BB00325: Bayan al-Taqarub wa Taba’ud

In the Name of God, the Most Firm, the Most Enduring, besides Whom there is no other God, the Supreme, the Most Enduring.

God hath willed to create the mystery of His Most Great Name in this mighty Tablet for those men whose homes God hath established above the throne of pre-existence.

The Writer hath written what God intended as knowledge concerning proximity and remoteness. I shall now inform him of what God hath bestowed upon man, who for a time was nothing mentioned. We guided him to the path, whether grateful or ungrateful. We made him in the Book a visible description for nearness and an existent boundary for remoteness.

If thy gaze be upon the depths of the sea of Oneness, then be the praise of God, besides Whom there is no God, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, alone—for God hath raised it above opposites and peers as a good pleasure for those who desire God and His face in the Garden of Eden, those who set up no other god with God and who come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. These are they whom God maketh to be hearing and seeing through His hearing and sight, and God giveth them to drink from the cup of His glory a pure drink, for those whom God hath promised an abundant reward. God shall give them gardens and silk on the Day of Resurrection. This truly is a well-known truth. This shall be your recompense, and your striving shall be appreciated. These are they who shall enter Paradise as a welcome gift, abiding therein forever, reclining upon couches, seeing therein neither sun nor bitter cold.

But if thy gaze be upon the depths of the sea of Unity, then be the servant of God Who created thee and Who shall bring thee on the Day of Resurrection alone. Know that the knowledge of proximity is the knowledge of God alone, while remoteness is the knowledge of the Book as destiny.

I shall inform thee of the truth concerning what God hath willed therein as a mystery. When God created the Point, He caused it to descend to the worlds of existence openly and called it to approach by command. It answered the All-Merciful in humility and submission. Then the All-Merciful commanded it a second time to turn back from the heights to what lies beneath the earth, and it obeyed the Almighty in fear and dread. Then the Glorious One called to it secretly:

“Remember the name of thy Lord morning and evening, for We desire none other than thee as friend. Through thee do I afflict the servants and requite them little and much, and through thee do I punish the people of the fire morning and night.”

Then God created on the right of the Throne bitter water and made it the point of remoteness, equal in what it chose for itself from the justice of the All-Wise by choice. Then the Glorious One commanded it the first time with what He had commanded the point of nearness with power, but it disobeyed its Lord’s command secretly and openly. Then the Ancient One called to it a second time with what God had shown it the first time, but it denied the All-Merciful, facing away weakly. So God sent down punishment upon it in truth and justice.

Then God made the point of nearness the focal point for drawing near in cycles, bringing it into existence and extending it as He had originated it when it was pure nothingness. And God made the point of remoteness the point of turning away in cycles, and the All-Merciful extended it with the shadows of drawing near in justice.

God hath placed between these two points the isthmus of contingent being as a mystery—whoever looketh upon it knoweth the word of the All-Merciful as both separator and joiner. God, glorified be He, hath said:

“He hath let loose the two seas that meet together, between them a barrier they do not overpass.”

Whoso desireth to attain unto this hidden knowledge must obey the Worshipped One in His praiseworthy utterance. And whoso feareth the station of his Lord and forbiddeth the soul from passion—surely Paradise shall be his abode. The eye did not swerve, nor did it transgress. He saw of the signs of his Lord, the greatest. The One mighty in power taught him, at the Lote-Tree beyond which none may pass. He speaketh not of his own desire—it is naught but a revelation revealed. These are the similitudes We strike for mankind that they might be certain of the signs of God. The veils have been lifted for those who stand in the place of glory.

Be thou certain in what We have given thee to drink of the cold, pure water flowing from the spring of the water of manifestation. We have caused it to reach the Worshipped One in all the veins until the light hath overcome thee and thy soul hath become firm upon the Mount. Thy Lord calleth thee with His forgiving tongue, so stand firm in the seat of joy, not separate from the veiled and hidden. There God, glorified be He, hath said:

“Verily thou art of Our righteous servants. Fear not, neither grieve, for We are with the doers of good. Thus do We reward those who act.”

And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.