Prayer for nearness to God: longing that changes a life

O God, my God! Thou seest me, Thou knowest me; Thou art my Haven and my Refuge. None have I sought nor any will I seek save Thee; no path have I trodden nor any will I tread but the path of Thy love.

O Generous One! Leave not this servant to himself.

Say:

… My God, my God! Draw me nigh unto Thee and illumine my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I testify that I know not what profiteth me. Verily Thou art the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great. O Lord! Withhold me not from the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, and disappoint me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.

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We are helpless birds with broken wings, yet we desire to soar in the realm of the Kingdom. We are thirsty fish seeking the ocean of the water of life. We are moths of the mortal world yearning for the lamp of the divine realm.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens, to make me as one of the fish in the ocean of Thy oneness, that I may swim therein by Thy leave and will, and glorify Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made to be sovereign over all names and the Self-Subsisting over all who dwell on earth and in heaven.

I beg of Thee, by the beauty of Thy countenance, to make my remoteness from home a means whereby Thy servants may be drawn nigh unto the Fountain-head of Thy Cause and the Dayspring of Thy Revelation.

O thou who art turning unto God! Turn to the Abha Kingdom and seek assistance from the Concourse on High. Then loose thy tongue in supplication and say:

O my kind God! O my compassionate Lord!

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Say: O my God, my God! Thy grace hath embraced me, and Thy mercy hath encompassed me, and Thy bounty hath sustained me, and Thy hosts have succored me, and Thy love hath guided me, and Thy yearning hath directed me, and Thy affection hath made me witness, and Thy tenderness hath caused me to know.

Say: O Sun of the highest heaven! O manifest Light of the supreme horizon! Shed Thy constant rays upon the private chamber of my heart, that I may ever be the companion of the vision of Thy lights and always be mindful of the remembrance of Thy Most Great Name. Thou art verily the Generous, Thou art verily the Merciful, O Thou the Possessor of great bounty!

O God, my God! Thy call hath attracted me, and the voice of Thy Pen of Glory awakened me. the stream of Thy holy utterance hath enraptured me, and the wine of Thine inspiration entranced me. Thou seest me, O Lord, detached from all things but Thee, clinging to the cord of Thy bounty and craving the wonders of Thy grace. I ask Thee, by the eternal billows of Thy loving-kindness and the shining lights of Thy tender care and favor, to grant that which shall draw me nigh unto thee and make me rich in Thy wealth.

Say: O my Lord! Praise be to Thee for having enabled me to recognize the Manifestation of Thyself and caused me to turn toward the Kaaba of Thy reunion and meeting with Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the heaven was cleft asunder and the earth was rent to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for him who turned away from all else save Thee and turned unto Thee, and to decree for me a seat of truth with Thee in the Most Glorious Pavilion.

Thou art He Who, O my God, hast drawn me nigh unto Thee and made me to know the Dayspring of Thy lights, the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Manifestation of Thy Self Who hath called Thy servants and handmaidens to Thy luminous horizon. I beseech Thee, O my God, to make me in all circumstances turning unto Thee, holding fast to Thy cord, and clinging to the hem of Thy bounty.

Say:

My God, my God! All praise be to Thee for having taught me, and made me to know, and shown me, and caused me to hear, and guided me to Thy straight path and Thy mighty Cause. I beseech Thee by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and the mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge, O Lord of all being, to assist Thy servants to rend asunder the veils that have hindered them from turning towards Thee and drawing nigh unto the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Dawning-Place of Thy testimonies and the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Repository of Thy knowledge.

And unto Thee be glory and favor, for having caused me to dwell near unto Thee and having made me to hear Thy call.

When thou hearest My call and attainest unto the recognition of My verses, say: "My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me unto Thy station and honored me with Thy presence. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty to make me detached from all else save Thee and sanctified from whatsoever is repugnant to Thy good-pleasure.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me to Thy straight path and made known to me Thy mighty announcement. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy throne and by Thy Name through which Thou didst raise the standard of Thy justice in Thy kingdom and the banner of Thy oneness in Thy lands, to ordain for me that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds.

O thou who gazest toward My horizon! When thou hearest My call from the direction of My prison, say:

My God, my King, my Object of worship and adoration! Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the wine of Thy utterance, and for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the call of Thy Cause and by the sovereignty of Names, through which Thou hast subdued the cities of the hearts of Thy servants, to make me in all conditions to hold fast to Thy cord.

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Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having guided me to the court of Thy might and caused me to enter the spot round which circle they who are near unto Thee and they who are sincere in Thy Cause, and for having given me to drink, from the cup of Thy bounty, the wine of Thy utterance, and for having made me to hear Thy call.

When thou attainest unto My Name, say:

"Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Desire, for having sent down unto me that which draweth me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, standing before the door of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the Sovereign of Names, Who hath subdued earth and heaven, to cause me to hold fast to Thy cord and cling to Thy robe.

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Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of Thy utterance and sent down for me that which draweth me nigh unto Thee. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy grace to ordain for me the good of this world and the world to come, and to decree for me what Thou hast decreed for Thy near servants.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having guided Thy servant unto Thy straight path and ordained for him that which drew him nigh unto Thee in days wherein the limbs of the idolaters trembled.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy knowledge and for having made known unto me Thy straight path and Thy firm and mighty Command. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Pen to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cup of My bounty, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having caused me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy clear tokens, and for having illumined all hearts with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty and by that whereby the hearts of Thy chosen ones were attracted, to ordain for him who hath turned to Thee the good of this world and of the world to come.

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having moved Thy Most Exalted Pen to make mention of me while I was in the hands of the wicked ones, and thanksgiving be unto Thee for having caused the lights of Thy luminous countenance to shine upon me.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest me turning toward Thee and clinging to Thy cord. I beseech Thee not to leave me to myself. Protect me through Thy hosts and ordain for me from the Pen of Thy decree the reward of attaining Thy presence.

Having drunk from the Euphrates of My mercy through the Pen of My loving-kindness, say: "My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having adorned my head with the crown of Thy utterance and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the mysteries of Thy Book to open before my face the door of Thy bounty and to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee.

Say:

Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy knowledge and adorned me with the ornament of Thy love. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me the pearls of the ocean of Thy utterance, nor the revelations of the Sun of Thy bounty.

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Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, and for having caused me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon, holding fast to Thy firm cord. I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy Most Great Name through which Thou hast subdued the nations, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and to grant me, from the hand of Thy grace, the Kawthar of reunion with Thee.

When thou hast attained unto My verses, turn thy face toward God and say: Praise be unto Thee for having made Thyself known unto me, for having enabled me to turn toward Thee, and for having made clear unto me Thy straight and manifest path. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, to withhold me not from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having enabled me to turn unto Thee when most of Thy servants turned away, and caused me to hear Thy most sweet call when most of Thy creatures were debarred therefrom. … O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast unto Thy cord. I beseech Thee to ordain for me through the Pen of Grace that which shall draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me to Thy path and illumined my heart with the light of Thy utterance. … I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy Most Exalted Word through which Thou didst illumine the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee with the light of Thy knowledge and revealed unto them that which the tongues were prevented from mentioning, to ordain for me in all conditions nearness unto Thee, steadfastness in Thy love, and arising to serve Thee.

Say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to turn towards Thy most glorious horizon when the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen was raised up, and for having made me to hear Thy call and to recognize the Dayspring of Thy verses and evidences and the Dawning-Place of Thy lights. I beseech Thee to make me, in all conditions, acknowledging of Thy oneness and Thy singleness, moving by Thy will and Thy purpose, and well-pleased with and acting according to what Thou hast commanded me in Thy Book.

Then ordain for me, O my God, that which will draw me nigh unto Thee.

O servant of God! At the break of every morn, set thy face consciously toward the Kingdom of God, and humbly offer this supplication:

Thou beareth witness, O my God, that I desire to behold Thy lights and long to apprehend Thy mysteries. Make me weary of foreignness, acquaint me with union, and suffer me to attain my heart's desire.

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Therefore, with complete attraction turn thy face unto the Realm on high and fervently supplicate unto the Lord, perchance His grace and limitless favours may encompass thee.

Thou shouldst strive to abide and persevere in the station of supplication, prayer, entreaty, and utter weakness and tearfully beseech Him, perchance the beaming light of strength radiating from the Sun of Truth may reflect forth from the mirror of thy heart.

O leaf who is assured! Turn to the Kingdom of Abha and take hold of the Sure Handle. Fix thy gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and place thy trust in the Lord of the first and the last, that thou mayest partake of the fruits of the Garden of Refuge and enter into the midst of the Most Exalted Paradise.

Say: O my God, my God! I have turned toward Thee and directed myself to the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy bestowals and the dayspring of Thy grace.

Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and detached from all else save Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy mercy which hath preceded all created things, and by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all contingent beings, and by the Cause through which the seas have surged and the mysteries have appeared, to make me as a fire in Thy love and vocal in Thy praise and active in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.

Thou seest me turning toward the lights of Thy face, holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty, and standing before the door of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy verses and the manifestations of Thy sovereignty in Thy lands to aid me to act according to what Thou hast commanded me in the Lord of Days. … I beseech Thee to ordain for me by the Pen of bounty that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

O my Lord! I am he who hath turned his face toward Thy countenance and set his face toward the horizon of Thy recognition. Ordain for me that which befitteth Thy generosity and bounty. Verily, Thou art the Bountiful, the Generous.

O Lord! Thou seest me advancing towards Thy most exalted horizon and clinging to the cord of Thy bounty, O Thou Lord of all names!

Say:

My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant turning toward Thee, facing the lights of Thy countenance, holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty, and clinging to the hem of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs, Thy mighty announcement and Thy ancient Cause, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and profit me in Thy worlds.

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I beseech Thee by Thy Chosen Ones, and by the Bearers of Thy Trust, and by Him Whom Thou hast ordained to be the Seal of Thy Prophets and of Thy Messengers, to let Thy remembrance be my companion, and Thy love my aim, and Thy face my goal, and Thy name my lamp, and Thy wish my desire, and Thy pleasure my delight.

I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, and by the splendors of the light of the Day-Star of Thy loving kindness, to aid me to remember Thee and to praise Thee, and to turn towards the splendors of the Dawning-place of Thy grace.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the lights of the sun of Thy grace, to aid me in all conditions to be speaking in Thy remembrance, enkindled with the fire of Thy love, mindful of Thy verses, soaring in Thy atmosphere, holding fast to the cord of Thy bestowal, and clinging to the hem of Thy generosity.

I call upon Thee at this moment when I have detached myself from all that hath been created between earth and heaven, and have turned my face toward Thy Most Exalted Countenance in Thy Later Manifestation through the Most Glorious Manifestation of Thyself.

O 'Ali-Asghar! When thou art illumined by the lights of the Day-Star of utterance and hast quaffed the choice wine of life from the Book of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, say: My God, my God! Nearness to Thee is my hope, beneath Thy shadow is my purpose, in Thy presence is my aim, before Thee is my desire, meeting Thee is the utmost object of my hope, and attaining Thy presence is my wish. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me through Thy grace and mercy, O Thou Most Merciful of the merciful!

Say: O God of Names and Sovereign of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, which shall endure after all things have passed away, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and enable me to act according to that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Then decree for me, through Thy bounty and grace, the good of both this world and the next, O Thou Who art the Lord of the Throne and the dust, and the Lord of the exalted Seat!

I beseech Thee to make me, under all conditions, to fix my gaze upon Thee and to be detached from all else besides Thee.

Say: O my Lord! I am he who hath turned toward Thee and set his face toward the paradise of Thy gifts and favors. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue all creation and didst quicken all beings, to ordain for me that which beseemeth Thy generosity and grace. Then make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that the opposition of the world shall not prevent me.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Make my heart in all conditions to turn toward Thee, and my tongue to make mention of Thee, and my face to be illumined by the lights of Thy countenance, and every limb of my body to incline toward the direction of Thy bounties and the dawning-place of the lights of Thy oneness.

Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Sovereign of existence, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Lord of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and by that which hath shone forth from the horizon of bounty through Thy command and will, to make me among those women who have believed in Thee and Thy signs, and who circle round Thy throne by night and by day.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which earthquakes have seized most of the servants, to make me so fixed in my gaze upon Thee in all conditions that nothing may prevent me from that which hath been ordained by the Pen of Thy decree and sent down in the scrolls of Thy glory.

I beseech Thee by the grace which hath encompassed me and all who are in the kingdom of earth and heaven to make me in all conditions turned toward Thee, directing myself to the horizon of Thy bounty, speaking Thy praise and beholding the manifestations of Thy handiwork and the evidences of Thy might.

My God and my Beloved! This is Thy servant who hath turned toward the sanctuary of Thy perpetuity, and who hath been set ablaze with the fire of Thy love, and who hath heard Thy call, and who hath detached himself unto Thee, hoping to enter into Thy Kingdom and to ascend unto the heaven of Thy grace and bounty.

We beseech Thee not to withhold us for less than the twinkling of an eye from Thy Most Great Horizon.

O my Lord! Make Thou my hope to be in Thee, my purpose to be in Thee, my aspiration to be in Thee, my goal to be in Thee, my habitation to be in Thee, my Ka'bih to be in Thee, and the object of my desire to be Thy radiant, mighty and praiseworthy Beauty.

I call upon Thee, O my God, with my heart, my tongue, my spirit and my soul, and I commune with Thee in the depth of midnight's darkness, while Thou seest tears streaming from mine eyes and my heart burning with the fire of sighs, from the intensity of deprivation and the pain of separation.

In the mornings I remember Thee, in the evenings I call upon Thee, and throughout the days I praise Thee.

Wouldst Thou, O my God, turn away this thirsty one from the living waters? And wouldst Thou forbid the seeker from the Kawthar of reunion, O Thou in Whose hand is the reins of all creation?

O my God! O my God! Through the fire of Thy love sleep hath fled from mine eyes. In the morning hours I call upon Thee, hoping for Thy boundless grace, and in the evening I turn to the horizon of Thy mercy, yearning for Thine ancient bounty. I call upon Thee by Thy name, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

O Thou Whose nearness is my wish, Whose presence is my hope, Whose remembrance is my desire, Whose court of glory is my goal, Whose abode is my aim, Whose name is my healing, Whose love is the radiance of my heart, Whose service is my highest aspiration!

O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from OAThee is death unto tThee is death unto them that have recognized Thy truth!

O Lord my God! O Thou Who art the ecstasy of my soul, the exultation of my heart, the joy of my spirit! O Thou Who art my companion in my loneliness, my solace in moments of distress, my comfort in time of anguish, my refuge and shelter in my solitude! Thou seest me and beholdest my apprehension and anxiety, my suffering, agitation and despondency, my misery and hardships. And thou hearest my sighs, my groaning and lamentation, my bemoaning and bewailing before the threshold of Thy oneness.

In truth, the desire of heart and soul is presence at the Threshold, that face and hair may become perfumed and fragrant with the dust of the Sacred Threshold.

In separation from You they have rent their collars, and in deprivation they have tasted the poison of severance. Night and day they weep for You, and day and night they lament toward You.

O Lord! How long shall this deprivation last and how long this separation continue? Let me attain the cup of forgiveness and give me to drink from the spring of life. Verily You are the All-Merciful.

By Thy Glory, there is no healing for mine ills nor is there a quenching for my thirst save to perish in the deserts of separation while consumed with the fire of longing. Aid me, O Thou Beloved of the world, by Thy generosity and grace and grant me deliverance by Thy mercy and ease my difficulties and deliver me from abstruse problems.

O Lord! My thirst entitles me to the Kawthar of Thy presence, and the fire of my love seeks the wine of union with Thee.

Thou hearest the sighing of those who, though they long to behold Thy face, are yet separated from Thee and far distant from Thy court. Thou testifiest to the lamentations which those who have recognized Thee pour forth because of their exile from Thee and their yearning to meet Thee.

O my Lord! Thou seest me enkindled with the fire of separation from Thy loved ones. By Thy glory, O Thou Goal of the world and He Who hath appeared through the Most Great Name! I desire none other than Thee and love none but Thee.

Say: O my God, my God! How many sighs have ascended in Thy days, and how many tears have fallen in separation and remoteness from Thee! O Lord, Thou hearest the cry and lamentation of those who long for Thee in Thy days - they whose hearts have melted from the fire of Thy love and whose souls have burned in their distance from Thee.

O Lord! I am she who hath taken refuge with Thee and hastened unto Thee, detached from all else beside Thee. … O Lord! Grant me reunion with Thee, then sever me from all else save Thee.

Say: My God, my God! The hearts of the lovers have melted from the fire of separation from Thee, and the livers of Thy servants have been consumed by their remoteness and separation from Thee through the decree of Thy judgment. O Lord! Thou seest my condition and hearest my lamentation. I beseech Thee by the light of Thy reunion and the fire of the Tree of Thy nearness to ordain for me that which shall make me known by Thy name and speaking in Thy praise.

O my Lord! Thou knowest that separation from Thee hath consumed me and remoteness from Thee hath destroyed me.

O my God, my God! Thou seest my powerlessness, my brokenness, my abasement, my distress, my anxiety and my agitation in my separation from Thy presence and my deprivation in being parted from Thee. I lament as one who thirsts for sweet waters, and I moan as one who is enthralled by the intensity of yearning and passion.

Hold Thou my right arm, O God! and dwell continually with me! Guide me to the fountain of Thy Knowledge and encircle me with Thy Glory. Let mine ears harken unto Thy melodious tone and comfort me with Thy Presence. For Thou art the strength of my heart, and the trust of my soul, and I desire no one beside Thee!

O my Lord! Thou seest me wandering in the wilderness of longing, consumed by the fires of separation. The resurrection of tears hath come to pass, and the flames of burning have been kindled. Wipe away my tears, still my sighs, lighten my sorrows, and awaken me from my stupor through my ascent to the Kingdom of Thy sanctification, my rising to the threshold of Thy oneness, my entrance into the presence of Thy uniqueness, and my arrival before the Beauty through whose light the worlds of the unseen and the seen were illumined, and my attainment unto that court before which the necks of kings and kingdoms were brought low, and the necks of every proud and obstinate one were humbled.

O Thou Kind Beloved! I am thirsty for the water of Thy Bestowal! Grant me a chalice from the fountain of Thy love! I am longing for the appearance of Thy lights, reveal unto me the splendors of the Sun of Thy Reality!

I beg of Thee! O my God! My Lord! My Hope! and my utmost Desire! Verily Thou knowest my humility, my contrition, my poverty, my indigence, my agitation and my longing. I call Thee with a heart overflowing with Thy Love, a spirit stirred by the wafting of the Graces of Thy Oneness and a soul assured by Thy Commemoration and praise!

Say:

My God, my God! Separation from Thee hath destroyed me. Ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the cup of nearness and reunion. The fire of remoteness hath consumed me - transform it into the water of eternal life, O Thou Self-Sufficing One! I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy grace and the lights of the sun of Thy proof to ordain for me that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds.

O my Lord! I am the sorrowful one, yet with Thee is the ocean of joy and gladness. I beseech Thee not to withhold me from it.

… O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy verses [...] and by Thy Most Exalted Horizon to ordain for me by the Pen of Thy Command that which will comfort mine eyes through Thy grace.

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O my Lord! The thirst of separation hath seized me - where is the Kawthar of Thy reunion, O Thou Who art the Goal of the mystics? And the fire of remoteness hath consumed me - where is the light of Thy Cause, O Thou Who art the Object of desire of all in the heavens and earth? Alas! Alas! My heart hath melted in my remoteness from the court of Thy nearness, and Thy separation hath destroyed me, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth the reins of all them that dwell on earth.

Say: My God, my God! My heart has melted from separation and remoteness from Thee, and my joints have trembled in my distance from the court of Thy nearness. I know not, O my God, by what deed I may draw nigh unto Thee, by what remembrance I may supplicate in Thy days, or to what intercessor I may cling that would bring me closer to Thee, guide me to Thy prison, and cause me to hear Thy sweetest call.

My God, my God! Nearness to Thee is my hope, and to stand before Thy presence is my desire, and to hearken to the flowing of Thy Pen is my wish, and to appear before the throne of Thy justice is the ultimate goal of my purpose.

Say: O my handmaiden and leaf of My divine Lote-Tree!

O my God and my Beloved! The hearts of Thy lovers have melted in their separation from Thee. Where are the waves of the ocean of reunion with Thee? The hearts of those who yearn for Thee are consumed. Where is the path to attaining Thy presence?

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My God, my God! The thirst of my heart has consumed me - where is the river of Thy mercy, O God of the worlds? Thy decree and destiny have removed me far - where is the light of Thy nearness, O Goal of them that know Thee?

Thou hearest my cry, and witnessest my lamentation, and knowest my sighing, and the secret anguish of my heart, and the affliction of my being, and the perturbation of my essence, and the dissolution of my identity, and the annihilation of my body, and the confusion of my form, and the trembling of my core. How then can I be worthy of the stations of the glory of Thy nearness, or befitting the pavilions of the majesty of meeting with Thee?

Say:

My God, my God! Nearness to Thee is my life, and Thy presence is the ultimate object of my hope. … I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will preserve me and draw me nigh unto Thee.

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My Lord, separation from Thee hath destroyed me, parting from Thee hath burned me, and absence from Thee hath killed me. I beseech Thee by the light of Thy reunion to ordain for Thy servant to attain Thy presence or to write down for him its reward through Thy bounty and grace.

O Lord! The thirst of separation and remoteness hath consumed me; give me to drink, by the hands of Thy favors, from the Kawthar of nearness and reunion, that the intoxication of the choice wine of Thy mercy may seize me in such wise that I may arise to aid Thy Cause amongst Thy creatures and rend asunder the veils of glory that have prevented the servants from turning toward the horizon of beauty.

I am he, O my God, whose only wish is what Thou hast determined by the power of Thy might. All I have chosen for myself is to be assisted by Thy gracious appointments and the ruling of Thy will, and to be aided with the tokens of Thy decree and judgment.

I am the one who hath sought the good pleasure of Thy will, and directed his steps towards the seat of Thy gracious favors. I am he who hath forsaken his all, who hath fled to Thee for shelter, who hath set his face towards the tabernacle of Thy revelation and the adored sanctuary of Thy glory.

Say:

O my God and my Master! I beseech Thee by that which Thou art, in Thy greatness and majesty, to make me one of those who have circled round Thy Will and have turned toward Thy face, detached from all else besides Thee. Thou art my Goal in this world and the next. Ordain for me, then, a seat of truth. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous.

O my Lord! Thou art witness and aware that I entertain no hope in my heart and soul but Thy good pleasure, and seek no path or comfort other than acceptance in the assemblage of the Covenant.

Do Thou preserve me, O my God, from all that would remove me from Thy nearness, and send down upon me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. For verily the servant's attention to aught else but Thee is his veil, and the needy one's satisfaction with other than Thee is the limit of his extinction. … Here am I, Thy servant, in Thy grasp. Through Thee have I become independent of all else but Thee, and I desire naught save Thy good-pleasure. Do Thou assist me, O my God, through Thy power, over all the kingdoms of Thy earth and heaven, and ordain for me from Thy presence that which is best for me in Thy Book. For in Thy hands are all means.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the All-Prevailing over all names and the Ruler over all who are in earth and heaven, to make me in all conditions one who circleth round Thy Will and gazeth toward the horizon of Thy Purpose, in such wise that I desire naught from Thee except what Thou hast desired and seek naught save what Thou hast decreed in the Tablets of Thy Decree and written with the Pen of Thy Destiny.

O my God, my God! Withhold not from us that which Thou lovest, and deprive us not of that which Thou hast accepted. I beseech Thee by Thy conquering power to make us content with Thy decree and to enable us to hold fast unto the cord of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

It behooveth every soul to call upon his Lord and say: "O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the permanence of Thy Countenance after the extinction of all things, and by the lights of Thy Face which have shone forth from Thy most exalted horizon, to make me content with Thy decree and circling round Thy will. Thou knowest what I have and I know not what Thou hast. Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. O my Lord! Ordain for me through Thy bounty that which will profit me in Thy worlds and preserve me from the promptings of self and passion.

I beseech Thee, O King of eternity and Lord of all nations, to ordain for me that which is best for me in this world and the next. Then make me content with Thy good-pleasure, effaced in Thy will, steadfast in Thy love, holding fast to the cord of Thy favors and clinging to the hem of Thy bounties.

I beseech Thee by Thy most sweet utterance and the Manifestations of Thy Cause in the kingdom of creation to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with.

O my Lord! Thou seest me gazing toward the horizon of Thy bounty and awaiting the wonders of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and the manifestations of Thy grandeur in the kingdom of creation to make me content with whatsoever Thou hast ordained for me through Thy generosity and prescribed for me through Thy grace.

I know not, O my God, how to praise Thee that my heart might be emptied of the might of Thy justice and my outward state might be gladdened by witnessing the beauty of attaining unto Thee.

Say: O Lord of Names and Ruler over all things! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Kingdom was adorned and the Realm of Might was embellished, to aid me to turn toward the Kaaba of Thy Beauty and to stand firm in Thy love and Thy Cause.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty and been seized by the intoxication of the Kawthar of My utterance, say:

"My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the signs of Thy Kingdom and the mysteries of Thy Dominion, and by that which the Tongue of Thy Grandeur has spoken forth and appeared through Thy command and sovereignty, to ordain for me that which shall be a light unto my heart, a radiance unto my sight and a strength unto my limbs.

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I beseech Thee not to leave me to myself, then make me among those who soar in the atmosphere of Thy love with the wings of certitude.

I beseech Thee, after my confession of my poverty and my acknowledgment of my evanescence, to ordain for me, through Thy bounty and favors, that which will preserve me from all else but Thee, and will render me wholly devoted to Thy remembrance, steadfast in Thy service, and turned in all conditions toward Thy face.

Take hold of the hem of thy Lord's mercy and say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy service, gazing toward Thy horizon, and clinging to Thy mighty cord.

O my Lord! Leave me not to myself. Take my hand with the hand of Thy power and deliver me from the clay of the vain imaginings of Thy servants.

O my Lord! Leave me not to myself and my desires, then send down upon me from the cloud of Thy mercy that which shall purify me from the mention of aught else but Thee. Then assign me a seat of truth with Thee, then send down upon me the good of this world and the next.

That Thy irrevocable decree should debar me from Thy sealed Wine! I entreat Thee by the breaths of Thy Revelation, by the lights of Thy Throne, by Him through Whose advent the fragrance of Thy raiment was diffused in Hijaz, and by the light of Thy Command through which the earth and the heaven were illumined, to make me in all conditions turn toward Thee, detached from all else save Thee, holding fast unto Thy cord and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty and generosity, and to choose for myself what Thou hast chosen for me through Thy great favor and Thy most great gifts.

Send down, therefore, from the heaven of Thy will that which will purify us from the world and its conditions, and adorn us with the ornament of what Thou hast desired for us through Thy grace and bestowal.

As He says: "O my God! Grant me complete severance from all else save Thee, and enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of beholding Thee, that the eyes of the heart may burn away the veils of light and attain to the source of grandeur and joy, and that our spirits may become suspended in the glory of Thy holy splendor."

I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by this Fire which blazeth and rageth in the world of creation, to rend asunder the veils that have hindered me from appearing before the throne of Thy majesty, and from standing at the door of Thy gate. Do Thou ordain for me, O my Lord, every good thing Thou didst send down in Thy Book, and suffer me not to be far removed from the shelter of Thy mercy.

O my Lord! Refresh my spirit with the breaths of Thy holiness, and turn my heart to the court of Thy bounty, and kindle my inner heart with the passion of Thy love, and aid my eyes to witness the signs of Thy manifestation, until it occupies me from all else save Thee, and draws me to Thy protection, and causes me to speak forth Thy praise, and takes hold of me as the brilliant rays take hold in pure mirrors.

When the breezes of the morn of My Revelation stir thee and the wine of My utterance intoxicates thee, say:

My God, my God! By Thy might and Thy majesty, Thy greatness and Thy power! Separation from Thee hath destroyed me and Thy remoteness hath consumed me. Thou seest me, O my God, in the fire of separation and remoteness. Where is the river of Thy presence, O Thou Desire of the world?

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Purify thy heart with the water of thy Lord's utterance, the Wronged, the Stranger, and say: I beseech Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of all beings and in Whose right hand are the reins of all creation, and I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Places of Thy names and the Daysprings of Thy attributes, and by the light of Thy Word which has shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Tablets, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and will accompany me in every world of Thy worlds.

I beseech Thee by Thy Will that hath encompassed all created things, by Thy Purpose that hath prevailed over all creation, by the effulgent rays of Thy grace's sun, and by the pearls concealed within Thy knowledge's ocean, to adorn my head with the crown of detachment, my temple with the robe of godliness, my tongue with Thy remembrance, my heart with Thy love, my eyes with the vision of Thine exalted horizon, and my ears with hearkening to the rustling of Thy Most Luminous Pen.

Then cause me, O my God, to be wholly turned unto Thee and detached from all else save Thee. Then remove, by the fingers of Thy power, the veils that have come between me and the lights of the countenance of the Manifestation of Thy most exalted Self in this Revelation, which hath appeared in Thy Most Great Name between earth and heaven.

O my Lord! Send down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will sever me from all else save Thee and draw me nigh unto meeting with Thee in this Day wherein all have denied Thee and Thy signs, save a numbered few.

By Thy glory and Thy sovereignty, let not the vicissitudes of the world prevent me from drawing nigh unto Thee, nor its hardships from gazing toward the horizon of the heaven of Thy mercy.

This is a Day wherein every friend crieth out "Have mercy upon me, O Thou Most Merciful One!" and every chosen one cleaveth to the hem of grace, saying "O Lord of all nations! Cause me then to enter among Thy sincere servants, and make me steadfast in Thy Cause whereby the back of every distant idolater is broken."

I beseech Thee by Thy most beautiful names to send down for me from the heaven of Thy mercy that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and preserve me from all else beside Thee.

Place the world beneath thy feet and say:

I beseech Thee, O Lord of Eternity and Sovereign of the nations, to ordain for me through Thy bounty that which shall keep me from aught else save Thee and draw me nigh in all conditions unto the ocean of Thy good-pleasure.

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Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst create the world and subdue the nations to render me detached from all else save Thee and to enable me to hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty.

This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, who hath entered into the precincts of Thy sanctity and, laden with manifold sins, hath hastened from every direction unto the court of Thy gracious bounty. He desireth to drink from the chalices of Thy mercy and seeketh the wonders of Thy grace which Thou hast specially ordained for the Letters of Thy might and the Words of Thy holiness, that he may become on earth a reflection of Thy countenance, a mirror of Thy beauty, a guide unto Thee, one turned toward Thee, and one who speaketh of Thee, for in Thy hands is the kingdom of the heavens and earth.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou beholdest me oppressed among the wayward ones of Thy creation, and a stranger in Thy realm.

I beseech Thee, O Possessor of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, to make me one of those whom neither the world, nor its might, nor its weapons and artillery have prevented from drawing nigh unto Thee and turning toward the lights of Thy countenance.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the oppression of the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the Dayspring of Thine inspiration to preserve me beneath the shadow of Thy Most Great Mercy. Then grant me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy grace and the choice wine of Thy favors, and aid me to serve Thy Cause amongst Thy servants and to make mention of Thee in Thy dominion.

I beseech Thee by the Sovereign of Names and the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust below, to make me detached from all else save Thee, clinging to Thy Most Strong Cord. O my Lord! Aid me to be steadfast in Thy love such that neither the clamor of the transgressors nor the croaking of the heedless ones who have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament and committed that which caused the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy grandeur and the tabernacle of Thy glory to lament, shall prevent me. Then ordain for me that which will draw me near unto Thee in all conditions.

Say: O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and by the mysteries concealed in Thy knowledge to ordain for me that which will cause me to hold fast to Thy cord and cling to the hem of Thy loving-kindness.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Perfect Name not to leave me cast down at the seat of self and desire. Then cause me to ascend, through Thy bounty, to the heaven of immortality that I may attain, through Thy grace, to such a station wherein I speak naught except Thy remembrance and move not save through Thy love and good-pleasure.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by that Name through which Thou didst rend asunder the veils of all created things and burn away the coverings of all beings, and by which the birds of the hearts of the sincere ones soared to the atmosphere of Thy nearness and meeting, and the breasts of them that are nigh unto Thee were set ablaze with the fire of Thy love and yearning, that Thou mayest cause me to be detached from all else save Thee and enable me to attain unto the station wherein I may tear apart the veils that have come between me and the lights of Thy Most Glorious and Most Exalted Countenance.

O my God! Make my sight illumined that I may know Thee through Thee and not through aught else, for that which is beside Thee hath never been a proof of Thee except what Thou hast made as evidence from Thee amidst Thy creation. Purify mine ear that I may hearken unto Thy Most Exalted Word, and my heart for the remembrance of Thy Most Glorious and Most Beauteous Self, and my tongue for Thy praise in the kingdom of creation.

I implore Thee, O Thou Who art inscrutable to all except Thee, and can be comprehended through naught else save Thyself, by the wrongs which He Who is the Day-Spring of Thy Cause hath suffered at the hands of the ignoble among Thy creatures, and by what hath befallen Him in Thy path, to grant that I may, at all times, be wholly dissolved in Thee, and fix my gaze upon the horizon of Thy will and be steadfast in Thy love.

O my Lord! I am he who hath acknowledged Thy oneness. I testify that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been sanctified above the mention of Thy servants and exalted above the recognition of Thy creation.

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the limbs of the Names trembled and the hearts of the learned and the mystics were perturbed, to strengthen me in Thy remembrance where neither kings nor subjects can prevent me.

Say: O God! Thou art the Companion of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them.

All praise be unto Thee, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God. Graciously enable me to ascend unto Thee, to be granted the honor of dwelling in Thy nearness and to have communion with Thee alone.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst separate all created things, and through which Thou didst establish Thyself upon the throne of Thy name, the All-Merciful, to make me sincere unto Thy face and detached from all else save Thee. Then grant me of the fruits of the Lote-Tree of Paradise and leave me not, O my God, to my self and my desires.

O my God, my God! The fragrance of Thy knowledge hath attracted me, and the river of Thy utterance hath intoxicated me, to such extent that I have become heedless of myself and of all else besides Thee, and of all who dwell on earth and in heaven.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having made me one of the believers among Thy servants who have acknowledged that which the tongue of Thy power uttered before the creation of Thy earth and Thy heaven. Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast unto Thy Book which Thou didst reveal unto Thy Beloved One. I beseech Thee by its verses and its mysteries and his station and his glory and his splendor, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

My Lord! Aid me in that which shall cause my face to shine in the Kingdom of creation, and shall raise me to the Concourse on High, and shall cause me to hear Thy most exalted Word, and shall bring me to the Sadratu'l-Muntaha and the Furthermost Mosque.

I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made the King of Names, that Thou cause me to hear the wondrous melodies of Thy praise and make me drink from the Kawthar of Thy knowledge in such wise that I may detach myself from all else but Thee and turn my face toward Thy countenance, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of creation!

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all names were transformed from their kingdom and all attributes were brought down from their dominion, and through which the faces of the deniers were darkened while the lights of bliss shone forth from the faces of the sincere ones - to purify me, through the Kawthar of Thy grace and the Salsabil of Thy bounties, from whatsoever is abhorrent to Thy good-pleasure, that I may enter the kingdom of Thy generosity and the dominion of Thy favors, and hearken unto the wondrous melodies of Thy voice, and behold with mine eyes the splendors of the light of Thy countenance.

My God, my God! Aid me with a penetrating heavenly power in my pillars, members, parts, nerves, veins and arteries until I am filled with the breaths of Thy holy spirit, O my Lord and my Hope!

Then cause us to witness in all things the signs of Thy Lordship and the lights of Thine eternity, that through Thy power we may gather upon the carpet of Thy oneness and in the places of Thy glorification.

I beseech You by Your greatest signs and what was treasured in the breasts of the saints and hearts of the chosen ones, and by the Word through which the sincere ones hastened to the gate of Your bounty and those brought nigh to the court of Your glory, that You strengthen me in all conditions in what will draw me near to You and make me detached from all else but You and holding fast to the cord of Your generosity.

O my Lord! This is one ignorant who hath turned toward the ocean of Thy knowledge, and a supplicant who hath stood before the door of Thy bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs, and by the breathings of Thy Revelation, and by the manifestations of Thy power and might, to ordain for me, through Thy grace and bounty, that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

I beseech Thee by Thyself and by Thy sovereignty which cannot be indicated by any sign, nor comprehended through any mention, nor described by any praise, to make me in all conditions to cling to the hem of Thy mercy and hold fast unto Thy Name, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Hear thou the Call from the Most Glorious Horizon - verily it will draw thee nigh unto a station sublime and wondrous.

O my God, by Thy Name through which the mountains were moved, the Cry was raised, the heaven was cleft asunder and the earth was rent - to ordain for me a cup from the Kawthar of meeting Thee, a chalice from the Salsabil of attaining unto Thee, and an ocean from the choice wine of nearness unto Thee.

I beseech Thee by the Word through which the heavens were raised up, the verses were sent down, and the signs appeared, that Thou draw me nigh unto the ocean of Thy knowledge which hath been manifested through one of Thy names.

Say: O God of existence and Sovereign of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee to make me hear, in all conditions, Thy most sweet call and to draw me nigh unto Thee through Thy bountiful grace.

Remember thy Lord with this prayer:

O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of earth and heaven, and within Whose grasp is the empire of destiny! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the greatest veil was rent asunder and the Most Pure Manifestation appeared from the horizon of Thy Command, to draw me nigh unto the seat of the throne of Thy oneness in Thy holy court, that I may hearken unto Thy call.

I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou hast subdued all things, and by the pearls of Thy knowledge in the Kingdom of creation, and by the stars of the heaven of Thy Command in the Realm of eternity, to make me in all conditions to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and to drink from the Kawthar of Thy supreme mercy. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thy countenance and holding fast to the cord of Thy loving-kindness.

Open Thou mine eyes to behold the lights of Thy countenance and mine ears to hearken unto the cooing of the Dove of Thy Cause. Then loose Thou my tongue to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee.

Say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the Staff which vanquished the swords, to make me gaze toward Thee, turn toward the lights of Thy countenance, hold fast to Thy cord, and cling to the hem of the robe of Thy grace.

Thou too must turn to the Most Glorious Unseen One and say: "O Thou Who art aware of all secrets! O Guide of the righteous! O Companion of the free! My soul be a sacrifice for Thee! O Beloved Who drawest hearts unto Thee! O Rose-cheeked One with moonlike face! O gracious and good-natured Lord! My soul be a sacrifice for Thee! Thou knowest my need, though I keep it hidden. At every moment Thou art present.

Poor and desolate I am, O my Lord! Immerse me in the ocean of Thy wealth; athirst, suffer me to drink from the living waters of Thy loving-kindness.

O my Lord! I am the poor one who hath sought to appear before the throne of Thy riches, and I am the thirsty one who hath hastened to the spot wherefrom the Kawthar of life hath gushed forth by Thy leave and power, and I am the ailing one who hath desired the ocean of Thy healing, and I am the lowly one who aspireth toward the dawning-place of Thy glory. Deprive me not of that which lieth with Thee.

"O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one drawing nigh unto the ocean of Thy bounty and the sick one unto the Kawthar of Thy healing. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which Thou hast ordained for them that are nigh unto Thee among Thy servants and the sincere ones among Thy creation.

O Lord! I am a captive - release me through Thy power. I seek refuge - rescue me from the abyss of my deprivation through Thy might. I am a suppliant - shelter me in the cave of Thy protection and care. I am yearning - raise me to Thy Kingdom.

Your letter has attained unto the Most Transcendent Scene, and the Lord of Destiny addresses you and says: Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I am but a leaf which Thy Will and Purpose have caused to grow until it appeared from Thy Branch. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the nations and Sovereign of eternity, to make me one of those who circle round Thee in every world of Thy worlds.

O my Lord! I am a leaf among the leaves of the Tree of Thy Cause, which the winds of Thy will and the breezes of Thy revelation have stirred. I beseech Thee not to deprive me from the ocean of Thy bounty.

O my Lord! Thou seest the drop seeking the ocean of Thy grace and the sea of Thy bounty, and the atom seeking the effulgences of the sun of Thy generosity and munificence.

O Lord! Thou seest this evanescent one seeking the Kawthar of Thy perpetual grace from the hands of Thy bounty, and this weary one seeking the kingdom of Thine utterance.

I beseech Thee by this very Name not to suffer me to be far from the court of Thy holiness, nor debarred from the exalted sanctuary of Thy unity and oneness.

Then cause me to enter, O my God, within the pavilions of Thy nearness and the tabernacle of Thy love. Then unveil unto me, O my God, that which is hidden from the eyes of Thy servants and concealed from the knowledge of Thy creatures.

I ask of Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, O Thou the Desire of the world and the Well-Beloved of mankind, to grant that the breeze of Thine inspiration may sustain my soul, that Thy wondrous voice may reach my ear, that my eyes may behold Thy signs and Thy light as revealed in the manifestations of Thy names and Thine attributes, O Thou within Whose grasp are all things!

I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have encompassed the entire creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that hath illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth, and by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created things, and by Thy grace that hath suffused the whole universe, to rend asunder the veils that shut me out from Thee, that I may hasten unto the Fountain-Head of Thy mighty inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful favors, and may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Light and Thy Mighty Announcement to open before my face the door of Thy mercy and Thy grace, then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones.

O my God! Drive not this poor one from the door of Thy riches, and remove not this handmaiden from the paradise of Thy nearness and Thy presence.

I find no path except toward Thee and no refuge save in Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made as a fire in the hearts of the lovers and the Beloved of the hearts of the yearning ones, that Thou cast me not out from the court of Thy mercy nor prevent me from arriving at the shore of the sea of Thy oneness.

O Lord! Open before my face the doors of Thy grace and bounty. I testify that in Thy grasp is the key to every mighty door.

Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face.

Wouldst Thou, O my God, deprive him who hath turned toward the sanctuary of Thy Being? Wouldst Thou, O my Beloved, cast away him who hath sought refuge in the city of Thy nearness?

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Word whereby all who are in earth and heaven were seized with terror, save those who held fast to the Sure Handle, that Thou leave me not among Thy creatures, but raise me up unto Thee and cause me to enter beneath the shadow of Thy mercy and give me to drink of the pure wine of Thy bounty, that I may dwell in the pavilion of Thy glory and the canopies of Thy favors.

I beseech Thee, by Thine all-glorious Name and by Thy beauty that hath dawned above the horizon of Thy most exalted Essence, to cause me to be related to Thee even as Thou hadst done so aforetime, and not to separate me from Thyself.

I find myself now in the vicinity of Thy great mercy, beneath the shadow of Thy Most Exalted Name, and seated before the kindled lamp of Thy grace within the niche of Thy bounty.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by this Dawn which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy mercy, and by the showers of the rain of Thy grace which have descended from the clouds of Thy gifts and favors, that Thou leave me not to myself and my desires. Deliver me from all else but Thee, and purify me from all save Thee, and direct me unto the splendors of the light of Thy face, the Mighty, the Luminous.

O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I have turned to Thee, holding fast to the cord of Thy grace and clinging to the hem of Thy loving-kindness. Write down for me that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds.

Cause me to soar, O my Beloved, in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and the heaven of Thy reunion, that I may thank Thee among Thy handmaidens and make mention of Thee amidst Thy creation.

When thou findest the sweetness of My utterance, say: My God, my God! Shut me not out from the ocean of Thy bounty, nor from the outpourings of Thy days. Ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.

Say:

Glory be to You, O my God! I beseech You by Your Name through which You established Yourself upon the throne of Your Name, the All-Merciful, not to deprive me of the breezes from the paradise of Your reunion and the fragrances from the garden of Your presence.

O Thou Benevolent God!

Grant us a shelter in Thy threshold and inform us of Thy mysteries!

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O Lord! Raise me up unto Thee, shelter me in Thy nearness, and aid me through Thy grace and bounty.

Confer upon this indigent one an abode in the Neighborhood of Thy Infinite Mercy.

I beseech Thee, O Ka'bih of the lovers and Fire of the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee, not to render him who hath turned to Thee deprived of what is with Thee and prevented from what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy messengers.

Say: O God, Most Generous, Most Merciful! I testify to Thy oneness and singleness, and I beseech from Thee that which endureth through the eternity of Thy names and attributes. Thou art the Possessor of existence and the Sovereign of the seen and unseen. O Lord! A poor one hath turned toward the ocean of Thy wealth, and a supplicant hath approached the door of Thy generosity. Deprive him not.

O my Lord! Deprive me not of those outpourings which Thou hast sent down upon Thy sincere ones from the clouds of Thy mercy, and remove me not from the shore of the glory of Thy oneness. Then grant me, O my God, a seat of truth with Thee and join me with Thy sincere servants.

Say: My God, my God! Aid me in that which befitteth Thy days and ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto the court of Thy glory and the precincts of Thy holiness. O my Lord! Drive me not from the door of Thy bounty, and deprive me not of the ocean of Thy mercy.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward the lights of Thy countenance and holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for those near unto Thee in Thy most exalted Paradise and Thy most sublime Garden.

Then say:

"Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Make my life Thy Name, and my spirit Thy remembrance, and my hope Thy Beauty, and my paradise Thy nearness, and my Kawthar Thy call, and my Ka'bih Thy love, and my sanctuary Thine atmosphere, and my goal the seat of Thy mighty Throne. O Lord! Drive me not from the door of Thy mercy, and forbid me not from the wonders of Thy signs, and leave me not among Thy handmaidens.

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Say: O my Lord! I am one of Thy handmaidens and have turned my face toward the sanctuary of Thy riches. I beseech Thee by Thy beauty not to deprive me of beholding Thy countenance, through whose light the heavens and earth were illumined. O my Lord! Cause me to hear Thy call and let me taste the sweetness of Thy remembrance and grant me the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, then give me to drink from the Salsabil of Thy bounty.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward the heaven of Thy bounty and awaiting the wonders of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee by the rain-showers of the springtime of Thy mercy to send down upon me that which will purify me from the mention of any save Thee and draw me near to the court of Thy holiness.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance that Thou withhold me not from the fountain of Thy good-pleasure, nor distance me from nearness to Thee and Thy presence.

Say: O my God, my God! Disappoint me not from that which is with Thee, and drive me not from Thy door which Thou hast opened before the faces of all who are in Thy earth and Thy heaven. Make me not deprived of the fragrances of Thy Revelation, nor forbidden from drawing nigh unto Thy chosen ones and Thy pure ones.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my Lord, the All-Merciful! I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy Book and the lights of Thy Throne to open before my face, through the key of Thy Most Great Name, the door of Thy nearness and meeting.

O Lord! I have turned toward the City of Thy nearness and directed my face unto Thy countenance. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy generosity.

Beseech thy Lord at all times that He close not before thy face the gates of the Paradise of His good-pleasure, that thou mayest inhale from it the fragrance of the garment of the remembrance of thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Cast me not from Thy presence, O my Lord, neither do Thou drive me away from the shores of Thy love and Thy good-pleasure.

Blessed is he who saith and will say: "O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Glory at its most glorious to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High."

We have forsaken our homes, O Lord, in our eagerness to meet Thee and in our longing to be united with Thee. We have traversed land and sea to attain the court of Thy presence and to give ear to Thy verses. When we arrived at the shores of the sea, however, we were held back from Thee, as the ungodly intervened between us and the light of Thy countenance.

O Lord! Open before the faces of Thy servants the gate which was closed by what the aggressive ones have wrought in Thy days, that through it may enter those who desire to attain the presence of the throne of Thy grandeur and to stand before the dawning-places of the lights of Thy countenance.

I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, to send down upon them that which will gladden their hearts and give peace to their beings. Thou knowest that the fire of separation cannot be quenched save by the waters of Thy reunion and presence, and their agitation cannot be stilled except by beholding Thy beauty.

Open Thou outwardly to their faces, O my Lord, the gates of Thy grace, that they may enter them by Thy leave and in conformity with Thy will, and may stand before the throne of Thy majesty, and catch the accents of Thy voice, and be illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy face.

I beseech Thee, by the waves of the ocean of Thy oneness from which Thy mention and praise can be heard, to open before the faces of those who seek Thee the gates of meeting with Thee. Then grant them, O my God, the water of life of attaining Thy presence.

When thou art carried away by the breezes of revelation, say:

My God, my God! I know not what Thou hast ordained for me, nor what Thy Most Exalted Pen hath set in motion. Hast Thou ordained for me to turn toward the lights of Thy countenance, to stand before Thy gate, to hearken unto Thy sweetest call, and to gaze toward Thy most exalted horizon? Or hath Thy binding decree and the requirements of Thy knowledge and wisdom prevented me from this?

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I beseech Thee by the breezes of Thy Revelation, the evidences of Thy might, and the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, to ordain for me to attain Thy presence, to stand before Thy gate, and to hearken unto Thy Call which was raised once from the Tree when Thou didst manifest Thyself unto Moses, and again during the Night Journey when Thy Friend and Chosen One ascended; or ordain for me, by the Pen of Thy Command, the reward of meeting Thee.

When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and drunk the choice wine sealed with My Self-Subsisting Name, say: My God, my God! I perceive the fragrance of Thy Revelation and the sweet-scented breezes of Thy appearance. Hast Thou ordained for me to stand before Thy gate and attain the presence of Thy countenance? Blessed is the station that hath been illumined by the lights of Thy beauty, the land honored by Thy footsteps, and the atmosphere wherein Thy call was raised.

O Lord! I sense the fragrance of Thy manifestation but know not which place is illumined by the light of Thy knowledge and adorned with the splendors of Thy countenance and honored by Thy presence.

My God, my God! The fire of Thy love hath set me ablaze and Thy remoteness and separation have destroyed me. Is there a way for me, O my God, to the fortress which Thou hast made a prison for the Manifestation of Thyself? Have I any portion in the hearing of Thy call and beholding the lights of Thy countenance? Have I any share in the waves of the ocean of Thy revelation and in standing before the gate of Thy grandeur?

I know not, O my God and my Master and my heart's Desire, whether Thy grace will bring me nigh unto Thee that I may stand before Thy face and see what Moses desired from the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity, and hear what the Beloved heard when He ascended unto Thee and turned to the station of Thy nearness and meeting, since Thy firm decree and Most Great Command prevent me.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance from the cup of My bounty and art seized by the rapture of My call, say: "My God, my God! I have longed for Thy nearness, and desired to appear before Thy face, to hearken to the shrill voice of Thy Pen, to behold Thy most exalted horizon and the seat of Thy Most Glorious Throne. Days and nights have passed, yet mine eyes have not been gladdened, mine ears have not been blessed, and my heart hath not rejoiced.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy Name through which the mysteries were revealed and rivers flowed from rocks, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the splendors of the lights of Thy countenance, to draw me nigh unto Thee in the manifest exterior even as Thou hast drawn me nigh in the interior.

Therefore, O my God, I, one of Thy handmaidens, have desired nearness unto Thee and reunion with Thee and to enter the sanctuary of Thy mighty oneness and to stand before Thy throne.

I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the mysteries of Thy Cause to ordain for me the reward of meeting Thee and of attaining unto presence before Thy throne.

Ordain for this servant of Thine the reward of those who have been honored to attain Thy presence, who have stood before Thy throne, who have witnessed the lights of Thy beauty, who have drunk the choice wine of reunion with Thee, who have been intoxicated by the warmth of Thy address and the rapture of nearness to Thee and Thy bounty. Aid him to remain steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love.

When thou hast attained unto the Tablet say: "My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the cup of Thy reunion and for having brought me into Thy presence while the opposers lay in wait to prevent Thy servants from turning unto the court of Thy nearness and entering the precincts of Thy companionship.

When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My raiment and art blessed with My call, say:

My God, my God! I know not in what land Thy call hath been raised, nor in what place the throne of Thy justice hath been established, and been honored by the advent of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy signs. … I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world and Goal of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name, to make me detached from all else but Thee, soaring in the atmosphere of Thy nearness, gazing toward Thy horizon, and drinking the choice wine of Thy utterance.

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O Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation and are in Thy grasp. Deprive them not of the fragrances of Thy days. Ordain for the sincere ones the reward of attaining Thy presence and standing before the gate of Thy grandeur.

I beseech Thee, O Refuge of existence and Lord of the unseen and the seen, to ordain for me through the pen of Thy grace that which will honor me with meeting Thee once again.

O Kind God! This scattered gathering, each from a different land and region and border and frontier - one eastern, another western, one southern, another northern - just as Thou hast gathered these helpless ones in the earthly kingdom at the noblest spot on earth after the exalted Shrines, we hope that through Thy grace and generosity, Thy favor and bestowal, Thou wilt gather them at the noblest spot in the supreme Kingdom, that all may rest in the shade of the Divine Lote-Tree and attain the blessing of achieving Thy presence.

O Self-Sufficing Lord! Make these hearts intimate with Your mystery and free them from stranger and kin alike. Give them to drink from the morning cup in the dawn of oneness and intoxicate them with the cup of "Am I not?"

Withhold not from me, O my Lord, the things Thou didst ordain for such of Thy handmaidens as circle around Thee, and on whom are poured continually the splendors of the sun of Thy beauty and the beams of the brightness of Thy face.

Send down upon her the breaths of Thy mercy, that she may be carried away wholly from herself, and be drawn entirely towards the seat which, resplendent with the glory of Thy face, sheddeth afar the radiance of Thy sovereignty, and is established as Thy throne.

Send down upon her from the clouds of Thy grace and the heaven of Thy generosity that which shall draw her near unto Thee in all conditions and cause her to speak of Thy remembrance and praise.

O my Lord! Withhold not Thy handmaidens from drawing nigh unto the ocean of Thy utterance and turning towards the horizon of Thy Manifestation. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

I beseech Thee by the Mount and Him Who conversed upon it to decree for me what Thou hast decreed for Thy handmaidens who circle round the throne of Thy grandeur and speak Thy praise. O my Lord! I am Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden. I have desired from the heaven of Thy grace that which befits the Sun of Thy bounty and the Ocean of Thy generosity.

O Lord! Aid Thy leaf to remember Thee amongst Thy handmaidens and ordain for her that which will bring joy to her eyes and gladden her breast. O Lord! Thou art the All-Bountiful and Thy handmaiden stands at Thy door. I beseech Thee to ordain for her that which will cause her to circle round Thy will and speak Thy name in all Thy worlds.

O thou attracted maid-servant of God!

Verily, I bow my face to the dust of the Threshold of El-Baha and to Him who sitteth on the Throne, I petition as a supplicating captive, begging Him to make thee to behold His Glorious Face and to purify thine insight from aught else save Him among the people.

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O Lord! Decree for her that which shall gladden her eyes, then shelter her within the pavilion of Thy protection and the tabernacle of Thy safekeeping. … Look upon her with the eyes of Thy mercy and illumine her heart with the light of Thy knowledge, in such wise that nothing shall prevent her from turning toward the court of Thy bounties.

Say: My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant clinging to Thy presence, seeking from the wonders of Thy grace that which will draw him nigh unto Thee, honor him with Thy presence, and adorn him with the ornament of Thy loving-kindness.

I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of earth and heaven, by Thy Most Glorious Name through which the standards of Thy Cause were raised up in Thy lands and the banners of Thy dominion were planted in Thy realm, to make him turn his gaze toward Thee, to speak forth Thy praise, and to be directed in all conditions toward the court of Thy grace and bounties.

O Lord! Bestow upon me and upon them that love me that which will draw us nigh unto Thee and remove us far from all else except Thee.

Then write down, O my God, for me and for her that which will draw us near unto Thee and cause us to speak Thy praise.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, Who hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of lands, inasmuch as He summoned all mankind unto the horizon of Thy Cause and the heaven of Thy bounty, to draw me and those who have believed near unto Thy most exalted horizon and the manifestation of Thy most resplendent Beauty.

I beseech Thee by Thy mysteries that lie concealed within Thy Book and by the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy bounty to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones that which will draw us nigh unto Thee and cause us to speak Thy praise.

O my Lord! Ordain for us from the wonders of Thy bounty that which will draw us nigh unto Thee, then write down for us the good of this world and of the world to come.

O Lord! We have turned unto Thy most exalted station and Thy most glorious horizon. I beseech Thee not to disappoint us from that which is with Thee, to grant us Thy presence, and to ordain for us in all circumstances that which will draw us nigh unto Thee and honor us with Thy good-pleasure, which Thou hast made the greatest of all matters in Thy Books and Tablets.

O Lord! We are Thy servants, in Thy grasp, seeking refuge at Thy threshold and shelter in Thy presence. By Thy beauty, O Beloved of the worlds, we find no path for ourselves except unto Thee, no refuge save Thee, and no haven other than the shelter of Thy supreme mercy.

O God! Thirsty are we, Thy Grace is the cooling spring! Homeless and shelterless are we. Thy Court is the asylum for poor ones. Indigent are we, give unto us the Treasury of Thy Kingdom. Prisoners are we, free us from ought else save Thee. Nameless and traceless are we, accept us at Thy divine Threshold!

O my Most Glorious Lord! Thou seest my abasement and my brokenness, my poverty and my distress. Aid me and aid Thy servant who hath prostrated himself before Thy Beauty, glorified Thy Name, and severed himself from all else but Thee.

I beseech God to protect you in the proximity of His Most Glorious Kingdom, shelter you beneath the shade of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, grant you the meeting, and bestow upon you that which you love and with which you are content.

My Lord! My Lord! This is Thy sorrowing servant - gladden him with the signs of Thy bounties in this witnessed Day, and make him joyous through the grace of the Ancient Beauty and the generosity of Thy Great Name.

O Lord! Plunge him into the pools of everlasting life and cause him to warble with the melody of the Dove in the gardens of faithfulness, that he may roar with the roaring of a lion in the thickets of Thy greatest bounty.

O God! Suffer these wanderers around thy abode to become Thy passionate lovers, freed from the known and the unknown.

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all things have drawn near unto the seat of Thy Command, the Source of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy signs, to write down for them that which will gladden their hearts and tranquilize their souls through Thy grace and Thy favors.

Glorified art Thou, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree, and by its fruits, branches, boughs and rustling, that Thou change the fire of separation from Thy loved ones into the light of reunion with Thee, and their remoteness into nearness unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Ancient One, possessed of great bounty. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth, to change the abasement of Thy loved ones into the glory which Thou hast sent down in Thy Tablets. Then gather them together through Thy bounty and favor.

I pray Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to aid all them that have believed on Thee and on Thy signs to be steadfast in Thy love and to set themselves towards the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness. Inspire them, then, O my God, with what will unloose their tongue to praise Thee, and will draw them nigh unto Thee in the life that now is and the life that is to come.

I beseech Thee by the movement of Thy Finger and the manifestations of Thy power and decree to aid the servants to turn unto Thee and to arise to serve Thee.

O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned to Thee, detached from all else but Thee. Ordain for me that which shall be a light from Thee, to accompany me in every world of Thy worlds and guide me to the threshold of Thy nearness and the court of Thy glory.

Draw them nearer, O my God, unto the scene of Thine effulgent glory, and enrapture their hearts with the sweet savors of Thine inspiration, through which they who adore Thy unity have soared on the wings of desire towards Thee, and they who are devoted to Thee have reached unto Him Who is the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy creation.

I implore Thee, O Thou Maker of the heavens and Lord of all names, by Thy most effulgent Self and Thy most exalted and all-glorious Remembrance, to send down upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nearer unto Thee, and enable them to hearken unto Thine utterances.

O thou who gazest upon His countenance! Remember God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, and say:

My God, my God! Withhold not Thy servants from the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, nor drive them away from standing before the gate of Thy grandeur. O Lord! Illumine their faces with the lights of Thy countenance and their hearts with the lights of Thy knowledge.

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I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by them that have clung to the cord of fasting out of love for Thy Cause and have turned toward the horizon of destiny out of longing for Thy beauty, to ordain for Thy loved ones that which shall draw them nigh unto the ocean whereof if one partaketh, no grief shall touch him in Thy Cause, nor shall any worldly concerns trouble him in his love and contentment with Thee. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, to adorn our deeds with the ornament of Thine acceptance.

Free us from the greatest abasement in this world and the next, and make us successful in achieving spiritual glory and nobility in both worlds.

O God, forgive our transgressions and teach us Thy divine perfections. Burn asunder the veils before Thy Face that we may behold Thine immaculate Beauty, that we may gain a portion from Thine ocean of bounty and obtain a share of the attributes of the True Friend.

O God, bring us near unto Thee and through Thy holy breaths, make us intimate with Thee.

I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Most Exalted Self and by Thy Most Glorious Name, to draw Thy servants nigh unto the shore of the ocean of Thy oneness. O my Lord! Disappoint them not of that which lieth with Thee.

I beseech Thee by that revelation whereby Moses the Interlocutor was struck down, and by Thy most sweet call which the Beloved was blessed to hear, to ordain for Thy chosen ones that which will shield them from all else save Thee and draw them nigh unto Thee.

Draw nigh, O my God, unto them that desire Thy reunion and presence, then cause them to enter the precincts of Thy mercy. O Lord! Deprive them not of the fragrant breezes of Thy nearness and the sweet savors of Thy verses.

Although in all times and with the passing of days and ages, hands are raised in prayer and supplication to the court of the Lord, and the tongue is occupied with lamentation and crying and the heart with burning and restlessness - has the tongue any power of movement left to begin telling, or can we open our lips to complain, or reveal a drop or splash of what blazes in the heart and wells up in the breast?

O God! Have mercy and grant freedom to my withered soul, and swiftly bring me to the threshold of Thy chosen ones. … Hasten, do not delay, so that this spirit, weary of the body, may be delivered from the deadly darkness of contingent existence and from hardship, separation and burning anguish, may turn toward Thy sacred threshold, and find rest in the shelter of Thy favors to Thy loved ones.

O Lord! Suffer him to attain Thy presence and to enjoy reunion with Thee in Thy most exalted dominion and Thy most glorious kingdom and make him Thine most august companion through Thy loving-kindness.

O Lord! Take hold of these decaying bones, this ailing body, this wasting frame, and this empty shell, raise me up unto Thee and bring me into Thy presence.

O Lord! Hasten the day of my arrival unto Thee and my entrance into the court of Thy holiness. Verily, Thou art the Gracious, the Most High.

Oh, how I long to depart from this evanescent abode for the precincts of Thy most great mercy, to sever the cord of my attachment to this world, and to hold fast and cleave unto the threshold of Thy holiness, O Lord of the most beauteous names!

My God, my God! Aid this servant in that which Thou lovest and approvest, forgive his father and pardon him, immerse him in the seas of Thy mercy, cause him to enter Thy Garden of Eden, shelter him beneath Thy Lote-Tree of the Extremity, house him in Thy Paradise of Refuge, grant him the meeting with Thee in Thy highest Paradise, and crown him with Thy bounties in the most glorious Kingdom.

I call upon Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst raise up the heavens upon the thread of Thine eternity and didst elevate the pavilions of the Cause upon the throne of the glory of Thine oneness, that Thou mayest send down upon those who have mentioned Thy Most Exalted Name and who have followed the path of Thy love in the realm below, and then raise them up, O my God, unto the stations of holiness in Thy presence, that they may dwell in Thy habitations and drink from the cup of Thy good-pleasure.

O Lord of all worlds! Cause me to burn with the fire of Thy love in this world, and in the next world make me successful through beholding Thy moon-like countenance.

O Lord! Ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

Decree for me, by Thy Bounty, O Lord, that which shall prosper me in this world and hereafter and shall draw me nigh unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all men.

I beseech Thee to cause me to be immersed in the ocean of Thy oneness and to stand before the door of Thy bounty in every world of Thy worlds.

Within the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Day-Star of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor!

O my Lord! Ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and will be with me in every world of Thy worlds.

O my Lord! Withhold me not from the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy grace. Remember me through Thy favor in the Concourse on High, even as Thou didst remember Thy servants who cast away all else save Thee and turned toward Thy luminous countenance.

Grant that I may reap the benefit of my life in this world and in the next. Open to my face the portals of Thy grace and graciously confer upon me Thy tender mercy and bestowals.

My God, my God! Thou hearest my cry and beholdest my state. I beseech Thee by Him Who conversed with the Tree, through Whom the Tree of the Manifestation spoke, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds.

I ask Thee to draw me ever nearer unto Thy horizon; ordain then for me, O my God, that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds.

I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned to the horizon of Thy Manifestation and have acknowledged that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Books. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of the Kawthar of Thy bounty nor to withhold me from the ocean of Thy grace.

I implore Thee, by Thy divine sweetness and by the splendors of the glory of Thy face, to send down upon us from Thy retreats on high that which will enable us to draw nigh unto Thee.

Say: O God, O King of Kings and Merciful unto the servants! I beseech Thee by the Sun of Thy Revelation and the heaven of Thy grace and the ocean of Thy power, to ordain for me that which shall cause me to endure with the endurance of Thy Kingdom, and to stand in every world of Thy worlds before the throne of Thy grandeur, and to drink the Kawthar of reunion from the hands of Thy bounty.

I beseech Thee by the outpourings of Thy days and the breathings of Thy Revelation to ordain for me that which shall be a lamp before my face in all the worlds of Thy worlds.

Say: O Lord of destiny and Sovereign of humanity! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Scene - the station wherein every hidden matter was revealed more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye - to make me one of those who have attained unto the Kawthar of Thy utterance and have drunk the choice wine of steadfastness from the hands of Thy bounty.

I beseech Thee by the penetrating influence of Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets, and by the ocean of Thy verses and the heaven of Thy bounty, to ordain for me that which shall make me independent of all else save Thee and detached from whatsoever hath prevented Thy servants from drawing nigh unto Thee.

By the holy fragrances is my heart quickened, and through the attractions of Thy beauty of oneness is my heart enraptured. … Through the manifestations of Thy Kingdom of mercy is my essence revived, and through the confirmations of the Supreme Concourse is my triumph and the exaltation of Thy Word achieved.

When thou hearest My call and the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen in the prison of Akka, say: "My God, my God! Separation from Thee hath consumed me, and remoteness from Thee hath set me ablaze. Thou seest and knowest that this servant of Thine hath yearned for Thy nearness and Thy will, and his heart hath melted in longing to hear Thy call.

Grant access to this servant of Thy threshold unto the court of Thy oneness, and let not this one who hopes in Thy mercy be disappointed. Make him firm and steadfast in the Covenant and in faith.

I beseech Thee, O Thou King of existence and Lord of the seen and the unseen, to assist me to serve Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures and to make me ever gaze toward Thee in all conditions. … O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one turning toward the horizon of Thy riches. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy near servants.

I beseech Thee, O Beloved of the world and Desire of the nations, Who hath appeared with the Most Great Name, that Thou disappoint me not from the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy grace and aid me to serve Thy Cause.

O Lord! Assist us in Thy service, and enable us to serve at Thy threshold, and grant us the fruits of the tree of Thy knowledge, and admit us into the garden of Thy gift, and cause us to abide in the paradise of Thy oneness, and make us Thy distinguished servants in Thy Cause and the inheritors of Thy Prophets and Messengers - honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command.

O Lord! Thou art my hope and the ultimate goal of my aspirations. I beseech Thee by the glory of Thy Self-Subsistence which hath encompassed all created things, and by the sovereignty of Thy Lordship which hath transcended all beings, to assist this servant of Thine in his servitude at Thy merciful threshold and his bondage at the court of Thy divine holiness.

Say: "Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me when I was in the most desolate of lands. I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and enable me to arise to serve Thee and to serve Thy loved ones.

O Lord! Thou seest them turning toward Thee, voicing Thy praise, gazing toward Thy horizon, and clinging to the cord of Thy loving-kindness. I implore Thee to send down upon them that which will draw them closer to Thee in all conditions and cause them to celebrate Thy remembrance at morn and eventide.

I desire from Thee naught except that which will strengthen me to remember Thee and praise Thee in Thy land, and to stand firm in Thy Cause.

In the name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy greatness whereby all things have been made great, and by the lights of Thy countenance whereby all things have been illumined, and by the wondrous signs of Thy names whereby all things have been distinguished one from another, and by Thy name which Thou hast made to stand over all things, and by Thy sovereignty whereby Thou hast prevailed over all things, and by Thy verses whereby the realities of all things have been attracted, and by Thy Word whereby all who are in earth and heaven were struck with fear, and by Thy call in the holy wilderness whereby the heart of the world was set ablaze and whereby Thou didst guide the sincere ones to the shore of the ocean of Thy oneness and caused the lovers to soar in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and meeting, and attracted the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee to the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy - I beseech Thee to accept from us what we have wrought in Thy love and good-pleasure.

O my God, my Lord and my Beloved! They who have tasted the sweetness of Thy call and hastened to the shadow of Thy bounties and the proximity of Thy favors and followed what Thou didst command them out of love for Thyself and desire for Thy presence - these move not except by Thy leave and speak not save after Thy command.

O my God and my Master! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have risen from my couch at this dawntide when the Daystar of Thy oneness hath shone forth from the Dayspring of Thy will, and hath shed its radiance upon the whole world, according to what had been ordained in the Books of Thy Decree.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, that Thou hast caused us to awaken illumined by the light of Thy knowledge and to fast purely for Thy sake. O Lord! Send down upon us that which will make us independent of all else save Thee and detached from all except Thyself. Then write down for me and for my loved ones and my kindred, both male and female, the good of this world and the world to come. Then protect us, O Thou Who art the Beloved of creation and the Desire of invention, by Thy supreme greatness from those whom Thou hast made to be the manifestations of the slinking whisperer who whisper in the breasts of men. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

O my God, send Thy blessings upon Him Whom Thou hast made the Self-Subsisting One over Thy most beautiful names, and through Whom Thou hast distinguished between the righteous and the wicked, that Thou mayest make us successful in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. And, O my God, send Thy peace upon Thy Words and Thy Letters, and upon those who have turned toward Thee and have set their faces toward Thy countenance and have hearkened unto Thy call. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the servants and their Sovereign, and Thou art powerful over all things.

I beseech Thee to assist me in Thy love and good-pleasure and in serving Thy Cause in Thy days. Then ordain for me, O my God, that which is best for me and draw me nigh unto Thee under all conditions.

I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy manifestation and by the mysteries concealed within Thy knowledge, to aid me to perform such deeds from which the fragrance of Thy good-pleasure shall never cease to emanate. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I acknowledge Thy manifestation and Thy sovereignty, and confess that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. I beseech Thee to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise amongst Thy servants.

The Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth and saith: O God of the world and Lord of eternity! I beseech Thee by the fire wherewith the hearts of Thy chosen ones were set ablaze in Thy days, and by the light whereby the faces of Thy creation were illumined, and by the Name which Thou hast made the balance of Thy Cause and the path of Thy sovereignty amongst Thy creatures, that Thou mayest open, through the key of Thy craftsmanship, unto every atom a door leading to Thy presence and a way unto the ocean of Thy reunion.

O Lord! Send down upon Thy loved ones, both male and female, that which befitteth Thy generosity, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of Names. Then ordain for every soul that which will draw him nigh unto Thee in this world and the next.