mystery of Mine within the sanctuary of thine inmost heart, and in thine outward conduct show forbearance toward My enemy and thine enemy among My creatures. Provoke Me not against them by the disclosure of My hidden mystery, lest thereby thou gladden Mine enemy and thine enemy concerning My children.”

Transmitted from him, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ibn Mahbub, from Jamil ibn Salih, from Ibn ʿUbaydah al-Hadha. He said:

“I heard Abu Ja’far—upon him be peace—declare: By God! the most beloved of my companions unto me are the most God-fearing among them, the most deeply learned, and the most reticent in preserving our traditions. And verily the most grievous of them in my sight, and the worst in condition, is that disputatious one who, when he heareth a tradition attributed unto us and reported from us, doth not accept it, but shrinketh from it with aversion, denieth it, and denounceth as an unbeliever him who holdeth fast thereto—while he knoweth not that perchance the tradition did indeed proceed from us and unto us was ascribed; and thus, by that very act, he becometh severed from us”

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad hath related—from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Nadr ibn Sa’id, the freedman of Abu Abdu’llah—upon him be peace—from his father, who said: I heard Abu Abdu’llah—upon him be peace—say:

“He who divulgeth the secret is one who doubteth; he who uttereth it before those unworthy thereof is an unbeliever. But he who holdeth fast unto the Firmest Handle—he, verily, is saved.”

“I asked: What is it? He replied: Submission.”

How is it that thou dost affirm the truth of the discourse of ʿAli—upon him be peace—wherein he declareth: “Verily I am the Living One Who dieth not,” and yet, thereafter, believest that he was slain? And likewise is the case with the utterances transmitted from the Family of God—upon them be peace. Even thus hath the matter come to pass in mine own regard. Fear God, marvel not at His Cause, and entertain no vain imaginings thereafter concerning the ordinance—how it is that I manifested it in the Book and yet transgressed the command of God. Nay, by my Lord! I intended naught save Him alone.

Consider this tradition transmitted in the Kitab al-Kafi: Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, from Mansur ibn al-Abbas, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Abdu’llah ibn Miskan, from Muhammad ibn al-Khaliq and Abu Basir, who said: Abu ʿAbdu’llah—upon him be peace—said:

“O Muhammad! Verily, with us there is—by God—a mystery from among the mysteries of God, and a knowledge from the knowledge of God. By God! None can bear it—neither an angel brought nigh, nor a Prophet sent forth, nor a believer whose heart God hath tried with faith. By God! God hath not laid this charge upon any save us, nor hath He made any subject to it save us.

“And verily with us there is a mystery from the mysteries of God and a knowledge from the knowledge of God. God commanded us to proclaim it, and we proclaimed it from God, exalted and glorified be He, as He commanded us to proclaim it. Yet we found for it neither a place, nor a people, nor bearers able to sustain it—until God created for that purpose a people whom He fashioned from the clay whereof He fashioned Muhammad and his progeny—upon them be peace—and from the light wherefrom God created Muhammad and his progeny—upon them be peace. He wrought them by the excellence of His mercy, that very mercy from which He wrought Muhammad and his progeny—upon them be peace.

“So we conveyed unto them from God that which He had commanded us to convey; and they accepted it and bore it. Then they conveyed it from us, and they accepted it and bore it. And the remembrance of us was conveyed unto them, whereupon their hearts inclined unto the knowledge of us and unto our utterance. Had they not been created of that substance, they would not—by God—have borne it.”

Then he said:

“Verily God created a people for Hellfire and the Fire; and He commanded us to proclaim unto them even as we proclaimed unto those others. Yet they recoiled from it, their hearts shrank away, and they cast it back upon us. They could not bear it; they denied it, and they said: ʿA sorcerer! A liar!’ Whereupon God set a seal upon their hearts and caused them to forget it.”

Then he continued:

“Thereafter God loosed their tongues with a portion of the truth, so that they speak it while their hearts deny it—this, that it might serve as a shield for His friends and the people of His covenant. For were it not so, God would not be worshipped upon His earth. Therefore were we commanded to refrain from them, and to conceal and to keep secret. So conceal that concerning which God hath commanded concealment, and veil it from those from whom God hath commanded it be veiled and concealed.”

He then raised his hands, wept, and said:

“O God! Verily this is their apostasy. So make our life their life, and our death their death; and grant not that an enemy of Thine gain dominion over them, lest Thou cause us grievous sorrow—for if Thou afflictest us through them, Thou shalt never be worshipped upon Thy earth.”

And God sent blessings and peace upon Muhammad and his kindred—abundant peace.

Be steadfast in His decree and know that whatever I have written in the Persian document is pure truth. I do not know a single letter of formal learning, but it is incumbent upon the learned, eloquent scholar to correct his speech according to the measure of my verses. Likewise for the experts of grammar, morphology, logic, prosody, geometry, astronomy and all other formal sciences whose names are known only to God. Yet all of this does not equal a single line of my intimate prayers to God, the Glorified, for they have been related from the realm of divinity and represent the station of sovereignty and servitude.

This is not proof for one who knows God, as the Imam (peace be upon him) clearly stated regarding the signs of divine authority, as related in Al-Kafi through Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn Isa from Yunus from Ahmad ibn Umar from Abu’l-Hasan ar-Rida who said: “I asked him about the proof for the Master of this Cause. He replied: ʿThe proof for him is age, excellence and designation by will. When the caravan reaches Medina and they ask to whom did so-and-so designate his authority—to so-and-so, son of so-and-so—and the weapons go wherever we go. As for religious questions, there is no proof in them.”’

Part 3: “So how can that which is not proof…”

So how can that which is not proof for divine authority be proof for servitude? No, by my Lord! For the highest nobility lies in simplicity, not multiplicity, as Ali (peace be upon him) said in teaching the Qur’an that it was in the Point, and he (may my soul be his sacrifice) said: “I am the Point beneath the letter B.” This is the absolute authority to which all things have been humbled. I have unveiled the veil of purpose for whoever would remember and find the way to God.

As for what you sought regarding the assurance of the hearts of the first believers, know that they preceded others in submission. Among the signs that were cast to you and beyond them is what the Siyyid (may God exalt his station) indicated in his letter which he wrote to me in his noble hand, which is now in the possession of those most worthy of the Book. In his allusions there are subtle indications whereby people of understanding recognize my Cause without requiring proof from others. This suffices as evidence for whoever gains insight and is guided.

Know that God’s servants who have submitted to this Cause are all pious scholars, as the Siyyid (may God exalt his station) clearly praised each one of them specifically, and wrote in his noble hand great praise for those who received the Cause in Iraq and others, as you will find with them. He gathered the friends of that community, among whom were learned men whose expertise and virtue were attested to by both the Shaykh and the Siyyid (may God’s mercy be upon them), such that none but a stubborn denier would reject them. They are known for their knowledge and deeds, and I am too modest to mention them by name. God suffices as witness. Perhaps now they have all turned away, but the Cause from Me remains unchanged whether all unite in accepting or denying it—it is the same to Me. God suffices as guardian.

As for what you sought regarding the last two documents, know that God, glorified be He, does not withdraw a blessing He has bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. When people rejected My judgment regarding God’s verses, We forbade them the good things of knowledge and verses that they might remember. Then, when they made light of the Cause of God, He set between them a wall, whereby the obligation was removed from them—a gate whose inward side is the very summit of mercy, while its outward aspect, facing them, is chastisement—perchance they may reflect upon the signs of God. Then when they denied Our Cause after their souls were convinced, doing so unjustly, I withdrew My covenant from their necks.

By God My Lord, by the glory of My soul, and by the knowledge with which God has honored Me through the true signs which none but I can establish—who today can withstand My proof or invalidate any aspect of My traces? Look at those who claim this station of knowledge among the Rashtis and Turks and others—not one of them can write a single page like My verses, yet they all deny the Cause of God unknowingly.

By Him Who holds My soul in His hand, if anyone from East or West or between them were to judge with justice, they would have no choice but to acknowledge My virtue, for I have claimed nothing but servitude, and God suffices as a witness. By Him Who holds My decree in His hand, I wrote no Persian page except through trust in God and in following His exalted Word:

“O company of jinn and men! If ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! Not without authority shall ye be able to pass!”

His glory be exalted.

And I am commanded to establish justice between you—God is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds and for you your deeds. Let there be no argument between us. God will bring us together and to Him is the return. If you say yes, you have disbelieved, for the proof from Him is conclusive and the message from His wisdom is manifest. And if no, you have lied.

Rather the matter in my page is thus: When the second denied the call of the first and the third was content, I passed over their description which their hands wrote, that God’s word concerning them might be fulfilled:

“With Us are fetters and a blazing Fire, and food that chokes, and a painful doom.”

All knew them and knew their station and bore witness regarding them of the evil of the first, second and third among them. The first saw me only part of a night and day, the second only part of one night and a third of a night, and the third never saw me at all. Yet after that they committed what was not right in what they did.

Were it not for God’s prior decree concerning the station of successorship, they would not have been able to write about their own station. But since the matter of successorship was decreed, what appeared in that station had to appear in this station as well—otherwise they have no share in that nor portion of power. Look at the baseness of their station and rank—in my reply to them I challenged them to produce a hadith like my verses, but they were unable to do so. Then they violated God’s decree and destroyed themselves and those who followed them unknowingly.

All this was a trial in religion to distinguish the corrupt from the good. Read the first five verses of Surat al-Ankabut, then consider this hadith reported in al-Kafi from Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn Isa from Yunus from Sulayman ibn Salih raising it to Abu Ja’far who said:

“Indeed these teachings of yours cause men’s hearts to recoil. Whoever accepts them, give them more, and whoever denies them, leave them be. For there must be a trial in which every intimate companion and confidant will fall, until even one who splits a hair in two falls, such that none remain except us and our followers.”

Their hearts recoil from this Cause by reason of its greatness. I have sifted mankind with a mighty sifting, and none remained thereafter save a small company. They are men whom darkness cannot conceal and who fear not destruction in the path of God, nor do they heed intimations. Rather, their hearts are purified and sanctified through certitude, through their love for the wondrous Leaf of the blessed Tree whose oil would well-nigh shine forth though no fire touched it.

They are people who neither yearn for paradise nor fear the fire, but worship God, my Lord and the Lord of all things, Who hath no peer, for love of His Essence alone, and unto their Lord shall they return.

O questioner! Convey to our followers that they should not accept the Leaf from anyone’s hand, nor interpret a single letter thereof, for it is a sieve from God’s judgment through which many creatures shall fall away. We count not among our followers any divine unless he comprehendeth the hidden meaning. Be taught by God’s word: “O ye lights and servants of the All-Merciful, who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, say ʿPeace.”’ Herein are subtle allusions distinguishing the truthful from the false.

The people of the Bayan rely upon the name of God, the Mighty, the Subduer, and are content with the fire and majesty therein—these are they who truly triumph.

But the people of the first Paradise rely upon the mention of My name, though it is not My sign in any of My works, for until now I have never mentioned My name in any of My verses, as the Imam indicated regarding the inner meaning of the innermost: “None but an unbeliever would name the Master of this Cause.” The mention of the name in works is the province of divines and those who are as children in matters of inner meanings and mysteries. Though I forbade the mention of My name, they disobeyed God’s command and some of the former ones revealed My name, whereby tribulations appeared.

When the deniers witnessed people from every quarter arising in love for Me, as God had caused their hearts to turn toward Me, they grew envious. Had they taken their portion from what their hands had written, people would recognize faith in My love as the highest sign of religion. Nay, by My Lord! Our followers would not abandon My love even were their bodies cut to pieces. I say by God’s decree: “Sufficient unto me is God and whosoever followeth me among the believers. There is no God but He.” I say by God’s decree: “Sufficient unto me is God and whosoever followeth me among the believers. There is no God but He. In Him do I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the mighty throne.”

The people of the second Paradise rely upon the primary word save what is Persian, and what lies beyond it of outward judgment in the gates wheresoever it may be, for this attribute existed not in the four gates—God’s mercy be upon them. They shall never be able to speak the like of My verses, and were they able, some sign thereof would surely remain. Likewise was the decree after them when the Cause reached unto God, as it was evident that neither the Shaykh nor the Siyyid—God’s mercy be upon them—encompassed all knowledge, having recognized naught of the station of unity. Had they been capable of verses, they would have had no choice but to manifest them. But the truth of My Cause none knoweth save God, while in My works it is manifest and conclusive.

By God the Truth! Verily, a single verse of that which We have revealed unto thee is equal in the Book of God to the verses of the Prophets, and after that all creation shall be questioned concerning the proofs of God. And were they to be granted the life of this world, they would be powerless to write a single verse of the Book or a line of the Scripture. And those who claim to match My utterances, these are they who lie. As for the matter of supernatural occurrences, nay, by My Lord, I have seen none from the Gate of God who preceded Me in My days when I was with him. And what sign could be greater than that which I have revealed unto men? Were all to gather to produce the like thereof, they would be unable. And if ye be in doubt concerning this, say: Bring forth your proof if ye be truthful. By Him Who made me His primary servant! Had God willed concerning me, He would have manifested a thousand times over such signs as I manifested at the beginning of the Cause from the exalted tokens, for God hath power over all things.

The people of the third Paradise adduce as proof the word of divine nature, which is unity, whose signs have filled the east and west of the earth. How could one who knoweth not a single letter of knowledge write such as I have written, which hath confounded the minds of the monotheists to comprehend and bewildered the thoughts of the wise in its eloquence? Yet the people deny Our signs.

The people of the fourth Paradise adduce as proof the words which are pure negation in my knowledge of conventional learning and my inability in the sciences, and this is the ultimate perfection in the eyes of the people of Glory, for that which is known is forbidden, and whoso desireth to manifest the land of Glory must be forbidden to mention knowledge and power. This is the supreme honor which God hath appointed for His friends. I have mentioned it for whoso desireth to remember the signs of his Lord and to know what I have explained clearly in the interpretation of the tradition of the maiden. None remember save those possessed of understanding.

The people of the fifth Paradise adduce as proof My utterances wherein I have mentioned that the words are contrary to the rules of the people, for the signs of nature bear witness to this, and the people take their vain desires as their god, and by the explicit text of the Qur’an they are an evil people, unbelievers. They plotted a plot, and We plotted a plot while they perceived not. Say: God is swifter in plotting. Glory be to God above what they associate!

The people of the sixth Paradise adduce as proof the word which evidenceth that the words indicate naught of the Command, for the Command is in the station of deed while the station of verses is that of the Face in the Essential Gardens. This is a hidden symbol for the people of that Paradise that that Leaf is not by their command but rather is pure prohibition concerning them. These are they who speak truth.

The people of the seventh Paradise adduce as proof the word of their own souls, for it accepteth naught save that its verses be in the souls and horizons. Whoso knoweth other than it hath not tasted knowledge. He hath known God who knoweth Him without proof, and he hath denied God who knoweth Him through knowledge of the way. And the Command of God was a decree ordained.

The people of the divine precincts adduce as proof the word of misguidance and recite concerning its wisdom this tradition which Al-Kulayni hath related in Al-Kafi from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, who said: “O Baghdadrah, it is incumbent upon God to cause to enter Paradise…” It is as though he, peace be upon him, spoke not nor intended aught save for that purpose. And they bear witness after it by mention of the Fire, whose decree God hath revealed in the Qur’an: “God’s kindled fire which mounteth to the hearts,” by what the Imam hath interpreted as the Proof of God, the Lord of the Age. There is no doubt that it is God’s fire in all things, and that he, may my soul be his sacrifice, was the fire of love and glory and the fire of might.

Glory and Beauty, and the fire of knowledge and bounties! Exalted be God above what they describe! Indeed, the Persian leaf was revealed that all may know that I seek no one’s acceptance. I have delivered my wisdom to all—let him who wishes believe, and him who wishes deny. Were the learned not to turn away from my wisdom, the oppressors would have no power through their deeds. Every injustice and unrighteous judgment issued by any soul from the day the Cause was mentioned until the sovereignty of truth shall be upon them, and God is independent of what they do.

As for the people of fire, they interpret according to its outward meaning and know it is a defense for the tranquility of the opponents while you were in that land and are aware of their deeds, as the matter of he who took the leaf for himself is not hidden from you by casting aspersion after his letter which he wrote to me from near the sublime realms and his migration to me out of self-love. Thereafter, through Satan’s call he did what was cast. Observe his denial and turning away, and after his consideration of the matter which was established through a decisive Book and firm scroll and the consensus of the righteous among the chosen ones—that he desired to extinguish it after one in Constantinople and four in Iraq were oppressed for their love of this Cause in the path of God without anyone’s permission. I seek refuge in God from him and his deed.

When he disobeyed my command to depart, God left him to himself. When you look at his response to his letter which is from the realms of hell, you will know my wisdom that I did not see him worthy of my regard and paid him no attention. When he was an intermediary and insisted greatly, I answered him from a place of wrath with evidence of wisdom in a supplication than which nothing higher was possible in response. When he desired to deny, I paid him no attention though he sought another answer. I rejected him with my brief response that I could do no less and asked him to bring a tradition, but he perceived not and did not bring it and rejected God’s judgment in His Book.

Part 4: “I dictated a letter to him absolving all…”

I dictated a letter to him absolving all of responsibility lest he commit sin against me and disgrace himself and bear a great burden. But the wicked one rent the veils of modesty and spread the secrets of the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them, to a merchant that he might help him and his two brothers who were in denial with him. They denied God’s Cause and made their desires their god after knowing that the bird cannot ascend to me nor the torrent descend from me. So glory be to God after them! If my opponent were but a porter he would realize that after bringing such a tradition, denial is not for him. But God has taken their minds and awareness and left them in darkness where they see not—deaf, dumb and blind, they will not return. It is the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them—they will not believe.

By Him Who holds my soul in His hand, Pharaoh despite his unbelief had greater understanding than they. When he wanted to deny the proof of Moses, peace be upon him, he commanded that sorcery be brought forth, but they could bring nothing. Yet they deny God’s favor. By Him Who created me, they wrong not me but disgrace themselves unknowingly. Look at the messenger in Iraq and those with him, and his station of striving and signs of truthfulness. Then look at the three deniers and their station and my signs with them. Then be certain of God’s promise and His grasp—thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.

Know that Javad Qazvini wrote in his Persian letter according to what he wrote from the realms of hell with false words, including that testing the proof from the followers of God’s family, peace be upon them, necessitates the testing of the Prophet—may the peace and blessings of God be upon Him and His family—and verily the testing of the Prophet necessitates the testing of the Lord, exalted be His glory. This is manifest unbelief, yet most people do not understand. He has demanded of me a meaning which has no evidence save wisdom, and cannot be established otherwise, according to the text of the Shaykh—may God’s mercy be upon him—in the Benefits, twenty-four proofs from among those that were the province of children, after having read in the Book of God the three proofs sufficient for all.

Then His words, exalted be His glory: “Say: If what ye would hasten were with me, the matter would be decided between you and me; but God knows best those who do wrong.” What then is the difference between him and those of whom God said in His Book in seven places: “Bring your signs if ye be truthful”? I seek refuge with God from Satan, for God hath said: “The evil ones descend on every lying, wicked person.” He has demanded, by his claim, numbered proofs and made them an argument for himself and others. Were he to demand a hundred proofs and consider ninety-nine of them as images of darkness, what would be the difference between them? Such is the judgment unto infinity.

Glory be to God, the Ever-Living! God’s word is more truthful than his word, where He taught His Beloved—peace be upon Him and His family: “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and reason with them in the most excellent manner.” A single one of these proofs suffices according to the text of the Qur’an. He has led himself astray by mentioning these destructive matters and has sought in his book to challenge through his own falsehood, as though he had not read in the Book of God that the challenge is My judgment and My sign, and he has no authority to challenge, even as God, glorified be He, related concerning the words of the idol worshippers when they said: “O God! If this be indeed the Truth from Thee, rain down on us stones from heaven, or send us a grievous penalty.”

By what authority does he seek to challenge after I have delegated the matter to one among the people? Most of those who affirm the truth challenge with their certainty, just as thou hast heard that Mahdi Khoei—may God reward him from His presence—sent to Abdul-Ali for the purpose of challenging, but he did not accept due to his falsehood. Glory be to God above what they describe!

And verily I fulfilled the proof of the mubahalah within the Sacred Mosque, in the presence of witnesses. Whoso hath become acquainted with these words—set down as I recorded them in the scroll of the Two Sanctuaries, which encompasseth all—knoweth this. And I suppose that those who heard this matter in Mecca include among them witnesses, namely: the pilgrim Sayyid Ali al-Kirmani, the pilgrim Sayyid Muhammad al-Khurasani, the pilgrim Sulayman Khan, and the pilgrim Muhammad Ali al-Mazandarani, together with others beyond them whose names do not at this moment come to my mind.

Yet the proof was not lacking, nor was it in need of the mubahalah; nay, all the verses themselves suffice as evidence, and they are a proof unto mine own self, should I will to disclose them unto whomsoever I please—even as I disclosed them in the Sacred Mosque. By Him in Whose hand is my soul! Were the people of Najran to gather together, I would not shrink, of mine own self, from facing them. There is no power nor might save through Him, and unto Him returneth the whole affair.

As for these deniers, it is as though they perceive not the purpose of God. For God—glorified be He—intended by the manifestation of these verses naught else but that, through them, the wilayah of the Family of God and their excellence might be firmly established, and that the ascendancy of the Shi’ite company over the generality be made manifest by a proof which none among them, if he deal justly, can refute.

As for the Shi’ih, sufficient to them is their ijtihad or fatwa, and thus they are not content with my Cause. By God! What of the Shaykhi sect—were it not for this Cause, how could they prove the truth of the Shaykh and the Siyyid, may God’s mercy be upon them both, after most people rejected them, when they have no conclusive proof that would confound all deniers? Glory be to God! None among the Shaykhis deny this Cause except those who did not truly believe in Ahmad and Kazim in their hearts. Otherwise, they have no recourse but to acknowledge this Cause. The inner meaning of the inner meaning has been revealed through decisive verses that none but the stubborn denier would reject. Despite my knowledge of universal enmity and denial, they both (may God’s mercy be upon them), when they wished to reveal a drop from the inner meaning of the inner meaning, out of fear of people, indicated it through allusion and never declared it explicitly. But the Cause regarding me is manifest and I fear none in this mystery except God, and God suffices as protector.

What mighty one exists like me in God’s Cause? Glory be to God! After the coward and his instigator and his satan, it is as if they fear not God and hear not the words of Ali the Prostrator in Damascus. Whoever displeases us, evil was his birth. They have disgraced themselves through their arrogance and great haughtiness. I seek refuge in God from the deed of the deceiver, for he has done what no evil one would do. He opened my letter which I wrote in reply to someone, unsealed, as if he had not read the hadith of the Messenger: “Whoever looks at his brother’s writing without permission is as one who has looked at his mother’s private parts.” I say regarding his self-imposed duty that I am not under his command, but the ruling of the hadith has not departed from me: “Do not betray trust even with an unbeliever or wrongdoer.” I seek refuge in God from his deed, for he has revealed our secret to those unworthy of it. This hadith judges that whoever does this is an unbeliever.

He entered someone’s house, as I was informed, without permission. Glory be to God, the Exalted, the Forbearing! Through this religion rejected by the people of unbelief, he sought guidance and to extinguish the light of the Guardianship. Praise be to God Who has expelled him from our register. He wrote worse than all that through his satan’s instigation in the draft of his foreign letter, claiming that I took all I wrote from the Qur’an and prayers and the Shaykh’s books, as if I were completely blind. Nay, by my Lord! He was certain that I took nothing from books, yet he denied through his polytheism as if he had not read the hadith of justice:

“The least polytheism is to call a pebble a date stone and then believe in it.”

Every soul knows that my words are wondrous, flowing from the treasuries of pure nature [fitrat]. As for the verses matching the Qur’an that have appeared, they have filled the earth’s east and west. As for the prayers, they have appeared in a manner unprecedented in meaning or word in the prayers of the Imams, peace be upon them. Likewise for the sermons.

As for the scholars’ dissolution, how can the Shaykh’s and Siyyid’s books be compared with what I wrote in commentary on the Surih of the Cow and people’s questions? I seek refuge in God from his denial after knowledge and from his acceptance after rejection. I am innocent of the wrongdoers.

O questioner! Whoever applies the word “Babi” to the Imam (peace be upon him) is rejected, for he has no gate after the four gates. However, if it refers to the name of goodness for the believer, there is no harm in it. Thus it is, yet I do not desire the enmity of men. O ye nobles among the righteous ones! Fear God and draw not nigh unto sedition, for in the judgment of the Qur’an it is worse than murder. Do good forthwith, for verily God is well aware of whatsoever ye do.

As for what thou hast asked regarding religion, recite this prayer transmitted from Kazim, peace be upon him, following every obligatory prayer:

“O God! I beseech Thee, O Thou besides Whom there is no god, by the truth that there is no god but Thee, to have mercy upon me by virtue of there being no god but Thee. O God! I beseech Thee, O Thou besides Whom there is no god, by the truth that there is no god but Thee, to be well-pleased with me by virtue of there being no god but Thee. O God! I beseech Thee, O Thou besides Whom there is no god, by the truth that there is no god but Thee, to forgive me by virtue of there being no god but Thee. For verily God, thy Lord, is of abundant forgiveness unto whomsoever He willeth through His grace, and He is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.”

As for what thou hast asked regarding the expansion of sustenance, recite for forty days, one thousand and one times each day:

“And whosoever feareth God, He will appoint for him a way out, and will provide for him from whence he expecteth not. And whosoever putteth his trust in God, He will suffice him. Lo! God attaineth His purpose. Indeed God hath set a measure for all things. For verily God will bestow His grace upon thee through His bounty. He is indeed the Munificent, the All-Knowing.”

As for what thou hast desired regarding the indications in thy letter, verily God, glorified be He, doeth naught with His believing servant save that which is best for him, and He is indeed the Self-Sufficient, the All-Wise. O thou who asketh! Gather the letters of Javad and his companion that truth may be distinguished from falsehood, and all were witnesses to this Cause. God’s curse be upon him who followeth me before seeing all others powerless to produce a single verse like unto My verses. Verily God and His angels are quit of him, and he is of the idolaters. God’s curse be upon him who desireth me yet seeth one more expansive than I in unity, then God’s curse be upon him who loveth me yet knoweth one more excellent than I in knowledge.

This is the end of my letter to thee and God is witness over all things. Thou wert indeed in that land and became aware of what they did to Javad to extinguish my Cause. And verily by his own desire and the devils who wished to extinguish my light—nay, by my Lord! The longer the shadow, the more it is but from the light of the sun. God hath indeed made them through their censure followers who cannot come. From this day who can wrong me and take from my hand the kingdom which is knowledge, by the text of the Imam (peace be upon him)? The wrongdoers, by the judgment of the Qur’an, wronged not Us but themselves did they wrong.

Were all to gather to deny Me and write a thousand crores in refutation of Me, I would banish them from myself with that verse. God sufficeth as an argument and proof. Say: Die in your wrath and enter the fire through your polytheism, then be stones arranged in layers of sijjin. Thus too is the judgment in reverse—naught shall increase in my knowledge of God, for I am, through God’s grace, at peace with Him, beseeching His bounty, relying upon Him, and I say by His wisdom that naught shall befall us save what God hath ordained for us. He is our Master, and in God let the believers put their trust.

Verily life in this world under the dominion of falsehood is forbidden unto us by the judgment of this tradition: A number of our companions from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Mahbub from Abu’l-Sabbah al-Kinani who said: I was with Abu Abdu’llah when an old man entered and said, “O Abu Abdu’llah! I complain to thee of my children and their uncles and their rights, and my brothers and their estrangement in my old age.” Abu ʿAbdu’llah, peace be upon him, said: “O thou! Truth and falsehood each have their dominion, and each is abased during the ascendancy of the other. The least that befalls the believer during the dominion of falsehood is disobedience from his child and estrangement from his brothers. None shall attain any comfort during the dominion of falsehood that will detract from his portion in the dominion of truth.” Therefore be patient and rejoice, and let this be a solace to thine eyes, for we belong to God and unto Him shall we return.

I claim nothing save servitude. I have called all to the path of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised, through what God hath graciously bestowed upon me of His bounty. And I do verily believe in the decree of the Qur’an and the return of the family of God, peace be upon them, and I am not of them that join partners with God. I seek forgiveness of God, my Lord, and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily He hath ever been forgiving unto the believers. Glorified be God, the Lord of the Throne, above what they attribute unto Him. Peace be upon the Messengers. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.