BB00191: Kitabu’n-Nasiri’n-Nasir

The Book of the Victorious Helper—upon him be the Glory of his Lord, the Powerful, the Mighty—which was revealed in Maku

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy!

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I testify, and all things testify, that Thou art God, that there is no God but Thee, alone with no partner. Thine is the Kingdom and the Dominion, Thine the Might and the Omnipotence, Thine the Power and the Divinity, Thine the Power and the Precious Stone, Thine the Authority and the Human Realm, Thine the Glory and the Majesty, Thine the Countenance and the Beauty, Thine the Face and the Perfection, Thine the Grandeur and the Independence, Thine the Strength and the Deeds, Thine the Similitude and the Examples, Thine the Stations and the Sublimity, Thine the Greatness and the Pride, Thine the Transience and the Self-Sufficiency, Thine the Glory and the Invincibility, Thine the Power and the Exaltation, Thine the Joy and the Gladness, Thine the Providence and Detachment. Thine is whatsoever Thou hast loved from the treasuries of Thy Command and Creation.

Thou hast ever been One God, Single, Independent, Alone, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Wise, the Just, the Holy, the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Trustworthy, the Inaccessible, the Exalted, the Most High. Thou hast taken neither consort nor son, nor hast Thou had any partner in what Thou hast created, nor any protector in what Thou hast fashioned. Thou dost ever cause to live and to die, then cause to die and to live, and verily Thou art the Ever-Living Who dieth not, and the King Who passeth not away, and the Just Who wrongeth not, and the Sovereign Who changeth not, and the Single One from Whose grasp escapeth not a thing, neither in the heavens nor on the earth nor what lieth between them. Thou createst what Thou willest by Thy command. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.

I testify that there is no Paradise except in knowing Thee and in Thy good-pleasure, and naught else that Thou hast not loved. And after Thou didst make Thyself known to all Thy creation, the first to enter the paradise of Thy knowledge were the Exponents of Thy Cause and Thy creation, until the creation of that Manifestation endeth at the Day of Him Whom Thou shalt make manifest. For whosoever is for Thee and for Thy good-pleasure is in the heights of Thy Paradise and Thy presence, and whoso is not for Thee nor for what Thou hast willed is in Thy fire and what Thou lovest not for Thy loved ones. How exalted is Thy bounty to them that know Thee, and Thy generosity to them that glorify Thee! Thou hast indeed favored him whose name is mentioned in this Book by making him successful and bestowing upon him the conditions of obedience to Thee, and by manifesting unto his Lord with Thy lights. And verily what Thou hast withheld from what Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones—Thy decrees flow according to Thy wisdom. Thou bestowest upon whom Thou willest as Thou willest what Thou willest. None can resist Thy grace and none can repel Thy providence. Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee.

That knowledge might encompass what Thou hast ordained for them that exalt Thee, let them desire naught else before the city of them that remember Thee. And since the Command is Thine, all that revolveth returneth unto Thee, as by Thee, from Thee—there is no God but Thee. How many servants have desired from Thy grace what they desired yet did not attain it, and how many servants desired not yet did attain! All is according to Thy decree wherein is no wrong, and all is through the manifestations of Thy might wherein is no inclination. Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee. Thou shalt surely recompense all according to what their hands have earned from the treasuries of Thy grace, Thy generosity, Thy bounty, Thy kindness and Thy favor. Verily Thou art the All-Knowing, the Powerful.

Glory be unto Thee and exalted art Thou! The sweet-scented breezes of Thy holy love have ever descended upon the dwellers of the kingdom of Thy will, and the manifestations of Thy glorious singleness have ever shone upon the exponents of Thy Cause. Thou hast ever been triumphant over all created things, manifest unto all contingent beings, powerful over all who dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven, exalted above all beings, inaccessible above all who dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven, sovereign over all things, and supreme over all creation with power and independence.

Thy respite to them that are veiled from Thee is only that Thou mightest keep them from Thy paradise and hold them in Thy fire, and the swiftness of Thy decree concerning Thy loved ones is only to cause them to enter into Thy paradise and to grant them in their lives whatsoever befitteth the sublimity of Thy holiness and glory, for that which Thou hast promised unto those who glorify Thee after their death is better than what Thou hast ordained for the living during their lives, and what Thou hast ordained for the living in their lives is better than what Thou hast ordained for those who know Thee not and seek not Thy good-pleasure. For should such a one rejoice for a day, Thou wilt torment him in the eternal realm after his death in Thy fire, and should this one be sorrowful for a day, Thou wilt gladden him eternally in Thy paradise.

For Thou, O my God, when Thou desirest in this life to admit anyone into Thy good-pleasure, Thou enablest him to know Thee and to seek Thy pleasure, whether he be exalted or abased. For the servant’s dealings with Thee are a trade wherein is no loss, a glory wherein is no abasement, a wealth wherein is no poverty, a joy wherein is no sorrow, an exaltation wherein is no debasement, a majesty wherein is no meanness, and an ascent wherein is no descent.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! How great is Thy bounty unto him who knoweth Thee and belongeth to Thee, and how severe is Thy chastisement and vengeance upon him who knoweth Thee not and belongeth not to Thee! Do Thou then remove, O Lord, the veil from the vision of all Thy creation, that they may seek Thy bounty and generosity only in knowing Thee and gaining Thy good-pleasure, and may experience Thy chastisement and vengeance only in being veiled from Thee and bereft of knowledge of Thy good-pleasure. For there is no exaltation higher than this, and no abasement lower than this, and all else are but manifestations of Thy dominion appearing through the operation of their causes.

For verily, when Thou desirest to take vengeance upon anyone, Thou veilest him from Thy knowledge—this is what Thou hast promised for those who disobey Thee. And when Thou desirest paradise for anyone, Thou inspirest him with Thy knowledge—this is Thy gift to those who know Thee. By Thy might! I have no patience in anything nor with anything, for when the servant doeth what Thou lovest, he perceiveth the sublimity of his paradise in the very act itself, and less than this he perceiveth accordingly in his very deed. Glory be unto Thee! There is no God but Thee.

And as for what was mentioned, O my God, that his fingers have changed upon him—do Thou, O Lord, rectify what hath changed from him in Thy path, even though this be something that those who know Thee would not acknowledge, for how lofty are the affairs of sovereignty in the eyes of Thy servants, yet these suffice them not from knowing Thee. But how many servants there are who possess not that which would make them independent of others, yet after having known Thee, nothing is diminished from them, for the knowledge of Thee and the servant’s love for Thee suffice him from all things when the means of all things are not manifested unto him. Yet all things can never suffice the servant from knowing Thee and loving Thee.

In Thee, O my God, have I found sufficiency from all else, for Thou sufficest from all things, while nothing sufficeth from Thee. And as for that which hath been spent in Thy path—blessed is that thing, for it hath been expended in the path of Thy loved ones. Do Thou then cause to descend upon it, O Lord, the recompense thereof, that which will make him independent in the life to come and in this first life, through Thy grace and bounty, Thy favor and generosity, and Thy kindness. Verily, Thou hast ever been a bountiful and kind Bestower.

And as for what was mentioned, O my God, concerning Thy custom with Thy chosen ones, Thy way with Thy loved ones, and Thy dealings with Thy friends—Thou hast never ceased to desire all good only for him who knoweth Thee and seeketh Thy good-pleasure, and if it appeareth not for him in Thy kingdom, this is not from Thee but rather from the veiling of Thy servants and the remoteness of Thy creation. Otherwise, Thou hast created all things for Thy loved ones, and Thou hast loved for them only that which draweth them nigh unto Thee and causeth Thee to be well-pleased with them before Thee. Do Thou therefore inspire all Thy loved ones, O Lord, not to hasten in delaying what Thou hast hastened and in hastening what Thou hast delayed, for Thy decrees appear through what Thou hast ordained.

It is not for Thee to know Thyself through Thy creation, nor for creation to know Thee except through Thy revelation. It is not for Thee to inspire creation with Thy good-pleasure, nor for creation to follow after Thy pleasure. And if any be veiled, this proceedeth not from Thee, but rather Thy proof encompasses all contingent things and the handiwork of Thy Lordship is perfect throughout all created things. Wherefore, O my God, heal Thou the hearts of Thy loved ones through what Thou showest them of Thy power and might. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.

And whatsoever hath been mentioned of the names of them that glorify Thee—all, according to their stations, are Thy servants, Thy worshippers, Thy suppliants, Thy rememberers, and they who render thanks unto Thee. The relation of Thy grace and mercy unto all atoms is equal, and the relation of Thy bounty and generosity unto all contingent things is at the level of creation. Wherefore, O my God, answer Thou the prayer of all Thy loved ones in Thy path if it be good for them; and if not, then that which Thou ordainest is better for them from Thee, for Thy knowledge encompasseth all things and Thy power extendeth over all things. Thou choosest for Thy loved ones naught save what is best for them in their beginning and their end. There is no power nor strength except through Thee. Through Thee have I become self-sufficient, content, well-pleased, victorious, sovereign, exalted, strong and mighty. Thou art sufficient unto me. In Thee do I place my trust, and in Thee let Thy trusting servants place their trust.

O my God! Inspire him to recite this verse that his essence may be sustained by sustenance from Thee. This, verily, will establish the heart of the servant in Thy love. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Inaccessible. Say: God’s help transcendeth all help. None can withstand the Sovereign, the King of help, for neither in the heavens nor on earth nor in what lieth between them can any resist. He createth what He willeth by His command. Verily, He is the Helper, the Succourer, the One Who giveth victory.