BB00220: Answer to Haji Muhammad

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

Praise be to God Who purifies the hearts of His servants through what He hath sent down unto them of the verses of His Book. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.

I, from this station, bear witness that there is no God but God, alone without partner, even as His Essence hath testified unto His Essence, and He is sanctified above the testimony of all else through the transcendence of His Essential Being. For verily He is the Pure, Simple Essence and the Pristine, Absolute Reality that none knoweth how He is save Him. His Identity divideth essences from the station of knowledge and preventeth realities from the station of utterance. He is, even as He is, far more glorious and great than that anyone should know His innermost reality or that anyone should describe His Essence. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Ancient.

I praise Muhammad, the Apostle of God—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family—at this time with what God hath praised him in the Kingdom of Names and Attributes, wherein He made him stand in His Own station in the Kingdom of Command and Creation, and chose him for the love of His Self, distinguished from any likeness among his kind. For verily he, even as he is, can never be associated with anything in any respect. There is no God but Him, the Great, the Most High.

I pray for the Manifestations of Muhammad’s self—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family—in that place amidst the mountains, according to what God hath ordained for them in the knowledge of the Unseen, where none can equal them in rank and none knoweth how they are save Him. He is the Mighty, the Most High.

I bear witness for myself that I am a servant who hath believed in God and His signs, and I desire not that any two should differ in the religion of God. I am but one of the believers. Thereafter, I have read thy letter and understood what thou hast mentioned therein, and have heard from thy companion concerning the ruling about disagreement in the Holy Land. When such disagreement occureth between those who have testified to the Truth and act accordingly, it is from God’s command and from the benefits which the servants know not, so long as none rejecteth another, for the knower seeth by God’s light and blameth no one. But when it occureth between those who know not the true import of the Cause, it is a trial to distinguish the evil from the good, and the decree shall fall upon the wrongdoers.

Know thou that the forerunners, so long as they doubted not and wavered not in God’s Cause, are distinguished from others by that honor, yet their words and deeds are not a proof for anyone. Rather, the proof today is a single soul. Perchance servants may enter God’s religion who surpass them in deeds and knowledge, but that honor is theirs from God in truth, and none can equal them in that singular honor, nor should anyone deny them unless they see from them a matter contrary to religion. This is the balance of justice in judging them.

None of those who enter the house of justice should reject she who is manifest in her knowledge, for she hath known the true import of the Cause through God’s grace, and she is today an honor for this company. Whoso harmeth her in religion hath indeed borne manifest sin. Likewise is the ruling for those who follow her—none of them should deny Ahmad in the house of justice, for he knoweth Our signs in the verses of justice. I verily know that in this discord there is manifest sin, yet I do not reveal it in the Book, nor do I speak of it, so that they may return to what they have been commanded, and that none may reject another, but rather that all in this world may be like the people of Paradise, whereof He, exalted be His mention, hath said: “And they shall approach one another, questioning.”

O concourse of Shi’ihs, fear ye God and be not at variance in God’s religion, and abase not any believer, whether man or woman. Be content with God’s decree, and seek not judgments whose harm unto you is nearer than their benefit. Speak not of inner meanings which the minds of men cannot grasp, and conceal that which God hath concealed from you and pardoned you for. Then turn ye unto God in repentance, O ye believers, one and all.

O questioner, deliver thou this epistle unto Tahirih when she departeth from the house of Jalil, and when thou arrivest in the Holy Land, unto those who dwell in the house of justice, that all may be informed of the decisive word regarding origin and return. I have indeed permitted the pilgrimage which she desired by her Lord’s command. O Ahmad, in that House follow thou My decree and forbid her not. Gather her companions and protect her affairs that she may suffer no hurt from anyone, for she is a faithful believer.

God’s mercy be upon him who showeth mercy unto her and watcheth over her affairs. One such as thee needeth no more than this. Trust in God and fear no one in God’s path. Ask God of His bounty, for He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Bestowing. Glorified be God, thy Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they describe. And peace be upon the Messengers, and praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

(the question of Haji Muhammad: “Peace unto Peace from Peace; from Him did Peace begin, and unto Him doth it return. We are from God, and unto Him shall we return.’ O my Lord and the Lord of all the worlds! The questioner hath halted at Thy gate, and the poor one hath taken refuge in the court of Thy presence, hoping for a sprinkling from the overflowing bounty of Thy effulgent manifestations, and for a spark from the light of the dawning of Thy splendor, whereby these lifeless hearts may be quickened. Far be it from Thee to turn away the seeker! I have laid before Thy presence that which hath arisen within this righteous company—doubt and division–so that, despite their small number, they have gone forth into diverse paths.

The matter hath become confused for them concerning the men whom Thou hast described in Thy Book, whose recognition Thou hast made obligatory and whose proof Thou hast established; and concerning the manifest towns mentioned by God, exalted be He, in the commentary upon His saying: We have set between thee and the believers manifest towns,’ and His saying: ʿDo ye marvel that a Reminder hath come unto you from Us, through a man from among yourselves, that he may purify you and teach you the path of those who went before, upon the straight and upright line?’ And many passages of this kind are found in the commentaries and elsewhere. Pour out upon us of Thy mercy, for Thou art the Lord of piety, the Lord of forgiveness, the Lord of bounty and beneficence, of grace and favor.

Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Bestow, moreover, upon the questioner a gift from Thy noble hand, that it may be unto him a fortress against the vicissitudes of time and a provision for his present need. Ever-flowing is Thy grace; Thou renderest unto every rightful claimant his due. Glory be unto thy Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they ascribe; and peace be upon the Messengers. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.”)