BB00315: Letter to the uncle of the Bab in Bushihr

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

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the signs upon whomsoever He willeth among His servants; verily He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. And this is a decree from Our presence: that I should dispatch a Book wherein are contained the ordinances appertaining to the deeds of men.

From the Mother of Cities We have already sent forth Leaves, comprising the statutes of the Path, in answer to what they had inquired. And when We came to know the judgment concerning the Holy Land, by reason of the idolatry of its people in the signs of thy Lord, the command descended that the way of the sea be taken, for they had belied Our verses and were numbered among the far-removed.

And when the decree of thy Lord was accomplished regarding Medina, I returned—by the leave of its people—until the days were fulfilled unto that day when We sojourned upon the land of dread. The decree of thy Lord, indeed, hath been conveyed unto the people of Mecca and unto those whom thou knowest to possess in the Book a ruling. Hallowed be God, the Lord of the heavens and of the Throne, above that which they ascribe! Exalted is thy Lord above all that they join as partners!

Never did We send down from heaven a single sign but that We found the idolaters making mock of the signs of God. Forthwith shall God judge, on the Day of Resurrection, between all with equity concerning that wherein they differed.

In the Pages of Medina I have set forth distinctly the knowledge of what was stolen upon the way; and this is a judgment inscribed, as I read in the Tablet of My Self, from the ordinance of thy Lord—there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: Praise be to God! He hath decreed in the Book whatsoever He hath willed for His servant—there is no God but He, the Lord of plenteous bounty.

In Medina I received thirty, in number, of [the due/assessment]; therefore adjudge to whoever presenteth a written voucher on My behalf. For verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious. And likewise, to whoever presenteth another voucher: twenty-two in number, of riyals—for God decreeth for whom He willeth as He willeth; and God is Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.

O uncle, behold what thou deemest concerning My return; for the Cause of God is greater than what men know. Most men, indeed, are in a far-off valley. In the station of fear, the ordinance of thy Lord is the occultation of the Cause. Therefore send unto Me a Book from near at hand, and therein particularize the rulings of the House and its people, and what men were bearing in the days of thy Lord.

Know thou that My coming to the land of Masqat desireth a Book from near; stand firm, then, in what thou art commanded, and make ready for Me, in every wondrous matter. Convey the salutation of the Mention of the Name of thy Lord, from Our presence, unto the foremost; and send the White Sheet, and that which hath descended unto thee in this Book, unto the servant whom I have chosen for the ordinance of thy Lord. Men have come with signs from Us upon a straight Path.

Verily God knoweth the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and men have not ceased to differ concerning Our signs. There is no God but He; He shall judge on the Day of Resurrection with equity; not an atom’s weight of wrong shall there be this day; and God is well-aware of what men do. This Book is a proof from thy Lord for whomsoever desireth to believe in His words and be among the humble.

Those who believe in the signs of God and follow the ordinance of the Book—these are the rightly guided. But those who deny the signs of thy Lord and follow their passions—these are in manifest error. Soon shall We assemble them, on the Day of Resurrection, heads bowed down before their Lord; these are they who shall be brought into the Fire.

Say: O concourse! Fear God, and know that unto Him shall ye surely be gathered, and unto God shall all return. Whoso believeth, it is for his own soul; and whoso turneth away, it is against his own soul. Thy Lord is, in truth, Self-Sufficient above all the worlds.

Verily those who pledge their troth to the Mention of the Name of thy Lord—they pledge their troth unto God; the hand of God is above their hands. Thy Lord encompasseth all things. Send, then, a like Book unto those who, in truth, have followed the ordinance of God—for they are the guided.

And if thou art able, dispatch a messenger for the ordinance of thy Lord, ere there descend upon the people a Book from Us, comprising clear signs for a people who ponder. Hallowed be thy Lord—the Lord of the heavens and the earth—exalted above what they ascribe! And peace be upon the Messengers; and praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.