BB00024: Du’a’ li-Huruf-i-Bismi’llahi’r-Rahmani’r-Rahim
Part 1: “Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art…”
In the name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art the Creator of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them, their Ordainer, their Fashioner, their Originator, and their Author. Thou hast ever been the One God, Single, Self-Subsistent, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor son, and Thou hast created all things through Thy power and established the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them through Thy might. Nothing escapeth the dominion of Thy oneness, nor is anything concealed from the sovereignty of Thy Self-Subsistence, nor doth anything in the kingdoms of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them elude Thy power.
Thou hast transcended all things through the essential nature of Thy Being, and hast exalted Thyself through the pure essence of Thy Reality above the height of all things. Thou hast risen through the abstraction of Thy Self above the loftiness of all things, and hast established Thyself through the essence of Thy Identity above the inaccessibility of all things. Thou art the Most High, and all besides Thee bow down before Thee in worship and glorification and praise and sanctification. Thou art the Most Exalted, and all beneath Thy gaze extol Thy majesty and greatness and might and oneness.
Glorified art Thou, O my God! There is no moment when any can be associated with the sovereignty of Thy holiness and the dominion of Thy singleness. How could I ever aspire to ascend unto the heaven of Thy sanctified glory or rise unto the clouds of Thy exalted names? Ever hath Thy Reality praised Thy Reality, and all else doth praise Thee within the bounds of Thy sovereign might. Forever dost Thou magnify Thy Self through Thy Self, and should any besides Thee magnify Thee, it is but within the confines of the geometry Thou hast established through the limitations of Thy creation and brought into being through the manifestations of Thy might.
O my God, by such likeness are all likenesses and similitudes made known; and by such balance, O my Lord, are all geometries and names weighed. Thou art the Most Exalted, and unto the height of Thy loftiness do all ascend and before Thee bow the knee. Thou art the All-Transcending, and unto the summit of Thy exaltation do all lift their gaze and, standing in Thy presence, glorify Thy Name.
What, then, is the splendor of Thy beauty, above every beauty in the realm of origination! How august Thy majesty, surpassing every majesty within the domain of invention! How ravishing the comeliness of Thy countenance, and how sublime the glances of the eyes turned toward Thy Face among the kings of earth and heaven! How immeasurable the elevation of the sanctity of Thy self-subsisting oneness amid the billows of names and attributes! How radiant the effulgences of Thy unity, with Thy peerlessness, upon the surging seas of glory and detachment!
From everlasting hast Thou stood, single and alone, upon the throne of Thine essential might—far above all that Thou hast, by Thy power, brought forth. And forever wilt Thou remain, invincible and exalted, beyond all over whom Thou hast, by Thy sovereignty, conferred dominion. Every thing deriveth a sign of Thy glory; yet none among Thy creatures can hymn Thy praise as becometh the sublimity of Thy praise—though all things yearn to celebrate Thee according to the loftiness of Thy glorification. None can worthily laud Thee, for the eminence of Thy thanksgiving is unapproachable—albeit all things long to extol Thee, whilst Thy praise remaineth beyond their reach. None can truly unify Thee, for the dominion of Thy peerless oneness is self-sufficient—though all things yearn to acknowledge Thee, even as Thou hast affirmed Thine Essence by the altitude of Thine eternity.
None among Thy servants can magnify Thee as is meet, for the ascendant might of Thy majestic grandeur is insurmountable, yet all that dwell from the highest height unto the primal atom fain would exalt Thee according to the excellence of Thy majesty, the sublimity of Thy singleness, the loftiness of Thy self-subsistence, and the holiness of Thy radiant sanctity.
Thou art the Being who by Thy Will hast given being to all things; the Essence who by Thy purpose hast brought all things into being; the Light who by Thy power hast decreed all things; the All-Knowing who by Thy lordly knowledge hast numbered all things; the Fashioner who by the wondrous artistry of Thy gracious lordship hast formed all things. How resplendent is Thy glory, O my God, in the depths of might and detachment, and how sublime is Thy majesty, O my Beloved, in the kingdom of might and inaccessibility. How beauteous is the beauty of Thy holy Countenance in its bounty within the holy realms of might and majesty, and how delicate are the wondrous manifestations of the favors of Thy grandeur in the ultimate essences of might and joy.
I have ever glorified Thee through the essence of my being, certain that this befitteth not the majesty of Thy holy praise, and bearing witness that this befitteth not the loftiness of Thy holy sanctification. And in like manner do I praise Thee, O my Beloved, and proclaim Thy unity, O my Desire, and magnify Thee, O Thou to Whom I shall return and in Whom I find my resting-place. Thou hast ever clothed me in every vesture of Thy might, wherein Thou didst cause whomsoever Thou wouldst to hearken a hundredfold times; and all this within the Kingdom of the might of the sanctity of Thy loving care. And Thou ceaselessly settest in motion the ordinances of Thy subsistence, as Thou dost will. I know of naught that grieveth my knowledge before the Sovereign of Thy holy oneness. There ceaselessly rain down from the heaven of the bounty of Thy Lordship the rains of Thy wondrous mercy, and there unceasingly descend from the heaven of Thy holy love the outpourings of the wondrous effects of the manifestation of Thy power.
Can any whom Thou art his God be grieved by aught? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Can any whom Thou art his Lord […] from his knowledge of aught? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Can any whom Thou art his Creator be rendered powerless by aught? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Can any whom Thou art his Possessor have his dominion diminished by aught? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Can any whom Thou art his Sovereign be associated with aught? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee!
Through my recognition of Thy oneness shall I glory over all who dwell in the kingdom of Thy earth and the heaven of Thy Lordship, and through my acknowledgment of Thy oneness shall I rise above all the inhabitants of Thy realm. Is there any glory, O my God, save in submission to Thy oneness, and is there any exaltation, O my God, save in prostration before the Sovereign of Thy might? Nay, by Thy might! Through my humility before Thee shall I be raised above all who are exalted, and through my submissiveness before Thy eyes shall I ascend above all who are high.
Thine is the decree in its essence, and the praise in its purity, and the beginning in its pristine nature. Thou dost ever […] the people of Thy love with the holy fragrances of Thy attraction, and Thou causest to ascend whom Thou willest through what Thou bestowest upon them of the wondrous manifestations of Thy power to the horizon of the atmosphere of Thy love. Thou art He through connection with Whom none can be brought low, and through separation from Whose exalted sovereignty none can find independence.
Therefore unto Thee, O my God, […] all from the highest heights of the essence of my being to the lowest depths of the clay of my reality, for I witness as absolute truth and observe as the very essence of certainty that the clay which Thou hast attributed to Thyself in Thy Book causeth the necks of all who are mighty to bow down before it and the mightiest of the mighty to circle round it. The body which beforetime bore witness to all Thy tribulations—how do all the great ones among the mighty prostrate themselves before it and all the exalted ones among the wealthy humble themselves before it! If this be the effect of clay’s connection to Thee and the fruit of the body that was martyred in Thy path […] how much more so for him whom Thou hast chosen for the loftiness of Thy sanctification and […] for the exaltation of Thy glorification, whom Thou hast singled out for the elevation of Thy unity and preferred above all things for the inaccessibility of Thy magnification.
Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee, without my looking to aught else or […] […] in aught save Thy unity. Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee, without my heart finding rest in aught else or my being finding stability in any but Thee. Glory be unto Thee, O God, through Thy remembrance of me.
I shall verily glory over all who are in the Kingdom of Names and Attributes, and through My remembrance of Thee shall I triumph over all who are in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. And in that time, O my God, shall I soar in the atmosphere of Thy divine Unity, and wing my flight in the heights of Thy sovereignty, and praise Thee for what Thou art in the horizon of Thy dominion and kingdom. For he who seeketh Thee in the heights of Thy names, or desireth to tread the paths of Thy glory and transcendence, would not wish to descend from the heaven of Thy names to […] Thy creation or to be like Thy servants, for there all names are cut off and all likenesses are forbidden.
And I love Thy manifestation at the Point which Thou hast established in the Bayan through Thy creative power. Through Thee shall I behold Thee, and testify before Thee to that which Thou hast caused me to witness concerning Thyself, that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee, alone, without partner. Thine is the creation and the command, and Thine are might and transcendence, and Thine are power and exaltation, and Thine are joy and gladness, and Thine are grandeur and majesty, and Thine are sovereignty and splendor, and Thine are might and radiance, and Thine are the names and whatsoever Thou hast loved in Thy knowledge of the unseen realms of divine good-pleasure and the manifold wonders of Thy decree.
And I love to acknowledge the right of […] before Thee in the depths of Thy names, and to behold above the heads of all the manifestations of Thy likenesses, inasmuch as He hath preceded all Thy names through what Thou hast cast upon Him of Thy majesty and the sublimity of Thy transcendence.
And I shall say: O Thou Who art the Most Exalted above all that is exalted, O Thou Who art the Most Glorious above all possessed of glory, O Thou Who art the Most Holy above all possessed of transcendence, O Thou Who art the Most Elevated above all possessed of elevation, O Thou Who art the Most Great above all possessed of greatness! Is there any manifestation other than Thee, O my God, whereby I might be guided to Thee? Is there any remembrance besides Thee, O my Beloved, whereby I might remember Thee? Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Thou art the First before all things, and the Last after all things, and the Outward above all things, and the Inward beneath all things, and the Omnipotent over all things.
Exalted is Thy Being above description through similitudes of glory and majesty, and sanctified is Thy Essence from praise through manifestations of glory and beauty. Thou hast ever been one God, Single, Eternal, Independent, Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, nor hath Thy Being been joined with aught that Thou hast created or determined or fashioned or limited or numbered. The wonders of the signs of Thy power have ever shone forth upon the people of Thy dominion, and the evidences of Thy divine Unity have ever been raised up among those who dwell in the kingdom of Thy earth and heaven.
How shall I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Name which Thou hast made to precede all Thy names, and through which Thou hast brought into being what was and what will be until the end of Thy creation’s term, and through which Thou hast manifested those who dwell in the kingdom of Thy creation and Thy command! Verily Thou art He Who hath ever been and will ever be […] to Him through it from before when there was no beginning to when Thou didst manifest, and no limit to when Thou shalt manifest. Thine is the might and power, O Thou Who art possessed of strength and might! And Thine are grandeur and exaltation, O Thou Who art possessed of sovereignty and transcendence! And Thine are awe and detachment, O Thou Who art possessed of joy and gladness! And Thine are majesty and glory, O Thou Who art possessed of countenance and magnificence! And Thine are creation and command in the kingdom of origination, O Thou Who art possessed of ascents and attributes! And Thine are dominion and kingdom, O Thou Who art possessed of bounties!
O Ever-Bountiful One! The Sovereign of Thy hallowed munificence hath ever showered the rain of Thy lordly majesty from the heaven of Thy holy oneness upon those who dwell in the kingdom of Thy earth and the heaven of Thy loving-kindness. And forever shall the dawning-places of the command of the kingdom of the wondrous innovation of Thy lordship manifest that which Thou hast ordained in the kingdom of the might of Thy dominion through the marvelous handiwork of Thy transcendent unity. How exalted is Thy sublimity in the depths of names and similitudes, and how resplendent is Thy loftiness in the kingdom of might and majesty! Were the ocean to become ink for that which Thou art worthy of praise and glorification, it would be exhausted ere a single letter of the laudations of Thy supreme might or the glorification of Thy most great sanctity could be revealed.
Part 2: “And likewise, O my God, were I…”
And likewise, O my God, were I to desire to mention before Thee the letter M, or to raise it towards Thee, or to cause it to ascend unto Thy presence—for Thy knowledge hath ever penetrated all things, Thy power hath encompassed all things, Thy might hath prevailed over all things, and there existeth nothing in earth nor in heaven nor in what lieth between them save through Thy Will which Thou hast made to triumph over all things, and Thy Purpose which Thou hast caused to appear above all things, and Thy Power which Thou hast made to tower above all things, and Thy Decree which Thou hast made to transcend all things, and Thy Permission which Thou hast elevated above all things, and that which Thou hast exalted above all that Thou hast exalted, and that which Thou hast inscribed for the One Who is raised above all that is in earth and heaven and what lieth between them.
For these are the manifestations of Thy Cause ere the dawning-places of Thy names appear or the daysprings of Thy creation emerge from the horizon of the Unseen. For the first of Thy names in eternity consisteth of seven hidden letters, and the last symbol in the number of Him Who is Implored for Help is Thy Most Great Name inscribed, and between them are those for which there is no equal in the Book and which none can reckon save Thee, O Lord of Lords, Sovereign of Destiny, King of Fulfillment, Monarch of Glory, Master of Light, and Possessor of all things.
For verily, O my God, through this Thou hast created the essential gems, the adorned ornaments, and the hidden treasures which Thou hast created by Thy command, and through these beloved temples, praised dawning-places, and described rising-points, that they who dwell in the kingdom of Thy earth and heaven might glorify Thee. For this is the element of the water of the divine cloud wherein two latter letters are heard from the first letter, and what Thou lovest from the Primal Point is the mention of Thy Self, Thy Self:
“Verily I am God, there is no God but Me, the Lord of the Hereafter and the Former times.”
Yea, I bear witness unto that which Thou hast caused me to witness and made me to hear, that this is the fire through which Thou hast created all lights, and the ornament with which Thou hast adorned all ornaments, and the gems through which Thou hast magnified all the gems of names.
I beseech Thee therefore, O my God, to grant that I may attain unto that Fire on the Day of Resurrection at the first moment of its appearance and elevation, that I may hear from Thee that which Thou didst cause me to hear at that time in Thy Book, that Thou mayest transform the fire into light for me inasmuch as I will prostrate myself before Thee at the Gate on that Day at the manifestation of Thy Will and the dawning of Thy Purpose. For whoso entereth that Fire—the kindled Fire of God which flameth in the hearts—then if […] from him what is his and upon him, otherwise what he hath acquired will profit him not even if he should ascend to the highest horizon.
Therefore, by Thy glory, O my God, I seek refuge in Thee through the name of Thy Divinity and Thy Lordship and Thy Mercy, that Thou mayest protect me on the Day of Resurrection and attract me through the attraction of the unseen realm of Thy Lordship to acknowledge Thy truth at the appearance of Thy Messengers and Thy Books. For on that Day the servant was sitting in his self-existence when someone came to him with a book perchance […] Let him not turn to one who has come, nor copy that Book to act according to what is in it, for then he would be veiled from meeting God inasmuch as he turns not unto Him.
For this is the Book of God from Him Whom God shall make manifest, and these are the messengers of God from Him, even as Thou didst cause me to witness, O my God, on that Day of Resurrection when Thy messengers delivered Thy verses unto every soul, yet none were conscious of them save the God-fearing among Thy servants, after Thy proof had been perfected through but a single one of Thy verses. For Thou hast created within every soul the essence of understanding whereby it comprehendeth that through which its religion is established. And there is no doubt that Thou hast proven to all who believe in Thee that the Qur’an is from Thee, a proof unto every soul, as all on earth are powerless to produce its like.
Then Thou didst send down the like thereof in the Bayan, and Thy messengers delivered the same, yet none became conscious of it even to say to himself: “If I believe in God and His verses, since all else is powerless to produce its like, how then can I remain patient regarding these verses, when every soul is incapable of producing their like? I have no choice but to journey to the east and west of the earth until my heart finds peace, and to present this to every person of eloquence to see if they can produce its like. Then shall I return and if none has produced its like, I shall present myself before God and prostrate before the Point, for this is the Promised Day, the Day of Resurrection.
My Lord hath come and the angels rank upon rank, if I was truly a believer before. Otherwise God rejecteth those who believe not in Him, for He is independent of all who are in the heavens and earth and whatsoever is between them. He sendeth the Messengers and revealeth the Books that every soul might witness His guidance. Yet whoso turneth toward Him is guided by his Lord’s guidance, and whoso turneth not away hath […]. For this is the least sign that the mind in every soul can comprehend if it pondereth or reflecteth. Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou hast manifested Thy verses, sent forth Thy messengers, revealed Thy Books, established the Hour, resurrected, gathered, raised up, and presented every soul before Thee, yet they knew not their Lord. They have no eyes wherewith to perceive the presence of their Lord on the Day of Resurrection.
Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee. Verily Thou art manifest above all things, victorious over all things, inaccessible above all things, exalted above all things, transcendent above all things, and supreme over all things. Never have […] Thy servants ceased to be drawn into the gardens of Thy good-pleasure through the exaltation of Thy independence, the sovereignty of Thy Self-Subsistence and Thy transcendence. And Thou shalt ever desire to send down upon all Thy creation that which guideth them at the dawning of Thy Cause and the shining forth of the light of Thy countenance, for this is of the nature of Thy favors unto Thy servants and the wondrous lights of Thy holy dominion for those whom Thou hast created in the kingdoms of Thy earth and heaven.
Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee. I beseech Thee by him who recognized Thy Manifestation on the Day of Resurrection before all else and presented himself before Thee, his heart drawn unto Thee […] then recognized Thy truth and worshipped Thee sincerely and purely, apart from aught else beside Thee. For Thou hast created all things for Thy unity and hast forbidden Paradise unto whoever ascribeth partners unto Thee. How then can the servant profess Thy unity while seeing for the Point an equal, or likeness, or peer, or similitude, or companion? Glorified art Thou far above that!
Verily He is the Mirror of Thy Self, the Manifestation of Thine Essence, the Countenance of Thy Being, the Sign of Thy Singleness, and the Token of Thy Oneness. Thou hast made the beginning of religion to be the knowledge of Thee. Then Thou hast joined to the knowledge of Thee Thy unity. Then Thou hast called all Thy creation to witness to Thy justice in Thy heavens and Thy independence from all Thy servants. Then Thou hast caused all things to know the true sanctification from the precincts of Thy holiness, such as Thy names and the loftiness of Thy examples, for all besides Thee is creation and within Thy grasp. Verily Thou hast ever been the Revealer of all things through Thyself and the Creator of all things through Thine essence. By Thy word Thou createst what Thou sayest […]
Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee. I shall glorify Thee in the Manifestations of Thy praise at morn and eventide, and I shall testify before Thee in the letter Alif as Thou hast caused me to testify that Thou, O my God, art detached from the manifestations of Thy names and exalted above the like of Thy examples. Thou hast ever sustained the people of Thy kingdom through the manifestations of Thy praise, and Thou sendest down the winds of Thy joy upon those in the kingdom of Thy holiness and Thy glorification. Glorified art Thou beyond my mentioning Thee through the mention of Thy creation or my praising Thee with praise other than Thine own. Thou art He Who hath distinguished Himself in the horizon of the excellence of grandeur and majesty, and Thou art He Who hath elevated Himself in the loftiness of the exaltation of Thine eternity through the sovereignty of might and majesty. Thou drawest the people of Thy love unto Thee through the fragrances of the holiness of Thy Lordship, and Thou sendest down upon those in the kingdom of Thy creation and Thy grace the winds from the holy places of Thy Lordship.
Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been existing before all things and Thou wilt ever be existing after all things. Thou hast brought the universe into being through itself and established it in […] its essence and sustained it through the power of Thy Self-Subsistence and preserved it through the independence of Thy Holiness. Thine is the dominion and the most sublime praise above all praise. Verily Thou, O my God, art reckoned in the hereafter and the former times, and unto Thee belong the most great praises, O my Lord, according to what Thou lovest in the kingdom of the Most High down to the lowest atom. Who is able to praise Thee according to the merit of Thy Lordship or to thank Thee according to the exaltation of Thy holy eternity? For my gratitude to Thee, O my God, is naught but the heart of my praise, and my praise of Thee is naught but the extent of my nothingness. Indeed, that wherewith Thou praisest Thyself is above all praise and most high, for Thou art the Everlasting, Who hast ever been and wilt ever be through Thine own existence, O Thou the Possessor of Glory and Splendor.
And that wherewith Thy Being thanks itself is that which Thy Selfhood deserves, O Thou the Possessor of Grandeur and Exaltation. Thou hast ever been enduring after the passing of all things, and knowing what Thou hast created out of nothing, and triumphant above what Thou hast brought into being not from anything, and exalted above what Thou hast caused to exist not from anything, and sanctified above what Thou hast originated not from anything.
Thine is the most exalted sublimity, O Thou the Possessor of Power and Independence, in the kingdom of earth and heavens, and Thine is the most resplendent glory, O Thou the Possessor of Countenance and Beauty, in the kingdom of beginning and endings. Who can praise Thee according to the merit of Thy Singleness or thank Thee according to the merit of Thy Oneness? Nay, by Thy might! Thou art He Whom none besides Thee can know, and none save Thyself can unify. All Thy creation is within Thy grasp. Thou ordainest as Thou pleasest what Thou pleasest, and there is no might nor power except through Thee, O Thou the Possessor of Power and Glory, and O Thou the Possessor of Might and Praise, and O Thou the Possessor of Grandeur and Pride, and O Thou the Possessor of Sovereignty and Light, and O Thou the […] All praise, love and contentment be unto Thee!
Glorified art Thou! There is none other God but Thee! This is my remembrance in the letter Alif, O my God, before Thee. I behold none save Thee, for hadst Thou not revealed it unto it from Thy presence, it would have no remembrance, and hadst Thou not deposited therein the likeness of Thy Cause, it would have nothing. Thine is the creation and the command, both before and after, and Thine is the might and sovereignty in the kingdom of heaven and earth. Even so, O my God, were I to praise Thee in the letter Lam, verily Thou art the First therein and the Last thereof, the Outward above it and the Inward within its mystery, and the Almighty in its manifestation.
From time immemorial, O my God, Thou hast been one God, single in majesty and glory, and unto eternity, O my Beloved, Thou shalt remain inaccessible in power and beauty. None can praise Thee as befitteth Thy station, neither in the kingdom of earth and heavens, nor can any thing render thanks save in the kingdom of names and attributes. Thou hast ever been one God, Single, Eternal, Self-Subsisting, Living, the Self-Sustaining. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, and Thou hast had no partner in the kingdom of Thy might, nor any protector in the sanctuary of Thy transcendent glory. Thou hast nourished all Thy creation with the breaths of the lights of Thy manifestation, and Thou hast caused all things to know the exemplars of Thy Cause through what Thou hast created in them of the repositories of Thy sanctification and praise, and what is reared through Thy upbringing.
Thou art the One existing before all things in the essence of Thy Being, and existing with all things in the camphor of Thy Self, and formed with all things in the mere essence of Thy Soul, and remaining after all things in the simplicity of Thy Identity. The attributes of those possessed of might and detachment are baffled in Thee, and the examples of those endued with wisdom and elevation are bewildered in Thee. Glorified art Thou beyond my rendering thanks for Thy bountiful favors, or my offering praise for the sublimity of Thy bestowals.
Part 3: “Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee!…”
Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Thine is the creation and the command, both before and after. The lights of Thy splendor have ever shone upon them that love Thee, and the manifestations of the might of Thy mercy have ever been exalted for those who dwell in the kingdom of Thy earth and Thy heaven. When wert Thou ever concealed from Thy creation, that any should seek evidence of other than Thee to attain unto Thee? And when did any thing in Thy dominion ever lose Thee, that it should make a path to Thee apart from Thee, O Thou Who art the King! Glorified art Thou! There is none other God but Thee, before and after, then in the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them.
Thou dost send down in every age the winds of the joy of Thy Self-Subsistence upon the dwellers of Thy kingdom, and the rains of Thy love upon them that abide in the kingdom of Thy might and Thy favor. For Thou, O my God, hast created that letter and what preceded it, and what Thou hast numbered after it of Lam and Ha, in the essence of the mere void, and the pattern of the camphor of blindness, and the simplicity of the being of extinction, and the ultimate pure camphoric nature of destiny.
Glorified art Thou, O my God, through what these luminous letters praise, and through which Thou dost provide sustenance to whomsoever Thou willest, from every provision from the most exalted height to the lowliest atom. Do Thou nourish our hearts with the might of Thy glorification, our spirits with the sublimity of Thy praise, our souls with the exaltation of Thy unity, and our bodies with the inaccessibility of Thy magnification. For Thou art the Lord of bounty and majesty, the Lord of gifts and grace. Thy provision is extended to all Thy servants, and what Thou sendest down from the treasuries of Thy creation is known to the manifestations of Thy creation and Thy examples. Thou hast ever created what Thou lovest for whom Thou desirest to provide with the wonders of Thy provision, and Thou dost send down upon whom Thou willest as Thou willest what Thou hast […] by Thy leave. Glory be unto Thee beyond all my thanksgiving to Thee, and I would sanctify Thee beyond all praise of Thee.
Glory be unto Thee, O my God! If in like manner I should wish to observe the lights of Thy Countenance in the letter Lam, and behold the daysprings of the Sun of Thy Lordship in that vast ocean wherein Thou dost ever […] those within it through the manifestations of Thy holy dominion, and drawest whom Thou willest from among those who dwell therein through the wonders of Thy creation of oneness. Thou hast ever been exalted above all exaltation that any thing in the kingdom of earth and heaven can comprehend, and wilt ever remain sanctified above all sanctification that the knowledge of aught can encompass in the kingdoms of origination and creation.
Thou art God, there is no God but Thee, alone with no partner. Thine is the creation and the command, and Thine the glory and the majesty. Thou art unique in the attracting power of Thy transcendence above all likenesses and similitudes, and mighty in the elevation of Thy Self-Subsistence above all geometry and indications. Thou art the Being Who hath brought all things into being through Thy Essence, and Thou art the Creator Who hath created through Thy Will that which Thou hast created, and the Being Who shall verily remain through the life of Thine Own Self after the passing of all things.
Glory be unto Thee, there is no God but Thee. Thine is the creation and the command, before and after. The places of Thy glory have ever been resplendent for the people of Thy Cause, and the gifts of the sovereignty of […] exalted over the dwellers of Thy realm. How can I praise Thee, O my God, when I am utterly powerless to attain unto that which Thou hast reserved unto Thyself in the knowledge of the Unseen with Thee from among Thy decrees? Exalted be Thy Essential Being, O my God, and sanctified be Thy Abstract Entity, O my Beloved, and glorified be Thy Pure Self, O my Heart’s Desire, and elevated be Thy Camphorated Identity, O my Vision, above the most subtle thing perceived by the lights or the most delicate thing witnessed by the eyes.
Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Do Thou therefore send down at this moment from the darkened heaven of Thy favors and the revolving spheres of Thy bounty upon the Tree of Thy Oneness that which befitteth the sublimity of Thy holy Uniqueness and the transcendence of Thy Self-Sufficiency, for unto Thee belong the names in their essence and unto Thee the similitudes in their reality. Thou didst manifest the Point in the Dayspring of the Bayan only to establish Thy unity—not in the sense of numerical oneness in Thy name, nay, but in that Thou art One, beyond reckoning by numbers, wherein Thou hast singled out the mirror of Thy Self, the Point, with its verses, manifestations, conditions and wondrous lights, in absolute uniqueness wherein nothing can be associated with it, neither the letter Sin nor the letters which Thou hast chosen after it, nor that which Thou hast testified to in the depths of Thy names and the seas of Thy similitudes, that every soul might be convinced of the meaning that He is One, not in a numerical sense, that they might thereby infer Thy unity and see nothing for itself from anything except through what dawneth from the horizon of His Command, that all things might be assured that all destinies are in Thy hands—Thou doest what Thou willest as Thou willest.
Thou hast no partner in Thy doing nor any associate in Thy command, for whatsoever besides Thee upon which the name of a thing can be conferred is Thy creation and in Thy grasp, that it might worship Thee and prostrate before Thee and glorify Thee and praise Thee. There is no might nor power except through Thee.
Therefore, O my God, do Thou send down at this moment from the Supreme Horizon, from the summit of Thy bounty, and from the Most Exalted Height of Thy favors, upon those who are in the depths of Thy names and similitudes that which befitteth the sublimity of Thy giving and the transcendence of Thy majesty. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things. And if in like manner, O my God, I should wish to journey in the vast ocean of Thy glory and the dawning-place of the divinity of the Dayspring of Thy munificence, verily Thou art […] Ever dost Thou remember those who remember Thee, and exalt those who bow down before Thee, aid those who seek victory through Thee, and cause to ascend unto Thee those who humble themselves before Thee. Glorified, glorified art Thou above that which Thy servants desire, and glorified, glorified art Thou above that which is indicated by the manifestations of Thy creation.
Thou hast ever been alone in the sovereignty of might and independence, and wilt ever remain exalted in the dominion of sanctity and grandeur. Thou art He Who existed before all things, and Thou art He Who will continue to exist after all things have perished. Thou rememberest those who remember Thee through the sublimity of Thy names, and causest to ascend unto Thee those whom Thou lovest through the loftiness of Thy exaltation. Thou art He Who existed before all things through the existence of Thine Essence, and Who will remain after all things have perished through the reality of Thine Entity. Thou hast ever manifested Thyself to the sites of Thy creation through the appearance of Thy similitudes, and wilt ever raise up whomsoever Thou pleasest among Thy servants unto the depths of Thy holiness and bounty.
Nothing hath ever come to be except through Thy permission, nor any might existed save through attribution to Thee, nor any path save what Thou hast established through the manifestations of Thy glorious creation and the daysprings of Thy holy bounty. Thou art He Who hath brought all things into being through Thy Will, and ordained all things through the sovereignty of Thy might. Thine is the power and independence, and Thine the strength and transcendence. Thou ordainest what Thou willest as Thou willest through what Thou willest, and fashionest what Thou desirest as Thou desirest through what Thou desirest. Through the sublimity of Thy sanctification Thou art sanctified above all things, and through Thy grandeur Thou art exalted above the heights of all things. Thou art the Being Whom no vision can attain, and the Creator Whose reality is beyond the gaze of all eyes.
Glorified and exalted art Thou. Thine is the creation and the command, both before and after. Thou hast ever been one God, single, unique, and eternal. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, nor hath Thine Essence been joined with any manifestation of Thy creation. No partner hast Thou had in what Thou hast created, nor any associate in what Thou hast fashioned.
Thou dost ever attract the people of Thy Kingdom through Thy words which descend from the heaven of Thy bounty, and raise unto Thee those who dwell in the depths of Thy earth and heaven through the verses which Thou sendest down from above the highest heavens by Thy creative power. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, before and after. Thou givest life and causest death, then causest death and givest life, and verily Thou art the Ever-Living Who dieth not, and the One from Whose grasp nothing escapeth, whether in the heavens or on the earth or between them. All are guided by Thee, all are illumined by Thy light, all are exalted by Thy sublimity, all call upon Thy names by night and by day, and all glorify Thy similitudes throughout the night and the ends of the day.
Send down, therefore, O my God, from the seat of Thy hiddenness and from the stations of Thy might that which befitteth the sublimity of Thy bounty and the excellence of Thy gift. Verily, Thou providest for whomsoever Thou willest as Thou willest through what Thou willest when Thou willest, without measure and without account, then without limit and without end. The treasuries of Thy Command have ever been and will ever remain established by Thy Command. Thou createst in every moment whatsoever Thou willest by Thy Command. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.
And in like manner, O my God, were I to soar in the heaven of Thy oneness and ascend through a thousand years in the heights of Thy sanctification—Thine is the creation and the command, before and after. Who can unite Thee according to the truth of Thy unity, or prostrate before Thee according to the truth of Thy grandeur, or behold the lights of Thy Self-Sufficiency, or shine with the radiance of the wondrous signs of Thy Lordship? Thou art the Exalted through Whose ascendancy all ascend. Thou art the Being Who hath brought all things into existence through Thy Will, and the Essence Who hath created all things through Thy Purpose, and the Light Who hath illumined the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that lieth between them through the radiance of Thy Countenance.
Thou hast ever been the One God, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining, the All-Wise, the Just, the Holy. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor son, and Thou hast no partner in sovereignty nor any protector in all matters save by Thy leave. Thou didst create all things and ordain them with precision, Thou didst originate all things and fashion them perfectly, and Thou didst bring forth all things and arrange them with consummate wisdom. Unto Thee belong the greatest praise in the kingdom on high even unto the primal atom, and unto Thee belongeth the supreme glorification in the exalted kingdom unto the uttermost end.
Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I proclaim Thy unity after having praised and glorified Thy Being? The holy glances of Thy favour have ever shone forth from the right and the left, and the wondrous tokens of Thy bestowing Sovereignty descend from their sources and whatsoever Thou hast ordained in the horizon of wonders in every matter of marvelous creation, and in every moment with sublime and lofty praise, and in every nine times nineteen measures of resplendent and exalted glory. Thou art He Whom none besides Thee can befittingly glorify, and Thou art He Whom none other than Thyself can adequately praise, and Thou art He Whom none can truly unify save Thyself, and Thou art He Whom none can properly magnify except Thee.
Thou hast ever drawn the people of Thy love through the holy fragrances of Thy Lordship and caused the people of Thy Cause to die through the glances of the lights of Thy mercy, that Thou mightest bring them unto that which Thou hast ordained in the Most Exalted Horizon with Thee of the most glorious creation, the most elevated sublimity, the most impregnable names, the most exalted similitudes, the greatest signs, and the most gracious favors. For in Thy hands, O my God, lie the destinies of all things in the Hereafter and in the former life, and in Thy grasp, O my Beloved, are the seats of glory in the kingdom on high even unto the lowest atom.
Glorified art Thou, there is no God but Thee! Thou hast ever drawn the people of Thy Cause unto the horizon of Thy good-pleasure and Thy manifestation, and the dwellers of Thy realm unto the summit of the glory of Thy unity and Thy nurture. Glorified art Thou from being mentioned through any save Thyself or being known through aught except Thee. Unto Thee belong creation and command, from first to last, in the kingdom on high even unto the lowest atom.
And likewise, O my God, were I to voyage upon the sea of Thy graciousness and embark upon the ark that saileth upon that sea through the manifestations of the glory of Thy bestowal—for Thou hast created in that Word that those who dwell in the kingdom of Thy heaven and earth might seek shelter beneath its shade—all things would suffice themselves with what Thou hast ordained therein of the sublimity of Thy unity and the exaltation of Thy glorification.
Part 4: “Thou art He Who hath brought all things…”
Thou art He Who hath brought all things into being through Thy Will and created whatsoever existeth in the kingdom on high even unto the lowest atom through Thy Purpose. Thou hast ever been alone in the sovereignty of sanctity and majesty, and Thou shalt ever remain exalted in the dominion of might and bounty. Thou dost ordain as Thou pleasest through what Thou pleasest whenever Thou pleasest, and Thou dost bring to pass what Thou willest as Thou willest through what Thou willest.
Thou art He Who hath raised up the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them through Thy power, and sustained all things through the reality of their being by Thy will. Thou hast ordained no glory save for those who have detached themselves from all else but Thee and have ascended unto the horizon of Thy majesty before Thee. Glorified art Thou, there is no God but Thee! Thou givest life and causest death, then causest death and givest life, and Thou art the Ever-Living Who dieth not, and the Single One from Whose grasp nothing escapeth.
Ever hath Thy Being praised Thy Being, Thy Essence sanctified Thy Essence, Thy Self unified Thy Self, and Thy Identity magnified Thy Identity. Thou dost cause the gardens of the heaven of the cloud of Thy Lordship and the essences of the lights of the unseen of Thy Divinity to descend upon whom Thou hast encompassed by Thy knowledge and created by Thy power. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Thou givest life and causeth death, and Thou art indeed in the most exalted horizon, Single One from Whom none can escape. Then Thou causeth death and givest life, and Thou art indeed in the most exalted horizon, the Ever-Living Who dieth not.
Ever have the wonders of the Sovereign of Thy holy Self-Sufficiency shone resplendent upon all who are in the kingdom of Thy earth and heaven, and that which Thou hast ordained for the Sovereign of the might of Thy Singleness—whom Thou hast brought into being in the places of the holiness of Thy Lordship—Thou hast made abstracted and inaccessible. Glorified art Thou beyond being mentioned by any mention save Thine own, or being known by any knowledge save Thine own. Thou hast been single in the sanctity of Beauty and exalted unto the summit of Glory as befitteth the loftiness of Thy holiness and the sublimity of Thy elevation, O Thou Who art possessed of might and glory, O Thou Who art possessed of power and action!
Who can be veiled from Thy countenance when it is manifest and resplendent? And who cannot comprehend the knowledge of Thy good-pleasure and Will when it is upraised and all-prevailing? How canst Thou will to give Thy servants from the gifts of Thy Lordship, yet not will to give what Thou hast chosen for the repositories of the unseen of Thy might? And how […] who knoweth Thee not and standeth not for Thy right from what is with Thee of the manifestations of the might of Thy Singleness? And how can that which extendeth its eyes toward Thee not reach Thee?
Glorified art Thou! This is not what Thou lovest except by what Thou hast loved, and if Thou sendest down aught upon one who hath not known Thy right, it would not be from Thy love for him. Is this so that Thou mightest manifest Thy proof unto him and make him know the places of Thy wondrous creation with Thee? Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Ever hast Thou been single in the might of the Divine Identity and sanctified in the glory of the might of Self-Sufficiency. Thou ordainest as Thou pleasest by what Thou pleasest and Thou sendest down as Thou willest by what Thou willest.
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Similarly, were I to desire to soar in the atmosphere of the heaven of Thy Lordship or the supreme heights of the heaven of Thy mercy, verily Thou hast ever been and wilt ever be manifested in all things through the existence of their own selves unto them, and Thou ordainest the places of Thy might for whosoever is manifested at Thy manifestation through the expressions of his might with Thee. Thou art the One Who hath brought all beings into existence through Thy Being, and the Essence Who hath created all essences through Thy Will. Ever hast Thou been exalted in the supremacy of holiness and glory, and inaccessible in the sovereignty of the might of bounty and grace.
How can one who hath been brought into existence through creation unify Thee, or one who hath been endowed with invention sanctify Thee? Glorified art Thou, O my God, and exalted above all similitudes and likenesses! Glorified art Thou, O my God, and sanctified above all geometry and indications! Ever hast Thou been one God, Single, Unique, Eternal, Self-Subsisting, Ever-Living, Self-Sustaining. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, and Thou hast no partner in sovereignty nor any protector in the earth save by Thy leave. Thou ordainest the measures of Thy Will as Thou pleasest through the sovereignty of the might of Thy Singleness, and Thou createst what Thou willest as manifestations of the might of Thy Lordship.
Ever hast Thou been one God, Single, Unique, Eternal, Self-Subsisting, Ever-Living, Self-Sustaining. Thou hast not taken for Thyself any consort or son, and Thou hast no partner in what Thou hast created nor any protector in what Thou hast fashioned. Thou hast ordained all measures through the creation of the wonder of Thy Lordship, and Thou hast sent down all arrangements from the repository of the unseen of Thine eternity for whomsoever Thou lovest from the places of the holiness of Thy care. Unto Thee be the Most Glorious Glory, O my God, above all praise, and the Most Exalted One, O my Beloved, above all heights! Thou hast ever drawn the people of Thy love through the holy glances of Thy countenance, and dost ceaselessly send down upon those in the kingdom of Thy earth and the heaven of Thy dominion that which will raise them to the horizon of the good-pleasure of Thy love and the light of the glory of Thy transcendent might.
Through Thy power, from which nothing can withstand Thy will, and through Thy might, which no thing can frustrate before Thy strength, Thou dost quicken whom Thou willest through the manifestations of Thy glorious grandeur, the holy revelations of Thy eternal sovereignty, the conditions of Thy glorious oneness, and the dawning-places of Thy wondrous bounty. For verily Thou hast ever been powerful over whatsoever Thou didst desire, exalted above what Thou hast ordained, sovereign over what Thou hast decreed, transcendent above what Thou hast ruled, and elevated above all that Thou hast executed. Thou givest life and causeth death, for Thou art the Ever-Living Who dieth not. Then Thou causest death and givest life, for Thou art the Single One from Whose will nothing can escape. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee.
And in like manner, O my God, were I to remember Thee in the letter Ha, the Dawning-Place of the clouds of light and the glory of radiant good-pleasure in the kingdom of earth and heaven—for Thou, O my God, hast ever possessed similitudes and likenesses through which Thou dost manifest Thyself at every moment as Thou willest, through what Thou willest, whenever Thou willest. Thine are the dawning-places and origins in the heights of detachment, as Thou dost regard all things with wondrous glory and favor. Thou art the One Who hath ever been and will ever be, and Thou art the Creator of all things through power and independence. Thou art the One Who existeth after all things without any mention of change or transition.
For Thou hast ever been, O my God, one God, Single, Eternal, Self-Subsisting, Ever-Living, Self-Sustaining. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, and Thou hast had no partner in sovereignty nor any protector in what Thou hast fashioned. Thou hast ordered all things through the wondrous craftsmanship of Thy Lordship. Who can reckon Thy names or comprehend the knowledge of Thy likenesses, when nothing is seen therein save Thyself, and naught is perceived therein but Thee? How can one be guided to Thee or find rest in Thy shadow without departing from Thee to aught else?
Glorified art Thou from my seeing in Thy names aught but Thy revelation to them through them, wherein nothing is seen except Thee. For these are mirrors wherein naught can be seen save the Sun of Thy Divinity. Should they be faced by other mirrors, there would be impressed in them what Thou hast revealed unto them of Thyself, from their manifestation therein unto them, and there would be reflected in them what light of Thine hath shone upon all in the kingdom of Thy earth and Thy heaven through their creation therein. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Thine is the creation and the command, before and after.
Whoso knoweth Thee as the One besides Whom there is no God, alone with no partner, knoweth Thee through Thy names as the manifestations of Thy Lordship in the kingdom of Thy earth and Thy heaven, and the likenesses of Thy countenance in the kingdom of Thy creation and Thy fashioning. Thou art the Manifest above all things, the Hidden beneath all things, the First before all things, and the Last after all things. Thou hast taken as witness to Thy manifestation and the Dawning-Places of Thy Name that which Thou didst send aforetime through Thy Beloved One, for all who have recognized Thy oneness have recognized it through Him. Similarly hast Thou created all whereby those who believe in Thy unity may ascend through the rising of His light, and unto Thee shall all things return in like manner as Thou didst create them through the manifestation of His mystery.
Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Nothing existeth beside Thee. No one’s praise is worthy of Thy mention, nor can any acclaim befit Thee, for all praise in its essence confesses that it is Thy creation, and every mention in its nature bears witness that it is Thy servant. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, before and after all things. Send down, O my God, the tokens of Thy sanctified glory upon the manifestations of Thy similitudes and the dawning-places of Thy transcendence in the kingdom of Thy earth and heaven. For verily Thou, O my God, hast ever been in a wondrous condition and a new and lofty manifestation that none of Thy creatures can comprehend, nor can anyone but Thee encompass its knowledge.
Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, for Thy essence hath glorified itself. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, for Thou hast praised Thyself through Thine own being. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, for Thou hast unified Thy pure essence through Thy camphor-like nature. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, for Thou hast magnified the Sovereign of Thy holy eternity as befitteth the sublimity of Thy sacred Lordship. For whatsoever appeareth in the kingdom of Thy earth and heaven befitteth not the dawning-places of Thy holy favors. Thou hast ever been, before what is reflected in the mirrors of the hearts of them that have recognized Thy unity, exalted in Thy bounty and transcendent in Thy grace.
For how can the forms of reflected images and mirrored examples comprehend the reality of the Sun of Thy oneness or know the essence of the Countenance of Thy sanctity, when such is impossible in creation and unattainable in invention? Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, before all things. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, after all things. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, above all things. Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee, beneath all things.
Create, O my God, from the letters of unity in these words, that they may thereby be guided unto Thee in every circumstance, through what Thou hast cast forth of the wondrous signs of Thy Lordship and the hidden treasures of Thine eternity. For verily Thou art the One with power over this, none beside Thee, and the Exalted above this, none other than Thee. Nothing is hidden from Thy knowledge, whether in the heavens or on the earth or between them, and nothing in the kingdom of command or creation or what lieth beneath them can frustrate Thee. Thou art powerful over all things, encompassing all things, watchful over all things, and witness unto all things. Thou createst, and hast ever created and will ever create as Thou willest by Thy command. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.
And likewise, O my God, were all atoms to be established upon the throne of the holy kingdom of Thy sovereignty, or were they to arise to the throne of Thy holy love in the kingdom of earth and heaven—for Thou hast ever, O my God, manifested Thyself unto those Thou hast created through the wondrous lights of Thy glory, and Thou dost raise up whomsoever Thou willest to the horizon of Thy holy favor. Thou art Being by right, for verily all besides Thee, if it be mentioned, hath come to be through Thy being, and if it hath any deed, all deeds have been endowed with existence through Thy causation. They glorify Thee not as befitteth the glorification of the Essence of Thy Being, nor praise Thee as befitteth the praise of the Reality of Thy Names and Attributes, nor unify Thee as befitteth the unification of the Identity of Glory and Deeds, nor magnify Thee as befitteth the magnification amid the depths of Glory and Beauty, nor worship Thee as befitteth worship in the highest heaven of exaltation and the most glorious height of transcendence.
For this is what is possible in the depths of names and attributes, but what Thou deservest—none can worship Thee thus. How then can one who has no way to comprehend the essence of knowing Thine eternity possibly worship Thee? Glorified art Thou above this, and exalted art Thou beyond that! All worship Thee according to what Thou hast created in them of the likeness of Thy creation, and all unite in Thy oneness through what Thou hast deposited within them of the signs of Thy handiwork.
Part 5: “Thou hast ever been the One God, Single…”
Thou hast ever been the One God, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Ever-Living, Self-Sustaining. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, and Thou hast had no partner in dominion nor any protector in the earth save by Thy leave, nor any command except from Thy presence. For verily Thou art the Subduer over all things through the sovereignty of Thy Lordship’s dominion, and the Omnipotent over all things through the power of Thy Self-Subsisting sovereignty. Never dost Thou conceal Thyself from Thy creation such that they would fail to find Thee in anything, and never art Thou absent from anyone in anything, for all else besides Thee is utter poverty before Thy wealth and absolute nothingness before Thy presence.
Glorified art Thou! There is no God but Thee. Thou dost ever shower from the heaven of Thy Lordship the outpourings of Thy sovereign might upon those whom Thou hast created or wilt create from the wonders of Thy Self-Subsisting glory, that Thou mightest raise them to the horizon of Thy oneness and the heights of Thy sanctity. And Thou wilt ever raise Thy servants to the depths of Thy holiness and Thy uniqueness through what Thou createst in every moment of the manifestations of Thy glory and detachment. Thou art the Being Who hath brought the universe into being through Thy Will, and the Essence Who hath created all things through Thy Purpose. Thou dost number all that is in Thy heaven and the earth of Thy love and whatsoever lieth between them, while none besides Thee can encompass it in knowledge. Thou art He Who hath power over all Thou hast created and art exalted above all Thou hast brought into being. Thou givest life and death to what Thou createst from naught of death and life, then causest to die and givest life through what Thou originatest from nothing by the creation of glory and majesty.
I shall never cease, O my God, to unite in Thy oneness, and there is no end to my praise of Thee, for that is the ocean of light with Thee, wherewith Thou hast sealed the manifestations of Thy unity. Even if Thou, O my God, shouldst create for the manifestations of Thy glorification, after the primal letters, that which none but Thee can enumerate, and for the manifestations of Thy praise that which none but Thee can encompass in knowledge, and for the manifestations of Thy unity that which none but Thee can count, and for the manifestations of Thy grandeur that which none but Thee can reckon—for there is no creator of all things besides Thee, O my God, nor any provider, nor any who causes death save Thee, nor any who gives life. Thou art singular in the creation of things, transcendent in sustaining what Thou hast created through origination, elevated above what Thou hast caused to die through the dominion of decree, and sanctified above what Thou hast given life through the sovereignty of destiny.
Thou art He Who hath possessed all things through Thy might, Who art unique above all things through Thy grandeur, Who art independent upon the throne of the dominion of Thy Self-Subsistence and Thy Oneness, Who art established upon the seat of the glory of Thy All-Holiness in Thy unity, and Who art exalted upon the throne of Thy camphor-like essence through the independence of Thy Self-Subsistence. Thou art the Light for whom Thou hast illumined in the depths of names and similitudes, and Thou art the Ordainer of light, its Fashioner, and its Originator.
Thou hast ever been Light before all light, and Light after all light, and Light besides all light, and Light with all light. Thou createst what Thou willest through the dominion of Thy eternal holiness, and Thou originatest what Thou desirest through the sovereignty of Thy Lordship’s glory. Thou art the One, O my God, not in the numerical sense wherein nine attains before ten, and verily Thou, O my God, art the Single, not in the numerical sense wherein three attains after ten.
Thou hast created a Tree in creation and made it the Manifestation of Thy oneness, distinguished from all similitude through the manifest signs wherewith Thou hast endowed it, that all created things might testify that there is none other God but Thee, Creator of earth and heaven, Fashioner of all that exists in the kingdom of might and in the ultimate reaches of existence, and Originator of all that dwells in the depths of similitudes and ultimate ends. Thy self-sufficiency hath ever been manifest above all the dwellers of Thy realm, and the poverty of all things remaineth forever concealed in the abysses of all the manifestations of Thy wondrous sovereignty. I beseech Thee, O my God, by the manifestations of Thy glorification before Thy praise, and the manifestations of Thy unity after Thy praise, and the manifestations of Thy greatness whereby Thou givest life and death and sustenance and creation as Thou willest, through what Thou willest, when Thou willest, how Thou willest.
For Thou, O my God, hast ever been exalted above all things through the Sovereign Power of creation, and inaccessible in Thy transcendent height through the authority of destiny.
Never have the traces of the wondrous things of Thy Lordship ceased to shine upon the denizens of the kingdom of the holiness of Thy care, nor have the manifestations of the might of Thy sovereignty ever failed to be exalted above those who dwell in the realm of Thy power and Thy greatness. Thine alone are creation and command; Thou hast no partner. Thou givest life and Thou causest death; then Thou causest death and Thou givest life. In Thy right hand is the kingdom of might and glory, and within Thy grasp are the measures of holiness and bounty. Thou bestowest upon whom Thou willest, how Thou willest, with whatsoever Thou willest; and Thou withdrawest from whom Thou willest, how Thou willest, with whatsoever Thou willest—bringing into being at every moment archetypes and exemplars, and originating in every state designs and manifestations.
Thou art the Creator of that which Thou hast created, the Ordainer of that which Thou hast ordained, the Fashioner of that which Thou hast fashioned, the Limiter of that which Thou hast limited, and the Builder of that which Thou hast raised. Thou dost number the wonders of the kingdom of Thy earth and the heaven of Thy Lordship, and Thou dost encompass all that hath been brought into being at every moment by the irrevocable decree of the King of Thy sovereignty. Whatsoever Thou hast loved of Thy creatures, or desirest to make manifest unto them of the marvels of Thy dominion—Thine, verily, are the archetypes and the similitudes, before and after. There is no power except Thine.
And were it, in like manner, O my God, that Thou shouldst love that I fly in the heaven of the holiness of Thy magnifying, after that Thou hast drawn me forth—by the wondrous craft of Thy exalted and invincible mercy—from the ocean of Thy oneness, this would be through that water whereby all things live, and whereby Thou causest all things to die. Glorified art Thou! There is none other God but Thee. How shall I remember Thee, O my God, by the remembrance of the letter alif, in that most exalted station and most joyous, most glorious horizon?
Thou art the One Who is unique in names and attributes, and Thou art the Sanctified One in the sovereignty of majesty, might and glory. Who is able to glorify Thee when all that can be comprehended beneath Thee was created by Thy command? And who can ascend to the threshold of Thy holy grandeur save by what Thou hast permitted from the places of might of Thy Lordship in the depths of Thy holiness and the dominion of Thy Self-Subsistent Glory?
Thou art the Being Who hath no peer; Thou art the Creator Who hath no equal; Thou art the Essence Who hath no likeness. From everlasting Thou dost bring into being whatsoever Thou willest through the sovereignty of the might of Thy singleness, and in every state Thou dost originate whatsoever Thou desirest through the dominion of the might of the decree of Thy Lordship. No created thing—howsoever boundless—cometh into existence save by Thy command. Thou art the Praised in Thy decrees, and Thou art the Thanked in Thy bestowals. Ever do they who are plunged in the depths of Thy names and attributes praise Thee; and ever do they who dwell in the billows of Thine earth and heaven give thanks unto Thee.
Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee. Thou hast caused me, O my God, to drink—through the manifestations of Thy glorification—of waters untainted, whereby every thing is revived and the heart is given life; then, through the manifestations of Thy praise, of milk whose taste changeth not, in the horizon of the might of Thy bounty and Thy favour; then, through the manifestations of Thine unity, of the wine of delight for them that draw nigh, whereby souls are severed unto Thee. And I long, O my God, that Thou shouldst cause me, at that time, to drink of the honey which Thou hast described in the loftiest height of the horizon of Thy paradise—not of that which Thy servants apprehend, but of the droplets of the holiness of Thy Self-Sufficiency, and the fragrant breaths of the glory of Thy Divinity. For that which my bodily essence findeth sweet is that which magnifieth Thee—not the honey wherewith one is provided in the kingdom of Thy sanctification. And though the tongue be silenced thereby, yet by it is my very being unveiled; and by it is the essence of mine “I” made firm at the dawning-place of Thy magnifying and the manifestation of the splendour of the lights of the countenance of Thy oneness.
Thou art the One singled out beyond all names and similitudes; Thou art the Sanctified in the sovereignty of the King of might and glory. Who is able to magnify Thee, when the utmost that any beside Thee can attain hath been created by Thy command? And who can ascend unto the carpet of the holiness of Thy grandeur save by what Thou hast permitted him from the stations of the might of Thy Lordship, in the depths of Thy holiness and the dominion of the might of Thy Self-Sufficiency? Thou art He Who hath ever rained down the showers of the holiness of Thy mercy upon all Thy servants, and sent down the succouring rains of the heaven of Thy joy upon all Thy loved ones.
Ever hast Thou been one God, one, single, self-subsisting, unique, living, self-subsisting, enduring, everlasting. Thou hast not taken unto Thyself … nor hast Thou had any partner in the Kingdom, nor any protector upon the earth save by Thy leave. Thou givest life and Thou causest death; then Thou causest death and Thou givest life; and Thou art the Living Who dieth not. Within Thy grasp are the gems of Thy decree; in Thy right hand are the immaterial realities of praise; in Thy grasp is the kingdom of might and independence; and in Thy right hand the realm of grandeur and majesty.
They who are immersed in the depths of Thy names and attributes prostrate themselves before Thee, and they who dwell in the kingdom of Thine earth and heaven confess Thine oneness. Thine, O my God, is the Most Exalted Height above every height and loftiness; and Thine, O my Beloved, is the Most Glorious Beauty above every beauty and praise. From everlasting Thou hast stood alone through the sovereignty of Thy creative power above all contingent beings, and Thou shalt ever be mighty through the dominion of Thy majesty above every atom. Thou dost draw, in every state, by Thy leave, those who are in the kingdom of names and attributes through that which riseth from the horizon of Thine unseen and shineth from the heaven of Thy Lordship; for lofty is Thy independence above all contingent things, and unassailable is Thy self-subsistence above all existences. Verily Thou art the All-Subduing from Whom nothing escapeth; the Manifest from Whom nothing is hidden; the Exalted from Whose will nothing can withhold itself; the Inaccessible from Whose might-laden will nothing can veil itself; and the Transcendent Who hast arisen above the rising of all things….
O my God! … by Thy power, Thy might, Thy sovereignty, Thy grandeur, and Thy Self-Sufficiency; for Thou art the Able to do whatsoever Thou willest, the Powerful to accomplish whatsoever Thou desirest; and there is no power and no might save that Thou hast ever been powerful over all things.
And were it, O my God, that I should desire to journey in the air of the cloud of Thy Divinity and toward the dawning-place of the horizon of the might of Thy bounty and Thy realm of omnipotence—verily that letter is, in Thy sight, a paradise whose breadth is as the breadth of heaven and earth; therein are the wondrous traces of Thy power, the manifestations of the lights of Thy countenance, the hidden treasuries of Thine unseen will, and the stations of the might of Thy pre-existence. Thou art He Who, from everlasting, dost adorn that which Thou hast created with the revelation of Thy names, and dost draw whom Thou hast originated by the manifestations of Thine archetypes; Thou sendest down upon whom Thou lovest the abodes of Thy holiness and Thy majesty, and unfoldest unto whom Thou willest the marvels of Thy kindness and Thy glory.
Thou wast the Being before all things, through the existence of the essence of Thy being with Thee; and Thou art the Creator of all things, through the reality of Thine own essence before Thine eyes; and Thou art the Essence, doing whatsoever Thou willest, powerful over whatsoever Thou hast ever been, in the kingdoms of might and names and the abodes of holiness and manifold attributes. From everlasting Thou dost quicken, through the sovereignty of Thy power, whomsoever Thou hast appointed, and dost spread abroad the measures of Thy mercy upon whomsoever Thou hast taken. Verily Thou alone art the Quickener of all things; there is none other God but Thee. Thine is creation and command, from before and from after.
Part 6: “Thy light hath ever drawn the people…”
Thy light hath ever drawn the people of Thy guardianship unto the horizon of might and good-pleasure, and Thy gentleness doth ever distil the rains of the ocean of Thy love upon them that dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Thou art the Most High, whose glory suffereth no decline; and Thou art the Most Exalted, whose greatness knoweth no diminution.
Never hast Thou ceased to be God—One, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Living, Ever-Abiding. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor child; Thou hast had no partner in what Thou hast created, nor any helper in what Thou hast wrought, nor any partner in the Kingdom. Thou createst whatsoever Thou willest through Thy power, and bringest forth whatsoever Thou desirest through Thy will. Naught escapeth the knowledge of the King of Thy Lordship, nor can aught be hidden from the dominion of the might of Thy Self-Sufficiency. Thy exaltation is exalted above every exaltation and loftiness, and Thy sublimity is transcendent above every radiance and height. Thou art He Who causeth whom Thou willest to enter the depths of the oceans of Thy love, and givest to drink, whom Thou willest, of the surging waters of the wondrous things of Thy pre-existence—inasmuch as Thou wast independent of all beside Thee through the wealth of the essence of Thy being, and sanctified above Thy creation through the sanctity of Thine eternity.
Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee, from before and from after. In what Thou hast wrought there hath been for Thee no likeness, and in what Thou hast brought into being no resemblance. Thou dealest with what Thou hast created as Thou willest, and Thou judgest concerning what Thou hast originated as Thou desirest.
Thy love hath been perfected upon them that dwell in the kingdoms of Thine earth and Thy heaven, and Thy Word hath been exalted above all who are in the realms of Thy wondrous creations and Thine archetypes. Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee. And were it, in like manner, O my God, that I should desire to remember Thee in the letter Ra, and to ascend unto Thee in the heights of the heaven of good-pleasure, and to soar toward the horizon of Thy bounty through the sovereignty of creation, and to be uplifted unto the carpet of the holiness of Thy majesty through that which Thou hast ordained in the hidden treasuries of might and creativity—Thou hast ever glorified the essence of Thy being through the essence of Thy being, and Thou dost ever sanctify the reality of Thine own Self through Thine own Self.
Thy creation hath had no share in that “thingness” Thou hast caused to be, whether of volition or of will, nor in what Thou hast brought into being of design or indication. Glorified art Thou! From everlasting Thou hast been God—One, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Living, Ever-Abiding—mighty through might and majesty, and sanctified in the depths of holiness and bounty. Thou answerest him who calleth upon Thee in the depths of names and similitudes; Thou sendest down the drops of the ocean of Thy guardianship upon them that dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven; and Thou drawest unto Thee, through the attraction of the lights of Thy Lordship, whomsoever Thou hast singled out from among Thy servants. Thou wilt surely cause whom Thou willest to attain the horizon of Thy holiness, and guide him—by Thy leave—unto the paths of the wondrous traces of Thy signs.
Thou art the Being Who hath caused all things to be through Thy will, and the Essence Who, by the forms of creation and by Thine own desire, hast originated whatsoever Thou pleasest; and Thou bringest into being, by the King of the holiness of Thine eternity, whatsoever Thou willest of the wondrous traces of Thy Lordship. Thou beholdest all Thy creatures and bearest witness over all Thy servants. Nothing escapeth Thy knowledge—neither in the dominion of the heavens nor of the earth nor in whatsoever lieth between them; nor is aught beyond Thy power—neither in the kingdom of command nor of creation nor in whatsoever is beneath them. Thou art the All-Subduing above all things, the Manifest over all things, the Exalted above all things, the Inaccessible in the loftiness of all things, the Transcendent above the loftiness of all things.
Ever have the gracious favours of the might of Thy Lordship shone forth upon the inhabitants of Thy realm from the treasuries of Thy wondrous gifts, and ever have the marvels of the might of Thine eternity remained unapproachable above them whom Thou hast brought into being by Thy command. Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee—above every description and praise, above every remembrance and glory—of old and of new, in the kingdoms of earth and heaven.
And were it, in like manner, O my God, that I should desire to remember Thy Life—whose very self answereth, sanctified in its being, exalted in its essence, inaccessible in its “I-ness,” and transcendent through the exaltation of Thy sovereignty and the immutability of Thine eternity—verily Thou art the First and the Last in the depths of names and similitudes, and Thou art the Manifest and the Hidden in what Thou hast brought into being of archetypes. From everlasting Thou hast been God—One, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Living, Ever-Abiding. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor child; Thou hast had no equal, no likeness, no peer, no companion, no exemplar. Thou hast magnified the essence of Thy being above all things, sanctified Thyself above all things, and uplifted Thyself—through the exalted sovereignty of the holiness of Thy unity, and the wondrous, invincible, and sublime handiwork of Thy Self-Sufficiency—above all things.
Thou art He Who begetteth not, nor is begotten; none is equal unto Thee; Thou shalt not be known by aught beside Thee, nor be remembered by anything other than Thyself. Thou art the Being before all things through the reality of independence and exaltation; and Thou art the Creator of all things through the reality of majesty and unassailable might; and Thou art the Essence over all things through the reality of bounty and joy. Ever dost Thou admit whom Thou wilt into the deep of the sea of Thy oneness, and reveal unto him, through it, the wonders of the wondrous craft of Thy Lordship; and ever dost Thou lead whom Thou wilt into the surging billows of Thy unity, and manifest unto whom Thou desirest, through it, the depths of the might of Thy care and the marvels of the holiness of Thine eternity.
Thou art He Who hast stood alone in might and divinity, and hast been independent of all that any thing could name, through the wealth of Thy Self in the heights of holiness and dominion. All worship Thee, and truth belongeth only to him whom Thou dost confirm; all prostrate themselves before Thee, and sincerity belongeth only to him whom Thou dost accept. Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee. Thee do we worship in the depths of names and similitudes, and before Thee do we bow down in the kingdom of holiness and beauty. Thine are might and creation; Thine are the wondrous gifts and the bounties. Ever dost Thou quicken all things through the loftiness of the bounty of Thy favours, and answer him who calleth upon Thee through the sublimity of the holiness of Thy majesty.
Is there any mark for any beside Thee whereby he can be known? Is there any remembrance for any beside Thee whereby he can be described? Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee. Exalted is Thine essence through the uplifting of Thine eternity; sanctified is Thy reality through the self-subsistence of Thy Being; magnified is Thy soul through the unapproachableness of Thy glory; and made majestic is Thine “I-ness” through the majesty of the countenance of Thy belovedness. Ever have the marvels of the lights of Thy might shone upon hearts and spirits, and ever have the breezes of the King of Thy joy remained inaccessible to minds and bodies. Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee—before and after, at morn and at eventide.
And were it, in like manner, O my God, that I should desire to remember Thee in the letter Ya, or to glorify Thee in the depths of holiness and loftiness—Thy mercy hath ever preceded all contingent beings; Thy Word hath been exalted above all existences; Thy proof hath been made complete upon them that dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven; and Thy countenance hath been uplifted above those who are in the dominions of beginning and ending. Thou art the Being before all things, the Creator of all things, and the Essence after all things. From everlasting Thou hast been God—One, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Living, Ever-Abiding. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor child; Thou hast had no partner in the Kingdom, nor any helper in what Thou hast wrought. Thou bringest into being whatsoever Thou willest, how Thou willest, with whatsoever Thou willest; and there is no power and no might save through Thee, in the heights of names and the sublimity of archetypes. Send down, then, O my God, at that time, the abodes of Thy mercy upon those in the kingdoms of earth and heaven, and the wonders of Thy forgiveness upon those in the depths of names and attributes. Verily Thou art God, the King, the Protector, the Most Exalted.
And were it, in like manner, O my God, that I should desire to remember Thee in the letter Mim, in the ocean of Thy love and the surging billows of the sea of Thine eternity, and to bear witness before the creation of all things that Thou art God—there is none other God but Thee alone, without partner—Thine are creation and command; Thine are might and greatness; Thine are majesty and richness; Thine are exaltation and awe; Thine are inaccessibility and the countenance; Thine are delight and joy; and Thine is whatsoever is in the heavens on high and the earth below, and whatsoever lieth between them, and whatsoever is in the world to come and in this. All else besides Thee is Thy creation and in Thy grasp.
From everlasting Thou hast been God—One, Single, Unique, Self-Subsisting, Living, Ever-Abiding, Everlasting—ruling, just, holy. Thou hast taken unto Thyself neither consort nor child; Thou hast had no partner in the Kingdom, nor any guardian upon the earth save by Thy leave. They who are in the kingdom of names and attributes shall glorify Thee for the loftiness of Thy glorification; they who are in the kingdom of earth and heaven shall praise Thee for the unapproachableness of Thy praise; they who are in the dominions of beginning and ending shall confess Thine oneness for the self-subsistence of Thy unity; and they who are in the depths of origins and ends shall magnify Thee for the joy of the gladness of the countenance of the King of the holiness of Thy Lordship.
Thou art the Being before all things through the existence of Thy essential reality; Thou art the Being after all things through the simplicity of Thy soul; Thou art the Creator of all things through the pure abstraction of Thine “I-ness”; and Thou art the Essence above all things through the camphor-sweetness of Thine eternity. None can know Thee save Thyself, and none can proclaim Thine oneness but Thyself. Ever dost Thou draw them that dwell in the kingdoms of Thine earth and heaven through the affairs of Thy wondrous gifts and Thy bounties, and ever dost Thou uplift them that dwell in the kingdom of Thine earth and the heaven of Thy care unto the most exalted horizon through the marvels of the traces of the dawning of that which shineth from the horizon of Thine unseen and riseth from the daysprings of the Sun of Thy judgment.
Nothing escapeth Thy knowledge—neither in the kingdom of earth nor of heaven nor in whatsoever lieth between them; nor is aught beyond Thy power—neither in the realm of command nor of creation nor in whatsoever is beneath them. Thou art He Who hath created all things by Thy will, upheld the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them by Thy power, and … Thy paradise upon all who are in the kingdom of Thine earth and the heaven of Thy care, and completed Thy proof upon every atom of Thy realm. Thine, O my God, is the Most Exalted Height above every height and loftiness, and Thine, O my God, is the Most Glorious Beauty above every sublimity and splendour. Sanctified are Thy names above likeness and similitude, and exalted are Thy manifestations above design and allusion.
Send down, then, O my God, at that time, from the marvels of the oceans of Thy bounty and Thy gifts, and from the surging billows of the sea of Thy generosity and Thy decrees, that wherewith every thing may be enriched at the appearance of Thy effulgence, and whereby every thing may attain unto that whereunto the bird of its heart ascendeth from the dawning-place of Thine unseen nurture. There is no power and no might save through Thee; no command save from Thy presence; no honour save in Thy good-pleasure. No portion hath he whose will is not beneath Thy will—inasmuch as, if he remember Thee not in the depths of Thy names, nor stand before the King of Thy majesty, then send down, O my God, at that time, by the breezes of Thy forgiveness, upon them that dwell in the kingdoms of Thine earth and heaven.
For he who obeyeth Thee profiteth Thee not, nor addeth aught unto Thy dominion; and he who veil eth himself from Thy command cannot thwart Thee, nor diminish aught of Thy sovereignty. Glorified art Thou: there is none other God but Thee. This is honour for this one, and this is abasement for that one; and there is no power and no might save through Thee. Verily Thou art the Best of the merciful.