BB00340

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

I testify that there is no God but God, alone, without partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. O God, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

Peace be upon you, O Family of Ta-Sin-Mim, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon you, O Family of Ta-Ha, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon you, O Family of Ya-Sin, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon you, O People of the House of Power, dwelling place of the Perfect Word, mine of glory, manifestation of sovereignty, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon you, O People of the Divine Will and its sister the pillar of destiny and its foundation, determiners of execution and its wisdom, reckoners of the Book and its verses, and God’s mercy and blessings.

O Family of God! How can I count your praises after God has sealed the door of praise between me and you? And how can I speak of your bounties when God has placed nothing between me and you? Yet since praise of you is ordained upon the servant, accept my transgressions against you and let me mention my sins in your presence. I beseech from your generosity forgiveness for my existence and its effects, for my very life in your sanctuary is the greatest sin, with no sin equal to it—how much more when sin acquires further sin?

I know well that your generosity has ever been most exalted and your grace will ever be most glorious. None need ask for your pardon, for knowledge of your forgiveness after my recognition of your station is the greatest pardon possible in my case, beyond compare. For had you dealt with me at the first mention according to your justice, neither I nor my turning away would exist—all things would perish. But when I witnessed your forbearance and bounties toward me, I must mention something of your generosity to me, that my heart may be illumined by your remembrance and my inner being adorned by gratitude to you.

O Family of God! Strengthen me through your remembrance—your remembrance! Then through gratitude to you—gratitude to you! Then through your glory—your glory! Then through your grace—your grace! Then through your holiness—your holiness! Then through knowledge of you—knowledge of you! Then through love for you—love for you! Then through your good pleasure—your good pleasure! How sweet are your hidden and manifest aspects, apart from your theophany!

O Family of God! How can I praise you when all besides the Divine Essence is like the reflection in mirrors that exists in the mirrors before you, while nothing has existence before you? I testify that the Divine Will has willed through your will, that Purpose has been determined through your purposes, that Destiny has been detailed through your power, that Decree has been decreed through your execution, that Divine Decision has been realized after being made firm before what was mentioned through your beneficence, that Permission has been granted through permission of your glory, that the Appointed Time has been completed through permission of your praise, and that the Book has been sent down from the clouds of justice of your verses.

So by what description shall I remember you after my knowledge that description is cut off from your essential reality? And by what attribute shall I quiet my heart after my certainty that attributes are prohibited from your inner reality? The signs of the Cloud of Unknowing have been made manifest through the appearance of your outer reality, the marks of praise have been erased through the depths of your theophany, the stations of glory have been magnified through the traces of your mercy, and the birds of Paradise have sung praise in your presence only to return to themselves.

So blessed is the soul that knows your worth and does not transgress beyond the leaves of the verses of your might! Glory be to God your Creator! I know not a letter of your station, nor has anyone spoken aught of its limit. I testify that when one of your followers was transfigured upon the Mount in the Day of Eternity, realities and their traces were found, hearts fell prostrate in their stations, gardens and their lights were created, Hell and all within it were set ablaze, and all together declared:

“There is no God but God, glory be to Him and exalted is He above what they describe!”

I call you to witness, O my Masters, that I have believed in you and in your signs and by what is sent down in every condition of the signs of Your grace and the clouds of Your power, have mercy upon me through Your glance and preserve me through Your power and cause me to return in the days of Your return and forgive me on the day of the manifestation of Your sovereignty upon the Most Great Plain, for verily I am Your servant and Your visitor, seeking refuge in Your dust and beseeching Your intercession through love for You. Therefore write down, concerning my right and the right of those who seek You with justice, O People of Grace, whatsoever power and might You possess, for verily I declare You are sufficient unto me, sufficient unto me in every condition. Glorified then be God, Your Creator, above what they describe, and peace be upon the Messengers, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. O Mention of God.