BB00240: Introduction to the Tafsir-i-Suratu’l-Baqara

Date: 1259 [1843-1844]

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

Praise be to God Who hath manifested Himself unto all created things through the embellishment of the Point, which, separated from the depths of creation, existeth through it, by it, and unto it—that Point which hath been exalted and elevated before its invention, after its origination. From it all things were fashioned, through it all things were called into being, upon it all things were founded, and within it all things found their establishment. Through it was the Divine Will brought into being before the mention of thingness, and in it was Lordship made manifest and all servitude made firm. It is neither of the eternal East nor of the non-existent West. It came into being through its own essence, not from any creation before it, and was endowed with its identity without any invention to rival it. Thus did it gleam forth and become alike, stammer forth and take form, for it is the first mention from a wondrous Rememberer—there is no God but Him.

And praise be to God Who brought the existences into being through the embellishment of the mystic Alif, self-subsisting, which was originated through the causation of the Point before it and was brought into being through the essence of the aforementioned Will, in its own rank, through it, by it, unto it. It endured and revolved before it was mentioned, after it was lost. From it unto it did it shine forth, and through it did it stammer, and unto it through it did it submit, and through it was duality completed and identity created, and the Will was mentioned through the mention of primordial, original geometry. Thus it is neither of primordial eternity nor of ultimate perpetuity, but rather it shineth forth from the Sun of Oneness, gleaming from the glory of the Impenetrable, enduring through the endurance of the Supreme Identity.

How excellent an embellishment is it from the essence of the white Alif after the Point separated from creation! For it is the embellishment of Glory in the pillar of praise, it is the embellishment of yellow in the pillar of decree, it is the embellishment of beginning in the pillar of green, and it is the embellishment of origination in the pillar of red. If thou sayest red, then it hath adorned the yellow with white, and if thou sayest green, then it hath adorned the white with red. Blessed is it! It is eternally red, imperishably white, perpetually green, and regally yellow. For it is the repetition of the Point in the Alif, distinct from an ancient Creator—there is no God but Him.

And praise be to God Who hath manifested Himself unto all beings through the embellishment of the distinctive Ba’, separated from the soft Alif, circling round the creative Point, which through it, by it, unto it found existence, was mentioned, endured, became firm, delayed, clashed, surged, moved, became steadfast, grew still, and persisted. From it through it unto it did it shine forth, and from it through it unto it did it stammer, and through it did it submit, and from it was it satisfied, and unto it did it render account. Then did it gasp and bear, then lay bare its fragments. For within it is wretched whosoever is wretched in the inner fourth, and within it is blessed whosoever is blessed in the outer aspect of the inner.

How excellent an embellishment is it from the deep ocean of decree after destiny in the carrying out, and before origination in glory, which hath been exalted and elevated and declared: Glory be unto Thee, O God, Lord of the Will and its sister, Creator of destiny and its children! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and open, O God, the gates of that Book through the breathings of Thy holiness, the tokens of Thy power, the evidences of Thy grandeur, the stations of Thy glory, and the signs of Thy oneness. Verily, Thou bestowest that Book upon whomsoever Thou willest as Thou willest, and Thou withholdest Thy wisdom from whosoever turneth away from that Book as Thou willest, as Thou willest, as Thou willest. None can repel Thy command, none can reverse Thy judgment, and there is no portion of good for him who entertaineth doubt after that Book. By Thy truth! For Thou hast indeed made clear, magnified, honored, ordained, numbered, interpreted and expounded all that Thou didst intend regarding the realm of possibility and what is possible. Here am I, Thy servant.

This following the mention of ’Ayn, Lam and Ya—Muhammad—that whoso entereth through him may enter the depths of oneness and whoso departeth from him may depart from the presence of oneness. Unto Thee be praise, O my God, praise that is radiant, gleaming, hallowed, shining, sanctified, glittering, exalted and rolling like thunder, in the way that Thou lovest for Thyself and which Thou alone deservest according to the grace of Thine Own Self unto Thine Own Self, in such wise as none of Thy creation can know. And from Thee be glory unto Muhammad and his family—Thy blessings be upon them, pure, holy, everlasting, radiant, eternal, growing, forever—through the radiance of the rays of the sun of Thine eternity, through the glittering of the countenance of Thy Self-Subsistence, through the rolling thunder of the lightning of Thy might, and through the sanctification of the holiness of Thy divine essence, even as Thou knowest their excellence while none can encompass their knowledge save Thee, for Thou hast favored them above all through Thy grace, and Thou art the Lord of glory over all creation.

O ye who gaze upon that Dove shining forth from the Tree of Sinai, descending in the pages of the white tablets of that Book! Fear ye God and be silent, and draw not nigh unto that which hath been detailed from the Tree when the Trump is sounded and the darkness is illumined and the sun setteth in the horizon of manifestation. Beware, beware when the cock croweth in the land of mystery and the birds sing in the atmosphere of the air and the peacock waileth at the rising place of Cancer, for there the Dove singeth with praise and the day is brightened with light and the dawn breaketh with its novel white thread and the light of the crimson word standeth firm. Beware, O people of the Bayan, when the sign is spread from the Sun of Glory and the evidence pointeth from the decree of destiny and the mirrors reflect in the faces of the verses with origination, for then the decline declineth in the region of praise upon Mount Sinai with the light, with the crimson manifesting light.

Lo, I am gathered before God and I say:

“Sufficient unto me is He; there is no God but Him. We are God’s and unto Him do we return.”

And after such manner should the doers act. Glory be unto Thee, O God, Who liftest grief from our pens and causeth them to enter a garden through praise of Thyself.

O God, Thou knowest that on the day I desired to compose this book, I saw in a night vision that the Holy Land was reduced to atoms and was lifted into the air, then all of it came toward my house and became established.

Then after that came news of the passing of the wise and illustrious friend, my teacher [Siyyid Kazim]—may God’s mercy be upon him—from that place. And I had indeed informed some people of my dream before the news came. And may God’s blessings be upon him through His bounty. We are God’s and unto Him do we return. There is no power nor strength save in God, the Exalted, the Great.