expressions of grief; lamentation; sadness
Editorial introduction
Sorrow asks first to be heard. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells a grieving friend to say whatever a troubled heart desires, and he never pretends to stand above grief himself: he writes to his sister of tears he cannot hold back, of a calamity that melted his heart, of hardships falling on his family like spring rain. Bahá’u’lláh’s prayers bring the same honesty before God, who sees the tears and hears the bitter wailing. Grief in the Writings is not scolded away; it is given room, and then it is accompanied. Out of lament rises the counsel of patience, the assurance that death is a door of mercy and that the beloved dead live on, so that mourning opens naturally into prayer for the departed and into the question of the soul’s life beyond this world. Grief also tells the truth about injustice, and so it borders the memory of the martyrs. Finally it becomes practical: visit, listen, provide a livelihood, protect a widow, continue a loved one’s work. There consolation stops being a word and becomes a hand held out.
Now is the time for you to say what is in your heart, for until now there has not been an opportunity for me to meet with you and address the pains in your heart. Now say whatever your troubled heart desires. It is obvious what state came over you with all those favors and kindnesses. What a precious time and opportunity it was. I was dazed and bewildered.
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.
Now, because it is the day of separation, and the time of mourning, the fire of anxiety is flaming; the heat of burning sorrow is, as it were, shrivelling up the universe! The calamities of my family are beyond endurance, and the troubles of those sorrowful leaves (sister, wife, daughters) are without end. … Eyes are weeping bitter tears. Hearts are sore wounded. With hidden wounds are they smitten, Lamentations rend the soul, and the shaft of grief, piercing through all our hearts, joins them together.
I had no comfort in this great convulsion and this overwhelming, devastating calamity which shook my pillars and limbs, melted my liver and heart, and obliterated my being and essence, except through the sweet fragrances wafting from the hearts of the loved ones of God and the Hands of His Cause.
Thou knowest well, O fiery phoenix, the intensity of my separation, the severity of my burning, my excessive yearning, my sighing and moaning, the flame of my fire, the clamor of my heart and the blazing of my fires from this grief which has crushed my bones and melted my flesh and innards.
O servant of the Threshold of the Friend! What shall I write and what shall I pen that might bring tranquility to the essence of the heart and diminish the heat and burning within?
I swear by the Educator of existence and by the Witness and the Witnessed that the mightiest ocean cannot still this burning, nor can all the pens in the world describe and record this grief.
The sorrows that have come have rolled up the carpet of joy. Glory be to God! At one moment my heart rejoiceth because of it, and at another I find it in manifest grief. The poet of Shiraz hath well said:
"If the wind were to fall upon me it would carry me away,
for no one remaineth beneath this garment."...
O My Sister! By God, I have so blotted out from memory the remembrance of everything that I know not what hath been written down. Sorrow hath so surrounded Me that I have forgotten Mine own Self, how much more the writing of letters. O that My Mother had never given birth to Me!
May thou be always under the protection of God and abide in the shade of His mercy.
At times He is silent, the cord of hope broken, freed from attachment to all else, wounded by the arrow of cruelty. At times in the dark night, companion to tearful eyes, lamenting cries and a burning heart. Sometimes raising loud cries of anguish and grief, other times passing time depressed, withered and hurt.
Due to the intensity of its effect, I did not write a response until now, for if I had written, it would have increased the grief and sorrow of that beloved of hearts, and the reins of the pen would have slipped from my hand. Thus, silence was necessarily chosen. In brief, it seems you share and partake in the afflictions and sorrows of this servant, and whatever befalls this servant, a portion is ordained for you.
Therefore, we must console one another, for we both suffer from incurable pains, and there is no remedy save patience.
At all times I implore: "O God! Return this handful of bones to the layers of dust and give this weak body lodging in a humble grave, that I may find deliverance from the difficulties and troubles and calamities and hardships of this contingent world, for the field is narrow and hearts are harder than stone."
O my God! You know my sorrow and grief, my burning anguish and sadness in these days. I cannot pour out my grief and sorrow and complaint to anyone but You.
Due to my weakness, my abasement, my poverty, my evanescence, my powerlessness, my suffering, my loneliness and my tribulation, my tongue is tied, my heart is melted, and my limbs tremble. O Lord! Affairs have become severe for me, faces have grown cheerless, souls are choking, breasts are constricted, and adversaries have laid snares of cunning and guile for these birds whose wings are broken by the arrows of cruelty.
We are without head or refuge, helpless and remediless. We are wounded by every arrow, and cut by every sword. Bestow upon us a cure from the dispensary of Thy mercy, and grant us a healing balm from Thy supreme panacea, that these broken hearts may find solace, and these withered and dejected souls may find rest and gladness. May this night of sorrows be followed by a bright morn, and may this deadly poison be sweetened by wondrous honey.
Thou seest my poverty and neediness, my weakness and brokenness, my distress and anguish, my sorrow and tribulation. It is as though Thou hast closed the doors of Thy mercy upon the face of Thy servant, cast him out from the vicinity of Thy sovereignty, expelled him from the paradise of Thy holy bounty, and distanced him from Thy grace and favor.
By Thy glory, in this moment the breeze of despair has wafted, O Hope of the worlds! Thou seest how anxiety and agitation have seized me, O my Lord, the All-Bestowing!
Dost thou desire to record in the Tablet that which would sadden the hearts of My loved ones, or that which would gladden every pure heart? By thy life! I do not wish to behold them in sorrow, as attesteth My Name, the All-Merciful, if thou be of them that understand.
At times it has galloped in the arena of remembrance, and at other times it has been prevented from utterance by sorrows that have overtaken it.
… Baba Tahir has spoken well when he said: "What if my pain were but a single pain? What if my grief were but a little grief?"
Raise your hands in need and want to the Court of the Self-Sufficing, and begin your lamentation, saying:
O Lord! We are the helpless ones who have sought refuge at Thy threshold. We are those whose lives are in disarray, seeking order and arrangement in Thy court. We are the fallen ones, gazing toward Thy favors.
News of the illness and poor health of his honor the Afnan of the Tree of Eternity has caused much sorrow and regret.
… Although news of the construction of the circumambulation place of the world, the Sacred House, brought much joy and delight, yet the incidents of ill health of his honor the Afnan has caused much sorrow.
I inquired from ‘Abdu'l-Baha of His health and general condition, and He stated:
I am well. There is no illness. Only My nerves are shattered, and this is because, after Baha'u'llah's ascension, I was surrounded with a depression and grief that words cannot describe. Now, when I work hard or speak extensively, My health is effected. The burdens of the recent journey [to Europe and America] ruined My health and melted My bones. My feeble temple was not able to withstand such difficulties.
He says: "I have found a secure place and sought a pleasant nest and shelter. It is not wise to abandon my dwelling and become homeless day and night, moving from house to house."
Occasionally he makes excuses and comes to visit to inquire after my health. I too am kind to that guest, for he awakens me at midnight and makes me remember the friends.
At times I felt so weak and feeble by this 'nerve agitation' that I was unable to speak even one word. I did not say anything to anyone, but I suffered often for hours.
O thou who art yearning for the Kingdom!
The Ancient Beauty of Canaan, in separation from Joseph of Egypt, shed tears of blood from his eyes and wept so much that "his eyes became white with sorrow, and he was suppressed with grief."
Strange it is that Jacob's eyes were illumined by the fragrance of his son's garment, yet the vision of thy recognition, despite the diffusion of the fragrances of the Merciful's raiment throughout all creation, remaineth clouded by the ophthalmia of idle fancies.
Many a true morn has dawned, yet the night of separation has not ended. How many nightingales have burst into song in the gardens, yet no bird has warbled a melody from the city of reunion. It seems the gates of hope have closed and the gardens of despair have opened.
How can I mention before Thee what hath befallen me in these days - that which hath not befallen anyone before me - and verily Thou art All-Knowing, All-Informed. … And thereby my heart and their hearts were consumed to such a degree that they left their homes out of longing to meet Thee and in quest of reunion with Thee. Some died in exile without attaining the spring of Thy reunion and the Kawthar of Thy grace. Some were scattered throughout the lands, and none knoweth what befell them or what they endured.
These are the days of farewell, and grief hath seized the people of God, for the Fast, which was the cause of refinement and the means of reformation and spirituality of souls, hath come to an end. This separation consumeth the lovers and demolisheth the pillars of patience.
They are in celebration and excitement, in joy and delight, while this servant, with weeping eyes and a burning heart, recites this verse:
"It is the season of festival, yet we are hopeless of seeing the Beloved
The world is in feasting and drinking, while we have tear-filled eyes"
However, this weeping is the source of laughter, and this grief and sorrow is the pride of all joys.
These are the verses of God, the King, the Truth, the Manifest Justice, unto him who was guided by the guidance of the Spirit and turned toward the holy precincts until he entered the spot of Paradise after the Sun of Grandeur and Glory had set therefrom, and he lamented with the lamentation of those who have lost.
O servant! Know thou that thy yearning in separation from the Luminary of the horizons when He departed from the precincts of Iraq was greater in the sight of God than the worship of most of the servants.
The vicissitudes of time, which have appeared through God's irrevocable decrees, have separated companions who shared the same nest, and what beloved ones have been separated from their Beloved, and what lovers have been consumed in separation from their Loved One!
The clouds of divine destiny and the mists of heavenly decree have risen from every direction, and the rains of tribulations and calamities have poured down in such measure that neither can the eye find relief in weeping to comfort withered hearts, nor can the tongue find strength in lamentation to provide solace.
O beloved of my heart and one remembered in my soul! It has been a long time since this evanescent servant was separated from you in exile. But in truth, you took joy with you. What I mean by these words is that after you left, joy became very rare, like the phoenix in all regions and cities. And that joy, in reality, did not even go with you - it was very unfaithful, for it left us and did not accompany you either. Surely you too were saddened by separation from the Beloved of all horizons.
In brief, the surging waves of separation are not yet stilled - at every moment they appear with new force and in different form. The separation from Ali hath wrought and continueth to work such effects.
The mention of loved ones is the key that opens the door of sorrow, and the countenance of the friends is the dawning-place of light in the darkness of the world.
Some while hath passed during which absolutely no word hath been had of thee, nor hath any trace of thy musk-laden pen been seen. Although I know that wheresoever thou art, and by whatsoever cup inebriated, thou hast taken thy repose beside a flask of the wine of inner meaning, and art intoxicated by the vintage of the love of God, yet this yearning on the one hand, and the expectation of the receipt of news on the other, are difficult to bear.
'Abdu'l-Baha was like a singing bird that in autumn had tucked its head under its wing in the nest of silence, ceasing its melody, song, music and harmonies - no tunes and no whispered confidences.
O thou who hast attained to the sacred Threshold! Think not that I have forgotten thee - impossible, impossible! Rather, I lack the opportunity. I cannot write, I know not how to express the extent of my occupations. Wert thou present, thou wouldst observe with tearful eyes and burning heart, and wouldst be filled with regret.
Nevertheless, this imprisoned one is troubled and is reminded of this word: that we have always been content with news of your honor, but now the messenger is forbidden and that blessing is cut off.
But alas, the appointed time of arrival is the fourth of the month, while this yearning one will be departing for Paris on the morning of the third month, as some respected individuals have extended invitations and I have made promises, and breaking promises is wrong.
Sometimes in love for you he recites ghazals in the eloquent Kashani dialect, and sometimes in separation from you he weeps and wails in the Jowshaqani tongue.
God is my witness that since the time of our parting, such grief has encompassed me that I cannot write, but since destiny flows according to wisdom, it has flowed thus.
From Shiraz my mother -- may she be illumined -- sendeth word: May my soul be a ransom for thee! From the hour of sunset, honored with the bounty of Presence, until now -- which is the afternoon of Thursday, the twenty-eighth of the blessed month of Sha'ban -- praise and thanksgiving be to God, all that God ordained for me hath passed in goodly wise.
O thou wondrous branch of the Blessed Tree!
I am very sad and grieved that during this journey proper comfort and ease was not attained for that Afnan of the Tree as it should have been, and surely I am excused, for successive calamities and consecutive afflictions and the general onslaught of the unjust from without and within had so taken the reins from my hands that I could no longer attend to serving the friends or engage in showing love to the beloved ones.
O branch of the Blessed Tree! Since the day of your departure I have been constantly thinking of you, for during this journey I had no opportunity for fellowship and companionship with you.
The cry and complaint to which thy remoteness hath given rise touched me beyond all conception. It moved me to the depths of heart and soul and filled me with perplexity.
Thou didst desire to attain His presence; however, due to the great distance and the opposition of the deniers and the objections of the oppressors, this matter is now postponed.
I have the utmost love for you and my longing to meet you is also endless, but at present wisdom does not permit it.
You are right - it has been some time since Hadrat-i-Fadil has been away from you, and separation and estrangement cause great sorrow, especially for two souls who are joined heart, body and spirit in each other's embrace. However much you lament and cry out, you are justified.
And when I fixed mine eyes upon the meanings thereof, I have found them filled with dismay at thy separation from the honorable teacher.
O let me weep like unto the vernal showers of the Spring! For even the rocks lament on the day of the friends' parting!...
This day is the day of parting. The farewell hour is most difficult to bear. It is the hardest thing in life.
O Amata'l-Baha! With utmost ease I arrived in New York. However, I was not for a moment free of My thoughts for all of you, especially for Ruha Khanum and Shoghi Effendi, particularly when remembering Ruha's weeping and lamentation as she lay gravely sick in bed.
Now do not lament, do not burst into flames, do not weep, do not wail. In this grief you have a kind partner and companion in sighs and cries - his honor Khan, upon him be the glory of the All-Merciful, and this servant - we are both saddened by your sorrow and grieved by your grief.
The ascension of His honor Haji Mirza 'Abdullah caused the utmost sorrow. The soul and heart of this wronged one became so grieved that it cannot be expressed, for I had the utmost attachment to that servant at the Divine Threshold.
… The loss of such a blessed soul certainly causes grief, and this sorrow will ever remain and endure and never be forgotten.
Whenever I think of our last meeting my heart is filled with sadness. It is now a little less than fifty years and still that youth is living in my memory, as though it was a matter of yesterday.
I was exceedingly sad and heart-broken when I heard of the departure of Mr. Chase, for I loved him very much.
A woman, full of sorrow and despair, came to 'Abdu'l-Baha: "I pray you remove my doubt, and give me consolation, I have lost my beloved husband."
O beloved! The shocking and stunning news of the passing of your beloved daughter caused intense grief, for separation is indeed bitter to taste.
Never be sorrowful and depressed, or grieved and wounded, at the ascension of souls to the Kingdom of Vision, for when the birds of paradise soar to the holy gardens it is cause for joy, not mourning, and occasion for gladness, not regret. If due to companionship and fellowship, separation causes some distress, there is no harm in this, but it should be with moderation, not to a degree that causes illness.
O handmaiden of God! Be not sorrowful, be not grieved, scratch not thy face, shed no tears, sigh and moan not, wail and lament not, be not troubled, be not dejected, be not withered.
Do not be sorrowful and grieved at the loss of that pearl of the sea of God's love. … All these sighs and cries, lamentations and mourning, arise from lack of awareness of divine bestowals in the unseen realms of the All-Merciful.
O Muhammad Taqi! God shall increase thy recompense on account of thy son who hath ascended unto Him. My son, Mihdi, in like manner, took his leave of this world soon after Our arrival in this prison.
Thy grief hath grieved Me, and thereby was grieved he who was present before the Face with a sorrow that saddened the Concourse on High.
And furthermore he mentioned your grief, that you were sorrowful and distressed due to separation and the death of your sons.
Do not be sorrowful and grieved by the great calamities that have befallen you. Every breast is a target for the arrow of tribulation, and every heart is afflicted with some sorrow.
On account of the death of thy father and brother the utmost sorrow and regret was produced. How unfortunate it is that that young man was killed instantly by the sudden shock!
O Lord! A soul who could not live after this great calamity hastened to Thy world - he is worthy of favors and deserving of aid. And Bahram, grief-stricken, who witnessed his son's tragedy and could not bear the martyrdom of Khodabakhsh and hastened to the zenith of Thy grace and forgiveness - make this afflicted soul noble in Thy world.
O steadfast servant of God! Although the pain of losing thine affectionate mother is great and the bereavement of her companions, friends, and relatives is a severe affliction wearing away the body and consuming the soul, nevertheless, since that goodly leaf from the beginning of the appearance of the First Dawn, when the lights of oneness encompassed all created things, was guided by the light of guidance, followed in the way of the leaves of Tree of Eternity, was enkindled with the flame of God's love, was consumed with the fire of anguish on account of her separation from the Beloved of the worlds, was blessed with the honor of meeting Him, and was present at the court of holiness--therefore, this death is eternal life and this extinction is everlasting existence.
Give praise unto God that she ascended while she was firm and steadfast.
For verily, O my God, he died a stranger and ascended to Thee in sorrow, and died a martyr, and surrendered his spirit alone and solitary, far from family and kin.
O my handmaiden! The love of children is a natural and mighty thing, and the cause and reason for its manifestation hath generally been due to external causes, for man hath loved and loveth the perpetuation of his name and mention, and the cause of this, in the sight of God and men, is primarily the perpetuation of traces, and children are reckoned as the greatest of man's traces. Therefore the heart is attached to them and clings to them. For this reason, the greatest sorrow appeareth after separation following union.
The Maid of Heaven hath wailed in the most exalted Paradise, and the tears of dawn are her weeping. The heaven of existence hath changed by reason of what hath befallen it, and the redness visible on the horizon is its sighing.
We console you through the fragrances of My utterance and the sweet-scented breezes of My verses, and comfort you through My grace and My mercy which have preceded all things great and small.
God, exalted be His glory, commandeth thee to be patient. Verily He is the All-Patient and commandeth His servants and handmaidens to show beautiful patience amid the vicissitudes of the world and the passing of nations.
O My leaf! Existence itself is shrouded in dust and the hearts have melted at what hath befallen thee. We beseech God to comfort and console thee, to send down upon thee what shall transform thy sadness into joy, and to adorn thee with the ornament of befitting patience and fortitude, which He hath admonished His servants to observe in this Dispensation.
This is a Book from the Primal Point unto her who hath believed in God her Lord, and who hath lamented in His separation and wept at His parting and cried out in His remoteness and held fast to the cord of His love, that the melody of God which hath been raised from the direction of the Throne might draw her unto itself - a melody that hath attracted unto itself the hearts of them that are brought near.
Thus hath My tongue spoken in this hour wherein all things and the Concourse on High have informed Me of the ascension of My sister who had been gazing upon My luminous countenance.
It brought boundless joy, and likewise boundless sorrow, for it bore tidings of the ascension of that Bird of Divine Knowledge to the nest of the Divine Word. God is My witness and the Knower of all things, that this lowly one was outwardly grieved to such an extent that none but God is aware, and likewise was filled with such joy that neither pen nor utterance can describe it.
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Ancient, the Comforter, the Consoler, the Compassionate, the Most High, the Most Exalted!
Verily the Pen lamenteth and the Tablet weepeth by reason of the sighs of the faithful that have ascended and the tears of the Most Exalted Paradise that have descended. It is as though joy hath barred its door, and gladness hath been shaken to its foundations, and the heaven hath withheld its rain, and the sun of delight its radiance, and the stars their light, and the breezes have grown still, and Paradise hath been cut off from its gentle winds, and the houses of love have had their lamps extinguished, and the blessed earth hath ceased in its growth, and the seas have become motionless in their movements and waves, and the birds in their cooing and warbling, and the rivers in their murmuring and flowing, and the heaven of exposition from its manifestation and utterance.
While I was in this mighty state, recording mention of the calamity that had appeared in the Kingdom of Creation, it was as though I heard a call from all directions: O servant in attendance! What hath grieved thee and taken the reins of choice from thy hands? Hath the world been swallowed with its people? Have the trees been uprooted? Have the foundations been shaken and the buildings quaked? Have the mountains been scattered and the banners lowered? Have the standards been broken and the leaves fallen? Have the branches grieved and the armies been defeated? Have the ships been sunk and hath the mirror of knowledge been prevented from reflecting? Hath the Hand of Grace forsaken those in creation? Hath the Pen been prevented from flowing and the tongue been stripped of the ornament of utterance? Hath the outpouring been cut off? Hath the Builder regretted? Hath the Table retreated? Why do I see thee in the ocean of sorrows? At times thy sighs ascend and at others thy tears descend. Where is the pavilion of glory and the canopy of joy? Where is the tabernacle of gladness and the tents of delight? Where is thy smiling countenance and the ornament of thy name 'the servant'? Where is thy resolve and determination and thy strength in setting down that which the All-Merciful hath revealed to all who are in the realm of possibility?
Methinks I behold thy countenance grown pallid, thy frame grown weak, and thy strength and power melted away. I adjure thee by Him Who hath aided thee and made thee known, Who hath adorned thee with the vesture of acceptance and brought thee before His Face, Who hath enabled thee to hear His melodies and songs at all times, and hath manifested through thee that whereupon the breezes of life have passed among mankind -- that thou shouldest unveil the countenance of the Cause.
Thou hast said: Hast thou not heard what hath befallen the servant here present through the decree of God, the Lord of lords? I had been adorned with the vesture of joy at the songs of Him Who conversed upon Sinai. Methought I walked upon the carpet of gladness and soared in the atmosphere of rapture. In such a state did I seek the station of God, the Sovereign of Oneness. When I turned and entered and attained unto the Most Exalted Horizon and the Loftiest Summit, I beheld the traces of grief upon the countenance of our Lord, the Most Glorious. Then did the Face of the Creator of heaven turn towards me, and He said, exalted be His glory: Hast thou not heard, O servant of God, what hath appeared through the irreversible decree? The Most Exalted Fruit hath fallen from the Divine Lote-Tree, and she was the remnant of the Beloved of the world in the Kingdom of Creation. By the life of My Purpose and the purpose of whosoever is in the world!
When I beheld the sorrow of the Possessor of Eternity, my spirit wellnigh departed from me, and were it not for His protection and providence, I would have returned to nothingness. Then did the Face of God turn towards me and said: O servant of God! The affliction of the people of Baha hath been renewed by what hath befallen them through the decree established by the Supreme Pen upon the Most Exalted Leaf. By My life! She was indeed a fruit from whom, whenever her name was mentioned before the Face, there was wafted the fragrance of the robe of her Beloved, by Whose name the heavens were raised and adorned with the sun and its splendors and lights and manifestations. Verily, her name, in its reality and its outward and inward aspects, doth remind the people of the days of her Beloved and the Beloved of all else besides her. She was indeed a leaf who clung fast to the Sadratu'l-Muntaha and attained the presence of the Lord of all humanity, and in this she surpassed all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, save whom God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust beneath, hath willed. When I saw and heard, grief so seized Me that My heart melted, My skin quivered, My limbs trembled, and My sighing and lamenting were raised up. I returned to My station and My dwelling place and found it to be the house of sorrows, and I occupied Myself and My spirit with writing what the All-Merciful had revealed. When a few minutes had passed, she appeared before the Face by His irrevocable command over all created things. Then did the Qiblih of all who are in existence, both seen and unseen, turn toward Me and spoke, exalted be His majesty and His words: "Bring forth pen and ink that I may make mention of that remnant of the Point who sacrificed herself with love and devotion, that My loved ones and My handmaidens in the cities and lands may visit her through that which hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen."
His blessed and exalted Word:
He is the Consoler of the Sorrowful
O Pen! Upon thee hath descended a grievous calamity and a mighty affliction, whereat have lamented the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise and the Supreme Heaven. Through it sorrows have mounted until they reached the hem of the robe of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who sought to serve her in her lifetime and visited her after her ascension and passing, and blessed the handmaiden who sought her resting-place and drew nigh unto God through her.
The splendor shining from the horizon of My glorious brow and the light manifest and gleaming from the heaven of My Most Glorious Name be upon thee, O fruit of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, O blessed and luminous leaf, O companion of Him through Whose manifestation the Kingdom of immortality and the realm of creation have beamed in joy. We testify that thou wert the first leaf to attain the cup of reunion in captivity and the last fruit to surrender its spirit in separation. Thou art she whose heart melted and burned away and whose very being was set aflame in thy remoteness from His presence in the spot which God made the dawning-place of His verses, the dayspring of His evidences, the manifestation of His names, the source of His laws, and the seat of His throne.
O My leaf and fragrance of My paradise of good-pleasure! Thou art in the Supreme Companion while the Wronged One remembereth thee in the prison of 'Akka. Thou art she who discovered the fragrance of the shirt of the All-Merciful ere the creation of contingent beings, who wast honored by His presence and didst attain His reunion and drink the choice wine of nearness from the hand of His bounty. We testify that in thee were joined two signs - the sign of union gave thee life at first, and the sign of separation caused thy death at last. How many a night in which thy sighs ascended in thy love for God and thy tears flowed at the mention of His Most Glorious Name. Verily He was with thee and beheld thy burning ardor, thy attraction, thy longing and thy yearning, and heard the moaning of thy heart and the lamenting of thy soul.
O fruit of My Lote-Tree! Through thy calamity the ocean of sorrows surged and the winds of forgiveness blew. I testify that on the night wherein thou didst ascend to the Most Glorious Horizon and the Supreme Companion, and on its day, God forgave every male and female servant who had ascended, as a token of His grace and favor toward thee, save those who denied the right of God and that which was manifested from His presence openly. Thus did God distinguish thee, O My leaf, with this most great bounty and this most ancient and foremost station.
Blessed art thou, and blessed are they who visit thee, who dwell near thee, who circle round thee, and who have sought and seek intercession through thee with God. Thou art she at whose calamity wailed the Maids of Heaven and were saddened the leaves of the Tree of Revelation. Thou art she who, when hearing the call raised from the tongue of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, didst turn to Him and wert so attracted that authority well-nigh departed from thy hand.
O My leaf! O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love, who turnest toward My face, and who speaketh in My praise! We have sent down for thee a remembrance which the vicissitudes of centuries and the events of ages shall not efface. We have immortalized thy mention by My Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Scroll which none but God, the Creator of all things, hath beheld, and We have remembered thee in this Tablet with that which shall cause those near unto God to remember thee and cause the sincere ones to turn toward thy resting-place.
Blessed art thou, and felicity be unto thee and unto him who presenteth himself before thy grave and reciteth that which the All-Bountiful hath revealed concerning the final end. End.
From the heaven of the will of the Goal of all the worlds hath been sent down that from which can be inhaled the fragrance of loving-kindness and compassion unto the endless end. Were it not for His grace, how could these wounds be healed? His loving-kindness hath ever been and shall ever be the balm for these afflictions. Without His protection, how could man be capable of bearing tribulations and sorrows that have had and shall have no likeness or parallel? His is the praise in all conditions.
O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! We have heard thy call and thy yearning for God, thy Creator and Protector, and have answered thee with a Tablet wherefrom hath shone forth the luminary of My tender mercy. By My life! I behold thee and hear what thy tongue doth utter. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Thou hast turned unto God, heard His call, responded to it, and acknowledged that which His tongue hath spoken. This, verily, is the Purpose in the days of thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto such lofty stations. In view of the precedence of mercy and the manifestation of grace and the advent of the Day which hath been especially designated in former Books and attributed unto it, His grace and favors are even as the rains, flowing and descending. Ere long shall My tender mercies, My loving-kindness and My mercy be made manifest unto My Afnan. Rejoice thou in this manifest grace. Under all conditions thou art beneath the glance of His favor. God willing, the sorrows that have come to pass will be stilled through steadfast patience, and God willing the loved ones will hold fast unto that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning this great calamity. O Afnan! By My life! She hath seen and heard what was revealed from My Pen for her, and she now seeth and heareth what is being revealed from My manifest Pen. There hath been revealed for her that which proclaimeth My grace and loving-kindness toward her in every world of the worlds of her Lord.
A Tablet hath also been specifically revealed for thy mother - upon her be My glory, My mercy and My grace. After the waves of the ocean of the mercy of the All-Merciful and the effulgences of the sun of grace, whatever this servant may say would not be befitting or worthy. God is my witness that in hardship and ease, in affliction and sorrow, this servant hath been and is a partner - nay, the greater portion and the most exalted cup is his. Though at one time the Tongue of Grace of the Lord of Verses uttered this most exalted word - glorified be His majesty: "O thou who art present! When the Supreme Pen expresseth grief in calamities, the purpose is to manifest mercy and loving-kindness. Otherwise, whosoever hath attained unto the love of God and ascended unto Him hath attained unto the most great joy. I swear by the Divine Lote-Tree which in all times speaketh and beareth witness: were the people of the earth to become aware of the joy of one steadfast and exalted soul, they would turn toward God - how much more for those who are related and those concerning whom the Supreme Pen hath revealed mention and testified to His being well-pleased with them." Exalted be His generosity and sublime be His grace! This is the day of patience and resignation. These hosts will dispel the hosts of sorrows and raise the banners of contentment and submission upon the hills of existence. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, hath power over all things.
And as to the request submitted that something be graciously revealed to be inscribed upon the blessed gravestone, this matter has been accepted and, God willing, will be sent later. That exalted fruit and most high leaf are the recipients of complete favor from God. Nevertheless, this is a great calamity and profound sorrow, for outwardly in that land they were a sign from the Exalted Truth and the Sovereign of existence, exalted be His remembrance and mighty His glory. And in her transfer from one place to another is a grief for which blood should flow from my eyes and the eyes of those who have clung to the Blessed, Lofty, Manifest and Speaking Tree. With both outer and inner tongue, this servant beseeches and implores the Exalted Truth to grant patience to that blessed being and other relatives - upon them be all the Most Glorious Glory - and adorn them with the ornament of steadfastness. The Afnan's place of sorrows - their Consoler and Comforter is God, their Merciful Lord. This blessed word was heard from the tongue of the King of Oneness: "In truth it is fitting that this word be the seal of remembrances, for it is a mirror that fully reflects the Temple of Grace. My spirit be a sacrifice for His grace, for His favor, for His mercy and His kindness."
Another bounty regarding the blessed leaf - God, our Lord and the Lord of all in the heavens and earth, has said: "O servant in attendance! The exalted fruit has truly melted from the fire of separation, therefore she is mentioned among the martyrs in God's presence. The recompense for this deed is the mention revealed by the Supreme Pen in her visitation prayer. On that night and day, every soul that ascended attained the robes of forgiveness, except those souls who openly denied God's right and His Manifestation and verses. And this grace is specific to her." End quote.
As for the questions that were asked, one matter has been referenced by the Supreme Pen and all are clear and evident in that passage.
Another submission of this servant is that greetings should be conveyed on behalf of this evanescent servant to the honored Jinab-i-Khalil and the teacher - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory and all supreme grace. His blessed letter was received and this servant was honored by it. God willing, it is hoped that a reply will be submitted later. Likewise, greetings and salutations are offered to the honored Afnan Aqa Aqa Siyyid M. - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory. This evanescent servant beseeches the Truth, exalted be His glory, to assist him in all hours and moments to serve Him and to enable him to remember and praise Him. Praise be to God that he stands firm in this station, has attained this supreme honor, and is mentioned and recorded in God's Book. Similarly, I beseech and implore the Goal of the world to grant patience to his honor and those afflicted with this calamity, as well as His friends and handmaidens. Verily, He heareth and answereth, and He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
And another submission: His Holiness Afnan, the honored Aqa Aqa Siyyid Muhammad, may the most glorious of all glory rest upon him, wrote a letter to the honored Haji Siyyid Javad, upon him be the glory of God, expressing grief. In truth, this is a time for grief - were it not for God's grace, His bounty, His Manifestation and His days, this servant and every faithful and trustworthy lover would have perished. May they be blessed through God's infinite bounties and remain steadfast in patience. I convey my greetings to him, and likewise to the honored Afnans, upon them be the most glorious of all glory, whose presence graces that land. May all abide under the shade of the Tree of Purpose, He Who is in the heavens and earth.
Regarding what was mentioned about the related items, His exalted Word states: "These ordinances refer to the Most Holy Book, and this matter is entrusted to him. Let him act as he deems appropriate and send such items that bear testimony to it to the Most Holy Court, that it may serve as a remembrance before God, its Creator." End quote.
Another submission: When His Holiness the Most Great Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps - was present, they were blessed with His presence and wrote a leaf which was sent. God willing, they will be blessed with it. His Holiness the Most Mighty Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His most mighty footsteps - was in the city, which resulted in the absence of His blessed effect. It is hoped that henceforth He will bestow His grace and it will be sent.
Furthermore, the sorrows, griefs and sadness of the people of the pavilion of greatness and infallibility are manifest to such a degree that this servant is incapable and inadequate to mention them. They said we share with the Afnan in this great calamity, and they send greetings to Her Holiness the Greatest Holy Leaf, the Mother of His Holiness, upon her be the most glorious of all glory. Indeed, this grief is like an artery that has moved all bodies, creating movement in every vein. May the Ancient Lord grant patience. Were it not for His grace, bodies would melt, minds would vanish, and the hearts of the knowing ones would be thunderstruck. The command belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds. And the glory shining, manifest, and evident from the horizon of our Lord's grace be upon you all and upon those with you and upon every steadfast soul who has turned towards Him.
The servant 14th of Safar 1300
Another submission: Three Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablets were sent, two for Nayriz which Your Honor should deliver, and one for Shiraz in response to the petition of the honored Yusuf Khan. His petition reached the Most Holy Court several times and this time was blessed with a response. Blessed is he. The Blessed Tablet should reach the honored Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be the glory of God, in the land of Sh[iraz] and they should deliver it.
O Mim of Glory! Thou didst ascend with joy and fragrance, while thy loved ones remained in grief. … Thou wert God's remnant when the idolaters drove Me from the Land of Ta, and thou didst burn with the fire of separation for numbered years.
She did not slacken for a moment but joined night to day, leading those on foot and horseback to the center of guidance with humility and submission to the Most Glorious Kingdom, until her bones grew frail, her hair turned white, her strength failed, and the brilliant flower withered from successive pains and recurring illnesses.
O Lord, this is Thy guest - treat him with Thy greatest mercy and admit him into the vicinity of Thy favors, O Thou Who art compassionate to all who are in earth and heaven!
O thou worthy servant of the sacred Threshold!
The dreadful news of the passing of that dear handmaiden of God reached the assemblage of the Merciful. All the friends of God, whether women or men, became infinitely sorrowful and heartsick; they were grieved and filled with regret that such an affliction should have befallen thee and that such a bereavement should have occurred, in such wise that all became partners and sharers in this grief and sorrow.
Then he yearned for Thy most glorious kingdom and Thy supreme companion, saying: "Aid me, O Glory of the Most Glorious! Cause me to return unto Thee, shelter me in the refuge of Thy greatest mercy, give me to drink from the cup brimming with the wine of meeting, and let me soar to my nest in the highest paradise in Thy most glorious garden."
But then came the Beloved's departure from this world. The Afnan's peace was shattered, his joy was changed to grief. 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. He lived on for a little while, his heart smoldering, his eyes shedding their tears.
When We departed from the City of Mystery, one cut his throat as a sacrifice, and at the time of entry into this land, another cast himself into the sea in his grief at separation.
And regarding the ascension of the illustrious Siyyid [Kazim] - may God exalt his station - which you had mentioned, I clothed all my being in the garment of grief. We are from God and to Him do we return, in submission to God's decree and yielding to His command.
Though in one sense it is a time of grief, lamentation and mourning - for it is observed that the thirst of the oppressors remains unquenched, and each day they are seen in fresh flames and boundless conflagration - yet when one who seeks attains the supreme homeland, and a lover resolves to sacrifice himself, drinking with utmost desire and love from the cup of annihilation in the path of the Lord of eternity - a draught whereat the angels of the highest heaven and the cherubim exclaimed "Well done!
O two brothers of the Prince of Martyrs! That pure soul was self-sacrificing in love for the face of the Beloved, and like an ocean was surging and billowing. … The cup of martyrdom bestowed such sweetness to his palate that like the sun he shone in the zenith of the Kingdom, and when he heard the call to reunion and the address "Return!" reached him, the bird of his soul flew from the cage of the body until it reached the eternal rose garden.
When this news reached the sacred court, it had such an effect that those who learned of it concealed it, and those who heard it kept it hidden and concealed, lest the blessed leaf hear of it and begin sighing and lamenting with tearful eyes, burning heart and consuming soul, and become companion to wailing and moaning, causing great anguish and severe distress.
How excellent it was that the friends gathered for Khudabakhsh's funeral procession, for the presence or absence of strangers is equal, since they are in truth neither grieved nor remorseful at each other's funerals, nor do they sincerely seek forgiveness. But the friends attend the procession sorrowful and grief-stricken, regretful and remorseful, becoming intercessors and begging forgiveness. The pure breaths of these good souls perfume the spiritual sense of smell of that departed soul.
O servants of the All-Merciful! God hath prescribed for you, at the mention of Husayn, weeping like unto the weeping of the bereaved, and verily God's judgment concerning vengeance for him hath been decreed in truth. When ye hear his mention yet aid Us not in weeping, ye have purchased Joseph, the Truth, for a paltry price -- pieces of silver not accounted in the Book with God.
When he was killed, as the limbs and heart drew near to the left side, everything wept for forty days. Since mixture and stain existed in some things, some things wept at some times. As for the people of equilibrium, they continue in their weeping without cessation.
O Samandar! By thy life! The affliction of Muhammad, the Apostle of God, hath been renewed in the All-highest Paradise, and thereto the anguish of the spotless Virgin in the Most Exalted Station. "Fie upon you, O people of the Furqan!" she exclaimeth, "Ye have wrought even that which ye wrought aforetime! Where is my Hasan, and where my Husayn?
By the life of God, all things wept for them both and for those who preceded them, yet the people are in evident joy.
… Whoso ponders what befell the family of the Messenger would weep with the weeping of the bereaved, or like one who has lost his father and mother and son.
The people of the Qur'an have done unto the family of the Apostle what they did aforetime,
but the people do not understand.
… Such tyranny hath appeared that the heavens have lamented, and they who have believed in God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.
I observed a group of people, grief-stricken and heartbroken, weeping and lamenting, engaged in reciting elegies for the Prince of Martyrs (peace be upon him), crying out: "O Husayn, what did they do when they made thee a sacrifice!" I said, "Glory be to God!
O thou sagacious one! The Iranians donned black garments in mourning for Siyavush and raised such an outcry that they finally overthrew the foundation of Afrasiyab and laid waste to Turkistan.
What heart-rending melody was this that kindled fire in hearts, and what blazing lamentation was this that consumed the hearts of the friends! Upon hearing it, the denizens of the Supreme Concourse burst into wailing and lamentation, and through its influence, the dwellers of the sacred pavilion joined in moaning, weeping and crying. With tear-filled eyes and fiery sighs they raised their voices in grief and anguish, for those two innocents fell into the hands of an ignorant and cruel oppressor who inflicted such injury and wrong as no savage beast, no stinging serpent, no sharp-clawed wolf, no infamous bloodthirsty creature had ever perpetrated since the dawn of this Cause.
By the life of God, Fatima the Radiant wept for you in the Garden of Refuge, and the Most Exalted Woman cried and lamented over your oppression in the highest Paradise, and the Greater Mary wailed in grief for you in the verdant gardens, and Sarah and Eve shed flowing tears for you like rain from heaven.
I testify that through you the Divine Lote Tree lamented and the hearts of those who cast away the world and turned to the highest horizon in the days of God, Lord of the Throne and earth, were melted.
Thus has the Pen spoken from the station whereon the Lord of eternity was established upon His mighty throne. Glory and peace and praise and blessings be upon you, O you through whom the tale of Husayn was renewed and the Virgin and the Messenger lamented in manifest grief.
At the hour when the bride of sorrow lifted from her face the veil of concealment, and the Countenance of Grief raised the banner of anguish; when the spreader of the dawn-wind unfurled the outstretched carpet of gloom, and the attendant of the Countenance of Eternity sank to rest upon the fixed couches; when the cloud of power rained down from the stifled air the showers of separation, and the huris of paradise emerged from the chambers of separation; when the secluded ones of dissension arrayed the visage of hypocrisy, the maidens of Paradise smote their heads, the fair bestowers ran distraught, the holy ones of sanctity clad themselves in robes of darkness, and the forms of intimacy shed crimson tears from the eye of fidelity; when the treasurer of Paradise withdrew behind the veil of hiddenness, and the guide of the community was shrouded in the curtain of extinction---then did the leaves of the Tree of blessedness incline to yellow, and the boughs of the Sidratu'l-Muntaha fall one upon another and were broken.
The cloud of mercy was withheld, the lightning of might was uplifted; the dove of wrath took wing, and the cock of malice melted away the gladness of splendour. The radiance of joy rose from the throne of abasement, and the vengeance of oppression sat upon the carpet of glory. The raven of the city of darkness forbade the parrot of the Egypt of attainment from tasting the sugar of delight; the sparrow of cruelty restrained the nightingale of self-effacement from chanting its lay; the jealous crow hindered the hoopoe of exultation from the Sheba of revelation; and the vanquished Abu-Jahl drove forth the blessed Beauty from the frequented Fane.
The candle of the gathering of light was extinguished, and the bat of blindness became the wanton plaything of the arena; the sovereign of the sanctuary of honour sat upon the point of humiliation, and the base-born one of the mine of wretchedness lodged upon the throne of greatness. The furnace of envy flamed within the breasts of the vainglorious, and the seas of sedition surged within the hearts of those that should have heeded. They cast the eloquent of love from the pulpit of unity, and withheld the discerning of longing from the taste of attainment. The garden of imitation was adorned, and the fruit of praise was cut off.
The beloved of the valley of love were struck dumb with bewilderment, and the veiled ones of the valley of multiplicity became beholders of the desired Witness. Again was the falcon of sovereignty ensnared in the grasp of shameless owls, and Joseph of the realm of being, through the hands of faithless brethren, was hurled into the pit.
The owls commit injustice against the falcon; they beat his guiltless wing and plume, and cry:
"Why dost thou still remember that far land, or that fair palace of the sovereign's arm?"
His crime is this: he is a falcon---naught besides. What fault hath Joseph, save that he is fair?
The peacock's foe is but the peacock's plume: How many a king hath perished through his glory!
Its contents so enchanted 'Abdu'l-Baha that He nearly wept, and your desire for supreme martyrdom was a melody that brought the denizens of the holy court into a state of joy and rapture.
… These tearful eyes are befitting for this overflowing cup, and this radiance is worthy of the glory of this supreme bounty.
O believing leaf who has attained! During the days of the supreme affliction you were present, and in the mourning and calamity of the Ancient Beauty you rent your garment and cast dust upon your head and wept and lamented and scratched your face and tasted the poison of separation.
Because we have lived during the days of the Blessed Perfection and have experienced the great joy of those days, their celebration by us are always shaded with a recurring sad recollection, but for those who have not seen Baha'u'llah with their physical eyes these days will be celebrated with a genuine hilarity and most thorough preparations.
At that moment the Herald called out from the midst of the heavens at the center of creation: "O City of God! How canst thou endure this separation that sets Iraq ablaze and melts the horizons?"
… "O land of the City! How canst thou bear anything in creation after the departure of God's burden, the Mighty, the Powerful? How can roses appear from thee and plants of glory spring forth after the disappearance of God's rose, the Transcendent, the Luminous?
He is the Most Sorrowful, the Most Sorrowful!
Verily doth Joy proclaim: "My soul be a sacrifice to Thy sorrow, O Thou Who art wronged by the peoples of the world!" Gladness doth cry aloud: "My spirit be a sacrifice to Thy grief, O Thou Peerless One of all creation!" Happiness in its entirety doth exclaim: "My very being be a sacrifice to Thy distress, O Thou Stranger in the world!" Prosperity doth lament and declare: "My essence be a sacrifice to Thy hardship, O Thou Captive in the hands of the oppressors!" Rest doth speak and call out: "My reality be a sacrifice to Thy tribulation, O Thou Who art the Rest of all mankind!"
Alas, alas! O God of Mercy! Thou didst ever console Thy servants who were afflicted with calamities in Thy days. But today who can console Thee in this calamity before which all calamities bow down, and this sorrow which hath stunned all sorrows?
When she recognized the trembling of my inner being, the yearning of my heart, the cry of my essence, the burning of my bones, the quivering of my skin, the agitation of my soul, and the perturbation of my body, she called out to me saying: "Hast thou a mother who would lament for thee in thy tribulation?" I said: "I know not." Then she said: "Hast thou a sister who would weep for thee in thy ordeal, or a helper who would assist thee in thy distress and accompany thee in thy solitude?"
O handmaiden of God! Weep within yourself for what befell the Youth in the well of envy, which remained hidden from the eyes of men. Weep within yourself for this Stranger Who was afflicted between two factions in this Prison which lay remote beyond cities and mighty mountains.
My Hair is My sword. It kills the lovers when in separation and then clothes itself in the black garment in their mourning.
O servant of God! Although a hundred thousand melodies and tunes lie hidden in the recesses of this grief-stricken throat, not one song finds occasion nor one lament finds opportunity.
Tears flowed from eyes and sighs arose from hearts. It cast a fire into the heart and soul of the dwellers of the sanctuary of the All-Merciful and ignited a flame in the hearts and innermost beings of the birds soaring in the atmosphere of the Lord. Cries and lamentations arose and wailing and moaning were lifted up. The pillars of existence were shaken and the essence of being was disturbed, for she told the story of the Most Great Calamity and complained of the Supreme Catastrophe.
O thou who art firm in the Covenant! The elegy that you composed in commemoration of that Pure Light, that Embodied Spirit, that Brilliant Star of the Supreme Concourse, that Sun of the Higher World, the Primal Point - may my spirit be a sacrifice for Him - was reviewed. It had a profound effect on the heart of this lonely one.
Alas, the very trees are sighing in their separation from thee, the flowers are mourning in their bereavement, and the twin streams are weeping in their desolation --yea, their sorrows have afflicted all the gardens of the earth.
Alas, alas, the trees lament thy separation, the flowers thy departure, and the two rivers thy absence. The other gardens and all the orchards of the earth have seized thee.
A poem in Turkish has been composed commemorating your loss which is enclosed with this letter.
We have written an elegy for him which, if recited upon rock would melt it, upon rivers would freeze them, upon dust would ignite it, upon heaven would make it weep, and upon earth would make it lament.
Now is the time to raise the standard of universal peace and resist this mighty flood which is the greatest affliction. Although this prisoner was in the prison of despotism for forty years, never in those days was he so affected and grief-stricken as now. The spirit is in anguish and the heart in utmost sorrow and agitation. The eye is weeping and the heart is burning.
We hear naught but the wailing of orphans and the sighing of mothers and the weeping of fathers in the ruins, and see naught but the flowing tears of every bereaved woman and the burning hearts of every father who has lost his sons. Cities have been destroyed, nations ruined, children orphaned, and women widowed.
How many a time hath a mother cried out with a bitter cry, rending her garment from the raging of her heart and the flood of her tears! How oft hath a father grieved for a mother's loss, weeping from morning till night!
However, the painful events in those vast territories caused extreme sorrow.
Glory be to God! What ignorance is this that humans are predatory toward one another and bloodthirsty!
O my old companion! Your letter was received and from its contents it became clear that you are distressed. You are right - the events in Iran are as a file upon the spirit and a burning fire.
Oh, what blood hath been shed! Oh, what sighs have risen from hearts! Oh, how many bodies have been torn asunder through injustice and aggression! Oh, how many women have been widowed! Oh, how many children have been orphaned through oppression and tyranny!
Thou hadst mentioned tribulations, calamities and afflictions, and hadst raised thy voice in lamentation. Thou art right - even if thou shouldst weep blood it would be fitting, for such tyranny hath never before come to pass.
O my God! Thou seest my loneliness and my grief and my distress, and witnessest the wasting of my body, the bewilderment of my soul, the eclipse of my moon, the darkening of my sun, the weakness of my frame, the trembling of my limbs, the shaking of my being, the constriction of my breast, the palpitation of my heart, the departure of my spirit, my lack of ease, and the severity of my trials in Thy path and the multiplicity of my tribulations in my love for Thee.
Some of the children, through separation from their loved ones, recite the verses of parting, while others, in despair of homeland and native soil, lament like the bereaved. And we wander bewildered in the wilderness of perplexity, and in the deserts of sorrow we seek Thy favor -- that perchance the breeze of Thy mercy may come, and Thy ancient bounty may arrive.
Thou knowest, O my Beloved, how Thine enemies have dealt with Thy loved ones, seizing from them all that Thou hadst bestowed upon them through Thy bounty, and inflicting upon them what no ear hath ever heard before. No land remaineth but their blood hath been shed therein, no wood but their bodies have been burned thereby. How many little ones, O my God, are left without elders, how many mothers cry out for their sons, how many sons weep for their fathers.
O my God! Unto Thee do I complain of my grief and sorrow, for Thou knowest the greatness of my tribulation. This is naught but a test, that Thou mayest lead astray whom Thou willest and guide whom Thou willest, and that through this calamity every soul may be tried, that the fortunate may be distinguished from the wretched, and each may find his portion as prescribed in the Book.
This calamity hath transcended mention and description. We beseech God to console the Family.
Blessed art thou for having been seized with grief when thou didst learn what hath befallen the Wronged One in this manifest prison. Blessed is the eye that weepeth for My tribulations and the hearts that are touched by My supreme affliction.
"O My physician! By My life, were I to lift the veil, the lamentation of weeping would be raised between the heavens and the earth.
A moon went forth from this city -- toward another it fled; By its setting and its rising, two cities turned o'erhead.
Though Joshua once recalled the sun, and stayed its wheel a day, Yet when thou lift'st thy veil -- a sun breaks forth in full display.
That honored brother's momentous thoughts have been considered. For the destitute dervishes, an appointed place and adorned dwelling hath been established. The blackness of the ink of that letter bore the fragrance of pure musk, and the whiteness of its gardens betokened the tenderness of an illumined heart. Verily, its arranged pearls brought perfect joy, and its scattered gems conveyed health and tranquility to the heart.
Thou read'st whate'er within our hearts is writ and planned; Thou tak'st the hand of him whose foot is stuck in mire and sand.
Although in these days physical communion hath been suspended, yet the natural, innate fellowship and intimacy remaineth firm. God willing, the draught of reunion, which is mingled and combined with sweet, pure water, shall descend from the clouds of the soul and bestow the gift of life upon the frozen, lifeless earth.
"Yea, today must thou bestir thyself, whilst the cloud, in its bounty, still poureth forth its rain; for tomorrow, when thou hast perished of thirst, rise not from within the grave to plead thy need."
In these days when the seas of sorrow are surging and the rivers of grief are flowing, when the pivot of the sphere of fate is turning and the center point of decree is planning, when the tree of tyranny hath grown tall and the fruit of oppression like unto Shaddad hath borne fruit, when good deeds are rejected and the works of Nimrod are praised, when thorns sit in the place of beauty and shells occupy the place of pearls in the shell, when serpents rule in the abode of the sovereign and Satan presideth upon Solomon's throne - this is not the first flask that hath been broken in Islam.
With all these circumstances, how can I properly respond to letters and present worthy writings? By thy life, my sorrow is not for the loss of wealth, but for his death and condition, that he was slain with utmost abasement, though he attained the most glorious martyrdom and ascended to the most exalted horizon. "Think not of those who are slain in God's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance with their Lord, rejoicing."
The enemies are delighted that ownerless property hath fallen to them. Have they not heard the decisive, mighty proclamation which saith: "For him who is slain unjustly, We have given authority to his heir."
Thou dost smile -- and the lip of Fate is stung to the quick; Doom itself hath, for thy laughter, tears laid up -- full and thick.
Soon shall the heir claim his inheritance and uproot oppression. "Their appointed time is the morning - is not the morning near?"
O my brother, observe what circumstances are unfolding and what unprecedented matters are being born from this transient world. I who had chosen seclusion and crept into the cave of silence, who had melted in union and in separation had freed myself from all else, must now become renowned throughout the horizons and complain to Iran of the tyranny of Uruman. "Naught shall befall us save what God hath decreed for us. In Him do we trust, and in God let all the faithful trust."
I had chosen one person for companionship and fellowship who was among the righteous and spoke of the pure ones. He was lost in such manner as thou knowest. How excellent was what was said: "Wherever thou seest blood upon the earth, know of a certainty it is from our eyes."
Therefore I say: "Verily, we are God's, and verily, unto Him shall we return."
O God! O mournful and grieving Nazim, what you had written became known and was read with utmost care. This prisoner was filled with increased sorrow from your world-consuming sigh, and immediately upon reading of your grief, began writing this letter.
Rapture and ecstasy have appeared in the City of Lovers, for a precious gem among gems [Mulla Ashraf] has sought its mine, and a lover among lovers has outstripped all others and sacrificed himself in the path of the Desire of all worlds. The wolf has devoured, the oppressor has slain, and the serpent has opened its mouth and swallowed.
It happened many times that enemies among the women collected together, striking and beating a Baha'i woman. Still they could not appease their hostility, their rage, by striking. They bit with their teeth. And this was due to their great rage."
When she awoke from her dream she prayed: 'O God, the Compassionate! I gave six sons unto Thee. I cannot lose my only son, the last one left to me. Oh spare him! Do not take him also!'
All these tribulations came in succession, following one after another after the passing of that ascended spouse, and beyond these, countless afflictions assailed thee, and I am aware of them all.
O thou faithful and assured leaf! In this supreme calamity and grievous tribulation that hath befallen the servants of the Most Glorious Beauty and the handmaids of the All-Merciful in the path of the Lord of Grandeur, thou too hast received an abundant share and hast endured severe persecution from thy kindred and tribe.
[It was during these days that the episode of the Seven Martyrs of Yazd occurred in the year 308. The Blessed Beauty was so affected and saddened by this event that for nine full days no one was granted permission to attain His presence. On the ninth day, He summoned the friends and gave a detailed account regarding the Qajar dynasty, their deeds and conduct, the events in Yazd, and the oppression of Zillu's-Sultan and his son Jalalu'd-Dawlih. Addressing us, He said:]
"Be not sorrowful, be not dejected, be not grieved.
O servant! Hear My call, then grieve thou with My grief and imprisonment. By God! No greater tribulation hath befallen My soul than that which hath befallen My loved ones, if ye be of them that understand.
In the city of Yazd the workers of tyranny and wickedness wrought that which caused lamentation and wailing to arise from the solid rock. Hearts that were treasuries of the pearls of divine love were cut out, and temples that were illumined with the light of steadfastness were cut to pieces, then burned and cast into pits.
O Times! O bearer of words and source of news! Pause for an hour over the oppressed ones of Iran and observe how the dawning-places of justice and the daysprings of equity suffer under the sword of the oppressors. Children are left without milk, and families are captive in the hands of the wicked. The earth is adorned with the blood of lovers, and the sighs of those near to God have set the world of being ablaze.
Each day doth the wolf devour one of the sheep of God. O my God! How long wilt Thou look on and be patient?
O my God, my Lord, my Support, my Beloved, my Goal, my Hope!
Thou seest the Countenance of Justice beneath the claws of tyranny, and the Temple of Unity in the hands of the idolaters. O Lord! The days of oppression have lengthened, though Thou didst promise in the Book their brevity, and the times of hardship have extended, though Thou didst pledge that ease would accompany them.
Detailed letters have been written collectively to the wandering friends and to the survivors of the martyrs, and a prayer of visitation has been penned. In most letters written in these days, mention is made of the tribulations of the friends in Nayriz, the martyrdom of beloved friends, the captivity of young children, the homeless wandering of the friends, and their migration to Sarvistan.
O Lord! The necks of hypocrisy have grown long, and the clouds of darkness have encompassed the Daystar of the horizons. I implore Thee by Thine own wronged state and the wronged state of Thy loved ones to assist Thine enemies to act with justice and fairness.
I am now so sorrowful and grief-stricken that my fingers can no longer write - my hands are trembling. Consider then how sorrowful and heartsick I am.
Whenever I inhale the stale odours of alienation and unhappiness from the hearts of the friends, such dark sorrows, such grief attack me as I cannot describe or depict.
The Center of Violation stole all the Divine trusts that were specifically entrusted to this servant. Of a thousand, not one has been returned, and to this day they remain under the usurpation of that unjust one. Although each of these trusts was, to 'Abdu'l-Baha, greater than the kingdom of earth and heaven, yet to this day I have remained silent and have not uttered a word, for I observed that it would cause disgrace among strangers. I have suffered greatly, been deeply affected, burned and wept. Despite all this I said nothing.
In such days grievous news arrived from that land which added to Our sorrows. Ibn Farid says: "My grief - Jacob did not reveal the least of it, and all of Job's afflictions were but a portion of my tribulation."
O Zaynu'l-'Abidin, upon thee be the peace of God, Lord of all worlds! What hath befallen thee hath grieved Me to such an extent that for several days I laid down My pen.
We testify that through our heedlessness the pillars of unity have been shaken in Thy lands and the banners of detachment in Thy realm. Thou hearest, O my God, the roaring of the ungodly who have surrounded Thy dwellings, laid waste Thy lands, and usurped the territories of Thy servants.
But some souls are like one with dropsy - if you tell him water is harmful he becomes upset, but when his feet swell he awakens and becomes remorseful.
This response is written in utmost haste as I was very affected by your assumption. We have grieved the friend while we would not grieve strangers.
From that day until the day of separation, by your precious life O kind friend, I did not draw one breath in peace, found not a moment's rest, and was held back from service, for he kept me occupied.
This is the heartache that I share with that old friend, that he may be my partner and companion in this grief and sorrow.
How fortunate you are to have such a loving brother, and what a thousand regrets that 'Abdu'l-Baha is deprived of this bounty.
Consider what calamity I face. Reflect a little that some friends, instead of striving to place a balm on this wound, secretly sprinkle salt. How then is there opportunity or possibility for writing?
O grief-stricken branch of the Blessed Tree! How long will you remain submerged in the sea of sorrows? Have you, like this 'Abdu'l-Baha, been afflicted by the cruelty of brothers?
O my God, my God! Thou seest me immersed in an ocean of tribulation, drowning in the seas of calamity and woe, a target for arrows, pierced by the spears of tyranny and hatred, wounded by the blades of hardship and enmity. There remaineth not, O my God, a spot on my body that hath not been struck by arrows, nor a place in my heart that hath not been pierced by spears.
When those souls ascended to the horizon of sanctity, a few thereafter [departed in purity] and became completely dormant, frozen, deprived and despairing. Those lights became dim and dark, and those fragrances were cut off and forbidden. No sound remained, no call. It is a place of regret and station of sorrow.
Then eyes will witness the signs of the bounties of the Abha Beauty and become bewildered and remorseful, saying: "What a bounty this was, and we were heedless of it! What a favor this was, and we were negligent of it! It was a luminous dawn, but we were caught in darkest night. … What misfortune was this, and what ill fate! Divine blessing was for us torment, and heavenly mercy was for us trouble."
O 'Ibadu'llah! By the life of God, the Wronged One is in manifest grief. My grief is not for My imprisonment and what hath befallen Me from Mine enemies, but from those who claim to love Me yet have wrought that which hath caused My sighs to ascend, My tears to fall, and the Tablet and the Pen to lament. … Those who denied God's proof and evidence have fallen, and violated His covenant and testament. We beseech God to assist them to return. Verily, He is the Forgiver, the Generous.
This evanescent one is bewildered every moment - have the people of the Bayan not recognized the words and deeds of the past? The Shi'ites possessed not one word of truth; they uttered various calumnies in the name of truth, and those calumnies became the cause of the shedding of the blood of the Beloved of the world, and the Lord and Sovereign of existence was imprisoned in the prison of Akka.
By God! We hear the lamentation of the pulpits saying: "O my God! Thou didst create us for the exaltation of Thy Word, Thy remembrance, Thy praise, and Thou hearest, O my God, the wailing of the dwellers of Thy Paradise and the inhabitants of Thy sacred precincts. O Lord! Deliver us from these embodiments of tyranny and oppression, and adorn us with Thy near servants and sincere trusted ones."
He Heareth and Answereth
O Haydar! This Wronged One is in truth despairing of the peoples of the earth, for it has been observed with both outward and inward sight that the people of the Furqan (Muslims), after one thousand two hundred and more years of considering themselves the most learned and most excellent among all the peoples of the world, were all seen on the Day of Reckoning as denizens of hell and returned to the fire. The most learned of that people was seen to be the most ignorant, and the most God-fearing among that people was seen to be the most wretched, for they reviled from their pulpits the Object of the desire of all the worlds, and finally issued the verdict for His death. And some of the opposers of the Bayan witnessed with their own eyes and heard with their own ears the deeds and words of those souls. Nevertheless, because of a false successor and an imaginary name and Imam and the like, they turned away from Him Who spoke on Sinai and the Lord of the unseen and the visible. What more can this Wronged One mention, and to whom shall He speak? Reflect a little on what was mentioned, that thou mayest lament the state of this Wronged One and realize the depths of His despair.
Blessed art thou for having turned towards Him when the peoples of the earth turned away, save whom God willed. Thy letter was received before the Wronged One. We found it adorned with the ornament of steadfastness, speaking in remembrance and praise of God, holding fast to His firm cord, acknowledging that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath acknowledged, and firmly convinced of what God hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. We beseech God to aid thee, grant thee success, and ordain for thee that which will bring joy to thine eyes and solace to thy breast. Verily, He is powerful over all things.
Thou didst mention meeting. Between Me and thee stand ignorant servants who have broken God's covenant and His testament, denied His signs, and rejected His proof, His sovereignty, His might, His strength and His power. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to record for thee the reward of meeting Him. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayers.
Let not the happenings of the world and the affairs of nations grieve thee. Be steadfast in serving the Cause and speaking forth this momentous News. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink, from the hands of Thy bounty, the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, and for having enabled me to turn toward Thee when the men of the earth and its learned ones turned away. I beseech Thee to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days and the Gracious, the Compassionate.
Glorified art Thou, O my God! To whom shall I complain of what Thou hast done to me through Thy power and sovereignty, and to whom shall I mention what Thou hast caused to descend upon me through Thy might and authority?
Thou art He Who hath taken my heart and left me in the valley of Thy separation, Who hath attracted my soul and cast me into the wilderness of separation from Thee.
O my God! How can I mention my misdeeds before Thee when my good deeds are sins in Thy sight? I am ashamed to mention any of them, so how much more to mention my misdeeds which I have committed against Thee!
Well was it said:
The flood of Noah, in my lamentation, is as my tears, And the kindling of the fires of the Friend [Abraham] is as my anguish.
The Pen is thunderstruck at this moment and the ink bewildered.
O Lord! The sorrowful one hath clung to Thy Name, the Joy-Giving, and the grief-stricken to Thy Name, the All-Subduing over all names.
O Samandar! For some time now the birds of the meadow have ceased their songs of praise. This is due to the requirements of this season.
O thou who art attracted by the fragrances of God! It is Naw-Ruz and the Iranians are engaged in festivity and celebration, while to these wanderers news arrives each moment from the field of tests.
Yet wert thou to learn what hath befallen God, thy Lord, sorrow would seize thee; therefore have We concealed from thee in this Tablet what hath befallen Us at the hands of Our idolatrous servants.
O my well-beloved, deeply spiritual sister! Day and night thou livest in my memory. Whenever I remember thee my heart swelleth with sadness and my regret groweth more intense.
At times thou wert afflicted with the reproach, taunts and blame of women; at others with the derision and injury of enemies. Sometimes thou didst drink the cup of tribulation from the cupbearer of destiny, and at others suffered the plunder and pillage of oppressors. At times thou didst find thy noble husband martyred in God's path, and at others saw thy household scattered by the onslaught of the wicked. Sometimes thou wert homeless and at others wandering through mountain and desert.
Thou hast written that through unbearable grief thou art a prisoner in a grievous prison. Praise be to God! Thou hast become liberated and hast found a way from the prison to the palace. Rest assured.
For example on the eve of our departure from Persia the believers were weeping the tears of blood. It is evident that after those dreadful persecutions, sufferings, trials and martyrdom it was most difficult for them to bear this last blow!
From the beginning of her life she was afflicted every day by the trials of the enemies, yet in all this time she neither cried out nor did she sigh and weep or complain.
O My handmaiden! O My handmaiden! Rise above the ranks of grief and sadness and turn to the horizon of sanctification, detachment and transcendence. This is the station of the leaf who hath attained unto the blessed word "O My handmaiden." Sorrow is not permitted save in the tribulations that have befallen the Sun of Truth.
By God! Nothing shall grieve the believer, for he hath detached himself from the worlds, and no troubles of the realm shall touch him save separation from the Beloved. But since this is by God's decree, he accepteth it, yet remembereth it throughout the months and years.
Let nothing grieve thee save separation from Me, the Inaccessible, the Forbidden, and complain thou of naught save thy remoteness from My presence, for this is the root of sorrow, which none save those nigh unto God can comprehend.
O thou human being! Grieve not for anything, for thy grief causeth Me grief, and weep not for anything, for thy weeping causeth Me to weep. No word hath issued forth from Me regarding thy station, for I love thee. Therefore stand firm in what thou art commanded and fear not for thyself while thou art in love, and be patient in what befalleth thee.
O spiritual youth! From your letter was detected the fragrance of despair. Despair not of God's spirit, neither lose hope in thy Lord's mercy, nor grieve in His days.
O assured leaf! Although you two sisters from the beginning endured utmost persecution from the enemies of the Beauty of Abha, and in every breath the poison of oppression and enmity affected your being, though you became the target of the arrow of cruelty, yet you also became the pearl-shell of the pearl of bounty and shattered the pottery market.
O thou who art grieved at My imprisonment! Regarding thy extreme sorrow, thy sadness and thy great regret for My imprisonment, there is no harm therein.
O servant! When you find yourself alone in your house, then remember My loneliness. And if you find sorrow in yourself, then reflect on My sorrows. And if you journey to other lands, then remember My exile and My tribulation.
Rejoice thou in the gladness of God, though He Who biddeth thee rejoice is himself in such sorrow that the Trees of Oneness have been deprived of their fruits.
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and the Wronged One is in such grief as the eye of creation hath never beheld its like.
… Although sorrows have encompassed Us, yet the grief of the world hath not, and will not, prevent the Lord of ancient days from His Cause.
O My loved ones in that land! Rejoice in My remembrance and loving-kindness. Verily, while in an ocean of grief He makes mention of you that ye may remember Him in spirit and fragrance. We make mention of grief to manifest My grace, My mercy and My loving-kindness.
Be not grieved at the calamity that hath occurred, for this is a calamity wherein the Ancient Beauty Himself hath been the chief mourner.
Make thou no lamentation or cry of grief, but instead chant melodies and raise thy voice in song.
My heart lamenteth and Mine eye weepeth, yet the tongue speaketh in praise of the All-Merciful amidst the concourse of all worlds, that thereby may be kindled the hearts of them that have detached themselves from all else but God.
Deal not with any steadfast soul in such wise as to cause him to become sorrowful and distressed. Lower thy wing of mercy unto the believers.
Verily the Wronged One remembereth every wronged man and woman, and the Stranger loveth every stranger, man and woman, and every captive man and woman, especially those who are made such in the path of God.
Sometimes from the breeze of God's favor I am like a blossoming flower, and at times from the assault of fear and awe I am withered and faded.
There was endless hardship and trouble; here is boundless kindness and mercy. There were the burdens of chains and fetters; here is the sweetness of honey, sugar and milk. There was cursing and abuse; here are sweets, almonds and confections.
O ye kind friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! For some time now the mind of this exiled one hath suffered from the thought of all the afflictions and adversity that have befallen the friends. With every breath I have lifted up my lamentations to the Kingdom of everlasting might, at every step on the path of supplication I have implored God saying: "O Thou kind Lord! The circle of the righteous hath been scattered and the gathering place of the friends hath been destroyed.
If these physical powers of man are dissipated in the path of desires and passions, what greater regret could there be than that? Time passes, strength dissolves, the body wastes away, the organs and nerves fall apart, the final breath approaches - but in what thoughts? But in what did it pass? In desires and passions, resulting in eternal regret and remorse.
Your cries and complaints and sighs and lamentations and wailing are all justified and you are right - truly you have been left alone.
It is clear from Amin's letter that he has become saddened. What is the cause of this sadness? Write what you have to write.
This was distressing news, and therefore a telegram was immediately sent from Egypt to inquire, but no reply has yet been received, causing concern.
Although, so far as she was concerned, it was her dearest wish to drain her cup and wing her way to the realms where the Divine Essence shineth in glory, still this servant could not bear to behold her in that state.
The intention was that they would be blessed with the great bounty of circumambulation here longer, but due to your being alone, and especially since Mirza Badi' mentioned some slight illness, therefore the honored ones requested to return. This servant also, considering that perhaps loneliness would cause distress and depression, gave permission.
By my life, I say with love for that station: "O Death who art not satisfied, thou hast destroyed every friend. I see thee separating those who love each other as though thou wert a sea without a guide."
When the blessed leaf, the handmaiden of Baha, Fatimeh Begum, ascended, it was considered that if the handmaiden of God, the physically frail lady Diya Khanum were to learn of it, she would become completely ill and weak, and her life might fall into great danger, for when she heard the news of the death of him who ascended to God, Mirza Ahmad, she wept and lamented continuously at night for a full year.
Since that leaf, drawn nigh unto the Court of the Divine Unity, hath suffered afflictions beyond human endurance, and physical weakness hath consequently overtaken her material frame, thou must constantly provide means for her joy and gladness, that she may find at least some measure of solace and her heartfelt grief may be somewhat alleviated.
O leaf attracted by the fragrances of God! Your letter was read and recited with utmost grief and sorrow. It had a profound effect and ignited a fire in the heart. Truly you are oppressed and in God's path the target of the arrow of calamity and pierced by the dart of cruelty. Every oppressed one weeps for your oppression and every sorrowful one begins lamentation and moaning for your sorrow. Whatever cry and wail you make, you have the right.
By My life! I rejoice in your joy and am saddened by your sadness.
Let not My guest become sorrowful. Always console him on behalf of God, and likewise the other relatives.
Great consideration must be shown to this person - he is unwell and after having been wealthy has become destitute.
In truth, after your departure the prison truly became a prison. Some are occupied with lamentation and moaning, while others are consumed by the fire of separation.
And my sorrow is for the dwellers of the house, that no grief should befall them, for otherwise there is no solace except contentment with the divine decree.
The joy of Jinab-i-'Andalib from his journey was a cause of happiness, provided that you can allay the complaints of his wife so that she will have no cause for lamentation and cry.
Write confidentially to them that Andalib is constantly in severe hardship and subject to threats. If they show consideration to him, it will attract divine confirmation.
O friend of 'Abdu'l-Baha!
Since the day of separation, not a moment passes that you do not come to mind, and not a breath goes by that I do not remember you.
O son-in-law of that embodiment of faithfulness!
Although compelling occupations and pressing duties surround me from all directions at present, and there is absolutely no opportunity to write even a word, yet since you are related to that essence of purity and that pearl of the shell of faithfulness - he who was a martyr to the Blessed Beauty and a sacrifice to the Exalted One, detached from all else, ascended to the Abha Kingdom, and attained the paradise of reunion - I have put aside all tasks and turned to remembering you.
O my ancient, divine and spiritual friend! In this morning hour, with the utmost longing I am thinking of you, and I yearned for fellowship and conversation with you. Since this was not possible verbally, I took up pen and paper, finding solace for my heart and soul.
O thou gentle soul that showeth kindness to the bereaved! In truth thy services to the bereaved family of the martyrs hath caused me untold happiness.
They have left behind on Thy earth weak offspring who are captives in the hands of the most wicked among Thy creation and the tyrants of Thy realm. There is none to show mercy to them in their captivity and tribulation, or give them a drink of water, or clothe them in this bitter cold. They have become hungry, thirsty, naked and barefoot in Thy realm.
O faithful servant of God! The terrible and shocking news of the new calamity has saddened hearts and grieved souls. Truly this calamity is severe, but there is consummate wisdom manifest and evident in it.
O thou daughter of the Kingdom!
May my soul be sacrificed for those martyrs! How I long to visit that white cemetery! How I yearn to behold that luminous spot!
Although 'Abdu'l-Baha was saddened by the passing of that exemplar of the people of prostration and that praiseworthy being, He found solace in the devoted efforts of those spiritual friends in the preparation, shrouding and burial of that noble person's remains.
Thou hadst expressed grief and sorrow at the ascension of the blessed temple of Ibn-i-Abhar. Thou art indeed right - however much thou mayest wail and weep, raise cries of anguish, and give voice to lamentation and mourning, it is fitting. For that pure soul was the cause of life to many, and his ascension to the realms of forgiveness was not like the passing of a single person, but rather the death and departure of multitudes.
Not for a moment did she find peace of soul or tranquility of conscience. The trauma of the martyrdom of the Bab on one hand, countless afflictions on another, and the attacks of enemies on yet another - in short, from the beginning of her life until this day she drank the cup of tribulation and witnessed all manner of calamities in the path of God.
As for Abu'l-Fadl, praise be to God, in his own time, as soon as news of his death spread to distant cities, people mourned and shed tears, joined in sighs and laments, and sought the elevation of his station in their prayers.
I became extremely saddened by its contents as it indicated your severe hardship and difficulty in compiling the book and writing the conclusive chapter.
After the Ascension as well, he was my partner and associate in servitude at the Sacred Threshold until the day he passed away. I became very sorrowful and grieved at his passing, for he was my companion, my comfort and intimate friend. Know the worth of this uncle. This respected soul is near in the Divine Court and immersed in the ocean of lights in the world of mysteries.
Tell Jinab-i-Murtada-Quli Mirza on my behalf to raise up a balanced figure like his father and not be sorrowful, and to be hopeful in the grace of the Self-Subsisting Lord, that God willing you may make manifest and preserve the traces of that noble one.
O descendant of that illustrious person and grandchild of that peerless dignitary! Your letter arrived and your plaintive cry had a profound effect. Why are you bewildered and turned away by life?
For after the Most Great Calamity, I was deeply affected by the calamity of His Holiness Sadru's-Sudur, and this pain has no remedy and this wound no salve except to observe that a steadfast person has taken the place of that noble one and is perfuming nostrils with musk-diffusing fragrance.
Had it not been for the efforts of that respected believer, today the children of Baha'is would, in that area, be attending other schools, and would be far removed from training in the Faith of God.
I was very sorrowful that while all horizons were illumined and the fragrant breezes of the Abha Paradise were wafting and the call of the Concourse on High was stirring souls, the region of Nur remained deprived.
O Divine Trustee! A prayer seeking forgiveness for the bird of the divine nest, the blessed soul of Aqa Siyyid Nasru'llah, was sent to the Abha Kingdom two weeks ago.
My late [uncle] sighed in sadness, and I said to him, "Do not be sad, for one day we shall do the same." Now, every time I visit this village, I think of him.
Due to the delay in the matter of building the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in that land, much sorrow has resulted for the true friends, for all the peoples in those regions observe that for several years that land has been known as the Temple site yet still nothing has been built.
Its review caused much grief and sorrow - how the former unfaithful ones destroyed that magnificent building and took its doors, windows and roof timbers to build houses for themselves. How regrettable this is.
Heedlessness and vain imaginings have withheld the world from the Lord of all names, and visible things have become a veil. At every moment they witness change, transformation and evanescence, yet remain heedless and veiled.
The people are suffering greatly because all their children have been taken for military service.
When they hear the sound of poems [chanting] from above, they say these people must be happy because they are free from military service and have no worries, and that is why they are celebrating. They don't realize that this is remembrance [of God].
So be careful that your voices don't carry downward.
O thou who gazest upon the Kingdom!
Thy letter arrived and I became saddened by the distressing news about thy dear son's condition.
By the life of God! A pure deed endureth and lasteth, and remaineth and speaketh throughout centuries and ages.
For thought and discussion