BB00015: Dala’il-i-Sab’ih (The Seven Proofs—Persian)

Part 1: “Praise be to God, besides Whom there…”

In the Name of God, the Most Unique, the Most Unique!

Praise be to God, besides Whom there is no God, the Most Unique, the Most Unique. Verily all glory from God be upon Him Whom God shall make manifest and then upon His faithful ones, forever and ever.

To continue: I have examined the letter you have written. Were one to desire a detailed exposition of proofs establishing this Manifestation, the tablets of creation and possibility could not bear it. Yet the essence of speech and the core of purpose is this: There has never been, nor shall there ever be, any doubt that God has eternally existed in the independence and majesty of His sacred Being, and will forever exist in the inaccessibility and exaltation of His holy Essence. No thing hath known Him as He deserveth to be known, and no thing hath praised Him as He deserveth to be praised. He hath been sanctified above all names and exalted above all similitudes. All things are known through Him, while He is too glorious to be known through aught else. For His creation there hath been no beginning, nor shall there be an end, lest His bounty be interrupted. To the number of all that is possible in the realm of contingent being, He hath sent forth Messengers and revealed Books, and will continue to do so.

If thou sailest upon the sea of names, know that all are known through God, or are attributed to His servants. Everything thou seest hath been created by His Will. How then can it serve as proof of His unity? His existence itself is proof of His oneness, and the existence of all things is proof that they are His creation. This is the proof of wisdom for those who sail upon the sea of truth.

And if thou sailest upon the sea of creation, know that the First Remembrance, which is the Primal Will of God, may be likened unto the sun, which God, exalted be His glory, hath created through His all-pervading power. From a beginning that hath no beginning, He hath made it manifest in every Dispensation through His Will, and unto an end that hath no end, He shall continue to make it manifest through His decree. Know thou that its example is like unto the sun—if it should rise unto infinity, there would still be but one sun, and if it should set unto infinity, there would still be but one sun. It is He Who hath been manifest in all the Messengers, and He Who hath spoken in all the Books.

He hath had no beginning, for through Him doth “the beginning” begin; and He hath had no end, for through Him doth “the end” end. It is He Who in this wondrous Cycle, which is now in its thirteen thousandth year, is known as the Point of the Bayan, and as the First Creation in the days of Adam, and as Noah in his day, and as Abraham in his day, and as Moses in his day, and as Jesus in his day, and as Muhammad the Apostle of God in His day, and the Point of the Bayan in His day, and He Whom God shall make manifest in His day, and He Whom God shall make manifest after Him Whom God shall make manifest in His day, have been known. And this is the mystery of the words of the Apostle of God aforetime: “As for the Prophets, verily I am they,” for the One manifest in all is but a single Sun.

And this is the meaning of the tradition concerning the Proof, wherein al-Sadiq hath said:

“He saith: O assemblage of creatures! Whoso desireth to behold Adam and Seth, lo, I am Adam and Seth! Whoso desireth to behold Noah and his son Shem, lo, I am Noah and Shem! Whoso desireth to behold Abraham and Ishmael, lo, I am Abraham and Ishmael! Whoso desireth to behold Moses and Joshua, lo, I am Moses and Joshua! Whoso desireth to behold Jesus and Simon, lo, I am Jesus and Simon! Whoso desireth to behold Muhammad and the Prince of Believers, lo, I am Muhammad and the Prince of Believers! Whoso desireth to behold Hasan and Husayn, lo, I am Hasan and Husayn! Whoso desireth to behold the Imams from the progeny of Husayn, lo, I am the Imams one after another unto Hasan! Answer ye my call, for I shall inform you of that whereof ye have been informed and that whereof ye have not been informed. And whoso hath read the Books and Scrolls, let him hearken unto me.”

He saith not “Let him behold this,” for that which made the Messengers to be Messengers is in Him, and that which made the Books to be Books is from Him. The essence of the matter is that God, exalted be His glory, in His consummate wisdom, hath in the Dispensation of Muhammad, the Apostle of God, ordained the Furqan to be the Proof. This was a bounty not vouchsafed to any people before Muhammad, the Apostle of God—that a verse from the Book of God should serve as proof for all who dwell on earth, demonstrate the powerlessness of all, and establish the power of God.

From the day of the revelation of the Furqan until the day of the manifestation of the Point of the Bayan, one thousand two hundred and seventy years elapsed, during which all were nurtured by this proof until they became ready for the appearance of the Sun of Truth. And whatsoever proof other than this they mention—by their own admission the Most Great Book is greater, and the Greater sufficeth in lieu of the lesser, and mention of aught else beareth no fruit in the sight of the All-Wise, the All-Seeing. This is if I leave thee to what thou hast heard and am forbearing with thee in argument. Otherwise, this is established and manifest—prove aught else! Think not that this sufficeth not in place of all miracles. Nay, by God! It hath sufficed and will suffice in place of all miracles.

Seven conclusive proofs have I taught thee regarding this matter, each of which alone sufficeth as evidence unto the fair-minded.

First, if the verses of the Qur’an were not greater than all the miracles of the Prophets, how were their Books abrogated by it while the Qur’an alone remained? This is a conclusive and compelling proof that this evidence was and is greater than the rod of Moses and similar physical proofs.

Second, in the religion thou now professest, thou hast no escape, according to the decree of the Qur’an, from saying that none but God can reveal a verse. And now that thou beholdest, thou hast no escape from declaring it to be from God, for had it been possible for any created thing, during the course of one thousand two hundred and seventy years someone would have produced a verse. Yet thou hast witnessed the powerlessness of all. Behold how perfect hath been the divine favor unto all the people of the Qur’an, that God, exalted be His glory, hath blocked for them all avenues of doubt, that when they witness verses, no thought of their being from other than God might cross their minds. For He hath revealed that none hath power to bring forth even a single utterance. If one believeth and is certain of this decree, no thought can enter his heart that the verses of the Bayan are from other than God. Indeed, he would not even take up the pen to attempt it, for according to his own faith it is impossible, let alone, God forbid, that he should manifest uncertainty or denial.

I swear by God’s holy Essence, exalted be His glory, that His favor towards the believers in the Qur’an hath been so perfect that had anyone pondered upon the proof of the Qur’an, no thought contrary to faith would have occurred to him upon witnessing a single verse of the Bayan, much less that he should doubt or manifest anything less than certitude. Be fair—what difference is there between the time when thou first knew thyself and became adherent to thy religion through the proof of the Qur’an, and when thou looked upon the Bayan yet did not believe? There is no doubt thou never saw the Prophet and seest no miracle save this Qur’an. If thou entered thy religion unconsciously, why didst thou enter? And if with insight, what is the difference between when thou saw the Qur’an, became convinced of all others’ powerlessness and embraced the religion of God’s Messenger, and when thou looked upon the Bayan yet remained unconvinced? Will there be any proof for thee before God?

God will ask thee: “By what means didst thou enter Islam?” Other than saying “through the Qur’an,” thou hast seen no other proof. By this same means doth God establish His proof against thee—that just as thou embraced His Messenger’s religion upon witnessing His Book, it was incumbent upon thee to embrace the true Faith upon witnessing the Book of the Point of the Bayan, for thou hast not seen the Messenger of God, and yet thou hast become faithful through the Book itself. Even as thou didst behold a verse from the Bayan, by the same proof through which thou didst become faithful to the religion of the Qur’an, it is incumbent upon thee to believe in those verses.

God hath never sent any Messenger whose books published before Him would be proof in themselves. This is unique to the Point of the Bayan, that if He should write a book in the mode of verses to one of the believers in the Qur’an or to others, the proof becometh complete and perfect through the Book itself upon beholding a single verse thereof, if the observer be possessed of insight and understanding. Otherwise, he is not and hath never been worthy of the decree, for in most instances God hath declared that it is for a people who believe and understand, not for the majority of mankind who are as naught.

These are two proofs from the seven proofs whereby I have established that the verses themselves are greater than all the miracles of the Prophets. And secondly, that none but God is capable of revealing a verse. Behold how God doth test mankind! Had He bestowed upon the Point of the Bayan the like of what He bestowed upon Moses, perchance not a single one of the believers in the Qur’an would have remained veiled and they would have believed. Yet now that God hath bestowed what is greater than that—as proven by the religion of all Muslims which is established and demonstrated—how many souls are being tested and cast into trials! This is naught but the result of their failure to ponder and reflect upon their own religion. Otherwise, upon beholding or hearing a single verse, it would prove greater than the miracles of all the Prophets.

The third proof is that the manifestation of power in these verses appears in a manner that endureth, unlike aught else. Think not this is a simple matter; rather this is a creation more magnificent than the creation of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them. Consider the letters of the alphabet which all mankind employ in speech. God, exalted be His glory, hath caused them to appear from an unlettered Person in such wise that all who are on earth are powerless to produce the like thereof naturally. This is naught but the pure manifestation of power and the mere expression of grandeur. Yet since most of mankind dwell in limitation, they perceive not the greatness and majesty of the verses. How often they perceive only limited aspects, and fail to become enlightened by this conclusive proof and demonstrated evidence which shall endure until the Day of Resurrection.

Fourth, the verses themselves and the Book suffice in place of other miracles. Thus for one who believeth in the Qur’an there is no escape save to acknowledge its sufficiency, even as God hath revealed in the Surih of the Spider:

“Is it not enough for them that We have sent down unto thee the Book which is recited unto them? Verily in this there is mercy and a reminder for people who believe.”

And in the Qur’an, in most instances, those things which they demanded of the Messenger of God according to their own desires were rejected. As the Divine Revelation declareth in the Surih of Bani-Isra’il: “And they say: We shall not believe in thee until thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth; or thou have a garden of date palms and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly; or thou cause the heaven to fall upon us in fragments, as thou hast claimed; or thou bring God and the angels before us face to face; or thou have a house adorned with gold; or thou ascend up into heaven; and even then we will not believe in thine ascension until thou bring down for us a book that we can read.’ Say: Glory be to my Lord! Am I aught but a mortal messenger?”’

Now judge with fairness. The Arabs spoke thus, and thou desirest something else according to thy fancy. What difference is there between thee and them? If thou wouldst reflect a little, it behooveth the servant to be convinced by that which God hath made a proof unto him, not by that which he desireth. And if it were a matter of desire, no one on earth would remain an unbeliever, for every people would believe when their desires were fulfilled by the Messenger of God. God forbid that thou shouldst make anything a proof according to thy own desire. Rather, take as proof that which God hath made a proof. Thou believest in God for His good-pleasure; how then wouldst thou make something a proof of thy faith which was not and is not His good-pleasure?

As is warned in the Qur’an concerning those servants who believe not in the signs, as God hath revealed in the Surih of Nahl [the bee]: “As to those who believe not in the signs of God, God will not guide them, and they shall have a grievous torment. It is they who forge falsehood that believe not in the signs of God, and it is they who are the liars.” Be thou discerning in every Manifestation, for it is here that most people slip from the path and enter from the paradise of faith into the fire of unfaith. Know thou that whenever a proof is established from God, it sufficeth as evidence, even as God hath revealed in the Qur’an through the tongue of Moses: “We have indeed brought thee a sign from thy Lord: and peace be on him who followeth guidance!” If the proof of Moses and Aaron unto Pharaoh had not been sufficient through a single sign, God would not have revealed it thus. Know then that a single sign sufficeth as proof.

Part 2: “And fifthly, God in the Qur’an hath not…”

And fifthly, God in the Qur’an hath not adduced any evidence for the reality of the Messenger of God other than verses. As He hath revealed: “Say: ʿIf mankind and the jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other.”’ And if these miracles which are now related in books had any significance with God, He would have used them as proof for the reality of the Messenger of God. And even where He hath mentioned them, the divine purpose was not to use them as proof, such as “The Hour draweth nigh and the moon is cleft asunder.” Know ye that God alone knoweth the meaning of His utterances, even as is attested by the blessed verse, “None knoweth its interpretation except God and those firmly grounded in knowledge.”

Sixthly, We speak to thee now through the evidence of reason: If someone today wishes to enter the religion of Islam, is the divine proof complete upon him or not? If thou sayest it is not, how then shall God punish him after death, and why in this life is he judged as a non-Muslim? And if thou sayest the proof is complete, by what means is it so? If through that which thou relatest, he heareth mere words which do not constitute proof for him. And if thou sayest through the Qur’an, this indeed is a sound and evident proof.

Consider now the Revelation of the Bayan: had the people of the Qur’an applied to themselves the same arguments they use against those who differ from their faith, not a single soul would have remained veiled, and all would have attained salvation on the Day of Resurrection. And if a Christian says “I understand not the Qur’an, how then can it be a proof for me?”, this cannot be accepted from him. Similarly, when certain souls say regarding the Bayan “We comprehend not the eloquence of its verses, how can it be proof for us?”, say to such a common person: By what means didst thou embrace the religion of Islam? Thou sawest neither the Prophet nor witnessed any miracle. If thou didst so without understanding, why didst thou do it? And if through the authority of the Qur’an, was it because thou heardst from the learned and assured ones who confessed their inability, or was it that at the mere mention of God’s name thou wert naturally moved to submission and humility—which is one of the greatest signs of love and recognition? The proof that was decisive for thee then, apply it now to thyself regarding the Bayan.

Seventhly, all believe that God hath been and ever shall be All-Knowing and All-Powerful over all things. Therefore, when one claimeth to be His Proof and manifesteth evidence thereof, and the Almighty, despite His power, raiseth up none to refute him, this itself is proof that such a one is from God and that his assertion is pleasing unto Him. For His acquiescence and failure to manifest opposition, despite His ability to do so, prove that the claimant is from Him and acceptable in His sight. And I counsel thee regarding the Bayan to argue in support of each Revelation using the proofs specific to that Revelation, not through other means, for that would be unseemly and improper. For example, when the Messenger of God, peace be upon Him and His family, wished to establish His prophethood, He did so through the verses of God. If thou be a man of valor, then produce thou a verse as well, else resort not to other means of argumentation.

It is not for you to arise in opposition. Consider all the odes that the Arabs composed at the first appearance of the Messenger of God—did they yield any fruit? If they wished to arise in opposition, they should have spoken in the same manner as the verses, not in the form of odes. In every Dispensation, observe this principle, for there has never been and never will be any other path for those possessed of wisdom and understanding. It leads only to regret in the end, for the divine proof endures while that which arises in opposition through other means, being of human origin and not beyond human capacity, perishes. The proof of God remains, and opposing it brings no benefit.

Know that there is no valid means of opposition other than this. If imprisonment were proof of illegitimacy, then the Prophet Joseph was imprisoned among the Prophets, and Musa ibn Ja’far among the successors, yet both were proofs of God. Likewise, other circumstances do not negate authenticity—you have heard the story of Zachariah among the Prophets and the Prince of Martyrs among the successors, yet both were divine proofs. These examples are given that you might gain insight into these matters.

As for your saying that you cannot attain certainty between yourself and God, or else you would believe—know that what you imagine between yourself and God is mere fancy. For five hundred years they were nurtured in the Psalms until they reached perfection. Then when Jesus appeared, only a few who possessed wisdom and insight concerning the Psalms believed, while the rest remained behind. Yet all of them considered themselves right before God. It was not that they wished to oppose truth deliberately—like your own state, where your intention is not to oppose truth but rather you wish to attain certainty so that you might believe.

Consider David’s people to be like yourself—had they been certain that Jesus was the same Prophet of whom David had given tidings, not a single one would have entertained thoughts other than belief, let alone rejected faith. Yet from the day of David’s appearance until the beginning of this Dispensation, two thousand two hundred and seventy years have passed, and still some followers of the Psalms remain in their religion, imagining themselves right before God. Now see how that which they claim between themselves and God is as nothing in the eyes of the Christians, let alone in the sight of the Creator of all. Likewise consider the people of Moses, who were nurtured for a thousand years before David until they reached perfection.

And when that which Moses had promised them regarding the appearance of Jesus was fulfilled after David, only a few possessed of wisdom and insight believed in Jesus. And the rest also made the utmost effort, and between themselves and God they wished to believe in what Moses had said. But they did not attain certainty and remained thus, as they remain until now, still awaiting the Prophet of whom Moses gave tidings. Between themselves and God they consider themselves correct. Now observe how utterly worthless is their claim that between themselves and God they were not certain that Jesus was that Prophet of whom Moses gave tidings—how insignificant this is in the presence of the Creator of all, or His witnesses.

Then consider the people of Christ who were nurtured for five hundred years, like the people of Moses. When they had reached perfection in their religion, God made manifest Muhammad, the Messenger of God (peace be upon Him). This despite the fact that Jesus had taken a covenant from His people regarding belief in Him at His appearance, for this had been the practice of all the Messengers—no Messenger was ever sent except that He took from His people a covenant to believe in the subsequent Messenger. And after the appearance of the Messenger of God, you have heard what befell that Holy Being, Who declared: “No Prophet has been persecuted as I have been persecuted.” Yet all the people of truth at that time, who were the people of Christ, were awaiting His appearance and supplicating night and day for it, and were obeying the monks of their religion, believing these would be the ones to remind the people about the Messenger of God. Yet after He appeared, for seven years, aside from the Commander of the Faithful and a small number, none believed in Him, even though all existence was working for His sake.

Here let Me teach you a mystery of which you have not yet been aware: Observe the deeds of the followers of each Prophet, whose source is from His Word, which in truth belongs to Him. And since He is the Mirror of God, nothing is seen in Him except God. Thus all becomes “for God” if the deed is purely for His sake. And just as the source of all deeds of the followers of each Prophet is from Him, the return of those deeds is also to the subsequent Prophet. In the Day of the appearance of the Messenger of God, all were working for that same Soul, but none perceived the reality, else they would not have turned away from their Beloved.

Observe how they have exalted a mere donkey which Christians imagine belonged to Jesus, and how they ascend to it in crowds, seeking nearness through this act. Yet when one like the Messenger of God appears, for seven years they do not believe in Him. Now behold where the weight of people’s deeds truly lies, when if the people of Christ had attained certainty that this Prophet is indeed the Promised Ahmad, not a single Christian would have remained veiled. From the Messenger of God—and what monks there were who practiced austerities to attain the good pleasure of God! And for Him for Whom they labored, He appeared, yet they believed not in Him, saying “Thou art not He of Whom Jesus gave tidings.”

Think not that they were not cautious in their religion, or that they did not wish to believe in the truth. Rather, their lack of faith and certitude stemmed from their extreme caution in their religion. In their relationship with God, they all considered themselves strivers and righteous ones, such that had they truly been convinced that the Messenger of God was the same Prophet of Whom Jesus had given tidings, they all would have believed in less than the twinkling of an eye. Now observe how the self and the deity they claim, in the sight of even a single follower of God’s Messenger, is as nothing. How much more so in the sight of the Creator of all, His Messenger, the martyrs of His Faith, and the proofs of His Cause! And thus does the matter become confused to all. And yet they all believe they act for God in their relationship with Him. However, no more than seventy Christians believed in God’s Messenger, as recorded in one tradition. The fault lies with their divines, for had they believed, the rest of creation would have believed.

Now observe how the Christian divines became learned in order to save the followers of Jesus, yet they themselves became the cause of preventing people from faith and guidance. Now go and become learned again! All the followers of Jesus obeyed their divines in order to attain salvation on the Day of Resurrection, yet this very following caused them to enter the fire on the Day of the Manifestation of God’s Messenger, as it veiled them from One like unto God’s Messenger. Now go and become a follower! Nay, by God! Neither become learned nor follow without insight, for both perish on the Day of Resurrection. Rather, become learned with insight, and follow God through the true learned one with insight. You see countless learned ones in every religion without insight, and you see countless followers in every religion without insight. Gain some insight, have mercy upon your own soul, turn not away from proof and evidence, and make not proof and evidence subject to your desires. Rather, establish them according to what God has established.

Know that being learned in itself is not noble, nor is being a follower in itself. Rather, that knowledge is noble which accords with God’s good pleasure, and that following is noble which accords with God’s good pleasure. And do not regard it as an imaginary matter, for it is the good-pleasure of His Messenger.

Consider again the followers of Jesus, who all sought the good-pleasure of God, yet not one attained unto the good-pleasure of God’s Messenger, which is identical with God’s good-pleasure, except those servants who believed in Him. From the appearance of Jesus until the appearance of the Point of the Bayan, one thousand seven hundred and seventy years have elapsed, during which all the followers of Jesus have imagined that they were acting for God’s sake in their relationship with Him. Yet those who attained unto God’s good-pleasure were only those seventy persons who, in the time of God’s Messenger, believed in Him. The rest imagine they are acting in God’s good-pleasure while they are acting contrary to it.

And think not that these people act with insight in their religion. Rather, every soul follows whatever religion they were born into. You see rarely does a Christian become Muslim, or a Muslim become Christian—this is nearly impossible. Rather, your nobility lies in having been born into a religion that was true in the sight of God, not because you yourself possessed insight—though you should have possessed it, but since grace was not granted, you did not.

Similarly, consider the Manifestation of God’s Messenger (peace be upon Him)—one thousand two hundred and seventy years passed until the first appearance of the Bayan, during which He made all await the appearance of the Qa’im of the family of Muhammad, as He said:

“If there remained but one day in the world, God would prolong that day until He raises up a man from among my descendants whose name shall be My name”

- to the end of the tradition. And since all the deeds of Islam began from God’s Messenger, it is fitting that they should return to Him. And God made Him manifest with the same proof whereby He made God’s Messenger manifest, such that no believer in the Furqan (Qur’an) could doubt His reality. For it is revealed in the Qur’an that none but God can reveal verses, and for one thousand two hundred and seventy years all the people of the Furqan witnessed that no one came who could produce such verses.

Part 3: “And God the Eternal made the Promised One…”

And God the Eternal made the Promised One manifest with this proof, from an unexpected place, at an age not exceeding twenty-five years, in a station more glorious than any among the possessors of wisdom among Muslims. For the nobility of all lies in knowledge. And consider the nobility of the learned ones who understand God’s verses, whom God has so glorified that He revealed concerning them:

“None knoweth its interpretation save God and those firmly rooted in knowledge.”

And from an unlettered soul of twenty-five years, He manifested His verses in such manner! The divines of Islam seek to display their eminence through their understanding of the verses of God, while He displays His eminence through the revelation of God’s verses, such that there remains no hesitation in acknowledging Him. The Qur’an, which was revealed over twenty-three years—God, the Mighty and Glorious, has manifested such power and might in that Being that, should He desire, He can reveal its equal in five days and nights, if uninterrupted. Consider whether such a thing has ever been manifested by anyone among the ancients, or whether it was unique to that Being.

After the Word of God, the highest honor lies in communion with God, concerning which the illustrious Sadiq—peace be upon Him—has stated what thou hast seen in the Misbahu’sh-Shari’ah: that there exists no station in creation higher for a servant than that wherein the spirit of communion is attained. And from Him have appeared countless supplications, before whose majesty eloquence itself stands abashed, and rhetoric seeks shelter. Observe the path of divine unity therein—hath anyone ever thus unified and described God? Within six hours, a thousand verses of supplication have been measured as flowing from His pen, should He so desire. Consider whether there hath been in the Islamic faith any honor greater than this—that one should attain to the spirit of communion.

Then observe His sermons, and further observe the manifestation of His knowledge—how many commentaries He hath written on the Qur’an, some in the manner of verses, and some in the technical terms used among the accomplished scholars, that people of distinction might be attracted thereby, and that those possessed of understanding might not hesitate for even a moment to believe in Him.

Indeed, if thou wouldst consider it, the very manner of His manifestation is in itself an conclusive proof and a clear evidence. For when the Messenger of God revealed verses, He had been raised for forty years among the Arabs. But from this Being have appeared such verses, prayers, sermons, profound mysteries, visitations, and words in both Arabic and Persian, in such wise that every soul possessed of spirit can understand they are from God. Test the Islamic divines, who after sixty years of toil, should they desire to compose but a single page in Arabic, must needs consult the rules of Arabic grammar, syntax, rhetoric and eloquence—and even then their words could never be considered comparable. And when they write a sermon, they must needs quote from the words of the Holy Family, using scholarly forms in the Arabic tongue.

No one hath attained or can attain such distinction, while that Being was declared free from these outward sciences, such as syntax and grammar and the like, that all might [know] that this knowledge is from God and not acquired through study. And while the acquisition of these sciences is for the purpose of attaining knowledge of the Book of God—otherwise what benefit is there? From the source whence the verses of God appear, what need is there for these sciences? These sciences in themselves have never been and are not now the seat of judgment. It is like how geometry speaks of compass and ruler, while the grammarian speaks of subject and predicate. There is no difference between this craft and that craft.

And you see that most sciences have become mere acquisitions, departing from true knowledge, as is evident and needs no explanation. And the science about which the Messenger of God said “The astrologer lied, by the Lord of the Kaaba”—you see how it has become acquired and reached such a state that every notable person keeps an astrologer for themselves.

Observe the religious sciences likewise, how they have departed from pure divine good-pleasure and become acquisitions among people. You see that the positions of most clergy must be appointed by the nobles. If one were truly appointed by God, what need would there be to be installed in religious authority by nobles? This stems only from the weakness of people and their failure to recognize the independence and majesty of the eternal Truth. And consider the grace of the Expected One, how vastly He has extended His mercy toward the Muslims, that He might deliver them. He who is the First of creation and the Manifestation of “Verily I am God”—how He has revealed Himself under the name of the Gate of the Family of Muhammad, and in His first Book decreed according to the laws of the Qur’an, so that people would not be disturbed by a new Book and new Cause, and would observe its similarity to their own beliefs, that perchance they might not be veiled and remain heedless of that for which they were created.

Yet when one considers, the followers of the Furqan have not understood a single matter according to its reality and true nature. All have been raised on words, and whatever their minds have grasped, they have derived from words. One who in the outward law follows the path of God’s good-pleasure is a scholar who has judged the people of conjecture as false while himself acting upon knowledge. Therefore his good-pleasure has accorded with His good-pleasure, and he has attained the glory of divine guidance and the nobility of true leadership. Had all Islamic scholars followed his path, all would have been guided at the first moment of the Manifestation and would have found deliverance from the terror of the Lesser Day of Resurrection, which is His appearance. But although such mercy was shown to these people, no effect was seen. The pen is ashamed to write what was witnessed, and it is not for me to mention it, though God has servants who have recorded the events from the beginning of the Manifestation letter by letter.

And soon upon the summits of the Bayan and its thrones shall the scrutinizers among its divines and the investigators among its philosophers pride themselves in its mention. Even as thou dost witness today how all take pride in the mention of the Apostle of God, though at the beginning of His manifestation what words they uttered! Exalted be God far above what the wrongdoers say with great exaltation.

And the meaning of this verse regarding His station is that He is exalted above what those who believe not in Him say concerning Him. Nay, today in the eyes of him who gazeth upon the depths of oneness, and the ocean of eternality, and the sea of singleness, and the deep of unity, the matter is far more sublime than this.

For the Mirror of God hath ever been sanctified above the praise of creation—how much more above anything less than their praise! “Glory be to God above what they attribute!” Even as “Glory be to God above what they attribute” conveyeth, in the station of the Mirror of the Sun of Truth, that He is sanctified above the description of those who would describe Him—how much more above anything less than their description!

Know thou that all were created for the meeting with God. The meaning is not the meeting with the Pre-existent Essence, for that is impossible for creation. Rather, what is meant is the meeting with the Manifestation of Truth, Who indicateth Him and speaketh from Him. This is the meaning of the blessed verse in the Surih of Thunder:

“God is He Who raised up the heavens without pillars as ye can see; then mounted the Throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to serve. He setteth forth the signs in detail, that ye may be certain of the meeting with your Lord.”

Observe how the cause of the creation of heaven and earth is certainty of meeting with Him. All were created for this, yet all labor night and day only to render their deeds as scattered dust. For as was mentioned before regarding deeds, just as their origin was from the Apostle of God, they must needs return to the Manifestation of Truth, else they yield no fruit to the doer.

Now consider that Meeting with God for which all were created—the portion of that Meeting is borne by Mount Maku, while all invoke Him yet remain veiled from Him, all labor for His sake yet remain barred from Him.

All these proofs pertain to the realm of limitation. Otherwise, consider the Sermon of the Gulf wherein He saith: “If thou sayest ʿfrom what is He?’ then He hath distinguished Himself from all things” until He saith “His proof is His signs, and His being is His establishment.” In this station no thing can serve as proof of knowing Him. Rather, He is known through His own Self. This is the meaning of the words of the Fourth Imam in the Prayer of Abu Hamzih Thumali: “Through Thee have I known Thee, Thou hast guided me unto Thyself and called me to Thyself. Were it not for Thee I would not have known what Thou art.”

Know thou that the deliverance which all longed for in the days of concealment—all are veiled therefrom. Consider: if deliverance were to consist in the manifestation of sovereignty and hosts and means and dominion from the appearance of the Messenger of God until today, God the Almighty well knoweth how many powerful monarchs have appeared in Islam who have themselves sought the manifestation of Truth and awaited deliverance.

And now in Islam there are seven sovereign powers, all possessing dominions, and all awaiting the manifestation of Truth. And praise be to God that until now none of them hath become aware of it, or if aware, hath not turned towards it. How many may pass from this world with this desire unfulfilled, failing to recognize the manifestation of Truth, just as those monarchs mentioned in the Gospel who yearned for the appearance of the Messenger of God yet failed to recognize Him.

Behold how much they expend, yet they appoint not a single person in their realms to announce to them His appearance, that they might attain certitude in that for which they were created. And while all their endeavor hath been, and still is, to perform deeds that their names might endure, they have not a single soul to show them the presence of Him Who is the Remembrance of remembrance. May God, through His gracious existence, reform the affairs of all His servants.

Know thou that God did not manifest the promised Truth until after the earth was filled with tyranny and oppression, even as thou hast read: “He shall fill the earth with equity and justice after it hath been filled with tyranny and oppression.” Thus in the tradition of Ibn-ʿAbbas, at its end, the Messenger of God saith that the Mahdi from among His descendants shall fill the face of the earth with justice and equity after it hath been filled with tyranny and oppression. And elsewhere He saith that if but one day remaineth of the world, God will lengthen that day until He raiseth up a man from among His descendants whose name shall be His name. Then Salman asked: “O Messenger of God! From which of thy descendants?” He placed His hand upon the shoulder of Imam Husayn and said: “From this descendant.”

Behold how all Muslims since the revelation of the Furqan believe in and derive proof from that which hath been revealed, without doubt or hesitation. Yet when the time of manifestation cometh, it is as though the people become a different creation. One attaineth not certitude; another, even if convinced, remaineth unassured through his own weakness. From the beginning of thy life until today, thou hast believed in what was revealed in the Qur’an without doubt, and never expressed lack of assurance. What hath happened that today, after witnessing the verses, thou expresseth lack of assurance? If thou art possessed of insight, what is the difference? For the true believer is not a believer unless in absence he is as in presence, and in presence as in absence. This is the measure of the believer, not other than this of knowledge and deeds, for that will profit thee not.

This will benefit you and refine your vision. Look upon the land of the Muslims’ faith, which has been transformed, where all act for the good pleasure of God. Yet the Manifestation of His good pleasure has appeared, and none becomes content with His good pleasure save those servants who have become certain of His good pleasure. This is the meaning of the tradition, not what is outwardly understood.

The learned one toils from the beginning of life until its end to understand and act upon one commandment according to God’s good pleasure, and composes five hundred thousand verses on jurisprudence and its principles to understand the traditions of the family of Muhammad. Yet after the proof appears with conclusive evidence, he lowers the measure of his faith below its initial level, for when he heard those verses from God’s Messenger, he outwardly said “yes” though inwardly he did not. See how all this striving and sincerity does not raise him to that station, but rather lowers him in the sight of God and those endowed with knowledge, though in his own estimation he remains steadfast in his piety.

It is not that, God forbid, he would attain certainty in the truth and then become veiled after attaining certainty. Rather, his example is like that of the divines in previous communities who, despite God’s proofs being manifest to them, persisted in their religions. And this despite the fact that the Family of the Prophet strove with utmost dedication for the salvation of these people, and for this reason related so many traditions about trials, to the point where they said: “None shall remain except us and our followers.” If the rising of the sun were as people understand it, there would not be need for so many traditions about trials. And in another tradition from God’s Messenger who said: “Islam will return to being strange as it began, so blessed are the strangers.” And they commanded that on the twenty-third nights of Ramadan, the chapters of Rome and Spider should be recited, that perhaps one might become aware. And in the divine Word: “Do men think they will be left alone on saying ʿWe believe’ and they will not be tested? We tested those before them…”

Part 4: “Let one reflect upon one’s own condition. If…”

Let one reflect upon one’s own condition. If one hears a word and does not accept it, let one remain silent. Yet observe how they are not content even with silence, but issue rulings against one who follows His Cause and adheres to His religion. And they do not marvel at this, nor consider that tradition from the time of the Commander of the Faithful when seventy scholars were among the unjust forces on the Day of Ashura, commanding falsely against His Holiness. And think not that among themselves they considered this to be acting against their religion. For no soul desires to act contrary to truth between themselves and God, yet this is what thou seest.

This learned man shows not even this much understanding: When Moses (peace be upon Him) made His claim to prophethood two thousand two hundred and seventy years ago, He demonstrated His proof through the staff. His opponents possessed sufficient wisdom and understanding to say they would produce the like of His proof, as the Qur’an testifies: “And they came with a mighty sorcery.” Yet the understanding of this learned one, who hath spent seventy years in pursuit of religious jurisprudence, falls short of even that level in the sight of God and those endued with knowledge.

While in his own estimation none is more God-fearing than himself, yet matters become so confused for the human soul that its station before God becomes lower than at first, though it perceiveth this not.

What I say, I have stated with proof and evidence, else were divine justice to prevail, how could such words be uttered? What befits one who would pass judgment on the very Object of his worship?

Consider how oft they recited the Comprehensive Visitation Prayer: “Whoso knoweth you hath known God,” yet not one arose to act accordingly when every sign was made manifest. Deeds bear fruit only when performed at their proper time. When the Prince of Martyrs (peace be upon Him) asked for water, it would have been fitting to bring Him water. But to spend thousands upon thousands yearly in commemorating His martyrdom, though meritorious to the extent that His memory is exalted thereby, is but a source of pleasure for those who spend thus. That holy soul ascended with parched lips unto the Ever-Living One.

Man must therefore act at the appropriate time that he may derive benefit therefrom. Today is the Day for aiding the Cause of Truth, when by the mere act of turning unto it, verses are revealed in one’s honor, yet they turn not, neither do they render aid. But after the Faith is established, all cry “I! I!” and yearn to aid the Cause of Truth, supplicating night and day. Consider the early days of Islam, how often the Messenger of God (peace be upon Him) sought the people’s aid. Now after one thousand two hundred and seventy years, thou hast witnessed Islam’s ascendancy, and thou, being one of His servants, art ashamed to seek assistance in thy Faith from another. Indeed, none even notice thy piety, much less seek thine aid. Thousands upon thousands like thee languish in the corners of religious schools. Yet at the dawn of this Revelation, the Manifestation of the Ever-Living One, God called out “Answer ye the distressed one,” but there is none to respond, let alone render aid. And had any responded, how could their abode be in such a station? Now appreciate the value of these days.

In due measure should aid and assistance be rendered. Otherwise, millions upon millions shall come afterwards seeking succor, but to no avail. And by any single one of these proofs, the truth becomes evident to every fair-minded soul.

Know thou that every people falls into one of two categories at the time of a subsequent Manifestation: Either they recognize the truth and proof thereof yet refuse to believe, like those of whom God hath spoken in the Surih of An’am: “And among them are those who hearken unto thee, but We have placed veils over their hearts lest they understand it and in their ears a deafness; and were they to see every sign they would not believe therein, to such an extent that when they come unto thee they dispute with thee, the unbelievers saying: ʿThis is naught but tales of the ancients.”’ And in another place He hath said: “And they denied them, though their souls acknowledged them, for spite and arrogance.”

And there are some who, upon hearing proof and evidence, believe and attain certitude. These are they whose essential realities are mirrors of the divine names, and whose outward beings are proofs of the Sun of Truth. In every Revelation, all people of faith revolve around them in their religion, and they are more precious in God’s sight than all else. And there are some who, after hearing proof and evidence, do not attain certitude and return to the first category. Thus it is confined to two stations: negation and affirmation. The first is negation, which says “there is no god” through its essential reality, though it may say “no God but God” with its physical tongue. And the second are proofs of affirmation, who upon hearing the verses—which are the greatest proof and mightiest evidence—attain certitude.

It is for this reason that God commanded His Messenger to wage holy war, that those who believe not might be compelled to enter the Faith—this being a bounty from God toward those who negate, that they might be forcibly brought into paradise and emerge from the state of negation. In every Revelation, when ye observe proofs of affirmation and see that people are not guided by proof and evidence, there is no way to guide the rest of humanity except to beseech God, exalted be His glory, to raise up one who will cause all to enter the true Faith.

Even as thou seest today the peoples upon the earth, from among the followers of Moses, David and Jesus—there is no way to guide them except that a mighty sovereign should cause them to enter the true Faith.

Consider how these divines argue their authority as representatives of the Imam (peace be upon him) based on a tradition they relate. If they truly acted in accordance with what is in the tradition, and then examined how the Imamate is established, by what means it is proven other than that the Messenger of God, He be Glorified, set forth explicit texts concerning the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), and through this Guardianship was created, even as the pilgrimage to the House came into being through His word, and other ordinances likewise. Consider, on a higher level, through what the proof of Prophethood was established. There is no doubt that God provided no proof except through verses. Now observe—one upon whom God bestowed the proof of Prophethood, a world governed by His decree—if he be in the right, would he seek to pass judgment upon the Bearer of the Greatest Proof and Most Mighty Evidence?

Indeed, this is the Day of Resurrection, a time of dire distress, wherein each soul is tried in matters of faith, not worldly affairs, for these are not the realm of judgment. Observe those of other faiths, how many possess glory and wealth, yet the decree of faith applies not to them. Consider with the eye of insight all verses revealed in the Qur’an concerning the Day of Resurrection. Behold the people of Paradise in Paradise, which is the recognition of Truth, and the people of the Fire in the Fire, which is veiling from Truth.

Yet as your gaze remains fixed upon the words of the previous Household, you look for correspondence in traditions, though it befits not the Bearer of verses as proof to draw evidence from previous traditions, for the return of the bearers of traditions shall be created through His Word, as divine Will has ordained. And if God should will to create in this Revelation to the number of all things, were worthy servants to be found—yet His grace has been complete and perfect, and any deficiency lies with the servants, not with the grace of the Lord of Lords.

For the first thing required is this station of infallibility, and how can one who heard the call “Am I not your Lord?” and responded not “Yea” possess infallibility? From the beginning of the Revelation, see the people as like those servants who lived in the days of the Messenger of God. Yet so long as the Sun shines, whoever responds, their response is accepted, even as occurred with the tribes in previous Dispensations, when God accepted their repentance and bestowed upon them stations of authority.

How perfect and complete is God’s grace, and how remote are the people! How they longed to hear but one verse from God’s Messenger, yet now verses descend like torrential rain from the heaven of divine mercy, and none is found to hear. The people of the Bayan too shall yearn hereafter, but they shall be tested by Him Whom God shall make manifest, exalted be His mention. Among the conclusive proofs is the knowledge of all things in a single soul, whose invention reaches the level of miracle, which is stored and treasured in the Book of the Unity of Forms, of which none before had become aware, and its fruit lies in the letters. One observes how all things are gathered together in the eleven degrees that constitute the temple of identity. And when you guide the first temple through the ocean of names, it culminates in nineteen and does not enter into twenty. The revelation of this knowledge is a conclusive proof for all, if they would but understand.

Among the words that bring peace to the heart are those of the Prince of Believers, who declared in the Tutunjiyyih Sermon: “Until He said: Expect the One Who spoke to Moses from the Burning Bush of Tur. This will be manifestly apparent, witnessed and described.” And observe that nothing has appeared or will appear from it except the words “Verily I am God, there is no God but I.” And in another place in the same sermon He said: “And after a while you shall have a glimpse whereby you will understand some of the explanation, and the crafts of proof will be unveiled to you.” Until He said: “At that time the regions will quake with calls to every falsehood. Alas! Alas! Expect the coming of the Greatest Relief and its approach group after group.”

And in the Sermon of Ghadir He said: “God’s help will come against His enemy in its time, and God is All-Subtle, All-Aware.” And in another place in the same sermon He said: “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord before a wall is set up with a gate; within it is mercy and without it is punishment.” Reflect well upon this passage until its end.

And in His poetry, as recorded in His collection of verses, He said:

“O my sons, when the Turks are roused, then await The authority of a Mahdi who will arise and establish justice And the kings of the earth from the House of Hashim will be abased And one of them who delights in frivolity will be pledged allegiance A youth from among youths with no judgment Having neither seriousness nor reason Then the true Qa’im will arise from among you And with truth He will come to you and with truth He will act Named after God’s Messenger, may my soul be sacrificed for him So do not abandon Him, O my sons, and hasten.”

And among these is the Hadith of the Tablet of Fatima, which is recorded in the books of tradition:

“Until He said: And I will complete that through his son M H M D, a mercy to the worlds. In him is the perfection of Moses, the splendor of Jesus, and the patience of Job. His friends will be abased in his time, and their heads will be exchanged as gifts, just as the heads of the Turks and Daylamites. They will be slain and burned, and will be fearful, terrified and afraid. The earth will be dyed with their blood, and wailing and lamentation will spread among their women. These are truly My friends. Through them I will repel every dark, impenetrable trial, and through them I will remove earthquakes and lift off burdens and chains. These are they upon whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and these are the rightly guided ones.”

And among these is the Prayer of Nudbih, as is evident, where His Holiness says:

“It is hard for me that I should weep for You while the people forsake You.”

At the time of the Manifestation it is plain what hath befallen this dawning-place of Divine Unity. Among these is the tradition of Adhirbayjan: “We must needs have from Adhirbayjan an affair before which nothing shall stand. When this happeneth, then remain in your homes. But when the Mover moveth, hasten ye unto Him…” until it says “Woe unto the Arabs, for their approaching doom.” If this referred not to the Manifestation, mention of it would have been fruitless. And among these is the tradition of Abu Labid Makhzumi concerning the disconnected letters of the Qur’an, which is explained in the commentary on Kawthar, indicating the year 1260.

And among these is the tradition of Mufaddal which states until it says: “His Cause shall be made manifest in the year sixty, and His mention shall be exalted.” And among these is the tradition of His Holiness al-Sadiq who said: “God hath concealed four things in four things, and hath concealed His Proof among His creatures. And in him is a likeness to Joseph—he shall be sold and bought, while they know him not to be Joseph.”

Know thou that in this station, that essential Body is identical with this Body. And whenever God willeth, He can manifest an age of over a thousand years as thirty or forty years. No other means for its manifestation was possible in contingent being, though God is assuredly powerful over all things. And if thou mentionest Khidr, that too was of the same kind. With God, the Throne of Life was ever his. Likewise regarding Satan, thou hast heard that the shadow of negation standeth opposed to the shadow of affirmation, which is of the same nature. Thus thou hast precisely heard how he sought to extinguish God’s Cause, though he was a worshipper and prostrator before God—but in the way he loved, not in the way God loved.

Part 5: “Be vigilant in the manner thou worshippest God…”

Be vigilant in the manner thou worshippest God. Worship Him in the way He loveth, not in the way thou lovest, lest thou be transformed from the Tree of Affirmation to negation. And seek refuge with God in every state from the evidences of negation.

And among these is the saying of Kazim who declared: “The Master of this Cause is the banished, the lonely stranger, absent from his people, bereft of his father.” And among these are His own words in the prayer for the nights of the blessed month of Ramadan: “O God! Make him the caller to Thy Book and the upholder of Thy religion. Make him Thy successor in the earth as Thou didst make those who were before him. Establish for him his religion which Thou hast approved for him. Give him in exchange, after his fear, security—he shall worship Thee and not associate aught with Thee. O God! Honor him and through him grant honor, help him and through him grant help, and grant him a mighty victory. And grant him an easy triumph, and grant him from Thy presence a prevailing sovereignty.”

O God! Through him make manifest Thy Faith and the tradition of Thy Prophet, until none of the truth shall be hidden out of fear of any of Thy creatures. There are countless traditions regarding this manifestation. If you wish, look into the Bihar, and whatever traditions you see that seem contradictory, answers have been given in several ways.

First, present it to the Proof, for none knows its meaning except the Proof, as they have said: “We speak a word, and We intend from it seventy-one meanings.”

Second, the authenticity of these traditions is not established. All say they are not definitively proven, and when they contradict the Book, they must be set aside, as this has been the ruling of the traditionists.

Third, God has the power of bada’ and it is true. How often has bada’ occurred. For some, all this is merely a silencing answer for peace of mind. Otherwise, all has happened and will happen. For example, the rising of the sun from the west—this physical sun is not meant, for if it were this sun, it should have occurred in previous Manifestations. Rather, what is meant is the rising of the Sun of Truth from its setting place.

Observe how the Sun of Truth rose in Mecca, and now its rising is from the land of Fa, which is the ultimate setting place of the first. This is what is meant, not what is outwardly understood. The more discerning among the former scholars have also alluded to this, as in the tradition from Shaykh Ahmad Ibn Zayn’d-Din—may God elevate his station—who referred to this explanation in his treatise. And other strange aspects of the return should be understood similarly.

And what you have heard about the food of the enemies of the House of Infallibility in their return—what is meant is knowledge, as is made clear by the words of the Imam Sadiq in interpreting the verse of the Furqan: “Let man consider his food”—which has been interpreted as knowledge. Observe today all the divines who, since they act on conjecture, have in their religion consumed carrion regarding divine laws for themselves. And now that the Source of laws has appeared with conclusive proof and clear evidence, they remain veiled, like the people of Jesus who would mortify themselves to understand one commandment in the Gospel according to God’s good pleasure, while the Messenger of God appeared as the Source of divine laws, yet they remained veiled. Still they mortify themselves to understand God’s good pleasure in the Gospel.

Now observe to what a base state the sustenance of the veiled ones has descended, while none is mindful of the beginning and end of their own cause, and all move unaware, except those servants whom God has delivered.

And today is the day when the people of Paradise glory in their stations in the pavilions of certitude in the Cause and Faith. In truth they have been and are [believers]. And they laugh at the people of fire. Even though they say about these [believers] that they are foolish ones or weak ones—just as in early Islam they also said: “Shall we believe as the foolish ones believe?” Yet God has placed the companions of this Revelation among the people of understanding, such that no one can deny this. And if anyone should deny it, they would be opposing their own senses. For you yourself are one of the students of the departed Siyyid (may God elevate his station), yet you have turned away from the ulama of Najaf and Karbala who are the source of authorization for others, not paying them the slightest attention.

Consider then the state of others who were mostly trained in his presence. And if you are not among his companions, look at the companions of the one whose name corresponds to the Manifestation of your Lord’s name—how even one of his ordinary followers would confound all the mujtahids with proofs and wisdom, which I witnessed, due to their following conjecture rather than certainty. He would make such statements about them that I am embarrassed to mention, though he was justified in all of this through proofs and evidence he had learned from his teacher. Most of those who proved this Revelation were people of understanding and intelligence, and their certitude is a proof against those who have not attained certainty, just as in every Revelation the proofs of those who believed served as evidence against those who did not believe.

You yourself know the first believer, whom most of the Shaykhi and Siyyid scholars, and indeed other groups as well, acknowledged for his knowledge and virtue. Even the children of Isfahan, when I arrived there, would say that a student with a torn shirt came from the Siyyid and confounded with proofs and evidence the great scholar of that land whose name was Muhammad Baqir. Now this is one of the proofs of this Revelation—that after the passing of the departed Siyyid (may God elevate his station), he searched carefully among most of the scholars and found the truth only with the possessor of truth. And for this reason he attained a gift that the people of old and future generations until the Day of Judgment will envy. How could anyone speak of weakness or foolishness regarding such people of understanding?

And consider the one numbered by the Name of God, the unique and singular Vahid, whose virtue and piety no opponent or supporter denies, and all acknowledge his eminence in knowledge and his exaltation in wisdom. Look at his commentary on Kawthar and his other writings that appeared from him, and understand his lofty station with God. And likewise the others, whose mention in this tablet would not benefit you. And these [proofs] are for the tranquility of your heart, otherwise, how should the Proof be established by the endorsement of His own followers? It is as though the sun in the firmament would seek to vindicate its reality by the sun reflected in a mirror. Yet as the purpose is the salvation of all, the proofs are brought down that perchance someone may become mindful.

I swear by the Sacred Divine Essence that I am grieved when anyone recognizes me, for recognition of the Truth is purely recognition of God and love for Him is love for God. And as I knew the capacity of these people, I therefore commanded that my name be concealed. These are the same people who said of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), who was and is peerless, “Verily, he is possessed.” And if they say “We are not those people,” their deeds testify to the falsity of their words. That which God has testified is that which His proof bears witness to on His behalf. Should all the peoples of the earth testify to one thing, and He to another, that to which He testifies is God’s testimony and all else was and is as naught. And if anything exists, it exists through Him.

Consider the religiosity of these people, who in their own affairs seek the testimony of two just witnesses, yet despite all these righteous ones, they hesitate in their certitude of the Truth. And if you wish to understand outwardly the meaning of “God sufficeth as Witness,” be content, like the inmost essence, with that which Him Whom God shall make manifest, exalted be His mention, shall testify to in His Manifestation, not with what the people, whether believers or non-believers, testify concerning Him. And that which God testifies to—consider not the imagined. It is that which is revealed in the Book. God’s testimony concerning the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) was that which the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) testified to in the Qur’an, yet they accepted not God’s testimony and acted according to their own testimony.

This bringing down of proof was for your insight, else the people of vision and divine eternal wisdom have been independent of such forms of proof. And since this is the Day of Resurrection, “All things shall perish except His Face” must be made manifest. And by “Face” in one interpretation is meant the Bayan, in whose shadow the proofs of Truth take refuge, though none perceives this. And examining the answers of the two previous Exalted Ones, you will become certain that the appearance of the Expected One is the same as the appearance of that Reality asked about, which you have seen in the tradition of Kumayl: In the first year, “the removal of the veils of glory without any allusion”—behold! In the second, “the effacement of the imagined and the realization of the known.” In the third, “the rending of the veil through the triumph of the mystery.” In the fourth, “the attraction of Divine Unity through the attribute of Oneness”—behold! And in the fifth, “the light that shone forth from the morn of eternity upon the temples of unity”—behold! And you shall see the light shining from the morn of eternity, if you yourself flee not and become not perturbed.

Look at the Dawn Prayer from His Holiness the Baqir, which begins thus:

“O God! I beseech Thee by Thy most splendid splendor, and all Thy splendors are truly splendid. O God! I beseech Thee by all Thy splendor.”

This passage refers to the Messenger of God, and in the second instance behold the station of the Prince of Believers, until you reach the fifth degree where mention is made of light, which is the Prince of Martyrs, for light is a station like unto a lamp that consumes itself for the illumination of others. For in light no trace of self remains, just as, if thou art alive, thou shalt witness the lights of this Revelation, which of itself transcendeth all ego for the establishment of God’s unity and His commandments and prohibitions.

That which hath been related by those companions who heard it from the exalted Shaykh, may God elevate his station, concerning the signs of the Revelation are beyond counting. Thus did they write in elevation to the Siyyid in his own hand:

“This Cause must needs have a seat, and every announcement hath its appointed time. It becometh not to give a specific answer, and ye shall know its tidings after a while.”

And that which thou thyself repeatedly heard from the elevated Siyyid is clear, for he would often say:

“Do ye not wish that I should depart and the Truth be made manifest?”

And the words that appeared from him in his final journey are related by those who themselves heard them.

Among these is the account of Mirza Muhammad Akhbari, which Aqa Siyyid Abdu’l-Husayn Shushtari related, that in Kazimayn when asked about the Manifestation, he looked at those present in the gathering and said to him that thou shalt witness it. This was related by Mulla Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Haravi in Isfahan. Among these is the account of Abdu’llah ibn Mubarak, who said in Fars to Haji Mirza Muhammad the merchant that it is evidence of the Manifestation. And behold thyself how many auguries thou hast drawn from the Qur’an since the beginning of this Revelation, all of which testified like conclusive texts to the truth of thy purpose. And Aqa Siyyid Ja’far Shibr, who made strange claims regarding this Cause—go and hear it. But these are not proofs, rather they are mere associations for the tranquility of thy heart.

And that which appeared from the scholars of letters, as related by the honored Aqa Siyyid Javad-i-Karbala’i from the Indian soul who had written for him the name of the Author of the Revelation before its proclamation.

Among these is an account related by the honored Shaykh ʿAli Khurasani that in the holy city of Mecca in recent years, he heard verses from someone circumambulating the House, the calculation of which corresponds to the year of the Manifestation—go and hear it.

Among these is an account related by the honored Mirza Abdu’l-Vahhab Khurasani from a master of the science of letters who had derived the Name ere its appearance. Likewise the account they related from the venerable Shaykh, which he verified on the road to the Holy Mecca, has indeed been confirmed. Just as the disciples of the late Shaykh, such as Mulla Abdu’l-Khaliq and Murtada-Quli and others, have related in various ways the words they heard. Among these are the words that Mulla ʿAbdu’l-Khaliq has related from the venerable Shaykh, may God elevate his station. One is that he said: “Pray that you be not present in the early days of the Manifestation and Return, for there will be great tribulation.”

And another that “whosoever remains alive from the year sixty to sixty-seven shall witness strange events.” And what strange and wondrous event could be greater than the Manifestation itself, as you shall witness. And you shall behold other wonders, for God shall make manifest a Soul for the victory of this Revelation, who shall speak by his innate nature, without having been taught. And among the proofs for the tranquility of your heart are four lines of verse that someone in Adhirbayjan heard in a dream from two persons, both relating it in accordance with that day, indicating the Manifestation. The transmitter was Mulla Yusuf, who related it from Mirza Mas’ud. And the various extractions from the Jafr, both before and after, if gathered together would make a complete volume.

Part 6: “Among these is an extraction by Siyyid Muhammad…”

Among these is an extraction by Siyyid Muhammad Akhlati, who has many works on the science of letters, made some five hundred years ago, more or less, and these are its verses:

“A Lord shall come to you in the two worlds, to revive the religion after deviation and corruption. And if a letter ʿha’ is added to it, know that I have not concealed the secret. Multiply its number by itself, for this is the name of the Pole of all worlds. Take the glimpse before the extension after joining, and insert it beneath those who are inserted.”

All these mentions are celestial conjunctions for your tranquility. Otherwise, one verse from the Bayan is greater in the sight of God than any proof. For these proofs demonstrate the powerlessness of all on earth and establish divine power. Present one verse of it to all the scholars of East and West—if anyone can produce its like by their innate nature, then consider, though this is and has been impossible, along with the proofs I mentioned before. And that one verse is this:

Say: O God! Verily Thou art the Knower of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them. Thou givest knowledge unto whomsoever Thou willest, and deniest it to whomsoever Thou willest. Thou exaltest whomsoever Thou willest, and abasest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou strengthenest whomsoever Thou willest, and humblest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou aidest whomsoever Thou willest, and forsakest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou enrichest whomsoever Thou willest, and impoverishest whomsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp lieth the dominion of all things. Thou createst whatsoever Thou willest, howsoever Thou willest, through whatsoever means Thou willest. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.

Consider the Qur’an, wherein but one “In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful” was revealed, while in the Bayan, through one mode of revelation, three hundred and sixty-one verses were revealed, of which a portion was sent down in the Bayan. More could have been possible, but was not manifested. Should God wish, He will cause it to be revealed through His Proof. One “By God, God is All-Knowing” sufficeth as proof for all.

Observe from the beginning of the Revelation how many perished from plague—this was one of the signs of the Revelation, yet none perceived it. Among the believers of the Shi’ih sect, apparently over one hundred thousand emerged in the space of four years, yet none is mindful of this.

Consider the verse of the Qur’an:

“Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? Verily, We have prepared Hell as a lodging for the disbelievers.”

This was revealed concerning those servants who took Christian monks as their protectors instead of the Messenger of God. Their very act was their fire in their lifetime, for no reward from any good deed is better than divine good-pleasure in this life, and no fire in the station of evil is greater than the deed itself in this life.

Know that the worship of other than God is promised the fire, meaning obedience to other than the Manifestation of God. God’s obedience in this world is only realized through obedience to His Manifestation. In every Revelation be discerning, lest thou obey other than God. For if on the Day of Him Whom God shall make manifest, thou shouldst obey any of the divines of the Bayan instead of Him, thou wilt have worshipped other than God. But if it be with His good-pleasure, thou wilt have worshipped God.

Consider in the Qur’an where God saith: “In what declaration after God and His signs will they believe?” The innermost meaning is: “In what declaration after the Messenger of God and what God hath revealed unto Him will they believe?”

Know that none besides God sufficeth for anything, while God sufficeth all things for all things. Continue along the same path with thy piety until another Cause appeareth from God.

As to thy question about the beginning of religion and its ordinances:

Know that the beginning of religion is the knowledge of God, and the perfection of knowledge is the unity of God, and the perfection of unity is the denial of attributes from His holy and exalted sanctuary of glory and majesty. And know thou that the knowledge of God is not made manifest in this world except through the knowledge of the Manifestation of Reality. And know thou that at the beginning of every Revelation, the Religion of God hath been the word “There is no God but God”, and after the establishment of this word, mention was made of He Who appeared in that Revelation. For example, in the day of Noah it was Noah, and in the day of Abraham it was Abraham, and in the day of Moses it was Moses, and in the day of Jesus it was Jesus, and in the day of Muhammad the Messenger of God it was the Messenger of God, and likewise for those who come after unto the end that hath no end.

Observe thou this! And make no mention of the Prophets of the past except with blessings, and likewise in writing refer to them with symbols, for all occupy stations of nearness and sanctity before God. And write not the name of God except that thou writest “Exalted and Glorified is He.” And likewise make no mention of Him Whom God shall make manifest except that thou writest “Exalted and sublime is His measure,” for this hath been the practice of the monotheists in every Revelation.

Consider thou the prayer that was revealed during the Minor Occultation to Abu’l-Hasan Darrab Isfahani, which Shaykh Tusi hath recorded in the Misbah-i-Kabir, wherein at the end of that prayer He saith:

“O God! Send thy blessings upon Thy Vicegerent who reviveth Thy tradition, who standeth firm in Thy Cause, who calleth unto Thee, who guideth unto Thee, who is Thy proof unto Thy creation, Thy successor in Thy land, and Thy witness unto Thy servants. O God! Strengthen his victory, prolong his life, and adorn the earth through his long-lasting presence. O God! Protect him from the transgression of the envious, shelter him from the evil of the crafty ones, restrain from him the will of the oppressors, and deliver him from the hands of the tyrants.”

In that time of occultation when His Holiness was not under the authority of tyrants, consider and understand that this referreth to today, when He sitteth in the Mountain of Mah-Ku.

And then He saith:

“O God! Grant him, his family, his followers, his subjects, his close ones, his general supporters, his enemies, and all the people of the world that which would bring joy to his eyes and gladden his heart. Help him achieve his highest aspirations in this world and the next. Verily, Thou hast power over all things. O God! Through him renew what hath been effaced of Thy religion, revive what hath been altered of Thy Book, and manifest what hath been changed of Thy ordinances, until Thy religion returneth through him and at his hands fresh, new, pure, and sincere, wherein there is no doubt, nor any uncertainty, nor any falsehood, nor any innovation. O God! Illumine by his light every darkness, and destroy by his might every innovation, and demolish by his power every misguidance, and break through him every tyrant, and extinguish by his sword every fire, and destroy by his justice the oppression of every oppressor, and cause his judgment to prevail over every judgment, and abase by his sovereignty every sovereignty. O God! Humiliate all who oppose him, destroy all who show enmity toward him, plot against those who scheme against him, and uproot those who deny his right, who make light of his cause, and who strive to extinguish his light and his remembrance.”

O God! Send Thy blessings upon Muhammad, the Chosen One, upon the One Who is accepted, and upon Fatima the Radiant, and upon Hasan the Accepted, and Husayn the Purified, and upon all the Successors, the Lamps in darkness, the Standards of piety, the Beacons of guidance, the Firm Handle, the Strong Rope, and the Straight Path. And send Thy blessings upon Thy Vicegerent and the Trustees of Thy Covenant and the Imams from his progeny. Extend their lives, prolong their days, and enable them to achieve their utmost hopes in matters of faith, this world, and the hereafter. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.

Recite these prayers, and if time does not permit all of them, do not neglect this last portion, and be vigilant concerning thyself. On the Day of the Manifestation of Him Whom God shall make manifest, this very prayer will apply to Him. Although We are hopeful through divine grace that no grief shall touch Him, for We have educated the people of the Bayan not to consent to causing grief to any soul, that perchance no sorrow shall befall that Sun of Truth on the Day of His Manifestation.

Know thou that all existence falls into but two divisions: either it is of the Tree of Affirmation or of the Tree of Negation. The first is the Tree of Good, and every mention of good is befitting it. The second is the Tree of Negation, and every mention less than good is befitting it.

Know thou that all peoples speak this word in their own tongues within their own religions, while they all dwell in the shadow of negation. The meaning of this word in the day of the Manifestation of the Apostle of God is that there is no truth except Muhammad, the Apostle of God. Observe thou this same principle in every Manifestation. How often thou mayest say “There is no God but God” while remaining among the veiled ones. And that Word which thou hast heard, by which God will judge all on the Day of Resurrection, is manifested through one like unto the Apostle of God. Whosoever turns towards it is accounted among the people of affirmation and enters Paradise, and whosoever remains veiled from it is accounted among the people of negation and enters the fire.

Seek refuge in God at all times, for the truly unified are rarer than red sulfur. This is why all profess unity with Him from Whom they are veiled. For instance, the followers of Jesus professed the unity of God, yet their profession of unity in this world amounted to declaring that there is no truth except Muhammad, the Apostle of God, while their profession of unity profited them not.

Be most precise in the matter of thy profession of unity, for this is that same path which thou hast heard is finer than a hair and sharper than a sword. Think not that those who claim to understand the Book of God have comprehended aught. In all that I have observed, I have seen naught but mystical interpretations and mere words. I have not found in most people anything except what was manifest in those purified ones who came before. The words that appeared in Islam, in the station of knowledge, corresponded with creation. With others, apart from verbal proofs, it is nothing but excess words.

Consider the community of Jesus—how many scholars claimed to understand the Gospel, while the first letter of the Gospel was the creation of that Messenger of God (peace be upon him). And now 1,270 years have passed, and God knows how much they have interpreted that one verbal letter within their religion, while remaining veiled from its creation, which was the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). Had they understood even one letter of the Gospel, they would have necessarily recognized the appearance of the Messenger of God.

Know then that all these Christian scholars have not understood a single letter of the Gospel, except their portion being verbal expressions without spirit and meaning. Similarly, look at the general people—how many commentaries they have written on the Qur’an, while remaining veiled from the creative jewels of the Qur’an, which are the People of the House of Infallibility. Likewise, those among the Shi’a who have written commentaries on the Qur’an—had they understood its creative meaning, they would not have remained veiled from the First Point of the Furqan, which is the station of the appearance of the Expected Proof.

Know then that they have understood nothing except words without meaning and spirit. Similarly, be watchful of yourself regarding the Bayan, lest you become like them. Cut yourself off from all else save God, and become independent through God from all besides Him. And recite this verse:

“Say: God sufficeth all things from all things, and nothing in the heavens or on earth or what is between them sufficeth instead of God thy Lord. He createth what He willeth by His command. Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.”

Do not imagine God’s sufficiency as something illusory, for it is your faith in every Dispensation in the Manifestation of that Dispensation, which suffices you against all that is on earth, while all that is on earth does not suffice you in place of faith. For if you are not a believer, the Tree of Truth will cause your extinction, but if you are a believer, it suffices you against all that is on earth, even if you possess nothing. This is the meaning of the verse manifested in the station of the Messenger of God in the previous Dispensation, and likewise in the subsequent Manifestation, and likewise in the Manifestation of Him Whom God shall make manifest, and likewise unto the end that has no end, just as from the beginning that has no beginning. Observe this and say: “Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.” And seek forgiveness from God thy Lord at all times, before all times, and after all times.