Divine grace, bounty, confirmations and spiritual capacity

Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is being showered from the clouds of Divine glory, hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence.

The Day Star of His great glory hath shed its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have overshadowed you. How high the reward of him that hath not deprived himself of so great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of His Best-Beloved in this, His new attire.

Never has there been, nor shall there be, any interruption in the outpouring of the All-Bountiful One. He has answered and will answer the needs of all. If in some instances there has been delay, it was for the good of that soul - assuredly they will attain to what is better than what they asked for.

Say, this is the Night wherein the assigned measure of God's blessings and bounty hath been prescribed in the Scrolls of Glory and Faith, that thereby every trace of grief and sorrow may be banished form all created things, for all times and throughout all ages.

O ye friends of the Beloved! The candle of guidance is burning, and the light shining from the Supreme Horizon adorneth every assemblage. The showers of grace are pouring down, and the bestowals of the unseen Kingdom are abundant. The angelic voice is raised in song, and the birds of the garden warble the Psalms of David.

There are some who believe that the divine bounties are subject to cessation. For example, they think that the revelation of God, the effulgence of God and the bounties of God have ended. This is self-evidently a mistaken idea, for none of these is subject to termination.

But when the cause of joy is divine bounty, that joy is eternal because divine bounties are eternal. And since the love of God is eternal, if one attaches their heart to divine bounty and has divine love in their heart, their joy is eternal.

They ask thee concerning the bounty - it is water and bread. Praise be to God, they are blessed with manifold bounties: the bounty of recognition, the bounty of deeds, the bounty of turning to God, the bounty of attaining His presence, the bounty of meeting Him, the bounty of hearkening, the bounty of witnessing. Were this table of power to be spread unto the end that hath no end, it would not be exhausted. "If ye should count the bounties of God ye would not be able to number them."

Know thou of a certainty that those of tender age in the Abha Garden shall inherit the realm of the Kingdom and that the outpourings of celestial grace encompass the children in the school of the love of God. It is my hope that through the manifold bounties of Him Who is the Lord of Oneness thou mayest be reared and nurtured beside this heavenly stream which floweth in the rose-garden of divine guidance.

This is the Day whereon Pharaoh was drowned and Moses beheld Him Who is the Beauty of the All-Glorious Lord. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

The divine bounty has been bestowed to such a degree that there is fear that some people may remain heedless of its station and ignorant of recognizing its worth.

The divine bounty hath never been, nor ever shall be, limited.

New power must be confirmed, for confirmation must be continuous and assistance unceasing, like the rays of the sun - if cut off for even the blink of an eye, there is darkness upon darkness.

That which is possible to be manifested in these days cannot be manifested at any other time. Therefore, all must arise to compensate for what hath escaped them, for that which is lost today can never be retrieved.

If there be a delay in the manifestations of His favor, this is due to the requirements of the time. The divine relief will come, God willing. Be confident, for you have never been forgotten nor will you be. You have been in the presence of the Throne and have witnessed the endless effulgences of the suns of infinite favors.

He bestowed life, established foundations, granted knowledge, conferred faith - if ye would count the favors of God ye could not number them.

I bear witness that Thou hadst turned toward Thy servants ere they had turned toward Thee, and hadst remembered them ere they had remembered Thee. All grace is Thine, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of Divine gifts and the source of every irrevocable decree.

Through the bestowals of the Lord, however, and His infinite favour, thou hast attained unto the hidden secret and the well-guarded treasure.

That is to say: Man has received the bounty of the Kingdom for nothing, so you must give it to others as you have received it. That is to say, not to wish for any reward or compensation from the people. You should ask your reward of God.

Blessed be He Who summoneth the servants unto the horizon of His bounty, though He, verily, is independent of all worlds.

Regarding one's lack of capacity and one's undeserving on the Day of Resurrection, this does not cause one to be shut out from gifts and bounties; for this is not the Day of Justice but the Day of Grace, while justice is allotting to each whatever is his due. Then look thou not at the degree of thy capacity, look thou at the boundless favour of Baha'u'llah; all-encompassing is His bounty, and consummate His grace.

The power of Thy forgiveness transmuteth the pitch darkness of transgression into the shining light of the Luminary of bounty.

Happy art thou to have obtained so heavenly a gift. Blessed art thou to be favoured with His divine bestowals.

All these stations are from the grace of the Lord of the worlds, for were it not for the winds of bounty that blow from the right hand of His grace, no soul would succeed in attaining unto His good-pleasure or would become illumined with His recognition.

Yield thou thanks unto the Best-Beloved of the world, for having graciously assisted thee to recognize the Dayspring of His perspicuous signs, and the Dawning-Place of His undoubted proofs. Great is this bounty, and mighty this bestowal.

Please God, thou wilt, through His bestowal, be illumined in these days of the All-Glorious by the effulgence of His countenance, and rejoice at that to which thou hast attained.

Know that the blessings of the Kingdom of Abha are not dependent upon the capacity and the worthiness of any one; the blessings themselves are the worthiness. As the action itself, when it reaches the thing acted upon, makes it (that which is acted upon) the action,--so the blessings themselves then become identical with worthiness. In like manner, when the action itself descends upon the recipient, the recipient becomes the action.

In truth, you are the cause of the exaltation of the Word of God in those regions, and this is from the invisible confirmations of the Blessed Beauty, for not every soul is worthy of service to the Truth and not every person is deserving of sacrifice in the divine path. This crown of bounty - not every head is worthy of it. This collar of eternal sovereignty - not every neck deserves it.

Confirmation is not dependent on talent, knowledge or wisdom. Many unimportant persons have made significant discoveries. Many people labored for years to explore the North Pole but Admiral Peary reached it. One's efforts should be focussed on the object of one's quest. Because Columbus found confirmation, he discovered America with a minimum of difficulty.

What capacity has an atom to receive the bounty of the sun, and what power has a tiny bird to soar to the heights of an eagle? What merit has a dried plant to find freshness and delicacy in this rose garden and become a fruitful tree? But the grace of the Glorious Lord is immense and the bounty of the Ancient Lord is like an all-encompassing ocean.

O thou who art illumined by the Sun of Guidance! Every bounty is possible to be bestowed according to capacity, worthiness, merit and capability, except the bounty of faith and certitude which is purely a gift and solely a bestowal, and is among those things pertaining to "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He pleases."

Thus it became evident that the outpouring of God's grace and the bestowal of the Absolute Beauty is purely a gift, not dependent on capacity and worthiness. "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He pleases" - it is not based on the receptivity of those who belong to the contingent world.

If you appreciated the Great Bestowal, you would surely fly -- absolutely fly; out of excessive joy, you would soar. For that which was the greatest desire of the Saints you have attained to without any trouble (laughing), without any trials, without any ordeals, without any difficulties -- out of absolute mercy.

Since this manifestation is the manifestation of grace, therefore those who perform good deeds and possess virtuous character, even if they are not believers, will not be deprived of divine mercy.

If all good deeds were to proceed from someone yet not be adorned with the ornament of divine acceptance, it would be absolute nothingness and sheer non-existence, and no fruit would appear from those good deeds - how much more so with matters that cause harm to the Cause and the aversion of people and lead to sedition and corruption.

And when you look at reality, this exalted station is not attained through human effort and striving, but is purely a divine gift and special heavenly bounty.

O thou who art guided by the light of guidance! In the depths of the sea there are a hundred thousand shells, but all are empty save the shell which is the recipient of divine bounty and is adorned and filled with the precious pearl of guidance. Likewise, human forms are infinite in number and human souls are like the pebbles and stones of the wilderness, but those souls who have attained to the greatest bounty and are confirmed in the supreme guidance are few and limited, for this station is the station of grace and mercy - "This is of the grace of God.

O thou who art thirsty for the Salsabil of divine Bestowals!

The acquirement of a part of the Gifts and Graces of God depends upon ability, worthiness and capability. Man will attain to them through effort, exertion and diligence. Another part is pure bounty and absolute mercy and generosity on the part of God and man will not attain to that supreme favour and most great gift through his own striving and tireless work.

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The mercy is universal and the bounty all-encompassing, but universality does not prevent specificity. Among His servants are those whom God has distinguished with a matter that sets them apart from others - namely the homeland of the Most Great Light and nearness in the shadow of relation to the Ancient Beauty. He specially favors with His mercy whomever He wishes.

This was purely through the bounty of the Lord and the favor of the Creator. Otherwise, what capacity and aptitude did we possess, and what receptivity and worthiness?

Many souls spent years in worship, acquired knowledge, became versed in arts and sciences, passed their time in contemplation, and yearned for mystical revelations. Yet despite this, as their intentions were not pure, they remained deprived and were defeated in the arena of divine knowledge. But when God gazed upon your hearts, He found them pure pages and made them luminous, becoming the envy of the heavens.

One was guided to the path of guidance by the flame of a lamp, while another found not the way by the rays of the sun. This is the station wherein He saith "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth."

O tested believer! Praise be to God that in trials for the sake of God you are patient and dignified, and in the severest of afflictions and pains you are forbearing and grateful. This is purely a divine gift. These qualities cannot be attained except through endless divine favors.

What wisdom and gift is this, that strangers have become familiar, and what wrath and anger is this, that those who were familiar have become strangers - so that it might become clear that recognition of God is purely through divine bestowals and not through human capacity and capability.

Without any merit on thy part, He made His abundant grace to encompass thee, and without any capacity in thee, He caused His manifest bounty to perfect thee.

Divine bounties are endless, but guidance cannot be compared with any other gift. This is pure grace and absolute bestowal - "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He pleases."

O thou who art attracted to reality, render thanks unto God that the breeze of loving-kindness hath wafted and the light of guidance hath shone forth, illumining the pavilion of heart and soul. In the world of existence, every gift can be attained through effort and endeavor, through seeking and yearning, but guidance is a divine bestowal and a heavenly gift. "And God guideth whom He willeth unto the straight path." Therefore, at every moment offer thanks that thou hast been assisted by the favors of the one true God.

Do you realize that divine mercy has encompassed your state without any seeking on your part? Eternal fortune has knocked at your door - open it and welcome it with the utmost joy and gladness. You know not what a bounty has been bestowed upon that household, which has caused the family to attain endless glory. Appreciate its value. Surely open your eye of insight so that you may witness this bounty and bestowal and be thankful.

Divine guidance pertains to grace, not justice. "He guideth whom He willeth and leadeth astray whom He willeth." "Verily, thou canst not guide whom thou lovest, but God guideth whom He willeth." Guidance relates to the Divine Will, not to effort and endeavor....

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O ye two who are attracted to the Truth!

Although divine bounties are beyond count or reckoning and man is incapable, insufficient and powerless to render thanks for them, yet the noble blessing of recognition is the greatest gift of the All-Merciful, which cannot be compared to any blessing nor likened to any gift.

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O thou who art drawn near to the Divine Threshold! Good fortune and felicity made thee a recipient of divine bounties and illumined and enlightened thee with the light of guidance. This is through the grace of the Lord, for faith and assurance pertain to grace, not justice. "He guideth whom He willeth unto the straight path."

This meaneth that while many are invited to the Faith, few are those who attain to the grace of guidance and the succour of divine favour, for the gift of guidance is purely an outpouring of grace and bounty, not dependent on capacity and worthiness. "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He pleaseth."

The cause of guidance is grace, the cause of bounty is grace. For example, this eye was bestowed by grace, this ear was bestowed by bounty - it did not come into being by itself.

O My handmaiden! Today the gaze of grace and the glance of bounty are directed towards the male and female servants. … However, were the door of grace to be closed and the glance to turn to justice, the Pen would cease its motion.

The Kingdom of God is like unto a farmer who comes into possession of a piece of pure and virgin soil. Heavenly seeds are scattered therein, the clouds of divine providence pour down and the rays of the Sun of Reality shine forth.

God's grace is like the rain that cometh down from heaven: the water is not bounded by the limitations of form, yet on whatever place it poureth down, it taketh on limitations---dimensions, appearance, shape---according to the characteristics of that place. In a square pool, the water, previously unconfined, becometh a square; in a six-sided pool it becometh a hexagon, in an eight-sided pool an octagon, and so forth. The rain itself hath no geometry, no limits, no form, but it taketh on one form or another, according to the restrictions of its vessel. In the same way, the Holy Essence of the Lord God is boundless, immeasurable, but His graces and splendors become finite in the creatures, because of their limitations, wherefore the prayers of given persons will receive favorable answers in certain cases.

O ye steadfast loved ones! The grace of God is beating down upon mankind, even as the rains in spring, and the rays of the manifest Light have made this earth to be the envy of heaven. But alas, the blind are deprived of this bounty, the heedless are closed off from it, the withered despair of it, the faded are dying away -- so that even as flooding waters, this endless stream of grace passeth back into its primal source in a hidden sea. Only a few receive this grace and take their share of it.

As long as we lack susceptibility, the beauties and bounties of God cannot penetrate.

… Some hearts may be affected, then soon forget; others owing to superstitious ideas and imaginations may even fail to hear and understand; but the blessed souls who are attentive to my exhortation and admonition, listening with the ear of acceptance, allowing my words to penetrate effectively, will advance day by day toward full fruition, yea even to the Supreme Concourse. Consider how the parable makes attainment dependent upon capacity. Unless capacity is developed, the summons of the Kingdom cannot reach the ear, the light of the Sun of Truth will not be observed, and the fragrances of the rose garden of inner significance will be lost.

As to those souls who are born into this life as ethereal and radiant entities and yet, on account of their handicaps and trials, are deprived of great and real advantages, and leave the world without having lived to the full -- certainly this is a cause for grieving. This is the reason why the universal Manifestations of God unveil Their countenances to man, and endure every calamity and sore affliction, and lay down Their lives as a ransom; it is to make these very people, the ready ones, the ones who have capacity, to become dawning points of light, and to bestow upon them the life that fadeth never.

Thou didst ask whether, at the advent of the Kingdom of God, every soul was saved. The Sun of Truth hath shone forth in splendour over all the world, and its luminous rising is man's salvation and his eternal life -- but only he is of the saved who hath opened wide the eye of his discernment and beheld that glory.

The iron body is attractable although at long distances away; but the earthen one is not although in contact and very close.

Therefore, thank thou God for being an attractable body, to be drawn to the Magnet of the Kingdom of God.

When the soil is plowed and the seed scattered in it, a capacity is created which attracts the shower of the mercy of God.

So I hope that you will grow day by day in capacity, so as to receive more and more of the divine blessings. This capacity comes but by being detached from the world and by being attracted to God with a hearty inclination for His Cause.

Therefore, it is requisite that we must develop capacity and divine susceptibility in order that the merciful bounty of the Sun of Truth intended for this age and time in which we are living may reflect from us as light from pure crystals.

… If you attain to such a capacity of love and unity, the Blessed Perfection will shower infinite graces of the spiritual Kingdom upon you, guide, protect and preserve you under the shadow of His Word, increase your happiness in this world and uphold you through all difficulties.

Know thou that the Messianic Spirit and the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit is always manifest, but capacity and ability (to receive it) is more in some and less in others.

When the heavenly bounty descends upon pure and goodly soil, flowers and sweet herbs spring forth and it becomes a supreme paradise.

Although the bestowal is great and the grace is glorious, yet capacity and readiness are requisite. Without capacity and readiness the divine bounty will not become manifest and evident. … Therefore, we must develop capacity in order that the signs of the mercy of the Lord may be revealed in us.

… Therefore, we must endeavor always, cry, supplicate and invoke the Kingdom of God to grant us full capacity in order that the bestowals of God may become revealed and manifest in us.

If all the divine confirmations descend, but a soul is not receptive, there is no use. There was a certain Muhammad-Rida who, each morning and evening, would attain the presence of Baha'u'llah either in Qahvih Salih or in His house. After we left Baghdad, he would boast, "I associated with these people for ten years, but it had no effect on me!"

Day by day there is progress, and the divine favors and bounties are increasing upon that community, for they have developed capacity, and capacity is like a magnet that attracts divine confirmations.

I constantly supplicate at the threshold of the Lord of Hosts and beg endless confirmations for the friends.

The holy fragrances are intensely radiating and diffusing, yet one with a blocked nose is deprived of the sweet perfume. The Most Great Ocean is full of waves, yet one lost in the deadly desert remains without water, portionless, shareless and destitute.

The angels of confirmation only descend upon the hearts of those who are attracted, and the breezes of grace only revive the hearts of those who have attained true knowledge.

The glance of divine favor encompasses all; be thou assured of this. The outpouring of the Abha Beauty is universal; know this with certainty. As soon as capacity is shown, that outpouring will encompass and bestow eternal life.

O thou kind friend! However much the powerful rays of the sun may melt an iron object and render fluid what was once solid, it cannot make the frozen heart perceive, nor bring delight to the deprived blind. And however much the melodies of the divine nightingale may bestow happiness and evoke ecstasy, they cannot make those with defective hearing grow wise.

Therefore, it is my earnest hope that the Divine Spirit may rapidly bestow eternal life upon those receptive souls, and that thou mayest be one of the summoners to the Kingdom, for I think it will become evident on all sides that divine confirmations will be vouchsafed to those heavenly souls from every direction.

It is attainment of the highest virtues of humanity; it is nearness to God; it is capacity to receive the bounties of the ancient Lord. When man advances to this station, he attains the second birth.

It is clearly evident that while man possesses powers in common with the animal, he is distinguished from the animal by intellectual attainment, spiritual perception, the acquisition of virtues, capacity to receive the bestowals of Divinity, lordly bounty and emanations of heavenly mercy. … Christ has interpreted this station as the second birth.

If you will turn to God, He will turn to you and assist you. He will make you eloquent. He will make you irresistible by His Wisdom. The tongue speaks from the heart, and if you are sincere, God will speak for you.

… As the soul grows, its capacity increases. Capacity is the measure of development. Love is the evidence of capacity.

In Baha'i philosophy, luck is the same as divine confirmation, which is ceaseless and continuous, never subject to interruption or suspension. It is not limited to some to the exclusion of others. The capacity for its manifestation must be created. Showers of divine bounty and confirmation are always falling; if any spot experiences a suspension or delay, other areas shall receive these effusions.

The first necessity for us is to increase this capacity for light. The sun is always shining and brilliant, but the blind can never see it. We must train this capacity, to receive the Divine bounty. The oil in the parable, signifies this capacity.

Some souls, when they drink from the cup of recognition, cry out "Is there more?" Others, on the contrary, upon seeing a mirage consider themselves satisfied and display self-sufficiency, like the Children of Israel in the day of the appearance of Christ.

Know thou with certainty that God, exalted and glorified be He, hath singled out receptive souls for His wondrous favor, and the fruits of their acceptance will soon be made manifest in the earth.

Show forth thy capacity and merit, for without capacity the Gift doth not become manifest.

Increase day by day thy thirst, so that the Grace of God be continuous, and the Breath of the Holy Spirit may reach thee continually and the Eternal Life be granted.

These souls, by virtue of their nature, character, sanctity, purity, delicacy and clarity possess the utmost capacity. This is why at the mere casting of a word and the appearance of the outpouring of the verse of guidance, they become the recipients of the gift of the Supreme Concourse.

This is among the greatest of God's gifts. All souls are veiled and deprived of God's bestowals except those whose insight hath been illumined, whose conscience hath been purified, whose hearts have been gladdened, and whose souls have been stirred by the sweet fragrances wafting from the gardens of the love of God.

The grace of the Ancient Beauty has its center in the Abha Kingdom, descends through the manifestation of the All-Glorious, and is received according to the innate requirements of pure hearts among the loved ones of God. Capacity and receptivity are the measure, as the All-Merciful has declared in all ages.

O thou who gazest upon the Abha Kingdom!

In this supreme Paradise and manifest beatitude whereinto thou hast entered through the bounty of the Best-Beloved of the worlds, look with the eye of insight and beware of heedlessness. For the gift is manifest and evident only when the recipient is mature and awake.

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Should a person be bereft and destitute of God's favors, and deprived and veiled from the light of His grace, this punishment is assuredly greater than the fires of hell.

Those souls who possess the capacity to receive the outpourings of the Kingdom and are qualified to obtain the confirmations of the Holy Spirit become attracted through a single word. But those souls who lack capacity, no matter how much thou mayest explain the divine counsels and advice to them, and no matter how much the breeze of the Holy Spirit may waft, it will produce no effect; rather, it will only increase their frozenness and heedlessness. Oil becomes instantly ignited when it comes in contact with fire, but black stone is not affected by the heat of the fire.

O thou who art turned toward the Abha Kingdom! The infinite bounty of God was like the outpouring of the spring rain and the descent of the March showers, but only blessed and holy ground benefits from this bounty, while barren land remains deprived--that is, this bounty produces no effect and yields no growth.

Receptivity is necessary. The love of God is like unto the ray of the Sun. As long as the mirror is not polished from the dust, the rays of the sun shall not become manifest and revealed therein. For the appearance of the ray of the Sun which is the love of God depends upon the transparency and clearness of the mirror.

The more thirst each handmaiden of God has, the more abundantly will she receive her portion. This is from God's grace which He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth.

For example we observe that the Divine Grace like the rain pours down upon the Earth - Now if this rain falls upon brackish ground nothing will grow for the soil lacks the power of producing vegetation - as long as there is not the capacity in the soil no matter how much the rain may fall on it, it will yield no result - On the other hand there is a piece of land which is good and free from blemish and as soon as the rain falls flowers and hyacinths will spring up from it. … Therefore no matter how great is the Divine Grace yet if a man is not endowed with capability to receive it, there is no results.

Come and assist to elevate woman to her true dignity and station. Such as you find in this lamp--the oil and the wick--the power to ignite it. But the power in the light is only for this room. But in man there is a power of flame to enlighten the world. This oil, when fire touches it, will be ignited, but that power in man, when touched by the Love of GOD, will be instrumental in enlightening the world.

And His Holiness, Jacob, because of having received Heavenly confirmations, with all his power held on to that force and power. For some souls receive confirmations, but they do not appreciate it. A child receiving a priceless gem, not knowing its value, will throw it aside, or another will sell his precious stone for a very small amount.

But His Holiness, Jacob, was not thus. His Holiness, Jacob, did know its value. He held on to the Hem (the Heavenly attributes), as depicted in the picture referred to.

If the recipient is not aware the Bestowals of God will bear no fruit. Man must be ever aware of the goodness and benevolence of the Almighty to him,- so that he may enjoy the taste of those spiritual Confirmations.

If any soul desires to attain to Knowledge, in the moment when that desire had mounted to its apex - a teacher will be sent regardless whether that inquiring one is in a cave in the ground or in any other inaccessible place.

Therefore divine confirmations and heavenly guidance are necessary, and capacity and attainment of the outpourings of the All-Merciful are essential.

The magnanimity of man must be heavenly or, in other words, it must be assisted by the divine confirmation, so that he may become the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity.

God's gaze is ever fixed upon His servants, and were He to withdraw that glance of favor from the earth and all who dwell thereon for less than that, all would assuredly return to nothingness.

The Kingdom of assistance is within His mighty grasp. Should He so will, He could through a single soul subdue the entire world. Observe the sun, which is but one of His signs: through divine confirmations it alone hath conquered the whole world.

However, one must rely on divine confirmations and place one's trust and dependence on heavenly bounties, for if the outpouring of truth does not reach us and divine aid and favor do not encompass us, effort will yield no fruit and striving will give no result.

If the winds do not blow - meaning if divine aid does not arrive - the ship remains motionless, moving neither right nor left. But when the wind provides assistance, the ship moves, yet the rudder determines which direction it goes - wherever the rudder is inclined, there it goes.

The capacity for achieving extraordinary and praiseworthy progress is bestowed by Them through the breaths of the Holy Spirit, and heavenly civilization is not possible of attainment or accomplishment otherwise.

No: Were He not assisted by a divine power, He would never have been able to carry out such a mighty task. … There is no doubt that He was assisted by an extraordinary power.

It requires a divine power that can succeed in bringing it to order. Human powers can manage affairs to a certain degree, but when disorder has arisen from every direction, a divine power, a merciful gift, and a heavenly bestowal are needed to remove this disorder.

For healing, two causes are necessary: physical and spiritual. For a material remedy, physicians and medicine are needed. And for the spiritual cure, confirmations and divine healing are required.

Similarly for commerce, two causes have been decreed. The material cause is having capital and expertise, and the spiritual cause requires divine confirmation. If the material means are not ready, then all efforts are squandered. And should the divine confirmations accompany a deed, then its benefits will be immense and universal. If both are present, then it will be light upon light. Otherwise, efforts will be wasted.

The Confirmations of Abha will always descend upon you. If a person studies all the sciences and arts, without heavenly Confirmations, he will not be able to accomplish very much.

He who knows nothing of the wind, when he see trees shaken does not know it is the wind which causes them to shake. Since the beginning of the Cause there were at least ten thousand men who went with gladness to suffer martyrdom, and people who found them suffering this martyrdom thought it was through their own power and did not know that a breeze had shaken them. … Now, if one is not shaken by a breeze from the Garden of God, it is not possible for him to be in joy and gladness under these circumstances.

Today the penetrating power in the world of existence is the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom. Any arrangement and system that is confirmed by that will certainly become effective in the realm of existence and be realized.

Thus freedom is sweet - divine confirmation must be with a person, otherwise every water is fire and every soldier is a cause of defeat and failure.

O thou bird in the garden of certitude! Every bird set free by the Hand of God must depend on the two wings of confirmation and divine assistance in order to fly to the zenith of eternal glory and warble its melodies in the gardens of sanctity. It was once a gnat and it is now an eagle. It was once a sparrow and now it hath become a falcon rising into the azure skies of divine attraction.

When divine confirmation arrives, even if one gives away a treasure every moment, wealth increases and affluence flows like the River Oxus. But if that aid is cut off, the sea dries up and the Euphrates and Seyhan become mere mirages in the desert and wilderness.

Know with certainty that if divine confirmations are delayed by even the amount of a needle's point, all efforts will be wasted and no strategy will be of any use.

Yes, acquiring knowledge and educating souls is of utmost importance, but without the power of divine confirmation it will not lead to success. It is this penetrating force and conquering power that gives victory to a humiliated people over the most mighty nations and makes the most civilized nations defeated by the most ignorant tribes of the world.

Consider how one person has labored hard as a merchant, knows all the details of trade, is experienced in maintaining accounting books and transactions, and yet his business remains unprofitable and bereft of expansion, while another who has no experience enters the field and quickly achieves success. … Nevertheless, such people are many, but divine confirmations must follow unceasingly and surround us, otherwise there is no lasting success.

A person of action and an active force are needed, and in this day the confirmations and assistance of God are likewise essential. Otherwise, talk is plentiful, and it is easy to make commotions and create disturbances.

But these things should be the cause of humility and self-effacement. We must not consider that they are due to our addresses or our eloquence. These shining lights which you see will instantly darken if the origin of their bounty is severed from them.

Otherwise if a person is not confirmed and assisted in the Cause of God, he bears no fruit and his life remains without effect.

From every direction the doors are closed and the path of deliverance is cut off except through spiritual power and divine confirmations. If they only knew, they would turn to the horizon of the Cause. We do not say they should become believers, but with even a slight inclination and attraction they would receive divine confirmations and heavenly assistance.

Whatever occurred was His confirmation, else what capacity or power did we possess? Praise be to God, the Mighty Sovereign wages war with the hosts of the near angels and achieves great victories in East and West.

This very success in services is itself confirmation and the essence of divine assistance.

We beseech from His great grace and bounty that you may ever be the object of His glance of favor and the manifestation of the bestowals of the Divine Unity.

The achievement of purpose depends on divine confirmation, not confined to personal acquisition.

O steadfast one in the Covenant! Truly these treatises in verse and prose are through divine confirmation and inspiration, not through study and acquisition.

Thou askest how thou mayest attain these mighty virtues and become possessed of these glorious gifts. Through the grace of the Ancient Beauty, every difficulty is made easy, and everything impossible becometh possible and freely attainable.

Indeed, it is as thou hast written - "without the favors of the Truth, even if one be a king, his pages are blackened."

It is clear and evident that without divine confirmations, no soul can draw a single breath nor take a single step.

Human powers unaided by the divine Spirit cannot sustain trials and ordeals.

Nothing in this world is accomplished without divine Confirmation. Even the dispatch of small, unimportant matters depend spiritual assistance ...

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Without divine confirmation it is difficult; when confirmation comes, difficulty remains no more. Ease upon ease, joy upon joy, bounty upon bounty it becomes. When confirmation comes, difficulties become easy, just as when the wind comes, the mosquito departs.

If in this day a soul shall act according to the precepts and the counsels of God, he will serve as a divine physician to mankind, and like the trump of Israfil, he will call the dead of this contingent world to life; for the confirmations of the Abha Realm are never interrupted, and such a virtuous soul hath, to befriend him, the unfailing help of the Company on high. Thus shall a sorry gnat become an eagle in the fulness of his strength, and a feeble sparrow change to a royal falcon in the heights of ancient glory.

Therefore, ye friends of God! Appreciate ye the value of this time and be ye engaged in the sowing of the seeds, so that you may find the heavenly blessing and the lordly bestowal.

Should they show forth such a magnanimity, it is assured that they will obtain universal divine confirmations, the heavenly cohorts will reinforce them uninterruptedly, and a most great victory will be obtained.

If ye follow this course, the confirmations of the All-Glorious Kingdom, in a great rolling swell, will rise and surge above that school.

I swear by the bounty of Godis wisdom that if they win this great prize, the members of the Tarbiyat School will be admitted to the assemblage of God, and that unto them, beyond a peradventure, the portals of His grace will open wide.

O ye who yearn after the Beauty of the Almighty! Lift up your faces toward the Supreme Horizon. Rest not, even for a moment. Breathe not a single breath save in remembrance of His love and in recognition of His grace, in the promulgation of His Utterances and the vindication of His Testimonies.

Verily, this is the Magnet of divine confirmations. This is the mighty Force which will surely attract heavenly assistance.

Of those who arise in the service of this edifice there shall be no soul but shall be imbued by God with a power emanating from His mighty Kingdom, and upon him shall rain such spiritual, heavenly blessings as shall fill his heart with a wondrous light and illumine his eyes to behold the glory of the Ancient of Days.

His care and loving-kindness surge even as the eternal billows of the sea, and His blessings are continually showered from His eternal Kingdom.

Ours should be the prayer that His blessings may be vouchsafed in still greater abundance, and ours to hold fast to such means as shall ensure a fuller outpouring of His grace and a greater measure of His divine assistance.

Whoso is active in those meetings whether as a teacher of the children or a sponsor, will certainly become the recipient of confirmations from the invisible Realm, and endless bounties will compass him about.

With great joy, therefore, encouragement is offered for this highly laudable endeavour that ye may witness an exceeding great reward.

Await ye the sure and certain confirmations of the All-Merciful.

Were it not for the souls who have accepted the Faith becoming the cause of prevention of divine outpourings, they would now witness the sun of "God will render everyone independent out of His abundance" rising and shining from the horizon of the world.

If this Assembly, through the holy breathings of the All-Merciful and His divine confirmations, endure and remain fixed and firm, it shall produce notable results and it shall succeed in enterprises of great moment.

As for the question of the fruit of thy works: The greatest fruit is the good-pleasure of the Almighty, which is the foundation of eternal glory; the second fruit is illumination of heart and soul, which is the greatest Divine bestowal; the third fruit is renown in both the East and the West, which shall shine forth effulgently in times to come; and the fourth fruit is that thy book shall in future be greatly in demand.

Divine confirmation and success are essential and the bestowal of favors is conditional.

If thou desirest to be confirmed in the service of the Kingdom of God, live in accord with the Teachings of Baha'u'llah and that is; - real love for the world of humanity and the utmost of kindness for the believers of God. This real love like unto the magnetic power attracts the divine Confirmations.

Therefore, you must manifest the utmost kindness towards each other, and you may rest assured that whenever you are united, the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha will reach you, the heavenly favors will descend, the bounties of God will be bestowed, the Sun of Reality will shine, the cloud of mercy will pour its showers, and the breeze of divine generosity will waft its fragrances upon you.

The more perfect the love and agreement, the more the divine confirmations and assistance of the Blessed Perfection will descend. May this prove to be a divine meeting, and may boundless bestowals come down upon you.

The celestial power will be manifested, the hosts of the Supreme Concourse will grant victory, and the ranks of the world will be broken. Be confident that confirmations will arrive, but souls must be from the supreme realm and hearts must be pure and sanctified from the contamination of the world of dust and clay.

Divine confirmations arrive continuously and heavenly assistance follows one after another. If someone grows weary or seeks rest, they deprive themselves.

Pure intention is the magnet of heavenly assistance and the means of attracting Great Power.

Moreover, everything is limited except the bounty of God and this bounty descends upon man through teaching the Cause of God; then divine inspiration will assist him.

The Aminu's-Sultan received this letter with the utmost respect and even kissed it. Yet when he returned to Tehran and regained the premiership, on the one hand his affinity for the Baha'is was chilled by that old hyena, and on the other he himself waxed proud and heedless with the passage of time. As a result, divine confirmations were withheld from him and grievous dangers befell him.

Today the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha are with those who renounce themselves, forget their own opinions, cast aside personalities and are thinking of the welfare of others.

As for the matter of speech and utterance, and establishing proofs and evidence for the Manifestation of God - when divine confirmation arrives, this becomes simple and easy.

… When one engages in teaching with perfect wisdom, confirmations will arrive and all stations will be attained.

O dear son! Thy letter was a proof of firmness and steadfastness; for in this day the greatest of stations is firmness and steadfastness in faith and certitude. This firmness and steadfastness is the cause of divine confirmation and assistance.

Make the intention to serve and the means will be provided and confirmations will arrive.

This means that whoever fears God - that is, becomes a manifestation of the fear of God - will find relief, and God will bestow bounty upon him from directions he never imagined.

However, every bounty requires an attractive force, and every providence necessitates a seeking power. The magnet for divine bounties in these days is engagement in diffusing the divine fragrances.

Praise be to God, you are confirmed by the confirmations of the Kingdom and assisted by divine confirmations. Strive with heart and soul so that you may drink the cup of divine favors from the hand of the Cup-bearer of bounty. The more you endeavor in service, the more you will be confirmed and assisted, and the more you will receive the protection of the higher gift, and boundless joy and gladness will be attained.

Instead thou must show patience, be in the utmost dignity, and thankfulness so that the confirmations and assistance of the All-forgiving Lord will descend.

Thou didst write of the Nineteen Day festivity, and this rejoiced my heart. These gatherings cause the divine table to descend from Heaven, and draw down the confirmations of the All-Merciful.

Render continual thanks unto God so that the confirmations of God may encircle you all.

Today every soul who gives up his own thoughts and desires and mingles with the people with utmost sincerity, such an one is surrounded by the Hosts of the Supreme Concourse: as a magnet attracts iron these benevolent intentions similarly attract the divine confirmations. … Such a person is confirmed, otherwise all the doors of confirmation will be closed.

The attainment of divine confirmations depends upon teaching. If teaching is suspended, confirmations will also cease. Confirmations are contingent upon arising to serve. The friends must all arise unitedly to teach so they may witness how the hosts of divine confirmation will assist them.

Every day confirmations surround some specific pursuit and every hour has a purpose decreed for it. Today, teaching the Cause of God and spreading the divine teachings are what attract heavenly assistance.

This is the day of happiness. In no time of any manifestation was there the cause for happiness as now. A happy state brings special blessings. When the mind is depressed the blessings are not received.

Unto him who acteth in accordance with that which he hath been commanded, God shall open the gates of goodly gifts.

If any deficiency occurs in affairs, it is due to our own shortcoming, otherwise the Forgiving Lord bestows abundant favor and His ocean becomes an ocean of oceans, and His confirmations are constantly appearing and becoming manifest, and His assistance in the gathering of the friends is a light-giving lamp in the night.

In the Kingdom of God this bestowal is foreordained for thee. I hope thou wilt put forth an effort so this fore-ordination may step into the world of realization.

Through detachment, attraction, rapture, enthusiasm, longing and joy become a magnet for success. When confirmation is attained, all these hardships and difficulties will be forgotten.

Teaching compensates for everything because divine confirmations arrive.

And that magnet which attracts the dewdrops from the ocean of divine confirmation is steadfastness in the Cause of God, diffusion of the divine fragrances, service to the loved ones of God, humility and submissiveness before His chosen ones, the station of self-effacement and evanescence, supplication to the Abha Kingdom, love for all God's creatures, obedience and truthfulness to the great throne of sovereignty, and prayers seeking confirmation for the supreme seat of government.

If thou become so , thou wilt be an evident light and a divine angel in the celestial dominion; then it dependeth on the divine confirmation, according to thy perseverance.

When one step is taken in the path of Truth, the confirmations of the Ancient Beauty arrive successively. Therefore be confident in divine grace and walk upon this straight path so that you may obtain infinite bounty and become the manifestation of divine favors.

Then know thou that, verily, the hosts of confirmation from the Kingdom of God will assist every soul who is severed from aught else save God, is associated with commemoration of God and is rejoiced at the glad-tidings of God.

Seek thou assistance from God and beseech His confirmations so that thou mayest find thine own will as nothing before His, and thine limited purpose, thy personal wishes and thy own good pleasure as a mirage, as a mere drop when face to face with the unlimited ocean of His absolute Purpose.

Just as a magnet attracts iron, so does the promotion of the divine teachings attract heavenly confirmations. Ere long ye shall witness what mighty influences it will exert and what wondrous signs it will manifest.

Detach yourself from this transient world and establish connection with the divine realm, so that you may receive new confirmations at every moment and seek tremendous gladness and delight.

Rather, when teaching, turn thy face to the Abha Kingdom, seek divine confirmations, and with perfect assurance and power, open thy tongue and speak whatsoever is inspired in thy heart.

Render thanks for this great bounty, that ye may become the manifestation of "If ye give thanks, I will give you more." The eye of favor gazeth upon you, the lights of bounty shine upon you, and the breeze of mercy quickeneth your hearts.

...When any soul turns unto the omnipotent Lord with perfect humility and submissiveness, and becomes abashed and ashamed of his own shortcomings, there is no doubt that such a soul is inspired by divine inspiration, for there is no excellence greater than when a person discovers and acknowledges his own imperfections. Praise be to God that thou art walking in His path and art illumined by the light of His Kingdom and art drawing therefrom.

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When a gathering of these two races is brought about, that assemblage will become the magnet of the Concourse on high, and the confirmation of the Blessed Beauty will surround it.

In brief, discord among the friends causes divine confirmation and success to be entirely cut off.

Teaching the Cause is the Magnet which attracts unto man Divine Confirmations and crown his life with eternal results.

If souls who are sons of the Kingdom be united, great shall be the results. Then the Divine Confirmations will become fully established, and their hearts and spirits will attain a remarkable illumination.

… The beloved of GOD must do that whereby they can attain capacity, in order that the Bounties of the Kingdom may become apparent in them!

Notwithstanding it has been tried (and found out) that whoever tried to please the people displeased God, and he who tried to please God, became assisted and confirmed.

He said, "It is by God's mercy you have come here and by this mercy you will become as lamps if you will cut your hearts entirely from aught else but God."

The spirit of Baha'u'llah overshadows those souls who work for the Cause of unity, speak the Words of Unity, upraise the Standard of Unity and circulate the Spirit of Unity.

Verily your Lord aids whoever aids Him and remembers whoever remembers Him amongst His heedless servants.

He whom the grace of Thy mercy aideth, though he be but a drop, shall become the boundless ocean, and the merest atom which the outpouring of Thy loving-kindness assisteth, shall shine even as the radiant star.

Indeed, Thou hast assisted Thy servants in the past and, though they were the weakest of Thy creatures, the lowliest of Thy servants and the most insignificant of those who lived upon the earth, through Thy sanction and potency they took precedence over the most glorious of Thy people and the most noble of mankind.

If so helpless a creature can be endowed with so subtle a capacity, how much more efficacious must be the power released through the liberal effusions of the grace of Baha'u'llah!

It is evident that the confirmation of the Glorious Lord makes the powerless powerful and the weak strong, bestows ocean waves upon the drop and sun rays upon the particle. It is confirmation that has enabled 'Abdu'l-Baha to stand firm against all the forces of the world and has made all tribulations easy, nay, has made affliction the desire of his soul.

Be ye helpful through the providence and favor of the Blessed Perfection, for His favors change a drop into an ocean, cause a seed to become a tree and make an atom as glorious as the sun. His graces are boundless. The treasure houses of God are filled with bounties. God, Who hath shown favors unto others, will certainly bestow favors upon you.

No capacity is limited when led by the Spirit of God!

The earth of itself has no properties of life, it is barren and dry, until fertilized by the sun and the rain; still the earth need not bewail its own limitations. May you be given life!

Remember not your own limitations; the help of God will come to you. Forget yourself. God's help will surely come!

Transmute, O my Lord, their abasement into glory, their poverty into wealth, and their weakness into a strength born of Thee.

Look thou not upon thine own capability; the invisible divine confirmations are great and the protection and providence of the Beauty of ABHA is the helper and the assistant. When a drop draws help from the ocean, it is an ocean in itself, and a little seed, through the outpouring of rain, the favor of the sun and the soul-refreshing breeze, will become a tree with the utmost freshness, full of leaves, blossoms and fruits.

Unless the escort of grace should arrive and bestow the power of movement, and the favors of the Blessed Beauty encompass me, so that the gnat may become a phoenix and the helpless one may be transformed into a conquering eagle.

The hope that exists is not due to capacity and worthiness, but rather to the power of confirmation and the aid of the Lord of Oneness.

We should not be occupied with our failings and weakness, but concern ourselves about the Will of God so that It may flow through us, thereby healing these human infirmities.

Rest thou assured. If thou dost act accordingly and hoist the standard of the Covenant, Paris shall burst into flame. Be constantly attached to and seek always the confirmations of Baha'u'llah for these turn the drop into a sea and convert the gnat into an eagle.

We are as drops and He is the Most Great Ocean. Poor are we, yet the outpouring of the treasury of the Kingdom is boundless. Weak are we, yet the confirmation of the Supreme Concourse is abundant.

Whatever conditions, events, occurrences, calamities and trials may arise in the path of God - all serve to strengthen divine confirmations and are glad-tidings from the Glorious Lord.

Be not perturbed by the winds of tribulations or dismayed by grievous calamities. The splendours of divine assistance are shed abroad from the Kingdom of God, and the hosts of heavenly confirmation are continually descending from the throne of the Most High. Rest thou assured and be thou confident.

O My Name! If thou art poor in weakness, then seek wealth through My Name, the Powerful. If thou art sick in body, then seek healing through My Name, the Healer. If thou art weary in speech, then seek utterance through My sovereignty, the Speaker, the All-Knowing, the Eloquent.

Divine confirmations increase in proportion to the restrictions and persecutions of strangers, and the hosts of the Concourse on High assist souls who are free. The more opposition increases, the more divine assistance and bounty arrive.

Be confident that confirmations will reach you.

Do not be saddened by poverty nor disturbed by need, for in God's path in every age poverty was wealth and need the greatest ascension; abasement was the greatest glory and annihilation the cause of eternal life.

But be thou assured that this loss and detriment will become the cause of boundless profit, and this oppression and cruelty will become the magnet attracting the aid and bounty of the Almighty Lord.

Marvel not at the favor of the Lord. When the ray of His bounty shines forth, it makes an ant into a Solomon, and a gnat into a soaring celestial eagle. The insignificant fly becomes a high-soaring falcon. Whatever is done is done by the ray of bounty.

If today there were means of comfort and peace of mind, anyone would arise to serve the Cause of God. Then where would special distinction and striving and effort become apparent?

Therefore, let us ever trust in God and seek confirmation and assistance from Him. Let us have perfect and absolute confidence in the bounty of the Kingdom. Review the events surrounding souls of bygone times in the beginning of their day; and again consider them when, through the aid and assistance of God, they proved to be the mighty ones of God.

Many greater women came who were all from royal lineage in the material world, or from among the famous of the lands and peoples. But because Mary had the love of Christ in her heart, through the love of Christ every capacity was given to her, to the extent that such a church was built in France in her name. Thus whoever establishes a connection with God finds every capacity. Therefore do not say "we have no capacity" - as long as you have the love of Baha'u'llah in your heart, you have every capacity and worthiness.

But in the work of the Kingdom of God, that is exceptional: In this place or station one should not consider capacity or ability; the confirmation of the Spirit will descend; because we hold that the weakest souls through the confirmation of the Holy Spirit become the most powerful.

It has often happened that one who is not able to teach would be sent forth, and when the time came, that one would be found powerful and eloquent. One man of this kind in the East has even written a book.

However, while laden with manifold tribulations in the Most Great Prison, we have managed to advance our purpose. Divine confirmations have ceaselessly surrounded us. The fiercer the troubles and difficulties, the more intense the divine succor. What rapture, what light, what spirit!

Through Thy confirmation the weak become strong, the lowly become great, the feeble ant becomes Solomon, and the atom becomes a radiant sun.

The destitute receive a share from the great bounty, and the helpless partake of the greatest blessing. The poor discover an flowing treasure, and the weak are confirmed with mighty strength.

Therefore, do not look to your own capacity and worthiness, but rather look to the endless favors of the Blessed Beauty and rely on the breathings of the Holy Spirit. If the rays of the Sun of Truth shine forth, metaphors become reality, and if that confirmation does not arrive, all realities become metaphor. The meaning is that when divine assistance comes, a drop becomes an ocean, and when assistance is cut off, the sun becomes an atom.

Though human reality is utterly weak and powerless, yet divine bestowal is in the utmost might and power. Therefore, one must not look to weakness and impotence, but rather turn to eternal glory and divine bestowal. What station or rank hath an atom? Yet when it falleth within the ray of the sun it becometh visible and manifest and performeth its dance. For the existence of the atom is not perceptible, but the bounty of the sun maketh it apparent.

Though the tests in these days are beyond measure or end, yet the grace and favors of God are likewise boundless and infinite. I am ever mindful of your tribulations and beseech from God steadfastness and constancy. These afflictions are as seeds sown - ere long ye shall observe how they have become bountiful harvests and yielded infinite grace.

Be confident in the divine confirmations which make every weak one strong and every powerless one mighty.

Therefore a teacher must never look at his own shortcomings but consider the boundless sea of the Confirmation of God. He must turn his face toward Him and ask assistance and help. Undoubtedly if his aim is not alloyed with any selfish interest he will be aided from the Supreme Concourse.

You must not consider your own capabilities. You must consider how great are the favours of God. Consider how the dark earth through the favours of the rays of the sun yields fragrant and beautiful flowers. Therefore I say that through the assistance of God any one of us can perform wonders. This is of the essence of faith and this is that upon which depends all success.

We who are so weak are carrying constant conquests while others, notwithstanding their greatness and power are being defeated, therefore it is evident that the Confirmations of God are with us.

Verily, thy Lord changeth grief into joy, hardship into comfort, and affliction into absolute ease.

One night, in a dream, these exalted words were heard on every side: "Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth -- men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him."

By the life of Baha! Verily will the consummate power of the Divine Reality breathe into you the bounties of the Holy Spirit, and aid you to perform an exploit whose like the eye of creation hath never looked upon.

Praise be to God, the hosts of the Supreme Concourse secure the victory and the power of the Kingdom is ready to assist and to support.

Ye will soon see the angels of confirmation successively sustaining you, and the hosts of reinforcement rushing forth before you.

O ye blessed souls! Although ye are undergoing crucial tests in view of the repeated and assiduous attempts of some people to shake the faith of the friends in Los Angeles, yet ye are under the guarding eye of the bounty of Baha'u'llah and are assisted by legions of angels.

May you attain supreme capacity and magnetic attraction in this realm of might and power -- manifesting new energy and wonderful accomplishment, for God is your Assister and Helper. The breath of the Holy Spirit is your comforter, and the angels of heaven surround you. I desire this power for you. Rest assured that these bounties now overshadow you.

Know thou that God is with thee under all conditions, and that He guardeth thee from the changes and chances of this world and hath made thee a handmaid in His mighty vineyard.

It is my hope that the breaths of the Holy Spirit will so be breathed into your hearts that your tongues will disclose the mysteries, and set forth and expound the inner meanings of the Holy Books; that the friends will become physicians, and will, through the potent medicine of the heavenly Teachings, heal the long-standing diseases that afflict the body of this world; that they will make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dead to come alive; that they will awaken those who are sound asleep.

These gates are souls who are as guiding stars, as portals of knowledge and grace; and within these gates there stand twelve angels. By 'angel' is meant the power of the confirmations of God -- that the candle of God's confirming power shineth out from the lamp-niche of those souls -- meaning that every one of those beings will be granted the most vehement confirming support.

He must forgo his own rest and enjoyment and constantly strive to bring gladness to the hearts of his father and mother, that thereby he may attain the good pleasure of the Almighty and be graciously aided by the hosts of the unseen.

At every instant, I beg for you assistance, bounty, and a fresh favor and blessing, so that the confirmations of Baha'u'llah may, like unto the sea, be constantly surging, the lights of the Sun of Truth may shine upon you all and that ye may be confirmed in service, may become the manifestations of bounty and that each one of you may, at dawn, turn unto the Holy Land and may experience spiritual emotions with all intensity.

O ye servants of the Sacred Threshold! The triumphant hosts of the Celestial Concourse, arrayed and marshalled in the Realms above, stand ready and expectant to assist and assure victory to that valiant horseman who with confidence spurs on his charger into the arena of service.

The confirmations of the Kingdom are with you.

He will come to your aid with invisible hosts, and support you with armies of inspiration from the Concourse above; He will send unto you sweet perfumes from the highest Paradise, and waft over you the pure breathings that blow from the rose gardens of the Company on high. He will breathe into your hearts the spirit of life, cause you to enter the Ark of salvation, and reveal unto you His clear tokens and signs.

Thy generous Lord will assist thee to labour in His vineyard and will cause thee to be the means of spreading the spirit of unity among His handmaids. He will make thine inner eye to see with the light of knowledge, He will forgive thy sins and transform them into goodly deeds.

He asketh that bounties will be sent down unto you, and peace of mind, so that ye may succeed in rendering this most laudable service with ease and joy.

Doubt not that God is with us, on our right hand and on our left, that day by day He will cause our numbers to increase, and that our meetings will grow in strength and usefulness.

The English lady who hath established this society will assuredly become the recipient of the confirmations of the Abha Kingdom.

Great is the multitude who will rise up to oppose you, who will oppress you, heap blame upon you, rejoice at your misfortunes, account you people to be shunned, and visit injury upon you; yet shall your heavenly Father confer upon you such spiritual illumination that ye shall become even as the rays of the sun which, as they chase away the sombre clouds, break forth to flood the surface of the earth with light.

Praise be to God, thou art assisted and confirmed, for he is to the utmost degree satisfied with thee, while his contentment is a source of happiness to the hearts of all, especially at this time when he hath been assailed by tests; yet praise be to God, despite such trials he remaineth patient and steadfast, and I fain would hope that, through the grace of the Almighty, his peace and composure may reach the point of perfection.

Wherefore, unloose thy tongue in praise of the Abha Beauty and occupy thyself with the remembrance of Him---may my soul and spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones---that the divine confirmations may become all-encompassing, and Divine Unity, like unto a flame, may blaze in the chamber of thy heart and burn away all the veils.

The forces of the Kingdom stand ready and expectant. As soon as a soul urgeth the steed of high endeavour into the field of sacrifice, these heavenly forces will rush forth to his aid and will render him assistance and support.

The friends in 'Ishqabad made the raising up of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar the means of creating perfect fellowship. With the utmost love and sincerity, they elected a committee, and that committee attended to establishing, organizing, arranging, and designing the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. Divine confirmations were vouchsafed day after day, and---praised be God!---it was constructed in great soundness and majesty.

We shall surely assist you, as We did before and likewise afterwards - a promise binding upon Us. Verily We were among the patient ones.

God willing, may you be assisted and confirmed. Rise up in unity and accord to exalt the Cause of the Lord of creation, for divine confirmations are with you and the power of the Holy Spirit sustains you.

The bounties of Baha'u'llah shall compass thee about and the joyful tidings from on high shall time and again be imparted unto thee.

I am being continually reinforced by the energizing rays of His grace, and feel upheld by the uninterrupted aid of the victorious hosts of His Kingdom.

This delay in Haifa, too, hath been a divine gift, for it hath led thee to breathe the sweet savours of God and inhale the musk-laden fragrances. It is my hope that, by the favours of the Almighty, thou mayest be confirmed and assisted in all matters on this journey.

I swear by God, besides Whom them is no other God, that although we might have traversed America from the east to the west, had not His confirmations and favors been with us, no one would have paid any heed to us. It is all through His aid and assistance that these doors have been opened.

But when a person is confident and assured of divine confirmations, then the entire earth and heaven will serve him.

Be assured that the high mission for which you have been created will, in its entirety, be accomplished by you. Until you have consummated your work, if all the darts of an unbelieving world be directed against you, they will be powerless to hurt a single hair of your head.

The hosts of the invisible Kingdom, be assured, will sustain and reinforce your efforts. The essence of power is now dwelling in you, and the company of His chosen angels revolves around you. His almighty arms will surround you, and His unfailing Spirit will ever continue to guide your steps. He that loves you, loves God; and whoever opposes you, has opposed God. Whoso befriends you, him will God befriend; and whoso rejects you, him will God reject.

By God, the true One, verily, the Holy Spirit confirmeth every maid-servant who ariseth to spread the fragrances of God, so that the inhabitants of the whole world cannot overcome her spiritual strength--for similar things have happened in the past centuries.

The Almighty will no doubt grant you the help of His grace, will invest you with the tokens of His might, and will endue your souls with the sustaining power of His holy Spirit.

He will assist thee with such confirmation as will astonish minds and souls, and thou wilt marvel at thyself and say: "Whence this penetrating power? Whence this wondrous utterance? Whence this eloquent speech?" All this is a gift from thy Lord.

Therefore, be ye assured and confident that the confirmations of God are descending upon you, the assistance of God will be given unto you, the breaths of the Holy Spirit will quicken you with a new life, the Sun of Reality will shine gloriously upon you, and the fragrant breezes of the rose gardens of divine mercy will waft through the windows of your souls.

God hath prescribed for Himself the assistance of those who convey His Cause, and He will reward them with a goodly reward.

Whoso ariseth to serve Him, verily He will arise to assist him in all things. By My life, this is a truth like unto His very existence.

These are servants that have remained fast and firm in Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, that have held fast unto the Cord of constancy in Thy Cause and clung unto the hem of the Robe of Thy Grandeur. Assist them, O Lord! with Thy Grace, confirm with Thy Power and strengthen their loins in obedience to Thee.

O Lord God! Bestow upon each one understanding; give them power and strength and cause them to mirror forth Thy divine aid and confirmation, so that they may become highly distinguished among the people.

O my Lord! O my Lord!

This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Powerful, the Generous, the Loving!

Thou art He Who watereth the hearts of all that have recognized Thee from Thy plenteous stream and the fountain of Thy living waters.

Shield them within the stronghold of Thy protection and safety, preserve them in Thy watchful care, look upon them with the eyes of Thy providence and mercy, make them the signs of Thy divine unity that are manifest throughout all regions, the standards of Thy might that wave above Thy mansions of grandeur, the shining lamps that burn with the oil of Thy wisdom in the globes of Thy guidance, the birds of the garden of Thy knowledge that warble upon the topmost boughs in Thy sheltering paradise, and the leviathans of the ocean of Thy bounty that plunge by Thy supreme mercy in the fathomless deeps.

Cast me not out, I implore Thee, of the presence of Thy grace, neither do Thou withhold from me the outpourings of Thy generosity and bounty. Ordain for me, O my Lord, what Thou hast ordained for them that love Thee, and write down for me what Thou has written down for Thy chosen ones.

O God, my God! Exalt them by Thine ancient glory, honour them in Thy Kingdom of grandeur, and assist them with the hosts of Thy favours in this great Day. O Lord, my God! Raise aloft their banner, grant them an ampler share of Thy protection, spread abroad their signs, and increase their radiance, that they may become a glass for the lamp of Thy manifold favours and spreaders of Thy loving-kindness and bounties.

Let us pray to God that He will exhilarate our spirits so we may behold the descent of His bounties, illumine our eyes to witness His great guidance and attune our ears to enjoy the celestial melodies of the heavenly Word.

I pray Thee, O my Lord, by Thy hidden, Thy treasured Name, that calleth aloud in the kingdom of creation, and summoneth all peoples to the Tree beyond which there is no passing, the seat of transcendent glory, to rain down upon us, and upon Thy servants, the overflowing rain of Thy mercy, that it may cleanse us from the remembrance of all else but Thee, and draw us nigh unto the shores of the ocean of Thy grace.

Rain down, then, upon me out of the clouds of Thy bounty that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Assist me, then, through Thy strengthening grace, so to serve Thy Cause amidst Thy servants that I may show forth what will cause me to be remembered as long as Thine own kingdom endureth and Thy dominion will last.

They themselves, O my Lord, have waited at the door of Thy grace. Do Thou open it to their faces with the keys of Thy bountiful favors. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to ordain what Thou pleasest.

O Thou kind One! Grant them a haven and a refuge within the shelter of Thy protection, and shield them from tests and trials. Lend them Thine invisible assistance, and confer upon them Thine infallible grace.

We are servants in Thy vineyard, spreaders of Thy religion, devoted worshipers of Thy countenance, humble towards Thy loved ones, submissive before Thy door, and imploring Thee to confirm us in serving Thy chosen ones, to support us with Thine unseen hosts, to strengthen our loins in Thy servitude and to make us submissive and adoring subjects communing with Thee.

Send down upon me Thy mercy, and write down for me what Thou hast written down for Thy chosen ones.

O Lord! Assist him through Thy strengthening grace which proceedeth from Thine invisible Kingdom, aid him with such hosts as are hidden from the eyes of Thy servants and grant that he may have a sure footing in Thy presence.

I am poor; bestow upon me wealth from the treasures of the Kingdom. I am ignorant; open before my face the doors of knowledge; I am dead; breathe into me the Breath of Life.

Their eyes, O my Lord, are expectantly turned in the direction of Thy bounty, and their faces are set towards the horizon of Thy grace. Suffer them not, through Thy bounty, to be deprived of Thy grace.

O Divine Providence! Grant them Thy favour, guide them aright, graciously aid them to achieve spiritual victory, and confer upon them heavenly bestowals. O Lord, assist them by Thy munificence and grace, and make their radiant faces lamps of guidance in assemblies devoted to the knowledge of Thee, and signs of heavenly bounty in gatherings where Thy verses are expounded.

Aware as I am, O my God, that Thou wilt send down upon Thy servants only what is good for them, I nevertheless beseech Thee, by Thy name which overshadoweth all things, to raise up, for their assistance and as a sign of Thy grace and as an evidence of Thy power, those who will keep them safe from all their adversaries.

Render victorious, O my God, by the hosts of Thine all-glorious Kingdom and the waves of the seas of Thine all-encompassing bounty, this servant of Thine, who is enraptured by the company of Thine angels on high and enkindled with the fire of Thy love amidst Thy servants.

I beseech God that He may graciously make thee the sign of His bounty amidst mankind, illumine thy face with the light of such blessings as are vouchsafed by the merciful Lord, single thee out for His love in this age which is distinguished among all the past ages and centuries.

How can I praise Thee, O Lord, for the evidences of Thy mighty splendor and for Thy wondrous sweet savors which Thou hast imparted to Me in this fortress, in such measure that nothing in the heavens or on the earth can compare with them? Thou hast watched over Me in the heart of this mountain where I am compassed by mountains on all sides. One hangeth above Me, others stand on My right and My left and yet another riseth in front of Me. Glory be unto Thee, no God is there but Thee. How often have I seen rocks from the mountain hurtling down upon Me, and Thou didst protect Me therefrom and preserved Me within the stronghold of Thy divine Unity.

Glorified and exalted art Thou, and praise be unto Thee for whatsoever Thou lovest and desirest, and thanks be unto Thee for that which Thou hast decreed and preordained. From time immemorial Thy tender mercy hath been sent down and the process of Thy creation hath been and ever is ceaseless. Thy handiwork is unlike the work of anyone besides Thee, and Thy goodly gifts are unparalleled by the gifts of anyone other than Thyself.

Praise be unto Thee, O My Beloved, and magnified be Thy Name. Ever since the hour I set foot upon this fortress till the moment I shall have departed therefrom, I behold Thee established upon Thy seat of glory and majesty, sending down upon Me the manifold tokens of Thy bountiful favor and grace. Thou beholdest that My dwelling place is but the heart of the mountains, and Thou discernest naught in My Person except the evidences of abasement and loneliness.

Lauded be Thy Name; I render Thee thanks for every instance of Thine inscrutable Decree and offer My praise for every token of Thy tribulations. Having suffered Me to be cast into the prison, Thou didst turn it into a garden of Paradise for Me and caused it to become a chamber of the court of everlasting fellowship.

How numerous the verses Thou didst send down unto Me, and the prayers Thou didst hear Me offer unto Thee. How diverse the revelations which Thou didst call into being through Me and the experiences Thou didst witness in Me.

Magnified be Thy Name. Manifold trials have been powerless to deter Me from yielding thanks unto Thee and My shortcomings have failed to keep Me back from extolling Thy virtues. The infidels had purposed to turn My abode into one of disgrace and humiliation. But Thou hast glorified Me through My remembrance of Thee, hast exalted Me through My praise of Thee, hast graciously aided Me through the revelations of Thy oneness, and hast conferred upon Me a great honor through the effulgent splendors of Thine ancient eternity. To the fire Thou dost command, "Be thou a soothing balm unto My Servant," and to the prison, "Be thou a seat of tender compassion to My Servant, as a token from My presence." Yea, I swear by Thy glory; to Me the prison hath proved to be naught but the most delightful garden of Paradise and hath served as the noblest spot in the realm above.

Praised and glorified art Thou. How often did adversities descend upon Me and Thou didst temper them and avert them through Thy gracious favor; and how many times were commotions stirred up against Me at the hand of the people, while Thou didst cause them to subside through Thy tender mercy. How numerous the occasions when the Nimrods kindled fires wherewith to burn Me, but Thou didst make them balm for Me; and how manifold the instances when the infidels decreed My humiliation and Thou didst turn them into marks of honor for Me....

Verily Thou art the highest aspiration of every earnest seeker and the Goal of the desire of them that yearn after Thee. Thou art He Who is ready to answer the call of such as recognize Thy divine unity, and He before Whom the fainthearted stand in awe. Thou art the Helper of the needy, the Deliverer of the captives, the Abaser of the oppressors, the Destroyer of the wrong-doers, the God of all men, the Lord of all created things. Thine are the kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, O Thou Who art the Lord of all the worlds.

O All-Sufficient One! Thou dost suffice Me in every hardship that may descend upon Me and in every affliction that may wax great before Me. Thou art My sole Companion in My loneliness, the Delight of My heart in My solitude and My Best-Beloved in My prison and in My Abode. No God is there but Thee!

Whomsoever Thou dost suffice shall not be put to grief; whomsoever Thou dost protect shall never perish; whomsoever Thou dost help shall never be abased; and he unto whom Thou turnest Thy gaze shall never be far removed from Thee.

Write down for us then whatsoever is of Thee, and forgive us for what we are. Verily Thou art the Lord of power and glory, the Lord of all the worlds. "Far be the glory of Thy Lord, the Lord of all greatness, from what they impute to Him, and peace be upon His Apostles, and praise be unto God, the Lord of all the worlds."

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Aware as I am, O my God, that Thou hast decreed for them that which excelleth whatsoever is in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, I still cherish the desire that Thou mayest behold them in Thy days exalted and honored by Thy creatures.

Give them, then, to drink what will quicken their hearts in Thy days. Enable them, moreover, O my Lord, to fix their gaze at all times upon Thy pleasure, and to yield Thee thanks for the evidences of Thine irrevocable decree.

O Alif and Ha, upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of all mankind. The Wronged One hath remembered thee before and after, and beseecheth God, glorified and exalted be He, to open before thy face the gates of gifts and favors, and to make the one whom We have named 'Abdu'r-Rahman confirmed in that which He loveth and pleaseth. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

Do not look upon our capabilities, but deal with us according to Thy infinite Mercy! O Lord! Cause the drop to become an ocean, and the seed the harvest!

I beseech Thee to transform the fire into light, sorrow into joy, and pus into pure wine. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful."

O God, leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy Love.

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O seeker after confirmation! ... by the grace and favour of God, he may meet with success

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