Ascension of Baha'u'llah
Editorial introduction
On the night of the Ascension, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá later wrote, sorrow intensified upon Him beyond anything He had known; the once bright days turned black, and after His Father’s departure He found Himself, in His own words, all alone, with enemies within and without. And yet Bahá’u’lláh had promised, a few days earlier, to be with Him always, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá came to say that a person holding every Tablet without that presence has nothing, while one holding not a word but living in it has everything. Grief and continuing presence sit together here without one cancelling the other, and the way through them was the Covenant, tested at once by the theft of papers and seals and by every friend who had to decide where loyalty lay. Jesus’ promise not to leave His disciples comfortless, bound as it is to keeping His commandments, offers a kindred joining of presence and fidelity [1]. The road leads on into lamentation and the expressions of grief, into the meaning of Covenant-breaking, and into the station and authority of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
But then came the Beloved's departure from this world. … The Supreme Affliction was upon us, separation consumed us, the once bright days turned black as night, and all those roses of other hours were dust and rubble now.
… This went on until the day Baha'u'llah ascended. At that supreme affliction, that shattering calamity, Nabil sobbed and trembled and cried out to Heaven.
After the ascent of Baha'u'llah I was all alone. Enemies within and enemies without have attacked me and thousand difficulties surrounded me.
O you whom I remember on this darkest night, the night of the Ascension, when sorrows have intensified upon 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Today, when the searing fire of separation from the Beloved of all horizons has consumed the hearts and souls of His true lovers, and has uprooted the foundation of physical and spiritual life and the very heart and being of the lovers of the True Beauty, even if floods of tears should flow like the Oxus and Jaxartes rivers, the burning fire of the heart would not be lessened, nor would the pain and sorrows and remorse of conscience be stilled. This is from the severe effects of this Most Great Calamity....
O thou who art stricken with the most great calamity! Calamities and heart-numbing losses are indeed hard to bear, inasmuch as love and affection torment the heart from the flame of separation. But when we recall the ascension of the Ancient Beauty and the heart-numbing loss of the Greatest Name, all of our other troubles will vanish, for deprivation from His sunlike face maketh separation from a shining lamp easier to bear, nay, it dispelleth it from the mind.
When he set foot on the path yearning to quench his thirst from this soft-flowing river, he discovered that Thy most effulgent Beauty had ascended unto the realm on high.
Finally I rented if from him at 150 dollars a year and Baha'u'llah and the members of the Holy Family moved into it. From that time on He lived in Bahji till the day of departure dawned upon us and threw us into the depth of despair and sorrow.
Whenever I read in His Blessed supplications certain suggestions to His departure I felt sad. In one of His communes He says: 'O God! Through Thy Grace prepare for Me a lofty palace in Thy heaven, for My habitation built Thou a divine Abode! O Lord! This earth is very broad and wide indeed, but it has become too narrow for Me! I long the expanse of Thy Kingdom, I years after the limitless space of Thy Paradise.'
A few days before the Ascension of the Blessed Beauty, may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved ones, He commanded 'Abdu'l-Baha to gather the papers in His blessed chamber and put them in a bag. According to His blessed command, the papers were collected and placed in two bags. He said "These papers are entrusted to you." When these words issued from His pure lips, the condition that arose is indescribable - all my limbs trembled and tears flowed like rain.
A few days before his departure Baha'u'llah called me into his bedroom and commanded me to gather together all his writing and Tablets telling me that 'they shall belong to thee'. This command agitated me and I was very sad at heart, because I understood the days of his ascension are drawing nigh. … As he looked in my face he saw my condition and said:- 'Rest thou assured! Let not thy heart be troubled. I am with thee always. My confirmation shall always reach thee.' This promise which is more than a certainty has been the cause of my consolation.
[As the end of the Ancient Beauty's earthly life was drawing near, His talks often often made reference to the importance of the Covenant. On that particular day, the Blessed Beauty issued stern warnings about Covenant-breaking. Midway through His address, He pointed towards the Greater Branch [His son, Mirza Muhammad-'Ali, the future archbreaker of His Covenant] and emphatically stated:]
Should one of our branches for a moment pass out from under the shadow of the Cause, he surely shall be brought to naught.
[These statements were delivered with such power that everyone present was overwhelmed with awe. The following day, while we were in the presence of Baha'u'llah, Mirza Diya'u'llah [one of His sons] came in to say: 'Aqa [the Master] wishes to know if You will permit us and some of the believers to visit Junaynih.' Baha'u'llah assked him who had sent the request, and upon hearing that it was the Greater Branch, in strong and clear tones he said:]
There is only one Master -- the Most Great Branch, He around Whom all names revolve.
The Ancient Beauty, before His ascension, one day spoke favorably of the friends in Nayriz, and at the time of His ascension was pleased with them.
This is what He foretold in His holy tablets and hidden scrolls beforehand, including what was revealed in the widely known and circulated Tablet of the Vision throughout the horizons of the world: that the ascension would be from the prison of Akka - and there is no altering the words of God. He said, and His word is the truth: "Whereupon all existence cried out saying: 'May all beings be a sacrifice for Thy tribulation, O King of earth and heaven! To what end hast Thou committed Thyself to be among these people in the city of Akka? Proceed to Thine other dominions, to realms which no eyes of the people of names have ever beheld.' Thereupon We smiled."
However, on the day of the Blessed Ascension, suddenly the situation in Akka changed - cholera entered and everyone fled.
Until His ascension occurred, there was no cholera anywhere, but then it broke out in 'Akka. All the people, especially the Christians, fled. Mikhail Khammar said that the talisman of 'Akka was broken, for after the ascension of the Blessed Beauty, diseases again prevailed in 'Akka.
Behold, then, before you the effulgence of the Most Exalted Friend. Although the Greatest Name hath passed on to the Invisible Realm, although the Daystar of the Ancient Beauty, may my spirit be sacrificed for the dust of His Threshold, hath set on the horizon of this contingent world, yet the bounties emanating from His presence are around us ever more and the waters of His grace are constantly poured forth.
O ye who are turned to the divine light! Though the Ancient Beauty and Most Great Name (may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones) has ascended from this world and raised His pavilion in the hidden realm, yet His outpouring grace encompasses all and His bounty is perfect.
O thou who gazest toward the divine realm! Give thanks for the hidden favors of the Blessed Beauty, that after His ascension to His mighty Kingdom, He did not deprive us of His exalted bestowals nor leave us bereft of His all-embracing bounties.
After the death of the Blessed Perfection, one day, the chief Muhammadan priest of Akka came to our Lord and said he had seen the door of his room open and the Blessed Perfection came into his room. This was the Truth and Cause of the Blessed Perfection which manifested itself and itis continuous to him in this way.
Yet when the Sun of Truth ascended to the heaven of sanctification and the Most Great Luminary rose to the Kingdom of uniqueness, these brilliant stars are also attracted in their ascension to that apex of radiant stations, and these stars are drawn to the Kingdom's horizon.
But those souls who were in the presence of the Beauty, intoxicated with the wine of reunion, present before the throne and gazing upon the incomparable countenance - suddenly the sun in the heaven of sanctity set at its zenith of radiance and brilliance, and intense darkness encompassed all six directions, and the pillars of contingent being were shaken, and the sea of trials surged and heaved, and the winds of tests blew fiercely, and the greatest tempest arose, and four waves of turmoil surrounded the ships of existence of these helpless ones, casting them into a terrible whirlpool with hope of deliverance cut off, and the fragments were scattered apart - until the divine call was heard by the spiritual ear from the Most Glorious Concourse and the Supreme Kingdom: "We shall show you from Our most glorious horizon and assist whoever arises to aid Our Cause with hosts from the Supreme Concourse and a company of favored angels."
After the ascension of the Beauteous Beloved, it is another tempest of trials that now rages. To seek rest and desire comfort and pursue tranquility is like searching for dry land in the Most Great Sea or seeking coolness and moisture in fire. One must have absolutely no hope for comfort, joy or security.
O friends of God and helpers of 'Abdu'l-Baha! When the Sun of Truth was concealed behind the clouds of glory, and the Luminary of the horizons set from the dawning-place of manifestation to shine in the hidden realm, bestowing Its continuous bounties from the invisible kingdom upon the contingent world, the bats stirred and spread their wings and made their rounds. They imagined they could cut off the abundant grace of that Beautiful Countenance and extinguish the brilliant rays of the Sun of Truth, eliminate the enkindled fire and obliterate the praiseworthy light.
While before the Ascension of the Blessed Beauty when there was no ulterior motive, no one mentioned his name and if he died no one would visit him - this servant day and night overseen his affairs and let no dust settle upon him. But after the Ascension every wavering one shows him utmost sincerity.
Although they had experienced during the days of His holy Manifestations that no diminution occurred in Their Cause after Their ascension, yet following the ascension of the Most Great Luminary the people of doubts and suspicions were again stirred into motion.
And when the pillars of the world were shaken by the ascension of the Desired One - may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones - and the most great calamity raised its banner at the center of contingent being, and all existence burst into lamentation and crying, and the sea of tests surged with utmost turbulence and tumult, they remained supremely firm and steadfast in the Covenant, resolute in the Testament, and kept their distance from the people of violation.
O two faithful servants of Truth and two helpers of the Covenant and two Hands of the Cause of the luminous horizons! Gird up the loins of endeavor with utmost strength and power to serve the Cause and strive to exalt the Word of God and unite the loved ones of God. Today the unity of those firm in the Covenant is among the greatest of matters and most essential affairs. Make every effort!
Consider somewhat the sudden afflictions of this servant and weep and lament, and moan and wail. By the face and hair of the Abha Beauty, due to the severity of tribulation and the supreme calamity and the ascension of the Abha Beauty and the assault of a hundred thousand afflictions upon the Cause of God, I have nothing but lamentation and moaning and supplication and weeping. Share and partake in these sorrows and pains with me, forget all affairs, and strive with utmost strength and power to serve God and unite the loved ones of God and the chosen ones of God.
Soon you will observe how the power of the sea of the Covenant will cast these foams of violation upon the shore and quiet these futile uproars. And glory be upon you both and upon every servant who is firm in the Cause of God with a mighty power flowing from the Most Glorious Kingdom.
The Blessed Beauty hath placed upon the heads of His loved ones, particularly those who were in the Most Great Prison, the crown of eternal sovereignty. Even as in the time of Jesus the Son of Mary, those who were under the shadow of Christ knew not in what shadow they dwelt, but afterwards they proved faithful. May my soul be a sacrifice for them! Yet during His own time they achieved nothing. Now too it is not known what name the Blessed Beauty hath bestowed upon His loved ones, especially those who were in His company in prison. They bore hardships and found no rest throughout their days.
Especially must the friends of God, after the Blessed Ascension, embrace with their souls every tribulation and calamity.
In truth, in these recent years after the Most Great Calamity, bright day became darkest night for the loved ones, and tribulations and trials poured down like drops of the sea. This was pure bounty and bestowal, so that the spiritual servants would not remain at ease and rest for a moment after the ascension of the Manifestation of the All-Merciful, and would not draw a breath in comfort and joy, that they might become the embodiment of faithfulness and the essence of purity.
How can we take one moment's rest or seek one second's comfort on the couch of ease now that He has taken His flight to the Realm of the Unseen?
Rest and comfort and pleasure are forbidden to us after the ascension of the Blessed Beauty.
After the ascension of the Abha Beauty, may My soul be a sacrifice to His loved ones, it is becoming of the faithful to rest not for a minute, but serve His threshold and strive to diffuse His fragrances.
O true servant of the Abha Beauty! After the ascension of the Blessed Beauty, may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones, holy souls forgot this world and saw themselves in the Abha Kingdom, and conducted themselves accordingly. Day and night they devoted their time to serving the Cause of God. They sought neither comfort, nor bounty, nor security, nor pleasure.
… These souls are Baha'i, they are divine, they are luminous, they are of the All-Merciful. They cast no shadow, but are rather light from head to foot.
Since you were present during the supreme calamity and witnessed and observed the details and events, and beheld the anguish from separation from the Beloved of the horizons, and saw with your outer and inner vision the manifestation of the signs of God's power and grandeur, therefore awaken the sleeping ones of that land, and guide those lost in the wilderness of error to the dwelling place of the Beloved, and direct the thirsty ones seeking the Salsabil of the love of God to the pure fountain of salvation, and turn the faces of the seekers of the Friend's Ka'bah toward the Qiblih of the horizons.
Today is the day when we must prove and demonstrate, and make manifest and evident before the eyes of all the world, that the ascension and passing of the Sun of Truth did not cause any weakness or degradation in the Cause of God.
Soon every disappointed and lost one will observe that after the ascension of the Blessed Beauty the divine lamp grew brighter and the Sun of Truth more resplendent, the waves of the Most Great Sea grew stronger and the melody from the divine gardens more widespread. The fame of God's Cause was raised throughout the horizons of the world and the might of divine power set the pillars of nations in motion.
Now that Sun has ascended to the horizon of glory and that Lamp burns bright in the glass of the Concourse on High. The gates of witnessing are closed, but you who perceived the days of meeting and attained the gift of the Lord of Glory - hold fast to the sure handle of piety and grasp firmly the strong cord of the virtues of the denizens of the highest heaven, that you may show gratitude for this blessing.
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