BB00034: Kitabu’l-Mulk

Part 1: “Let it reach His Holiness Karim, that he…”

Let it reach His Holiness Karim, that he may transmit it to the Eternal Fruit, and let the verses and prayers reach that direction through the Great One who will convey them.

In the Name of God, the Most Sovereign, the Most Sovereign! In the Name of God, the King, the King! In the Name of God, the King, the King! In the Name of God, the King, the Possessor! In the Name of God, the Master, the Master! In the Name of God, the Master, the Supreme Possessor! In the Name of God, the King, the Supreme Possessor! In the Name of God, the King of Kings! In the Name of God, the King, the Sovereign Lord! In the Name of God, the King, the All-Ruling! In the Name of God, the King, the Omnipotent! In the Name of God, the King, the Supreme Sovereign! In the Name of God, the King, the All-Subduing! In the Name of God, the King, the Lord of all Dominions! In the Name of God, the King, the King of Kings! In the Name of God, the All-Possessing, the All-Possessing! In the Name of God, the All-Sovereign, the All-Sovereign! In the Name of God, the All-Controlling, the All-Controlling! In the Name of God, the Supreme Ruler, the Supreme Ruler!

By God! He is the Most Sovereign, the Most Sovereign! By God! He is the King, the King! By God! He is the King, the King! By God! He is the King, the Possessor! By God! He is the King, the Possessor! By God! He is the King, the Supreme Possessor! By God! He is the Master, the Master! By God! He is the King of Kings! By God! He is the King, the Sovereign Lord! By God! He is the King, the All-Ruling! By God! He is the King, the Omnipotent! By God! He is the King, the Supreme Sovereign! By God! He is the All-Possessing, the All-Possessing! By God! He is the All-Possessing, the All-Possessing! By God! He is the King, the Lord of all Dominions! By God! He is the King, the King of Kings! By God! He is the All-Possessing, the All-Possessing! By God! He is the All-Sovereign, the All-Sovereign! By God! He is the All-Controlling, the All-Controlling! By God! He is the Supreme Ruler, the Supreme Ruler!

By God! He is the Most Sovereign, Lord of all Sovereignty! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Dominion! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Dominion! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Power! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Power! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Authority! By God! He is the King, Lord of Supreme Power! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Kingship! By God! He is the King, Lord of Sovereign Rule! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Dominions! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Authority! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Power! By God! He is the King, Lord of Empire! By God! He is the King, Lord of Empire! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Kingdoms! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Sovereignty! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Possession! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Dominion! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Control! By God! He is the King, Lord of all Rule!

In the Name of God, the Most Sovereign, Lord of all Sovereignty! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Power! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Power! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Power! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Authority! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Kingship! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Sovereign Rule! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Dominions! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Authority!

In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Power! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Empire! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Empire! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Kingdoms! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Sovereignty! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Possession! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Control! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all Rule! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Sovereignty!

In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Dominion! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Power! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of Supreme Power! In the Name of God, the King, Possessor of dominions! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of sovereignty! In the Name of God, the King, Master of domains! In the Name of God, the King, Ruler of kingdoms! In the Name of God, the King, Sovereign of realms! In the Name of God, the King, Owner of dominions! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of all possessors! In the Name of God, the King, Master of all owners! In the Name of God, the King, Ruler of all kingdoms!

In the Name of God, the King, Sovereign of all domains! In the Name of God, the King, Lord of sovereignties! In the Name of God, the King, Master of dominions! In the Name of God, the King, Possessor of the Kingdom! By God, the King, Lord of sovereignty! By God, the King, Master of dominion! By God, the King, Ruler of kingdoms!

To God belongeth the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth and of whatsoever is between them, and God is the Sovereign, the Possessor, the King! To God belongeth the dominion of the heavens and of the earth and of whatsoever is between them, and God is the Sovereign, the Possessor, the King! Say: He is the Most Powerful above all possessors of power. None in the heavens or on the earth or whatsoever is between them can prevent the King of His sovereignty. Verily, He is the Sovereign, the Possessor, the King!

Say: O God! Thou art the Possessor of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them! Thou givest sovereignty to whom Thou willest and takest it away from whom Thou willest! Thou exaltest whom Thou willest and abaseth whom Thou willest! Thou strengthenest whom Thou willest and humblest whom Thou willest! Thou aidest whom Thou willest and forsaketh whom Thou willest! Thou enrichest whom Thou willest and impoverisheth whom Thou willest! In Thy grasp is the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest by Thy command.

Say: He is the Possessor—above every possessor. None is able to withhold from the King the sovereignty of His possession—not in the heavens, nor on the earth, nor between the two. Verily, He hath ever been an Owner, a Possessor, a King. Say: O God! Thou art the Possessor of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them. Thou bestowest dominion upon whomsoever Thou wilt, and Thou takest away dominion from whomsoever Thou wilt; Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt and Thou dost abase whom Thou wilt; Thou dost honor whom Thou wilt and Thou dost humble whom Thou wilt; Thou dost succor whom Thou wilt and Thou dost forsake whom Thou wilt; Thou dost enrich whom Thou wilt and Thou dost impoverish whom Thou wilt. In Thy grasp is the kingdom of all things; Thou createst what Thou wilt, how Thou wilt, for whatsoever Thou wilt. Verily, Thou hast ever been an Owner, a Possessor, a King.

Say: O God! Thou art the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them. Thou bestowest dominion upon whomsoever Thou wilt, and Thou takest away dominion from whomsoever Thou wilt; Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt and Thou dost abase whom Thou wilt; Thou dost honor whom Thou wilt and Thou dost forsake whom Thou wilt; Thou dost enrich whomsoever Thou willest and Thou dost forgive whomsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest, how Thou willest, through what Thou willest, for what Thou willest. Verily, Thou art the Possessor, the Owner, the King. Say: O God! Thou art the Sovereign of sovereigns. Thou givest sovereignty to whomsoever Thou willest and withdrawest sovereignty from whomsoever Thou willest. Thou exaltest whomsoever Thou willest and abasest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou aidest whomsoever Thou willest and forsakest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou strengthenest whomsoever Thou willest and humblest whomsoever Thou willest. Thou enrichest whomsoever Thou willest and impoverishest whomsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest, how Thou willest, through what Thou willest, and for what Thou willest. Verily, Thou art the Possessor, the All-Possessing, the King.

Say: O God! Thou art the Lord of lords. Thou givest sovereignty to whomsoever Thou willest and withdrawest sovereignty from 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. Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest, how Thou willest, through what Thou willest, for what Thou willest. Verily, Thou art the Possessor, the All-Possessing, the King. Say: O God! Thou art the King of kings. Thou givest sovereignty to whomsoever Thou willest and withdrawest sovereignty from 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. Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest by Thy command. Verily, Thou art the Possessor, the All-Possessing, the King. Say: We have indeed revealed aforetime in the Furqan from the names of sovereignty the number of the Vav. We have witnessed their manifestations, how ye are possessors in Islam.

Verily shall they witness Him Whom God shall make manifest, all such verses being revealed throughout the Bayan, each being possessors through God’s ownership. We have revealed the name “the Owner” in the Surih of Praise, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan. Then We revealed the name “the Owner” in the Surih of ʿImran, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan. Then We revealed the name “the Sovereign” in the Surih, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan. Then We revealed the name “the King” in the Surih of Assembly, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan. Then We revealed the name “the King” in the Surih of Exile, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan. Then We revealed the name “the Sultan” in the Surih of the All-Merciful, whereupon ye behold a king in the Furqan.

One Manifestation do ye behold in the spirit, and one Manifestation do ye witness in the coal, and one Manifestation do ye witness in the dust, and one Manifestation do ye witness in the deserts, and one Manifestation do ye witness in the creation of the Living One. These are they who have believed in the Qur’an and have taken possession of that which ye possess.

Thus doth God create for all that He revealeth a manifestation on earth who shall reveal His Cause with truth, though ye comprehend it not. Say: That which God is described by in the name of King, ye comprehend, yet when God manifests this through one of His servants, then do ye recognize it. Exalted is God above these His names, yet they are servants upon whom God hath bestowed in sovereignty that which enableth them to be guided under the shadow of the sovereignty of names.

God shall send in the Bayan whatsoever He willeth, for He is the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, that the possessors of sovereignty in the Bayan may await the Day of Him Whom God shall make manifest. For ye were not created except for this, and though ye assist God—God is independent of you and your assistance—yet were ye created for this, would that ye would reflect but a little.

Should ye pride yourselves on your faith in God, your Lord, then shall ye believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest, and should ye pride yourselves on your support of the Cause of God, then shall ye assist Him. And if your realities be the manifestations of these names, then are ye veiled from Him Who is their Source. Unto Him Whom God shall make manifest belong all the best names, both before and after, and all stand firm through Him.

Part 2: “Let it be seen in Him Whom God…”

Let it be seen in Him Whom God shall make manifest that We have indeed revealed in the Bayan names of mighty inaccessibility, so that when all creation recognizeth Thy Self, all in the Bayan shall witness, according to what We have ordained for them, that they are possessors. Thou seest some among creation as manifestations of the name of Knowledge—these were created through the knowledge of the Point of the Bayan and they work for Thee. And some are seen as manifestations of Power—these are they who were created from the verses of Power and they work for Thee.

And some behold the manifestations of Sovereignty—created from the verses We sent down under that Name—and they labor for thee. And some We show the manifestations of Dominion—created from those verses—and they, too, work for thee.

When you gaze upon the Bayan, thou shalt behold the name of the sovereign until it terminates in the name of the All-Subtle, both of which We have revealed in the Bayan, and both bear witness that there is no God but I, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, that all the people of the Bayan may see that ye all stand by a single command, whether ye be rulers or the mighty ones, sovereigns or the learned ones, whether manifest or hidden, outward or inward.

Consider ye: before God made manifest the Point of the Bayan, had ye any mention? Then on the day of your return, even as your beginning, ye shall see. If ye turn unto Him Whom God shall make manifest, then shall ye attain unto the fruits of your beginning. But if ye remain veiled, God is independent of you and whatsoever ye possess, and ye shall return unto dust.

Have mercy, therefore, upon your own selves and be not deluded by the manifestations of your creation, for verily ye are but servants. Should there appear in the Bayan a sovereign who desireth to aid the Point of the Bayan, this shall be manifest on the day of Him Whom God shall make manifest, though they act otherwise than this.

We have indeed observed you, O people of the Bayan, that ye might comprehend the creation of all things in every creation. That the sovereign of the Bayan might see that ye recognize the measure of the days of Him Whom God shall make manifest, and be not veiled from your Lord after ye possess through His Name whatsoever ye possess.

Ye shall indeed annihilate yourselves with your companions even as did those before you. Reflect ye upon the stories of the manifestation of the Point of the Bayan, then observe yourselves, yet remain veiled from your Lord. We have not revealed these verses except that ye might aid their Manifestation, Him Whom God shall make manifest, else We would not have revealed them in the Book, that all in the Bayan might see that ye comprehend the Revelation of God at the time of its appearance.

By the life of Him Whom God shall make manifest! If a king should aid Him, God would surely make all the earth subservient unto him and cause all sovereigns to bow down before him. Let the possessors of sovereignty know their own worth. For if ye aid God at the first appearance of His Manifestation, none would remain veiled from God their Lord, and all would turn unto Him through your turning, and through the grace of your acceptance would enter Paradise and be delivered from the fire.

Yet when ye veil those within your realms from the Truth, they will have no inclination toward it; while ye desire only those who know God, their Lord. As for those beneath them, they are weak: should they but scent a breath of fear, they withdraw and conceal themselves. In their hearts is no power to turn unto God, their Lord; nor do ye desire any beside Him.

Be, then, compassionate to the weak in your dominions, and deliver them from the fire by your turning toward God. For if ye yourselves accept the Cause of Truth, then all will accept; but if ye turn away, the people of knowledge and reflection will not accept. Those beneath them are but feeble servants, unable to carry out the command of their Origin, nor will they return to their Lord on the Day of Return.

We have, verily, enjoined upon you that, in every Manifestation, ye may save your own souls by believing in the Manifestation of the Self of God in each Dispensation, while ye fall prostrate before God. Let not your seat of authority, nor what We have bestowed upon you, veil you from meeting God; for that which ye deem to possess, ye in truth possess not. Spend it, then, for His sake, if ye be of those who act.

And suppose not that those who were kings before you perished from their religion—nay, by the might of the Kings of Truth! In their faith they were as you are, desiring guidance; yet they were veiled throughout their days, and were but a remembrance of truth in their lives, bequeathing nothing like unto the vigilant regard wherewith ye watch the affairs of your realms.

Watch, therefore, over that for which ye were created; and in every Manifestation are ye created for Him. If ye apprehend this, then shall ye attain every good; but if ye veil yourselves from it, what ye apprehended shall avail you not, and ye shall wish to return and to attain—yet shall ye be powerless to do so.

Say: O God! Verily, in Thy hands are the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them. Thou givest sovereignty to whom Thou willest and withdrawest sovereignty from whom Thou willest. Thou exaltest whom Thou willest and abaseth whom Thou willest. Thou renderest victorious whom Thou willest and forsaketh whom Thou willest. Thou enrichest whom Thou willest and maketh poor whom Thou willest.

In Thy right hand is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them. Then the dominion and the realm, then the rose and its essence, then peace and its essence, then command and its essence, then judgment and its essence. Within Thy grasp lieth the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou willest, how Thou willest, for what Thou willest, by what Thou willest, and Thou ordainest the Command as Thou willest.

In Thy right hand is all knowledge and its essence, then wisdom and its essence, then fame and its essence, then unity and its essence, then peace and its essence, then the ocean and its essence. Not an atom escapeth Thy knowledge in the heavens or in the earth or in whatsoever lieth between them. Nothing can frustrate Thee, neither in the kingdom of Command nor of Creation nor in aught else besides these. Thou createst what Thou willest, how Thou willest, by what Thou willest, for what Thou willest. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.

These are the greatest verses which We have sent down in the Bayan unto those whom We have given sovereignty, who believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest, that they may aid God, their Lord, the All-Merciful, on the Day of His manifestation by aiding Him Whom God shall make manifest and then His chosen ones, and they shall prostrate themselves before God.

Let Me recount unto you what was recounted unto God, your Lord, in the Revelation of the Bayan, as was recounted unto the Point of the Bayan, for this is that whereat ye marvel, yet marvel not, while ye yourselves are watchful. Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me. I have created all things for the Day of My Manifestation and have sent the Messengers and revealed the Books from a beginning that hath no beginning until I concluded My Revelation with the manifestation of Muhammad, My Beloved, and made the Qur’an the proof from Us unto all the worlds.

We distinguished all upon the earth through Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and aided Him until We made His Cause triumphant according to what was ordained for Him by Us, for verily We were the Helper. And We desired that all upon earth should enter Paradise through Our making the religion of Islam to prevail throughout the earth and all that is thereon through those who believed in the Qur’an and who worshipped Us.

We waited one thousand two hundred and seventy years that perchance those who were given the Qur’an might comprehend Our purpose, and We raised up among them in those years powerful sovereigns and mighty kings. Had any one of them desired to bring all upon earth into his religion, We would have provided the means, yet they remained veiled from Our good-pleasure until what was ordained came to pass, and We saw none who remembered what We had intended.

Then did We remove Ourselves through the manifestation of the Point of the Bayan, whose advent you now behold. We distinguished all upon earth through His appearance, and those who believed are the ones who shall abide forever in the Most Great Paradise, while those who have veiled themselves from God, their Lord, through what We have revealed unto Him from the Bayan—these are they who, after their death, shall receive no help in the Fire. And in their lives they perceive not My good-pleasure upon their souls.

When We manifested the Point of the Bayan, there were in Islam six monarchs, all of whom were in the earth and all were believers in the Qur’an, and all were awaiting the appearance of the Point of the Bayan, and all were anticipating the manifestation of God, supplicating night and day. And if they were asked what proof they possessed, they would say:

“We have no manifest proof from the Qur’an except that we were guided by it.”

We manifested the Point of the Bayan with that same proof, and His manifestation was the manifestation of that which they were promised. Say: This is the Manifestation of God—through the eye of God do ye behold Him.

And We chose from among these six one who was among the believers in the Qur’an, and his detachment from self was such that he delegated the affairs of his kingdom to one of the seekers of knowledge who had no opinion of his own that he was among the righteous ones. Observe ye the end of his affair, for We are ever mindful.

We have manifested the Manifestation of Our Self in one of the cities of His kingdom, and behold, you witnessed one who served as governor under His minister in that land, though he possessed neither rank nor station in the eyes of His servants or anyone in all the worlds. Thus did We forbid in the Bayan that one bereft of modesty, honor and glory be made to rule over servants who possess modesty and enlightenment, and among whom are noble and distinguished ones.

Were the King of the Bayan to be told what I have witnessed, you would be unable to bear hearing it, and We are ashamed to mention it, though those who are mindful in the Bayan will make mention of it. Thus are you tested. Perchance He Whom God shall make manifest will appear in one of your cities, yet you who prostrate yourselves before Him night and day will not aid Him, and should you deliver Him to imprisonment, He will have no recourse […] and He will surely take vengeance, for He is the Almighty, the Severe.

This has been related concerning his king and minister, who paid no heed […] Had they known, they would have slain Him with their own hands in retaliation for what He claimed regarding their Lord. But since they did not meet, what you witness in the Book came to pass. This is indeed a wisdom—had they reflected and communed with those who believed in God and His Imam, they would have been guided. But he followed the words of servants who had no station with God and veiled himself from the words of those who believed in God, until by his deeds he destroyed himself and his superior, while you ponder your affairs.

Then […] that none should rule over a land except that a covenant be taken from him not to oppose one sent with knowledge and wisdom, for this is a command from his Lord, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting […] Him Whom God shall make manifest, before Whom you prostrate yourselves night and day. Due to his conduct, We departed from that land […] without his courtesy, and We turned to God, our Lord, the Most Merciful, until We arrived at one of the cities of the king and alighted with its governor, who is mentioned in the Book by the name of a trusted, exalted and noble one.

Before We descended upon him, We made mention of him in the Book, for We were indeed to alight with you. He answered God his Lord, and We approached him with all We could muster, until We alighted in his land and witnessed from him what God loves to witness in His assured servants.

Part 3: “Glory be unto Thee, O God! Thou art…”

Glory be unto Thee, O God! Thou art the Pillar of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them. Thou givest support to whom Thou willest and withdrawest support from whom Thou willest. Thou exaltest whom Thou willest and abaseth whom Thou willest. Thou strengtheneth whom Thou willest and humbleth whom Thou willest. Thou givest victory to whom Thou pleasest and forsake whom Thou pleasest, enrich whom Thou pleasest and impoverish whom Thou pleasest.

Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou createst what Thou pleasest, how Thou pleasest, by what means Thou pleasest, for what purpose Thou pleasest. Verily, Thou art, as Thou pleasest, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

We have found it a sacred and exalted decree. Were it not for divine aid, none would be saved while dwelling under the shadow of one who loveth not God and beareth no witness unto Him. But God hath indeed rewarded him for what he hath earned in rendering victorious assistance to an exalted cause. Without such merit, how could one enter Paradise after taking, by royal command, that which God had not ordained in His Book? Yet We delivered him inasmuch as he assisted the Truth to the extent of his ability.

Glory be unto Thee, O God! Forgive him for what Thou hast witnessed in him, for Thou art the Best of forgivers. Say: O God! How many servants were commanded to be slain without justice! Pardon them and forgive them, bestow from Thy presence compensation for their blood-money, and make them content with him, in recompense for what he hath earned through that mighty and majestic deed. Glory be unto Thee, O God! How many were unjustly separated from the people! Command Thou, O God, that the angels restore unto them from Thy presence, and do Thou forgive and pardon him, for Thou art among the Most Forgiving.

The divines of that land assembled and pronounced judgment against those who prostrate themselves before Him night and day—a judgment We are ashamed to mention—though they were among those who awaited the appearance of the Truth. That authoritative decree reduced them and their religious verdicts to less than an atom, nay less than less than an atom. By God! I know them not, for none of them manifest in their nature what they were born with, else they would not have veiled themselves from the Truth nor would they have accepted for their religion aught but what they accept for themselves.

I seek forgiveness of God, my Lord, for them and for their verdicts, and I take refuge in God and then in His proof. This is a sovereign Truth, mighty and impregnable, and a just dominion, sublime and glorious. Then preserve thou the proof of thy Lord in a station which hath no equal in His earth, in a house of glory, forbearing and sublime. Make mention of the foremost house among them wherein it behooveth thee to dwell without vainglorious elevation. Say: O my God! House him in Paradise in a mansion greater than this, a bounty from Thee, for verily Thou art the Most Bountiful.

After his days were fulfilled, he pledged himself to aid the Cause of Truth with a mighty, benevolent and exalted victory. God took him unto Himself through His grace and generosity, for He is the best of those who take unto themselves. Before he was taken, the minister of that time wrote to him to send those who would prostrate before him, not knowing what had transpired before while he dwelt there, as there was no one who recognized the truth except those whom God guides as He wishes, for He is powerful over all things.

He followed what was written to him according to what God had shown him of the truth, for he was firmly convinced. He said:

“If this is the truth, as indeed it is the truth with God, without doubt to oppose it unjustly would remove a king from the world. We desire to do that which would preserve the kingdom for our reign, but this would harm him before God and before those endowed with knowledge, and of this we are certain. For God has aforetime brought low those who opposed truth unjustly, and He will seize them, obliterate them, take vengeance upon them and destroy them, for He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. Though we witnessed this is the truth while the king did not witness it, yet since we were in his service, it behooves us not to write that which would cause the kingdom to slip from his hands.”

Thus do those who are trusted by God and trusted by the people observe the matter. Then he said:

“If this is not the Cause of Truth as you suppose, it befits not us with our armies and resources to confront anyone in our realm, nor is this befitting our glory, and we shall not do this even if we were to consider your viewpoint. Rather, what we have witnessed is the truth without doubt. Servants whom God had given knowledge and wisdom had informed me before, and God made me witness what He willed until my heart was firmly established by Him upon certain truth.”

He neither read the Book nor turned to it; thus do His trusted servants act.

When God took him unto Himself, his authority was inherited by one who had no standing during his lifetime and was blind to the truth. He followed what was written before this, blind to what was within himself. Had this been […] he would have acted as one who honored me, while I was in his grasp like a small particle. He was not ashamed to acquire and send those who would prostrate before him night and day—at night with servants from his army numbering the letters of “Ha” in God’s Book.

Because of this, We have forbidden in the Book that those of might and knowledge be placed with servants who know not their worth nor comprehend anything. O God! Judge between them with truth and show them what they deserve. Though You had no covenant with them after what they earned, yet You will surely show them the recompense of their deeds if they comprehend their limits.

When We were dwelling near the king’s land, they informed him and his minister, but they were not among those who heeded, though We created them and all others only for the day of meeting Us, and this We had revealed before in the Furqan:

“God is He Who raised the heavens without pillars that ye can see, then established Himself on the Throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to serve, each running for an appointed term; He regulates all affairs, explaining the signs in detail, that ye may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord”

—after We had made known to all that God can neither be seen nor comprehended.

Whosoever desireth to meet God, let him meet the Manifestation of His Self, for verily We have appeared that the angels of the Bayan might behold. Consider ye him whom We created and upon whom We bestowed hosts and means, yet he recognizeth not those who gaze upon Us, though he worshippeth Us night and day and prostrateth before Us. Thus do ye perceive your own condition.

That which He Whom God shall make manifest shall reveal unto you, ye heed not, though this is He before Whom ye prostrate yourselves night and day and before Whom ye bow down in adoration. For your prostration unto God in the Bayan returneth not unto God except that ye prostrate yourselves before Him, if ye be truly prostrate before God. Should He appear among you alone while ye possess all that is on earth, ye and all that ye possess would prostrate before Him. Let not His singleness and your multiplicity, nor the abundance of your possessions, veil you, for ye are all His creation, and God is supreme over you with mighty power.

And should He appear while ye are alone, ye would prostrate before Him, and let not your solitude veil you; rather look ye unto that which His own Self deserveth, and judge accordingly. Let all monarchs behold how God, your Lord, hath appeared unto a king who recognized not his Lord, else he would surely have been among those who prostrate before Him.

After admitting Him into his land, no creature offered proof of his Lord’s authority, fearing that the people would turn unto Him and that which We bestowed would slip from his grasp, though in his religion he considered himself among the devout. Consider ye then how ye are tried! Say: If ye love sovereignty for God’s sake, here is God Who created you and all ye possess—how is it ye confirm not for God what ye confirm for your own selves?

Say: The god ye nurture in your hearts, desiring to bestow sovereignty upon it—that god is from Him Whom God shall make manifest. That is mightier than the signs created within your own selves. Let those possessed of sovereignty behold how ye look unto your Lord. For your Beloved, and the Beloved of the heavens and earth and all that lieth between them, appeareth unto you, yet ye love Him not, even as was ordained aforetime.

In every matter He Who appeareth unto you saith: Ponder His Cause, then understand, that ye may not enter into aught save that which pleaseth God. Verily We are ashamed of what hath befallen Us in His land, and this shall be remembered by remembering servants. After We created him that he might worship Us and aid Us, he commanded Our imprisonment from afar, though We had bestowed upon him of the earth what no city could contain. This hath returned unto God his Lord, and We are witness thereto.

And when he desired to send Us forth, he sent not even a beast worthy to be ridden, though We had bestowed upon him what none could enumerate. We are ashamed to mention what hath befallen Us in the Bayan, yet those who have earned this through their deeds are not ashamed, until days passed while We dwelt in thy expanding prison. Consider ye then who was a debtor unto his own self in a land of transcendent and mighty glory.

It behooveth that he be removed from the land wherein he was reared unto the mountain which hath been ordained, known by the name of Mah-Ku, wherein he shall walk for years after two months. That wherein ye journey, We have verily created it and given unto it what We have given, and this is that which hath proceeded from God, his Lord, that the angels of the Bayan might reflect thereon and take heed.

In that time We were dwelling in those days wherein none appeared before God as befitteth God, though all were, in that time, worshipping Us. Yet We revealed not unto him who is known in the Book by the name of ʿAli, whose heart was beloved and dear, for there was not in him the strength to uphold the Truth and to turn away from that which is not the Truth. Had he known what he would earn, he would have wished never to have been created that he might earn this.

In the world are those who worship Him and prostrate before Him night and day, yet grieve Him; while he who was created by Him followeth His command for numbered days—all shall afterwards die. And We caused him to dwell where stones fall from the heaven, while they were fearful thereof. Therefore have We forbidden in the Book that any should dwell where stones fall, nor pass through any place wherein your hearts find not tranquility, for this have We ordained in the Book for all the worlds.

Behold how all who are in the heavens and earth and whatsoever lieth between them prostrate before Him. Perchance He veileth Himself through thy love by the hands of one of His servants that He might see how the angels are God-fearing. God hath sent down upon those therein numbered days that they might be mindful. How many times from eternity have We been witness thereto, yet they turned not, nor did We find them among those who remember, until God tried them with pestilence and they all together fled from their dwellings unto the wilderness that they might find safety. But after that they were not mindful, and when they fled from the pestilence, thinking perchance to preserve themselves, they were not content with this for Him before Whom prostrate themselves all who are in the heavens and the earth and what lies between them.

Let the angels of the Bayan reflect how it can be that souls would be content to flee when they feel unsafe, yet are not content with Him before Whom they prostrate themselves night and day, though they were commanded to preserve themselves. Let the angels of the Bayan behold such servants beneath your shadow. Watch over yourselves lest ye be veiled from any believer, that ye may not be veiled from the Self of God. Otherwise what modesty would one possess who is content to flee to preserve himself, while having before him the truth would not be content for Him with what he is content for himself?

Part 4: “Then fear ye, after God hath preserved us…”

Then fear ye, after God hath preserved us in one place while those who fled—ye behold them fleeing from the pestilence which He created, yet they fear not God their Lord. We have even witnessed in days when We were prostrating like you: God sent upon them days after days from His presence that they might remember even one of them. Yet they follow not the truth lest they worship other than God their Lord, and they remember not that those who follow Him Whom God shall make manifest are they who worship God, while those who follow Him not are they who worship other than God.

Let all things see that they worship none but God, for if ye follow Him Whom God shall make manifest, then besides this your religion and your works, after ye have striven throughout your lives, are for God your Lord. And if there be one wise concerning that matter, let him ask Us night and day that God may enable him to perform the pilgrimage to the House which was erected by command of the Point of the Furqan aforetime, and We were commanding.

Reflect ye on His Cause: the Lord of the House descendeth upon him, yet he knoweth Him not, and preserveth without right while yearning for a house created by His command in His previous Manifestation in the Furqan. Indeed, ye shall see the people of the Bayan similarly confounded. Perchance Him Whom God shall make manifest will come unto you while ye desire to prevail through the laws of the Bayan—yet the Lord of the Bayan and His laws have appeared, and they recognize Him not.

And if, in this matter, ye would take thought, then reflect upon those who were given the Gospel: how, within their religion, they follow the ordinances of Jesus. They go forth from their dwellings to visit what they imagine to be something that Jesus once rode; yet God hath manifested Muhammad as the Manifestation of His own Self, and still they neither visit him nor believe in him. Though they corrupted the text, Muhammad remained independent of their faith—yet they felt no shame.

In every Revelation ye behold the people of previous Revelations acting likewise. For in the latter days of a Revelation, the people of that Revelation venerate even the beast which the Lord of the Revelation once mounted, leaving their homes to draw nigh unto it. Yet these same people, at the beginning of a Revelation, when the Lord of that Revelation appeareth unto them, fail to recognize Him. How is it that if ye would assist them, the Lord of Revelations would make known to them that “I am He Who hath appeared in them all,” yet since they lack certitude they fail to recognize Him?

We have mentioned this that the people of the Bayan might take heed, that perchance ye may watch over the people of the Bayan lest any among them be veiled at the time of God’s Manifestation, and that ye may save those people through your acceptance, for they are as dead and perceive not. Without doubt He shall appear in the land of one among you, and ye shall hear and observe. Therefore follow ye two paths that ye may find security. Say: First, detach yourselves from all things, then secondly believe in your Lord. And if ye do not do this, then at least feel shame. If ye cannot make Him happy, at least grieve Him not. This is the whole of your cause, this is the whole of your religion, this is all that would please you. For the people feel no shame, yet ye have the power to form a barrier between the Manifestation of your Lord and the people by virtue of the faith ye manifest. If ye truly believe, then at least command that which grieveth not His soul, and speak not of the days of God without right.

This is Our counsel unto you that perchance ye may be mindful. O Kings of the Bayan! Reflect upon all that hath been revealed in the Bayan, that ye may believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest and remain veiled from aught save His good-pleasure. Reflect ye, should He appear and witness with sorrow how that which God hath revealed in the Bayan hath been squandered, after ye all believed therein and acted upon it. For that which God hath revealed in the Bayan shall bear no fruit except in the day of His manifestation, and before that ye are but reminded of your primordial creation.

We would acquaint you that ye long to be present in the day of His manifestation that ye may aid Him. But observe ye the kings who awaited Muhammad, the Apostle of God—how when He came unto them they failed to help Him. As they remained veiled, ye should reflect upon their example in your own selves. Let not your religion draw you nigh, nor your learning distance you, for ye shall be sorely tried. Whoso holdeth fast unto God shall pass over the Bridge more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye.

If ye believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest, God will multiply your dominion and kingdoms, and ye shall be remembered in truth until the next Resurrection, and be exalted through the remembrance of God until the next Resurrection, and after your death shall delight in the Most Great Paradise. But there shall arise between you and Him Whom God shall make manifest that which is as naught in God’s sight, just as there arose between the kings who were given the Gospel and Muhammad, the Apostle of God, though they supplicated night and day for His appearance. Likewise those who were given the Furqan were countless in number when they appeared in the Furqan and longed for the appearance of the Truth, yet when God made manifest the Truth not one of them aided Him—how then can ye reflect upon their example in your own selves?

For all the Bayan—perchance ye may one day hear of One’s coming yet pay no heed, though ye prostrate yourselves before Him night and day and God hath commanded you to follow Him, yet ye remain veiled for the twinkling of an eye and are brought to naught. Ye behold matters in your religion as ye behold them in your worldly affairs, that ye may not be far removed from God’s good-pleasure in His manifestation. Appoint from among you guides who will inform you of one who appeareth in your realms—if he be true then follow him, and if he desire otherwise command that he not be grieved, that ye may not cause sorrow on the Day of God’s Manifestation, the Manifestation of your Lord.

Observe how We have closed all the gates before you that ye may not destroy yourselves on the Day of Resurrection. Perchance among a single corps of your soldiers there may be five hundred thousand souls—were ye to appoint one hundred of these in your lands to safeguard your religion, ye would preserve it from extinction and would watch for the Manifestation of God at the time of His appearance.

And if ye accept not and believe not in Him, sorrow not. Yet for that matter choose from among your hosts none save those endowed with modesty, lest He Whom God shall make manifest behold, among your ranks, that which God loveth not to be witnessed. For ye were created for His sake, and by night and by day ye prostrate yourselves before Him.

And if one among you should, at the time of the manifestation of God, resolve not to cause grief to the Manifestation of His Self, We shall assuredly forgive what he hath committed and cause him to enter Paradise, to a seat whereinto none of all the worlds hath entered. O kings of the Bayan! Consider ye, then reflect ye, and bear witness that the Tree of the Manifestation at the time of His appearance is like unto a tree that groweth in the earth. As the days and nights pass over it, it waxeth stronger. Ye should watch over it that no grief touch it, until the waters of God’s revelation crystallize in His Self.

Perchance ye may, like unto oceans, witness the words of God from His presence, and like unto seas, behold the signs of God from His presence. And ye shall command in your dominions that with all who attain unto a drop of knowledge and guidance, ye shall walk in naught save love. And ye shall command that they offer up unto God from your treasuries that which shall exalt and ennoble Him, that perchance ye may, on that Day, follow this course through the pure truth.

All this is an ordinance in the Book of God, that your affirmation be not changed to denial at the time of God’s manifestation, after ye have, throughout every Manifestation, labored for God through the nights and days. And all this is ordained in the Book of God, that perchance they who have been given the Bayan may not, on the day of God’s manifestation, exchange the light of their Lord for the fire.

Let all things witness that ye have been created from a single soul—that single Temple unto which ye shall all return. Let not your multiplicity and … and your highness and your lowness veil you, for all this began from a single soul and unto it shall ye return, if ye would but reflect a little.

Let those who follow the Gospel reflect: Creation began with Jesus, and all upon the earth who were of the people of the Gospel should have been present in His day. Then you observe that creation, as it began with Jesus, returns to Muhammad with all who are upon the earth. Likewise should you reflect upon the Manifestation of the Bayan, then upon Him Whom God shall make manifest, and then unto the end that hath no end. Were We not to counsel you in the Book of God, how would you comprehend God’s Cause until the next Resurrection? And were We to send down knowledge in the Book and manifest deeds among you, how would those who come after you understand? Verily, in every Dispensation God desireth that all should enter beneath the shade of His verses and that those souls who worship not God, their Lord, should perish. This is God’s way in every Dispensation, would ye but understand it.

Say: O God! Thou art He Who hath distinguished the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them. All whom Thou hast witnessed among men shall return to their source, and all whom Thou hast witnessed from the Gate shall return to their source. For all are within Thy grasp, and Thou art the Master of negation and affirmation, both before and after. All are Thy servants, and all worship Thee.

Say: The first to veil himself from Him Whom God shall make manifest is the first of negation—seek ye God’s protection from this. And the first to believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest is the first of affirmation—him shall ye love and assist. Say: He Whom God shall make manifest is the Master of both negation and affirmation, that all may worship God their Lord and behold His Manifestation. But those who recognize Him Whom God shall make manifest and turn unto Him—God hath loved them for their deeds, and these are the guides of affirmation in the Bayan, whether they be visible or invisible. And those who do not recognize Him Whom God shall make manifest after He hath made Himself known—these are they who prostrate themselves to Him in a way that God doth not love. These are the guides of negation in the Bayan, whether they be visible or invisible. This is all the knowledge in God’s Book, would ye but understand it.

We have witnessed from the fruit from the earthly element all that attracts you, and We have commanded that they both be mentioned under the shade of that Name through His remembrance whereby they are exalted. Were We to interpret every letter thereof, the creation of the heavens and earth and all between them would not suffice. Say: In every atom lies a mighty pearl. Say: In every letter lies a mighty book which those endowed with knowledge from God shall make manifest when ye desire it.